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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: bosk1 on April 27, 2009, 03:14:00 PM
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Update: 2009-08-26
https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2399307.aspx
October release, 'The Whirlwind'.
"For Immediate Release
August 26th 2009
TRANSATLANTIC’S THE WHIRLWIND
Coming in October!!
TRANSATLANTIC – the Progressive Rock Supergroup featuring DREAM THEATER’s Mike Portnoy, MARILLION’s Pete Trewavas, THE FLOWER KINGS’ Roine Stolt and Neal Morse (Ex-SPOCK’S BEARD) – will release their long-awaited third album in October 2009.
THE WHIRLWIND is a 77-minute piece of music that is sure to satisfy the band’s legions of fans that have patiently waited almost the entire decade for the reunion of these 4 musicians.
THE WHIRLWIND will be available in two formats:
A Regular Edition Single CD of the entire 77 minute Epic as well as a 2-CD Special Edition containing a Bonus Disc with 8 newly recorded Studio Tracks.
(4 new Transatlantic compositions and 4 Cover Songs)
The Track Listing for the Special Edition is:
Disc One:
THE WHIRLWIND
Disc Two:
1. SPINNING
2. LENNY JOHNSON
3. FOR SUCH A TIME
4. LENDING A HAND
5. THE RETURN OF THE GIANT HOGWEED (Genesis)
6. A SALTY DOG (Procol Harum)
7. I NEED YOU (America / The Beatles)
8. SOUL SACRIFICE (Santana)
TRANSATLANTIC’S THE WHIRLWIND is currently scheduled for the following release dates:
October 23rd 2009: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
October 26th 2009: Europe
October 27th 2009: North America"
(https://www.mikeportnoy.com/images/TAWhirlwind.jpg)
=================================
For Immediate Release
April 16th 2009
TRANSATLANTIC FLIES AGAIN!!!
PROGRESSIVE ROCK SUPERGROUP
REUNITES FOR NEW STUDIO ALBUM.
POSSIBLE LATE 2009 RELEASE PLANNED.
TRANSATLANTIC, the progressive rock "supergroup" comprised of Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Pete Trewavas (Marillion), Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings) and Neal Morse (ex-Spock's Beard), have reunited after a 7 year hiatus to begin work on a brand new studio album.
The band began work on the album in early April in Nashville and are expected to have it released by year's end if all goes as planned.
TRANSATLANTIC have previously released two studio albums to tremendous critical and fan acclaim: 2000's SMPTe and 2001's Bridge Across Forever. The band toured on the heels of each release with an American Tour in 2000 and a European Tour in 2001 and released subsequent Live DVD's/CD's from both tours before going their separate ways for an indefinite hiatus which lasted almost the entire decade.
(https://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp29/ytsejams_inc/TA2009.jpg)
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well, I'm certainly aroused
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It's a great time to be a fan of MP between last year's LTE Anniversary tour and upcoming release of said tour in a Limited Ed. Box Set and the upcoming Transatlantic album (and likely subsequent tour), as well as the obvious- the upcoming DT album and other YtsejamRecord releases (such as the Covers bootleg)... it's also a very POOR time to be a MP fan! It's a LOT of money!
I wonder what kind of treatment the release will get. The first two TA albums had very hard to find/very limited Special Editions. Neal Morse has made special editions of most of his solo albums ("Testimony", "One" and "Lifeline") with bonus material and lately, MP has released DT's first and second upcoming album with Roadrunner in special editions (with bonus stuff). Hopefully it won't be TOO expensive...
Honestly, this go around, I'm hoping for two sprawling epics and a series of shorter songs in the 5-10 minute range. However, if they go all out, we may see a double album, which honestly, I would not frown upon! These four might have a LOT to say through music together after such a long time apart!
-Marc.
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This is good news!
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Very exciting news indeed. As people were saying in the old version of the thread, this news is as exciting as the new DT album, if not more so as it's such a surprise!
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;D
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I'll say it again. I can not wait!!! So exciting. Transatlantic is teh awesome
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Very exciting news indeed. As people were saying in the old version of the thread, this news is as exciting as the new DT album, if not more so as it's such a surprise!
This.
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If Transatlantic come to Europe after this release I'll probably go see them rather than Dream Theater if the Progressive Nation tour is the only time we'll be seeing them in Europe this year.
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I couldn't believe that they're doing it in Nashville too, considering the only one even close to that is Neal Morse. Wish I had a clue what studio they were using and see if I can't somehow arrange a visit or some other such thing.
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I couldn't believe that they're doing it in Nashville too, considering the only one even close to that is Neal Morse. Wish I had a clue what studio they were using and see if I can't somehow arrange a visit or some other such thing.
Most likely, Neal's home studio, I would guess.
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I couldn't believe that they're doing it in Nashville too, considering the only one even close to that is Neal Morse. Wish I had a clue what studio they were using and see if I can't somehow arrange a visit or some other such thing.
Most likely, Neal's home studio, I would guess.
This.
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Transatlantic is teh awesome
Just quoting for truth
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Transatlantic is teh awesome
Just quoting for truth
Yup, irrevocably my most anticipated album of the year.
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I believe MP said in a recent interview that the drums and bass were done being tracked, and now they are doing overdubs and vocals and such...
If this is the case, I hope we see a late-summer/early fall release date! Late summer would be FANTASTIC... Right in time for festivals and a fall tour!
-Marc.
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This news actually got me to check out Transatlantic for the first time. The first album really gave me the chills at times, especially with We All Need Some Light. Definitely looking forward to hearing some more soon.
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This, indeed is good news. Neal Morse and MP are two of my favourite musicians EVER and All Of the Above is as epic as anything their respective bands have ever done
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No news on this?
Like an exact release date, so we can count down again :D
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From Roine Stolt-
"The "other" little side project "Transatlantic" - latest news is I just finished my work with overdubs 2 days ago and am very excited about that too - it was LOTs of hard work -
and it is not always easy to be creative and perhaps a bit daring and still maintain your own distinctive style etc .
Anyway I feel confident saying that ANYONE who loved the 2 first albums will love this one too - plus certain content on that album and LTD will most likely raise a plenty of eyebrows."
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Babelfish transltion?
What does he mean with LTD?
But great that he finished his tracks, and that he is as confident about the level of the album as MP and NM.
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Yeah, I was confused by that as well, not a translation, straight from his blog in English.
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well, I'm certainly aroused
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Babelfish transltion?
What does he mean with LTD?
But great that he finished his tracks, and that he is as confident about the level of the album as MP and NM.
LTD I can only guess means Limited Edition (LTD being an abbreviation for Limited?)
The first two albums had 2-CD limited editions, so I guess it stands to reason that the third TA album would as well.
As for what he means about raising some eyebrows, my best guess is that some of the material on the album proper might be of questionable content, perhaps due to influences on the album or instrumentation/structure? As for the bonus stuff on the second disc, maybe Neal and Mike had some quirky covers in mind? Those two always love doing covers, and with TA they recorded one for each album (although "In Held ('Twas) In I" was on SMPT:e while "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" was on BAF's bonus disc).
Either way, I cannot wait to get this album! I'm hoping for a Sept/Oct release, but if not that soon, then hopefully around Christmas time! I wonder if it'll dominate DPRP's 2009 Polls as Transatlantic did back earlier in the decade? It may be a contender for album of the year!
-Marc.
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I'm hoping they follow it up with another live album. Live in America and Live in Europe are the 2 TA albums I listen to most.
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FYI, Roine Stolt recently said on the TFK yahoo mailing list that the new TA album will be out this October.
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Sweet, I had read an article about the project in the latest "Progression" magazine, included all four guys being interviewed, and I'm even more hyped up about this than I was before, can not wait!
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I'm just hoping for one tour date within reasonable travel distance and on a weekend.
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If they tour America it can be in any city and up to 5 hours away and I WILL be there.
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If they tour America it can be in any city and up to 5 hours away and I WILL be there.
You've got it easy. They won't play any place within driving distance of me. I'll have to fly somewhere.
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October!
Yeah, isn't there any more official news? Tracklist, artwork, anything?
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Nice. :tup
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October!
Yeah, isn't there any more official news? Tracklist, artwork, anything?
Anything?
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October!
Yeah, isn't there any more official news? Tracklist, artwork, anything?
Anything?
I think the band are probably trying to keep this as tight-lipped as possible! None of the band member's respective websites have posted any news about TA3 since the original mid-April news!!! So bizarre, but I bet most of it is probably due to Mike and Neal, who often like to keep things as under-wraps as possible with new material.
Either way, with this release, along with so many others this year (and more to come, like The Tangent's 5th album as well!), it'll be a great contender for DPRP's album of the year!
I've heard a rumor that Neal had a piece late last year/earlier this year he was working on, a 30+ minute opus tentatively titled "Whirlwind", and that he had plans for it but was not ready to say what or when it would be released! It may be possible he pitched his working demo to the boys in TA for inclusion on the new album!
Also, I bet it's safe to say that both Roine and Pete would have some stuff to include as neither of them have (to my awareness) any new albums so far this year (although Roine has his 3rd World Electric side-project, which promises to be more jazzy-fusion than standard prog like TFK and Kaipa), so I expect them to carry more contributions to TA3 than before! At least I hope so...
-Marc.
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The article I read in Progression talked about a long piece written by Neal as the inspiration for this third Transatlantic album. Basically he had it and didn't feel it really worked on a solo record, and a friend, who Neal knew through church, not religion, suggested Neal put the piece to use in Transatlantic. Neal was really surprised by the suggestion, basically realized it would work, prayed, and ended up setting in motion the reunion. The piece will be on the album, but it was of course very much re-worked by the other three guys once the writing process began.
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Cool!
I litteraly can't wait. Roine said October release, so that's basically less than two months away :eek
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The article I read in Progression talked about a long piece written by Neal as the inspiration for this third Transatlantic album. Basically he had it and didn't feel it really worked on a solo record, and a friend, who Neal knew through church, not religion, suggested Neal put the piece to use in Transatlantic. Neal was really surprised by the suggestion, basically realized it would work, prayed, and ended up setting in motion the reunion. The piece will be on the album, but it was of course very much re-worked by the other three guys once the writing process began.
Ahhh I think I had read that somewhere!! It should be that piece, "Whirlwind", that was mentioned on Neal's boards many many many months ago! As I mentioned, it was said it was over 30 minutes long, so we may get something more akin to "All Of The Above" in length, but perhaps more like his recent solo work (perhaps like "So Many Roads")?
It could be totally unlike his recent solo albums, though, if his friend had said it would work more for TA and Neal himself felt it would not feel right on a solo album, so.... guess we'll find out in about two months!!!
-Marc.
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Yeah, I remember Neal talking about it, and I always wondered what happened to it. Also, I believe he said it was ~40 minutes long :omg:
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Well, like I said, they song did not remain intact, so there is always the possibility it got edited down length wise, but on the other hand it could be even longer...
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https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2399307.aspx
October release, 'The Whirlwind'.
"For Immediate Release
August 26th 2009
TRANSATLANTIC’S THE WHIRLWIND
Coming in October!!
TRANSATLANTIC – the Progressive Rock Supergroup featuring DREAM THEATER’s Mike Portnoy, MARILLION’s Pete Trewavas, THE FLOWER KINGS’ Roine Stolt and Neal Morse (Ex-SPOCK’S BEARD) – will release their long-awaited third album in October 2009.
THE WHIRLWIND is a 77-minute piece of music that is sure to satisfy the band’s legions of fans that have patiently waited almost the entire decade for the reunion of these 4 musicians.
THE WHIRLWIND will be available in two formats:
A Regular Edition Single CD of the entire 77 minute Epic as well as a 2-CD Special Edition containing a Bonus Disc with 8 newly recorded Studio Tracks.
(4 new Transatlantic compositions and 4 Cover Songs)
The Track Listing for the Special Edition is:
Disc One:
THE WHIRLWIND
Disc Two:
1. SPINNING
2. LENNY JOHNSON
3. FOR SUCH A TIME
4. LENDING A HAND
5. THE RETURN OF THE GIANT HOGWEED (Genesis)
6. A SALTY DOG (Procol Harum)
7. I NEED YOU (America / The Beatles)
8. SOUL SACRIFICE (Santana)
TRANSATLANTIC’S THE WHIRLWIND is currently scheduled for the following release dates:
October 23rd 2009: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
October 26th 2009: Europe
October 27th 2009: North America"
(https://www.mikeportnoy.com/images/TAWhirlwind.jpg)
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TRANSATLANTIC’S THE WHIRLWIND
Coming in October!!
TRANSATLANTIC – the Progressive Rock Supergroup featuring DREAM THEATER’s Mike Portnoy, MARILLION’s Pete Trewavas, THE FLOWER KINGS’ Roine Stolt and Neal Morse (Ex-SPOCK’S BEARD) – will release their long-awaited third album in October 2009.
THE WHIRLWIND is a 77-minute piece of music that is sure to satisfy the band’s legions of fans that have patiently waited almost the entire decade for the reunion of these 4 musicians.
THE WHIRLWIND will be available in two formats:
A Regular Edition Single CD of the entire 77 minute Epic as well as a 2-CD Special Edition containing a Bonus Disc with 8 newly recorded Studio Tracks.
(4 new Transatlantic compositions and 4 Cover Songs)
The Track Listing for the Special Edition is:
Disc One:
THE WHIRLWIND
Disc Two:
1. SPINNING
2. LENNY JOHNSON
3. FOR SUCH A TIME
4. LENDING A HAND
5. THE RETURN OF THE GIANT HOGWEED (Genesis)
6. A SALTY DOG (Procol Harum)
7. I NEED YOU (America / The Beatles)
8. SOUL SACRIFICE (Santana)
TRANSATLANTIC’S THE WHIRLWIND is currently scheduled for the following release dates:
October 23rd 2009: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
October 26th 2009: Europe
October 27th 2009: North America
------------
:omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg:
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I'm not a big fan of these guys but a 77 minute epic? Nice!! :corn
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Holy moses, 77 minutes! :o
-J
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AAAAHHHHHHH
*dies*
I will resurect on the 26th of October.
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Thank you god, you are truly merciful and kind.
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So let me get this straight: on October 27th we will get a new Transatlantic double album featuring a 77 minute song along with 4 other original songs, AND a new Between the Buried and Me album that has the potential to live up to Colors.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
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Yeah, I love that an amazing album and a bad album will come out on the same day, will make it easy to decide which to buy. :D
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So let me get this straight: on October 27th we will get a new Transatlantic double album featuring a 77 minute song along with 4 other original songs, AND a new Between the Buried and Me album that has the potential to live up to Colors.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
THIS! :xbones
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This is amazing!
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Lenny Johnson. Hmm...Beatles influence, anyone?
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A 77 minute song?
A real prog band would've just kept going to 80.
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Man, they should have re-recorded Never Enough for this! :p
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A 77 minute song?
A real prog band would've just kept going to 80.
:lol :lol :metal
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A 77 minute song?
A real prog band would've just kept going to 80.
And turned the volume knobs up to 11. :tup
Soooooooo, this was a nice surprise to come home to after working 6am-3pm today!!! Holy crap!!! Neal and the boys doubled the original demo length of "The Whirlwind" and turned it into the entire album!!! HOLY CRAP!!! I can't wait to get this, but it's a shame that the new originals are on the Special Edition! I certainly hope there are enough and I will pre-order the SE as soon as they are available!!!
Between this and the new (fifth) The Tangent album around the same time, this fall is going to be full of great prog!
-Marc.
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A 77 minute song... that's insane.
I'll wait to hear the song before I pass judgment but I'm not going to get my hopes up just because of the song's length.
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Excellent!
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Soooo anyone else see any peculiar similarities with TA's new album and PT's new album?
Both titles are "The _____" - The Whirldwind and The Incident
Each album's title track is album-length (77 minutes for TA, 55 minutes for PT)
Each album's second disc has four more original studio tracks, unrelated to the epic title track.
