V

If Neal Morse wanted to leave Spock's Beard on a high note, it should have been after this album, not the derivative and poorly written "Snow". The album is easily the Beard's best, and contain's Morse's finest compositions, as well.

The album begins and end with excellent prog epics. Both At The End Of The Day and The Great Nothing hold the prog listener's interest from start to finish, flowing effortlessly through their multiple musical themes, and showcasing the talents of each band member.

Revelation is a strong ballad, where Morse manages to push a some religious lyrics without getting preachy or trite, the two easiest traps for Christian songwriters. Not only that, it's a strong composition as well.

Thoughts (Part 2) like it's first part, uses Gentle Giant-like counterpoint with perfect effectiveness. And All On A Sunday and Goodbye To Yesterday provide a bit of breathing room before the final outstanding epic.

While this album isn't quite perfect, it's close enough to rate five stars.