The New Neal Morse Appreciation Thread

Listening to Testimony 2 after a little break from NM-related music, and it still sounds great, even after having it for a few weeks. I still think it's one of his best.

I purchased Bridge Across Forever about three weeks ago. I already made a poll about it for all you Neal Morse fanboys.

Well, I finally listened to Testimony (the first one), and I think I should probably have just not bothered.  Overall a pretty big disappointment.  I'll have to give it more listens, but overall it just seems so weak compared to the other Neal solo albums.  Some instrumental parts are really good, but even then not quite up to the standards of the following albums (and other things he's done).  The vocals sections, for the most part, really seem quite simplistic and uninteresting.  No real melodic candy like I'm used to from Morse.  A few tracks I just feel like I'm listening to soft rock hits or something, just a very high cheese factor, very smooth and AOR sounding, yet without any memorable melodies.  I do like the layering of so many instruments, which in some places gives an incredibly full sound that you don't hear on any other Morse material.  Though on the down side it makes it all sound very homogeneous and sometimes Muzak-like.

Anyway, just my first impression, maybe it will grow on me.  Still need to listen to Testimony 2, which I suspect will be much, much better.  As I've said before, I love most of what Neal has done over the years, so I'm not just trying to bash the album.  Of course, I'm not a big fan of Snow either, and it is a similar album in a lot of respects (though at this point, I'd say I like it quite a bit more than the first Testimony).

My only issue with T1 is that it is so long.......T2 time wise is perfect. It only took me two listens of T1 to know how excellent that album really is.

I've only just got T1 on the back of T2 and also to complete my collection of Neal Morse solo albums. I think its really good although not quite as good as T2 which for me is the album of the year so far.btw T2 has already got 65 reviews and currently well in the top 100.

Thanks guys, my comments seem a little harsh now reading them again......especially after just one listen.  It IS really long, and maybe I just wasn't in the right mood.  Again, some parts I really like, so I think I just need to give it more time.  I think I might just jump to T2 first though and see what I think of that.

Gardenofdreams........Sola Scriptura is my favorite thing by Morse ever.  Love that album (the ballad, the shortest track, still seems a bit overblown to me, but it doesn't detract from my appreciation for the album).

infandous wrote: Thanks guys, my comments seem a little harsh now reading them again......especially after just one listen.  It IS really long, and maybe I just wasn't in the right mood.  Again, some parts I really like, so I think I just need to give it more time.  I think I might just jump to T2 first though and see what I think of that. Gardenofdreams........Sola Scriptura is my favorite thing by Morse ever.  Love that album (the ballad, the shortest track, still seems a bit overblown to me, but it doesn't detract from my appreciation for the album).

verslibre wrote: Garden of Dreams wrote: infandous wrote: Gardenofdreams........Sola Scriptura is my favorite thing by Morse ever.  Love that album (the ballad, the shortest track, still seems a bit overblown to me, but it doesn't detract from my appreciation for the album). I have only been listening to Neal Morse related projects within the past few months and its all been good but that Sola Scriptura is his stand out work for me.  The Door is definitely one of my favorite songs.  I'm actually getting 5 CD's with Neal Morse. 2 Spock's Beard, 2 Transatlantic and ? so I have become quite a fan of his work.     I have yet to hear Sola Scriptura. How much better than ? do you like it? The question-mark album is pretty hot.

I think Question Mark is great but Sola Scriptura encapsulates everything that is great about Neal Morse.

^ You will end up spinning it many times....I promise you! And Seeds of Gold is absolutely brilliant!!!