NEW MUSIC CORNER #47 (NEAL MORSE, GENTLEMAN'S PISTOLS and RED, HOT CHILI PEPPERS)

[Niels (Mod)]

3 albums this time, and I hope, that you'll take some time, and listen to this weeks NMC:

I've been looking forward to this one, not because of the new RHCP or Gentleman's Pistols, but because of Neal Morse's newest double-album:


NEAL MORSE - TESTIMONY II





1. Mercy Street
2. The Truth Will Set You Free
3. Chance Of A Lifetime
4. It's For You
5. Supernatural


From thegoldenbird.wordpress.com:

The Music (rating: A+)

May 23 was the date in which Neal Morse‘s long awaited sequel to the acclaimed album Testimony was released. It is entitled Testimony 2 and was released through InsideOut records. It is a continuation of the theme behind the prequel as well as the universal appraisal. Having never heard the first one, I cannot compare the two. But one thing is for sure, Testimony 2 is a masterpiece with or without its predecessor.

I guess I should point out that Testimony 2 is more or less a Christian rock album. I do not consider myself religious, but try not to let such matters interfere with my appreciation of music. In any case, instead of being preachy and pretentious, the record more so explores Morse’s personal journey and self-discovery with Christianity. The former might possibly have turned me off, whereas the latter (and actual) made this record relatable on a personal and emotional level.Testimony 2 is a symphonic progressive rock album. It draws influences from classic progressive acts such as Yes. However, it is saying it is progressive is far from a pinpoint.

The truth is that Testimony 2 is an extremely diverse album. There are classic rockers, ballads, bluesy tracks, symphonic pieces, and intricate progressive ones as well. At times it gets heavy (not quite to the modern-day metal standard) and at times it gets soft. This album does nearly everything from a stylistic point of view, and the only way to justifiably classify it is with a broad description such as “symphonic progressive rock”.Perhaps Testimony 2 is able to expand over such a vast range because of its vast length. It is two CDs comprising nearly two hours of music. Fortunately, there is sufficient substance to warrant such a great length. In a way, Testimony 2 is comparable to Ayreon’s Into the Electric Castle (another fantastic album) in that both push themselves far past the limits of their respective genres and do so with double-disc albums. But with both, I found it hard to listen to the whole release in one sitting not because of any shabbiness in the musical quality, but because it truly is a very long time. I suppose that is the good thing about the two-disc album: it gives you a quick breather and puts you right back into it.
However, in Testimony 2, the second disc is unrelated to the first and is seemingly less significant. That is not to say it is bad, it just seems more of a bonus than an integral piece of the record… albeit, a very pleasant bonus.It begins at Part Six because that is where the predecessor Testimony left off (which I have unfortunately not yet listened). Within each of the parts, there is a remarkable amount of depth and diversity. And furthermore, in the context of the album, transitions between parts serve very well as warranted breaks between what are essentially 25+ minute songs. With relation to one another, the three parts feel like they belong in the same record.

Testimony 2 is amazing at providing variety and flow simultaneously.With Testimony 2, it need not be said that the musical creativity and instrumental performances are beyond greatness. Neal Morse himself is a brilliant composer, and with the help of musicians such as drumming legend Mike Portnoy, not much can go less than wonderfully with this album. Even recruiting the vocal assistance of Neal’s former band, Spock’s Beard, worked in beautifully in “Time Changer”. The pacing in the album is great from start to finish, as is the songwriting and composition. The vocals are very catchy and not irritating and are mixed extremely well into the densely layered and tightly composed music; they are truly the fine polish on an already spectacular record.To say the least, Testimony 2 is an amazing album. It is a master craft of the brilliant Neal Morse and his extremely talented recruits. The record has smooth flow yet an immense range of dynamics. Though the second disc feels unnecessary and slightly out-of-place, it is filled with solid material.
This is the first album I have heard by Neal Morse, and I am most certainly won over. Christian or not, the grandeur of this record is undeniable and must not be passed up.


From me:

I chose that review, because I could had written it myself!!! It took me a week or so, before I finally bought the album, because I was a LITTLE "put off" by the fact, that it is a VERY christian album, but I'm VERY glad I bought it!!! I'm going to be VERY surprised, if this album is'nt in my top-3, when the year is over, probably at the top spot. The music is EXTREMELY good, and the lyrics? Well, I can UNDERSTAND why Morse is so religious. His daughter was "born with a broken heart", as he put's it, meaning her heart had a hole in it, and she had most likely died, but was healed in a church, while Morse was on tour with his old band Spock's Beard. Now, if that happend to me and MY daughter, then I would write a couple of progressive concept albums about it, if I COULD, AND I would be much more religious, than I am today. It has been most difficult for me to pick 5 songs, because there are so much good music to pick from, also a great piece, that last about 26 minutes, but I left that one alone, because some around here might not like that long tracks. For me, this album is pure 10/10!!!


