D'VIRGILIO, MORSE & JENNINGS: SOPHOMORE

The dream team of vocalists (but also terrific multi-instrumentalists) continues their venture with this rather too obviously titled Sophomore release. Nick D'Virgilio and Neal Morse, coming from Spock's Beard, and Ross Jennings, from Haken avoid carefully both the Symphonic and the Metallic flourishes associated with their aforementioned origins, in order to go straight to the melodic core of these folk-tinged compositions, fleshed out in acoustic guitars, vintage synths sounds, fresh retro-sounding percussion throwing back to the golden hippy era, and, last but not least, the crystallyne purity of their voices, evoking the emotional magic of Crosby, Stills & Nash, but with Styx and Kansas oriented overtones, for good measure. And maybe it's that so precise as lovable universe of sonic references what places this record right beside the shortly before released Spooky Action At A Distance, by Pattern-Seeking Animals (at least in my ears and mind).

And it's not the case that these extraordinarily gifted musicians keep always the same tone, because you will find, for example, in track 2, Linger at the Edge of My Memory (great title for a great tune!) a more vaporously elusive atmosphere than in the rest of the album, as well as a harder rocking edge and dense Hammond layering emerges distinctly in track 6, Mama. Nevertheless, one can hear even here a nod to the Rock'n'Roll Man persona of Stephen Stills steaming up in the upper psychedellic register of his tasty blues-rock workouts of yore. And preventing the whole thing from becoming too serious, we also have high-pitched vocal harmonies pointing towards the more ingenuously simple direction of another vocal trio, called America, in track 8, Weighs Me Down (some may even accuse the early Bee Gees, let them talk).

In short, I can hardly imagine a prog-hearted rock fan (or a rock-hearted prog fan?) disliking any of these primorously crafted vignettes of an era that shines here so loaded with splendid ideals and inapprehensible longing one has to look away to be able to finally grasp it with a last glance.

If you liked their first album, Troika, you will like this too.

The acoustic feel is still there, as are the wonderful vocal harmonies.

The album consists of four songs by Neal and three each from Nick and Ross. There are also two bonus tracks which are stripped-down versions of two of the Neal Morse songs. If I have one minor criticism it would be that some of the songs written by Neal would have fitted easily on one of his singer-songwriter albums, Songs From November and Life and Times. I would really want this collaboration to take on a different style.

But having said that, this is a great album. The one real rocker, Mama, is in a different league to the two heavier tracks on the previous album. So much more accessible, and it has a brilliant talk box guitar solo in in middle. There is an unusual use of xylophone on Tiny Little Fires too.

I hope this trio go on to make more albums as good as the first two.

As one can see from the title here is the follow-up to the debut from Nick D'Virgilio, Neal Morse and Karl Jennings. Until I was looking through my records I had forgotten I had reviewed 'Troika', and when I re-read the review I had to smile as I had pretty much the same feelings over this one as I did with that. I was again very much reminded of Neal's second solo release, 'It's Not Too Late', while CSN are the main band influence. Triple harmonies are heard throughout, with everyone taking turns in providing the lead. Three singers, three guitarists, two bassists, two keyboard players but just one drummer, it is amazing what sounds can be produced from a trio when everyone is a multi-instrumentalist and a great performer. Last time around the album was recorded separately due to the pandemic but given there is a live in studio video of "The Weary One", I am guessing they were able to be in the same place this time around.

I have been a fan of Morse ever since I came across the original independent release of 'The Light', and then searched for anything to do with Spock's Beard, picking up his album with Nick along the way and always loved the way they harmonised and worked together in concert. Adding Haken's Karl Jennings to the mix is a stroke of genius as the third layer of harmonies takes this to a totally different level. The album has nothing to do with prog, apart from having prog musicians involved, as throughout this has much more of a modern country feel, with The Eagles having an influence here and there, with a series of shorter, wonderfully constructed songs than one would expect from any of their multiple individual projects. While there is plenty of acoustic guitars, we also have some nice crunch here and there, with the different composers all making their presence felt, and overall I think this is a better-balanced album than the debut. Well worthy of investigation from those who enjoy multiple harmonies, country and straightforward rock.