NEAL MORSE

Celebrated progger elite Neal Morse is back once again, and with a totally new band this time. With the recent uncertain status of Neal's other band-related projects, Transatlantic and the Neal Morse Band (due to Mike Portnoy leaving to re-join Dream Theater), the ever-active Neal found some new mates to hang with, a group of local musicians Neil started jammng with that became this new project. And this new blood has revitalized Neil's music to some degree, as he delivers his best album since the last Neal Morse Band outing, Innocence and Danger (2021). Constructed with opening and closing mammoth-length epic tracks with shorter songs in-between, Neal has once again concocted an engaging, satisfying album of world-class prog. And this new band is more than just back-up for Neil, as they make great contributions with stellar playing, soloing, and additional new elements. Sure, it still sounds quite a bit like several other Neal Morse projects, but there are some new wrinkles here, and when the music is this good throughout, it's hard to complain that it should somehow be different. It all pretty much works here, with great songs, jamming, and emotional heft throughout. One minor complaint is that neither one of the epic tracks fully justify their extended lengths (at 21 and 29 min., respectively), they contain many wonderful and brilliant moments, but also have some lackluster or less appealing sections that could have been cut or reduced. Overall though, a wonderful album that presents a new band and indicates some possible new directions for Neil. Best Tracks: Ever Interceding, Thief, No Hill for a Climber, Eternity in Your Eyes. Rating: 4

A very great album that hurts me for its many ramifications, for its endless finales, for its 2 big titles with an intro of more than 5 minutes. It's just on the edge of annoying to see Neal's presence in composing old-time prog with such ease; it seems like it's the same the same time every time it's released....But there's a little change, a more substantial, faster crescendo, there's still his touch of a musician possessed by God, figuratively or not; Mike has gone to join his dream theater and it still hits just as well, the musicians here are little known to me, but it plays divinely, ah I had sworn that I wouldn't talk about religion anymore.

The album with 3 short tracks to get your hands dirty, a nice start before diving in, slipping into the tracks 'Eternity' of more than 20 minutes and 'No Hill' the eponymous title, long, captivating tracks that bore me I've already written it elsewhere; not that it's not good but because I feel engulfed in this bed of notes, in these convoluted drawers, in these barely admitted reminiscences; yes Neal must have really been touched by grace to release these tracks that don't leave anyone indifferent, except me. I don't have time anymore at the moment, but as soon as I have it I will find it energetic, complete, devilishly progressive.

2. Thief for its bluesy jazzy charlestonian side, for the atmosphere, the guitar solo, but not for the worn-out chorus; for the guitar solo which is divine, the return to the verse with languid brass and this finale which swells and leaves you speechless, breathe 3. All the Rage I pass, too much as mentioned above or just for the velvety finale 4. Ever Interceding for the acoustic guitar intro and the air which starts on a divine hymn, we want to take each other by the shoulders and dance around the table

1. Eternity in Your Eyes in 7 drawers with the symphonic reference intro; after that it's MORSE I pass for the points stated, good but redundant; up to 7 minutes with this moving vocoder in this break, this pierced balloon, this bluesy-groovy space with this angelic guitar; the moment at 12 minutes with the church organ, there it rocks in a solemn way; after that I drown again; 16 minutes and it starts again, good but repetitive, hey it sounds like SPOCK'S BEARD... for those who know the guy it's a bit disappointing even; the last minute is Dantesque for its decrescendo 5. No Hill for a Climber in 6 parts and the crystalline, oriental intro, the magic flute, in short a symphonic flight of almost 5 minutes magnificently orchestrated to fly very high, untellable; after that it's a tendency towards mawkish levels with a Neal who screams in stereo more than anything else, you have to get used to it; 7 and a half minutes and already the deliverance with this divine keyboard, damn I said I was stopping; there's even some VANGELIS in it, that's saying something and Philip and Joe's drums deliver; spoken break before a long sustained crescendo flirting with a prog metal from 1001 nights; halfway through and it suddenly goes up before leaving for another drawer, count which one; we come back to earth to have the sequence à la YES, yes I assume, the voice, the divine keyboard to touch the sun; keyboard break à la MORSE and its chorus, I pass! The rise is beautiful but grandiloquent; there are 5 minutes left, a music title in fact to have the long-awaited ceremony also predictable but confirming the inevitable end; a hidden outro with the True finale, ah the rascal, and the classical-romantic suite with violins to close your eyes and dream of this symphonic journey such as we could make during the 70s; yes it is indeed rock Dino that we have had to deal with.

