BEWARE OF DARKNESS

I have listened to Spock's Beard's second album Beware of Darkness from 1996 and it contains a lot of pleasant pop symph prog with ingredients to please many listeners. The line ups is Dave Meros (bass, vocals), Nick D'Virgilio(drums, vocals), Neal Morse(piano, guitar, lead vocals), Ryo Okumoto(keyboards, vocals) and Alan Morse(guitars and vocals) and the cover pictures shows an wood look a like frame with a dark hole in the middle with a light.

To let a cover name a whole studio album is not usual but the George Harrison song "Beware of Darkness" which is the first track here has also named the album. I like the cover, it is made in Spock's Beard's typical pop prog way and they have absolutely made something special with the old song. Then comes "Thoughts" a song filled with vocal experiements that SB use to do sometimes with a hint of Gentle Giant in it. It is also a well done and enjoyable track. "The Doorway" whick comes next is one of the album's two best tracks, a wonderful symphonic piece with whirling melodies and a great vocal performance. Good keyboard work here. The other of the two best tracks is "Walking on the wind" of course also a symphonic great track. The longest song "Time has come" also contains very good passages but isn't as coherent as I would wish. "Waste away" is perhaps the most poppy track here, and I find it tastefull as of course the acoustic "Chatauqua" is.

Perhaps I am a little to kind if I give this record four stars but I think that is the best way to express what I feel this record gives the listener. "The Light" or "V" are more extreme and perhaps more interesting but musically this one has the same level.