NMB: INNOCENCE & DANGER

This is my first ever review.....hope it helps you when considering this recording. Well, it all started years ago when a friend told me about Neal Morse's first "Testimony" CD. Well, that's not exactly true. Back in the late 60's and 70's I LOVED the classic prog of Genesis, ELP, Pink Floyd, Yes, Renaissance, Moody Blues, King Crimson, etc. but I got so sidetracked with all sorts of other great rock n' roll that I lost sight of 'other' prog (other than the aforementioned 'classic prog' bands continued output). THEN I was told about "Testimony". I loved it, which then opened the door to Spock's Beard (purchased them all!), and then Flower Kings, IQ, Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson, Pineapple Thief, Dream Theater, Riverside, Hawkwind, Iona, Marillion and on and on it went!

So, loving Spock's Beard and Neal (and it helped that I was a Christian minister) I started buying everything that Neal produced. Gosh, talk about prolific!!! Solo stuff, NMB, Flying Colors, Transatlantic, Covers....how does he do it? And it's just not just a regurgitation of cookie cutter prog - it's powerful and melodic stuff. I will admit that at times some of the longer tunes get redundant, but over all, it's just good prog.

Then came "Innocence and Danger"....I thought I knew what to expect, but was truly blown away about every single song. I'm not a music 'expert' that can talk about the technical aspects of the construction of a song, so you won't get that kind of analysis from me....I'm just hear to tell you that I have listened to this recording - from beginning to end - constantly- and I haven't grown tired of it yet. The melodies are memorable; musicianship is superb; and the one thing that Neal et al do amazingly well - are cover songs! I wondered what they would do with "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and I was pleasantly surprised at how powerful their version was. I just wish they would now cover two Moody songs (Neal likes the Moody Blues) that I believe "need"to be redone - "Steppin' In A Slide Zone" and "Gemini Dream". Both songs need some real "umph" - some powerful, loud bass, keyboards and drums - like the Doors "Hello I Love You" and Genesis' "Abacab". Please Neal - redo these!! I digress....

Articles that I've read about "Innocence and Danger" have all mentioned: 1. This album was a collaborative efforts by all band members; and 2. Consists of individual songs without a general over-riding theme. Although I enjoy Neal's thematic albums, I think that for these two reasons this album is above and beyond all other efforts. Every song can stand alone as great works, especially (in my opinion) "Another Story to Tell", "Emergence", and Not Afraid, Part 1 (best track on the album). Each of the songs on the first disc are shorter, but still good average 'prog' length, but then you come to disc two, which contain two EPIC prog songs: "Not Afraid, Part 2" (clocking in at 19:30 in length) and "Beyond the Years" (31:29!!!). I had some initial doubts about a thirty-one minute song, but boy, was I proven wrong!! It is fresh and exciting from beginning to end.

Please, if you have a hard time with Neal's Christian views (but then, few seem to have a problem with other prog bands singing all about fairies, aliens, voodoo, magic, and other esoteric and philosophical topics...why do they only avoid the 'Christian' themed songs? Please, please, please don't allow that to keep you from this album - it is truly a masterpiece of 21st-century prog. Just listen....I believe you will be persuaded....it's "that" good!