Coincidence?
-Marc.
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Yeah, I really think that's just a coincidence. :lol
Especially because the title track to the Transatlantic album has existed in one form or another since before the PT album was announced.
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Soooo anyone else see any peculiar similarities with TA's new album and PT's new album?
Both titles are "The _____" - The Whirldwind and The Incident
Each album's title track is album-length (77 minutes for TA, 55 minutes for PT)
Each album's second disc has four more original studio tracks, unrelated to the epic title track.
Coincidence?
-Marc.
Well, it's a little different in that with Transatlantic the second disc is only a bonus disc with the special edition. The regular edition is just the one song!
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Wasn't BAF practically one big song, anyway?
:hat
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Soooo anyone else see any peculiar similarities with TA's new album and PT's new album?
Both titles are "The _____" - The Whirldwind and The Incident
Each album's title track is album-length (77 minutes for TA, 55 minutes for PT)
Each album's second disc has four more original studio tracks, unrelated to the epic title track.
Coincidence?
-Marc.
Well, it's a little different in that with Transatlantic the second disc is only a bonus disc with the special edition. The regular edition is just the one song!
True. Although I do wish they had decided to make a regular 2-disc edition of TW (yes, I'm starting the abbreviations now!)... Ah well. Now I have to figure out if there will be different packages for the SE (digipak, jewel case, etc. etc.) and if it'll be worth getting both the 1 disc AND 2 disc... damn my completist mentality!
-Marc.
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True. Although I do wish they had decided to make a regular 2-disc edition of TW (yes, I'm starting the abbreviations now!)...
Yeah I know what you mean! :lol
Ah well. Now I have to figure out if there will be different packages for the SE (digipak, jewel case, etc. etc.) and if it'll be worth getting both the 1 disc AND 2 disc... damn my completist mentality!
-Marc.
I reckon I'll just go for the 2-disc, the more the merrier :D
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Transatlantic's next album is a 77-minute long song?
...
I just whirlwinded all over my keyboard.
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:omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg:
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Transatlantic's next album is a 77-minute long song?
...
I just whirlwinded all over my keyboard.
I believe the term is whirlwound.
So, new Transatlantic sounds pretty awesome, I just hope the 77-minute epic isn't a complete borefest. If it is I'll be very disappointed.
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Yeah, I love that an amazing album and a bad album will come out on the same day, will make it easy to decide which to buy. :D
:dammitamanda:
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That's some atrocious artwork. Since they're essentially a homage to prog, why don't TA ever hire someone like Roger Dean or Hugh Syme to do artwork?
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...Is it it really a 77 minute song? If so, I will fucking smile. Everywhere. :metal
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That's some atrocious artwork. Since they're essentially a homage to prog, why don't TA ever hire someone like Roger Dean or Hugh Syme to do artwork?
Yeah, Roger Dean seems like a great choice.
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Man, I know those guys love to push the whole "We are so fucking prog" thing, but seriously... 77 minutes? Is there some kind of award given to the band with the longest single track?
It's very impressive, but how often are you going to sit down and listen to a 77-minute song?
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Man, I know those guys love to push the whole "We are so fucking prog" thing, but seriously... 77 minutes? Is there some kind of award given to the band with the longest single track?
It's very impressive, but how often are you going to sit down and listen to a 77-minute song?
All the time.
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Man, I know those guys love to push the whole "We are so fucking prog" thing, but seriously... 77 minutes? Is there some kind of award given to the band with the longest single track?
It's very impressive, but how often are you going to sit down and listen to a 77-minute song?
Well, usually I listen to whole albums and not just single songs. So its not that big of a deal to me, its just gonna be like a regular album sitting.
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I just vaporized my pants
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I plan to listen to it daily, nightly, and ever so rightly.
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Thank you god, you are truly merciful and kind.
I TOLD YOU SO!
I plan to listen to it daily, nightly, and ever so rightly.
This. I am so excited. :metal
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*hopes for courtesy track breaks*
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Man, I know those guys love to push the whole "We are so fucking prog" thing, but seriously... 77 minutes? Is there some kind of award given to the band with the longest single track?
It's very impressive, but how often are you going to sit down and listen to a 77-minute song?
Want me to be honest? Since lately I've been preferring shorter, more concise songs, probably not too often :lol Hell, Light of Day, Day of Darkness is my all time favorite song but I don't listen to it very often at all because of the length.
But that doesn't change how goddamn excited I am for The Whirlwind.
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*hopes for courtesy track breaks*
I was hoping that as well, but do you think they would have announced the different sections underneath the song? I would think so.
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*hopes for courtesy track breaks*
I was hoping that as well, but do you think they would have announced the different sections underneath the song? I would think so.
I'm guessing it'll have a movement listing like SDOIT does on the back of the CD case even though TW will be a straight up 77 minute track (from what i understand).
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It would be weird to not have different tracks within the song. I mean the song must have an awesome outro, and you'd really have to sit through the entire album to hear that.
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*hopes for courtesy track breaks*
I was hoping that as well, but do you think they would have announced the different sections underneath the song? I would think so.
Not necessarily. I could see it going either way. This isn't a completely comprehensive news release, so I wouldn't worry simply because separate movements aren't listed here.
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*hopes for courtesy track breaks*
I was hoping that as well, but do you think they would have announced the different sections underneath the song? I would think so.
Not necessarily. I could see it going either way. This isn't a completely comprehensive news release, so I wouldn't worry simply because separate movements aren't listed here.
Sweet, you would know better than me.
Dang, that would be like 10 movements or so.
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pants = tight
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im hopring that the track breaks tho... 77 mins.... wow but still it should be like a good movie
:corn
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I need to have this album. Like, now.
Seriously, a 77 minute epic? If it's anything like past Transatlantic material, this is going to be one amazing listening experience.
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I gather that this will be more akin to Neal Morse's ? album, one long piece divided into smaller tracks. How many?
Well ? was 12 tracks over 55 minutes or so. Bridge Across Forever, if you count the different movements, was 17 tracks/parts and was about 77 minutes.
I will be willing to wager that "The Whirlwind" will be about 13-15 tracks, with some sort of Overture, a Finale, and at least one or two movements with the same or similar name!
-Marc.
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So exactly what should I listen to by them to convince me to get this?
-I'm open to prog rock, even though I only listen to PT in that category
-Heard of Spock's Beard
-Heard of Flower Kings
-Fellate Mike Portnoy
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WOW!!!!
sweet news!
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So today on my lunch, from 1-2pm I listened to Stranger in Your Soul. It finished around 1:30, the time MP posted the news. It's like I was ready to continue the journey through TA!
In any case, I'm extremely fucking pumped, and it's too bad I only got home to my computer 12 hours after the fact. Nice album art too!
*awaits STEVETHEATER to make a kickass wallpaper* ;D ;D
oh, and if they decide to do a small tour (which I'm assuming they will) I'll give a limb for sure. (DT hasn't any shows booked for November!)
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So exactly what should I listen to by them to convince me to get this?
-I'm open to prog rock, even though I only listen to PT in that category
-Heard of Spock's Beard
-Heard of Flower Kings
-Fellate Mike Portnoy
1. Purchase Bridge Across Forever
2. Listen to Bridge Across Forever
3. ???
4. PROFIT!
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So exactly what should I listen to by them to convince me to get this?
-I'm open to prog rock, even though I only listen to PT in that category
-Heard of Spock's Beard
-Heard of Flower Kings
-Fellate Mike Portnoy
Well, this is prog rock, not prog metal, so PT is nothing alike this.
The older SB albums are comparable to most TA material, with hints of Roine Stolt's genius.
And if you love MP, this could be great for you.
But beware: there is no metal at all, in their older albums. Nothing.
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So this is a concept album, right? :neverusethis:
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Haha, yes it is.
Unless the different parts of the songs are unrelated, but since they are part of the same song, and more movements instead of parts, and not songs within a suite, or maybe songs within a story, this album could be able to have the possibility to become a concept album.
I think.
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Although I don't consider myself as big a prog fan as others here, lately I've come to the conclusion that both of these albums are mostly great. I had listened to them before, but it just kind of hit me the other day that there is really some genius stuff in here. Anyway, just wanted to share that revelation. :metal
-J
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Well, this is prog rock, not prog metal, so PT is nothing alike this.
PT isn't prog metal, either, though.
The older SB albums are comparable to most TA material, with hints of Roine Stolt's genius.
That is pretty accurate description. Really, I have always said TA is like Spock's Beard, but with an All-Star band playing the music. Nothing against the members of SB, all of whom are talented, but Transatlantic comes across like an prog All-Star band.
Plus, it is the one Neal Morse band/project that features a world class guitar player, which his music deserves. :coolio
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Wasn't BAF practically one big song, anyway?
:hat
No.
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Wasn't BAF practically one big song, anyway?
:hat
No.
It really feels like it is, though.
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Wallpapers of the new album cover, in different sizes.
https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2295906-p2.aspx
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I really like that album cover.
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From the fingers of Roine Stolt on the Flower Kings yahoo mailing list:
"it's the album where we ALL have more equal input on the final
product - a true collaboration."
Awesome. :tup :tup
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I really like that album cover.
Yea, it was done nicely. :metal
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From the fingers of Roine Stolt on the Flower Kings yahoo mailing list:
"it's the album where we ALL have more equal input on the final
product - a true collaboration."
Awesome. :tup :tup
I like that. I remember that quote from him where he felt like the first two albums weren't "experimental" enough or didn't push the boundaries enough for his liking, and that that was his only real regret. (although, from what little I've read about him, he may also just have really odd tastes and preferences, so...) If all these guys are really providing as much input as they want, I think we're in for something special.
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Wasn't BAF practically one big song, anyway?
:hat
No.
It really feels like it is, though.
No it doesn't.
Also, bosky, Stolt is a genius, so if they really all contributed equally, we are probably in for a real gem of an album.
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So this is a concept album, right? :neverusethis:
Yes.
AND THAT MUST BEEN THAT IT IS BETTER BECAUSE IT IS A CONCEPT ALBUM :neverusethis:
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From the fingers of Roine Stolt on the Flower Kings yahoo mailing list:
"it's the album where we ALL have more equal input on the final
product - a true collaboration."
Awesome. :tup :tup
I like that. I remember that quote from him where he felt like the first two albums weren't "experimental" enough or didn't push the boundaries enough for his liking, and that that was his only real regret. (although, from what little I've read about him, he may also just have really odd tastes and preferences, so...) If all these guys are really providing as much input as they want, I think we're in for something special.
I remember him saying that. I think Morse and Portnoy wanted TA to be like an ode to classic prog, while Roine would have liked to have stretched out a bit more and tried some different things. That is not to say that he didn't dig the stuff they did, because he has said he did, but the experimental part of him probably just wanted more.
Also, bosky, Stolt is a genius, so if they really all contributed equally, we are probably in for a real gem of an album.
QFT, on all accounts.
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Also, bosky, Stolt is a genius, so if they really all contributed equally, we are probably in for a real gem of an album.
QFT, on all accounts.
Oh, I'm not denying that. But I get that impression that, like a lot of geniuses, he's also a bit odd.
-
Man, I know those guys love to push the whole "We are so fucking prog" thing, but seriously... 77 minutes? Is there some kind of award given to the band with the longest single track?
It's very impressive, but how often are you going to sit down and listen to a 77-minute song?
Well, usually I listen to whole albums and not just single songs. So its not that big of a deal to me, its just gonna be like a regular album sitting.
Man, I miss the days of having even an hour or two to just listen to music. Sitting in my room, door closed, stereo cranking out my new album while I read the liner notes and check out the pictures. Learn all the lyrics, geek out to the credits ("Interesting... he plays fretless on two songs, and Stick on one"). Nowadays, 99% of my "real" listening is done in the car during my commute. It's the only time I can crank it, really listen, and not have to worry about the phone ringing or the TV or something stupid one of my kids (or my wife) is doing. And my commute is only 30-40 minutes, so this one track will require one "there and back" for me to hear the whole thing, with a ten-hour workday for an intermission.
If I didn't get into prog in my younger days, I don't know if I'd have the time or attention span now. I'm just sayin'.
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I'm going to use this thread to say that All of the Above is fucking legendary, and just put me in a whole new state of anticipation for this record.
That is all.
-
Also, bosky, Stolt is a genius, so if they really all contributed equally, we are probably in for a real gem of an album.
QFT, on all accounts.
Oh, I'm not denying that. But I get that impression that, like a lot of geniuses, he's also a bit odd.
True. I think it takes being a bit quirky and odd to be a musical genius. See Peter Gabriel and David Bowie for more details. :lol
I'm going to use this thread to say that All of the Above is fucking legendary
Damn straight. And as awesome as it is, it is probably only my 3rd favorite epic of theirs; I like "My New World" more, and it doesn't get any better than "Stranger in Your Soul." The end of that song is borderline criminal, it's so good. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Yeah, My New World is probably my favourite big song off SMPTe. The main theme is just wonderful!
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Yeah, My New World is probably my favourite big song off SMPTe. The main theme is just wonderful!
Yep. And I always gotta give mad props to the "Disappointment struck him hard..." section, which is what made me want to check out The Flower Kings. I thought Roine's voice sounded awesome and wanted to hear his regular band.
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:lol That is literally the exact same reason I decided to check out TFK, who are now one of my top 10 bands!
I listened through SMPTe and now that I'm so familiar with all the musicians and their bands, it's become clear that the song really does have Stolt's influence all over it!
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Whoa, pardon my ignorance, but this is the longest song that exists that I know of. Still, looks like it will be an amazing album.
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Whoa, pardon my ignorance, but this is the longest song that exists that I know of.
Oh, there's longer. Much MUCH longer... (https://longplayer.org/)
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Wasn't BAF practically one big song, anyway?
:hat
No.
It really feels like it is, though.
No it doesn't.
Yes, it does.
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Whoa, pardon my ignorance, but this is the longest song that exists that I know of.
Oh, there's longer. Much MUCH longer... (https://longplayer.org/)
That doesn't count.
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Yeah, Transatlantic is the reason I checked out The Flower Kings and Neal Morse.
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Well DT has their 42 minute opus "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence", Neal Morse has his ? album (which is essentially one song), and TFK have their "Garden of Dreams" at nearly an hour... looks like each of them have definitely topped themselves with this massive 77-minute epic!!!
I wonder how it will translate live, if they indeed play the whole thing (and know each of them, they will definitely try if they tour it out).
I also wonder what setlists will look like for a TA tour this time around. Hopefully they bring out "Mystery Train" again!
-Marc.
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Whoa, pardon my ignorance, but this is the longest song that exists that I know of.
Oh, there's longer. Much MUCH longer... (https://longplayer.org/)
That doesn't count.
https://www.dprp.net/longsongs/longsongs.php (https://www.dprp.net/longsongs/longsongs.php)
What about this?
And I've heard most of these :D
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Cool, I liked their previous efforts, so I will definitely check out this! One epic long song and a few covers, can be no wrong!
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I think I may have to pick this up. 77 minutes! Pretty sweet.
-
Does anyone else think that each band member picked one of the four covers?
"The Return of the Giant Hogweed" (Genesis) - Pete
"A Salty Dog" (Procol Harum) - Mike
"I Need You" (America / The Beatles) - Neal
"Soul Sacrifice" (Santana) - Roine
I covered a bit of "Hogweed" during one of their American tour and one of them probably wanted to do a proper, full-version recording of it this time around, and I figured it'd be Pete, being the British one and probably more of a fan of Genesis than the others (perhaps?).
The Beatles pick is likely Neal's since he's such a Beatle fan, and America's "I Need You" just sounds like a song Neal would want to do!
I think the choice to do ANOTHER Procol Harum song is probably Mike's. I'm not sure how he feels about this band, but I know his tastes are varied and out there, so maybe he was key to picking this lesser known song.
