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?

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As a longtime Spock's Beard and Transatlantic fan (not to mention Neal's solo work), I know what angst the title of this review might cause in some fans. I have followed Neal since "The Light" burst Spock's Beard on the scene, and helped to usher in a new, "third wave" of prog rock that is still going strong. Like many other fans, I too was upset when Neal left SB (and TA) at the height of their popularity because of his newfound embrace of evangelical Christianity. In hindsight it seems a really brave thing to do for the sake of one's faith (to make a clean break with the past). and thus I have come to respect his solo work on its own terms, since Neal is still such a great prog-rock talent. Since leaving SB, he's replaced the rest of the band with first-rate musicians such as Mike Portnoy (!) and Randy George, and has more or less replaced the lyrics of SB tunes with Christian-themed verses. This has been tough for some of the old SB crowd to swallow, but the fact remains that Neal is still putting out some great music (something that even his least religious fans will grudgingly admit).

Now, with Neal's new album, "?", many of Neal's fanbase will need to reinterpret their position on his entire body of work. I believe this to be perhaps the best thing he has done in his entire career. Here's why:

1. This album comes extremely close to capturing the old Transatlantic vibe (not too surprising since three of the four TA members play here), and even takes it a step further by adding some hard-edged Dream Theater-esque riffs, likely arising from the guest presence of DT and Liquid Tension Experiment member Jordan Rudess.

2. It also goes a long way to recapturing the Spock's Beard magic. This is of course largely due to the presence of SB alumnus and brother Alan Morse, whose signature sound is unmistakably present.

3. Lyrically this could be the best thing Neal has ever done. Yes, the verses are religious-themed, but in a much less in-your-face manner than his first two post-SB prog albums, "Testimony" and "One". Where "Testimony" was a conversion story, and "One" talked about man's relationship to God through Christ's atonement, "?" is much more complex theologically. I'll leave it to the listener to make their own interpretation, but suffice it to say that this time the lyrics deal with the ancient Jewish practice of Temple worship, and how the concept was replaced, in evangelical Christian thought at least, by the coming of Jesus. Pretty heady stuff actually, and while it may not be everyone's cup of spiritual tea, even the most heathenistic among Neal's fans will be forced to admit that these lyrics are a quantum leap ahead of any that Neal wrote for SB, in terms of sophistication if nothing else.

This is simply a great third-wave prog album. Steve Hackett from Genesis even makes a brief showing, providing a geneological link to the classic prog efforts of the 70s. Don't let anxieties about the lyrics deter you - they are just obtuse enough to have no effect if you're not interested, and if the subject does interest you they will be surprisingly poignant.

Enjoy! To Neal et. al., thanks for a great recording.

Neal Morse's new solo album ? embarks on excellent songwriting as always. It is rich in progressive rock elements reminiscent of his former bands Spock's Beard and Transatlantic; as well as his previous solo works, in that it is a continuation of his spiritual and musical journey. ? is a single long-form composition divided into twelve tracks. Other than that, the flow from one piece to another is so seamless and natural that some parts of the melodies actually bleed into the following track without the listener noticing it. Furthermore, there are certain themes, melodies or subtle lyrical references used in more than one song to tie each piece together and suggest a sense of wholeness.

Arguably Morse's most progressive solo work, this album features an incredibly impressive list of guests, added to his long-time rhythm section consisting of Randy George on bass and Mike Portnoy on drums. Alan Morse, Neal's brother from Spock's Beard, returns to the fold to offer his guitar talents along with Roine Stolt from The Flower Kings (Morse also appears on Stolt's upcoming solo album by the way). However, the biggest surprise for me was the addition of Genesis mastermind Steve Hackett, whose unique and easily identifiable phrasing and tone set him apart from pretty much everyone else out there. Last but not the least, Dream Theater's keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess also graces ? with timeless synth solos that duel with both Alan Morse and Roine Stolt's lead guitars. As usual, there are a good dose of cellos, violins, horn sections, bag pipes, and Mark Leniger's trademark saxophone sounds to enrich the compositional qualities of the songs, interwoven into the mix thanks to Neal Morse's amazing skill for song arrangement and production.

The album starts and ends with a piece titled "The Temple of the God", giving a good explanation of the concept underlying it, and both pieces share some common lyrics and musical ideas. For instance, while the opener begins with soft wind effects and indiscernible whispers; the last track ends exactly in the same way. However, the body of the songs are filled with hugely varying elements. A distant blues guitar harmony starts the album off, followed by Neal's unique vocals where he sings over a lengthy piano melody. His voice is full, strong and incredibly expressive. There is just something in his timbre that makes up for any technical inefficiency he may possess. All of a sudden, the piece breaks into a full-blown prog rock piece as keys and swirls of jazz motifs are introduced to define the song, while a classic Spock's Beard type of guitar theme produces immortal melodies that go on and on until they segue into the following track "Another World", only to develop a stronger character and become more intense. Neal effectively delivers a repeated chorus in a capella style, while in the closing track things are executed completely differently. The same chorus doesn't kick in until the last two minutes because of a huge wall of sound created by a hybrid of symphonic rock, multi-track guitars (two of them harmonise with each other, while the third one returns to play the same theme heard on the first two pieces) and massive vocal harmonies delivering the same chorus. It is beautiful.

