Spock's Beard - Live

Spock's Beard - Live

Country: USA
Genre: Symphonic Prog
Release Year: 2008
Category: Live
Rating: 10/10

Band:

• Nick D'Virgilio: lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums
• Dave Meros: bass, bass synth, backing vocals
• Alan Morse: acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals
• Ryo Okumoto: keyboards, backing vocals
• Jimmy Keegan: drums, backing vocals (tour musician)

Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. On a Perfect Day
3. In the Mouth of Madness
4. Crack the Big Sky
5. The Slow Crash Landing Man
6. Return to Whatever
7. Surfing Down the Avalanche
8. Thoughts (Part II)
9. Drum Duel
10. Skeletons at the Feast
11. Walking on the Wind
12. Hereafter (Ryo solo)
13. As Far as the Mind Can See, Pt.1: Dreaming in the Age of Answers
14. As Far as the Mind Can See, Pt.2: Here's a Man
15. As Far as the Mind Can See, Pt.3: They Know We Know
16. As Far as the Mind Can See, Pt.4: Stream of Unconsciousness
17. Rearranged
18. Encore Medley: The Water
19. Encore Medley: Go The Way You Go
    

Review

Live is the latest release by American proggers Spock's Beard. It's a double live album, also available as a single DVD. Recorded in the Netherlands in 2007, it was released in June 2008.
It's their first video recording released by the band after the departure of singer/keyboardist/composer Neal Morse.

Well, you may know, their latest studio album (the self titled one) is probably a landmark for the Beard. They wanted to be recognized as a proper band, instead of Neal's ex-band. The title of that album demonstrates this fact. It was something like: "Hey, WE ARE Spock's Beard, this IS the band!" In fact, their ninth studio release shows that this is true, they've found their own identity as a band, with everyone contributing with songs and lyrics and arrangements and all. This new live album just confirms that.
Everyone can now see how the band works without their former frontman. You know, Neal is really a very charismatic character and he rocked live with the band. This time around, we can see how Nick deals with his new duties, especially as a lead vocalist. And man, he do it so well!

The band as a whole seems to be even more concise, tight, powerful, vibrant and united than ever before. Ryo has the space to pour down all his great talent as a keyboardist. Al looks more like a main character, instead of being shadowed by his brother. And we have the all-time energetic Jimmy, playing Nick's drum parts like a completely freak and crazy guy, an excellent addition to the band.
But, I must say, hats off to Nick. He is really a charismatic person and he knows how to make a good performance. Good interaction with the public and the other band members, perfect playing overall and amazing lead vocals.
I'll be honest. Sometimes, Neal's vocals sounded way too pop (cheesy, if you prefer) for my tastes, especially in their first four studio albums. Also, sometimes he couldn't sing live as well as he did in the studio.
Nick sounds terrific on both departments. When he's singing Neal's parts, he doesn't change too much the style, so old fans will not disappointed and, at the same time, he doesn't sound pop, but a bit more rocker, so the songs have a more powerful approach. Besides that, it looks like he can reach every single high note very easily, without getting himself out of tune.
I can still add another trump to his vocal performance: he is more versatile and eclectic than Neal was. It is very easy to note that when Nick is singing "his own" songs, hence "On a Perfect Day", "Surfing Down the Avalanche", "The Slow Crash Landing Man" and "As Far as the Mind Can See". These are completely different songs, and Nick changes his style in each one of them.

About the setlist. How could it get better than this? Almost all Beard albums were featured here. Maybe some fans would complain of the lack of Snow songs, but I don't. The poor (in my opinion) Feel Euphoria is the other album without any tracks played in here.
Some of the best short Beard songs were performed. There's also a lot of Spock's Beard (the album) tracks, but just the better ones, so the show flows really really well. The final encore medley, featuring songs from their debut album, is also a spot on in this album, closing it in a gentle way.
As I've said before, the band's playing is more tight than ever. I dare to say that all songs were better played here than in their studio versions! Some of them were played thousands of times better, like Surfing Down the Avalanche (with Ryo literally surfing down the avalanche on his keyboard! Check out the DVD or its trailer on YouTube!). Time to praise Nick again, I prefer his vocals here over the original versions, including those on his "own" songs.
Enough to say that this setlist is a great improvement over the setlist of their last live album (Gluttons for Punishment, 2005). That album was criticized for containing too much Octane tracks, with the other ones (with the exception of At the End of the Day) not being exactly highlights of the band. Here on Live, the setlist is well varied, spanning through the band's entire lifetime, and featuring an obvious better choice of the songs.

