Reflection is a strange thing. It can bring massive sadness, huge joy, and every emotion in between, coupled with philosophical speculation.
I am a “progger” through and through, and I always have been. But let us be honest – personal stories, lyrical landscapes and clear commentaries on one’s life philosophies are not always best presented in the complex arrangements and presentations of true progressive-rock – even when delivered by the masters of the genre. Sometimes, simplicity is the key to clarity of message. Despite considered by many one of the most gifted composers and performers in today’s prog-rock scene, Neal Morse, always classy, always versatile and always full of surprises, knows that fact.
Morse is always at the top of his game. What we need to understand is that he changes that game from time to time.Neal’s progressive rock is undoubtedly amongst the best in the world (in my humble opinion, it is indeed the best, but your mileage may vary). The man is enigmatically brilliant and astoundingly prolific.
If Morse decided to do a classical opera, it would be on the level of La Traviata. If he decided to go speed metal (unlikely), he would probably give Slayer a run for their money.
He truly can do anything. When Morse’s last singer-songwriter album, Songs from November was released in 2014, I found myself at a loss to understand why he had made it so simple. Where were the epic Prog arrangements, where were the jaw-dropping rhythmic and melodic complexities? (They were, of course, about to be delivered in more than suitable measure in subsequent Neal Morse Band releases The Grand Experiment and The Similitude of a Dream) But the point was that the complexities were not needed. In fact, the reflections on Songs from November were better presented in simpler, shorter formats. And in 2017, after the “Similitude” exploits of the past year, Morse just happens to be in introspective singer-songwriter mood again.
Within that genre, the resulting product is unsurprisingly as good as anything that, say, a Neil Young or a James Taylor would have done in their prime. That is just who Neal Morse is. The album is aptly titled Life and Times.
“Life and Times” album coverFirst song “Livin’ Lightly” opens the album with a sweet Morse melody filled with laziness and haziness, after which that beloved voice introduces the theme: ‘ I thought I’d write a song and tell you all the way I feel, but it ain’t no big deal. I just thought I’d lay it down and try my best to keep it real, like a little NeilYoung. And I hope it makes you feel just a little lazy, like if you take a little time and lay your crazy down.’ Precisely – the scene is set for Morse to deliver twelve small snippets of his life, designed to make you feel what he feels, with insight into his life. Nothing flashy, nothing proggy, none of the over-the-top musical acrobatics that are his recognized domain. Just some short, insightful vignettes, written simply, for your heart. But delivered, of course, with the world-class polish that Morse can conjure.
CSNY-type harmonies abound, and the simplicity referred to in the song itself (‘Keep it simple, keep the crashes on the cymbal’) works perfectly.“Good Love Is on the Way” is a tale of young love, perhaps autobiographical. It proffers a sweet vocal, accompanied by cello and other strings. A feel-good song if ever there was one. “JoAnna” is a slow and melancholy exploration of the unrequited love of one of Morse’s family members. It is nothing if not genuine in its emotion.
The key change in the middle is heart-wrenching, and a perfectly-placed clarinet leads to a sad outro.“Selfie in the Square” is a cheerful and jolly diary entry about Morse spending a day alone in Luxembourg and wishing his wife were with him. No-one can paint a visual picture with music like this man can.
It feels is as if you are in the city with him, and the hook, if not unexpected, is entrancing in its simplicity. “He Died at Home” requires special mention. The song was first performed at Morsefest in September 2017, and it made such a huge impression at the festival that Morse decided to include it on the album. The song tells the true story of a young soldier who died tragically, not on the battlefield, but by his own hand at home after his return, due to post-traumatic stress disorder. It is truly heartbreaking. Morse’s honesty and compassion, both as an artist and as a human being, shine brightly on this one, delivering such a tragic story with an accurately genuine conviction.
97%Progressive Rock is a genre quite uncommon in the Christian music realm. The art form emerged in England during the 1960’s when rock musicians began pushing the boundaries of current pop music by attempting to meld popular rock stylings with the intricate musical sensibilities of classical music and the eloquence of conceptual storytelling. The style produced many legendary bands like Yes, Genesis, Emerson Lake & Palmer and King Crimson which were all known for their complex musical arrangements, technical music proficiency and eclectic, poetic lyrics. Later, North American bands like Rush and Kansas emerged and connected with fans on a global scale. “Prog Rock” began to decline in the late 1970’s with the rise of punk music and related cultural shifts. Progressive Rock became an underground genre as the public’s appetite for virtuosity and elaborate arrangements waned.Enter Neal Morse, a world class musician of the highest order. The singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist co-founded 90’s Progressive Rock band Spock’s Beard with his brother Alan.