And the Santana one? Well Roine is a very diverse guitarist, and his tastes go beyond prog, so I can see him getting into Santana and picking this piece (although if they do the Woodstock version, the drum solo made me think Mike picked).
Your thoughts?
Or maybe Mike picked them all... who knows! He's been cover-happy lately - BC&SL bonus disc, doing "Starless" with Neal and Randy (as well as the covers from Lifeline, but he's always done covers with Neal while recording his albums), and releasing DT's covers on the recent Uncovered 2003-2005.
-Marc.
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As pointed out on the Building The Bridge VHS/DVD, Mike usually picks covers. All other contribute demo's, and Mike does the covers.
Maybe that's changed, but these are all songs (or at least bands) that Mike adores.
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As pointed out on the Building The Bridge VHS/DVD, Mike usually picks covers. All other contribute demo's, and Mike does the covers.
Maybe that's changed, but these are all songs (or at least bands) that Mike adores.
Ahh okay. I guess I missed that part on Building The Bridge last time I watched it, or just forgot... I guess that makes sense seeing as how Mike doesn't really contribute demos, but more so to the arranging process, as well as drums and vocals.
These are some pretty interesting choices though, so I'm hoping that "Soul Sacrifice" is the trippy Woodstock version with the drum solo in the middle! I watched it on YouTube last night (not having heard it before then) and was quite amazed! I can't wait to hear TA's version!
-Marc.
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Yeah, that's the one I'm looking forward the most too.
Soul Sacrifice is great. The Moonflower version is my favourite one.
Oh and Spock's Beard already covered it on their V tour I believe.
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Yeah, My New World is probably my favourite big song off SMPTe. The main theme is just wonderful!
My new world waits patiently, when living is lost in a memory.
I LOVE THAT PART :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Holy crap! I am soooo excited for this. 1 77 minute song and then some!! YESSSS
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Found this on The Whirlwind's wiki page - https://www.billevansmedia.com/artists/transatlantic/
Individual tracks/movements for the title track!
I. "Overture / Whirlwind"
II. "The Wind Blew Them All Away"
III. "On the Prowl"
IV. "A Man Can Feel"
V. "Out of the Night "
VI. "Rose Colored Glasses"
VII. "Evermore"
VIII. "Set Us Free"
IX. "Lay Down Your Life "
X. "Pieces of Heaven"
XI. "Is it Really Happening"
XII. "Dancing with Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise)"
Veeeeeery interesting... October 27th can't get here any sooner!! AHHH!
-Marc.
-
That sounds really awesome. It really feels like a combination of Garden of Dream and All Of The Above, maybe even with some Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. I really can't wait another month
:sadpanda:
:D
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That sounds really awesome. It really feels like a combination of Garden of Dream and All Of The Above, maybe even with some Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. I really can't wait another month
:sadpanda:
:D
I think you're right! It was probably more of a "?"-type epic, then with Roine, Pete and Mike in the fold, it got some of their input and became even MORE epic. I expect it to be the most epic piece any one of these four guys have ever been a part of (Yes, beating "Garden of Dreams", "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" and any whole concept album by Marillion, like Misplaced Childhood or Brave).
It's interesting reading the Press Kit. I was wondering what the meaning(s) behind "The Whirlwind" were, and I wonder if Mike, Pete and Roine made a conscious effort to divert Neal's original intention with the piece into something more... secular, or if that just ended up happening that way through the writing process.
Then again, Neal's writing for Transatlantic was always a bit spiritual and Christian-laced, even in titles like "We All Need Some Light Now", "Duel With The Devil" and "Stranger In Your Soul", using spiritual ideas that leaned toward Christianity. It was a bit more so in Spock's Beard, but not as blatant in TA, so I wonder if Neal (and/or the rest) made an effort to keep it that way this go around.
-Marc.
-
Good observation Marc.
First of all, what press kit are you talking about? The original press release from the first post?
Secondly, about the christian thing, I remember a scene from Building The Bridge, in which Mike and Pete agree that some 'Neal Morse/Spock's Beard type writing and NM/SB chord progressions' should be altered, to make it sound more like Transatlantic.
So I guess it works the same way for the lyrics. And although that is less of a group effort than the writing and arranging is, I think the last thing all four musicians would want, is people saying 'Oh, this sounds just like a ... solo album', they're all way too big in this genre to want that. Not out of cockyness, but to bring this project up a level.
I AM really looking forward :D
-
Thank goodness the title track will be split into many different tracks.
And while Neal's lyrics on the first TA albums were spiritual, they were not too over-the-top or in-your-face, and I am pretty confident the ones on the new record will be along those lines, as well.
-
Good observation Marc.
First of all, what press kit are you talking about? The original press release from the first post?
Secondly, about the christian thing, I remember a scene from Building The Bridge, in which Mike and Pete agree that some 'Neal Morse/Spock's Beard type writing and NM/SB chord progressions' should be altered, to make it sound more like Transatlantic.
So I guess it works the same way for the lyrics. And although that is less of a group effort than the writing and arranging is, I think the last thing all four musicians would want, is people saying 'Oh, this sounds just like a ... solo album', they're all way too big in this genre to want that. Not out of cockyness, but to bring this project up a level.
I AM really looking forward :D
Click on the link I posted a few posts back, and there's a link on that page that says "Download Press Kit". It contains images and a couple of text-files, TA's bio/history and the story behind the making of "The Whirlwind", a VERY good read (albeit short, but still good).
-Marc.
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I would be pretty disappointed if there were christian lyrics like on Morse's solo albums. I find it hard to listen to his albums because of the lyrics.
-
I can't explain why, but I'm really excited for this album. I mean I love their other two albums, but even with bands I like, I never really anticipate new releases that much to keep my expectations low so that I'm not disappointed when it isn't perfect. But for some reason, I'm finding myself unable to do that with this album.
-J
-
Wasn't BAF practically one big song, anyway?
:hat
No.
It really feels like it is, though.
No it doesn't.
Yes, it does.
Duel With The Devil sounds nothing like Suite Charlotte Pike, which sounds nothing like Bridge Across Forever, which sounds nothing like Stranger In Your Soul.
-
It has a common thing, but not one song really
-
Preorder
https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2413352.aspx
1st 200 preorders get put into a drawing for Mike's The Whirlwind studio chart.
-
Ordered the Deluxe with making of dvd!
-
Ordered the bundle with Neal Morse's new 3-CD Live release. I mean, heck, 6 Discs (5 CDs and 1 DVD) for only $53 after shipping... that's a STEAL.
That, and I got to download "Return Of The Giant Hogweed" as a bonus for pre-ordering the bundle! And it's a really awesome rendition of the Genesis classic!!!
-Marc.
-
Ordered the bundle with Neal Morse's new 3-CD Live release. I mean, heck, 6 Discs (5 CDs and 1 DVD) for only $53 after shipping... that's a STEAL.
That, and I got to download "Return Of The Giant Hogweed" as a bonus for pre-ordering the bundle! And it's a really awesome rendition of the Genesis classic!!!
-Marc.
Yup, I went for the same deal immediately, only thing that sucks is I was away all night, hope I caught this in time to be in the first 200.
-
I was away as well, fingers crossed.
Now checking which version I want to have.
Dammit, credit card only :censored
Trailer:
https://bandwidth.csrtechnologies.com/RadiantRecords/new_trailor.php (https://bandwidth.csrtechnologies.com/RadiantRecords/new_trailor.php)
I've got that main theme running through my head already!
-
Order'd :D The three-disc version of course. Woo!
-
Wow the clips are awesome, I'm extremely excited now!
-
Wth, again, creditcard only? when comes the time that they realize WE DON'T HAVE ONE :p
so unfair... sad sad panda :sadpanda:
-
I love Transatlantic. It'll be great to hear those guys come out with something new. I am a huge Neal Morse fan. I'm really really excited for the new Shadow Gallery CD coming out on November 3rd in the states as well. I'm gonna get both! It's gonna be an awesome month for us prog fans
-
it give me a sense of "blues meet progressive rock".
frontman's voice(is it roine stolt?) is really catering to blues style.
-
it give me a sense of "blues meet progressive rock".
frontman's voice(is it roine stolt?) is really catering to blues style.
No, Morse is the lead singer.
-
8. SOUL SACRIFICE (Santana)
I used to listen to that song everyday when I was 15! I only had the S/T debut album.
-
It's funny how out of place MP looks among the other members of the group.
-
VII. "Evermore"
INTO THE NIGHT
BLISTERANG
-
I remember when I got "Bridge Across Forever" and actually hated it the first couple listens...just like Spock's Beard Snow. But as time past I kept trying to listen to it and it really grew on me. What your guys impressions? It was pretty much my first prog-rock album
-
I loved Bridge Across Forever at my first listen but took a while to get into SMPT. I still prefer Bridge Across Forever, by far, but SMPT is great too.
-
I loved Bridge Across Forever at my first listen but took a while to get into SMPT. I still prefer Bridge Across Forever, by far, but SMPT is great too.
This, almost exactly.
-
I loved Bridge Across Forever at my first listen but took a while to get into SMPT. I still prefer Bridge Across Forever, by far, but SMPT is great too.
This, almost exactly.
-
So... Only two weeks left!
I can't believe this thread is so quiet! I'm pumped!
-
I know. You'd think this thread would be packed. 77 minute song, people. GET EXCITED.
-
I've heard.... less than stellar things. Like, apparently the album/song just meanders a lot and never really develops any main catchy theme/leitmotif, ala their other songs.
I dunno. I'll still get the album, but.... this isn't just "The Third Transatlantic Album." This is, "The Song That Comes After Stranger In Your Soul." That's a tough act to follow.
I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong.
-
I can't imagine this being anything less than spectacular myself... and until I hear otherwise that's what I'm assuming it's going to be.
There is just too much potential in this band not to turn out something amazing.
-
I can't imagine this being anything less than spectacular myself... and until I hear otherwise that's what I'm assuming it's going to be.
There is just too much potential in this band not to turn out something amazing.
This.
-
I can't imagine this being anything less than spectacular myself... and until I hear otherwise that's what I'm assuming it's going to be.
There is just too much potential in this band not to turn out something amazing.
This.
That!
I'm counting on the usual Dutch release dates, i.e. a couple of days before the regular one. So that should be next friday already!
-
I honestly am not banking one way or the other on whether I think it will be "spectacular." I'm just banking on it being something I will most likely enjoy.
-
Ordered the deluxe edition with NM´s live CDs.
It's funny how out of place MP looks among the other members of the group.
What do you mean? is it how he looks?
-
Ordered the deluxe edition with NM´s live CDs.
It's funny how out of place MP looks among the other members of the group.
What do you mean? is it how he looks?
Pretty much. Everyone else looks like an older prog guy. Even though MP is in his 40's, he looks younger and more metal.
-
Definitely, MP looks much younger than the other guys. He looks 30-ish, I'd say.
-
Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-Transatlantic/dp/B002OB9KPE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1255924376&sr=8-1) is saying an October 26 release. Trailer says 27th. I'm not complaining, but Monday release?
-
I'm really counting on it being in stores next friday. I guess stores will have it already, if the release date is really on a monday.
-
Having preordered it a long time ago, I'm really hoping to get it around mid-late this week. If not, tuesday will have to do.
-
I think the thread is so quiet because it's stickied so people miss it. Well that's why I did, maybe i'm just a bit dumb.
-
I'm sure I won't get it until Tuesday. So, that means about one more week. :caffeine:
-
I think the thread is so quiet because it's stickied so people miss it. Well that's why I did, maybe i'm just a bit dumb.
Ironic, isn't it? I tend to blow past the stickies, too, scanning down to the first regular post before even reading the topic.
-
Anyone here have experience with preordering from Radiant Records? I'm just wondering what the chances are that they'll ship it out early.
-
Does anyone think that Best Buy will have copies of this album when it comes in? Am I going to have to settle for internet buying?
-
I would put money on Best Buy having it.
-
Good. I'd rather know that I'm going to get something on a certain day than take a gamble on it arriving later than planned.
Still stoked. I've been listening to Transatlantic at least once every day for about a week now. :D
-
I am really looking forward to this and the new shadow gallery
-
Ok...amazon.com is PO'ing me. They don't explicitly say which version is the Special Edition, but both are listed as being 2 CD's. Granted, one is a dollar more, and I should expect that to be the special edition, but it doesn't say anything on either page. Here are the pages by the way:
https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-Transatlantic/dp/B002OB9KPE/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1 (https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-Transatlantic/dp/B002OB9KPE/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1)
https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-Transatlantic/dp/B002OQYVJ4/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_2 (https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-Transatlantic/dp/B002OQYVJ4/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_2)
-
Amazon is notorious for completely botching album descriptions when there are different editions. All I can say is good luck, and I feel your pain.
-
I asked my local CD store, and they didn't expect it to be in stores tomorrow.
I can say though that I know someone who has a promo copy, and he asked if I came over and listened to it...
...
I don't know :sadpanda:
-
DO IT. DO IT NAO.
-
The problem is that every three minutes the music stops and a low american voice says:
"You are listening to a promo copy of the new Transatlantic album, called The Whirlwind"
and that is what bothers me, I think I'll listen today though.
-
Ah, watermarks are so much fun. :lol
-
Can't wait to get this. Part of me hopes it shipped early and will get here today or tomorrow. Part of me doesn't care, since I have the new Redemption to continue to sink my teeth into. But on that note, and at risk of going slightly off topic, what an amazingly strong end to the year in terms of music releases! Between BCSL, Snowfall, and Whirlwind, I can't remember a better trifecta of albums in such a short span of time. (not to mention all the other good-to-excellent releases from other bands)
-
It really has been an unusually prolific year for good music releases. I'm looking forward to hearing this one.
-J
-
Just picked this up! Local record store i work with had it so i grabbed it.
-
Wait a moment, is your name Nick, or is your sig some quote I don't remember me saying? :lol
-
Wait a moment, is your name Nick, or is your sig some quote I don't remember me saying? :lol
My name is nick and i like to praise myself, maybe Me nick and You Nick can have a fight much like the cartman in your icon :tup
-
So your name is Nick, you have an ego, and you know South Park enough to reference an episode by a simple avatar.
This is scary. :lol
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So your name is Nick, you have an ego, and you know South Park enough to reference an episode by a simple avatar.
This is scary. :lol
Your just flattered as the eagles once said There's a new kid in town= There's a new NICK in town. Im just messing, but it sure does seem we are alot alike! Maybe we are meant for each other :corn
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OH MY GOD THERE'S TWO OF THEM.
DTF IS DOOMED. ABANDON SHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
3 of them :)
-
OH MY GOD THERE'S TWO OF THEM.
DTF IS DOOMED. ABANDON SHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All 3 of us are coming for you!
-
We are all completely hosed now...Get out while you still can!
-
We are all completely hosed now...Get out while you st ill can!
No need to run Mr. Carlin. You can take us.. OR can you :xbones
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I'm an old fuck, leave me alone.
-
I'm an old fuck, leave me alone.
You are indeed, but im keeping you in my thoughts... (insert greatest punchline ever)
-
It saddens me that it's actually slipping my mind. :-[
-
It saddens me that it's actually slipping my mind. :-[
"Where exactly in your thoughts do i fit? Somewhere between my ass hurts in this chair and Lets fuck the waitress"
-
:lol Classic line.
-
:lol Classic line.
Yes fantastic! RIP GEORGE!
-
Yup. RIP George, I bet he's down there.. right now, screaming up at us.
-
Wow, I listened to the demo tonight, and it sounds really good. I tried not to have any expectations, but I think I would have been impressed by this no matter what. Great sound, a lot of cool instrumentals, some songs, all pretty much mashed up together, then spread out nicely. And every few minutes, the voice.
