Search - Spock's Beard :: Snow

SPOCK'S BEARD MAGNUS OPUS ???....YES !!!

Francisco Neira | Guayaquil-Ecuador, South America | 09/12/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fisrt of all, I must confess that I've become a Beardy fan recently.



My influences in Prog Rock Music are YES (specially), Billy Sherwood, Rush, King Crimson, Pink Floyd and ASIA. Nevertheless, because of where I live getting prog rock is very difficult. Thanx to Amazon recomendations I found Spock's Beard, Porcupine Tree, Flower Kings, Dream Theater and Enchant.



I have purchased all Spock's Beard collection recently and really enjoyed all the albums (even the ones of the Neal Morse post era).



I have detailed all this prelude in order to express the frame in which my following review will be displayed:



Having heard that "SNOW" is the best album of Spock's Beard, because of the power and the deepness of the tracks this album has, and because of the story told that make this work an excellent prog rock conceptual album. I must confess that, yes !!! this is Spock's Beard Magnus Opus, although "The Light" is my favorite one.



It is importan to consider that "Snow" is the last album with Neal Morse, and is also a very different one from the others: because in some way the production and the form in which the tracks were composed are more short, but conscise. My favorite track is "The devils got my thoat" and you can see that this particular song reflects a more organic sound within the Neal Morse Era (we all are aware that Neal was a sort a Napoleon in the band) that express in a sort of way the identity of the album.



You will find very akward the following reason of why I can not give a five stars for the album (which is a "must have" in your prog rock collection and specially for the "Beardies") and the reason is: as a devoted Roman Catholic, I do not share a little excerpt in the lyrics of the "39th Street Blues (I'm sick)" track. Spock's Beard fans can see that this is an anticipation of the spirit of the later comming Neal Morse's 5th solo religious prog rock album "Sola Scriptura" in which despite of all the apologyst of this album; the message is a sort of anti-catholic bash. This can be understood reagarding Neal Morse's convertion to some form a christian believe (a very particular one that has affinity to a anti-Blessed Trinity dogma, which is the corner stone of every christian denominations)



Hope this review will be helpuful for you ;) !!



Cheers,

Francisco

"

Spock's Beard at Their Finest!

L. Oswald | 09/27/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is by far one of Spocks Beard's best albums! Brilliant, compelling compositions tell a mesmerizing story any progressive rock fan would appreciate. This album reveals the true talent of each musician and the genius of Neal Morse's song writing and story-telling. I was enraptured by the haunting melodies of each song. This is definitely one of my top ten all-time albums - a must-have for anyone who appreciates this genre of music!"