Neal Morse’s ‘Testimony’ stands as a landmark for a musician who had already made a substantial name for himself within the progressive rock field as a solo artist and as a member of both Spock’s beard and Transatlantic. An epic concept album, ‘Testimony’ is a drawn-out saga detailing Neal’s conversion from pleasure-seeking rock star to devoted family man. It is a story that could have been set to the dullest of AOR awfulness, but that was never Neal’s style and, like the true artist he is, he opted instead to build his tale into a progressive work that resonates far beyond the simple introverted confines that its subject matter might suggest. It seems fitting, therefore, that it is this album that Neal should choose to play in its entirety (alongside its well-thought-of follow-up ‘one’) at ‘Moresefest’, a two night musical extravaganza at Neal’s local church. Lengthy records both, ‘Testimony’ started out life as a double album whilst ‘one’ grew to that length once its original track list was restored. As a result this two-night festival is represented across a mind-blowing four CDs / 2 DVDs. Whilst both albums deal with the weighty subject of faith, ‘Testimony’ is a particularly personal album that brings its author’s psychological and spiritual struggle very much into the foreground whilst ‘one’ is a wider exploration of Christianity. Both, however, are played with such celebratory zeal that there is never any danger of the music becoming bogged down in self-absorption or becomingly overly dogmatic and it is quite possible to embrace the music regardless of your own religious persuasion. Indeed, whilst I have struggled in the past with certain Christian-themed music, as the earnest and potentially preachy nature of the music can be off-putting, Neal Morse’s exquisite ability to bring both insight and humour to his story means that he is more than capable of avoiding such pitfalls and if you’re open minded enough to accept that this is Neal’s journey that he is sharing with you, then the wonderful music is spectacularly rewarding. In short, for those willing to undertake the journey regardless of personal conviction, what awaits is an exceptionally strong set of material from one of progressive rock’s greatest modern artists. It’s not an easy journey, but then it was never meant to be (and Neal’s personal journey was certainly far from easy), but it is a musically adventurous trip that passes through many peaks and troughs on its way to its conclusion. Listeners will delight in the complex and varied arrangements, and it is also a pleasure to witness the sheer joy with which Neal and his band tackle these songs.
Before we embark upon an appreciation of the music, it is worth pausing to consider, briefly, the packaging. This two-day concert was undoubtedly a labour of love for all those involved: the music itself, the careful work needed to make sure a local church could adequately cope with a motherlode of progressive rock, the presentation of the show and the performances; all of these things had to meet Neal’s high standards; and so it should come as no surprise that this memento of the event is treated with similar care. Available either as a standard double-disc blu-ray or as a six disc behemoth (four audio CDs and two DVDs), it is the latter version which SonicAbuse are viewing. Housed in a slipcase, the fold-out digi-box neatly houses the CDs whilst a sixteen page booklet offers an impressive array of photography and a short essay detailing the genesis of the event. It highlights the level of care that has gone into this release from the event itself to post production and it is something that fans can truly treasure.
Whilst the packaging is impressive, I was initially disappointed to note that the DVD offers simply a 2.0 mix, only to find it such a powerful and immersive 2.0 mix (which also expands nicely if you have a 5.1 set up and use Dolby processing) that you don’t miss the usage of extra channels. Indeed, I have no qualms in believing this to be one of the finest live audio mixes I have come across, but more on that later. In terms of picture quality, the disc is relatively strong throughout (and frequently exceptionally so) and although you don’t get the crisp images of blu ray, it’s a consistent picture that makes the most of a well-lit stage (even more impressive considering this was not shot in a concert hall). Although occasional shots do suffer from significant grain (usually in close up) the general presentation is of far higher quality than you might expect from the humble DVD, and it captures more than enough detail to keep home viewers happy. The direction is well handled too, the image cycling through the band members regularly enough to keep things interesting but without the risk of inducing epilepsy. More pleasingly there are no cheesy effects employed, the director preferring to keep the viewer in the moment than artificially impose effects over everything. It is, therefore, one of the stronger music DVD releases, and it helps to accurately reflect the excitement of the concert and the immensity of the spectacle.
Moving back to the music, impressively, Neal Morse didn’t just bring in long-time friend, collaborator and fan Mike Portnoy on drums. He also managed to get Alan Morse (Spock’s Beard), Matt Smith (Theocracy), Kenny Barnd (Nashville symphony), Rick Altizer and Wil Morse to guest on the recording. Such a talented band do full justice to Neal’s ever-inventive arrangements and are clearly seen to be enjoying the experience of playing such an important concert alongside Neal. Even more impressively, Neal went to the trouble of flying out Rich Mouser (who mixed the original albums) to work front of house. It’s a level of attention to detail that is so rarely seen, and it underscores how powerful a moment it was for Neal to be performing his story in a place, and with an audience, that form such a large part of it. It’s simply impossible not to be moved by the event and the power of the music, and the longer you watch, the more drawn in you become.