Every track has its own trait. From the strummed acoustic chords and Mellotron sounds on "Another World" to the flutes and bells on "The Outsider" (given the percussion work here it is easy to tell Portnoy had a finger in co-writing this one) to the amazing solo trade between Alan Morse and Jordan Rudess on "Sweet Elation", the whole album is also laced with dramatic passages of piano, saxophone, and lush string work. Moreover, fans of Transatlantic will rejoice when they hear the Zappa-like "In the Fire", featuring a mix of everything that ranges from both a bass and drum solo, harmony vocals, a fantastic lead guitar solo what seems to be Roine Stolt, blues rock meets 70's Hammond sounds, another crazy synth lead by Rudess, and finally a funky bass figure to wrap things up. Strings and a big orchestral arrangement form the brief piece "The Glory of the Lord", while on the acoustic guitar and piano-driven ballad "Outside Looking In", we have an ethereal Steve Hackett solo that is simply out of this world. "12" is another ballad displaying Morse's vocals at their most fragile yet also emotive state together with jazz piano, counterpoint vocals and glistening cymbals from Mike Portnoy. The piece ends with a cutting instrumental break where I believe Alan Morse and Roine Stolt first solo individually and then meet Rudess' keys as he enters the scene. The multi-guitar leads are also amazing on "Inside His Presence" where Neal Morse lets out a fantastic scream towards the end.

? is another addition to Morse's ever-growing back catalog. While he still continues his quest to find God, he also proceeds to write amazing music with moving melodies and numerous dynamics. I personally believe bashing the guy for the religious imagery he uses in his songs has been done to death. No one is forcing you to analayze his lyrics. I'm not even Christian and his lyrics don't bother me at all. His music is simply too strong and clever to distract from the listening experience.

There are few musical artists alive today that I would dare call "Musical Geniuses". To earn this esteemed honor, they must be able to consistently churn out exciting, interesting, catchy and thought provoking music that takes influences from a multitude of different genres, and mixes them all together into something truly original. Stephen Wilson (Porcupine Tree) is one. Another is Neal Morse. With his third solo release since leaving "Spock's Beard", Neal Morse has once again produced a true masterpiece. I have to admit that after listening to his previous release "One" over and over again because it was so incredible and infectious, I thought he surely had reached the pinnacle of his career. "One" was such an unbelievable work; it had to be his Magnum Opus. How could he possibly top it? How could anyone? I actually put off buying "?" because I thought anything Neal did from that point forward would have to pale by comparison. Was I ever wrong! This CD is Neal Morse's finest work by far!

The CD starts out rather subtly, but only so it can draw you in slowly. Then it just grabs on and refuses to let go. The flow of the album is absolutely superb, changing tempo and melodies at the perfect moments every time. At some points it's simple and beautiful; at other times intricate and complex, and at some points it just plain rocks out hard. Not really a collection of songs, "?" is more like one big composition that is meant to be listened to as a whole. The music incorporates a myriad of influences: As one would expect, you can hear some ELP, Kansas, King Crimson, and Yes in the mix (this is after all, a Prog album) but at times it takes a turn toward jazz, drifts over to mid-eastern music and touches base with classical and traditional choral music. You never really know quite what to expect next, but when it comes, you realize that's exactly what should have gone there.

If you know Neal's history, it will come as no surprise that the lyrical theme throughout the CD is Christian in nature. However, the message is subtle and never overly preachy - Christ is mentioned only once on the entire album. There are numerous references to God and a couple to the bible, but collectively, the songs never come across as trying to convert you to any faith or belief. Rather, they present a view of the world we live in to the listener and merely offer a spiritual option - take it or leave it. Overall, the lyrical theme is very upbeat - this is not music that will leave you feeling down or angry.

I highly recommend "?" to anyone who appreciates quality music with insightful lyrics and exceptional playing. Though you may not feel, as I do, that this is the best CD release of 2005, I know it will quickly find its place on your "if I were stranded on a desert island..." list.

Neal Morse is fast becoming the Stephen King of Christian progressive rock (in output if not, regrettably, in sales). On the heels of the highly personal "Testimony" and the more sweeping "One," (and the earlier concept album "Snow" while still with Spock's Beard) Neal has produced yet another rock opera/concept album, this one about the Old Testament tabernacle, bringing him to somewhere around 6 hours of epic prog music released in the last 3 years, to say nothing of his many side projects and endeavors.

