The New Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

No I only have The Light, The Kindness of Strangers, V, and Snow (the latter of which hasn't gotten me excited at all). I was looking to try X as my first post-Neal SB album, seeing as how most people seem to enjoy it a lot.

Interesting, I did not know that. That's more incentive to get it. I also have very few 2010 albums, so I'd like that to be good.

Catcher10 wrote: For sure one of the best albums of the year.......Tour wise the T2 Show was my #1 this year, behind Rush then DT.

Just finished Seeds of Gold earlier. I forgot how good it is, or maybe it finally "clicked" with how good it is. I always overlook the 2nd disc of Testimony 2, because the main disc is sooooo good.

6 months after Testimony 2 came out, I still think it's his best album.

I dont know, when I think of Testimony 2, I think of the main disc, even though disc 2 isn't labeled a bonus disc. Abolute Beginner and Supernatural are ok rock songs by Neal. Nothing to write home about, but I don't think they detract anything from the main album. And Seeds of Gold makes the 2nd disc.

darkshade wrote: I dont know, when I think of Testimony 2, I think of the main disc, even though disc 2 isn't labeled a bonus disc. Abolute Beginner and Supernatural are ok rock songs by Neal. Nothing to write home about, but I don't think they detract anything from the main album. And Seeds of Gold makes the 2nd disc.

I can't stand either one of those songs.  Seeds Of Gold is very good though, but not really his best epic, IMO.

Having absorbed Testimony 1, I think it's a good album, 3 stars.  Basically, not my favorite at all, but I do like the diversity of sound on it, and it's not as cheesy or simplistic as I first thought.  It took a while, but I like it now, though I'd only rank it above Lifeline in terms of his solo stuff (which means, next to last).  Testimony 2 is a great return to form after the disappointing Lifeline.  Not quite up to the standards of Sola and question mark for me, but pretty darn close.

Darkshade, you mentioned not liking Snow.  I'm in that group as well, as I just have never really understood why other fans think it's so great.  I bought it when it was released and listened to it probably a dozen times, and I revisit it once a year or so ever since.  But still, it just doesn't do it for me, though there are some excellent tracks on it.  I just feel like it's too few ideas stretched too thin over 2 CD's.  My opinion anyway.

Anyone heard Neal's first two solo albums?  I avoided them because they were composed of pop songs, with the exception of an epic on the first one.  A friend of mine heard it and tells me it's far from Neal's best epic, so I've never bothered with it.  Would love to hear what others here thought if they heard them.

I listened to Snow sometime in the last month, and it still did nothing for me. Even Lifeline has songs that I really like; something about Snow just turns me off. Is it the guitars? I don't know. I do know that Snow was the last Spock's Beard album Ive bought, and it did not make me want to get another anytime soon (I also have The Light, The Kindness Of Strangers , and V)

It's literally the only Neal-related album I have that I never want to listen to.

infandous wrote:   Anyone heard Neal's first two solo albums?

darkshade wrote: I haven't been listening to Spock's Beard at all lately, but I'll probably get Beware of Darkness eventually, maybe when I come around to them again. Not Neal-related, but I got SB's X recently, and while I didn't find it as engaging as Neal-era SB, it was a solid release, but doesn't make me want to check out the other post-Neal albums.

Yeah, I heard Feel Euphoria a few times when it came out and it made me totally loose interest in the Spock's.  I've been curious about X though, but you and I seem to have pretty similar tastes and this comment doesn't encourage me to check it out.  Maybe eventually I will.

Definitely get Beware Of Darkness.  Great album.

and in 1989