by Prog Nick
Writing any review about Neal Morse’s music is hard for me. I have always found it difficult to write an objective review of his releases because the man’s work has been embedded in my musical DNA, like a drug, since the 1990’s. He is undoubtedly my favorite musical composer, and is such an integral part of my musical fabric that I tend to gush when he releases anything Progressive and I tend to overlook the shortcomings of some of his non-progressive releases (simply because I fear that I might not have it right). Such is his genius. Reviewing Morse’s latest release, ‘No Hill For A Climber’ (under the band moniker ‘Neal Morse & the Resonance’) presents the most daunting prospect for me yet. This is because, other than his religious operas and 2020’s Sola Gratia, which were in any event not band releases, ‘No Hill For A Climber’ is Morse’s first recent full-band foray into Prog without Mike Portnoy or the other members of NMB. The inevitable questions have already been raised by the Prog community: ‘Will the drumming be up to par?’ ‘Will it be as good without the other members of NMB?’ ‘Will it go back to Morse’s Spock’s Beard Days?’ ‘Will it rival NMB, especially in the vocal department?’ and above all ‘Who are these guys that Morse has chosen?’
Neal Morse and the Resonance are guitarist Andre Madatian, drummer Philip Martin, lead vocalist Johnny Bisaha, bassist Chris Riley and, of course, the maestro himself on keys, guitars, vocals and production. Joe Ganzelli assists in the drum department. All these players are local Nashville lads, and not particularly well-known in international Prog circles (with the exception, perhaps, of Martin, who has assisted Morse in various projects along the way). But this ‘local acquaintance’ dynamic in no way detracts from these musicians’ abilities or the professionalism on display. It goes without saying that even to appear on a Neal Morse Progressive Rock record is of itself a recognition of achievement, and in truth, every one of these players lives up to the lofty expectations demanded by ‘No Hill For a Climber’. These are very fine musicians indeed, being directed by one of the finest composers and producers in the game.
And the result is Proggy – very Proggy. In places, the album sounds like early Spock’s Beard, in other places like NMB, and in yet others, like Devin Townsend and King Crimson. But over that winding stylistic thread, the album constantly engages the listener with Morse’s own guru-like ability to come up with new hooks, new melodies and new arrangements that will warm your soul like the first time you heard ‘Close to the Edge’. This man has a proclivity like no-one else to hit that very rare spot of combining the familiar and the novel at the same time. His melodies and hooks feel like close life-long companions that you have loved for years, yet they are brand-new. It is an astounding gift.
There are two long epics on the album. The first, ‘Eternity In Your Eyes’, announces with an immediacy that this album will be grandiose Melodic Prog, the likes of which you last heard from Transatlantic. It is detailed, majestic, and flowing, and it contains every element that one would expect, from overtures to grand soundscapes, from orchestral sweeps to bluesy guitars. Is it derivative of Morse’s own past work in various bands? Perhaps so, but I promise you that this will be welcomed and not rejected, so adept is Morse at re-inventing himself. There are several moments in the track where, with a sigh of ‘Ah, yes!, you will be nostalgically returned to some of Morse’s past triumphs with a gentle reminder of what it felt like when you first heard Transatlantic or Morse-era Spock’s Beard. In the next moment it will feel completely new and you will sigh for a different reason. In many ways, this music feels like you are going home. But this is not to say that the home is not refurbished, nor that other architects have not brought their ideas. ‘Eternity in Your Eyes’ was co-composed by Morse, Madatian and Riley, and these co-composers bring the best out in Morse, and, one presumes, vice versa. The opening track is truly epic and is as good as, say, ‘All of the Above’. One of the best moments is when the track breaks down into a bluesy, smoky, hazy guitar solo – the type that you have been missing in Morse’s recent band projects. Morse was not messing around with the opening track. When mixing it down with Rich Mouser, he must have been smiling in the knowledge that ‘Eternity In Your Eyes’ will make the declaration that Morse being forced to change collaborators has not in any way impeded his ability to deliver to-notch Prog. A formidable start.
Second track ‘Thief’ sees Morse getting his Crimson on and showing his most experimental side. It is a song quite unlike any other that Morse has previously written, and one feels that Riley’s co-composition may have contributed to this. It starts with a sinister dual-vocal harmony and immediately delves into some pretty dark Crimson-esque territory. It is a brave foray by Morse into a direction diametrically opposed to the positivity that has featured so prominently in his other recent work. One might think that this would make it a risky venture, but, on the contrary, it succeeds greatly, with Morse providing the dark story with conviction, and the band delivering the complex backing with purpose and direction. It breaks down into a frenzied passage of mayhem and then stillness, before re-emerging from the silence to reprise the main theme and progress to the climax – a most unusual yet satisfying song from Morse’s darker and quirkier side.
‘All The Rage’ returns us to more familiar territory with glorious positive melodies and ascendant chord progressions. Quite triumphant in its sound, it harkens back to Morse-era Spock’s Beard and his more direct solo offerings such as ‘Momentum’. The song has crashing chords and riffs in major keys that allow us just the right amount of nostalgia for the moment. It rocks, but it has Beard-like quirkiness. At this point it must be mentioned that Morse’s lead vocals are as pleasing as ever. He stretches his voice on this song and pulls it off with aplomb. When in harmony with Bisaha, as in the second verse, Morse’s voice reveals that it still has plenty of vigor and can be used very effectively within this new aspect.