I am definitely picking this up when it comes out. Two thumbs up. :tup :tup
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Listening to it right now (how convenient to have a brother in Europe :) ). Hmm, I'm on track 6, but so far nothing that really grabbed my attention. One thing I noticed with this album, and that didn't really happen with the previous ones is, the respective sides shine through very strongly. So, you have sections that sound straight like Neal Morse, and sections that sound like Flower Kings.
rumborak
-
Listening to it right now (how convenient to have a brother in Europe :) ). Hmm, I'm on track 6, but so far nothing that really grabbed my attention. One thing I noticed with this album, and that didn't really happen with the previous ones is, the respective sides shine through very strongly. So, you have sections that sound straight like Neal Morse, and sections that sound like Flower Kings.
rumborak
Didn't happen with the previous ones?! Wow I completely disagree, I'd have said maybe 80% of the original music across the first two albums was very clearly either Morse or Stolt.
-
Yeah, I don't know, but I never had the impression that the music was "taken over" by each respective musician. On this album that seems to happen quite noticeably. I'm just listening to a section where the lyrics are "dancing with eternal glory" and about the "giver of life", and it just straight sounds like a Neal Morse religious song.
rumborak
-
Again, half of Morse's lyrics on the first two albums had pretty strong religious undertones.
Sounds to me like it's pretty much more of the same, which is excellent, because the first two albums are really good :D
-
I'm jealous of all of you who have access to it.
-
I could've picked it up at my cd store yesterday, but I was nowhere near it :-[
Now I'll have to wait at least 25 hours before having access to it :(
-
Better come tomorrow or Tuesday considering I ordered from Morse.
Anyone know if the whiteboard winner was announced yet?
-
Whiteboard is being drawn Tuesday as far as I know.
-
Good album, but nowhere near Bridge Across Forever (not that I expected it to be). A few tracks stand out from the rest, and there are some great moments here and there. The second-to-last track (can't remember the name) is by FAR my least favorite; I don't like the first half of it at all, although the last few minutes of instrumental stuff are pretty good.
-J
-
Grr. I want this album very badly.
-
I am going to be waiting at my door hoping this shows up in the mail tomorrow.
-
I'm currently listening to it and the Bass line in "IV. A Man Can Feel" is really standing out to me for some reason.
-
Is that Portnoy singing in the chorus of "Set Us Free"? Sounds really good; that is one of my favorite tracks.
Anybody listened to the songs on the bonus disc yet? How are they (particularly the original ones)?
-J
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Is that Portnoy singing in the chorus of "Set Us Free"? Sounds really good; that is one of my favorite tracks.
Anybody listened to the songs on the bonus disc yet? How are they (particularly the original ones)?
-J
That is MP singing in the chorus in "Set Us Free". And actually, nearly all of his vocal moments on this album are really good!
Also, the TA originals on the bonus disc are pretty good. I enjoy "Spinning" and "For Such A Time", which uses one of the main "Whirlwind" themes. "Lenny Johnson" is a quaint and short interesting tune, very TFK-ish, while Pete's "Lending A Hand" is a bit of a grower for me. It started out sounding VERY repetitious and boring, but it's getting a bit more interesting as I listen to it more.
The covers are particularly enjoyable! I love the "I Need You" medley and MP's vocal performance on "A Salty Dog" is pretty good!
-Marc.
-
That gang (and by that I probably mean NM and MP, since they're the ones who's always doing some covers) is really good on covers! I'm exited :D Just waiting for the postal system to deliver the goods to me.
-
I'm not a fan of covers in general, but their cover of 'Giant hogweed' is awesome!
-
I'm off to the cd store right now!!!
-
I'm going to a CD store in a few hours :).
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Oh my oh my oh my, I've got it right here!
Special edition!
I'll make myself a sandwich first, and then enjoy the beauty of it all.
-
US Postal Service says it's scheduled for delivery today from amazon :hat I hope it's here by the time I get back from the gym
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Oh my oh my oh my, I've got it right here!
Special edition!
I'll make myself a sandwich first, and then enjoy the beauty of it all.
Where did you buy it?
I couldn't find it, going to order it online now (so I have it tommorow).
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The best cd store in the Netherlands of course: Plato.
But you're from Maastricht aren't you? I guess the nearest plato is in Utrecht for you :biggrin:
Nearly finished listening for the first time btw, and what an incredible record this is. Some wonderful melodies, great solo's, Neal vocals are the best he's ever done, the song itself needs some time for me, which is normal, for a 77 minute song :D
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The best cd store in the Netherlands of course: Plato.
But you're from Maastricht aren't you? I guess the nearest plato is in Utrecht for you :biggrin:
Nearly finished listening for the first time btw, and what an incredible record this is. Some wonderful melodies, great solo's, Neal vocals are the best he's ever done, the song itself needs some time for me, which is normal, for a 77 minute song :D
Maastricht indeed. I see bol doesn't have 1 day shipping for it -.-'.
Sounds good, can't wait to hear it.
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Aargh dammit, massive HMV on Oxford Street didn't have it; why must British CD stores be so lame? Now I'll have to order it online, and there's a damn postal strike! >:(
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Just ordered from Amazon today with the new Redemption. Hopefully be here by Friday. Ready to hear a real version of the album!
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This is probably one of the best album's I ever heard. and that's my verdict :P
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Fuck yes. My local record store is selling this today. There's an extremely good chance that my Mom will be picking it up on the way home. :D
This day just became 5 brands of awesome, and 8 varieties of win.
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WHAT THE FUCK USPS, MY COPY HAS BEEN "OUT FOR DELIVERY" SINCE 10:28AM >:(
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Mine came at 9:50 this morning and I've been bathing in its glory ever since. :D
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Is it split into tracks?
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Yes.
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Fuck.
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Why?
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It means I'll need to condense it into one to play it in AudioSurf. Not a particularly interesting process...
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Why would you need to do that? ???
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This has been an earfull today. I've played it a work twice already and I can't wait for the 40 min. drive home. Not enough for the whole song though! :D
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Why would you need to do that? ???
Because that's fucking rad.
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I think this album is great. Initial reaction from some people, having listened to the demo, wasn't that positive. I don't understand them. It's much better than they make it out to be.
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IT'S HERE IT'S HERE
*runs around and throws confetti on the bushes and cooks ravioli for dinner*
of course it arrived late enough that I don't get to listen to the whole thing before class :tdwn
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IT'S HERE IT'S HERE
*runs around and throws confetti on the bushes and cooks ravioli for dinner*
of course it arrived late enough that I don't get to listen to the whole thing before class :tdwn
At least you get to hear it this week! Apparently it doesn't come out here until 2nd November!! >:(
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IT'S HERE IT'S HERE
Bill, where did you order from? I did the preorder from Radiant and am wondering whether it is at my house.
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I ordered from Radiant and got it this morning.
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We ordered from Radiant and nothing yet. But the postal office around here sucks so hard, stuff notoriously takes 1-3 more days than it should, getting to us. We didn't have that problem when we lived in other parts of this town. Bah.
Maybe tomorrow :D
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Yeah, but it takes for ever to get mail to the North Pole, so I wouldn't expect you to have it yet.
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Veronica... Santa Claus... with boobs?
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Shhh! You're blowing my cover!
I will say this, though: If the polar bears wasn't on strike all the time, the post would go faster.
Also, dammitnick, you're distracting me from BSG with this talk of boobs and Veronica (two of my favorite things to talk about).
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:lol
No love for Santa Claus?
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Well, since I supposedly am Santa Claus Boobs whatever, Veronica and Santa Claus is the one and same topic. I answer to most names.
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Oi, Boobs, get back on-topic.
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The topic was us discussing how Rich can not yet own the album, right?
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I'm bummed, since I was really looking forward to this album. But, so far it has done nothing for me. I think it's partly because it's so Morse-y, much more so than the other albums. Or it's because Morse didn't used to have such a distinctive style when they wrote the first two. Either way, there's too many moments where I have the impression I'm listening to a Morse solo album. And the last track is just too much so, where I get annnoyed at "the giver of life" that has "given me the key" to a new land.
It's a good effort, but it's nowhere near SMPTe or TBAF.
rumborak
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Oi, Boobs, get back on-topic.
Yes, Sir! *salutes and walks towards topic*
So, you can't have the album yet, can you? :P
We can wait together.
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Quick question... the first CD is divided in songs right?
Not like 6DOIT in Score, right?
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Right.
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Good.
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I pre-ordered the 3 disc version. I really hope it arrives this week.
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I think it's absolutely astounding. I know it will take some more listens to sink in, but my impression as of now is that it will sit nicely in my top 5 of this year. The only thing that bothers me a little bit is the lyrics, especially on the final track. Like rumby said, very Morse-y, and very religious, and I don't care much for that. However, the music and most of the lyrics on the rest of the album are extremely good, and I think it's a excellent addition to the Transatlantic discography.
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This album is outstanding. At some points, it is better than STMPe and BAF, but sometimes it's not even close of the epicness of STMPe. As a whole, the Whirlwind is a true masterpiece, but, as I said, there are some parts that brings it down.
But in the end, I prefer All of the Above to The Whirlwind.
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I ordered from Radiant and got it this morning.
I got the super-duper deluxe package of "So Many Roads" and "The Whirlwind" and got it on Friday!!! I was so excited! Unfortunately, between work and other duties, I didn't have time to really listen to it until Sunday!
I'll have to post more of my thoughts later as I digest more of the album, particularly the 2nd disc.
-Marc.
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IT'S HERE IT'S HERE
Bill, where did you order from? I did the preorder from Radiant and am wondering whether it is at my house.
judging from the rest of this thread I'd say there's a fair chance it's at your house, but I ordered mine from amazon about a week and a half ago
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After one day my verdict is basically that it's not as good as the other two (which doesn't really mean anything, as I consider the other two a masterpieces), but an excellent album. Will almost definitely be in my top 5 for this year. Also, I'd say the 4 originals on the 2nd disc aren't as strong as the main piece.
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Got home from work and here it was in the mail box! :victorydance: I haven't really listed to enough of it to give it a rating, but my preliminary impression:
:icwomangs:
This is SO good!
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When I went for the mail this morning the package was face down and pretty wide, I knew it would be 6 discs worth of stuff so it was probably it, however I still had to pray to myself a little bit as I flipped it over hoping to see "Radiant Records" on it somewhere. :D
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Got it today from the postal service, along with the NM triple CD. I´m going to listen to it tomorrow afternoon when I finish midterms :laugh:.
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I should probably get around to ordering this, as I suspect Best Buy will not have it tomorrow (although I will still check).
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Rumbo, I'm assuming you listened to the first two TA albums before you listened to much Neal Morse or Spocks Beard? Because my first impression when I listened to them was that they were basically the same as SB.
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It's here! (https://arnearts.com/v/hoppesmiley.gif)
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I stayed up WAY too late last night watching the documentary, and I have to say this is perhaps the best "making of" documentary I have ever seen. So far, everything about this set is nothing short of spectacular. I'm not one to usually rush to judgment on new music releases without taking the time to really digest and take things in, but I'm close to calling album of the year. Oh, and :omg @ a certain *SPOILER* from the documentary:
"See you all on the road in 2010."
:victorydance:
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how did I miss V and boob talk.
I d'l'd....will listen and comment.
The first two T.A cd's didn't do much for me. Alot of wankery. We'll see how this one does.
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Still worth checking out, but honestly, if you didn't like the first two albums, I can't imagine this one grabbing you.
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by no means am I complaining about the musicianship...it's brilliant stuff....but...it's so Yes-like..I dunno..the albums just didn't hold me.
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Rumbo, I'm assuming you listened to the first two TA albums before you listened to much Neal Morse or Spocks Beard? Because my first impression when I listened to them was that they were basically the same as SB.
Nope, the other way around. I had been listening to SB for quite a while before the first Transatlantic came out. At that time there was no Morse solo.
But, the "fault" is definitely with me. I stopped listening to Morse a long time ago, both because of his lyrics (which have become so one-dimensional) and his music (which has become more and more repetitive).
I somehow was hoping that with Transatlantic he would step out of his comfort zone and sort of pick up on his old style (i.e. the sort-of-SB style). When I heard the too-familiar chord progressions on Whirlwind with even-more-familiar lyrics on top, I was disappointed that he had just plugged some of his solo stuff into Transatlantic. Especially the last track probably existed completely written beforehand.
rumborak
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Just bought it, going to listen to it in a min.
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WOW! Mike sounds incredible on A Salty Dog. Obviously, I've heard him sing before. But I've never hard him sing an extended, challenging lead before. Not saying it's something I would want on a regular basis, but this is really good.
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Just bought it, going to listen to it in a min.
....and I can't wait
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Rumbo, I'm assuming you listened to the first two TA albums before you listened to much Neal Morse or Spocks Beard? Because my first impression when I listened to them was that they were basically the same as SB.
Nope, the other way around. I had been listening to SB for quite a while before the first Transatlantic came out. At that time there was no Morse solo.
But, the "fault" is definitely with me. I stopped listening to Morse a long time ago, both because of his lyrics (which have become so one-dimensional) and his music (which has become more and more repetitive).
I somehow was hoping that with Transatlantic he would step out of his comfort zone and sort of pick up on his old style (i.e. the sort-of-SB style). When I heard the too-familiar chord progressions on Whirlwind with even-more-familiar lyrics on top, I was disappointed that he had just plugged some of his solo stuff into Transatlantic. Especially the last track probably existed completely written beforehand.
rumborak
It was my understanding that NM had a treatment called The Whirlwind roughly 30 minutes in length, which the band then fleshed out to its current status. Of course, I could have simply dreamed that.
My first impressions are actually that it's a good blend of Morse and Stolt, but I must admit that the lyrics overall seem a lot more Christian than I was expecting. I'm OK with that, obviously, but it was a little weird.
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Not sure whether he had that much, but he mentions in the documentary that a while before they got together (I think he said a year or so), a friend of his said something along the lines of, "you should write a song called The Whirlwind and have Transatlantic record it."
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Bosk, I completely agree, Building the Bridge was excellent, but this probably goes above and beyond in showing perfectly what a making of documentary should be like.
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Bosk, I completely agree, Building the Bridge was excellent, but this probably goes above and beyond in showing perfectly what a making of documentary should be like.
Definitely. And it goes beyond just being interesting. For me, it gave me a greater appreciation for the music on this album as well as the band members. That's got to count as a success for the band, as far as I'm concerned.
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I'm a bit more than halfway through my first listen (just started "Is It Really Happening")... I'm really digging it. Obviously it will take many listens to fully digest.
Tell you what tho... I disagree with the idea that it sounds too much like Morse. Obviously his influence is there, but as of yet I haven't heard any of the musical bits that have made his solo work stale at times. He's been reusing musical material ad nauseam and his last album in particular was really predictable.
To me this music sounds, in fact, like a fairly collaborative effort between the four of them. I can hear elements of all four of their styles.
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Alright, so I got the last copy (well, probably the only copy) at FYE. Haven't listened yet, cause I'm gonna wait until I can get through the whole thing in one sitting. Looking through the booklet I didn't realize that there would so many words. I thought it would be more instrumental sections.
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I've listened to it 3 times now, and I like it. I do find some of the lyrics very annoying though. About the creator of life and dancing with him and stuff.
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great stuff so far, only a few songs in though
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Interesting. Given the interest level the initial news generated (not to mention the interest level I would expect on a DT forum), there sure hasn't been much discussion now that the album is actually out. ???
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I may have lost a lot of music due to my computer dying, and most of it was not backed up.
So, to start a new music collection, I'll start buying more albums. This should be the first one to start it off. :laugh:
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I don't know about the others, but I'm just to busy sucking in the music that I've waited for so long to start tearing it apart already!
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Interesting. Given the interest level the initial news generated (not to mention the interest level I would expect on a DT forum), there sure hasn't been much discussion now that the album is actually out. ???
You know, I must say that surprises me too. Given the popularity of the first two albums, you'd think people would rush to the music stores.
rumborak
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Oh well. Less time reading means more time listening, so I guess I should be thankful. :lol
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Unsticky the thread. I suspect many go right pass the stickies automatically and to the newest threads underneath. Plus, the album is out now, so there is no reason to keep this thread stickied.
