Recommend me some good “entry level” Steve Morse plz

[edensdad]

Could you guys recommend me some good “entry level” Steve Morse? I’ve always been more on the progressive & metal side of the spectrum musically. I’m a rabid Dream Theater/John Petrucci/Liquid Tension Experiment fan, and also listen to a lot of DiMeola, Vai, Iron Maiden, Sabbath, Yes & Rush. I don’t play many covers, but the music I write & record is in that genre. I also like fingerstyle/acoustic players like Hedges, Juber and Kottke. So I heard a lot about Morse on this site and others and thought I’d check him out.

I got the CD Prime Cuts, and I have mixed impressions of it. If you’re a Steve Morse fan (or Steve Morse), understand that this is not meant as a negative criticism or a slam of Steve, just an indication of my musical tastes - like I’m sure not all you guys like Symphony X - but I love them.

I’m very interested in I’m extremely impressed with his playing ability - he’s amazing. I’ve also listened to some clips off his website and I loved them, but this disc (Prime Cuts) seems very dry, clinical & technical, with amazing playing, but I didn’t sense a lot of dynamics (I.E. Crescendo, Diminuendo, etc) - I like a lot of subtle variations in feel an tempo - tension and release.

Maybe It’s an acquired taste - like British comedy - I watch it and my wife looks at me and says “I don’t get what’s so funny about this.” while I’m laughing my butt off.

His amazing playing really piqued my interest, though, so if you have any suggestions for discs I might like - fire away.

>^..^<

 

[Hookpunch]

If you like shred -Coast to Coast, Southern Steel, Stressfest

if you are more eclectic (i.e. you like a range of music), then High Tension Wires, Split Decision, Major Impacts 1 and 2.

 

[Victrola]

Hey edensdad,

I never listened to Prime Cuts, but I've got almost everything else Morse has done....here's my suggestions:

for ensemble playing/writing - the Dixie Dregs - What If, or Unsung Heroes.

Hook's suggestions re; the other stuff is good. High Tension Wires is generally considered among Steve's fans to be the favorite for his solo stuff. It contains a wide range of playing styles.

Major Impacts (1&2) are interesting because on those, Steve writes original tunes dedicated to, and emulating the styles of, favorite guitarists or artists.

Hope this helps. Let us know what you end up listening to, and what you think.

 

[Victrola]

Could you guys recommend me some good “entry level” Steve Morse? I’ve always been more on the progressive & metal side of the spectrum musically. I’m a rabid Dream Theater/John Petrucci/Liquid Tension Experiment fan, and also listen to a lot of DiMeola, Vai, Iron Maiden, Sabbath, Yes & Rush. I don’t play many covers, but the music I write & record is in that genre. I also like fingerstyle/acoustic players like Hedges, Juber and Kottke. So I heard a lot about Morse on this site and others and thought I’d check him out.

I got the CD Prime Cuts, and I have mixed impressions of it. If you’re a Steve Morse fan (or Steve Morse), understand that this is not meant as a negative criticism or a slam of Steve, just an indication of my musical tastes - like I’m sure not all you guys like Symphony X - but I love them.

I’m very interested in I’m extremely impressed with his playing ability - he’s amazing. I’ve also listened to some clips off his website and I loved them, but this disc (Prime Cuts) seems very dry, clinical & technical, with amazing playing, but I didn’t sense a lot of dynamics (I.E. Crescendo, Diminuendo, etc) - I like a lot of subtle variations in feel an tempo - tension and release.

Maybe It’s an acquired taste - like British comedy - I watch it and my wife looks at me and says “I don’t get what’s so funny about this.” while I’m laughing my butt off.

His amazing playing really piqued my interest, though, so if you have any suggestions for discs I might like - fire away.

>^..^<

I've listened quite a bit to Dream Theater, but I find myself liking LTE more. My favorite tune of theirs is Three Minute Warning. and I LOVED when they toured with Queensryche -what a great show that was!

Hedges, Juber, and Kottke are all amazing players. I've got a couple of the Groovemasters discs with - ah damn, can't think of the other guy's name. Anyway, his stuff is good. Hedges was just an amazing creative spirit. I saw him live once, almost exactly 2 months before the day he died. Incredible.

Tell me more about Symphony X.

 

[FoxMustang]

Great thread, I've had the same question lately. I'm taking notes

Tell me more about Symphony X.