Let's go now for a brief song-by-song review:
On a Perfect Day (from Spock's Beard, 2006): the studio version sounded a bit raw to my ears the first time I listened to it. This version is more tight, almost epic. I really dig that acoustic-guitar-duel section, perfectly done here (I think the crowd agreed with me!). It seems that Nick can master any instrument you may give him.
In the Mouth of Madness (from The Kindness of Strangers, 1998): I completely dislike the intro for this song in the studio-version. Sounds like poor electronic music. This time around, it sounded more rocky, much better than the original.
Crack the Big Sky (from Day for Night, 1999): Wow! Wow! Wow! Epic performance for one of the band's best epics! Enough said!
The Slow Crash Landing Man (from Spock's Beard, 2006): I would call it an average song. Both the original and this version sound like a common ballad, but Ryo's solo takes it to a higher level.
Return to Whatever (from Four O'Clock and Hysteria, 2007): "Return to???? Never heard of this before". You may say this. This is a song from Al's solo album Four O'Clock and Hysteria and it sounds too much like a Beard song that it fits really well in this setlist. Very interesting the way all guitar layers in the original were rearranged to be played by both Al on the guitar and Ryo on the keyboards. It's also amazing to see how Al can play those difficult parts without using a pick.
Surfing Down the Avalanche (from Octane, 2005): I listened to this version first and later to the studio one. OMG! The studio version sounded like a really poor demo, extremely raw, even when compared to the other Octane tracks. Here, the song was taken to a higher level, with a very dinamic and energetic performance by the whole band.
Thoughts (Part II) (from V, 2000): this is a good example of "cheesy" vocals turned to good ones. I mean, the Neal solo parts. The choir vocals parts were sung here as good as in the studio version. Really well done! You'll probably laugh out loud during the breaks. MAYBE NOT!!!
Drum Duel: if you like drums or if you're a drummer, don't miss it! It's really really cool to listen to and to see (if you have the DVD) what these two amazing drummers can do. Funny and entertaining.
Skeletons at the Feast (from Spock's Beard, 2006): worked well live. It's good to see how a complex instrumental song can keep the audience alive and well focused. Don't miss Jimmy body surfing the crowd during the middle of the song!
Walking on the Wind (from Beware of Darkness, 1996): a master performance of this great miniepic. Recently, Neal played this song with his own band and it didn't sound as good as you will find it here.
Hereafter (from Spock's Beard, 2006): a shortened version of the original song, without any vocals. Beautiful playing and improvising by Ryo.
As Far as the Mind Can See (from Spock's Beard, 2006): probably the climax of this show. The audience really goes into it, especially in the "They Know We Know" section. I also think that the bass lines on the "Here's a Man" section sounded brilliant.
Rearranged (from Spock's Beard, 2006): there's a better way to end a show than playing a great closing track? The performance of Rearranged took epic proportions, I really dig this tune! Unfortunately, there's a large number of keyboard parts on this song, so Ryo couldn't play them all. Some were played as playbacks.... so I couldn't see Ryo playing those amazing piano parts that I love so much...
The Water / Go the Way You Go (from The Light, 1995): interesting medley, to say the least. The best parts of The Water, in my opinion, are the first ones, exactly the ones played in this medley. This is also another example of improving the studio version, I mean the intro of this song. The second half of Go the Way You Go closes this medley and the album in a completely epic fashion, majestic!

This is for me, by far, the best album released in 2008 (so far, as we're still in November). The new Karmakanic and Beardfish albums are other highlights, but not as pleasant to listen to as this one. Without any doubts, a real showcase of how Spock's Beard is becoming a band on its own, leaving behind the need of Neal Morse, what is an impressive achievement.
A completely must have!