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Im halfway through...and I'm fairly certain I'll never listen to it again.
Big miss for me.
Enjoy if you're a fan though.
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I've only gotten to listen to the title track twice, and that's nowhere near enough times for me to properly digest it. Initial reaction is somewhat mixed. It's good, but doesn't grab me the way the epics on their first two albums did. I also may just not have the attention span to listen to a 70+ minute song :lol
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I've listened to the album several times now, and as I predicted, I like it but it does not rival their previous two albums. The lyrics don't bother me; they don't seem significantly more "preachy" than Morse's lyrics on the other Transatlantic albums. In fact, if you had told me Morse was a Christian after I had only heard SMPTe and BAF, I wouldn't have been surprised at all. I think now that people are aware of his conversion, everything he writes is going to be scrutinized from that perspective, which is distasteful to many.
For me, like somebody else said, the music just doesn't quite grab me most of the time. The other albums had incredible melodies and harmonies, and instrumentation and effects that were really amazing in the way they stuck with me. There isn't much of that on this album; it's good by itself, but when compared to the other TA work, it doesn't measure up. Also I think Morse was much better on the other two albums vocally, as was Stolt (although Portnoy shines here, both on the drums and behind the mic).
The only track I don't care for at all is A Man Can Feel. I also dislike the first half of Is It Really Happening, and I could take or leave Lay Down Your Life. Stand-outs for me are Overture, Set Us Free, Pieces of Heaven, and The Wind Blew Them All Away. The rest is mostly good.
-J
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This album definitely focuses less on simply hooks and more on more complex themes and ideas.
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Interesting. Given the interest level the initial news generated (not to mention the interest level I would expect on a DT forum), there sure hasn't been much discussion now that the album is actually out. ???
It isn't even out here yet for some reason, so I can't get it until next week! :(
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I think I can confidently say that's because your country is lame and smells of cabbage.
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Just picked up my copy!!!!!! About to put it in for the first time!! (hahahahaha innuendo) I can't wait to hear it!!
Is there a making of documentary on the cds somewhere?
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No, it is on the DVD that comes with the 3-disk edition. If you didn't buy the 3-disk, you're out of luck on that one.
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aghhhh damnit! lol I didn't even realize. Whatevs. The first minutes are blowing me freaking away!!!!!!!!!!!! :hefdaddy
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I have it twice :/. I ordered it but canceled it when I bought it in a store. But apparently the order came through as well.
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Based off the overture/whirlwind I feel like this is going to be my favorite prog album of all time. Although it's going to take a lot to compete with Scenes. It probably won't top scenes, but so far this is just slaying.
EDIT: This album is just amazing right now. It just keeps getting better. I LOVE THE BASS in this album. Its got great tone and shape and you can hear it soooo nicely. The production of this album is fan-fucking-tastic. I'm so thrilled right now! :biggrin:
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I can tell that it will take a bit to grow on me, but I have full confidence that it will
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I LOVE THE BASS in this album.
I forgot to mention this. The bass really is excellent on this album, both the playing and the sound.
-J
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Acutally everyone is incredible. The drums sound AMAZING. And portnoy's playing is just incredible in this band in general. I love the style portnoy adds to the music.
UPDATE: "Lay down your life" has some of the most passionate vocals I have ever heard Neal Morse sing. Holy crap this album is just incredible!!! I have I stressed this enough yet?? :tup
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I really think you are downplaying how good the album is. Personally, I would say it is incredible!!!
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DAMNIT!! I need to step up my praise! I need to get on the rooftop and scream it to the world!!!!
No but really this is hands down the best album of the year, and I am not even through listening yet (almost though). It takes a truly great album to get me this excited so quickly. They just "have it" on this album. I can't even explain it. It's proggy, but there are so many amazing simple rock grooves too. It's pretty overwhelmingly amazing at this point I think.
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Can't wait until I get a change to grab this.
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Who was Change?
Who
Was
Change.
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I will comment further when I have more time, but for now the short version.
I like it.
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I love the title track.
Just listened twice, but after watching the Documentary, I've come to realize that this will be one hell of a grower! The themes that they were recording/jamming to/playing on the DVD were already sing-along-able. And that after only having listened to the album twice. This one is catchy and epic, thematic and emotional, and not to forget, I'm listening to the bonus tracks now, and the Stolt songs are great too, what a different tone, but it fits TA really good!
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DAMNIT!! I need to step up my praise! I need to get on the rooftop and scream it to the world!!!!
No but really this is hands down the best album of the year, and I am not even through listening yet (almost though). It takes a truly great album to get me this excited so quickly. They just "have it" on this album. I can't even explain it. It's proggy, but there are so many amazing simple rock grooves too. It's pretty overwhelmingly amazing at this point I think.
You summed it all up right here.
This whole disk, even the covers are Genious!
MP, NM, RS, PT are Gods! (not that they weren't before, but....)
:hefdaddy :hefdaddy
:metal :metal
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Uhm.. Play.com sets november 16th as release date?! :O Why so much later than everywhere else?
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What the hell, it said 2nd November a couple of days ago! Amazon UK has made the same change as well >:(
Maybe a problem with UK distribution I guess.
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DAMN YOU CANADA POST
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I was originally pretty "meh" on this album, but I think now, upon actually listening to it a few more times, that it's specifically that I'm pretty ambivalent about the few couple of tracks (especially The Wind Blew Them All Away, so bad), but I'm starting to really dig the following tracks. I'm on Evermore now, and I've very much enjoyed the rest of the album up til this point.
Please don't ask me to compare this album to SMPT:e or BAF though. Seriously, it'd be like Bambi Vs. Godzilla.
Protip: The Whirlwind isn't Godzilla.
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I've listened to it twice now. For the most part, it's perfectly likable. The problem is that I really hate the final track. After the investment that is listening to the whole thing, I want it to all come together in spectacular, majestic fashion. I can kind of see where they were going for majesty, but honestly, it's mostly just sappy. I like it as a whole enough that it'll still get plenty of play, but it's really kind of anti-climactic in my opinion.
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Man, I wonder how much I will like this. I should order it today.
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It arrived today!
First, the packaging is great. I got the 3 disc edition. For anyone who wants to know, it's the 2 disc digipak and a separate slim jewel case for the making of DVD. Both are inside a specialized box, which itself is pretty nice; nothing too fancy, but not cheap either.
As for the album itself;
I've listened to the first disc so far. I really like it. I'd put it below Bridge Across Forever and above SMPTe right now, but it will take many more listens to form a strong opinion.
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As for the album itself;
I've listened to the first disc so far. I really like it. I'd put it below Bridge Across Forever and above SMPTe right now, but it will take many more listens to form a strong opinion.
Actually, that's where I've moved to. Mainly because I'm judging on JUST disc one, which is what the standard edition album is.
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Lay Down Your Life is such a fun section of this song. The falsetto is really cool, as is the music underneath the singing. And Neal really has a knack for string arrangements.
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We should do a poll to know wich section is the best them. For me, my favorite part on the song is Rose Colored Glasses.
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Neals vocals in lay down your life are really the best he's ever done, imo. The falsetto is great, but the other parts are equally awesome!
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Anyone else in Canada still waiting on it? I hope it's here today :sadpanda:
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Haven't seen much talk about the Bonus Disc tracks, particularly the four originals, so here are my thoughts on those tracks (hopefully to help generate some chatter about them):
"Spinning" - It's like The Flower Kings birthed an illegitimate child with Yes and Transatlantic adpoted it. This is very Yes-like, mostly because of Roine, but that is by no means a bad thing! It's definitely my favorite of the four TA originals on the bonus disc. It's got that TFK-flavor, but the rest of the band's sounds make it more TA. The instrumental section feels like a cross between Yes and Genesis, and it ROCKS. The melodies are gorgeous, catchy and uplifting, definitely something Roine or Neal would come up with, so it's right at home with Transatlantic! And MAN does Roine cook on his guitar parts/solos here! WOW!
I'm hoping this one makes the cut for the inevitable "Whirlwind Tour"!
"Lenny Johnson" - This song tries hard to be The Beatles/John Lennon (even in name!), and it's a quaint tune, courtesy of Roine. I think it was their excuse to be different and have that Beatles-flavor they usually put on their albums ("Mystery Train" and "Suite Charlotte Pike"), and it's unusualness can be a bit off-putting, but others may still like it.
"For Such A Time" - What feels like a Neal Morse solo song is nicely placed here, using a theme from "The Whirlwind", I have to wonder which came first, but no matter what, it's here and I like it, despite what may be off-putting lyrical content, but it's expected from Neal. Interesting that the song is credited to "Morse - with Trewavas" - I suppose he helped him with the arranging and music on this one! I like it a lot
"Lending A Hand" - this is Pete feeling a 60's vibe, definitely The Beatles, but also many other things too, I'm sure. At first listen, this was very repetitive and boring for me, but after a few more, I've found some sweet subtleties about this piece that I enjoy! I love the spacey-trippy middle section with the saxophone. I think this song is more about production than anything, with it's layers of sounds and effects. Kudos to the band for letting Pete shine on a piece of his own, especially after contributing so many parts to "The Whirlwind"!
Over-all, I like these songs, and I hope at least two of them make the tour cut, although I think "Spinning" is the only foreseeable song to be played live (the other three seem more like solo-cuts by their respective writers).
-Marc.
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I need to listen to this album more. For some reason I listened to it twice and then forget about it. (Even though I really loved it and had no reason to do such a thing)
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After getting it yesterday, I have listened to Disc 1 twice. Lots of good stuff, but both times, I started to lose interest after a while. It is just difficult to keep interest high for that long in a single listen. I'll probably have to listen to the whole thing in chunks before I am able to get into the whole thing as a whole (like I did with Disc 1 of The Incident).
I haven't gotten to Disc 2 yet, but for some annoying reason, my PC will not recognize it. And by not recognize it, I mean that it is like there is no disc in there. iTunes, Real Player, WMP...none of them are able to identify a CD as even being there, so I am unable to rip it to my computer. Granted, the bulk of my early listens will be on my home stereo and in my car, but I still want to be able to rip it to my PC so I can make my new Transatlantic MP3 CD for my car. Annoying.
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That's odd. One of the first things I did was rip it to my work computer, and it worked just fine. Hopefully, you didn't get a defective copy.
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I haven't even listened to the bonus disc yet.
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I haven't even listened to the bonus disc yet.
There's lots of great stuff on it, I highly recommend it.
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Any word on the whiteboard contest?
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Just finished my first real listen. Its fine. As Barto said, the ending was a bit too sappy, but decent. Not sure how many more times I'll listen to it, but Trewavas' bass playing is excellent on this album. Starting the bonus disc now.
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In that city in the SKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
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BTW, just saw this on MP.com, posted by MP:
Just FOR THE RECORD as I've seen some threads (not neccessarily here, but on some other sites), assuming that this is another "Neal Solo Album" with me, Roine and Pete playing on it:
Of Neal's original 45-minute "Whirlwind" demo, the only bits that made it to the final Transatlantic version are:
-- II. The Wind Blew Them All Away
-- III. On The Prowl
-- (the ending instrumental section of) XI. Is It Really Happening
-- XII. Dancing With Eternal Glory
Essentially, that's about 20 of 77 minutes....
Everything else stemmed from other demos that Roine & Pete brought in or evolved in the studio once we were all together....
And that's pretty much the way that the first 2 TA albums worked as well...
MP
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BTW, just saw this on MP.com, posted by MP:
Just FOR THE RECORD as I've seen some threads (not neccessarily here, but on some other sites), assuming that this is another "Neal Solo Album" with me, Roine and Pete playing on it:
Of Neal's original 45-minute "Whirlwind" demo, the only bits that made it to the final Transatlantic version are:
-- II. The Wind Blew Them All Away
-- III. On The Prowl
-- (the ending instrumental section of) XI. Is It Really Happening
-- XII. Dancing With Eternal Glory
Essentially, that's about 20 of 77 minutes....
Everything else stemmed from other demos that Roine & Pete brought in or evolved in the studio once we were all together....
And that's pretty much the way that the first 2 TA albums worked as well...
MP
Hm... Interesting.
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I just have to say, I'm really liking Lenny Johnson. It's so funny.
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BTW, just saw this on MP.com, posted by MP:
Just FOR THE RECORD as I've seen some threads (not neccessarily here, but on some other sites), assuming that this is another "Neal Solo Album" with me, Roine and Pete playing on it:
Of Neal's original 45-minute "Whirlwind" demo, the only bits that made it to the final Transatlantic version are:
-- II. The Wind Blew Them All Away
-- III. On The Prowl
-- (the ending instrumental section of) XI. Is It Really Happening
-- XII. Dancing With Eternal Glory
Essentially, that's about 20 of 77 minutes....
Everything else stemmed from other demos that Roine & Pete brought in or evolved in the studio once we were all together....
And that's pretty much the way that the first 2 TA albums worked as well...
MP
Exactly what I was expecting to be the case. People's descriptions of this album have sounded exactly the same as the way I hear the first two albums, plus people commenting on it sounding "like a NM solo album" only point to a couple of moments, particularly the last track.
Besides, I've gotten used to the fact that when new albums come out, a lot of people judge against completely different criteria than that artist's previous albums.
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I just have to say, I'm really liking Lenny Johnson. It's so funny.
It's one of my favourite Transatlantic non-epics. And I really believe it will top We All Need Some Light, Mystery Train and Bridge Across Forever within a year.
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I finally listened to Disc 2 last night. Man, how cool is that? Great stuff, from the originals to the covers. :tup
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That's odd. One of the first things I did was rip it to my work computer, and it worked just fine. Hopefully, you didn't get a defective copy.
No, it works just fine in a normal CD player and in my car. Oh well. I grabbed a download of Disc 2 from someone and will upload it to my PC tonight, so it's all good.
BTW, just saw this on MP.com, posted by MP:
Just FOR THE RECORD as I've seen some threads (not neccessarily here, but on some other sites), assuming that this is another "Neal Solo Album" with me, Roine and Pete playing on it:
Of Neal's original 45-minute "Whirlwind" demo, the only bits that made it to the final Transatlantic version are:
-- II. The Wind Blew Them All Away
-- III. On The Prowl
-- (the ending instrumental section of) XI. Is It Really Happening
-- XII. Dancing With Eternal Glory
Essentially, that's about 20 of 77 minutes....
Everything else stemmed from other demos that Roine & Pete brought in or evolved in the studio once we were all together....
And that's pretty much the way that the first 2 TA albums worked as well...
MP
Yeah, the whole "It sounds like a Neal solo album" opinion just seems crazy to me. I mean, Neal Morse is one of the primary songwriters, so of course a good part of it is gonna dominantly feature his style, which is obviously prevalent on his solo records.
Besides, except for guest spots, which are sporadic at best, the guitar playing on his solo albums and the Transatlantic records are night and day. Neal, who does most of the electric playing on his solo albums, is a decent electric player, but Roine Stolt is a world class guitar player. Stolt's playing alone brings the TA records to a level that Neal's solo records never reach, except for ?, which features....Roine Stolt!
And the harmonies are much richer and fuller, thanks to having the many different voices, as opposed to Neal mainly just overdubbing his vocals, one over the other.
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I finally listened to Disc 2 last night. Man, how cool is that? Great stuff, from the originals to the covers. :tup
:metal
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I still haven't listened to disc 2 yet. But I love disc 1 though.
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Love the first two songs from the bonus disc (being a big Stolt fan, that can't be a surprise to anyone :biggrin:); like the other two, but need to give them more time before I can say it is anything more than like.
Still working on Disc 1, as it is gonna take time for it all to sink in.
Gave the covers a whirl once, pun intended. ;) :lol Sounded cool, but I probably won't listen to them much in general, and not at all again until I get used to all of the originals first.