Fortunately, the well doesn't seem to be running dry at all on this effort. Where "One" was uneven and in some places unchallenging, "?" grabs hold of the listener from the opening track and doesn't let go until the closing whispers an hour later. The musical themes are catchy and memorable, and the performances are jaw-droppingly good. Besides his favorite rhythm section/support team of Mike Portnoy (drums) and Randy George (bass), both of whom turn in fine performances, especially George, who gets to show off on a particularly tasty bass lead midway through, Neal has yielded the stage to guitar luminaries Roine Stolt, Steve Hackett, and his brother Alan, and keyboardist Jordan Rudess, all of whom make amazing contributions. Stolt's handiwork is literally all over the album, from bluesy fills to pleasant backing vox, Steve Hackett adds a soaring guitar solo to "12" that will make the uninitiated order everything in his back catalog, and Alan produced an absolutely mind-blowing sequence in "Into the Fire," trading leads with Rudess on the keyboards that quite literally had me mopping my brow as I listened.

The pace is relentless, but there seem to be just the right twists and turns of intensity and mood. Most concept albums wind up with a dead spot or two that just don't quite fit or work, but "?" never stumbles, never fails.

Like "Testimony" and "One," "?" comes unabashedly from a Christian perspective; the lyrical content is very biblical, since that is the primary source for the tale. But whether it's the nature of the tale, or the degree to which the music overwhelms -- I personally think it's more the latter -- the general reaction has been that the message is more digestible to those who don't share Neal's convictions this time around. (Grace and irony abounds...)

"?" is an amazing album, and I cannot recommend it more highly.

This is another epic prog rock masterpiece from Neal. There are a lot of really interesting passages in this work. One has to really listen, and more than just one or two times to get it, but that is common with most good prog rock. Mike Portnoy is excellent on drums as always and I think the vocals on this cd are much stronger than previous efforts. Don't let the fact that Neal is now doing Contemporary Christian music fool you. This is great prog rock!

I figured I'd write my review on this since I wrote a review on Sola Scriptura today. With this release Neal really isn't trending in any new direction musically. The overall concept is a good one for the spiritual angle. No one in Christian music today is taking theme's like Neal and exploring them musically. Christian artists today are very staisfied to record the same worship songs over and over and over again hoping the public will buy them. Neal, at least, has the guts to step up and deliver a solid performance and deliver some very unique material that not one Christian artist would even consider doing today. Hats off. As always this cd has all the trademarks of Spock's and Transatlantic which goes without saying that it blows away anything else out there.

Before I start this review, let me get four points out right away. One, I've never been crazy about Neil Morse' voice. Two, I've never thought he wrote great lyrics (and I still don't). Three, I DO think the guy writes some pretty darn cool prog (did that "darn" pass the Amazon censors...I know a couple f-bombs in the past didn't). After seeing him play on the Transatlantic in Europe DVD, I have even more respect for the guy's composition and playing skills. He's a damn solid musician. Four, I'm agnostic. Spirituality is a VERY personal thing for me, and having friends who are Muslims, Christians, and Jews, I have a hard time personally swallowing any philosophy that condemns any portion of my friends to eternal toasting because they don't buy what the other one is selling (since they all share the same belief in the big guy upstairs, it's just semantics to me).

Uh..ok, a quick fifth point. I haven't heard any of Neil's solo stuff, so I can't compare this to any of that. What I have heard is a selection of the Spock's Beard CD's (3 of them) and the Transatlantic stuff, so most of my comparisons will be to those.

So, what do I think of "?"?

Some extremely sweet music on here. Not as good as "V" or "Beware of Darkness" in my book, and not as good "A Bridge Across Forever" but still pretty dang impressive and definitely in the same ballpark. The tops thing on this CD for me is the guitar work. Some outstanding solos (and nicely melodic), and I'm curious who did what as the CD doesn't seem to indicate that. Also pretty good development on the melodic themes (as Neil is quite good at) and arrangements in this. The only thing I really missed was some screaming B3 organ work or such (ala SB) and some solo-ish acoustic guitar. Yeah, there's some, but not as much as I wanted (personal preference there). But, that's a minor gripe. The playing is super tight, and I admit I tend to enjoy Portnoy's drumming work more with his side projects (as with this CD and Transatlantic) than Dream Theatre. This whole CD sounds like it was a labor of love for Morse, and (based on reviews of his other solo stuff) more of a return to his prog-ish roots. Very nice.

