Ranking The Spock's Beard Albums
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Scott Medina of Sonic Perspectives joins me today as we explore and rank the thirteen studio albums by California Prog legends, Spock's Beard!!! What a band. Both Scoot and I are HUGE fans, so this was a lot of fun!!!
#prog #progrock #progressiverock
Addendum: Special shouts out to the incredible Rich Mouser who so beautifully mixes Spock’s Beard, he’s a true master! To Dave Meros whose mighty bass is the heartbeat of the band, he’s one of their secret weapons. And to Alan Morse whose pick-less unique style of guitar playing gives the band a signature sound.
Given that we did this episode totally off the cuff and I didn’t even access my notes, I missed giving these 3 guys their deserved praise, so wanted to make sure it was mentioned here.
Also - check out the bands cover of Yes’ “South Side of the Sky” on the Snow bonus disc - one of Neal’s best vocal performance ever, the band totally kills it!
Here’s the link to South Side Of The Sky: ua-cam.com/video/Rc_Ht2dT1oA/v-deo.html
Of course you knew I'd be here. I found Spock's Beard just before covid. Started with The Light, Then worked linearly until Noise Floor. Scott, I'm with you on The Oblivion Particle.
I spent an entire year with these thirteen albums, as it became an obsession. It was my entry into modern prog, which I still love. The only thing to cure me, was a sideways obsession with Transatlantic. Now I'm working my way through Neal Morse solo and band albums.
Oh yeah!!!
I discovered Spock's Beard after Nick left so I had a lot to catch up. On the other hand I was lucky enough to see and hear them perform Snow at the Lorelei festival in Germany with Neil and Nick a number of years back.
That must have been a great show!!! I’ve seen the video!!!
@@TheProgCorner It was, man. I had tears running down my cheeks at the end of the gig. 🤟🏼🤟🏼🤟🏼
I bet!!!
Two performances of Snow. Ever. Glad you got to be at one of them. (I actually know someone who went to BOTH!)
Octane (with bonus disc!) is one of the favs
I love them all…
@@TheProgCorner ok) curious how you would rank them beside Transatlantic and Neal solo albums
I’m tempted to do a Neal “mega” ranking!!!
I feel like Noise Floor belongs where the name suggests... it IS the noise floor.
It’s not great.
@@TheProgCorner Also, I agree with you, as opposed to your guest, about The Oblivion Particle.
@@coltonbeatty6117 Love that one!!!!
Interesting
Are you a Spock’s fan?
I am, Scott. I don't have that much, though. I have a great Compilation CD of the Neal Morse era, Noise Floor and BN, all of which I love 😊
Great band. You know I love Neal Morse!!!
I have a few Neal Morse Band and Neal Morse solo albums; always confused as to which is which 😂
I love them all. I’m such a fanboy!!!
I put X top 5.
It’s a good one!!!!
It's nearly midnight, I'll be back!
Nighty night…
I discovered Neal Morse from Sola Scriptura in 2007. That inspired me to go back and listen to everything and pretty much immediately made Neal Morse my number one all time favorite musician.
I think he might be mine too!!!
Yup, yup. #1!!!!!!!
I had a cold introduction to the band. I'd never heard of them before I went to see them live; a friend invited me along to see them at the Marquee Club in London...saying to me "you love Yes and prog...you'll love these guys". Well, they were touring in support of the V album so I got to see them for the very first time performing At The End Of The Day. I bought the album the next day, I was that impressed. Absolutely my favourite Y2K prog band.
I love Neal. 👍👍👍
Love Spocks Beard and Neal Morse. I first heared Spocks Beard when their debut was being championed by the now defunct Classic Rock Society in the UK. They regularly put on gigs and played music inbetween the artists performing. Saw Spocks Beard there twice as the society promoted their own gigs. Great memories of seeing some great bands there in the 90's- John Wetton, Rick Wakeman, The Flowerkings, Arena, Mostly Autumn, Big Big Train, Threshold, Kino, It Bites, Saga, Ken Hensley, Pallas and so many more. They reintroduced me to prog rock music that I thought had finnished in the 70's.
