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: :Octane :
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 The
second Spocks Beard album since the departure of Neal Morse is finally
here. Much has been written about the future of the band since Neal’s
departure, and the last album Feel Euphoria met with a very mixed
response.
For my money, Feel Euphoria was a reasonably good album - it was always
going to be a difficult transition for band and fans alike. On
reflection, I actually think I prefer the standalone songs on the FE CD
rather than the longer epics. Interestingly, these are the less
progressive songs on the album, which gets us into this whole difficult
“Are they still prog?” area – another much discussed topic on the net
recently.
Frankly I could not care less what you want to label it as – it either
works for you musically or it does not. This is not the same group that
recorded classics such as The Light, Go The Way You Go or Thoughts.
Making comparisons to the older Beard is only going to detract from your
enjoyment of this album. That said however, I do find this album has
more references and nods to Morse-era Beard than the previous effort,
whilst still retaining a distinct style of it’s own.
Having spent a week or so with this album, I can say that I find it a
definite improvement over FE.
The packaging and artwork on the CD is excellent. Not entirely sure of
the significance of the gas pump and it’s relation to the music, but
it’s good that they have come up with a departure from the usual clichéd
progressive artwork.
As with FE, there is another epic here too which opens the album, A
Flash Before My Eyes. There are similarities to Dream Theatre’s Scenes
From a Memory, and even some of Pain Of Salvation’s dense and oft
disturbing concept albums. But in truth it is a very loose, flimsy
concept based around the story of a guy getting hit by a truck whilst
entranced by a young girl, and his life flashing before him. The songs
highlight certain periods or incidents that come flooding back to him in
that moment. Although I am not convinced it works as a concept, it does
contain some standout tracks. Opener The Ballet Of The Impact, a
mellotron-drenched instrumental with flourishes of Theremin hark back to
old style Beard, though the rest of the track settles down into a fairly
meandering groove, occasionally enlivened by Al Morse’ excellent guitar
work.
The mid-paced, Beatles influenced I Wouldn’t Let It Go is a track I find
myself warming to more and more - not a great song but very listenable.
Surfing Down The Avalanche is definitely a favorite, illustrating the
characters youthful rebellion and dissatisfaction with parents, teachers
etc. Possibly one of the heaviest songs the band has ever done, they
really let rip on this one. I become more and more impressed with Nick
D’Virgilio’s vocal abilities – he proved with the older Beard he had a
very soulful, gentle singing voice, but he has certainly found his rock
voice here. Mind you, I was not that surprised after seeing him perform
Zep’s Whole Lotta Love in London some years ago, and occasionally you do
notice a bit of a Robert Plant influence going on.
The winning streak continues with the
mournful but brilliant She Is Everything, my favorite track on the
album. A deceptively quiet start with gentle piano, mellotron and
ominous, stereo panned bass notes, giving way to some of the finest
guitar work I have ever heard from Al Morse.
Climbing Up That Hill is a rather undistinguished and lyrically weak
song that only seems to serve as a link to the next track, the finale Of
The Beauty Of It All. Here the band goes for the ‘big prog finish’, with
Ryo’s synth heard for the first time, orchestral flourishes and a
reprise of the opening theme. A reasonably satisfying conclusion to the
story, and not as over the top and drawn out as some of the old Beards
epic finishes.
NWC. No, I don’t know what it
stands for, and the band is not saying either. This one will definitely
please old-style Beard fans, a keyboard-heavy instrumental rocker with
some unusual time signatures and tempo changes. I like it. And if the
band decides to do their trademark solos in their live gigs, my guess is
this is where they will do it.
The slightly country-influenced There Was A Time is another strong
track. Far from prog but just a great, acoustic flavored, sing-along
song reminiscent of Day For Night era Beard.
The opening, intricate bass and guitar notes on The Planets Hum seem to
hark back to the bands more complex, Gentle Giant influenced numbers
such as Thoughts. Great vocal harmony work on this one, and some nice
keyboard/guitar interplay between Ryo and Alan.
The gentle ballad Watching the Tide contains a superb, smooth vocal
performance from Nick, and builds to a wonderful orchestral climax – I
can see this one being a bit of a sing-along at live gigs.
Album closer As Long As We Ride features some great cowbell playing from
Nick (You have to watch the superbly entertaining “making of the album”
video on the bonus disc to understand), and is a great, foot-stomping
finish to the album.
For a couple of dollars more you should really go for the special
edition with the bonus disc, which contains four unused but very
worthwhile tracks (Follow Me To Sleep and Game Face in particular being
as good as anything on the main CD), a couple of odds and ends and the
aforementioned and highly entertaining making-of video.
With a few reservations, I would say this is a definite improvement over
the previous CD despite some weak material and occasionally
undistinguished lyrics. I still believe the band have the capacity to
come up with something great, and are still refining and developing
their own unique style.
They may not quite be the old Beard a lot of us knew, but that should
not be viewed as a negative thing – they can still rock, so don’t give
up on them just yet.
Rating: 8 of 10
Reviewed By: John Morley
: : Visit the artist web site :
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: : Discography : :
The Light - 1995
Beware Of Darkness - 1996
The Kindness Of Strangers - 1998
Day For Night 1999
V - 2002
Snow - 2002
Feel Euphoria - 2003
: : Live, compilations, singles : :
Official Live Bootleg - 1996
From The Vault-Rarities - 1997
Live At The Whisky And Nearfest - 1999
Skin (single) - 1999
Don’t Try This At Home-Live - 2000
Nick n’ Neal Live in Europe – Two Separate Gorillas- From The Vaults,
Series 2 - 2000
Don’t Try This @ Home Either- Live From The Vaults , Series 3
All On A Sunday - (single) - 2001
There And Here- Live - 2001
: : Record Label : :
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