Morse, Neal - ?

Year of Release: 2005
Label: InsideOut Music
Catalog Number: IOMCD 226/SPV 48622 CD
Format: CD
Total Time: 56:23:00

? falls right into place musically in the post Spock's Beard career of Neal Morse. Morse's dynamic rhythm section of Mike Portnoy (drums) and Randy George (bass) provide him with everything he needs to deliver his powerful melodic music and message. Morse handles most of the guitars on the album, but the tradition of guest artists continues with Steve Hackett, Roine Stolt, brother Alan, and keyboardist Jordan Rudess lending their talents.

? offers little in terms of surprises if you have followed Neal's career, but that does not mean it lacks in quality or appeal. An emotional punch is packed in every track, but the standouts include (both opening and closing) "Temple Of The Living God," the buildup of "Sweet Elation" leading into the keyboard/guitar solos. Speaking of solos, the following track "In The Fire" just blazes with guitars and keyboards. Steve Hackett boldly steps out of the speakers in "12" with that instantly recognizable tone. Neal continues to mix multi-part vocal arrangements, with amazing musical workouts, tucking in a pensive ballad, and making it all work in the overall flow of an album.

? shows that Morse has never really left behind the sound of Spock?s Beard or Transatlantic, but just found a new cast to carry out his music while embarking on delivering his more outwardly religious lyrics. One of the standout albums of 2005.

Tracklisting:
The Temple Of The Living God (6:13) / Another World (2:36) / The Outsider (2:21) / Sweet Elation (2:32) / In The Fire (7:24) / Solid As The Sun (6:12) / The Glory Of The Lord (1:41) / Outside Looking In (4:19) / 12 (6:46) / Deliverance (6:22) / Inside His Presence (5:30) / The Temple Of The Living God (2) (4:27)

Musicians:
Neal Morse - vocals, guitars, keyboards
Mike Portnoy - drums
Randy George - bass
Jordan Rudess - keyboards
Mark Leninger - saxophone
Steve Hackett - guitar
Alan Morse - guitar
Roine Stolt - guitar

Discography:
Spock's Beard - The Light (1991)
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness (1995)
Spock's Beard - The Beard Is Out There Live (1995) (cd/vid)
Spock's Beard - Official Live Bootleg (1996)
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers (1997)
Spock's Beard - From The Vault - 1995-1998 (1998)
Spock's Beard - Day For Night (1999)
Spock's Beard - Live At The Whiskey and NEARfest (1999)
Neal Morse (1999)
Spock's Beard - Don't Try This At Home (2000)
Merry Christmas From The Morse Family (2000)
Neal Morse and Nick D'Virgilio - Two Separate Gorillas - Live In Europe (2000)
Spock's Beard - V (2000)
Transatlantic - SMPTe (2000)
It's Not Too Late (2001)
Transatlantic - Live In America (2001)
Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever (2001)
Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever - Special Edition (2001)
Spock's Beard - Snow (2002)
Testimony (2003)
The Transatlantic Demos (2003)
One (2004)
? (2005)
God Won't Give Up (2005)
Lead Me Lord (Worship Sessions Volume One) (2005)
Send The Fire - Worship Sessions Volume 2 (2006)
Morse Portnoy George - Cover To Cover (2006)
Songs From The Highway (2007)
Sola Scriptura (2007)
?: Live (2007)
Sing It High (2007)
One Demos (2007)
Secret Place - Worship Sessions Volume 3 (2008)
Lifeline (2008)
The River - Worship Sessions Volume 4 (2009)
So Many Roads (2009)
Mighty To Save - Worship Sessions Volume 5 (2010)
Testimony Two (2011)
Testimony 2: Live In Los Angeles (CD/DVD) (2011)
A Proggy Christmas (Inner Circle only release) (2011)
Morse, Portnoy & George - Cover 2 Cover (2012)
Momentum (2012)
The Prog World Orchestra - A Proggy Christmas (2012)
Flying Colors - Flying Colors (2012)
Flying Colors - Live In Europe (2013)
Songs From November (2014)
Flying Colors - Second Nature (2014)
Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment (2015)
Flying Colors - Second Flight: Live At The Z7 (2015)
Neal Morse Band - Alive Again Tour 2015 (2016)
Neal Morse Band - The Similitude Of A Dream (2016)
To God Be The Glory (2016)
Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment Demos (Inner Circle March 2016) (2016)
Neal Morse Band - Morsefest 2015 (CD/DVD) (2017)
Life & Times (2018)
Neal Morse And Friends - Morsefest 2016 Storytellers (Pt. 1) - Inner Circle March 2018) (2018)
Neal Morse And Friends - Morsefest 2016 Storytellers (Pt. 2) - Inner Circle March 2018) (2018)
Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventure (2019)
Jesus Christ The Exorcist (2019)
Flying Colors - Third Degree (2019)
Morse/Portnoy/George - Cov3r To Cov3r (2020)
Neal Morse Band - The Great Adventour - Live In Brno - 2019 (2020)
Flying Colors - Third Stage: Live In London (2020)
Sola Gratia (2020)
Neal Morse Band - Innocence & Danger (2021)
Flying Colors & The Neal Morse Band - Morsefest 2019 (2021)
Neal Morse Band - [Morse]Fest 2020 - Lockdown (2022)
Neal Morse Band - Morsefest 2021 (2022)
Neal Morse Band - An Evening Of Innocence & Danger - Live In Hamburg (2023)
The Dreamer - Joseph Part One (2023)
The Restoration - Joseph: Part Two (2024)
Late Bloomer (2024)
Neal Morse & The Resonance - No Hill For A Climber (2024)
Cosmic Cathedral - Deep Water (2025)

Transatlantic - Live In America (VID) (2001)
Testimony Live (DVD) (2004)
Sola Scriptura And Beyond (DVD) (2008)
Live Momentum (DVD) (2013)
Flying Colors - Live In Europe (2013)
Morsefest! 2014 - Testimony & One Live (DVD) (2015)
Neal Morse Band - Alive Again (CD/DVD) (2016)
Neal Morse Band - Morsefest 2015 - ? And Sola Scriptura Live (BR) (2017) Neal Morse Band - The Similitude Of A Dream - Live In Tilburg 2017 (2018)
Neal Morse Band - Morsefest! 2017: Testimony Of A Dream (2018)
Jesus Christ The Exorcist - Live At Morsefest 2018 (2020)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: January 5th 2006
Reviewer: Eric Porter

Artist website: www.nealmorse.com
Hits: 2972
Language: english