As will be apparent for anyone who has read my other reviews and posts on the forum, I am a great admirer of Neal Morse. For me his two best albums are Question Mark and Sola Scriptura, and I don't think he's bettered them since. However, he has come close on many occasions, and this latest album I would put in that category.

The publicity blurb for the album said that Neal compared it to Transatlantic's Bridge Across Forever or Spock's Beard's V. I don't see that myself. My point of reference would be NMB's The Grand Experiment, which also has a medium-length epic and an almost 30 minute epic bookending three shorter songs. Of the shorter songs, there is a straightforward rocker (All The Rage cf. The Grand Experiment) and an acoustic number (Ever Interceding cf. Waterfall), and I get definite "Alive Again" vibes from the title track. What makes this new album better than The Grand Experiment is that all five songs are excellent, there is no let-down like the awful "Agenda." I believe I gave TGE 4 stars, so I'll happily give this 4.5. If you're a fan of Neal's music, you will love this album.

No Hill For A Climber is, naturally, an album that sounds like what you would expect from Mr Morse. This is particularly apparent in the opening track, Eternity In Your Eyes. There are, however, some different ideas that come from working with new and younger musicians. And make no mistake, these are not just session players, these guys are seriously good. I'm sure that, once Mike Portnoy has more free time, Neal will get back with him, Randy, Eric and Bill, but I also believe that the guys who make up The Resonance should carry on making their own music. I'm sure they can count on help and support from the maestro himself.

Neal releases another samey sounding album with some new band mates, The Resonance. The musicianship and recording is top quality as usual but none of the songs, with the exception of "Thief", move me. We have heard these riffs, countless times before. And that's okay for some, but I find it tiresome with Neal's solo work specifically because of the lyrics. Once again he sings about his imaginary friend, and it is especially cringey on "Ever Interceding". As I mentioned earlier I like "Thief"... it has a cool blues vibe and the break at 2:20 sounds a lot like Spock's Beard. The faux horn arrangements towards the end of the song are kind of different.

Anyway, I can't give this release much praise. I rate this for fans only, therefore two stars.

No Mike Portnoy

With all the hooplah involved in his return to Dream Theater, was does Neil Morse do now? Jump of the nearest tall building? Curl up into a ball and cry like a baby? No he chooses to work with some talented local musicians and in my estimation at least make his best album for 10 years. What an absolutely beautiful record this is. ''2 long tracks don't make a great prog album'' someone said recently. Well what about 2 long tracks and 3 shorter tracks then? Does that work, it certainly does! This is how you make a prog record and in the process you seed the next generation. Well done Neil and thank you for this faultless gem.

Unfortunately, Neal Morse's Sola Scriptura falls short of expectations, feeling uninspired and monotonous. As a long-time fan of his work, I found this release particularly disappointing. Morse seems to recycle themes and styles from his previous albums, bundling them into lengthy epics that lack freshness. While he attempts to incorporate metal elements into his music as his latest innovation, this addition does little to invigorate the overall sound.

The most critical flaw lies in the songwriting, which fails to captivate or engage. The album's tracks blend into one another without distinct identity or memorable moments. It's disheartening to see such a talented artist, known for his creativity and innovation, produce a body of work that feels more like a rehash than a progression. This is possibly the first time a Neal Morse album has left me feeling underwhelmed, highlighting the absence of the spark that usually makes his music so compelling.

