DAY FOR NIGHT

Ok, I'll admit right off the bat that I'm a Spock's Beard fanboy. In fact, my favorite band of all- time is the version of Spock's Beard that includes Neal Morse (which is what we have here). I believe that all of their albums are incredible, from The Light all the way up to Snow. To me it is the most brilliant 6 record run of any artist. So, I say that up front to let you know that I am biased in my opinion of this album. Day For Night is a magnificent album that captures Spock's Beard at their best. I love their music because there is a sense of fun, like all the members of the band had a blast recording this album. That makes it a fun listen for me, and makes me feel joy whenever I have the privelege to listen to this album. I've heard it many times, and I'm still not tired of it. It is brilliant.

"Day For Night" may be one of the best examples of what Spock's Beard is all about. It is a definitive seven minute statement that contains everything from a majestic opening, emotional singing from Neal Morse, a great rhythm section in Nick D'Virgilio and Dave Meros, an acoustic break, and an impressive keyboard/guitar solo tradeoff. This song is tons of fun and is one of my favorites the band ever created. "Gibberish" showcases one of the bands biggest influences, Gentle Giant. This track features the band doing a intertwining vocals that is very impressive and fun to listen to. What stands out to me on this track is Nick's drumming, he is a very solid drummer. "Skin" is a short, more simple rocker, but it is tons of fun and gives Alan Morse some opportunity to shine on guitar.

"Distance to the Sun" with its sublime vocals and acoustic guitar, is hauntingly beautiful. "Crack the Big Sky" is a personal favorite song of mine that has a bit of funkiness to it and sometimes reminds me once again of Gentle Giant. It is one of the longer songs on the album and has some incredible horns and some great keyboard solos. Once again, it is just so much fun to listen to and I never get tired of it. "The Gypsy" starts off quietly with what sounds like programmed drums and very quiet guitar with Neal's voice. Then, the whole band kicks in and the track really gets going. It has a great chorus and features some great guitar work by Alan Morse. "Can't Get It Wrong" is perhaps the weakest song of the bunch, but it is still a great ballad with some great piano and emotional singing by Neal Morse. I love Neal Morse's voice above any other singer. He may not technically have the best voice, but he more than makes up for it with emotion, which I think is so important for a singer to have.

Then comes their epic, "The Healing Colors of Sound" which is split up into several tracks. I love this epic and I'm not sure what I can say about it. It contains everything that Spock's Beard is known for. I especially love the funky "Mommy Comes Back". It is a fantastic closer to such a great, fun album. I love the whole thing, rom the opening to the closing note. It makes me feel happy and it is just so much fun to listen to. It is hard for me to imagine someone not liking this album, although I realize musical tastes differ and there are many who are underwhelmed by this album. So, if you have an open mind about music, please pick up this criminally underrated record by one of the best bands to ever record music.