| Musical Style: Progressive Rock | Produced By: The Neal Morse Band |
| Record Label: Radiant | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2021 | Artist Website: Neal Morse |
| Tracks: 8 /2 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 48:46 / 50:52 |
No matter which album from The Neal Morse Band you choose, the top shelf musicianship, melding of manifold musical forms and lengthy, time signature driven songwriting make it one that defines class leading progressive rock. As its namesake implies, The Neal Morse Band is the brainchild of founding member and vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Neal Morse, whom has gained renowned as not only the ‘king of progressive rock’ but also ‘king of the concept album’.
Morse might have cut his teeth with Spock’s Beard, having recorded six studio albums, five live albums and five video’s/DVD’s prior to departing the quirkily named progressive act to pursue a solo career, but is every bit regarded for his ‘super group’ side projects. Transatlantic and Flying Colors fit the bill in this regard, as Morse joined forces with members of Dream Theater, Flower Kings, Marillion, Dixie Dregs and Deep Purple to account for another half dozen studio albums.
Many of my favorite Neal Morse moments encompass his ‘progressive concept’ solo releases. Beginning with One (2005), detailing man’s separation from God and how through the salvation experience man can become ‘One’ with God again, Morse followed up with ? (2006), focusing on the Tabernacle that Moses and the Israelites built in the wilderness and that was later built by Solomon based on the same design, and Sola Scriptura (2007), detailing the life of the reformer Martin Luther.
With The Neal Morse Band, artist draws upon both sides of the fence. On one hand, bands Radiant Records 2015 debut The Grand Experiment found Morse also going the ‘super group’ route from joining forces with drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater) and bassist Randy George (Ajalon) along with talented newcomers guitarist Eric Gillette and keyboardist Bill Hubauer. On the other, 2016 and 2019 follow up efforts The Similitude Of A Dream and The Great Adventure (both Radiant), respectively, also draw upon ‘progressive concept’ themes from basing around John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.
August of 2021 fourth Radiant Records album from The Neal Morse Band, Innocence & Danger, maintains the Morse, Portnoy, George, Gillette and Hubauer partnership but backs from the conceptual focus of its two predecessors as a group of unrelated individual songs not unlike The Great Experiment. Whereas on The Similitude Of A Dream and The Great Adventure The Neal Morse Band compacted its songwriting, Innocence & Danger see the group returning to lengthier song structuring to also hearken back to The Grand Experiment. Album, for instance, tops out with a 30-minute mega epic in addition to a second in the twenty-minute range and several others between seven to nine minutes each.
Where Innocence & Danger draws comparison to The Similitude Of A Dream and The Great Adventure is as a double album featuring close to two hours of music. Due to the albums length, I thought it would be best to forgo one of my standard ‘track by track’ breakdowns in favor of breaking things down by disc instead.
Disc One - Innocence
Album begins to a pair of quintessential The Neal Morse Band progressive rockers in “Do It All Again” and “Bird On A Wire”. Former is a majestic nine minutes of expansive instrumental runs (including the keyboard and guitar interchange covering first two minutes) and clever vocal trade off between Morse’s classic tenor croon and Gillette’s gritty mid-paced form. George’s towering bass anchors the low end. Latter comes in at seven with a contrasting upbeat and heavier disposition, swift and scintillating to a near perfect balance of guitar and keyboards to backing the echoing refrain and jam flavored instrumental moments. Portnoy’s excited drum rolls further help key things up.
Two that ensue reflect a classy pop influence. “Your Place In The Sun” comes across mirthfully flowing to piano and Hammond B3 in yielding an underlining catchiness (do I detect a hint of The Beatles?), while “Another Story To Tell” takes a heavier tone with crisp rhythm guitars backing the verse sections and smooth vocal harmonies covering the melodic refrain (deft lead guitar making an animated statement).
First disc lightens upon taking an acoustic heading. “Emergence”, a finely honed three-minute classical guitar instrumental, gives way to “Not Afraid (Part 1)”, lengthier at five minutes as a refined acoustic presence melds with wondrous harmonies and backend keyboards. “The Way It Had To Be” revisits seven-minute progressive territory in also touching upon the acoustic. Angelic keyboards and soaring feedback get things going ahead of breezily drifting to atmospheric melody and bluesy instrumental interludes hinting of Pink Floyd.