1.5/5 after three listens.

I strongly felt Neal's last album was a real return to form after his previous Christian musical, 'Jesus Christ The Exorcist', which was for me one of his weakest releases, although to be fair I do not think it is possible for Morse to put out a truly poor album. Needless to say, I have been looking forward to hearing this, and at long last we have the concluding part of the well-known story. 'The Dreamer - Joseph: Part One' finished with Joseph unjustly imprisoned, and in 'The Restoration - Joseph: Part Two,' we find him becoming the viceroy of Egypt and reuniting with his family. Neal assumes the lead vocalist role, plus there are a host of guests including Nick D'Virgilio (Spock's Beard, Big Big Train), Ted Leonard (Spock's Beard, Pattern Seeking Animals, Enchant), Matt Smith (Theocracy), Ross Jennings (Haken), Jake Livgren (Proto-Kaw, Emerald City Council) and Alan Morse (Spock's Beard), along with members of the Neal Morse Band, such as Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette.

It must be said that some of this does seem somewhat like Morse by numbers, and there is no doubt we have previously heard the vocal approach on "The Argument" on songs like "Gibberish" ? it is very clever but there is definitely the feeling we have come across this before. It is a shame as the driving guitar which precedes it is simply wonderful, and then we morph into "Make Like a Breeze" where we are into classic driving prog which makes me almost forgive what just came before. The man is a genius, of that there is no doubt, but when working in a multi- instrumentalist fashion there is always the risk of not taking on new ideas and falling back on what is safe. The result is an album I have thoroughly enjoyed but is not at the heights of being truly indispensable, and given how much I enjoyed the first part I must admit to being somewhat disappointed. I understand that Neal feels it is his duty to keep spreading the word of Christianity as it is incredibly important to him, and over the years he has released some truly great albums (seeing him perform 'Testimony' in London was a very special event indeed), but if he is going to have the impact he desires then he also needs to rethink his musical approach, as while there are times when this is truly brilliant there are also others where we feel we have heard it before and are looking for something new.

It may not have been the brilliant conclusion I was looking for, but it is still worthy of investigation for those like me who have followed his career with interest ever since the arrival of 'The Light' all those years ago.

If you are regular readers of ProgCritique, you know that the first part of the work devoted to Joseph by Neal Morse, namely 'The Dreamer ? Joseph: Part One', excited me. I invite you to go and read this column if you have not already done so. Some six months later, Neal returns with the second part of the project: 'The Restoration ? Joseph: Part Two', which constitutes the continuation and the end. The format is unchanged (concept album, rock opera, musical comedy, your choice), and the narration picks up where we left Joseph at the end of the first part, namely: at the bottom of the hole. We find in this second part many musical themes already present in part 1, but under slightly different arrangements. However, I find this one a little more Rock, a little more adventurous, and even more Prog, which is not to displease.

From the start of "Cosmic Mess", the instrumental virtuosity is there. Prog fans, settle in, you are at home here. Then the title takes a Rock turn with the arrival of Neal Morse 's singing lost in a reverb supposed to evoke the character's situation. The song is enhanced by dynamic brass parts and segues directly into the next "My Dream", where the trio D'Virgilio , Morse , Jennings is reconstituted (don't forget to listen to their album 'Sophomore'), for a set of high-level vocal jousts. Ross Jennings (Haken) stays on track for "Dreamer in the Jailhouse", a title still part of the Prog, dotted with interesting keyboard touches and some metal guitar insertions. The fervor does not diminish on "All Hail", which contains a bridge with a soaring 60s Psyche Rock atmosphere, and a finale which gains in intensity led by beautiful keyboards. A furious Prog title with vocal performances reminiscent of Gentle Giant, "The Argument" is a pure virtuoso demonstration and serves as a sort of introduction to "Make Like a Breeze", a resolutely Rock/Metal piece with the arrival of Ted Leonard on vocals and enhanced with grandiose organ and guitar parts.