‘Ever Interceding’ is my favorite track on the album, and without doubt, one of the finest melodies that Morse, assisted here by no-one, has ever written. With Bisaha’s magnificent voice soaring like an angel over the melodies, one feels that Morse must have been keeping this one aside until he found just the right time and the right vocalist to release it. Its pre-chorus is beautiful enough, but the resolution to the ultimate ‘Road to Damascus’ moment is beyond magnificent. It is absolutely one of the highest points in Morse’s career as a songwriter. There are no fancy arrangements and no odd time signatures – just pure emotion and melodic brilliance. Think ‘June’ meets ‘We All Need Some Light’ meets a perfect new Morse melody with just the right vocalist. It is a triumph and I cannot stop playing it.
The second epic, ‘No Hill For A Climber’ was written by Morse, Madatian and Riley and comprises 29 minutes of Prog adventure not unrelated to the style of several NMB epics. Martin is allowed to flex his impressive chops in this one. He is a very fine drummer and clearly up to the task, not tyring to emulate anyone, but playing parts that are perfect for Morse’s arrangements in his own style. The title track allows Madatian’s guitar to take center stage alongside Bisaha’s and Morse’s voices. They interplay for a while in a chunky verse that is anchored by Riley’s granite-like bass, and then the band resolves into the song’s main chorus theme, sung by Bisaha. I must say that the chorus is somewhat saccharine for my particular tastes. It is somewhat reminiscent of what might be heard in a stage musical. But that is not to say that it is out of place or that many people will not love it – it leans just a bit too much on Morse’s sweeter side for my particular taste. That is only until the song breaks down into an acoustic guitar piece accompanied by spoken-word vocals, at which point an acoustic riff comes in to introduce a far more sinister and exciting passage (‘Burn It Down’). This continues to build beautifully around Bisaha’s emotive delivery until it aggregates into an intentionally Devin Townsend-sounding climax that, one would guess, is emblematic of the hill-climb that faces the protagonist. Once at the top of the peak, we leave Mr Townsend behind and Bisaha takes us away in gentle melody and a typical Morse orchestral apex. Morse, as he does, brings it back up (starting with a humor-laden coughing sound) by conferring a scintillating keyboard solo that leads into all sorts of vocal peaks, triumphant guitars and a mighty crescendo. Suitably, the album ends with after this with a ‘hidden track’ string quartet rendition of the main theme of the epic – a lovely touch.
Neal Morse is a musical Svengali. In this album, you can hear him relishing in the prospect of working with new personnel, and in particular, in the vocal direction of Bisaha, who has a voice with a very high range not un-reminiscent of Eric Gillette’s, though somewhat raunchier. The compositions and production are obviously geared to the new opportunities presented by Bisaha’s fine voice, as well as the musical skills of the rest of the band, and Morse takes full advantage. I was surprised to find that there were so many co-compositions on the album, but this shows nothing but Morse’s true wish to collaborate, as opposed to simply replacing the intimidating names that appeared in his past collaborations. These guys are fine musicians, but the not-so-secret weapon that is Neal Morse proves to be the common denominator that delivers all that is good in this brand of melodic Progressive Rock.
The album may sometimes sound like parts of Morse’s previous work, but there are far too many influences from far too many albums for it to be seen as self-referencing. This, of itself, renders the album unique. Morse himself compares it structurally to ‘Bridge Across Forever’ and Spock’s Beard’s ‘V’, and certainly those structures are evident here with the two long epics book-ending three shorter songs. But there is enough that is new in terms of stylistic presentation, voices, performance styles and soundscapes that the record will ultimately give you a new experience, even if the aforementioned two albums are your favorites (as they are mine).
‘No Hill For A Climber’ is a faith-based project, therefore those who have an issue with Morse’s Christian lyrical references will no doubt make their usual objections. But honestly, the true Neal Morse fan who happens to be an atheist will absolutely not be offended by these lyrics. They are not as literal in their content as they are simply lyrical beacons of positivity. The lyrics might be understated, but the real point is that those very fans (who were no doubt fans of classic-era Spock’s Beard and NMB) will find that this is the only album of recent times that will satiate their yearning for that fabulous era of music. The hooks are there. The grandeur is there. The quirkiness and majesty are there. The Rich Mouser production is there. Oh, and the finest song that Morse has written in the past ten years, happens to be there.
‘No Hill For A Climber is an album that is filled with excellent classic Prog tropes from early Spock’s Beard and NMB, but combined with distinctly novel ideas. This result is achieved because Neal Morse’s indefinable ability to write new and unheard melodies and hooks that are presented in a traditional framework, remains unique to him. Morse has nothing left to prove in Progressive Rock, yet he continues to provide evidence of his perpetual excellence, even in the face of temporarily losing his greatest collaborator.
This is a fantastic album and is a must for any fans of Morse-era Spock’s Beard and NMB. Do not be deterred by the unfamiliarity of some of the names of the performers. Everything you have been waiting for from Morse since his Spock’s Beard years is there. It is no surprise that America’s top Progressive Rock composer has delivered over and above the call of duty yet again. Thus, it turns out that this was not a hard review to write at all – it was actually very easy.
Released on Nov. 8th, 2024
Order now here: https://nealmorse.lnk.to/NoHillForAClimber
The track listing is as follows:
1. Eternity In Your Eyes 20:51
2. Thief 05:22
3. All The Rage 05:32
4. Ever Interceding 06:29
5. No Hill For A Climber 28:49
Neal Morse – Keyboards, Guitars, Bass, Percussion, Lead and Backing Vocals
Chris Riley – Keyboards, Guitars, Bass, Lead Vocals
Andre Madatian – Guitars and Orchestration
Johnny Bisaha – Lead Vocals
Philip Martin – Drums on tracks 2, 3, 4 & 5
Joe Ganzelli – Drums on tracks 1, 2 & 5
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