Morse, Neal - Testimony 2: Live In Los Angeles

Year of Release: 2011
Label: Radiant Records
Catalog Number: 15068
Format: CD
Total Time: 187:00:00

Neal Morse has had quite a year. If there was an awards event for progressive rock similar to the Grammy's he would be nominated for Artist of the Year for all of the projects his has been involved in. His contributions to the growth of the genre and basically creating the sub-genre Christian Prog are enough to put the man at the top of the musical mountain. The humble Morse would likely react by saying something like "I am just following my path and spreading the word of God," which would be absolutely true, but you get the idea.

Testimony 2: Live In Los Angeles is a massive 3 CD/2 DVD Box Set covering Neal's triumphant return to Los Angeles and tremendous performance at the cozy Whittier Theater on May 28th 2011.

Neal fronts a remarkable band that reminded me of Kansas at their peak. Neal (keys, guitar, vocals), Nathan Brenton (cello, guitar, vocals), Eric Brenton (guitar, violin and flute), Mark Leniger (saxophone, percussion and vocals), Randy George (bass), Nathan Girard (keys and vocals), Rick Altizer (keys, guitar and vocals) and the world's greatest (and busiest) drummer Mike Portnoy is the lineup you will enjoy on this release. Now some of you may only recognize Morse and Portnoy as names in the world of prog however this band is strong at every position. Their sound is "BIG" although very well thought out, precise, powerful and at the same time beautiful musically and lyrically.

The spiritual message that Morse conveys is like a shining star that just keeps getting brighter with the passing of time and the music finds a way to make it all become a super nova of progressive rock exuberance. Music and performances simply do not get better than what is offered on this set. You even get Morse on stage again with his old mates Spock's Beard at the High Voltage Festival. That footage was rather odd as it starts with Spock's Beard in the middle of a song then Neal comes out. The performance was not memorable because the magic that was once there for Neal and the band is obviously long since disappeared but nevertheless a treat for those in attendance. The magic of Morse's music thankfully is fully blossomed with his own recordings and performances and there is no indication of that momentum changing.

For those of you that are Morse fans that have been waiting for the ultimate live recording to listen to or watch this is the one to get. With 3 CDs and 2 DVDs that total a immense 295 minutes of footage and over 187 minutes of audio, how could you possible walk away wanting for more? Well, if you do you could always watch one of the Transatlantic packages that came out this year too.

This full performance of Testimony Two and other Morse classics is a big slice of prog rock and another statement from the Morse camp that is proof positive of the talent and impact this man has every time he either steps into the recording studio or on stage. This set captures the essence of Neal Morse and his band. Its more than just music, it is a complete experience of audio and visual jaw dropping performances so do not miss it.

Key Tracks: Mercy Street, Overture No. 4, Road Dog Blues

© MuzikReviews.com

Tracklisting:
Disc One: Lifeline / Leviathan / The Separated Man: I'm In A Cage - I Am The Man - The Man's Gone (Reprise) - Something Within Me - Remembers - Sola Scriptura

Disc Two: Seeds Of Gold / Testimony 1: Overture No. 3 - Rejoice - Oh Lord My God - God's Theme / Reunion: No Separation - Grand Finale - Make Us One

Disc Three: Testimony 2: Mercy Street - Overture No. 4 - Time Changer - Jayda - Nighttime Collectors - Time Has Come Today - Jesus' Blood - The Truth Will Set You Free - Chance Of A Lifetime - Jesus Bring Me Home - Road Dog Blues - It's For You - Crossing Over/Mercy Street Revisited

DVD 1: T2 Concert Part 1 Plus Neal Morse Reunion with Spock's Beard

DVD 2: T2 Concert Part 2 Plus Tour Documentary

Musicians:
Neal Morse - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Eric Brenton - guitar, violin, flute, pedal, steel guitar, mandolin, vocals
John Krovosa - electric cello
Bert Baldwin - keyboards, backing & lead vocals
Rick Altizer - guitar, keyboards, percussion, backing & lead vocals
Randy George - bass, keyboards & backing vocals
Mark Leniger - percussion, saxophone, backing vocals
Mike Portnoy - drums & backing vocals

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: December 21st 2011
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.nealmorse.com
Hits: 5147
Language: english