The Similitude of a Dream
The Similitude of a Dream | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 11, 2016[1] | |||
Recorded | January–September 2016[2][3] | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 106:35 | |||
Label | Metal Blade Radiant Records | |||
The Neal Morse Band chronology | ||||
| ||||
Neal Morse chronology | ||||
|
The Similitude of a Dream is the second studio album by progressive rock supergroup The Neal Morse Band, released on November 11, 2016.[1][4] It is a concept album, loosely based on The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan[5] and follows Christian, who is tormented by spiritual anguish and told he must leave the City of Destruction to find salvation in the Celestial City.[6]
The album was released as a two-CD package, a special edition with a bonus making of DVD, and as a triple vinyl version.[7]
Background and writing
[edit]Morse began writing in December 2015 and started researching The Pilgrim's Progress when he thought he needed some direction and presented his idea to the band one month later.[8] As the band began working on the album, Mike Portnoy was adamant that the album be a single disc whereas Morse felt there was much more to the story that needed to be explored. Morse wrote additional material to complete a second disc and as the band was finishing the album, Mike Portnoy told the band, "we just made the album of our careers.".[9] Portnoy later made these comments public when the album was announced saying, "Neal and I have now made 18 studio albums together, and I consider 'The Similitude Of A Dream' the absolute creative pinnacle of our collaborations together, after a career of almost 50 albums, I honestly consider this to be one of the defining works of my career".[10] These comments caused much excitement and anticipation in the prog rock community.[11]
The band released five videos in support of the album release. Long Day/Overture,[7] City of Destruction,[12] So Far Gone,[13] The Ways of the Fool,[14] and The Man in the Iron Cage.[15]
Track listing
[edit]All lyrics are written by Neal Morse; all music is composed by Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Long Day" | 1:42 |
2. | "Overture" | 5:51 |
3. | "The Dream" | 2:28 |
4. | "City of Destruction" | 5:11 |
5. | "We Have Got to Go" | 2:29 |
6. | "Makes No Sense" | 4:10 |
7. | "Draw the Line" | 4:06 |
8. | "The Slough" | 3:03 |
9. | "Back to the City" | 4:19 |
10. | "The Ways of a Fool" | 6:48 |
11. | "So Far Gone" | 5:21 |
12. | "Breath of Angels" | 6:32 |
Total length: | 51:59 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Slave to Your Mind" | 6:27 |
2. | "Shortcut to Salvation" | 4:36 |
3. | "The Man in the Iron Cage" | 5:16 |
4. | "The Road Called Home" | 3:24 |
5. | "Sloth" | 5:48 |
6. | "Freedom Song" | 3:59 |
7. | "I'm Running" | 3:44 |
8. | "The Mask" | 4:28 |
9. | "Confrontation" | 3:59 |
10. | "The Battle" | 2:57 |
11. | "Broken Sky / Long Day (Reprise)" | 9:58 |
Total length: | 54:36 |
Personnel
[edit]- The Neal Morse Band
- Neal Morse – lead vocals, keyboards, 6 & 12 string electric guitars, percussion, mandolin
- Mike Portnoy – drums, vocals
- Randy George – bass and bass pedals
- Bill Hubauer – organ, piano, synthesizers, lead vocals
- Eric Gillette – lead and rhythm electric guitar, lead vocals
- Special guests
- Chris Carmichael – violin, viola, and cello
- Eric Darken – percussion ("Breath of Angels")
- Ann, Alfreda and Regina McCrary – background vocals ("Breath of Angels")
- Sarah Hubauer – baritone and alto saxophone ("Overture")
- Spencer McKee – marimba ("The Battle")
- Dave Buzard – stomps ("City of Destruction")
- Bruce Babad – saxophone ("Shortcut to Salvation")
- Steve Herrman – trumpets ("I'm Running")
- Jim Hoke – tenor and baritone saxophone ("I'm Running")
- Rich Mouser – pedal steel
Technical personnel
- Rich Mouser - mixing
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Stereoboard.com | [16] |
Prog Radio | [17] |
The Similitude of a Dream was received with high praise, being honored as "Album of the Year" (2016) by several online music magazines, including Prog Radio,[18] The Prog Report,[19] The Fire Note,[20] and Rock at Night.[21]
The Prog Report said, "‘The Similitude of a Dream’ does the impossible and exceeds all expectations. It is absolutely a jaw-dropping release that will no doubt rank alongside the best albums by Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy, if not above them."[22] Two years later, in 2018, The Prog Report ranked Similitude of a Dream as the all time best album in the Neal Morse discography.[23]
Sonic Perspectives added, "'Epic' doesn’t begin to describe what these five musicians have managed to pull off here. It is a fantastic progressive rock opus in the best tradition of the finest prog of the 70s and is an album that I find tremendously satisfying, both spiritually and musically. It has everything any prog fan can ask for and then some, it is really the prog fan’s wet dream."[11]
Charts
[edit]Chart (2016) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[24] | 169 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[25] | 86 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] | 49 |
French Albums (SNEP)[27] | 178 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28] | 25 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] | 56 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Munro, Scott (September 9, 2016). "The Neal Morse Band issue Long Day/Overture lyric video". Prog. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ^ "Radiant Records – Timeline". Facebook. January 13, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ^ "Radiant Records – Timeline". Facebook. September 13, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ^ "THE NEAL MORSE BAND To Release 'The Similitude Of A Dream' In November". Blabbermouth. September 10, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ^ Karadimitris, Chris (October 24, 2016). "The Neal Morse Band (Neal Morse)". Noisefull. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ^ "The Similitude of a Dream (Album Review)". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ a b "Neal Morse Band premiere lyric video for "Long Day/Overture"". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Interview: The Neal Morse Band — Behind the Scenes of 'The Similitude of a Dream'". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Neal Morse Band on the "greatest" album of their career". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Mike Portnoy Announcement". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ a b "The Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream (Album Review)". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Neal Morse Band release "City of Destruction" video". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Neal Morse Band Premiere So Far Gone". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Neal Morse Band premiere new track "The Ways of the Fool"". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Neal Morse Band Rock Out With The Man In The Iron Cage". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ Ramsay, Simon (November 24, 2016). "The Neal Morse Band – 'The Similitude Of A Dream' (Album Review)". www.stereoboard.com. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
- ^ Yak, The Prog (November 24, 2016). "The Neal Morse Band – 'The Similitude Of A Dream' (Album Review)". www.progradio.com. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
- ^ Album of the Year 2016
- ^ Best Prog Albums of 2016
- ^ Prog 2016 – The Year In Review
- ^ Progressive Rock Extravaganza: A look at my favorite albums of the year 2016
- ^ "Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream (Album Review)". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Prog Report Ranking – Neal Morse Albums". Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – The Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – The Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – The Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – The Neal Morse Band – The Similitude of a Dream". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 23, 2016.