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Album Details

• Artist: Spock's Beard
• Album: The Kindness Of Strangers
• Label: Radiant Records
• Year of Release: 1998
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: gwhill on 2013-02-25

Considered by many at the time this was released to be one of the best of the new wave of progressive rock bands, Spock`s Beard was formed in 1992 in Los Angeles. The lineup for the band at this point was Neal Morse, brother Al Morse, Nick D`Virgilio, Dave Meros, and Ryo Okumoto. While both Neal Morse and D’Virgilio are now out of the band, these early albums really helped to form the Beard sound and built an audience for them.

The Kindness of Strangers is the band’s fourth album, and third studio album. The music on this album deftly combines the `70s progressive stylings of bands such as Yes, the `80`s psychedelic pop modes of Jellyfish and Lenny Kravitz and bits of Cheap Trick, while producing a quite original sound.

A common thing with Spock’s Beard albums, the disc has two multi-track suites and some individual songs. The first suite, “The Good Don’t Last” includes some keyboard work that calls to mind Sugarloaf’s “Green Eyed Lady” a bit, but lands in territory more purely progressive rock oriented overall. That said, the third (and final) movement has some Beatles-like elements to it. The song “In the Mouth of Madness” is one that definitely hints at the music of Jellyfish. “June” has become a Spock’s Beard staple. It’s an acoustic guitar based ballad with a few hints of Genesis at times.

The Cheap Trick reference shows up at times on “Strange World.” “Harm’s Way” has elements of Trevor Rabin’s music, but also prog keyboardists Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson. There are even parts that call to mind Dream Theater along with Yes and Genesis. Still, some references to Steely Dan seem present. The closing three-part suite “Flow” references Yes, and UK for the proggier end of the spectrum. But, Elton John at times seems worth a mention in terms of influences.

Overall, the album did a great job of cementing the Spock’s Beard sound. Various reference points to classic prog are all over the set. Still, things like the pop of Jellyfish, Cheap Trick and Steely Dan bring a different kind of flavor and edge to the set. It’s classic Spock’s Beard

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