GENTLEMAN'S PISTOLS - AT HER MAJESTY'S PLEASURE




1. Living In Sin Again
2. Comfortably Crazy
3. Your Majesty
4. The Ravisher
5. Peeping Tom


Gentlemans Pistols are a British rock band based in Leeds, formed in 2003.

From Metalunderground.com:

Not all of rock and metal has to be brooding or stone-faced. Gentlemans Pistols lives by this philosophy on their raucous new album “At Her Majesty’s Pleasure.” The mid-to-late ‘70s was a high mark for hard rock/heavy metal, and this British foursome seems to agreed as far as their sound is concerned. The band has the swagger in the vocals, the twin lead guitar tangents, and a tight rhythm section to bring back a bit of old flavor without coming across as a retro act. “At Her Majesty’s Pleasure” is the most fun a listener will have with any album all year.This album just oozes coolness; if The Fonz was around today, this would be the only thing playing on his iPod. There is blatant posturing and snarky attitude, but it’s part of the album’s charm. Having a good time, with several women by your side, seems to be the key message. The great thing is that the band doesn’t even have to try; it comes across naturally, and a lot of that has to do with the robust vocals of guitarist James Atkinson.

Speaking of guitars, they are the main reason to give “At Her Majesty’s Pleasure” a spin. Alongside Atkinson is Carcass/Firebird guitarist Bill Steer, and they both make sweet music together. The duo channels Thin Lizzy on “Living In Sin Again” and “Your Majesty,” trading off licks and engaging in classic duel leads. It’s hard to be excited anymore whenever a guitarist pulls out a solo or an epic harmony, but Steer and Atkinson are able to make something as traditional as those two things a joy to hear.It’s not all about one guitar set piece after another, as anybody knows that a great album needs to have concise, gripping songs behind it. The blazing opening lead on “Living In Sin Again” leaves no doubt to the kind of quality Gentlemans Pistols has in store for everybody. The album finds its stride at the KISS-patterned “I Wouldn’t Let You” and doesn’t slow down from that point on. “Feed Me To The Lions” gets a lead break in with every band member, including the rhythm section, and transitions into the epic closer “Lethal Woman.”
While the album has plenty of quick, catchy numbers, a few bluesy jams are brought into the mix. “Midnight Crawler” has a hazy, doom aura that picks up halfway in, while acoustic guitars and funky bass lines lend a progressive style to “Into The Haze.” “Peeping Tom” is the lone blight on “At Her Majesty’s Pleasure,” but that is due more to its placement - being right near the end after a series of excellent tracks - than its structure or sound.After so many dark and foreboding albums thrown in my direction, it’s great to hear something upbeat and full of positive energy.
“At Her Majesty’s Pleasure” has the kind of wide appeal that can range from a kid getting into rock and metal for the first time to an older music fan who has worn out their “Destroyer” and “Jailbreak” records. There are very few rock bands today worth getting up-in-arms about, but Gentlemans Pistols is the diamond in the sea of crap better known as mainstream rock.Highs: A throwback to the days of Thin Lizzy and KISS, Carcass/Firebird guitarist Bill Steer gels well with James Atkinson, an exciting record that avoids feeling retro or datedLows: The longer songs don't have as much energy as their shorter counterparts.

Bottom line: An electrifying hard rock record full of dueling twin leads and a sound with widespread appeal across all age groups.



RED, HOT CHILI PEPPERS - I'M WITH YOU





1. Monarchy of Roses
2. Factory of Faith
3. Did I Let You Know
4. Goodbye Hooray
5. Happiness Loves Company


From Spin.com:

7 of 10
Given Red Hot Chili Peppers' congenital inability to hold on to a guitarist, you'd expect them to sound unfazed on their first album since John Frusciante's 2009 departure. And often they do: "Did I Let You Know" has a sunny, mariachi-style horn break, while "Monarchy of Roses" and "Factory of Faith" both ride sleek disco-rock bass riffs by Flea, whose recent stint in Thom Yorke's future-funky Atoms for Peace seems to have made an impact.But listen to Anthony Kiedis' words -- a dubious source
of big-picture meaning, we'll admit -- and I'm With You suggests that these uplift mofo party planners have been pondering nothing so much as their own funerals. "You 
know I'm almost gone," Kiedis sings over new guitarist 
Josh Klinghoffer's tolling power chords on "Brendan's 
Death Song."
In "Happiness Loves Company," the frontman collectivizes his midlife crisis with a squirt of squishy SoCal therapy-speak: "We all know and struggle with some loneliness."Whether or not Frusciante's exit triggered this soul-squeezing, the Chili Peppers wisely treat his absence as cause for retrenchment: I'm With You is a much more concise record, both thematically and sonically, than 2006's double-disc Stadium Arcadium. It feels like one of the band's most intuitive, too -- even if Kiedis pauses "Look Around," a scratchy, festive tune set in a strip club, to take a "long hard look at my last decision."


