For me, Spock’s Beard is such a band, and I am most certainly a fanboy.

The California-based progressive rock band recently released their 10th CD – appropriately titled “X” – and it’s a doozy. I’m not even going to try and create suspense and mystery like I usually do to get you to click the “Read More” link. This CD kicks ass outright and needs no more explanation.

But if you’d like to hear more about the CD, then follow me…

Spock's Beard - Nick D'Virgilio, Alan Morse, Dave Meros, Ryo Okumoto

One of the great things about progressive rock is that, when done well, the music can have hints of everything from rock to classical, jazz, electronica, pop, and metal. (A good supply of cowbell never hurts, either.) One of the great thing about having a band full of ridiculously talented musicians is their ability to seamlessly integrate all of those elements into great songs. While most prog bands and spending their time working out the most complex riffs and “bet you can’t play this” nonsense, the boys in the Beard and busy crafting songs. Yes, actual songs that groove, have great vocals, and essentially blow the mind.

From the first notes of the opener “Edge of the In-Between” I knew I was going to be in for a treat. “Epic” is certainly a good description. Quickly moving into a an awesome verse groove, one thing I was pleasantly surprised with were the lyrics. Yeah, I know, this is a guitar blog. Deal with it! SB have typically been somewhat hit-and-miss with lyrical content in the past, so it was really nice to hear some well thought out concepts.

Guitarist Alan Morse shines with his solo over a rockin’ 7/4 pattern, mixing quirky figures and nuanced mastery of his Sustainer guitar. At 10:30, this song is the quintessential prog epic and they could not have picked a better song to lead off the CD.

The Emperor’s Clothes is a cross between the Beatles, Ben Folds, Gentle Giant, and Jellyfish. Strings, french horn, sitar, and their trademark contrapuntal vocal lines add a great contrast to the first song. Keyboardist Ryo Okumoto gets to stretch out and show why he’s such an in-demand player. I also absolutely love drummer/lead vocalist D’Virgilio’s vocals on this record. Brilliantly sung!

If you’re a fan of old-school instrumentals like those from ELP, then Kamikaze will be right up your alley. Written by Okumoto, Kamikaze grabs you by the nethers from the first note and doesn’t let go until it’s over four minutes and fifteen seconds later. Morse also shines once again with a fantastic (albeit quick) solo. This is one of the coolest instrumental songs I’ve ever heard a prog band write. Period!

At close to seventeen minutes, From the Darkness finally settles the listener in after three songs of progressive bliss. This is a bit more of a “rock” song compared to the previous three, but to simply call it a rock song would be somewhat misleading. The song mellows into an almost ambient trance while it builds back up again. D’Virgilio again sings beautifully in this section, leading to some solos and building into yet another kick ass 7/4 riff that Morse gets to solo over. (It makes me wonder if he actually prefers to play solos in complex time signatures.)

The Quiet House is perhaps my least favorite song on the CD, though it has a very cool chorus. It’s not a bad song, but it has not – as of yet – knocked me on my butt like the others. Though there are some proggy moments, this is perhaps the most straight-ahead rock song of the lot.

Danny Elfman comes to mind with the opening of Their Names Escape Me. I felt like I was about the watch the beginning of a new Tim Burton movie. I love the concept of this song, if you’ll allow me a quick aside.

SB decided with this CD that they were going to produce it independently. Their record label went under and rather than try to “get signed” again they decided to go it on their own. To help finance the project, they reached out to their fans and asked them to contribute to the production costs by placing a pre-order sale while they were still recording. The benefit for them? Well, the guys wrote a very cool bridge section of the song and proceeded to sing/name all of the people who contributed.

At first you may think the concept will fall flat on its face, but it’s actually quite brilliantly conceived and executed. If you missed the idea of naming all of these people in a song called “Their Names Escape Me” this is where you go back and read it a few times and then slap yourself in the forehead. As some of my business associates say, “That one will catch you on the way home.”

If they had simply named everyone over the same riff it would have gotten old very fast. But they were smart enough to keep the music moving forward (dare I say, progressing) and it turned out as not only a great piece of music but also an innovative and very cool tribute to their fans.

The classic Spock’s sound returns for the next song – The Man Behind the Curtain. I can’t help but think that D’Virgilio’s close friendship and musical relationship with songwriter extraordinaire Kevin Gilbert has rubbed off on him here. “Curtain” is at the same time both chaotic and controlled, melodic and cacophonous, but it all works very well together. There is a balance to it all, and the closing acoustic guitar/vocals is the perfect ending.

No prog CD would be complete without an epic to close things out. At 16:22, Jaws of Heaven acts as almost like a summary of everything that came before it. Like “Edge of the In-Between” as the opener, “Heaven” is the perfect closer. It all builds up to the last few minutes where the melody soars high above, thanks once again to Morse’s incredible guitar work.

I’m tellin’ ya, you guys gotta check this band out.

Spock’s Beard‘s “X” could not have come at a better time. It’s been a while since a truly great prog band has put out a truly great prog CD. And with my band Din Within (shameless plug) currently working on the music for our sophomore release, I am feeling re-energized and inspired thanks to four guys from California keeping the torch well lit and shining bright!