Anyway, here's my top 5 Spocks albums:
Snow
V
Beware of Darkness
The Light
Day For Night
Would like to see a follow up rating the Neal Morse albums including all of his side bands and projects.
I might have to do a MEGA-NEAL episode!!!
@@TheProgCorner you might have to do it in two or three parts given the amount of the stuff he's released, solo or otherwise ! 😂
A Neal marathon!!!
Thanks for this video guys. It made me even more appreciative of the quality of the entire SB catalogue. You can just randomly pick any of the 13, and have a great time enjoying the great music. What an incredible band, in each of the three eras.
Love all three eras!!!
Cannot argue with this V is genius I also would put the Light higher. One of my favourite bands ever. Bought tickets for January.
So we know who’s drumming?
@@TheProgCorner Yeah Mike Thorne.
That’s what I thought. A great drummer who can sing the high harmonies. A unicorn, in other words…
sorry Gentlemen, I have to disagree...
THE LIGHT should totally be up there as one of the Top 3 SB albums,
the first time I heard that first weird piano chord I was hooked for life,
and you're absolutely right about Go the way you go ;-)
apart from that: THANX FOR ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO Scot and Scott (Y)
Mikey!!! I’m loving At The Circus!!! What a cool album.
@@TheProgCorner THANX Scot (Y) really appreciate it ;-)
What’s this about NDV being At The Cirque? 😉
@@ScottAMedina a little misleading, I confess.... my current album is called At The Circus ;-)
And it’s really good!!!!! 👍👍👍👍
"their "#1 track on Spotify" should have an asterisk by it given the fact none of the Neal Morse-led albums are on Spotify..i.e.
no "The Light"
no "The Doorway"
no "The Great Nothing"
no "Long Time Suffering"
etc.
You are correct!!!!! I should’ve mentioned that!!!
Finally caught this one! It turned out to be a really good program because I'm not familiar with the Beard.
Awesome!!!! What a great band!!!!
"Nobody listens to Neal Morse anymore". Guess that's why NMB and Transatlantic had 2 Prog albums of the year recently.
You are preaching to the choir.
Now you're in my wheelhouse. It was a joy to see the appreciation you two showed for this great band. Alright, let's talk about my differences with your opinions. I am a Neal fan. I love all his stuff. I also like NDV's voice, but only in a harmonizing way. I don't like his voice as lead. His drumming is impeccable. Other than "X", I just didn't care for the direction the band went after Neal. Like you said, it went away from prog and toward the rockier side of music. Their version of a rockier Beard wasn't to my taste. The Ted Leonard version of the Beard was more to my liking. I liked his voice better, and the music was better too!
Now my ranking: The Light
V
Beware of Darkness
The Kindness of Strangers
Snow
Day For Night
Brief Nocturns
The Oblivion Particle
X
Noise Floor
Feel Euphoria, Octane, SB (tied for last because I never listen to these at all)
I love NDV and I love his voice!!! But yeah, for SB nothing can beat Neal Morse!!!
Funny…NDV has the most trained and skilled voice of all 3 of them. He’s never off-tune! But Neal’s voice has that special emotional quality that is from the heart.
Indeed!!!
@@ScottAMedina I agree with this sentiment!
Heck yeah Snow! My favourite Spock's Beard and my favourite album fronted by Neal Morse!
So good!!!!!
This was a really fun listen. I'd have a very tough time ranking all the albums myself, as I give just as much weight to the Nick-fronted era and almost as much to the Ted-fronted era. In fact, although 2 of the first 6 albums (V and KOS) are definitively in my top 3, a couple of the others (BOD and DFN) are closer to 13. (Unpopular opinion I know; the other albums that came later are just THAT GOOD!) A few songs that didn't get much of a mention on the video that deserve some extra attention: Ghosts of Autumn, Quiet House, To Be Free Again, and Beginnings. Also, while I don't disagree that As Far as The Mind Can See is a little uneven, give Pt. 4 - Streams of Unconsciousness another try. If I had to pick one song as my personal soundtrack, this would be a leading contender.
Ghosts Of Autumn is sooooo good!!!
Good to see the love for the latter eras! Yes, Beginnings is kinda special, isn't it?
The fact the Neal albums aren't on the usual streaming services is a major bummer, would love to listen in 24 bit if possible.
