Wow. This is an unexpectedly impactful album from Neal Morse. You never know what you’re in for with any of his new projects, but this one has surprised me with its unusually profound emotional immediacy.

Right out of the gate, “Leavin’ California” delights the listener with an autobiographical reflection from Neal. He delivers it in a piano-laden style that reminds us of Bruce Hornsby and the Range’s big hit, “The Way It Is.” However, we get here something even deeper than Bruce Hornsby’s observations about an uncaring jerk who tells a hard-luck case to “get a job.” Instead, Neal himself sings from the POV of the down and out. He tells his own story about getting fired and being miserable. This epic and encouraging tale is alone worth the price of admission. 

But the whole album continues with music of the highest caliber. The next song, “New Man,” tells a fictional tale that is no less moving than Neal’s own—no doubt because its composite image is based on a variety of true-life stories. Here, Neal quite effectively takes us down the road to redemption, guiding us to a thrilling musical catharsis where we can exclaim along with him, “God bless the new man.”

“Reach Deep and Grab It All,” with its perfect hook and killer horns, shifts gears from the consummate storytelling of the first two tracks into a dazzling display of hitmaker songwriting. Neal shows the same ability on the penultimate track, “The Heart Always Knows,” which combines a catchy chorus with the rollicking good time of a barn-burning stomper. He even throws in a perfect-fit sax solo on that penultimate track, as well as on the album’s closing track, “Breathe the Air.” That lush finale, along with two other tracks, succeeds in presenting the listener with an unusually intimate mode of prayer that displays a fully naked emotional honesty: “Open Up Again” and “The Most Important Person.”

The album thus has a unique mix of singer-songwriter mini-hits, short stories, and humble prayers. But “Never Been Down This Road” is the impressive title track that adds something further—a prog dimension—to the album’s many-sided gifts. “Never Been Down This Road” has lyrics infused with a mystical poetry that seals the whole album as another upper-echelon, Dylan-level achievement by Neal Morse. So, drink in and enjoy this whole beautiful album. It’s a satisfying and deeply moving artistic achievement.