L.I.F.T. [CD], The Neal Morse Band, CD

For over a decade, NMB has stood as one of progressive rock’s most enduring and unified collectives. With L.I.F.T., their latest studio album and first since 2021’s Innocence & Danger, Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Eric Gillette, Bill Hubauer, and Randy George return with a work that embodies both reflection and inspiration. Written and recorded under time constraints, during a period of major transition, L.I.F.T. captures the band’s creative chemistry at its most instinctive and inspired.

Conceptually, L.I.F.T. continues NMB’s tradition of spiritually themed storytelling, combining emotional depth with the band’s trademark progressive rock grandeur. “I would say it’s a spiritual hero’s journey,” Morse explains. Throughout L.I.F.T., NMB sounds both revitalized and unified. The interplay between each member and the vibrance in the songs brings a renewed sense of balance and excitement. “When everyone’s on the same page and digging it, things move fast,” Morse says. “Between the work of everybody, including Rich, I think we really got there. I think we have something very special here.”