The band became one of the most successful, prolific and revered Progressive Rock groups in the world. During the span of his time with Spock’s Beard, Neal formed two other groups including Translatlantic and Yellow Matter Custard (a Beatles tribute supergroup). The pre-Christian Morse explored the concepts of light and darkness in much of his work as if he were unwittingly searching for absolute truth. In 2002, Neal finally found what he was looking for and became a born-again Christian.After leaving Spock’s Beard, joining forces with world-renowned drummer Mike Portnoy (formerly of Dream Theater) and releasing multiple solo albums along the way, the Neal Morse Band is set to release the follow up to 2016’s epic The Similitude of a Dream, a modern adaptation of The Pilgrim’s Progress (a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and originally published in the late 1600’s). Part One of the book follows one man’s pilgrimage through life en route to the Celestial City. As with the book, The S imilitude of a Dream finds resolution in its second volume.The Great Adventure (due out January 25 th on Radiant Records) begins where Similitude left off as the protagonist’s family begin their journey to join him in the Celestial City. Signaling that the album is Part Two of an ongoing saga, The Great Adventure’s opening “ Overture” hearkens back to one of Similitude’s most memorable musical themes (“ Makes No Sense”) to tie the two albums together and set the framework for Part Two of the unfolding story.As a truly collaborative effort, the band members are granted a place in the spotlight as each represents a character in the story.
“ Welcome to the World” is the first single and one of the most immediately accessible songs from the album. With soaring vocals and intriguing twists and turns, the five-and-a-half minute song offers a virtual smorgasbord of musical virtuosity and creative energy. The Neal Morse Band – Welcome To The World 2 (Official Music Video)Neal’s renowned songwriting and musicianship are evident throughout the double album while Eric Gillette’s crystalline vocals and guitar virtuosity occasionally steal the show, if only for a moment. While any album with Berklee College of Music grad Mike Portnoy on drums is a must-listen for any serious drummer, the roster of shining stars is completed by bassist Randy George and keyboardist Bill Hubauer.The members of the band musically complement each other to an extraordinary degree, creating a whole far greater than the individual parts. Overall, The Great Adventure is not quite as earth-shattering as the career-defining The Similitude of a Dream but it’s still a remarkable accomplishment and fitting conclusion for the tale of The Pilgrim’s Progress.Neal’s solo work is evangelical in that it seeks to reach ears that may have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ without being overly intrusive.
His world-class musicianship and attention to the creation of legitimately exceptional art draw in those who value that aspect of the music. But, trust me, Neal never hides his light under a bushel. Unlike some of today’s popular Christian music artists, Neal knows Jesus, knows where Jesus is located at this very moment as well as the true nature of eternity.In a world where most Christian musicians have curiously walled themselves off from the secular world, I’ve always believed that we should be making great music that is relevant to everyone. We serve the most creative Being in the Universe. Our art should never be subpar and our message should be unrestricted.
For those who wish to create great art without preconditions, Neal Morse is a great mentor from whom to learn.If you enjoy the art form of music and the challenges of the Christian journey, you’re going to love the pilgrimage Neal Morse and his band of merry men have invited us to embark upon as they bring the chronicle of The Pilgrim’s Progress to completion.! Coleman is the President of JesusWired.com and a contributor to the site as well as Examiner.com.
He has been in the music business since 1991 in many different roles - drummer; independent recording artist; Senior Buyer for the largest independent music distributor in the country; publicist; current owner of his own Christian music distribution and record label company. He has an (un)healthy passion for South Florida pro sports teams including the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Miami Marlins and the Florida Panthers.
HTML CodeEdit this setlist More The Neal Morse Band setlists.
Review by Andrew Bansal, photos by Brad Worsham Neal MorseJanuary 21st 2017, Whitter Community Theatre, Whittier CA: A mainstay in the world of progressive rock/metal through his exploits in bands like Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Yellow Matter Custard and Flying Colors, Nashville, Tennessee based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist started his solo career with the eponymous ’99 album, and eight solo albums and 16 years later, formed the Neal Morse Band (hereby referred to as NMB). This band has already released two full-length albums, ‘The Grand Experiment’ (2015) and ‘The Similitude of a Dream’ (2016). Featuring in its ranks prog rock greats such as Mike Portnoy (drums) and Randy George (bass), NMB set out for a North American tour in January 2017 to perform the latest album in its entirety, with no opening acts in an “evening with” format.
Neal Morse Videos
They visited Southern California for a sold-out show at the Whittier Community Theatre, and prog fans in the area gathered in large numbers in anticipation of a spectacular evening in a very intimate setting.The show started promptly at 8:30 in this all-seated theatre, and the NMB went about their performance in a manner much like that of a play or a musical, not breaking to address the audience at any moment, and aside from the intermission at the half-way point, the show flowed non-stop. With visuals projected onto the screen in the stage backdrop to go with the music, portrayed the story of ‘The Similitude of a Dream’. A group with musicians of this magnitude and repertoire playing on this small community theatre stage was a surreal treat in itself, but more importantly, their flawless live rendition of the studio recordings held the audience captive. Neal Morse himself was, as expected, the leader and driving force, exhibiting great degree of energy and expression into his own performance, showing his class on vocals, keyboards and guitars. Neal Morse Band remaining North American tour dates: – Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater – Dallas, TX @ Curtain Club – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall – St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theater – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom – Toronto, ON @ Mod Room – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda – Quebec City, QC @ Salle Jean-Paul Tardif – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom – Washington, DC @ State Theater – Atlanta, GA @ City WineryCommentscomments.
Apr 30, 2018 - The Forest Free Download PC Game Cracked in Direct Link and Torrent. The Forest – As the lone survivor of a passenger jet crash, you find. The forest 1.10 download. A good knowledge of the terrain useful at night, when often the only way to survive is to avoid contact with cannibals The Forest Download PC. The title forest is.
Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |