By day, I'm a father of seven and husband of one. By night, I'm an author, a biographer, and a prog rocker. Interests: Rush, progressive rock, cultural criticisms, the Rocky Mountains, individual liberty, history, hiking, and science fiction.
I agree with Erik’s assessment—as I almost always do! I have to say, though, that I hope Riverside brings all of its music together.
Let me try to explain.
One of the things I loved most about the first three albums of Riverside is how well they tied together. By design, Riverside wrote and produced their first three albums to delve deeply into the soul and mind. One is never sure if the protagonist of the three albums is insane or trapped in a purgatorial world. Either way, the emotional flow is nothing short of astounding. Everything works perfectly on these three albums, and each member of the band is truly a member of a friendship of artists, a meaningful part of a whole.
The live album, REALITY DREAM, is one of the finest concerts ever recorded. Even the name of the show reveals how much mystery exists in the topic. The words flow like poetry.
When ADHD came out, I fell in love with it immediately. It has a much harder edge to it, of course. In my mind, I saw a huge project.
Chapter 1: Out of Myself; Second Life Syndrome; and REM.
Interlude: Lunatic Soul I
Chapter 2: ADHD
Interlude: Lunatic Soul II
The problem, of course, is that the following Riverside releases, SHRINE and LFTM, don’t fit the plan! [Queue Geddy Lee’s voice]
Ok, so it’s my plan. But, still. . . .
I think Riverside is one of the best of the best. By simply writing great albums, though, they diminish the chances of achieving rock immortality. They’ve traded the extraordinary for the good. Let’s hope they come back to a grand plan and, thus, achieve something divine.
It’s not enough to pump out great albums. A truly extraordinary band demands a vision of the whole, not merely particulars of the moment.
At [Morse]fest 2015, long time collaborators Mike Portnoy and Randy George, as well as Neal Morse Band anchors, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette, will join Neal as this group of master musicians perform Neal’s world renowned albums,
? (Question Mark) and
Sola Scriptura
This weekend will be filled with Special Guests including
Phil Keaggy, Exclusive VIP Packages, a FREE Inner Circleonly performance, Pre-show dinners, and much more!
My thoughts and feelings towards the musical talent emanating from Iceland are well documented on the Blog Of Much Metal. Indeed, I even wrote an entire commentary on the music from one of my most favourite places on Earth. In that post, which you can access here, I didn’t mention Agent Fresco but that was purely because I was unaware of them at the time. When I wrote the article, Agent Fresco had only released the one album and, despite being very well received, had not registered on my personal radar. However, if I were to re-write the post now, Agent Fresco would feature heavily.
Formed in Reykjavik in 2008, Agent Fresco are a quartet that is comprised of vocalist and composer Arnór Dan Arnarson, drummer Hrafnkell Örn Guðjónsson, bassist Vignir Rafn Hilmarsson…
Glass Hammer’s fourth studio album, CHRONOMETREE (2000).
As I look back on the last seventeen years of my life, there are a number of things that amaze me and humble me: marriage; children; career. . . and, well just plain life.
I’m also shocked that an art form I’ve loved for the vast majority of my life–progressive rock–has grown so successful and diverse over the past two decades.
And, the year 2000: SPACE REVOLVER by the Flower Kings; SMPTe by Transatlantic; V by Spock’s Beard. I’ve had the privilege of writing about each of these albums at some length. Then, there was also LIGHTBULB SUN by Porcupine Tree and UNIVERSAL MIGRATOR by Ayreon as well. Really, just pause and think about the year 2000 for a moment. What a vital year.
One I’ve not noticed yet, however, is another favorite from that rather delightful year of prog, Glass Hammer’s CHRONOMETREE. I didn’t come to Glass Hammer until 2001, but I quickly went backward in their catalogue.
August 22, 2015, will be the fifteenth anniversary of this astounding work of art. As some point in the next week or so, I’ll examine it at length. For now, though, I reached out to my good friend and hero, Steve Babb. Here’s what he kindly wrote back to me.
I remember my wife and I left town for a week’s vacation and when we returned a lot of Chronometree’s music had already been written by Fred [Schendel]. He wanted it to be an instrumental solo project, but the sound of that Hammond organ and the retro style of the music was such that I insisted we make it a full blown Glass Hammer project with a storyline. We never imagined it would be such a turning point for us. That’s the moment we embraced our roots and we have never truly repented of it. Prog fans couldn’t resist the storyline, as everyone could relate to our character “Tom” and his slacker friends. Chronometree was a prog album about taking prog albums too seriously. We’re all guilty of it. Leave it to Glass Hammer to call attention to that.
