Snow (Spock's Beard album)

Last updated

Snow
Spocks Beard Snow.jpg
Studio album by
Spock's Beard
ReleasedAugust 27, 2002
RecordedLawnmower and Garden Supply, Pasadena, California
Genre Progressive rock
Length114:31
Label Metal Blade
Radiant Records
Producer Neal Morse and Spock's Beard
Spock's Beard chronology
V
(2000)		Snow
(2002)		 Feel Euphoria
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Rock Hard 9/10 [2]
Sea of TranquilityStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]

Snow is the sixth studio album of the progressive rock band Spock's Beard, and the final album with main songwriter and vocalist Neal Morse, who left immediately after the release of the album due to his conversion to Christianity. It was released in 2002 on Radiant Records.

Contents

A concept album, Snow tells the story of a young albino man named John “Snow” who possesses extraordinary spiritual and prophetic abilities. He grows up as an outcast but eventually embarks on a journey of self-discovery, gaining a following due to his wisdom and charisma. However, as he becomes more famous and influential, he struggles with the corrupting nature of power, as well as betrayal and personal crises.

Throughout the album, Snow experiences both triumphs and setbacks, eventually realizing that his purpose is not to seek external validation but to embrace his true self. The story explores themes of redemption, self-acceptance, and spiritual awakening, which became a hallmark of Neal Morse’s songwriting post-Spock's Beard.

Loudwire ranked Snow as the #1 prog album of the 2000s, writing, "Snow is the best album Spock’s Beard and Neal Morse ever made (together or separately), and it’s undoubtedly the defining prog rock LP of the decade." [4]

On February 3, 2026, Neal announced on Facebook that Snow would be getting a vinyl re-release in March 2026, with signed copies available at Morsefest. [5] The music was remastered by original sound engineer Rich Mouser for the re-release. [6]

Background and recording

Neal Morse began recording Snow in summer of 2001, when he flew from Tennessee to Los Angeles, California. Upon arrival, he wasn't satisfied with his recording of the album, and decided to re-write it, in order to create a decent concept piece. For that, he needed to fly back. He then returned with an almost completely rewritten version, which Dave Meros was surprised by, because he awaited the revised version. The group then completed recording it overnight, on September 10, 2001. The next day, Spock's Beard was scheduled to fly back to Tennessee, but due to the September 11 attacks, ended up stranded in the airport. [7]

Spock's Beard decided to rent a car so they could get safely home. They listened to Bob Dylan and God Bless America (which was sung by Congress over the radio), and Neal got the idea for the album. Upon returning to Tennessee, Neal spent months polishing the concept and writing more songs, but upon returning to Los Angeles, he suffered an emotional wreck, and decided to quit the band, the announcement of which came nine months after the first recording of the album. He told his band members that he was a devoted Christian, and viewed the songs "Open Wide the Flood Gates," "Love Beyond Words," and "Wind at My Back" as prayers. He then had a hard time deciding whether to go with the band's ideology, or create his own solo album, with a focus on Christianity as its base. After the recording was complete, Neal said his farewells to the former band. Due to Neal's departure, the Snow tour was cancelled. [7]

Neal and Nick D'Virgilio (who left Spock's Beard in 2014) [8] returned to the band in 2016 for the Snow Live concert at Morsefest in Nashville, Tennessee. [9] Snow Live was also performed once more in 2016 at the Night of the Prog festival in Loreley, Germany. [10]

A single track, "Carrie," was performed in 2024 during Ryo Okumoto's set on Cruise to the Edge 2024. The performance included Okumoto on keyboards, D'Virgilio as lead vocals, and current Spock's Beard member Nick Potters on drums and backing vocals. [11]

Live release

On November 10, 2017, Spock's Beard released a live Blu-ray DVD version of the album via Metal Blade and Radiant Records. The DVD version contains both parts of the album, as well as encores "June" and "Falling for Forever", and a behind-the-scenes featurette "The Making of Snow Live." [12]

Track listing

All songs written by Neal Morse, except where noted.

