Formed in 1992 Spock’s Beard have remained a strangely uncommercial proposition compared to, say, Dream Theater since their inception. Always present, and well-regarded amongst progressive fans, they have remained a wilfully oblique act, chasing the illusive muse that fuelled Peter Gabriel and Genesis and bowing to neither peer pressure nor fashion in the process. That is not to say that Spock’s Beard have not been successful, rather that the band have been successful on their own terms, with no desperate desire to vault into the heart of the mainstream thus constraining their often exhilarating musical exploits.
‘Brief Nocturnes and dreamless sleep’ is Spock’s Beard’s eleventh studio album and their first with Ted Leonard on vocals (following the departure of Nick D’Virgilio) and Jimmy Keegan on drums. While it would be unfairly disparaging of previous album ‘X’, a fine prospect in its own right, to say that the band have a newfound sense of purpose, it is clear that the arrival of two new members, not to mention a guest appearance from long-departed former member Neal Morse who contributes guitar on ‘waiting for me’ and shares song-writing credits on both that song and ‘afterthought’, has energised the band and pushed them to even greater heights of musical exactitude on this latest record. Listening, for example, to the high octane blast of ‘hiding out’ or the reflective, mellotron-soaked beauty of ‘a treasure abandoned’ gives a clear idea of the powerful ambition that drives this record, and it is fair to say that, on the strength of ‘brief nocturnes and dreamless sleep’, Spock’s Beard at the very peak of their not inconsiderable powers right now.
What evidence is there for such a bold claim? Well, opening track ‘hiding out’ does much to substantiate it. A radically energetic and beautifully orchestrated piece it makes the most of the band’s jazzy leanings with regards to percussion, whilst simultaneously offering up some of the band’s heaviest riffs in recent years. With Ted Leonard and Alan Morse’s blistering solo runs tearing holes in the song, Dave Meros’ thunderous bass, defiantly high in the mix, offers an adventurous exploration of the fret board and the vocals, perfectly layered together in harmony, drive the song’s gloriously uplifting melody. An early highlight appears next in the form of the wildly diverse ‘I know your secret’, a song that starts with a drift into Miles Davis territory before hitting a blistering pace underpinned once more by Dave’s driving bass (he also wrote the song). It showcases the adventurous side to Spock’s beard and yet it also rocks, the band not sparing the guitars, firing out heavy riffs with a gleeful abandon that makes you imagine the recording sessions must have been a lot of fun to attend. In a recent interview Dave acknowledged the important role Jimmy and Ted played in writing the new material, and it is very clear indeed that the band are giving their all on a series of tracks that border on the ferocious.
Of course ferocity is only a very small part of the Spock’s experience and the songs are far more than simply one-dimensional riff-fests, as the melodic middle-eight of ‘I know your secret’ ably demonstrates. ‘A treasure abandoned’ is a rich, mellotron-drenched track that opens with the sort of chord progression you can imagine over the closing credits of a movie in which the lead characters have won a notable victory, before the song changes tack completely, the band unleashing acoustic guitars and tempo-changes galore, not to mention the sort of golden harmonies that any band outside of the Beach Boys would kill for. It’s memorable, beatific, and the sort of music that you can gladly sacrifice whatever else needs to be done in the day in order to just sit and listen intently. Better still, and one of the highlights of the album, is the brilliant ‘submerged’ (one of Ted’s tunes on the disc) which features a funky vibe and some brilliant vocal work that leads to the sort of huge… no, HUGE chorus that, if there was any justice in this world, would be clogging up the airwaves for months to come. It’s addictive to the point of obsession, and the subtle flourishes which the band dash in – a hint of synth strings here, a touch of throbbing electronica there – make it the sort of track that not only offers much on the surface, but provides plenty of depth to submerge yourself in (painful pun intended!) ‘Afterthought’ (one of two tracks developed with former band member Neal Morse), part of the on-going ‘thoughts’ series, has a darker tone to it, thanks to multi-layered vocals and a grinding guitar riff that contrasts nicely with the stripped down, keyboard powered verses. Then, of course, there are the amazing, trade-mark harmonies that no other artist (outside of Neal Morse on his own solo work) would dare to undertake in the modern era. Listening now, the lights down low, you can imagine how teenagers must have felt when they first heard Genesis (the Peter Gabriel era, of course) with their light and dark shades and moods, and brilliantly realised vocal work – to hear something delivered with such power and conviction, and such unique spirit is rare indeed, and a mind-expanding pleasure.
Neal returns as co-writer once more on ‘waiting for me’, but before we get there, there is the lengthy workout of ‘something very strange’ which simply highlights the fact that, whilst a Neal Morse writing credit is nothing to be sniffed at, the band are equally at ease developing their own stunning compositions. As the elegant guitar work unravels, so stabs of synth add power and depth, all leading to a fast-paced verse possessed of a harmony that recalls the phased delivery of the seventies (think The Carpenters fronting Dream theatre covering Jeff Wayne’s War of the worlds and you’re in the right ballpark). ‘Waiting for me’, at twelve minutes in length, is the album’s grand finale. Opening with the sort of chord sequence for which the very word ‘epic’ was invented, the first minute houses the sort of orchestral flourish one expects from an overture, all climactic crescendo and dramatic orchestration, before the band shift to a jazzy footing, all syncopated rhythms and elastic guitar playing, underpinning the clean, tightly-knit vocal lines that form the centrepiece of the song. It’s a fine ending to the album and a strong sign that there is no such thing as ‘just another’ Spock’s beard album, the band never afraid to grow, develop and push their abilities to the very edge on each and every outing.
There is something comforting about a new Spock’s Beard release. Like the progressive bands of the seventies, they are a band who can be relied upon to bring out records that speak to their audience, no matter how many stylistic departures the band may have taken. A Spock’s Beard release captures a portion of your life, and like with Pink Floyd, Caravan or Genesis, you’re liable to remember where you were and what you were doing when you first heard it. They’re powerful, unique and a deeply special band who resonate greatly with their devoted fan base, largely as a result of the band’s remarkable ability to generate memorable melodies even amidst the most complex musical workouts. Where ‘X’ offered plenty to enjoy, ‘Brief nocturnes and dreamless sleep’ sees the band pushing themselves at almost every level and it sounds fantastic throughout. Concise, biting and often very exciting, this is Spock’s beard at their energetic, elegant best and is essential listening for progressive fans.
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