I was going to wait and incorporate Steve’s quote into the larger article, but it seems simply too good for me to hold back from our progarchy audience! So, enjoy.
This is a list of all of the albums proposed in the open call for new 33 1/3 volumes during June and July 2015.
This is not a reflection of books to be published or my opinions as to which books should be published; it’s just data. It was compiled with the help of our brilliant editorial assistant Michelle Chen and our intern Katherine DeChant.
Thank you all so much for your hard work, I cannot WAIT to read em.
When will you make a decision?
With the unprecedented number of proposals received it might take me a bit longer to read through all of them. In addition to editing this series I’m a commissioning editor in popular music and sound studies at Bloomsbury Academic. If you’re looking for high-brow books on music and sound do check out some of our recent publications here. Which is to say that I…
It’s time for our Weekly Featured Product! This week we’re featuring the upcoming release from Neal Morse, Morsefest 2014 LIVE and with it, announcing the winner of our Morsefest 2015 VIP Giveaway! This live release contains over 5 hours of great performances including the entire Testimony and One albums plus special encores of the Spock’s Beard classic, “The Light” featuring Alan Morse, and the Transatlantic epic “Stranger In Your Soul.” Also included is a behind-the-scenes documentary with footage of Neal’s exclusive acoustic concert, rehearsal footage, “Name That Prog Tune” game with Mike and more! And now, we’re excited to announce that the winner of the Morsefest 2015 VIP Gold Package is Philippe Ranellucci! (email heather@radiantrecords.com to claim your ticket!)
Neal Morse
Morsefest 2014 “Testimony” & “One” LIVE
Available in Double BluRay or a Special Edition 6 Disc Set. Official release date: August 21st, 2015.Pre-order here!
Take a sneak-peek at Morsefest 2014 LIVE!
Filmed during night one of Morsefest 2014 in Cross Plains, TN.
Retrospective on Spock’s Beard, V (Metal Blade/Radiant, 2000). Produced by Neal Morse and Spock’s Beard. Tracks: At the End of the Day; Revelation; Thoughts (Part II); All on a Sunday; Goodbye to Yesterday; and The Great Nothing.
All tracks written by Neal Morse except Thoughts (Part II), written by the Morse brothers; and Revelation, written by the Morse brothers, NDV, and Okumoto.
Even the cover is brilliant, foreshadowing Neal Morse’s forthcoming moment at Damascus.
I was haunted continually by the cruel irony of it all; I had a gift to give to the world, but no recipient to pass it on to.
–Neal Morse, TESTIMONY (the book)
Two days ago, I posted my reflections on hearing Transatlantic’s SMPTe for the first time. I treasure those memories. At the time, I’d only been married about a year and half, I already had a one-year old son, and my wife was VERY pregnant with child #2 (who has grown up a serious Neal Morse fan). I was also in my second full year of college teaching, and I was working on my first biography.
It’s hard if not impossible for me to separate my love of Morse’s art from my own professional life. I’m pretty sure I was the first person in Bloomington, Indiana, to purchase THE LIGHT during graduate school, and Morse’s music has remained a constant soundtrack to all my writing—whether books or lectures. My entire family shares my love of Morse’s music, and my wife and I eagerly await joining in the celebration at Morsefest 2015.
And, as I mentioned in the previous post, Transatlantic’s SMPTe has hardly aged. Indeed, it sounds just as grand today as it did fifteen years ago. I ended that reflection of SMPTe thanking Transatlantic for introducing me to The Flower Kings. But, there’s more. So much more. It’s not just Transatlantic that came out of the year 2000. There’s Flying Colors as well, all of Neal Morse Band releases, Yellow Matter Custard, and the list goes on. . . .
And, yet, I’m not sure I should express any surprise that Morse has produced so much since Transatlantic’s first album. Think about the years between the release of THE LIGHT and SMPTe. In just one half of a decade, Spock’s Beard released five albums in five years, a cd of rarities, and four live albums. And, Neal Morse released a solo album. Morse is nothing if not full of energy. Ceaseless and abundant energy.
Equally impressive, just think about the astounding maturation of the sound of Spock’s Beard. It is nothing short of startling. Of course, THE LIGHT is a classic. But, compare it objectively to V. Spock’s Beard is a band that grew decades rather than years between 1995 and 2000.