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BTW, just saw this on MP.com, posted by MP:
Just FOR THE RECORD as I've seen some threads (not neccessarily here, but on some other sites), assuming that this is another "Neal Solo Album" with me, Roine and Pete playing on it:
Of Neal's original 45-minute "Whirlwind" demo, the only bits that made it to the final Transatlantic version are:
-- II. The Wind Blew Them All Away
-- III. On The Prowl
-- (the ending instrumental section of) XI. Is It Really Happening
-- XII. Dancing With Eternal Glory
Essentially, that's about 20 of 77 minutes....
Everything else stemmed from other demos that Roine & Pete brought in or evolved in the studio once we were all together....
And that's pretty much the way that the first 2 TA albums worked as well...
MP
That makes sense. When people said that ("sounds like a Neal Morse solo album" or "it's too much Neal Morse"), I had to disagree. There is so much in that song (more than half apparently) that is NOT Neal Morse sounding. Besides, the other two albums, in hindsight, has a lot of NM-sounding parts as well.
That's not a bad thing.
Anyway, love the album. It sounds fresh.
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The only part I really dislike on disc 1 is dancing with eternal glory.
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The only part I really dislike on disc 1 is dancing with eternal glory.
This. But, I like the finale, a LOT.
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I think the only reason so many people keep calling it a NM solo album is because it has that "old prog" sound like Spock's Beard, Flower Kings, and NM.
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I think the only reason so many people keep calling it a NM solo album is because it has that "old prog" sound like Spock's Beard, Flower Kings, and NM.
Agreed. And I'll bet those saying it are people who either don't care for Neal's solo albums that much or who haven't listened to the new TA record that much. Because if you are very familiar with Neal's solo work, and listen to this TA record enough, the major differences are more than obvious.
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I think the only reason so many people keep calling it a NM solo album is because it has that "old prog" sound like Spock's Beard, Flower Kings, and NM.
Agreed. And I'll bet those saying it are people who either don't care for Neal's solo albums that much or who haven't listened to the new TA record that much. Because if you are very familiar with Neal's solo work, and listen to this TA record enough, the major differences are more than obvious.
Yeah, I can definitely tell some differences between something like ? or Lifeline and The Whirlwind, but I agree it is really similar...I'm just not into the modern old prog sound anymore, aside from occasionally listening to TA or SB.
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Listened to disc 1 a few more times; it's grown on me quite a bit already. There are a few spots here and there that I'm not crazy about (which is to be expected for a 77 minute song), but the only significant part I'd say I still dislike is the first half of Is It Really Happening.
All of the instruments are absolutely stellar on this album. The bass is incredible, there's some awesome and varied guitar work, and Portnoy's performance is excellent. He's more relaxed and restrained than usual, and he rarely "overplays" on this album IMO. But he still manages to add that Portnoy "flair" while adding a lot with more subtle stuff a good deal of the time. All the guys do some great vocal work as well, although I think Morse's vocals were better overall on the previous Transatlantic albums.
I maintain that the writing is a tad weaker than the other two TA albums, which isn't saying much since those were both unbelievably good albums in my opinion. But for the most part, my feelings on this album are considerably more positive than they initially were.
-J
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Its epic. I am quite pleased after my first 5 or 6 listens. It keeps getting better every listen. This one has hooked me quicker then the first two records.
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The last two minutes of "Is It Really Happening?" are freaking awesome. I wish the album ended there because that would have been one hell of a way to finish it up. I'm with El Barto on this one, the last track is a let down after the flourish at the end of "Is It Reaally Happening?"
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The only thing I don't like about the last track is that it's a little Return of the King - there are several times when it could end, but it keeps going.
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I am digging most of the title track suite, but I do find the overture in track 1 a bit underwhelming. On past TA epics, following the buildup, it explodes into this majestically wonderful melody that is both grand and epic-sounding. When the first song on the new album finally kicks in around 1:33, it is kind of nice, but way too underwhelming. And the entire overture is the same way, at least compared to past TA epics. Perhaps it is unfair to compare it to their past songs, but when you have such awesomely beginnings to epics like in "All of the Above" and "Stranger in Your Soul," you have set the bar high for yourself.
And hef, I know what you mean about the last song. I like it quite a bit, but it is like they had two or three big ways to possibly end it, so instead of deciding on one of them, they used them all, which gives it that feeling of going on and on a bit too long. Then again, it is a 77-minute 12-track suite, so what do you expect? :lol
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True. :lol
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:lol :metal :tup Just picked up on the Monkees bass riff in I Need You at 3:10. That was genius how they worked it in so perfectly. bosk1 approves.
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Heard through this album a couple of times now, and i really really like it. As has been said many times before, it won't top Bridge across forever, but it's still one hell of an album!
I also agree that the first part of "is it really happening" and the whole "dancing with eternal glory" are the weakest parts, but i don't hate them. There are just so many really good parts and memorable melody-lines that those two parts feel kind of dull..
And, im not sure if the first disc really needed to be 77 minutes long :P Some parts could easily have been shorter, and some parts/themes are maybe beeing repeated a couple of times more than they need to, but i still like it A LOT. It's one hell of an effort!
Every single member needs to be applauded for their performances.
Neal - My god, his voice is really GODLY at times. Some parts (the end of "the wind blew them all away" and "lay down your life") gave me goosebumps.
Pete - His bass-tone is amazing, and his playing is absolutely incredible.
Roine - Well, duh.. Man, what a guitar-god this man is.
Mike - After hearing the last two TA-albums, and now this, i really think Mike was ment to play in a band like this. His DT-work rocks, offcourse, but he seems so relaxed, and super-creative in Transatlantic. I guess it probably is because he's got more of a "drummer-role" in TA than in DT, but still. I love it. And, he has to get a :tup for some of his vocal-performances here. I really liked his approach on "a salty dog", and his vox on "set us free" and "out of the night" are pretty good as well. He's got a really good clean-voice!
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On another note, I really wish Itchy would get his act together and update the website. It still has the "coming soon" and pre-order stuff.
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On another note, I really wish Itchy would get his act together and update the website. It still has the "coming soon" and pre-order stuff.
Well, over here it is still coming soon.
:sadpanda:
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Oh. True. I honestly forgot that you didn't have it yet. Sorry. :( *commiserates*
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On another note, I really wish Itchy would get his act together and update the website. It still has the "coming soon" and pre-order stuff.
Well, over here it is still coming soon.
:sadpanda:
Mhmm, and for the first time I was an honest guy, "I'll wait for the release date before listening to any demos/trailors/leaks".
Now we're a week later and I'm dying a little inside. My body's natural reaction was to get H1N1.
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My brother feels your pain. He made the mistake of ordering it from Radiant Records last Monday, and a week later, he is still waiting for his copy. That is just unacceptable. I wish he would have asked me about it beforehand, as I would have told NOT to order from them. I have had bad luck with them before getting new releases like that right away. I think it was One that I ordered from them a week before its release date and I didn't get it until like a week or so after the official release date. Once that happened, and I read about it happening to others, I stopped ordering new releases from them. Amazon.com and lasercd are the way to go. I get wanting to order it from the artists' site, but when they slack on getting it out to you quickly, it ain't worth it.
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My brother feels your pain. He made the mistake of ordering it from Radiant Records last Monday, and a week later, he is still waiting for his copy. That is just unacceptable. I wish he would have asked me about it beforehand, as I would have told NOT to order from them. I have had bad luck with them before getting new releases like that right away. I think it was One that I ordered from them a week before its release date and I didn't get it until like a week or so after the official release date. Once that happened, and I read about it happening to others, I stopped ordering new releases from them. Amazon.com and lasercd are the way to go. I get wanting to order it from the artists' site, but when they slack on getting it out to you quickly, it ain't worth it.
I preordered from Radiant within the first few hours it became available! :sadpanda:
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:lol :metal :tup Just picked up on the Monkees bass riff in I Need You at 3:10. That was genius how they worked it in so perfectly. bosk1 approves.
Monkees? You mean the "Daytripper" (The Beatles' song) riff played on guitar, not bass?
-Marc.
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KevShmev and Scard: We preordered from them as well... And we got them exactly when we expected. IDK, I don't remember ever having such problems with RR.
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I'm feelin good about today though....I know it....
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I've ordered from Radiant twice and had two excellent experiences.
Other than the fact that I didn't win the white board, apparently.
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That's really odd. I have had lots of trouble with preorders from Amazon, which is why I don't generally use them. I preordered mine from Radiant and, like many others, got it BEFORE the release date.
EDIT: That was in response to Scard. My experience has been similar to Nick's both times I ordered from Radiant. I've gotten very good and very timely service from them.
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I'm sure that it depends on when you order.
BTW, a lot of people have commented on Dancing With Eternal Glory as a weak point, but I must say that, as a believer, I find it an amazing metaphor for a relationship with God. It is a very evocative image for me, with "the Giver of Life asking you to dance."
I mean, I totally understand why a non-believer wouldn't dig on it, but I think it's wonderful.
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BTW, a lot of people have commented on Dancing With Eternal Glory as a weak point, but I must say that, as a believer, I find it an amazing metaphor for a relationship with God. It is a very evocative image for me, with "the Giver of Life asking you to dance."
I mean, I totally understand why a non-believer wouldn't dig on it, but I think it's wonderful.
As someone who isn't a believer (at least not in Neal's way), I really LOVE the finale. "Dancing With Eternal Glory" may be one of the best heartfelt, soulful endings Neal has ever penned (musically and lyrically), right up there with "Stranger In Your Soul", "The Great Nothing" and a few others. I could listen to this one track alone many more times than the rest of it and still be satisfied! The imagery and metaphors are just fantastic, and then with the "Whirlwind (Reprise)" after it, it just completes the song and the whole piece! Amazingly appropriate ending for this epic!
-Marc.
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Also, Amazon normally blows for getting me things on the release date.
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I love those moments in Roine Stolt's career where it sounds like he is channeling Steve Howe from the classic Yes days...like at the end of "A Man Can Feel."
More love needs to be given to "Spinning." I put that on my iPod for when I work out, and it about destroyed me this morning when I was doing bench presses. :metal :metal :metal
Oh, and "Soul Sacrifice"...Good God, that is flat-out sick.
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So, I guess I should hear the second disc at some point?
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From the TFK yahoo mailing list, here are some of Roine's thoughts on the "Soul Sacrifice" cover:
Soul Sacrifice is nice -
it's special as it is in fact a one take - with only percussion added
on top by the four of us - we had lots of fun
Neal playing Congas,Pete playing bongos,Mike and me a diversity of
shakers and maraccas - the funky 4.
Also it's special for me because it was also the first song I ever
recorded in a real studio in 1970 , together with an American
Hammondplayer
John Tillman and Hasse Bruniusson on drums and Lars Holmer (of Samla
Mammas Manna) on Rhodes piano ( Lars sadly passed away beginning of
this year from cancer)
I was only 16 years old so it was a special feeling to be withy thes
"old" guys and record for real a Sanatana song that I loved.
So in a way, full circle.
Roine .
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Cheers for posting that Kev, pretty neat.
As there are four covers, I'm kinda guessing each member picked one?
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This album is pure brilliance ! This is one of those special albums for me. I absolutely love it.
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I love those moments in Roine Stolt's career where it sounds like he is channeling Steve Howe from the classic Yes days...like at the end of "A Man Can Feel."
More love needs to be given to "Spinning." I put that on my iPod for when I work out, and it about destroyed me this morning when I was doing bench presses. :metal :metal :metal
Oh, and "Soul Sacrifice"...Good God, that is flat-out sick.
Spinning is incredibly catchy. Hard not to like it. But I have to admit, I've been spending most of my time on disk 1, so I haven't nearly absorbed the songs on disk 2 yet.
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Yeah, I am in love with this album. I wouldn't change a thing about it. I particularly just love the sound textures created by the instruments. The production quality is amazing and it just brings the enjoyment of the music up that much more. Crank this album's volume!! It sounds amazing loud!
I can't decide a favorite part, but I love when they do the snapping of the fingers. I love the lay down your life vocals. I don't know, there is still just too much music to be able to remember everything at this point haha.
I think it's perfect the way the vocals come in for the intro. Really gets the song moving.
I REALLY hope they tour!! Seeing the whirlwind live would be pure bliss.
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I meant to mention this awhile back, but was anyone really surprised that Roine kicks the album off vocally? I love it and fully support it, but for some reason I was just mentally prepared to hear Neal when I first put it in.
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Cheers for posting that Kev, pretty neat.
:)
As there are four covers, I'm kinda guessing each member picked one?
Did Trewavas pick the "I Need You" cover? I think it goes w/o saying that Morse being the Genesis song, Portnoy picked the Procol Harum song, and Roine picked the Santana song.
The production quality is amazing and it just brings the enjoyment of the music up that much more. Crank this album's volume!! It sounds amazing loud!
I haven't given it a straight through listen on my good stereo yet, with no distractions, but so far, I agree that it sounds great.
I meant to mention this awhile back, but was anyone really surprised that Roine kicks the album off vocally? I love it and fully support it, but for some reason I was just mentally prepared to hear Neal when I first put it in.
Roine vocals = MAJOR WIN. Always.
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I've ordered from Radiant twice and had two excellent experiences.
This. Always a great experience, and about to make a third. :biggrin:
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Heck yes, they had a special to buy the So Many Roads Triple CD set and The Whirlwind Deluxe Edition for $50. I just bought it. :hat
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Actually, three great experiences, forgot that I had acquired Lifeline and Sola from there.
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Sweet, confirmation email came with The Return of the Giant Hogweed. This is amazing.
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I played Hogweed for my daughters. They thought it was silly and trippy. Of course, they are right. :biggrin:
And yes, Soul Sacrifice is amazing. That's friggin' sick that it was basically one take.
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Yes, Hogweed is very, very trippy! :lol
So, I ordered from Radiant last night, they are usually very timely. How long til they get here??
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I am loving this more and more with every listen. Next best album of the year, after BCSL.
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I am loving this more and more with every listen. Next best album of the year, after BCSL.
I would say its better.
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I am loving this more and more with every listen. Next best album of the year, after BCSL.
I would say its better.
Agreed.
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Yes, Hogweed is very, very trippy! :lol
So, I ordered from Radiant last night, they are usually very timely. How long til they get here??
Quoting so it doesn't get lost on the last page. :)
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I am loving this more and more with every listen. Next best album of the year, after BCSL.
I would say its better.
Agreed.
Thirded. Zydar, check your PMs.
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Wow ! I'm so impressed by MP's vocal on A Salty Dog. It's nowhere near his vocals on The Best Of Times. He sings like I've never thought he could sing.
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So I've listened through this a few times now. Some random thoughts:
The overture is a great opener. It has a grand feeling to it, setting the mood nicely for the rest of the album.
Lay Down Your Life is the low point for me. I don't like the repeated riff, and it has another useless guitar solo like the one in Stranger in Your Soul. Actually, this is the only part I don't like from the title track. Man this album is awesome!
The ending of Is this Really Happening is awesome!
The spiritual lyrics don't bother me.
The ending of the Whirlwind reprise drags on, and not in the good way like the other TA epics. The final vocal line and melody is gold though. From the whirlwind comes the breath of life!
Lenny Johnson is really funny.
I like Mike's vocals. Also the keyboard patches are great.
That is all.
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Lenny Johnson is really funny.
I've seen more people mention this, what's funny about it?
I love the song, really, maybe the best short song TA has ever written, or even Roine has ever written. But why is it funny?
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Lenny Johnson is really funny.
I've seen more people mention this, what's funny about it?
I love the song, really, maybe the best short song TA has ever written, or even Roine has ever written. But why is it funny?
I don't really think it's a good song, but the lyrics are quite funny. The world is bigger than the cake said good old Lenny Johnson, I don't know, they are so unusual. I like how he doesn't sing the words Lenny Johnson in the same way every time too.