They were in Gigantour this summer with Megadeth and Dream Theater, so that should give some indication of their style I'd describe them as progressive power metal (more on the "power" side to my ears). I think they're pretty neat. They have a few sample MP3s on their site: http://www.symphonyx.com/audio.html

 

[edensdad]

See above - I can't add to that. Before I got old , I was a big fan of Randy Rhoads, Yngwie, Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Helloween, etc, so I really like classically influenced metal (even Trans Siberian Orchestra). These days I like a little less fire and brimstone, no satanic poser crap, and Michael Romeo (Symphony X guitar player) is awesome IMO.

 

[Adwex]

I recommend Dregs - Unsung Heroes. That was the record that "did it" for me. It ain't heavy, but it sure is brilliant.

 

[kbaim]

I recommend Dregs - Unsung Heroes. That was the record that "did it" for me. It ain't heavy, but it sure is brilliant.

Unsung did the same for me.
I find that I'm forever drawn to steves work with the Dixie Dregs because I love violin and keyboards and the compositions are amazing for someone around 20-25. His last dregs release (full circle) was around 10 years ago and gets better with every listen.

I don't spin his major impacts hardly at all for some reason. Which I think prime cuts culls from.

 

[tommyindelaware]

i always found the "What If " recording very dynamic.......

 

[Herriot]

I would suggest "The Introduction," put out in 1984 with Rod Morgenstein on drums and Jerry Peek on bass. The playing is exceptional, but more importantly, I think its compositionally brilliant. There are a lot of styles/genres here -classical, fusion, straight-ahead southern rock, and all are done so well, so tastefully, that the pieces stand on their own, without merely being platforms to solo over. Having said that, Morse's leads are so expressive, his phrasing so perfect (the solo in the title track is textbook and sublime), and his technique so unutterably accomplished, that you'll remember them as much as you do the songs themselves.
Also, you mentioned aspects like tension and release, nuances and variations in feel and tempo, dynamics. Check, check, and check. You've got it here. Whisper-quiet passages, roaring and thundering drums, guitar-army layering: every piece has something different. And, like a good Simpsons episode, you'll hear something new every time you listen, the discriminating listener will be rewarded.
Anyway, excuse the zeal; this is one of my "desert island" top ten and I just had to chime in here. It's anything but dry and clinical!

 

[edensdad]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Roubster]

I agree with what everyone has said so for. However IMO NONE of Steve's stuff is dry at ALLLL! Every single one of his albums has something amazing on it and he takes some different directions and then sometimes some revisitations, which I believe is NOTHING wrong with that. If you like more complex compositions than Dixie Dregs is some of the most progressive stuff I've ever heard. It is more on the Jazz side rather then heavy, but like Keith said Full Circle is just awesome, and one of my personal favourites. As starters I would probably go for either Coast to Coast, Structural Damage, or Southern Steel, since you like some more heaviness. Oh yea, and I think Split Decision is also an AMAZING album, I just kind of forgotten about it since the CD is cracked in half, but I ordered a new one !

 

[Victrola]

Hey edensdad,

let us know what you end up buying, listening to, and liking/disliking.

v.

 

[jchalas]

I agree with what everyone has said so for. However IMO NONE of Steve's stuff is dry at ALLLL! Every single one of his albums has something amazing on it and he takes some different directions and then sometimes some revisitations, which I believe is NOTHING wrong with that. If you like more complex compositions than Dixie Dregs is some of the most progressive stuff I've ever heard. It is more on the Jazz side rather then heavy, but like Keith said Full Circle is just awesome, and one of my personal favourites. As starters I would probably go for either Coast to Coast, Structural Damage, or Southern Steel, since you like some more heaviness. Oh yea, and I think Split Decision is also an AMAZING album, I just kind of forgotten about it since the CD is cracked in half, but I ordered a new one !

+1
My top playing two are The Introduction and Coast to Coast. Oh, and then Split Decision. Followed by Night of the Living Dregs, High Tension Wires, Unsung Heroes, Structural Damage, Southern Steel, Freefall, etc. etc. oh, hell. Anything by Steve and/or the Dregs. Even his guest tracks on Michael Manring's Thonk and Liona Boyd's Camino Latino. OTOH, if you like Deep Purple, a little gem on their Bananas CD called "Contact Lost" might pique your interest also. Compositionally beautiful but not what you'd call metallesque. If you can get a copy of "The Well Dressed Guitar", that would stir the pot a bit, I'm sure.
Janice

 

[Robotechnology]

I would recommend the 2 CD's that were my own entry point to Morse:

High Tension Wires & Southern Steel