Last night, I went back to look at the views of “V” from the time of its release, and I was rather surprised to see lots of criticism—that is, of the negative sort. SB is doing nothing new here. The band did this here or that there. Blah, blah, blather, blather. Not to be too rude, but give me a break. There was almost no discussion about the beauty of the album or Morse’s ability to evolve so quickly over such a short period of time or the excellence of NVD’s drumming or. . . the list goes one.
Bizarre.
V is, at least to my years, pretty much perfect. Whereas THE LIGHT was angry and angular, V is humble and organic. THE LIGHT is fascinating, but V is gorgeous. Suffice it state, I love both albums but for very different reasons. If someone asked me for the best Spock’s Beard album over the first five, there’d be no question that V would be it. I would proudly introduce them to this as the best of the first five SB releases as well as a masterpiece of third-wave Prog. I thought this in the year 2000, and I think it even more in the year 2015. V is a masterwork at every level. It’s playful without being childish, and it’s innovative without being quirky. Every musician gives his absolute all, and Morse ably mixes rock, pop, country, classical, and even some Latin. Yes, SB fans, fear not. Señor Valasco lurks somewhere around the corner of several passages.
V is the fulfillment and culmination of everything that came before it. And, in its textures and language, it is an intense and stunning thing.
I will also freely admit that no small amount of nostalgia makes me like this music from 2000. At age 47, it’s hard not to divide the world into pre 9/11 and post 9/11. The world before–at least in the U.S.–feels much more innocent. Compare the innocence of V with the rather angsty feel of SNOW or “We All Need Some Light” from LIVE IN AMERICA vs. LIVE IN EUROPE. The song might as well be an entirely new one after the horrific events of 9/11.
The editors of Progarchy and I have an agreement that we will avoid overt discussions of religion and politics. So, a trigger warning–and a request for forgiveness as I delve into the former. And, please know that what I offer is only personal speculation and nothing more.
Interestingly enough–and I have no idea how to account for this at any rational level–V turns out to be rather Christian in its feel as well as in its essence. Yet, when V came out, Morse was still 2 years away from his conversion. I might account for this by Morse seemingly much more comfortable with his own voice and his own failings (and, consequently his own successes) on V. The lyrics exude charity, honesty, humility, resignation, and Stoicism as well as passion. V might also be–at least from a Christian perspective–Morse lessening his will and preparing himself for the reception of grace. I’ve never met Morse, so I have no personal knowledge of any of this. All of this is merely a guess and a hunch. But, the prophetic path that Morse lays out is, to say the least, uncannily accurate on V.
You’re doing fine, it’s not too late
To lay your burden down
And walk through heaven’s gate
Try to find a way
Try to say goodbye to yesterday
Goodbye to yesterday, say goodbye
Try to find a way
Try to say goodbye to yesterday
Goodbye to yesterday, say goodbye
You’ve got to find a way to say goodbye
–Neal Morse, Spock’s Beard, “Say Goodbye to Yesterday”
And, “The Great Nothing” is a sequel, an answer really, to “The Light.” If The Light is anger and angular weirdness, “The Great Nothing” is resignation and guarded hope. Even in failure, doing the right thing is success. The “Great Nothing” is one of the best rock songs ever written. It is organic and whole. The lyrics describe so beautifully the unbought grace of life.
One note timeless
Came out of nowhere
It wailed like the wind and night
It sought no glory
It added no meaning
Not even a reason why
No thought
No need to say something
No message to sell
It played without a buzz or a showing
Out of the great nothing
It came without fail
–Neal Morse, Spock’s Beard, “The Great Nothing”
It’s also interesting to note that Morse was not alone in a transition. Think about the difference between Rush’s TEST FOR ECHO and VAPOR TRAILS at the same time. Granted, events threw Peart’s life into pure chaos, but the transitions occurred nonetheless. Or, more recently, thank about Steven Wilson’s move from Porcupine Tree to solo career. Morse transitioned from Morse 1.0 to Morse 2.0 between V and SNOW, and he gives full credit to his own conversion and acceptance of grace. Who are we to deny this? After all, the evidence suggests this is true, and whatever relationship Morse has with God is a rather intimate and personal one.
I, as one man, thank each profoundly for the gifts bestowed upon the world. V is a treasure. And, so is SNOW, TESTIMONY, ?, SECOND NATURE, and so many others.
Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Neal Morse, from Mars, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Heaven’s Gate.