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I played Hogweed for my daughters. They thought it was silly and trippy. Of course, they are right. :biggrin:
If you like the cover, check out the original by Genesis. Killer song.
I am loving this more and more with every listen. Next best album of the year, after BCSL.
I would say its better.
Definitely agree. This TA disc will probably be my number 2 CD of the year (behind The Incident). BC&SL is very good, but not this good.
Lenny Johnson is really funny.
I love the song, really, maybe the best short song TA has ever written, or even Roine has ever written.
Eh, I like it a lot, but Roine has written many much better songs with TFK. And I would say "We All Need Some Light" is still their best "short" song.
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Lay Down Your Life is the low point for me. I don't like the repeated riff, and it has another useless guitar solo like the one in Stranger in Your Soul. Actually, this is the only part I don't like from the title track.
Wow, I think Lay Down Your Life is incredible. But hey, different strokes, and all that.
And Kev, I'm familiar with the original.
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I figured, but I also figured it was worth mentioning, just in case. ;) :D
Also, the last half of "Is It Really Happening?" is borderline ridiculous. That might be the best instrumental section of any TA song. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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I think the only reason so many people keep calling it a NM solo album is because it has that "old prog" sound like Spock's Beard, Flower Kings, and NM.
No.
rumborak
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Is ANYONE ELSE still waiting for it?
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So are they going to tour for this, and more specifically any chance of a live DVD with The Whirlwind straight through?
The info's probably out there, but I'm too lazy.
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They're touring. As far as a DVD, only time will tell.
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I hope so. The other tours were very short and didn't come anywhere near to hitting a lot of place I'm sure people would like to see them play. But I think there is a much higher demand nowadays, so hopefully they do something a little more extensive. I'm hoping for AT LEAST an L.A. date, if not S.F. I would road trip to L.A. to see them.
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I would hope so Bosk. If they only played L.A. in America I would be flying in to see them.
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Well, when I said "at least," was talking about in terms of West Coast dates. It wouldn't surprise me if a tour was still relatively scaled back. I hadn't discovered them the first time around, but wasn't their first U.S. tour only a few dates in the Northeast? I would hope they would expand that at least a bit by sprinkling in a couple of West Coast and Midwest dates. I mean, I don't think there could be too much complaining if they did something like Dallas, L.A., S.F., Chicago, Minneapolis or Cleveland (not sure which is the bigger market), and some East Coast dates.
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I would think the tour would probably be what you described, 10-15 cities, mainly North-east but then coming across the country and ending with 2-3 West Coast dates.
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I would think the tour would probably be what you described, 10-15 cities, mainly North-east but then coming across the country and ending with 2-3 West Coast dates.
Yeah, that would make sense. Again, I don't think they did that previously, but I think the demand for them is a lot higher now than it was 7 years ago.
Actually, if it were up to me, I would NOT have a Texas date.
Actually-actually, what would be ideal in my own mind, even though it would NEVER happen in real life, is to turn Prog Nation into a "real" festival show (i.e. a half-day event instead of really just a slightly extended concert with short sets for the openers) where Neal Morse, The Flower Kings, Marillion, and DT each get 70-90 min. sets and then as the finale, Transatlantic does its own 70-90 minute set. I can only WISH they would do something like that.
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Yeah, in our dreams we can hope. :lol
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I would probably make the trip up to Chicago if they go there. I know my brother would go with me. :)
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I mean, there is still no guarantee that there will be a tour, but if there is I'd be going to any NYC area or Philly area shows, and hopefully one more in addition depending on where they hit.
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Hell, I would go, if only to see the older stuff being played.
rumborak
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Actually, if it were up to me, I would NOT have a Texas date.
:angry:
...ah, who am I kidding, I probably wouldn't be able to go see it anyway.
-J
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Europe please.
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??? What's a Europe?
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??? What's a Europe?
The guys that sang The Final Countdown.
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Hell, I would go, if only to see the older stuff being played.
rumborak
Traveling to Hell to see a band play? Now that's dedication.
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[rant]
Some of the pissing and moaning I am seeing about some of the lyrics on this CD on other sites (not 5/8, FYI) is completely cracking me up. Apparently, some are pissed that some of Neal's lyrics are a bit too religious for them (even though they are toned down a bit). Well, I say TOO FREAKING BAD. Neal has been writing those kind of lyrics since 2001. How is it a surprise that the lyrics he wrote are religious and/or spiritual in nature? And if they bother you so much to where your enjoyment of the music is ruined, then don't buy the freaking CD, and don't listen to the freaking music. Good Lord, people, buying a CD featuring Neal Morse and bitching about his lyrics would be like buying a Dream Theater CD and bitching that there are too many solos. You know what you are getting going in, for Christ's sake! Sure, you might not like some aspects of it, and you might even voice a criticism or two about it, but acting all surprised that this is still going on display a tremendous amount of ignorance. Neal Morse writes religious lyrics now, until further notice. End of story.
And I know some would say, "Well, I thought it would be different with Transatlantic," and guess what? It is! Neither God nor Jesus are mentioned. As for the giver of life lyrics and all of that stuff in the "Dancing With Eternal Glory" part, if you didn't know what Neal's religious beliefs were, you probably wouldn't be bothered by that stuff at all. Those lyrics could have been written by someone who believes in 10 gods. It is all a matter of how you interpret them. If you choose to be bothered them, well, that is on you, not Neal or the rest of the band, who apparently had no problem with the lyrics, otherwise they wouldn't have ended up on a Transatlantic record.
It also cracks me when people who normally don't care about lyrics suddenly are super offended by these lyrics. Shoot, I am a big fan of lyrics, and bands I love write lyrics all of the time that I might disagree with or might go against what I believe, but I almost never let them ruin my enjoyment of the music (unless the lyrics are simply poorly written or the song itself is not good).
Bottom line: If you are buying a Neal Morse CD or one that features him nowadays, you are probably gonna get some religious and/or spiritual lyrics. If you can't handle them, don't buy or listen to the damn CD.
[/rant]
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I don't buy his CD's exactly for that reason, I really dislike the lyrics.
I really like the Whirlwind, apart from the dancing part. And I probably would have still disliked it if someone else had written it.
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[rant]
Some of the pissing and moaning I am seeing about some of the lyrics on this CD on other sites (not 5/8, FYI) is completely cracking me up. Apparently, some are pissed that some of Neal's lyrics are a bit too religious for them (even though they are toned down a bit). Well, I say TOO FREAKING BAD. Neal has been writing those kind of lyrics since 2001. How is it a surprise that the lyrics he wrote are religious and/or spiritual in nature? And if they bother you so much to where your enjoyment of the music is ruined, then don't buy the freaking CD, and don't listen to the freaking music. Good Lord, people, buying a CD featuring Neal Morse and bitching about his lyrics would be like buying a Dream Theater and bitching that there are too many solos. You know what you are getting going in, for Christ's sake! Sure, you might not like some aspects of it, and you might even voice a criticism or two about it, but acting all surprised that this is still going on display a tremendous amount of ignorance. Neal Morse writes religious lyrics now, until further notice. End of story.
And I know some would say, "Well, I thought it would be different with Transatlantic," and guess what? It is! Neither God nor Jesus are mentioned. As for the giver of life lyrics and all of that stuff in the "Dancing With Eternal Glory" part, if you didn't know what Neal's religious beliefs were, you probably wouldn't be bothered by that stuff at all. Those lyrics could have been written by someone who believes in 10 gods. It is all a matter of how you interpret them. If you choose to be bothered them, well, that is on you, not Neal or the rest of the band, who apparently had no problem with the lyrics, otherwise they wouldn't have ended up on a Transatlantic record.
It also cracks me when people who normally don't care about lyrics suddenly are super offended by these lyrics. Shoot, I am a big fan of lyrics, and bands I love write lyrics all of the time that I might disagree with or might go against what I believe, but I almost never let them ruin my enjoyment of the music (unless the lyrics are simply poorly written or the song itself is not good).
Bottom line: If you are buying a Neal Morse CD or one that features him nowadays, you are probably gonna get some religious and/or spiritual lyrics. If you can't handle them, don't buy or listen to the damn CD.
[/rant]
This should be in some sort of FAQ form.
Another band that never gets this hate, from what I've seen, is Thrice. The "leader" is blatantly Christian (one listen from his solo CD will tell you that). Yet, their stuff is gold in the eyes of all their fans, which include many nonbelievers. I've read that they just don't label themselves the Christian label for a few reasons which I forget.
Here are a few of their lyrics spanning a few CD's:
"Come all you weary, come gather around near me, find rest for your soul"
"I give my body up into the flames, and never once have I denied your name."
"We are the image of the invisible"
"Though all the world may hate us, we are named. . ."
There are more, and they don't sing just about God, and they don't sound "silly" to the nonreligious, but I could point out Scriptures to any of these lyrics, and more, and what would people say then?
My point is, music is made to be enjoyed. Many songs we listen to encapsulate the beliefs, feelings, and experiences of the person or persons. Sometimes you will get Christian themes or proclamations. If you don't believe in any God, why should it really bother you? Can you not interpret the song as a story anyway, especially with progressive music? Maybe I am missing something, I don't know.
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Excellent rant. I feel exactly the same way.
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I'm with you Kev; I don't think his lyrics on this album are any more "religious" than on previous Transatlantic albums.
This album has continued to grow on me quite a bit. I still feel like it falls off after Pieces of Heaven, but that may be partially due to the sheer magnitude of the song wearing me out. Lay Down Your Life is all right, and I still don't like the first half of Is It Really Happening. The finale is good but definitely goes on longer than necessary, and it's noticeable.
-J
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[rant]...[/rant]
Great post...but...I keep reading the words and then reading who posted them, and each time my brain just says "does not compute."
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And it's being shipped today...
They missed me, apparently
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[rant]...[/rant]
Great post...but...I keep reading the words and then reading who posted them, and each time my brain just says "does not compute."
:lol I had the same thoughts when I read the [rant]. I had to do a double-take.
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This is for both of you:
(https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/kevshmev/frances.gif)
:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
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Yeah, I share Bosk's feelings here. :lol
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I'm on your side, Kev. Great rant, BTW.
Also, James is right about Thrice. I never hear this kind of objection about them.
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I just heard the record for the first time. What's with those terrible religious lyrics? Stop preaching Neil!
:neverusethis:
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What Kev said.
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This is for both of you:
(https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/kevshmev/frances.gif)
:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
:-*
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Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
"Who is this who darkens counsel
with words without knowledge?"
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Good Lord, people, buying a CD featuring Neal Morse and bitching about his lyrics would be like buying a Dream Theater CD and bitching that there are too many solos.
I'm sure you know how much I like and respect you, so I mean no offence when I say that I found this quite amusingly ironic! :lol
Otherwise, very very well said.
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Good Lord, people, buying a CD featuring Neal Morse and bitching about his lyrics would be like buying a Dream Theater CD and bitching that there are too many solos.
I'm sure you know how much I like and respect you, so I mean no offence when I say that I found this quite amusingly ironic! :lol
Otherwise, very very well said.
Well, there is a big difference here. I never say stuff like, "ZOMG, there are too many solos in DT's music now, and I can't listen to any of it now," or anything dramatic like that. Too much soloing or a solo I do not like may make me not like part of a particular song, but I can still enjoy the rest of the song (although there are a few songs with excessive soloing that I do not enjoy overall, but those are rare exceptions). A good example is "Honor Thy Father," a darn good song that has a keyboard solo I do not like. I hate the solo, but I can still enjoy the heck out of the rest of the tune. Contrast that to people who apparently used to call themselves Neal Morse fans saying crap like, "His lyrics have taken the enjoyment out of listening to his music altogether," or stuff like that. Big, big difference.
And for the record, I almost never criticize DT for having too many solos. My criticism is usually of particular solos, the keyboard ones, 95% of the time.
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It's not like the other Transatlantic albums didn't feature spiritual lyrics. Or some of his Spock's Beard stuff, for that matter.
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Although it's not a problem for me, I think the problem isn't that the lyrics are spiritual as much as Neal Morse has become SO one dimensional with his lyrics. Much like one Systematic Chaos, people weren't necessarily upset there were some Sci-Fi lyrics, but many were upset simply because there were so many.
I think people just want to see Neal try and write some lyrics that aren't spiritual in nature.
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What about a song like Leviathan, from Lifeline? That song is really awesome and I don't see how it would turn people off, even with an opening line like "Praise ye the Lord all the Earth ya sea monsters"? I'm pretty sure, AFAIK, that that is the only spiritual lyric in the song.
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Although it's not a problem for me, I think the problem isn't that the lyrics are spiritual as much as Neal Morse has become SO one dimensional with his lyrics.
I think people just want to see Neal try and write some lyrics that aren't spiritual in nature.
Yeah, this. To us a very extreme analogy, it's like going to McDonald's, getting served a cup of fat, and then being told "Well, what did you expect? McD was always fatty! If you go here, then don't complain you're getting a cup of fat! Newsflash, that's what they do now."
I think I (and I guess others too) were hoping he would use Transatlantic to do music in a different framework, outside of his own music that has been put on a mission.
That said, I've somehow learned to appreciate the album a bit more, by really ignoring some of the lyrics. Still not nearly as what I had been hoping for as a successor to the first two album (the music is just not the same caliber), but not as bad as my initial reaction that I had to it.
I also like the bonus CD quite a lot, now that I heard it.
rumborak
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As a believer, I can even admit that Neal does lay it on a bit too thick at times, and there are times where I wish he would tone it down a bit, but I don't see the problem AT ALL with the lyrics on this new TA record. They are not even close to being as overtly religious as the ones on the studio albums he has done since '03. Like I said before, I think if no one knew anything about Neal's beliefs or if he had never written anything before this, but because we have his past work as a reference, it is causing some people to overreact, thinking that he is going all crazy with the religious lyrics again, when that really isn't the case at all. I think most of the ones that he obviously wrote are broad enough to where you could use your own interpretation, even if Neal had something more narrow in mind when he wrote them.
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Of course his musical back catalog is being used as a reference, but how could one not?
Frankly, I think really a lot stems from the fact that several songs on that album entered the studio completely finished by Neal. So, inevitably, they are going to sound like his solo stuff. I think if, say, they had left out those songs, leaving the ones that were a completely collaborative effort, people wouldn't have said that comment about the album. It's just that, because Neal's music and lyrical style has become so distinctive, the album gets somewhat hijacked by it.
rumborak
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See, I don't think that is fair. Shouldn't it go without saying that the writing style of the primary songwriters are gonna come out in a project like this, regardless of how collaborative the effort is? I mean, songs like "Spinning, "Out of the Night" and "Evermore" would have all fitted right at home on a Flower Kings record, so can we say that too much of the record sounds a Flower Kings record?
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Actually, yeah, that is a pretty fair statement. It's probably somewhat unfair to only criticize NM here, I think Stolt also just plugged pre-written sections into the songs many times.
I dunno, maybe I have an overly rosy view of the first two albums, but they never struck me as a collection of solo bits. They merged a lot better than Whirwind does. IMHO.
rumborak
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I don't think it is a matter of them plugging pre-written sections into the whole thing. Transatlantic is quite obviously supposed to be progressive rock to the max, and the prog rock styles of Morse and Stolt are both so distinctive, that it would pretty difficult for either of them to write a lot of material and have much of it NOT sound like their respective styles.
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I think more so these days than when the first two came out. Both bands have developed a very unique style over the years.
rumborak
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Very true. And even though this is progressive rock, I don't get the impression that they are trying to reinvent the wheel with this project. I think it is four modern day prog musicians coming together and fusing classic prog rock with their respective prog rock styles and whatnot.
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I swear, the drums for Transatlantic sound a lot like Dream Theater.
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I swear, the drums for Transatlantic sound a lot like Dream Theater.
Strange. I can't possibly imagine why you would think such a thing.
