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Neal Morse and Neal Morse Band
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judahbenkenobi View Drop Down
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    Posted: October 31 2020 at 14:51
I read in a Facebook comment by Mike Portnoy that there's actually a difference between Neal Morse's solo and Neal Morse Band's releases. MP said that one releases religious music and is especially written by Neal, while the other is more "secular" and written collectively by the band.

Is that really the case, or was MP just looking for some credit? I don't own and have never listened to either Neal Morse or Neal Morse Band, but just by looking at the discography and given the fact that all albums are listed here in PA under the same artist it seems to me as the division between the two is a little blurred. Am I right or not?
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A Crimson Mellotron View Drop Down
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Points: 4133 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A Crimson Mellotron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2020 at 15:03
I also find the division between the two blurry... In fact, I think Neal is starting to repeat himself too much, although I love most of his work.
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rushfan4 View Drop Down
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Points: 66264 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rushfan4 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 31 2020 at 15:06
Not sure if that is entirely true.  Neal's most recent album Sola Gratia is religious, but the previous one, Life & Times wasn't. The last two Neal Morse Band albums are based on the Pilgrim's Progress, which is a significant Christian work so....  I think that the other band members sing more on the Neal Morse Band albums, and probably contribute more musically.  

Oops...sorry, he also released Jesus Christ...The Exorcist the Musical, which, well, is religious.
 
 


Edited by rushfan4 - October 31 2020 at 15:08
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Cristi View Drop Down
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Originally posted by A Crimson Mellotron A Crimson Mellotron wrote:

I also find the division between the two blurry... In fact, I think Neal is starting to repeat himself too much, although I love most of his work.

true, I agree Approve
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iluvmarillion View Drop Down
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Points: 3242 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote iluvmarillion Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 07 2020 at 23:08
Originally posted by Cristi Cristi wrote:

Originally posted by A Crimson Mellotron A Crimson Mellotron wrote:

I also find the division between the two blurry... In fact, I think Neal is starting to repeat himself too much, although I love most of his work.

true, I agree Approve

If only he had a strong record producer in the recording studio to stand up to him and say that half of what he writes will finish up in the bin. Generally musicians shouldn't produce their own records.
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A Crimson Mellotron View Drop Down
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Points: 4133 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A Crimson Mellotron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 08 2020 at 02:19
Originally posted by iluvmarillion iluvmarillion wrote:

Originally posted by Cristi Cristi wrote:

Originally posted by A Crimson Mellotron A Crimson Mellotron wrote:

I also find the division between the two blurry... In fact, I think Neal is starting to repeat himself too much, although I love most of his work.

true, I agree Approve

If only he had a strong record producer in the recording studio to stand up to him and say that half of what he writes will finish up in the bin. Generally musicians shouldn't produce their own records.

Absolutely, and in the case of Neal when it is so obvious that he is stuck in his 'safe prog zone' he should seek out an outside producer.
It'd be interesting to see, for example, Andy Tillison producing a Neal Morse album.
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AlanB View Drop Down
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I would say the principle differences between the Neal Morse Band and Neal Morse solo are

1. The writing in the NMB is a joint effort between all the members.
2. Four of the five NMB members contribute to the vocals, not just Neal.
3. The NMB stuff in general seems closer to prog metal, since Eric Gillette is influenced by John Petrucci on Dream Theater, and of course Portnoy used to be part of that band.

I would agree that the NMB still generally writes about Christian themes though, but maybe the message isn't so blatantly obvious as in Neal's solo work. Randy George, Eric Gillette and Bill Hubaeur all share Neal's Christian faith after all.

Maybe Mike was thinking of Flying Colors, which is a more secular themed band?
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Biff Tannen View Drop Down
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Points: 159 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Biff Tannen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 08 2020 at 09:27
I disagree that NMB is closer to prog metal.  It is still very much prog rock, with the prog metal parts very few and far between. 

It seems like Neal's lyrics with NMB are not as overtly spiritual as the ones on his solo albums.  The words "God" and "Jesus" seem to show up a lot more on his solo albums.  He tends to get a little more metaphorical and whatnot on the NMB albums. 

I did not see Portnoy's recent comments on the differences between solo Neal and NMB, but I know it has been made clear before that his solo albums consist of Neal writing everything and calling all of the shots, while NMB is more of a joint effort.  Neal is still the primary songwriter and de facto leader, but it's more of a band effort than his solo albums.

I would agree that Neal's work has gotten a bit samey when it comes to the full-fledged prog albums, but while I am not overly wild about Sola Gratia in general, I will forgive him for the predictability of that one since it was basically written and recorded in the spur of the moment in isolation due to COVID. 
"What are you looking at, butthead?"
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