Maybe it’s the professional historian in me, but I love dates, and I love anniversaries.
This year is the fifteenth anniversary of Transatlantic’s first album, the rather stunning and never aging SMPTe.
I’d not heard of the project until one of my students handed me a copy of the CD in the fall of 2000, about six months or so after its release. I knew Morse (I’d been one of the first–if not the first–persons in Bloomington, Indiana, to purchase THE LIGHT from Spock’s Beard), I knew Trewavas (having been a Marillion fan since BRAVE), and I knew Mike Portnoy, having purchased every Dream Theater release since 1992’s IMAGES AND WORDS. Roine Stolt? Didn’t have a clue at that point, though I’d heard of The Flower Kings.
My first reaction upon seeing the CD cover was one of elation. This looked like a very modernized Yes cover. And, of course, I loved the starship/blimp. I thought the album title, SMPTe, was kind of weird, as I didn’t quite get why the names of the members were so important, but, then, it was a “supergroup.”
Looking at the credits, I thought, “Ok, this is a Morse project. I wonder why he isn’t finding enough fulfillment in Spock’s Beard?” Not that I knew much about anything going on in any of the bands represented in Transatlantic. I knew the music, but I didn’t know any details about any of the bands.
In fact, the only real music news I kept up on at the time was for Rush, Yes, Tears for Fears, and Talk Talk. Admittedly, I did a very good job of keeping up with these bands, but I was aided by some really good user groups and news groups (remember those?!!?).
When I put the Transatlantic cd on my stereo, I was completely floored. The first minute of sound effects not only grabbed me, but all 31 minutes of the epic rooted me in place. I was utterly blown away. Yes had given us songs at 22-24 minutes, and Rush had come close, but 31 minutes? Holy schnikees. This was flat out amazing. Then, “We All Need Some Light,” which I thought sounded much like a Spock’s Beard song. Thus, I Iiked it. And, it was the perfect breather after “All of the Above.” I didn’t fall in love with this track, though, until I heard it live on LIVE IN AMERICA.
The third track, “Mystery Train,” really caught my attention as well, pulling me back into the depths of the album. I loved the psychedelia of it, and I was especially taken with the Beatle-esque refrain. This was an updated version of something off of the MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR–yet it was an homage not a mimicry.
If I’d been captivated by tracks 1 and 3, I was once again thrown into a tizzy as I listened to the sixteen minutes of “My New World.” The references to the Doors and Jimi Hendrix sold me. And, I’m a sucker for Stolt’s voice. As soon as I heard this album, I immediately purchased all of The Flower Kings up to that point.
SPACE REVOLVER, by the way, became and remains one of my top ten favorite all-time albums.
As I looked back over the first four tracks of SMPTe, I came to realize how very different each song had been. There was no distinctive “Transatlantic” song. They each hit me in different ways.
Then, as though I deserved dessert (which I didn’t!), Transatlantic gave me a remake of one of the best Procol Harum songs ever written. Granted, it wasn’t “Simple Sister” but it was the next best thing.
When Transatlantic played live over the internet, I listened. When the live album of that recording, LIVE IN AMERICA, came out, I bought it–the day it came out. And, I’ve done the same with every single live or studio CD since. I will admit that I was horribly shocked by Portnoy’s language on the live releases. At the time, I was only recently married. My wife comes from a very conservative Texas family, and she knew nothing about prog. As I was listening and Portnoy said inappropriate things, I cringed. Astoundingly, my wife either didn’t hear Portnoy or chose not to hear. She’s now as much a Morse/Portnoy fan as I am. So, all’s well that ends well!
I will admit that it’s a bit hard for me to accept that I first heard SMPTe fifteen years ago. At that point, I was newly married, and my oldest child was just a year old! Now, he’s sixteen, and he has six siblings! Sheesh.
And, my wife is now a prog fan. Again, the times do change.
A huge thank you to Morse, Portnoy, Trewavas, and Stolt. That one album from a decade and a half ago introduced me to the Flower Kings, and it made me realize that third-wave prog was and remains pure, unadulterated love and beauty.
Yes, I do plan to add some actual NEW content very soon (reviews, Top-Ten lists, etc.) but for now, here is another song that has some nascent proggy elements that I really like.
It’s not the killer “rock” chorus (which is good on its own merits) but the almost Genesis like vibe around the 1:18 to 1:50 mark, and again from the 2:25 to 3:00 mark that earn this track inclusion.
Progarchy 