Yeah, Neal has his own streaming service, Waterfall. I don’t have it but I’ve heard it’s good…
@@TheProgCorner Love Neal/SB/TA/FC but do not need a 24-7 service, that dog don’t hunt.
🙏🙏🙏
LOVE THIS BAND!!
We do too!!! 👍👍👍
1. Snow 2. V 3. Beware of Darkness 4. The Light 5. Kindness of Strangers 6. Day for Night 7. The Oblivion Particle 8. Noise Floor 9. Feel Euphoria and I'm not so familiar with the others so won't rank them. I will say that bonus material on some editions is definitely worthwhile and probably does inflate my ranking. Snow might have been equal with V if I didn't have the bonus disc.
Definitely!!!
Thank you Scot loved 🥰 your video of the top spocks beard albums having been a long time fan of there music 🎶 since there neal morse days I quite agree with your choice that’s there number one Is v and at the end of the day and there great nothing is timeless music 🎶 nothing comes close them days are gone and to me the only album 💿 that’s comes close now is probably x mind you I absolutely love snow ❄️ and I don’t think there as ever been a double album as brilliant as that so many great tracks thanks and of course prog on cheers 🥂 mate
Spock’s Beard rules!!!
What a great video guys! I would have a very hard time ranking these guys so I appreciate your ability to give it a go. Lets hope we haven't seen the last from them it would truly be a shame if it were over. Long Live The Beard!
For sure!!! One of the most important bands in PROG’S glorious third act!!!
Indeed, may they live long and prosper! Glad you enjoyed it.
The first album I heard was Feel Euphoria so I hadn't even heard of Neal Morse. I was hooked after 3 listens and since then have enjoyed all the Spock's Beard albums, but that was the first one.
The first one I hear is often my favorite. No matter what!!! 👍👍👍
Realmente disfruté mucho este video. Acabo de inscribirme porque apenas descubrí a Scot. Un abrazo desde Ciudad de Mexico
¡Muchas Gracias! 🇲🇽🇺🇸🇲🇽🇺🇸
Fave band of the 1990s! Watched 4 live shows in Basel, Switzerland.
1)The Light 2) SB V 3) Beware Of Darkness 4) Kindness Of Strangers 5) Snow 6) Day For Night
Nice!!!
Lucky man!
I remember stumbling across their first album in the 90's and giving it a listen in the store. I didn't buy it back then, but abot 2 years later when "The kidness of Strangers" was new I bought it just because I remembered my impressions from "The Light". That was a decision I never regreted, turned me into a huge fan.
Until Neal lost his mind to some rambling evangelical priest and turned himself into a witnessing progger and left the band. It was kind of already lingering in "Snow".
Too bad that happened. They were never the same without him.
And his solo work I can only stand in small doseages. Still great music, especially the "?" Album which I consider an absolute masterpiece. But I have the strong urge to shake Neal and scream: "FIND A NEW TOPIC TO SING ABOUT!!!"
Yeah, it can be a bit much at times but, like you said, when the music is that good…
Yeah, but their last one Innocence and Danger is perhaps the most "secular" album since V!
The Kindness Of Strangers is my personal favorite
Mine too!!!
Right on! You're in the mouth of madness!
@@ScottAMedina that song feels like a prequel to “gibberish” for me. Melodically and even conceptually speaking gibberish is like having things in your mouth
Hi, Scott. Do uou now if Spocks Birds are still in activity as a band?? I have no news since long time.
They are on hiatus so we shall see…
@@TheProgCorner Thank you. I love that band, I hope in a their new album.
I would not hold your breath!!!!
Touring Europe this spring with Ted at front.
I heard!!!!! Maybe we’ll get a new record after all!!!
Absolutely awesome show!
Woo hoo!!!!
@@TheProgCorner , i must say why I love the Beard so much. To me this is one of the sincerest bands on the scene. They never made the same album twice. They never took any direction that their fans wanted. They never cared about the money or the fame. They just did what they wanted to.. And this thing always works the right direction. It's just Spock's Beard in their own parallel universe!
I love it!!!! Long live the Beard (and Pattern-Seeking Animals.)