From me:

I've only heard this album once, because it was released today, but right now, I would say that the album is not bad, but it's not great either. Maybe if I'll give it some more time??


You can listen to this fine music right here:

http://www.podsnack.com/playlists/8d76d58bb858c103aad900058a957203

[RJhog (Admin)]

Should be able to check this out this afternoon after lunch.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Neal Morse (Thumbs Up)

But it took 2 listens.  It was kind of hectic at work during the first listen, so I played it twice.  The first and fourth, and really even the fifth song remind me a lot of Styx. I also hear CSN in the last track.   Anyway, the second track (The Truth Will Set You Free) is phenomenal.  Yes, phenomenal.

 

My question, is Morse the vocalist on most tracks?  Is he the keyboardist?  I'm not really familiar with him or Spock's Beard, but I have noticed that band in a few of Scott and Niels conversations. 

 

Gentleman's Pistols (Thumbs Up)

More good old fashioned riffing and rocking.  The vocalist sounds like a combination of the guy from The Sword and Phil Lynott.  I like this a bunch.

 

RHCP (Thumbs Up)

This is not bad at all.  Did I Let You Know is very good.  The only song I didn't really like was the last track, but it's not awful.

 

3 good picks Niels.  Well played!

 

[Niels (Mod)]

Thanks, RJhog. I'm glad you liked all 3.

I'm not really an expert on Neal Morse, but I think, I can answer most of your questions: Yes, Morse is the Lead-vocalist on all (?!) of the tracks on the album. On one of the tracks, "Time changer" he get's some vocal help from "the rest of" Spock's Beard, but it's of course not one of the 5 tracks, posted here. I think, he plays guitar and keyboards, but I'm not sure, if it's him, all of the time. I don't think it is, but besides playing those instruments and singing, he has written and produced the album!! Pretty f...... awesome, if you ask me!! In fact, I read somewhere, that Mike Portney got some credit for his drumming on the album, and he said, that he just played, what Morse told him to play!!! 

[RJhog (Admin)]

What do you think of Gentleman's Pistols?

[Niels (Mod)]

They remind me mostly of Iron Maiden ('80-'81), and that's a good thing, but I can also hear inspiration from KISS, ca. "Dressed To Kill", again not a bad thing at all. I first really noticed them, when I heard Classic Rock Magazine's 1st cd of "Best of the year, so far", and then I realized, that I had read about the album before. If you want some  "Classic riff-Rock" and wants the tracks to be under 4 minutes, mostly, this is a good band and album. If The Morse album is pure 10/10, then GP is.....ehhhhh....8/10!

[Niels (Mod)]

I stand corrected: It IS Morse on keyboard AND guitar all the album through, except for 3 guitarsolo's, and one of those is performed by Steve Morse (Deep Purple). I don't think, that they are related, but I'm not sure?!

[Jon]

If not this week, definitely this weekend. The cyber police are watching us all at work. Like they have nothing better to do....really psyched for the Neal Morse album!

[Scott]

NEAL MORSE ... Two Thumbs Way Up!!!

I will get to the last two later, but I am a proud owner of Testimony 1 and 2.  2, by far, is a must have!  Killer from top to bottom.  I purchased 1, 2 and Soula Scriptura at the same time.  I thought I would listen to them in order, so I popped in Testimony 1 and enjoyed it very much, then I popped in Testimony 2 and its been playing on a loop ever since.  I havent got to Soula Scriptura yet, but I will someday soon...

[Niels (Mod)]

I'm glad, that you like it too, Scott. Yeah, I've also been playing T2 countless of times, since I bought it. Those 115 minutes goes pretty fast!! 

[Jon]

Neal Morse--Thumbs Up

Great listen, I need to pick this up and well as I and, yes, Spock's Beard "X". Have "Sola Scriptura" and like it a lot. Weird though...I have "Snow" from Spock's Beard yet never picked anything else up even though I liked it. Don't know why, but there it is.    

 

Gentleman's Pistols--Thumbs Up

Yet again another "throwback" band that doesn't suck. It's kinda funny that music like this got raked over the coals ("critic"-wise) way back then and now it's cool. Probably because the critics now are the ones that dug this kind of music back then.

 

Red Hot Chili Peppers--Thumbs Up

Really liked this, almost got this today at BB cause I had a $5 RZ certificate but didn't. Now I'm mad that I didn't pick it up. Love the geetar freakout at the end of "Goodbye Hooray". 

 

 

A fantastic listen Niels....long, but fantastic.

[Niels (Mod)]

Thank you, Jon. You really DO need to pick up Testimony 2. There's a LOT more great music on that double-CD.

And I think, that you're right about the critics. Well, some of them anyway.