THE NEAL MORSE BAND: ALIVE AGAIN

The first thing that strikes you when you listen to this live release is how the stereo sound is loud and clear. The picture is also clear with vibrant colors. I was happy to have a live release from that tour because I have enjoyed the first output of The Neal Morse Band. The music has that Neal Morse symphonic grandiose style but being written in collaboration with the others musicians, there is still more than the symphonic approach. "The Call" is a dynamic opener with a break in the middle where Neal is singing with all the emotions we all know is capable too. The bass sound is huge, with some heavy guitars and keyboards lines. The first part of this song is rather inoffensive, but in the second half, it goes in the complex progressive style. And we won't talk about the impressive playing of Mike Portnoy on drums. "Leviathan" is a heavy and fast track from "Lifeline" of Neal solo career with a rather dark intro. "The Grand Experiment" is a good old rock song with some Styx vocal harmonies, repetitive but catchy. Next is a song from the Spock's Beard material, it's "Harm's Way" that show the typical change of moods of a Progressive Rock epic. Then comes a nice Keyboards/piano solo of Bill Hubauer remind me of Gentle Giant. After another song from Neal's solo stuff, it's time for an acoustic pause that is apparently different each night. In this, Neal is crying and if this song means something lyrically for him, it's not very challenging musically. Then the epic song of the last album "Alive Again" brings us some heavy instrumental parts that show the musicians exchanging instruments with some surprising results in an improvisation mode. We are greeted with a bass pedal solo from Randy Gorge with his hands! Bill Hubuauer delivers some beautiful vocals harmonies in this.The show ends with an emotional medley of Neal's solo songs.

I think this product is the closest a Neal Morse project has come to perfection if we take into consideration the sound/visuals and music. The editing and camera work is still very professional. The only criticism I could add is a subjective one, I would have replaced some songs from Neal's career for others and play the song "MacArthur Park" from the last album.