Disc one highlight is progressively arranged eight minute Simon and Garfunkle cover “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Two and a half minute instrumental opening includes keyboards that bring to mind Kansas, with acoustic guitar gently taking over to heighten the emotional essence of moments to follow but intermingling with periodic rhythm guitar to make a tangible statement. Electrifying guitar leads provide an unexpected rocked up feel.
Disc Two - Danger
Brilliant twenty-minute “Not Afraid (Part 2)” starts disc two. Typical of Neal Morse epics, significant portions are instrumental, beginning with first three and a half minutes to segue from piano and bass and others to play up organ and heavier rocking guitars, with moments in between carried by time signatures ad infinitum. Lithe and airy ballad based moments contrast with those upholding an up-tempo classic rock vibe and others in which fiddle backs acoustic guitar. Anthem like passages with a faith-based message -
Come on all you sons and daughters
Make your way clear to this rising tide
Come find love that has no borders
The gathering Son, you will be His bride
- stand alongside classically influenced soaring feedback and grand piano and closing minutes upheld in dark and enchanting fashion.
Final disc two-song “Beyond The Years” is a thirty minute mega epic that takes a ‘songs within a song’ approach in breaking down into seven parts that logically flow from one to the next to form a complementary whole. In terms of specifics:
I. Far From Home - Shortest of the seven in which a single verse floats amidst classical instrumentation.
II. The Far That’s Always Near – A mid-tempo rock trending is taken as pensive opening piano leads the way until momentum picks up as rhythm guitar steps in. Refrain emulates a pop feel.
III. King’s & Queens & Bitter Things - An extended jam bases instrumental run with Spanish rhythms and skillful lead guitar transitions to unrelenting upbeat initiative in the form of acoustic sentiments with a heavier rocking edge.
IV. Island’s In The Sun - Things calm for a pair of layered vocal melody driven verses wrapped around a fast paced rhythm based instrumental section.
V. Drifting Through The Years - Church organ and thickly weighted bass at the start but moody and bluesy moving ahead, with the sublime overtures maintained through the strategic instrumental moments and soaring refrain.
VI. Watercolor Sky – A hard rocking instrumental that is home to guitars that dig and bite but with drum and bass solos lending a jazz like feel. An eighties guitar shred vibe prevails in the process.
VII. Worlds Away - Closing chapter mirroring a semi ballad to see exquisite vocal melodies and emotional allure align with Morse’s moving vocal performance as song reaches its breathtaking apex. Another statement of faith is made:
I will be hear
Your every tear will not be lost inside your fear
I’m worlds away
Yet everyday I am the far that’s always near
I am so far from home
But I am not alone
God has taken all my tears
And now I have life beyond the years
Summary
Innocence & Danger equates to another strong album from The Neal Morse Band. Yes, all the ingredients you expect from the groups’ previous efforts are on display: lengthy songwriting, progressive time signatures, combining varying musical styles and virtuoso musicianship. Whereas observation and not critique, on a comparative basis, Innocence & Danger is lighter and more reserves than its three predecessors, particularly disc one with its pop based and acoustic moments. Regardless, fans of Neal Morse and progressive music in all its forms will find a lot to like in Innocence & Danger.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing (Disc One): “Do It All Again” (8:53), “Bird On A Wire” (7:23), “Your Place In The Sun” (4:13), “Another Story To Tell” (4:59), “The Way It Had To Be” (7:15), “Emergence” (3:12), “Not Afraid” (Pt 1) (4:54), “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (8:09)
Track Listing (Disc Two): “Not Afraid (Pt 2) (19:30), “Beyond The Years” (31:23)
Musicians
Neal Morse - Keyboards, Guitars & Vocals
Eric Gillette - Guitars & Vocals
Bill Hubauer - Piano, Organ, Synthesizers & Vocals
Randy George - Fretted & Fretless Bass
Mike Portnoy - Drums, Percussions & Vocals
Additional Musicians
Josee Weyland - Violin
Gideon Klein - Viola, Cello & String Bass
