Octane
The second album of the post-Neal Morse era finds Spock's Beard settling into its more focused (if less openly adventurous) framework with increasing confidence. While there's no denying the irony that these champions of modern progressive rock sometimes find themselves locked into a retro-prog groove here, it's offset by an ever-ambitious sense of scale. "Flash Before My Eyes," the seven-part suite that dominates the album, reviews the life of its protagonist just as he's about to be struck down by a runaway truck. Anchored by a melodic motif reminiscent of Howard Shore's stately themes forLord of the Ringsand propelled by drummer Nick D'Virgillio's expressive voice, it gracefully soars beyond some awkward lyrical moments towards the inviting psych-pop realm of Pink Floyd'sWish You Were Here. Elsewhere, the instrumental "NWC" fuses the aura of early Genesis with bursts of Alan Morse's solo guitar, while "There Was a Time" turns on familiar, harmony-rich metal-ballad conceits. "Watching the Tide" is a cut above, a Queen-centric slice of drama that showcases the D'Virgillio's supple vocal range. The bonus disc contains a self-deprecating "making of" video featurette, as well as five album outtakes and a handful of "Flash" overdub sessions.--Jerry McCulley