Prog4You.com - Progressive Rock Review - Neal Morse - Testimony

: : Review : :

Many reviews of Neal Morse's first album following his departure from Spock's Beard will, inevitably, refer to “Testimony” as the next Beard album. It is not exactly that, though there most certainly are a number of “Beardy” parts. What the album is, however, is the next Transatlantic album. And why not? Morse wrote much of Transatlantic's music. Mike Portnoy plays and sings on “Testimony,” and the album offers no shortage of the rich musical moments that made Transatlantic such a joy. From the Beatlesisms to the rich orchestral passages to the marriage of Morse's and Portnoy's vocals, this is your Transatlantic on God.

And there is that God thing. I thoroughly expected to be disappointed, even offended, by the overtly Christian lyrics on this album. And, in the immortal (and highly annoying) words of “our” President, “make no mistake about it”… “Testimony” is a religious album. Specifically it is a Christian religious album. Morse is not subtle about it. It is not “Snow”-like in its religious element.. How could an album with songs titled "Sleeping Jesus," "Oh Lord My God" and "God's Theme 2" be other than deeply religiously oriented? Jesus is here. Jesus is there. Jesus is all over this album.

And yet, when one gets right down to it, isn’t there something almost perverse in the notion that there would be anything necessarily wrong about Neal Morse or any other artist writing a grand religious musical work? Did anyone criticize Bach for the religious content of his “B Minor Mass?” What slings and arrows did Mozart suffer for the clear Christian content of his “Requiem?” Religion – and Christian religion at that -- has, throughout the history of Western civilization been the primary (if not exclusive) programmatic subject matter. Why should it be any different for Neal Morse? Why should he be frowned upon for having the gall to write an epic musical work about a deeply religious subject?

The religiousity of the album, in the end, is one of its strengths. Where Morse seemed to hold something back on “Snow” – whether those limitations were real or merely perceived is another question -- he seems to feel freer here. It is as if this is the album he wanted to write last time out. The album is clearly heartfelt and impassioned. And, quite frankly, how could it not be. “Testimony” is an autobiographical work in which Morse tells the story of his religious conversion from playboy L.A. rocker (or rocker wanabe) to Bible-belt born-again Christian. He spares himself (or at least his past self) no criticism and makes no bones about what accounts for the change: God.

And yet sometimes it seems, to paraphrase Shakespeare, as if "Neal doth protest a bit too much." Why does he need to loathe who he was to be happy with who he is? There is an element of his criticism of his former self that seems a bit over the top. Was his past really so loathsome? How can so much have been so wrong when he wrote and recorded so many terrific albums with Spock’s Beard and Transatlantic?

And therein lies some of the album’s unintended irony. For all Morse’s insistence on how he has changed, from the musical, as opposed to lyrical, standpoint that change is not terribly evident on this album. “Testimony” is, at most, an evolution from his past works. Quite frankly, it is less that than a continuation. Morse has a remarkable and rare ability to write melodies that seem like they have always been there – new Beatles tunes – and to develop them musically with a facility and seeming ease that few possess. There is nothing new in that. He has been that way for a very long time. Indeed, if there is a real criticism to be had of this album, it is that there is not enough that is new about it -- “Somber Days” sounds suspiciously like the Venus de Milo section of “All of the Above” doesn’t it…or is that something from “At the End of the Day” or “The Great Nothing?” All of his classic changes are evident throughout this album. So where does Morse get off speaking about how useless his past was when he so readily and persistently revisits it musically on this very album? The music is saying exactly the opposite of what the lyrics are saying.

There are some other minor nits to be picked. The album does seem to be missing the distinctive musical voices of his former mates. Particularly notable is the absence of Dave Meros’ bass (or Pete Trewavas’). And while Morse’s guitar work is better than his bass playing, he’s definitely not the best guitarist in his family and he’s clearly no Roine Stolt. But for all of the other musicians listed on the credits to the album, this is just about as close to a true solo album as one gets these days – Morse wrote it all, sings lead, plays the guitar, the bass as well as the keyboards. The only instrument in the standard rock arsenal he doesn’t play is the drums. And the fact is that, nits aside, he is one remarkable musician.

The bottom line is that anyone who is a fan of Third Wave Prog, will find much to love in this album. It is a superb tour de force. Morse’s testimony would be believable on any witness stand or in any pew. And it sounds pretty good too.

9 out of 10 (The Limited Edition is well worth the money for the terrific covers of The Moody Blues' "Tuesday Afternoon" and Blind Faith's lyrically-altered "Find My Way Back Home" - again Morse's protestations are a bit much...but not so much you should risk missing out on all that is excellent in this album.

Rating: 9 of 10
Aaron Jazy

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: : DISCOGRAPHY : :

Neal Morse

Testimony - 2003
It's Not Too Late - 2001
Merry Christmas From The Morse Family - 2000
Nea; Morse - 1999

Spock's Beard

Snow - (2 cd, 2002)
There And Here Live - 2cd 2001
All On A Sunday cd single - 2001
Don't Try This @ Home Either Live - 2000
V - 2000
Don't Try This At Home live 2000
Skin cd single 1999
Live at the Whiskey and NEARfest - live 1999
Day for Night - 1999
The Beard Is Out There - Live 1998
From the Vault - 1998
The Kindness Of Strangers - 1997
Beware Of Darkness - 1996
The Official Live Bootleg - live 1996
The Light - 1995

Transatlantic

Neal Morse - The Transatlantic Demos - 2003
Bridge Across Forever - 2002
SMPTe - 2000