Morse, Neal - It's Not Too Late

Year of Release: 2001
Label: Radiant Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 60:57:00

Neal Morse returns with solo album number two with It's Not Too Late. Neal's heavy project load of Spock's Beard and supergroup Transatlantic has left him scant time to put out more music - but here is more!

If you enjoyed his debut solo disc then you will (or should) enjoy this piano-oriented "sequel." If you are a fan of Neal's irreverent, honest, and generally weird (read: witty) lyrics, then you'll also enjoy this immensely. I get the feeling that his lyrics are semi-autobiographical, but maybe that is just the aural passion and honesty with which he sings. It's Not Too Late is even more relaxed than his first solo disc (which I didn't think was possible). As you can imagine, Neal's vocals and the piano are in the fore, with every other instrument in the background, [and] with the keys being handled by Neal himself. And he is quite the handy man, creating an upbeat and generally happy pop/rock sound. The disc has a semi-live atmosphere about it, too - as if they just went to the studio, set up the equipment, and just pressed the record button and this was what came out of it. Short introductions by Neal at the beginnings of some tracks can also be heard. It's kind of weird, but that's Neal I guess.

Of course, if you have a penchant for loud and heavy guitars (of which there aren't any on this disc) and if you have an abject loathing of pianos then forget this.

Singer/song-writer Neal Morse is a marvel and this shows off what he is capable of. This disc is so much more and there is so much waiting for anyone who bothers to wrap their ears around this release.

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
It's Not Too Late (6:26) / All The Young Girls Cry (4:59) / Leah (4:02) / The Angels Will Remember (4:33) / So Long Goodbye Blues (4:39) / The Change (4:40) / Broken Homes (3:58) / Oh Angie (3:19) / The Eyes Of The World (George's Song) (4:09) / You Ain't Seen Nothin' Like Me (5:10) / I Am Your Father (4:19) / Something Blue (4:23) / The Wind & The Rain (6:09)

Musicians:
Neal Morse ? keyboards, vocals

Guest musicians:

Nick D'Virgilio - drums

Discography:
Spock's Beard - The Light (1991)
Spock's Beard - Beware of Darkness (1995)
Spock's Beard - The Beard Is Out There Live (1995) (cd/vid)
Spock's Beard - Official Live Bootleg (1996)
Spock's Beard - The Kindness of Strangers (1997)
Spock's Beard - From The Vault - 1995-1998 (1998)
Spock's Beard - Day For Night (1999)
Spock's Beard - Live At The Whiskey and NEARfest (1999)
Neal Morse (1999)
Spock's Beard - Don't Try This At Home (2000)
Merry Christmas From The Morse Family (2000)
Neal Morse and Nick D'Virgilio - Two Separate Gorillas - Live In Europe (2000)
Spock's Beard - V (2000)
Transatlantic - SMPTe (2000)
It's Not Too Late (2001)
Transatlantic - Live In America (2001)
Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever (2001)
Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever - Special Edition (2001)
Spock's Beard - Snow (2002)
Testimony (2003)
One (2004)
Lead Me Lord (Worship Sessions Volume One) (2005)
? (2005)
Morse Portnoy George - Cover To Cover (2006)
Sola Scriptura (2007)
?: Live (2007)
Lifeline (2008)
Testimony Two (2011)
Testimony 2: Live In Los Angeles (CD/DVD) (2011)
Cover 2 Cover (2012)
Momentum (2012)
Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment (2015)
Neal Morse Band - Alive Again Tour 2015 (2016)
Neal Morse Band - The Similitude Of A Dream (2016)
Neal Morse Band - Morsefest 2015 (CD/DVD) (2017)
Life & Times (2018)

Transatlantic - Live In America (VID) (2001)
Testimony Live (DVD) (2004)
Sola Scriptura And Beyond (DVD) (2008)
Neal Morse Band - Morsefest 2015 (BR) (2017)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: January 17th 2005
Reviewer: Gary Carson
Score:
Artist website: www.nealmorse.com
Hits: 1787
Language: english