V (Spock's Beard album)

Last updated
V
SpocksBeardValbumcover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 22, 2000
StudioLawnmower and Garden Supply, Pasadena, California
Genre Progressive rock, progressive metal
Length62:59
Label Metal Blade
Radiant Records
Producer Spock's Beard and Neal Morse
Spock's Beard chronology
Day for Night
(1999)
V
(2000)
There & Here
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

V is the fifth studio album of progressive rock band Spock's Beard released on August 22, 2000.

Contents

The release of V also produced a CD single, this time promoting the track "All on a Sunday". The track itself was re-recorded in 2001 and is slightly different from the album track. Also on the single is an unreleased song called "The Truth", and the music video for "All on a Sunday".

This album is available as a limited edition as well, which contains a 32-page booklet that includes an interview with the band and a personal fact-sheet on all the band members, as well as a multimedia track showing the band in the studio.

Background and writing

"Thoughts" is the second part of a cross-album suite, with other parts being featured on the Spock's Beard albums Beware of Darkness and Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep , and on the Neal Morse album Momentum .

The Great Nothing is the longest song written to date for the band and is autobiographical for Morse who wrote the song from the perspective of being a struggling musician, which is what led him to starting Spock's Beard in the first place. Morse said, “‘The Great Nothing’ I think I actually wrote in ‘97 and we didn’t record it until ’99, and V didn’t come out until maybe 2000. I wrote from the perspective of a depressed musician being revived by music again.” [2]

Critical reception

In 2017, Prog Sphere named V as the best Spock's Beard album in the discography. [3]

In 2018, Classic Rock History named At the End of the Day and The Great Nothing in the top 10 essential Spock's Beard songs at #5 and #2. [4]

Track listing

All songs written by Neal Morse except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."At the End of the Day" 16:28
2."Revelation" Nick D'Virgilio, Alan Morse, N. Morse, Ryo Okumoto 6:04
3."Thoughts (Part II)"A. Morse, N. Morse4:39
4."All on a Sunday" 4:04
5."Goodbye to Yesterday" 4:40
6."The Great Nothing"
"I: From Nowhere"
"II: One Note"
"III: Come Up Breathing"
"IV: Submerged"
"V: Missed Your Calling"
"VI: The Great Nothing"
 27:01
Total length:62:59

Personnel

Additional personnel

Technical personnel

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References

  1. Scotti, Joseph R. (2011). "V - Spock's Beard | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  2. "Spock's Beard fifth album V turns 20 years old". 22 August 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  3. "SPOCK'S BEARD Albums Ranked". 22 May 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  4. "10 Essential Spock's Beard Songs". 22 March 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. "Spock's Beard".