FEEL EUPHORIA

Well I have got a "Promotional copy" of this new album by SPOCK'S BEARD, scheduled to be released on July 2003. Such new issue is the first release after the controversial album "Snow", (this latter quite disappointing in some circumstances), too much emulating the ideas of "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" by the early GENESIS. Instead this new work is without the writing, keyboard, and vocal performances of the original member Neil MORSE, who left the band for some personal reasons or a sort of personal crisis. However already as from their previous work, he was not so brilliant like in the early albums by S.B.. Besides the remaining members are a bit forced to become leading vocalists, despite of being able to carry out some good music both vocally as well as instrumentally within their solo albums.

Well as they are not like GENTLE GIANT, their task without Neal Morse is obviously more difficult!! But proceeding by order, I like to point out first of all that they are obliged to steer more in the direction of such "poppy" stuff, rather than facing the progressive aspects concerning their music. That was a typical mood inside the first half of their recordings; while here the heavier prog elements of bands such as KING CRIMSON are disappearing, except on a few early GENESIS-like breaks through, similar to those ones by the early "romantic" K.C." . The arrangements without the creative mind of MORSE are more difficult, despite of the majority of these pop songs being natural and well performed here. For this reason, I should give this CD an higher score. Finally this is good stuff and Nick Di Virgilio is not only a remarkable drummer, because he can also sing in a good manner. This album could represent the new direction of the band, which was not able to innovate their ideas in the recent times, becoming tiring along with the last uninspiring stuff by Neal MORSE.

Interesting album, even though it is not essential!!