Neal Morse:One // a review

[3-LockBox]

On one hand, I can see/hear why some people are put out by this album. Yes, a lot of Christian music seems a tad bit self-congratulatory and bombastic, but this ONE isn't as bad as most CCM product in that respect. Yes, the songs which feature the personage of God singing in the first person are kinda grating (I personally wonder how he had the balls to do that). But weaving its way in and out of the gospel message though, is some very tasty prog rivaling Spock's Beard best moments.

But, on the other hand, this is an album that Contemporary Christian music should be all over, but won't, because it doesn't suck. Not since PFR or Jars Of Clay (10 years ago)has the Christian ethos been presented in such a fresh manner. Morse's progressive leanings, musicianship, and production quality is just the karate chop that the dreary world of Contemporary Christian Music needs. And no one, I mean no one, writes the epic like Morse.

WWJD? Forget people's self-serving, artistically banal praise music and play this at church instead.

[BarryL]

But weaving its way in and out of the gospel message though, is some very tasty prog rivaling Spock's Beard best moments.

play this at church instead.

I've had my say on Morse, but I thought this album was pretty good. I think only the last three songs were over the top or beyond the pale with born-again psychosis. You can cut this out and still have over 50 minutes of great SB-like prog. I agree with you that while many find Morse tiring and repetitive, nobody today in "mainstream" prog music has the overall talent and leadership that Morse has, with the possible exception of Roine Stolt.

Morse just needs to take more chances and push himself a little more beyond his comfort zone to expand his creativity. This is one of the problems with being a one-man band that Stolt has managed to avoid with The Flower Kings. It creates more varied results which can be confusing to fans of one particular time and place, but I think it is good for both the musician and the fans. Stagnation = Death.

[Troy]

nobody today in "mainstream" prog music has the overall talent and leadership that Morse has, with the possible exception of Roine Stolt.

Steven Wilson?

[MasterCylinder]

Petrucci - Rudess - Portnoy ?

[mad rhetorik]

...nobody today in "mainstream" prog music has the overall talent and leadership that Morse has, with the possible exception of Roine Stolt.

Steven Wilson?

Devin Townsend? Mikael Akerfeldt? Mike Patton?

[BarryL]

Petrucci - Rudess - Portnoy ?

I wasn't talking about musicianship only. There's leadership, and there's influencial.

Rudess isn't leading yet, but he's a fine musician.

Portnoy more than Petrucci, as he lends his expertise to a number of projects and a number of musicians that look to him for his talent and leadership.

I considered Wilson on my short list, but decided he was too fringe at this point, in the overall prog world, so I left him off. But he certainly qualifies more than Rudess right now, and has been extrememly influencial in the less mainstream prog world. His sound is all over a number of other bands that he's worked with, who look to his vision and production leadership, and bands he hasn't worked with, including Anathema.

So I'm willing to add Wilson and Portnoy.