Spock’s Beard – X is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

I’ve listened to a lot of guitar players in my day, and a lot of guitar solos. While I wish every rock song could have a stellar guitar performance, there are a few that have stood the test of time for me; solos that I can go back to time and time again for inspiration.

Alan Morse (Spock's Beard)

Alan Morse (Spock’s Beard) – Crack the Big Sky on Day For Night

Quintessential progressive rockers Spock’s Beard have a way with music. Though they, unfortunately, are still not as well-known as they most certainly deserve to be, those “in the know” have long praised their expert musicianship and brilliant songwriting. Guitarist Alan Morse is so tasty in his playing that he pretty much slaps the crap out of the listener every time he plays. His solo on Crack the Big Sky is no exception. Playing fingerstyle (without a pick) and often with lots of crazy effects and sounds, Morse jumps out of his own box and tears up a clean-tone solo that left me jaw dropped when I first heard it.

His playing, like his band, is underappreciated by the musical masses, and it’s a shame that he’s not gracing the cover of the major guitar magazines. (Hey guys, if you are listening, you really ought to check out Alan’s playing and do a write-up about him!)

John Petrucci (Dream Theater)

John Petrucci (Dream Theater) – Under a Glass Moon on Images and Words

John Petrucci and Dream Theater are one of a few bands that I get to throw out the old “I heard of them before you did” lines that we music fans love to throw out. I first head DT on cassette while visiting friends at Berklee back in 1990.

Petrucci  was a thorn in my side (in a good way) when Images and Words first came out. I always wondered how the hell he did what he did on the fingerboard. I mean, I’m an okay guitar player, but he did things that just made me want to punch a wall. It didn’t help that he’s also a super cool person to boot.  His solo on Under a Glass Moon, to me, is like a composition within a composition. I think overall this has to be the most perfectly-written guitar solo, ever, period!

Wes Montgomery

Wes Montgomery – D Natural Blues on The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery

Wes Montgomery is, arguably, the greatest jazz guitar player to ever live. I think it’s safe to say that he’s influenced practically every person who has ever picked up a hollowbody and wanted to swing, much like John Coltrane’s universal effect on saxophone players.

For some reason I don’t hear anyone mention D Natural Blues as their favorite Wes solo, but his improvisation on this simple blues progression has always resonated with me in a way that goes beyond just sounding “cool.” His solo has style, groove, soul, swing, and every other adjective you can think of. The best part is that’s it’s also a relatively simple solo; easy to transcribe and play, but worth hundreds of hours of woodshedding for ideas to add to your personal improvisation  arsenal.

Allan Holdsworth

Allan Holdsworth – City Nights on Secrets

My fanboy status for Allan Holdsworth comes as no surprise to my music friends. I have been singing his praises since the 1980′s and will continue to do so to anyone and everyone who will listen. Even my wife is starting to recognize his songs, and that’s saying something!

City Nights is the opening track of his Secrets CD, and for anyone who thinks that Holdsworth is all shed and no substance, please direct yourself to the nearest iPod and have a listen. The first half of the solo is a melodic masterpiece that whets the appetite for the seemingly impossible legato runs that follow. Even when playing hyper-fast runs he still manages to be melodic, unlike most. If you are not familiar with Allan’s work, check out this solo and prepare to hit the woodshed very soon!

Ty Tabor (King's X)

Ty Tabor (King’s X) – Prisoner on King’s X

1989 was a very good year of music for me. I discovered lots of new bands that completely blew me away and screwed up my head musically-speaking for a long time: Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Fishbone, and the Texas-based trio King’s X. These guys are, like Alan Morse and Spock’s Beard, undeservedly underappreciated (alliteration, anyone?).

Ty’s guitar tone was a much-talked about mystery, so coveted by fans that he literally hid his amps inside of other amp enclosures when playing live so no one would know what he was using. Though it’s less of a secret now (I’ll let you find out on your own – it took me forever!) his solo on the song Prisoner is the perfect example of how a player’s tone can be the essential ingredient that turns a good solo into a timeless one.

George Benson

George Benson – The Cooker on The George Benson Cookbook

It’s unfortunate that Mr. Benson has a reputation among many younger guitarists as being a “smooth jazz” player, and they don’t take the time to listen to his catalog. He is the only jazz guitar player I know of who can come close to Wes Montgomery in terms of influencing of other players. I have not seen Mr. Benson (yes, I said Mr. Benson) live yet, but I am champing at the bit.

The Cooker is a raw, all-out blues that smokes from the first note. His solo sounds like a runaway train that forces you to grab hold of whatever you can just to stay on the ride. From the first phrase of the solo played a whole step “out” and weaved into key chromatically, Mr. Benson’s solo does not let up for one bit. This song was recorded relatively early in his career, and you can tell that it was his wake-up call to all of the other guitarists that he was coming out hard and strong, players beware!

What are you favorite solos and why? We’d love to hear your list and what it is that moves you. Don’t be shy!

What Are Your Favorite Guitar Solos? is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.