Artist: Neal Morse Album: ? Live (2008) Label: Radiant Records/Metal Blade Records Website: http://www.nealmorse.com Reviewer: Bill Knispel

Track List: CD 1: 1. The Temple of the Living God 2. Another World 3. The Outsider 4. Sweet Elation 5. In The Fire 6. Solid As The Sun 7. The Glory Of The Lord 8. Outside Looking In 9. 12 10. Entrance 11. Inside His Presence 12. The Temple of the Living God CD 2 1. The Creation 2. The Man is Gone 3. Cradle To The Grave 4. Help Me/The Spirit And The Flesh 5. King Jesus 6. Reunion 7. Encore Medley: We All Need Some Light, Open Wide The Flood Gates, Solitary Soul, Wind At My Back Following on from the somewhat controversial 2007 studio album Sola Scriptura, Neal Morse looks back to his 2006 tour for the ? album, releasing a 2-CD set documenting a stop in Berlin, Germany at the Columbia Club on 14 July 2006. Unlike Neal’s studio albums, which recently have been recorded with a core of Randy George and Mike Portnoy, Neal here works with a group of continental musicians, who do a more than adequate job recreating Neal’s layered symphonic compositions. There seem to be plenty of opportunities for the band to stretch out and make these pieces their own, and they rise to the occasion with aplomb. Wilco van Esschoten and Colin Leijenaar are a solid rhythm section indeed, locking in well with each other and exhibiting an almost telepathic ability to shift meter on a dime where necessary. The melodic instrumentalists (Elisa Krijgsman, Jessica Koomen, Henk Doest) get many opportunities to show off their skills, and at times I almost feel Neal lays back a touch to give them their time in the spotlight. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Neal Morse album without loads of vocal harmonies, and ? Live will satisfy any of his listeners who go ga-ga over his lush harmonies. Krijgsman, Koomen and van Esschoten join Neal in re-creating some of his more complex harmony parts, and their voices mix particularly well. Sound quality is excellent; this is always a concern of mine when listening to a live album, and I can state that ? Live passes here with flying colours. On a range of speakers from full 3 and 4 way towers through to small desktop or PC speakers, the mix is dynamic, allowing room for warm bass and crisp, clean highs. This is one live album that is easy to listen to...not fatiguing, not rough or over-processed. So far in the review, I’ve avoided discussing the material covered in this release. The first CD is a performance of the entire ? album, and while there’s a number of expanded solo spotlights and jamming sections, the performances seem to me to hew pretty close to the original album takes. There are differences other than the general ones mentioned before, and a few interjected comments fron Neal either are intended as humourous asides or perhaps direction to the band on how certain bits are supposed to be handled. Disc 2 consists of excerpts and tracks from his previous One release, along with an extended medley of Transatlantic and Spock’s Beard pieces (the SB selections are all from his final release with the band, Snow). All the pieces are performed with great care; it’s easy to see that the band is as overjoyed to be playing these pieces as Neal was in writing and recording them, or in fact in being on stage with this group recreating them. ? Live is almost as familiar as sliding into a pair of comfortable, well-worn jeans. Long-time Neal Morse fans will surely enjoy the slightly fresher, different takes on material they know and love, while newer fans may find this set to be a good introduction to Neal’s earlier material. I’m not sure that this release is destined to break Neal to a massive audience (most live albums don’t, with a few exceptions), but it is a nice look back at the path Neal’s been following since his departure from Spock’s Beard in 2002. Enjoyable, but perhaps somewhat non-essential. Band Members: Neal Morse – vocals, keyboards, guitars Elisa Krijgsman – guitars, vocals Colin Leijenaar – drums, cajon Jessica Koomen – vocals, keyboards Wilco van Esschoten – bass, vocals Henk Doest – keyboards