What’s key here, of course, is the music, and it is, without a doubt, one of the strongest Neal Morse concerts yet filmed. The opening alone is worth the price of admission with Neal emerging from the crowd alone and armed only with an acoustic guitar before Neal’s band appear for the massive ‘overture No. 1’ and the whimsical ‘California nights’ which details the rigours of Neal’s touring life. The musicianship, as you might imagine, is second-to-none and if you’ve not heard the original album and fear the lyrics may touch on the mawkish, the good news is that there’s a healthy dose of humour to keep things moving along. That’s not to say the lyrics don’t veer to the sentimental, it’s the nature of the beast that they do, but the musical content is so energetically arranged and the words delivered with such effervescent power, that it’s impossible not to enter into the spirit of the thing. Amazingly, the time flies by, and whilst the thought of a four CD set might initially prove daunting, it is but the blink of an eye before you find yourself embraced by ‘sleeping Jesus’, a stunning progressive work-out that captures all that is best from Genesis and Meddle-era Pink Floyd to create a piece of work that is both delightfully whimsical and yet awash with poignant atmosphere. It’s musically intricate and yet easily accessible thanks to Neal’s innate ability to unleash unforgettable harmonies no matter how bombastic his musical arrangements might be. A short, vibrant overture leads to the wah-inflected hard rock of ‘the prince of the power of the air’, the grandiose ‘the promise’ and, eventually, the lengthy, introspective ‘wasted life’… and that’s just part one of the first album on offer. Crucially, Neal is so vibrant a performer that it is all but impossible to keep your eyes off him and his riveting performance perfectly matches the epic musical workouts his band indulge. There’s not a dull moment in sight and you’ll not once find yourself drifting away from the action on stage once the concert begins.
For the fan who has previously purchased either ‘Testimony’ or the ‘Live testimony’ albums and wonders why they should consider purchasing this set, another key factor in this release is that the live audio is exquisitely mixed (no doubt thanks to Neal’s aforementioned decision to bring Rich Mouser into the fold). Each instrument comes through loud and clear, the drums (as you’d expect from the irrepressible Mike Portnoy) have punch and clarity and the guitars (both acoustic and electric) are rendered with plenty of light and shade. It is a strong, dynamic mix and it renders Neal’s always impressive musical arrangements in the most favourable light possible. Sequences like the ethereal passages in the mesmerising ‘break of day’ sparkle and the audience noise adds to the atmosphere without ever overpowering the band. Equally the driving ‘power in the air’ (a highlight of part two) with its scintillating guitar riffs and pounding drums both remind the listener that Neal has lost none of his ability to rock and the mix, once again, helps to bring it to vibrant life. In short, this mammoth box set perfectly captures the fun, the power and the sheer musical brilliance of the night in admirable clarity and even tracks like the subtle ‘somber days’ with its low key percussion and rich keyboard washes, remain beautifully clear and expressive in the live environment. It means that ‘Morsefest’ can easily take its place alongside ‘Pulse’, ‘In the flesh’ and ‘secret world’, all live progressive works which I consider to reflect the very best in expansive (and, undoubtedly expensive) audio production and this is not a comparison to make lightly or ill-advisedly.
If this box set proves anything it is that Neal Morse is, as Mike Portnoy so rightly says, “the master of prog epics… he’s the master of heart-wrenching emotional ballads that can bring you to tears [and] he’s also the master of the pop ditty”. With songs like ‘nothing to believe’ (reinstated into the ‘one’ album running order), he shows that he’s as adept at drawing on the likes of Buffalo Springfield and the Beatles as he is on Floyd and Genesis, and yet, for all the references, this comprehensive set shows that Neal Morse has taken all of those fine, fine influences and crafted his own unique, genuinely progressive sound and nothing could underscore this better than the epic contents of this exceptional box set. I could go on about ‘Morsefest live’ for hours – there is so much rich detail to absorb, from the conceptual strength of the lyrics to the amazing power of the compositions, but this is really something that listeners need to experience for themselves. Few artists have the catalogue to be able to unleash such a mammoth undertaking, and yet the rapturous applause of the audience from the event will perfectly sum up your own feelings after finding that you’ve sat through both DVDs / all four CDs with the only distraction being the need to shift from one disc to the next. There’s ferocious prog rock (‘author of confusion’) beautiful pop (‘nothing to believe’) epic workouts (‘wasted life’) and confessional pieces so expertly written and with such wonderful, good-natured humour (‘California nights’) that the run time vanishes in the merest blink of an eye although a key moment must surely be the heart-breaking duet with Wil Morse on ‘cradle to the grave’ – it’s a powerful and emotional moment. Whether you view ‘Morsefest’ as a powerful exploration of faith, or simply as a stunning musical voyage, it is, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding, joyous musical experiences of the year. The musicianship is exquisite, the performance mesmerising and the mix perfectly balanced. You could not ask for more from one of progressive rock’s masters and this box set is surely a pinnacle of Neal’s astonishing career.
