ONE DEMOS

I recently decided to buy Neal Morse's The One Demos album during a prog spending binge, which also extended to the new greatest hits DVD of Spock's Beards - which has a new Neal Morse epic on which I am planning to play LOUD this Christmas. My money's on it being a bit terrific.

I wanted to write this review not only out of love for Neal Morse, having been a huge fan of everything he has been a part of for years, but also as part of my new fascination with demo albums themselves. I really enjoy hearing where the artist decided to alter certain parts, and hypothesising why said parts might have been; that's part of the fun! Subsequent tempo changes (no doubt down to Portnoy's genius), changes of certain licks and riffs, and complete alterations of large sections (like with the end passage of The Reunion on this album) all are naked for analysis.

Neal's writing can be so dense with ideas that you don't hear the underlying clever chord progression beneath on the mastered record. Both the softer accompaniment here on the demo on both keyboard and piano, plus the softer voicing from Morse are really refreshing - and I must say I prefer Neal's clean vocal phrasing on the Reunion- as you can tell I am a bit of a fan of that closing song!

I wish he'd bring a demo one out for Question Mark actually come to think of it!

The rest of the songs are really pleasant and interesting with some sweet guitar solos and differing chord emphases. Again, I just love hearing the "before shot", prior to them realising that the winning missing note was right there waiting to go on the tablature!

Obviously it doesn't have quite the bombastic impact of the real mastered version (which is brill), but it's so pure and seemingly spontaneous that I have to give it 4 stars.

Peace y'all Bradders :)