<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Morse is a prolific songwriter that\u2019s proven over time to be quite a gift to rock and roll audiences. I can\u2019t imagine the time it would take to write a rock opera \/ concept album and weave all of its stories into one cohesive novella, but this brilliant composer has done it numerous times. First there was Snow<\/em>, his Spock\u2019s Beard coda and concept album. Then Testimony<\/em>, a double-disc about his own life. He hasn\u2019t slowed down for a long time. In 2004 he released One<\/em>, about the prodigal son \u2026 Sola Scriptura<\/em> in 2007, Sola Gratia<\/em> in 2020, and most recently Jesus Christ the Exorcist<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fans who have been following him will delight in the prog-iness that immediately starts off this 16-song masterpiece. From synthesizers, organs to those noodling guitars, it\u2019s a jamfest. The wah-flanged guitar in Slave Boy is juicy, bluesy, and thick, which accompanies Talon David\u2019s sultry vocals. The longing guitar solo in \u201cWait On You\u201d sounds so melodic and clean. As a Heaven\u2019s Metal person, it\u2019s so fun to listen for and hear Matt Smith (Theocracy)\u2019s vocals, which vocalize the characters of Reuben, Joseph\u2019s older brother, and the warden\/guard of the prison. \u201cUltraviolet Dreams\u201d features a nice bed of low organ sounds that a higher lead guitar plays off of. It\u2019s a great bluesy \/ Floyd-esque moment that conjures a great sonic landscape and hypnotic feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While a rock opera for sure, Morse dips his composition pen into the ink of classical and choral opera. Case in point is the chant-like \u201cI Will Wait On The Lord,\u201d which sounds like a choir of dozens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the title reveals, this is the biblical story of Joseph. The lyrics give incarnation to the story in relatable terms \u2013 from the twisted plans of his brothers to \u201cthrow him in the pit\u201d to the Bryan Adams-esque balladry of Joseph\u2019s own lamentations as a slave in Like A Wall<\/em>: \u201cit\u2019s like a wall placed in my life \/ like a wall I can\u2019t get over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The vocals, sonics, and lyrics all combine to really bring the characters to life. It\u2019s easy to feel sorry for Joseph or to hate Potiphar\u2019s wife. The album\u2019s closer, \u201cWhy Have You Forsaken Me?\u201d carries with it tangible feelings of abandonment. It acts as a heckuva climax for Part One<\/em> and leaves us wanting more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mr. Morse is a prolific songwriter that\u2019s proven over time to be quite a gift…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9851,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1020],"tags":[18,1063,1311],"class_list":["post-9850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-review","tag-neal-morse","tag-spocks-beard-2","tag-transatlantic"],"yoast_head":"\n