An intensly intimate expose. Powerful, dramatic, ultra-skilled and tight.
The fear of losing one of Prog rock's most talented and prolific masters has been abated. Thank God! Literally!
After hearing Spocks Beard's latest "Feel Euphoria" and ex-frontman Neal Morse' new album Testimony, I can see the split did no damage to either one's creative genius.
In fact, Neal, on his own terms has a much better focus than he did with Spock's. If you're already an S.B. fan then you'll know Neal left because he was called by God to do so. He became a Christian, his life changed and so did the desires of his heart.
With that change brought different lyrics. As the album title suggests this is in fact his Testimony about what happened before, during, and after his salvation experience with Jesus. That's something you need to know going into this record.
The music will catch you, no doubt, by the cajones! So don't worry about that! I mean you've got
Mike Portnoy and Kerry Livgren, among others, backing Neal up, so the talent is there and the music more than stands up to the Spocks Beard precedent that Neal himself help to set.
The lyrics however, are blatantly Christian. If you're of the Christian Faith the songs will be immediately understood. Those who are not may find some of the lyrics hard to grasp. I don't mean this in general terms. He speaks of the pains, joys, defeats, questioning, anger and all the other emotions that make us humans what we are. Add to that his Christian world view and you have a nice broad spectrum of lyrical ideas happening.
So if anything his new found faith has made him more vulnerable and he is wearing his heart fully on his sleeve. And if rock music is about anything at all, it's about speaking your mind and what you believe in! He speaks his mind both musically and lyrically. There in lies the magic of what he has created. The music and lyrics are so much a part of each other that i would liken it to the Human body. All the parts work togther to form and sustain life. Neal writes songs like movies that you watch and they make you forget that there are actors and cameras rolling. You get so caught up in it because everything is working so well together.
So what about the music? It's all you'd expect a prog rock album to be plus some. Orchestration, ballads, odd time rockers and instrumental sections of a grand nature! The production is crisp and clear and full. If you like Spocks Beard you will defintely like this!
Neal has posted a nice bio on his
home page about all that has happened in his life the last few years. It's a great story and he breaks down the songs one by one of how they came to be and what they mean. Tons of info there and Mp3 samples of the new album you can hear.
Also check out
the label he is on.
Top quality work from a top flight artist!
Written by
David Tuesday, October 7, 2003
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