The "Overture Reprise" reminds us of the opening theme of part 1, 'The Dreamer', then Neal Morse displays his talents as a composer on " I Hate My Brothers" which skillfully mixes Hard Rock guitars and brass. On "Guilty as Charged", we recognize the melody used on "Heaven in Charge Of Hell" from Part 1. It is from here that the two parts seem to begin to interact. The title also features a very beautiful string part, shifting the story to a more emotional angle. And on "Reckoning" it's the riff from "Gold Dust City" from 'The Dreamer' that emerges! Return of cannon vocals in Gentle Giant mode on the introduction of "Bring Ben", which then evolves into a more accessible Classic Rock style à la Toto. Then comes "Freedom Road", a ballad in the purest Neal Morse style, emotionally charged, with the support of the strings.

Return of the melodic theme of "Heaven in Charge Of Hell" from 'The Dreamer' on "The Brothers Repent Joseph Revealed", an extremely rich piece with numerous reminders of themes and marked by very successful string and brass arrangements. "Restoration" leans for a moment towards Jazz and Samba and brings a little lightness to this end of the story via a style that recalls the luminous side of the Extreme group's album 'III Sides to Every Story'. On "Everlasting", it's party time for the reunion of a large part of the protagonists who embark on a sort of jam session. The story closes with "Dawning of a New Day (God Uses Everything for Good)" in which Neal Morse can freely deliver his message of hope by speaking directly to us. The title (and the entire work) ends in apotheosis with a very orchestrated crescendo and the repetition of the words "God uses everything, Everything for good".

That's it, end of story. In total, combining parts 1 and 2, Neal Morse offers 2 hours 20 minutes of high quality music, all in less than 6 months. It's incredible to see such creativity from such a prolific artist. Perhaps some will see it as the work of the hand of God. In a more Cartesian way, we can imagine that the musician finds the capacity to surpass himself by tackling a theme of such dimension and which is so close to his heart, as many other artists have done before him.

Review originally posted on www.progcritique.com.

A solid, and improved follow-up to last year's The Dreamer: Joseph Part 1. Once again, Neal has brought in many guest vocalists (Ted Leonard, Matt Smith, Jake Livgren, Nick D'Virgilio, Ross Jennings) to round out the cast of characters in his biblical prog rock opera telling of the story of Joseph, along with his Neal Morse band cohorts guitarist Eric Gillette and keyboardist Bill Hubauer to enhance Neal's own multi-instrumental musicianship. Although a long album (16 tracks, 75 min), and certainly dramatic and theatrical in nature, Neal tries to keep things interesting by varying the tempo and musical styles from song to song. That and the different vocalists, keep things moving through the various stylistic choices of Morse and Co. Mixing in familar prog elements (reminiscent of Spock's Beard, Gentle Giant, ELP, etc) with hard rock, choirs, vocal harmonies, orchestration, jazz, and even a bit of latin swing, as only Neal Morse could. Although much of this may seem quite familiar to other projects from Morse, he still manages to surprise occasionally, and entertains quite consistently, as it builds to a rousing and satisfying conclusion, and saves the best songs for the last sequence. Better than expected. Best Tracks: My Dream, the Argument, Make Like a Breeze, The Brothers Repent, Restoration, Everlasting, Dawning of a New Day. Rating: 3.5 stars

Joseph Part 2 just blew me away like no Neal album has for a long while. It's like Neal made exactly the album that he wanted to make; unabashedly all of things that his music gets grief about: bombast, huge key changes, themes being explored to their uttermost. I didn't stick this on for 10 weeks, not sure why, but when I finally did the ending was so epic. I think Neal's voice now he's older really suits his aggressive - almost shouting - parts, it gives it so much emotion. Let's hope it's not a swan song and that there is much more for Neal and the gang.