NEAL MORSE & THE RESONANCE: NO HILL FOR A CLIMBER

As will be apparent for anyone who has read my other reviews and posts on the forum, I am a great admirer of Neal Morse. For me his two best albums are Question Mark and Sola Scriptura, and I don't think he's bettered them since. However, he has come close on many occasions, and this latest album I would put in that category.

The publicity blurb for the album said that Neal compared it to Transatlantic's Bridge Across Forever or Spock's Beard's V. I don't see that myself. My point of reference would be NMB's The Grand Experiment, which also has a medium-length epic and an almost 30 minute epic bookending three shorter songs. Of the shorter songs, there is a straightforward rocker (All The Rage cf. The Grand Experiment) and an acoustic number (Ever Interceding cf. Waterfall), and I get definite "Alive Again" vibes from the title track. What makes this new album better than The Grand Experiment is that all five songs are excellent, there is no let-down like the awful "Agenda." I believe I gave TGE 4 stars, so I'll happily give this 4.5. If you're a fan of Neal's music, you will love this album.

No Hill For A Climber is, naturally, an album that sounds like what you would expect from Mr Morse. This is particularly apparent in the opening track, Eternity In Your Eyes. There are, however, some different ideas that come from working with new and younger musicians. And make no mistake, these are not just session players, these guys are seriously good. I'm sure that, once Mike Portnoy has more free time, Neal will get back with him, Randy, Eric and Bill, but I also believe that the guys who make up The Resonance should carry on making their own music. I'm sure they can count on help and support from the maestro himself.