Spock's Beard (album)
Encyclopedia
Spock's Beard is the eponymous ninth studio album by American
progressive rock
band Spock's Beard
.
On September 21, 2006, Dave Meros added the tentative tracklist to the band's website, and said the following regarding the album's title:
"As you probably know by now, we're calling our 9th studio release simply 'Spock's Beard.' No big heavy reasoning behind that, really, it just seemed like a cool thing to do. (Of course, you are more than welcome to help us invent some heavy philosophical or hidden meaning so we'll have something interesting to say in interviews...)
"There are a few cool song titles that could have become the CD title (see below) but we've done that a lot before. Then there is the obvious 'SB9' and its variations, or the clever play on words thing, like 'nein' or 'asinine' or something like that."
Like its predecessors "A Guy Named Sid" (from Feel Euphoria
) and "A Flash Before My Eyes" (from Octane
), the individual sections of "As Far as the Mind Can See" are divided into separate tracks on the album.
Additional personnel
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard is a progressive rock band formed in 1992 in Los Angeles by brothers Neal and Alan Morse. Neal played keyboards and was the lead vocalist, as well as being the primary songwriter before leaving the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career. Alan plays electric guitar...
.
On September 21, 2006, Dave Meros added the tentative tracklist to the band's website, and said the following regarding the album's title:
"As you probably know by now, we're calling our 9th studio release simply 'Spock's Beard.' No big heavy reasoning behind that, really, it just seemed like a cool thing to do. (Of course, you are more than welcome to help us invent some heavy philosophical or hidden meaning so we'll have something interesting to say in interviews...)
"There are a few cool song titles that could have become the CD title (see below) but we've done that a lot before. Then there is the obvious 'SB9' and its variations, or the clever play on words thing, like 'nein' or 'asinine' or something like that."
Like its predecessors "A Guy Named Sid" (from Feel Euphoria
Feel Euphoria
Feel Euphoria is the seventh studio album by American progressive rock band Spock's Beard. It was the first album the band recorded following the departure of vocalist/songwriter Neal Morse...
) and "A Flash Before My Eyes" (from Octane
Octane (album)
Octane is the eighth studio album by American progressive rock band Spock's Beard, released in 2005. The first seven tracks form the multi-part epic "A Flash Before My Eyes".A Special Edition release contained a second disc with more music and a video....
), the individual sections of "As Far as the Mind Can See" are divided into separate tracks on the album.
Track listing
- "On a Perfect Day" (Nick D'VirgilioNick D'VirgilioNick D'Virgilio is an American drummer and multi-instrumentalist musician, often referred to as NDV, best known as a former member of the progressive rock band Spock's Beard. He was also one of two drummers chosen to replace Phil Collins in Genesis on the Calling All Stations album...
, Alan MorseAlan MorseAlan Morse is a guitarist for the progressive rock band Spock's Beard. He is the brother of Neal Morse, who left the band in 2002. Morse is married to Kathryn Morse and has two children, Julia and John. He has recorded with many artists including Chad & Jeremy, Spencer Davis, Neal Morse, and Ryo...
, Stan Ausmus, John Boegehold) – 7:47 - "Skeletons at the Feast" (Dave MerosDave MerosDave Meros , is an American bass guitar player, best known as the bass player for progressive rock band Spock's Beard...
, Boegehold) – 6:33 - "Is This Love" (D'Virgilio) – 2:51
- "All That's Left" (Meros, Boegehold) – 4:45
- "With Your Kiss" (D'Virgilio) – 11:46
- "Sometimes They Stay, Sometimes They Go" (Meros, Ausmus) – 4:31
- "The Slow Crash Landing Man" (Meros, Boegehold) – 5:47
- "Wherever You Stand" (D'Virgilio, Ryo OkumotoRyo OkumotoRyo Okumoto is a rock keyboardist, best known for his work with progressive rock group Spock's Beard. He joined the band in 1996 and has been a member ever since. When singer and keyboardist Neal Morse was in the band, Ryo played Hammond Organ and Mellotron on the albums...
) – 5:09 - "Hereafter" (Okumoto, Boegehold) – 5:01
- "As Far as the Mind Can See" (Meros, Boegehold) – 17:10
- I. "Dreaming in the Age of Answers" – 4:49
- II. "Here's a Man" – 3:28
- III. "They Know We Know" – 3:18
- IV. "Stream of Unconsciousness" – 5:23
- "Rearranged" (D'Virgilio) – 6:07
Personnel
- Nick D'VirgilioNick D'VirgilioNick D'Virgilio is an American drummer and multi-instrumentalist musician, often referred to as NDV, best known as a former member of the progressive rock band Spock's Beard. He was also one of two drummers chosen to replace Phil Collins in Genesis on the Calling All Stations album...
– lead and backing vocals, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, timpaniTimpaniTimpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, electricElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and acousticAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
guitars - Alan MorseAlan MorseAlan Morse is a guitarist for the progressive rock band Spock's Beard. He is the brother of Neal Morse, who left the band in 2002. Morse is married to Kathryn Morse and has two children, Julia and John. He has recorded with many artists including Chad & Jeremy, Spencer Davis, Neal Morse, and Ryo...
– electricElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and acousticAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
guitars, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, lead vocals on "Sometimes They Stay, Sometimes They Go" - Ryo OkumotoRyo OkumotoRyo Okumoto is a rock keyboardist, best known for his work with progressive rock group Spock's Beard. He joined the band in 1996 and has been a member ever since. When singer and keyboardist Neal Morse was in the band, Ryo played Hammond Organ and Mellotron on the albums...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Dave MerosDave MerosDave Meros , is an American bass guitar player, best known as the bass player for progressive rock band Spock's Beard...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, bass synth, sitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
Additional personnel
- Stan Ausmus – song co-writer
- John Boegehold – song co-writer