Testimony 2 Deluxe Edition

After several spins, I'd have to say that this album ends up being a strong effort that links his earlier musical styles from his Snow/Testimony era to his latest styles found in his Whirlwind/Lifeline era quite adeptly, though I'd certainly rate Testimony 2 as quite a bit stronger than the very uneven Lifeline. While this album does a nice job of incorporating some of the musical themes of Testimony to really make this new album feel like a very natural continuation of the first Testimony album, he also definitely goes quite a ways beyond that musical template to explore some nice progressive styles that end up being very enjoyable and pretty fresh sounding. In fact, I'd say this is a more "progressive" sounding effort than either Testimony 1 or Snow.

There are the traditional Nealesque type of themes and overtures you'd expect from most of his albums, but for the most part, they are different enough to not sound stale or self-derivative. That being said, there are a few parts of the album are very much "been there, done that", like the Gentle Giant-type vocal piece in the track "Time Changer", however in that particular instance I get the sense that it's more an homage to that era of his career with Spock's Beard than a guy running out of new ideas. It's not a "perfect" album like "Bridge Across Forever" or "The Light" and there are a couple of tracks like Jayda that aren't quite on par with the rest of the album, but this is one of Neal's best solo efforts since the One/? albums.

I'd rank this album on par with Snow, Testimony and One. I'd also rank this album ahead of Sola Scriptura and his self-titled solo album, definitely ahead of Lifeline, Beware of Darkness and Kindness of Strangers.

All in all, highly recommended and some vintage Neal while still managing to sound fresh and exciting.

Update (7/14/2011) : Having now listened to the album at least 50 times or more since I got, I have to add a few things. Seeds of Gold is one of Neal's finest single "epic" pieces from any album he's been a part of. Everything flows beautifully from one section to the next and is very reminiscent of "At the end of the day" or "All of the above" which I consider to be 2 of Neal's finest works. Also, other than Jayda which I still consistently skip, the material on the first disk is even stronger than I first thought. Those two things combined have made me reconsider and I'm bumping the rating up to the full 5 stars it deserves. This album will definitely go down as one of Neal's best efforts in a very long time and I can't wait to hear what journey he'll take us on next.

The last Neal Morse albums I truly enjoyed from start to finish were ? (Question) and Sola Scriptura. Everything after that, while featuring flashes of brilliance, has been hit and miss for me. Neal Morse is an excellent writer, but it was obvious he was running out of steam.

Though not quite on the top level, Testimony 2 is a huge improvement over Morse's past couple of releases, including Songs from the Highway, the covers album, and the disappointing Lifeline. It picks up where the first album left off and continues to chronicle Neal Morse's spiritual journey. Supported by long-time friends, Mike Portnoy on drums and Randy George on bass, Neal Morse has also enlisted a plethora of other guest musicians to enrich his music. There is plenty of violin, cello, viola, and saxophone in the mix, as the album develops themes from the first Testimony disc and subtly glues them together. The music is varied as expected: there is the classically arranged "Mercy Street" that stands out for its use of strings and acoustic guitars; the whacky instrumental "Overture No. 4" with a strong rhythm presence; or the very personal "Jayda," a song about Morse's daughter who was born with a critical heart condition. Also in the mix are a wide range of elements ranging from comtemporary pop to gospel to soulful background vocals (both male and female).

That said, the album's highlights are the more progressive numbers. "Time Changer" sees Morse reuniting with his former bandmates from Spock's Beard. The complex vocal harmonies a la Gente Giant are in one word sublime. "Nighttime Collectors" captures the live feel of the band while maintaining a hard-rocking drive -- the instrumentation is so organic that you will never know when and how the beautiful electric guitar bleeds into the following track, "Time Has Come Today." The album's most emotive moment is "Jesus' Blood" -- Morse's singing is unmatched and drips with sheer emotion. He is the only singer in the world that can sing like Mike Tramp, a personal favourite of mine. The guitar solo here sends shivers down the spine, and it's perhaps the most beautiful solo of the year.

The second disc consists of three tracks independent of the concept of the album. "Absolute Beginner" is Neal Morse-style pop at its best with a catchy chorus you can sing along to right on first listen. "Supernatural" brings forth brilliant synth playing in its intro and a capella style vocals sung over distant acoustic guitars before a full-on melody is built on top of it. "Seeds of Gold" is something for his fans from Spock's Beard and Translatlantic. At over 25 minutes, it marries complex bass lines with tasteful drum beats as well as melodic guitar phrases slicing through mammoth soundscapes. Guesting with a solo is Steve Morse -- his playing is absolutely fantastic. Vintage keyboards dominate the mix while harmonized vocals are spread across the whole track with cascading melodies and nuanced rhythmic flow.

Testimony 2 proves that Neal Morse still has a lot to offer when he takes the time to develop his ideas and do what he does best: write strong, unforgettable melodies backed by top-notch instrumental performances.

Don't get wrong, there is a lot of wonderful tunes here I just didn't feel the same goose bumps as I did or do with Testimony 1 or some some of Neal's other solo projects. Still love it though.

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