Of course, off in the "does nothing for me" category, I have the vocals and the lyrics. It's not even just the limitations of the topic covered in the CD with the Christian themes. I've heard sermons that moved me, but nothing on this CD lyrically made me go "wow". But, I didn't expect that from Neil, so to be honest, I'm not disappointed. I expect I'll always mark down Neil for lyrics and vox. It doesn't mean there's not lots to enjoy on this CD though. If you like prog and can get past the Christian focus (or you LIKE the Christian focus), I expect you'll like this CD too.

Don't be misled by religious fanatics who confuse an album review with an opportunity to express their jaded dogma. This is about the music and Morse has created a wonderful journey with this cd that is more than satisfactory. Just the fact that he has Mike Portnoy on the drums should be enough to entice fans of this genre but when you add Steve Hackett and Jason Rudess to the mix it becomes a no-brainer. The fact that the subject matter is the temple of God shouldn't be a problem and if it is then simply imagine that he's talking about Greek mythology or something and you'll be fine. It's not preachy or holier-than-thou at all. Let the artist express himself, I say. At times his Genesis and King Crimson influences surface but, in the end, he stays true to himself and delivers a unique concept album that is never boring and always challenging and entertaining.

Neal Morse's fifth studio album (third since he started strictly writing religious lyrics), "?," is easily his best work since leaving supergroup Transatlantic and Spock's Beard.

On the one hand, Neal's songwriting is as good as ever. He has crafted yet another concept album that flows naturally and never feels forced. On the other hand, he doesn't really take any chances or do anything different on this record, so that prevents me from giving it 5 stars.

What makes this better than his previous solo albums is the presence of other prog musicians like Roine Stolt, Steve Hackett and Jordan Rudess, all of whom have wonderful contributions to this record. In fact, Hackett's solo in "12" is the highlight of the record.

Please note, though, that the christian lyrics are still very much in-your-face, so if you have a problem with that, then this album is not for you. However, if you are a fan of symphonic rock music and are not bothered by christian lyrics, then this cd is a must-buy.

Neal Morse gets a bad rap for repeating himself. But while it's certainly true that Neal's progressive rock output all shares a pretty similar sound, I would characterize it not as "repeating himself," but more as just having a strong and distinctive musical identity.

So within the bounds of the melodic, bombastic, accessible retro-prog style that Neal's been inhabiting since starting Spock's Beard in the early '90s, ? is quite possibly the strongest and most enjoyable album he's yet created.

It wasn't until I listened to a number of other recent CPR (Christian Progressive Rock) albums that I realized just how easy Neal makes this level of quality seem. While many Christian prog artists can be quite unimaginative in the lyric department (how many variations on "Christ is the king, and He made my sinner's life worth living" can you really come up with?), Neal consistently finds interesting angles from which to present his worship. In this case, he contrasts the restrictive, law-bound Tabernacle of the Old Testament with the more inclusive and personal experience of Christ, and he does it with lyrics that are wide-reaching yet maintain a personal focus. (For those who enjoy a more interactive experience, the lyric booklet is annotated with pointers to numerous Bible passages. Looking them up and relating them to the lyrics is an interesting addition to the listening experience.)

Those approaching this album from progressive rock fandom (as opposed to Christian music fandom) might find the in-your-face Christian evangelism of the lyrics to be somewhat offputting. Let me say just two things in their defense. First, I am not an evangelical Christian. I do believe in a God of love and peace and inclusiveness, and I hear nothing in these songs (or, indeed, in any of Neal's music) that goes against any of my beliefs. Second, while his lyrics can be legitimately called "preachy," perhaps it's better to think of them just as Neal advertising his beliefs. Like all advertising, you are free not to buy the product, and like much advertising, it can be hugely entertaining whether or not you intend to buy the product. (Also, given the excess of our consumerist culture, perhaps this is the kind of advertising the world could do with more of.)

Musically, well... this is Neal Morse, and so it sounds very much like Testimony and ONE (as well as Snow, Neal's last album as frontman of Spock's Beard, which is very much of a piece with his post-Beard solo prog). Bassist Randy George and über-drummer Mike Portnoy lay down rock-solid rhythmic foundations, over which Neal builds catchy, hook-laden melodies on layers of keyboard and guitar bombast, the whole then assembled in lengthy arrangements full of long instrumental passages and thematic development (Neal's forté, in my opinion). If you're one of those who think that Neal ran out of ideas after Transatlantic's first album, you'll probably find this uninspired and excessive. But for those, like me, who enjoy Neal's style and think he still mines his musical territory well, this is some of his most satisfying material on all fronts. There are many moments on this album when the combination of music and lyrics was as deeply moving to me as anything Neal's ever written or recorded.

Truthfully, I doubt ? will change anyone's opinion of Neal Morse. But for people who are already Neal fans, progressive rock fans who've yet to hear him, and fans of Christian rock who are looking for something more interesting or adventurous than today's standard CCM fare, I'm pretty sure this will be among the favorite albums of this, or any other, year.