Spock's Beard

Guest

These guys sound intriguing. Any fans out there to bring me up to speed?

**Orion Crystal Ice** · Subject: Re: Spock's Beard Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:12 pm

What do you wanna know? tongue

_________________
Dark motions, black eyes, and mournful lust, the wings of solitude
...I'm the hateful raven

I dream in shades of you.

Guest

Where does the SB novice start, disc-wise?

**Orion Crystal Ice** · Subject: Re: Spock's Beard Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:26 pm

Hmm. I would say 'The Light' or 'V', whichever is easier to find. Those being the debut and their fifth album, respectively. tongue

The Beard (in the Neal Morse led era) was a generally lighthearted, rocking take on a lot of facets of classic prog rock bands including Genesis, Gentle Giant, and Yes. If you're familiar with Neal's solo work (outside of 'Sola Scriptura' which is a bit different), you may have an idea of what to expect, though I like the Beard the best as a backing band rather than Mike Portnoy plus whomever is around at the time. tongue

Neal has an easily identifiable style of songwriting which can turn equal parts inspired gold or boring repetition. As albums, the Morse-Beard tends to lean towards either extreme; either solid, or not. After Neal Morse left, Nick D'Virgillio (drums) took over on lead vocals and more influences and textures were added to the band's established sound, especially in the keyboard department, evoking everything from Floyd to Jon Lord. That newer era also has a lot of good material and the self-titled disc or 'Feel Euphoria' would be a good place to start there.

_________________
Dark motions, black eyes, and mournful lust, the wings of solitude
...I'm the hateful raven

I dream in shades of you.

BackFromTheDawn · Number of posts: 4617 Age: 23 Registration date: 2007-05-19

Yeah, 'V' is probably as good a starting place as any. Pop sensibilities' abound (mostly with Neal Morse era), but there is also that mixture of textures that OCI referred to (classic prog, with various other elements and tricks thrown in).

_________________
"He had discovered Time and Death and God"-Aldous Huxley

Guest

Any and all of the Neal Morse era of Spock's Beard is untouchable and essential modern Prog Rock (modern as in a non-70s band playing in the 70s Prog style). They're like a mix of Yes, Genesis & The Beatles. In order, for me:

Kindness Of Strangers
Day For Night
V
Beware Of Darkness
Snow
The Light

The post Neal era, while good stuff indeed, is a whole different animal. Neal, when he was in the band, wrote & arranged 99% of what SB did. Since he left, everyone else writes. Not bad, just different & still loaded with chops, etc.

BackFromTheDawn · Number of posts: 4617 Age: 23 Registration date: 2007-05-19

I wouldn't really say 'not bad' about post Neal era. What I've heard sounds pretty good.

_________________
"He had discovered Time and Death and God"-Aldous Huxley

Guest

BackFromTheDawn wrote:

I wouldn't really say 'not bad' about post Neal era. What I've heard sounds pretty good.

No, it is good...I just couldn't get into it as much. I said "not bad" because sometimes when you say something is "different", people can assume "bad"...