Whilst fellow progheads in Europe will have to wait a little while before they can treasure this second studio effort from the big sensation from the States, we here at Rockmine can already give you an insight into this delightful product.
Seven tracks with a total playing time of just under one hour, now that's what I call value for money ! For this release SPOCK'S BEARD has become a five-piece what with bass player Dave Meros and keyboard player Ryo Okumoto joining as permanent members. The album is also rightfully dedicated to the great man Kevin Gilbert who remixed three of the tracks at his legendary Lawnmower & Garden Supply studios.
The album kicks off with virtually the same intro as Genesis' 'Watcher Of The Skies' before loads of rhythm changes, layers of mellotron and that unique voice of Neal Morse let you into the new SPOCK'S BEARD territory. Strange but this title track 'Beware Of Darkness' is a cover of a ... George Harrison song - but done in such a way that good old George won't probably recognise his own work ! In fact due to the skilful inclusion of Squire-like bass in combination with some outstanding Hammond work you get the feeling you're listening to some unreleased Yes-material from their most interesting period but done in the fashion of the nineties. And once the backing voices from Wanda Houston and Molly Pasutti are heard (unfortunately mixed too far in the background) it's like an outtake from 'Dark Side Of The Moon'. 'Thoughts' we already know from the Progfest '95 2 CD-set but here the 'weird' singing part where you hear different voices coming from all over the place is even more stunning and original than on the live recording. There's even a section halfway the song where Neal strongly resembles John Lennon !
'The Doorway' is not only the name of the Spock's Beard fanzine but also of the third track here. It opens with some brilliant classical piano before it evolves into a very Yes-like shape especially when organ and guitar interplay and d'Virgilio's drumming rivals that of Bruford ! Towards the end of the song the band introduces some nice acoustic guitar as well whilst low Moog sounds get us back where we left off. The end section comes very close in the region of 'Wurm', the last part from Yes's 'Starship Trooper'. Then again, 'Chatauqua' is without any doubt the band's own 'The Clap'.
Thunder and lightning, rhythm breaks and lots of delicious Hammond that's the foundation for 'Walking On The Wind'. From the moment the entire band lends their vocals I seem to get the name Starcastle in my head ... The chorus is majestic whilst both mellotrons and that B3 are banging my brains out of my skull ! 'Waste Away' is written in a sort of singer-songwriter way with some hidden folky elements thrown in to make it interesting. I can see this doing rather well during live gigs especially as it has a high 'singalong' rating.
The show-stopper on this second studio album surely has to be 'Time Has Come', with it's 16 minutes 33 length! It has become the SPOCK'S BEARD hotchpotch with Yes carrots, Gentle Giant turnips and Van Der Graaf cabbage all smelling deliciously and melting into one unique platter. The intro is a fun-fair for guitar effects whilst it's a pleasure to listen to Nick's versatile drumming throughout this epic. The Iyrics are, yet again, very twisted which is like Neal's singing really. A perfect ending to a perfect record.
Rumours have it that the band's first album 'The Light' sold something like 5000 copies worldwide. That's before GEP signed the band which means that finally the album will get proper distribution in Europe. If you know that drummer Nick has toured with Tears For Fears and recorded with Sheryl Crow, Debarge, Manhattan Transfer; bass player Dave toured with Eric Burdon and keyboard player Kyo performed with the likes of Peabo Bryson, Aretha Franklin, James Ingram, Roberta Flack, Melissa Manchester, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Kitaro, Robbie Robertson then you know this band consists of some ace musicians. All they would like is to live 100 % for SPOCK'S BEARD which is a thing which today is totally impossible. However if every single one of you goes out and buys a SPOCK'S BEARD album then maybe YOU can arrange it for this five piece to focus only on SPOCK'S BEARD, bringing us many more superb albums in the future.
For all I know SPOCK'S BEARD is 'Close to the edge' of becoming THE new progband we've all been waiting for. Now if the people from Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Rush, ELP, ... would like to take this band on tour with them as suport. Thank you very much !
Meanwhile let me also tell you that the band is currently recording their third studio album which will hopefully be released later this year. The Japanese import of 'The Light' will include the acoustic interlude from the live version of 'The Doorway' whilst the Japanese version of 'Beware Of Darkness' will include a live version of 'On The Edge'.
