BRIEF NOCTURNES AND DREAMLESS SLEEP

Well, here it is. The long awaited 2013 release from Spock's Beard. We have't seen any real new music since the 2010 outing "X", which for my ears is the best Beard album post Neal Morse. This is a Bandcamp release, allowing us progheads to purchase an advance copy by paying our hard earned prog bucks to the band to help them with studio costs. For your faith we now have this album in FLAC until they ship their cd's. I gave this album a good couple of listens before writing this review. What we find in "Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep" is a very tight, well produced album of hard driving prog. What struck me is that the album seems a tad forced. As in, the band felt compelled to put out the album since we (the fans) prepaid for it. Don't misunderstand, I quite enjoy it, but it doesn't take any interesting leaps beyond "X"Special note should point out the outstanding keyboards by Ryo. He has now become the musical backbone of the band. Also, "Submerged" may be the single from the album, as it's catchy melody is quite infections, if not overly gymnastic

4.1 stars out of 5