Alan Morse is one of those blokes. Not content with forming one of the finest progressive bands the world has ever known, he simply refuses to sit still.
His biography reads like a dare rather than a CV: patented inventor, music producer, songwriter, singer, entrepreneur, electronic designer and singular visual artist. Frankly, it’s easier to list what he doesn’t do. And on So Many Words — his second solo album — Morse reminds us exactly why the Spock’s Beard orbit continues to expand rather than repeat itself.
“Every Day Is Insane” opens proceedings in lighter fashion, with an almost Americana sway, but there’s no mistaking whose fingerprints are on this. It feels like Spock’s Beard, even when it’s dressed differently. The line about a “loaded six-string on my back” will raise a smile for any Bon Jovi fan, too.
“It’s Never Enough” sees his Spock’s Beard bandmates appear, and it’s a dazzling display — the guitar work in particular is sensational, fluid and authoritative without ever showing off for the sake of it.
Brother Neal Morse turns up for the energetic, chugging “I Don’t Wanna Travel Time (If It Takes Forever)”, a track so sharply tuned that AOR bands across the globe would bite your hand off for it.
“This Is Who We Are” opens with woodwind before settling into something far more intimate. Its acoustic heart underlines exactly why Morse uses solo records as a creative outlet — space, texture, and freedom.
Neal returns again for the gorgeous ballad “In The Shadow Of The Sun”, and the combined talent on display here is frankly ridiculous. It glows rather than shouts.
“And It’s Time” is built on trademark harmonies, patiently rising toward a chorus that feels effortless but is anything but. There’s a distinct Van Halen edge to the guitar work that adds bite without overpowering the song.
“Making Up My Heart” is one of the longest tracks here, stretching out musically and emotionally as Morse sings about fresh starts and forward motion. It breathes, expands, and rewards attention.
“So Many Words” dabbles with spoken-word passages, throws in a proper metal edge, and — because why not — features a saxophone solo. At this point, anything goes.
Including, yes… a bass solo.
“Make Me Real Again” may be a love song, but it twists and turns unexpectedly, crowned by a magnificent guitar solo that feels earned rather than indulgent.
Closer “Behind Me” carries an eerie weight, Morse admitting that “all the sin is sent to find me,” and it fades out in a way that lingers rather than concludes.
Morse can play almost any stringed instrument, which is impressive enough. What’s more impressive is that he plays most of them here himself. Alongside longtime engineer Rich Mouser — who earns eternal bonus points around these parts for his involvement with Corrosion Of Conformity’s Deliverance — he’s created something as progressive and dazzling as Spock’s Beard, with the same accessibility, but unmistakably its own beast.
I’ve used a lot of words talking about “So Many Words”, but really only one is needed.
Brilliant.
RATING: 9/10