Disc one

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Made Alive/Overture" 5:32
2."Stranger in a Strange Land" 4:29
3."Long Time Suffering" 6:03
4."Welcome to NYC" 3:32
5."Love Beyond Words" 3:24
6."The 39th Street Blues (I'm Sick)" 4:05
7."Devil's Got My Throat" 7:17
8."Open Wide the Flood Gates" 6:14
9."Open the Gates Part 2" 3:02
10."Solitary Soul" Alan Morse, N. Morse7:33
11."Wind at My Back" 5:12
Total length:56:23

Disc two

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Second Overture"Spock's Beard3:47
2."4th of July"Spock's Beard3:11
3."I'm the Guy" 4:48
4."Reflection" 2:49
5."Carie" 3:06
6."Looking for Answers" Nick D'Virgilio 5:17
7."Freak Boy" 2:12
8."All Is Vanity" 4:35
9."I'm Dying" 5:09
10."Freak Boy Part 2" 3:01
11."Devil's Got My Throat Revisited" 1:55
12."Snow's Night Out" 2:04
13."Ladies and Gentlemen, Mister Ryo Okumoto on the Keyboards" 2:40
14."I Will Go" 5:08
15."Made Alive Again/Wind at My Back" 7:01
Total length:58:08
Special Edition Bonus Tracks
No.TitleLength
16."Snow Overture"3:37
17."Snow Demo Excerpt"12:23
18."Wind at My Back (Acoustic)"5:45

Disc three

The Special Limited Edition of this album contains a third disc, made of acoustic tracks, work-in-progress and a cover ("South Side of the Sky", originally on the Yes album Fragile )

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."South Side of the Sky" Jon Anderson, Chris Squire 9:11
2."The Good Don't Last/Open Wide the Flood Gates (Live acoustic)" 11:26
3."Working on 'Devil/Fiddly/Disco" 4:41
4."Looking for Answers (Live acoustic)" 4:59
5."Stranger in a Strange Land (Demo)" 2:34
6."4 O'Clock" 0:24
7."Working on Ryo's Solo" 7:42
8."Lost Bass Solo" 2:01
9."The Light (Live acoustic)" 6:08
10."Working on I Will Go" 2:10

Personnel

Production

See also

Snow was unofficially adapted into a live musical, Snow: the Modern Opera, and performed in 2012 by a small theater group in New Hampshire.

References

  1. ↑ Jurek, Thom. Snow at AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  2. ↑ Rensen, Michael. "Rock Hard". Rock Hard . No. 184. Archived from the original on September 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Sea of Tranquility Review" . Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  4. ↑ Blum, Jordan BlumJordan (January 26, 2026). "The 25 Best Prog Rock Albums of the 2000s (Ranked)". Loudwire. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Neal - BACK ON VINYL…. SPOCK'S BEARD SNOW! We're pleased to announce today that the next Vinyl Reissue is Spock's Beard's classic Snow album, in a triple vinyl gatefold! One reviewer said "Snow … is their grandest achievement yet … a classic that will be a treasured magnum opus for years to come" Radiant orders will start shipping on March 13th 2026 but… if you are attending Morsefest UK this weekend, we have been able to get some copies to the UK and they will be for sale at the merch stand… first come, first served… and those copies will all be signed by Neal! If you are buying from Radiant, you can choose to get a signed copy or unsigned but both come with an immediate download of the original Snow Bonus Disc that came with the first edition box set of the album. This includes Spock's Beard's cover of Yes's South Side of the Sky and various live and demo tracks! Order your copy here: https://nealmorse.com/product/spocks-beard-snow-3-lp-black-vinyl-gatefold/ or RUN to the merch stand at Morsefest UK for your copy! | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved February 4, 2026.{{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "Spock's Beard – SNOW 3 LP Black Vinyl Gatefold – Radiant Records" . Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Shilton, Nick (September 17, 2020). "The story of Spock's Beard and Snow". Louder Sound.
  8. ↑ "Bio – Nick D'Virgilio" . Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  9. ↑ Michels, Alexandra. "Spock's Beard - Snow Live". Rock Hard (in German).
  10. ↑ "Spock's Beard Setlist at Night of the Prog XI". setlist.fm.
  11. ↑ Medina, Scott (March 19, 2024). "Cruise To The Edge Sails Again - A Recap Of The 2024 Edition". Sonic Perspectives. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ Barrios, Joel (September 22, 2017). "Spock's Beard – Snow Live CD/DVD/Blu Ray (Album Review)". Sonic Perspectives. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
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