Spock's Beard "Noise Floor"

Thanks for being so loyal fellow progheads!  Always appreciate the weekly check-in; hopefully the prog garden "rumblings" reported by The Closet Concert Arena make it an easy decision.  This time the search for all things prog goes a bit off track, visiting a band I've been a fan of for a very long time.  While my preference in the Concert Closet is to bring to you primarily new bands, every now and then I like to take advantage of opportunities to check in with those who have solidified themselves in the genre and have a solid following, yet manage to stay low under the mainstream radar...not necessarily a bad thing.

And just like that the search for all things prog travels to the left coast of the US for a stop with  Spock's Beard to check out their new release "Noise Floor," which was released May 25th on InsideOut Music.

Studio album #13 for those keeping score at home, "Noise Floor" is a double album/CD release.  The first is eight original songs written by the members of the band; album number two is taken from the same recording sessions and includes outtakes, demos, and things that didn't make it to album number one for various reasons.

Moving straightaway to the music being served up, let us begin with "To Breathe Another Day."  As expected, Spock's Beard's musical jolt is immediate as they grab your auditory sensors and don't let go.  Ryo Okumoto stated that the music on this album has a "more immediate" impact than the band's previous work.  He should know; his keyboards are front and center here as the music washes over you like high tide in a hurricane...

Moving down the buffet line I discover a more subdued song, "So This Is Life."  A bit cerebral  perhaps as Spock's Beard reminds you just how much prog garden acreage they cover.  In an "odd but not bizarre" way, I sense top notes of an orchestral side of 10cc coming through.  The string section works beautifully with the guitars on this piece, and together they carry the vocals across the top, allowing them to sink through your pores much like whipped cream melting into a cup of hot chocolate.

Liner Notes...One of the few bands I've reviewed to (almost) need no introduction, Spock's Beard has a current line-up of Alan Morse on guitars and vocals, Ted Leonard on vocals and guitar, Dave Meros on bass and vocals, and Ryo Okumoto on keyboards.  Drummer Nick Virgilio returns for the first time since 2011, although there is no commitment beyond this latest release.

Spock's Beard has logged a few miles in the prog garden, having formed originally in 1992.  With over two dozen albums on their resume and (despite) several line-up changes over the years, this is a band with amazing staying power.  They  don't reinvent themselves with each release as much as they expand their horizons...you could say Spock's Beard is one reason the prog garden continues to move the boundary markers in every direction...

With so much to choose from, I'm in a music haze...for which the best cure is one more song.  In this case I choose "Box of Spiders."  In a move both typical and utterly amazing, Spock's Beard comes at you from all directions as the song opens, and continues to dart in and out traffic as easily as a hummingbird chasing nectar.  There is a mild Trans Siberian Orchestra vibe making its way through the entire piece, teasing you as they play with the buttons on the mood elevator...

If you are not already versed in the music and mayhem that is Spock's Beard you can gain that knowledge at Spock's Beard where the band's entire album catalog is available for purchase.  You can also find out more information at SB Facebook and @SpocksB.  Spock's Beard has been a regular in the prog garden for quite some time and every harvest seems varied, unique, and worthy of attention.  They don't just get better with age, they defy Father Time himself...

For my last listen I chose a cut from album #2, their collection of outtakes.  "Bulletproof" has a Gaillion meets Spyro Gyra feel to it; the jazzy undertones blending extremely well with the AOR sound that permeates the room.  That this song did not make the final cut tells you the depth of the writing, talent, and just plain prog ability that Spock's Beard possesses...one does not wander the prog garden twenty years aimlessly...

Your ear candy this week is the first official video from the album, the earlier reviewed "To Breathe Another Day."  Catch the keyboard foray into mayhem I told you about...there is a Crack The Sky meets Kansas energy level jolting your auditory sensors.  Three years since their last release and no beats missed...buckle up and enjoy the ride...


                     

There it is fellow progheads, and once again we have lapped the weekly calendar.  Spock's Beard has been around the prog garden a while yet their sound doesn't seem old, stale, or rehashed.  This is an album fresh and satisfying as warm bread from the oven--and you'll savor every slice while the maple butter melts in to every nook and cranny, sending your mind into pleasure overload.  With over two dozen albums in their catalog, Spock's Beard is on a level few bands, prog or otherwise, ever achieve...and their ability to push the boundaries makes them as relevant today as they were back in 1992...

Of course, this is where I remind you the search for all things prog is about to pull up stakes and continue the journey...until next time...