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Besides there being no heavy parts on Whirlwind, or blistering guitar solos, and you can actually hear the bass, and the vocals sound a lot different yeah quite a bit like DT.
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Neal Morse-era Spock's Beard used a ton of religious imagery, even before Snow. The Good Don't Last? Waste Away? .... OK, that's actually all I can think of, but I'm sure there's others.
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Neal Morse-era Spock's Beard used a ton of religious imagery, even before Snow. The Good Don't Last? Waste Away? .... OK, that's actually all I can think of, but I'm sure there's others.
Uh, far more than either of those: The Light. :lol
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My favorite is The Water. :metal
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FUCK YOU!!!!
That's Neal Morse in his puberty ladies and gentlemen :D
Well, my favourite SB track must be either The Light or The Great Nothing
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Neal Morse-era Spock's Beard used a ton of religious imagery, even before Snow. The Good Don't Last? Waste Away? .... OK, that's actually all I can think of, but I'm sure there's others.
Uh, far more than either of those: The Light. :lol
The weird thing is, I think he did his mission more service in the SB days than he does now. Back in the day, his lyrics had a Christian message, but it was nicely veiled in imagery. Thus, non-Christians would listen to it. With his recent lyrics, a lot of "potential Christians" don't listen to it, because it's too in-your-face.
BTW, I really gravitate to the bonus CD. Good stuff on it.
rumborak
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I love the lyrics on the album. :tup
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The weird thing is, I think he did his mission more service in the SB days than he does now. Back in the day, his lyrics had a Christian message, but it was nicely veiled in imagery. Thus, non-Christians would listen to it. With his recent lyrics, a lot of "potential Christians" don't listen to it, because it's too in-your-face.
I agree. I'm a Christian and somewhat religious guy, but most "Christian Rock" lyrics are really lame. In your face and lame at the same time. The music is pretty bland most of the time, too, but I could probably stand it if the lyrics were better.
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I do find some of it lame as well, but Neal Morse is fine, he mixes it up way more than the bad music does. Not to say all Christian songs that have those in-your--face lyrics are bad (many are quite great), but some are just bad in every sense, or enough senses to not make me want to listen to it.
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Neal's in a league of his own. If I had to label him at all, I guess he'd be "Christian Prog", and then I'd realize that I can't think of another artist who I'd put in the same genre.
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Neal's in a league of his own. If I had to label him at all, I guess he'd be "Christian Prog", and then I'd realize that I can't think of another artist who I'd put in the same genre.
There's a few obscure bands I know of, although I've only heard a few songs by each from various sources (compilation CD's, myspace music, youtube). Neal is the definite leader of the pack, though.
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I've heard one or two, but the problem with them was that the music was far too technical (which doesn't lend itself well to spiritual lyrics), plus the lyrics were far too blatant (way more so than NM has ever been). The combination just made it sound a bit comical.
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Neal's lyrics are okay with me because I don't get the feeling that he's preaching or trying to convert me. He's just singing about stuff he feels very strongly about. Which is exactly what I'd expect him to write about.
For me, prog is kinda ruined the minute I get the feeling that they're trying to be prog. "Look at us, we have instrumentals and crazy time signatures, we are prog!" It has to seem like that's just the way they write music. And it's very subjective. A lot of people don't like DT, or Yes, Genesis, or any of the other big names because they think "What are they trying to prove?" They're not trying to "prove" anything; that's just the way they are. Five-minute pop songs bore the hell out of them, so they write stuff with more balls.
I said way upthread that the idea of a 60-minute song (or whatever it is) is rather absurd, and I still lean that way sometimes. If Neal walked in and said "Hey, I have this concept for a huge long piece of music" then I could deal with that. But if it started with "Hey, let's have the entire disk be all one song" then they're trying to be prog. They're doing it to show off.
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I'm almost positive I'm going to be the last person on the forum to hear this album...
:sadpanda: :sadpanda: :sadpanda:
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I said way upthread that the idea of a 60-minute song (or whatever it is) is rather absurd, and I still lean that way sometimes. If Neal walked in and said "Hey, I have this concept for a huge long piece of music" then I could deal with that. But if it started with "Hey, let's have the entire disk be all one song" then they're trying to be prog. They're doing it to show off.
That's a very good point, Orbert. While I'm enjoying this new record, the sheer length of the song and the fact that it conveniently lasts just under 80 minutes (ie, a full CD's worth of music) makes me think that prog bands indeed combine ideas together into as long of a song as is possible.
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I'm almost positive I'm going to be the last person on the forum to hear this album...
:sadpanda: :sadpanda: :sadpanda:
I dunno, could be me at this rate!
Release in the UK seemed to constantly get pushed back, so I decided to order from Radiant. No telling when that'll come though!
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I ordered through Radiant last week. I wonder when I'll get the email.
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Well, I just got home and guess what I have. :laugh:
Since I bought So Many Roads Live (Triple CD) and the deluxe edition of The Whirlwind, I don't know where to begin. :biggrin:
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Studio material always comes before live material.
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Well, I just got home and guess what I have. :laugh:
Since I bought So Many Roads Live (Triple CD) and the deluxe edition of The Whirlwind, I don't know where to begin. :biggrin:
YOU ORDERED LAST WEEK? I PREORDERED THE 3 DISC WHIRLWIND SEPTEMBER 18!
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Studio material always comes before live material.
This.
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Well, I just got home and guess what I have. :laugh:
Since I bought So Many Roads Live (Triple CD) and the deluxe edition of The Whirlwind, I don't know where to begin. :biggrin:
YOU ORDERED LAST WEEK? I PREORDERED THE 3 DISC WHIRLWIND SEPTEMBER 18!
From Radiant? They are awesome with me. . .
Studio material always comes before live material.
This.
Of course, unless it's one of my favorite bands ever.
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Studio material always comes before live material.
This.
Of course, unless it's one of my favorite bands ever.
No, even then. That's what "always" means.
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Well, I just got home and guess what I have. :laugh:
Since I bought So Many Roads Live (Triple CD) and the deluxe edition of The Whirlwind, I don't know where to begin. :biggrin:
YOU ORDERED LAST WEEK? I PREORDERED THE 3 DISC WHIRLWIND SEPTEMBER 18!
From Radiant? They are awesome with me. . .
Yeah from Radiant. Apparently my order was overlooked and was shipped friday
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Studio material always comes before live material.
This.
Of course, unless it's one of my favorite bands ever.
No, even then. That's what "always" means.
I would qualify that post to read "almost always." I mean, what Nick said is my general rule of thumb. But if, let's say, a highly anticipated DT live release comes out on the same day as a studio album from a band I am more "hot and cold" about, I'm probably popping in the DT disk first.
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I guess, but if I was "hot and cold" about the group, I wouldn't buy their album on the release date of the DT live album, thereby avoiding any conflict.
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I guess, but if I was "hot and cold" about the group, I wouldn't buy their album on the release date of the DT live album, thereby avoiding any conflict.
I would. Best Buy and the other local record shop I frequent usually have new releases on sale the first few days after release day. If I know I'm going to buy it anyway, I'd rather save a few bucks.
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Yeah, what bosky said. But really, if it wasn't NM or DT, I would have most definitely listened to TA first.
I am about to listen for the first time, in fact. The Whirlwind, here I cooooooooooooooooooooooooooome!
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Strap yourselves in, boys. We're in for some chop.
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^^^ :metal
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This record is progtastic. Holy moly, way too much to take in at once. I love it.
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Although it's not a problem for me, I think the problem isn't that the lyrics are spiritual as much as Neal Morse has become SO one dimensional with his lyrics. Much like one Systematic Chaos, people weren't necessarily upset there were some Sci-Fi lyrics, but many were upset simply because there were so many.
I think people just want to see Neal try and write some lyrics that aren't spiritual in nature.
Good point, Nick. I'll always embrace the spirituality of those early Spock's Beard albums (It's one of the qualities that make them among my favorites). Hell, I even thought Testimony was awesome because it comes across as very organic and honest. I don't mind the spirituality at all (and he really is a musical genius and a very nice guy).
I'm still interested in what he has to say and I'm not as disagreeable with his "There can be only one" point of view of his solo work. I'm still trying to find an interpretation that works for me on The Whirlwind since it's not really a Neal Morse and friends recording.
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Did anyone else just crack up the first time they heard Mike's fill on "A Man can Feel" at 5:30-5:34? Not because I think it's a bad fill, I just wasn't expecting him to play that and, I dunno, it just cracked me up :lol
By the way, I LOVE THIS ALBUM. There are so many amazing moments on it. Start to finish, I love pretty much every second of it.
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Did anyone else just crack up the first time they heard Mike's fill on "A Man can Feel" at 5:30-5:34? Not because I think it's a bad fill, I just wasn't expecting him to play that and, I dunno, it just cracked me up :lol
By the way, I LOVE THIS ALBUM. There are so many amazing moments on it. Start to finish, I love pretty much every second of it.
*Goes back to listen to said fill*... AHHH yes, this one! The one where he mercilessly beats his 8" rack tom to death... on the DVD, he records the fill twice (as shown), so I guess he wasn't happy with it the first time around! It did stick out in my mind as an unusual fill for MP, but it works! It feels a bit Peart-inspired, to me (recalling a bit of his "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" DVD, where he's improvising/exploring on his drums and he beats out his 10" rack tom to death!).
-Marc.
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After about five listens to disc 1, I am in love with The Whirlwind. I will be checking disc 2 and the documentary later on.
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The documentary is REALLY good, but LONG. I watched it the first night I got it. I intended to only watch part of it, but it is pretty addicting, and I couldn't help myself.
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I may save it for Thanksgiving break then. Music is something I can listen to in many spots, but a documentary needs a lot more attention. Can't wait to watch it!
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It'll definitely be interesting after having heard the CD a few times. I hadn't really listened to the music yet, so I didn't make a lot of musical connections when I was watching it.
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I still haven't popped in the second disc or the DVD, but disc 1 is great.
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I listened to the first couple of tracks today but, like the other Transatlantic records, it started becoming a little much for me. I'll definitely finish it tonight.
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YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY IT FINALLY ARRIVED! :D
Funny, I never got shipping confirmation from Radiant, so wasn't expecting it.
Listening now, will post thoughts later.
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I listened to the first couple of tracks today but, like the other Transatlantic records, it started becoming a little much for me. I'll definitely finish it tonight.
The first time I listened to it, I found it overwhelming. But now I love it. It is their most ambitious offering, and the scope is quite large.
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Just finished first listen through both disks, so much great stuff!
Yeah there's a lot to take in, so will have to listen a few more times to form a full opinion, but I'm certainly not disappointed! :)
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Upon my fifth listen, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Masterpiece song imo.
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I listened to the first couple of tracks today but, like the other Transatlantic records, it started becoming a little much for me. I'll definitely finish it tonight.
The first time I listened to it, I found it overwhelming. But now I love it. It is their most ambitious offering, and the scope is quite large.
This. It took quite a few listens before I really started to appreciate it, but I think it's a very good album now, and it continues to grow on me.
-J
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Upon my fifth listen, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Masterpiece song imo.
This exactly. I love the second disk as much as the first.
Also, my roommate GL and me were just talking (I'm listening to it now), and we just realised how amazing the overture is. I mean, it's 6 min of pure awesome drilled into the front brain.
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Upon my fifth listen, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Masterpiece song imo.
This exactly. I love the second disk as much as the first.
Also, my roommate GL and me were just talking (I'm listening to it now), and we just realised how amazing the overture is. I mean, it's 6 min of pure awesome drilled into the front brain.
All of this. It's in my top 5 albums of the year, definitely.
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I've gotten through the title track twice now. It's great, has a lot of really interesting sections, but overall it's just too much. There will be very few opportunities to just sit and listen to it all the way through, so it'll probably come up once in a while in my regular rotation, and I'll work my way through it a little at a time, as with any other album.
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The instrumental stuff in the second half of Is This Really Happening is just so damn good!
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I hope it comes today :(
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There will be very few opportunities to just sit and listen to it all the way through...
Yeah, that's just a reality when you have a 78-minute song. I can't stress enough how relieved I am that they gave it track breaks. I've recently taken to putting my iTunes on shuffle at work, and the different movements from The Whirlwind randomly come up throughout the day. I have to say that, even though they definitely work well together as a whole to make the song as awesome as it is, they also work quite well individually.
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The instrumental stuff in the second half of Is This Really Happening is just so damn good!
That whole buildup into the amazing synth solo part is just jaw-dropping. Probably my favorite part of the song.
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I know it's not the most dynamic section, but right now, A Man Can Feel is my favorite of the moment. The whole movement probably has my favorite vocal performance of the entire album. Everybody really contributes strongly, but Roine and Mike really do an awesome job.
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Yeah A Man Can Feel is probably my overall favourite so far, it just Roine's sound all over it, in a very very good way! :)
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I love Rose Colored Glasses.
I can't get over how great Neal's vocals are on this project. I know that over the last several years that he has played songs a half-step down live so he can still sing them, and I wonder how live performances of The Whirlwind will be.
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Interesting question. One thing he has going in his favor that he does not have the luxury of in his solo tours is the fact that he does not carry all the lead vocals in TA, so he can rest a bit.
I wonder if they'll bring in a hired gun as a fifth musician like they did on the Europe tour. Judging from the Live In Europe release, having an extra layer of guitar and/or keyboard really seemed good, so I would hope they do it again. Any thoughts as to who they might bring out if they did that?
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I think if they did that, it wouldn't be a big name anyway. Maybe one from Neal's new band?
Possibly a girl, Jessica Koomen?
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If the schedule works out I could see Gildenlow doing it again.
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If the schedule works out I could see Gildenlow doing it again.
I think it would be nice if they asked him to do it again.
And actually, I was thinking maybe Neal would suggest something like his Testimony tour, bringing in 4 or 5 musicians to help fill out the vocals/layers of instruments - perhaps members of Neal's European band and musicians from the US, so the band would *really* Transatlantic at that point!
Either way, I think the extra musician(s) on tour would help! The sound on Live In Europe is just so full compared to some of Live In America, and I enjoyed Daniel's presence!
-Marc.
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1 guy is all that is needed, even if it added to things somewhat I'd be totally against 4 or 5 extra guys coming along.
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Possibly a girl, Jessica Koomen?
I don't know that she can play guitar, and I think they need someone that can switch off between guitar and keys (unless they bring one of each).
I'm thinking they should just bring Rudess.
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1 guy is all that is needed, even if it added to things somewhat I'd be totally against 4 or 5 extra guys coming along.
Agreed. They don't need all of those extra musicians. And if they use Gildenlow again, so long as they keep him away from doing any lead vocals, I am fine with that.
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Eh, well it was a thought. If they bring anyone, I'd rather see Gildenlow than anyone, honestly. He seemed to enjoy playing with them on the Live In Europe DVD.
What about Nick D'Virgilio? He could cover vocals and guitars and maybe some backing keys, maybe some hand-percussion as well.
Maybe Nick could cover for the NA tour, and Daniel for the EU tour!
-Marc.
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Nick would certainly be an interesting choice. I'm not sure how much keyboard work he does, but he'd be a great backing singer/guitar player for the band, and Roine could always play a 2nd keyboard part if needed while Nick would play the guitar.
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Still gotta pick up a proper version of this album. I've only heard songs here and there. What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
1 guy is all that is needed, even if it added to things somewhat I'd be totally against 4 or 5 extra guys coming along.
That's what...
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What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
Yeah. Here are the lyrics.
Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.
There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya'
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates himself was permanently pissed...
John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away;
Half a crate of whiskey every day.
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart: "I drink, therefore I am"
Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!
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Yeah A Man Can Feel is probably my overall favourite so far
This. I listened to the whole thing yesterday with lyrics and everything, and this song was the most memorable. It´s just gorgeous.
I have to say that this album has a more Beatles-esque feeling than the others TA albums. The emphasis on harmonies and melodies, and the songs structured in a way that they unfold, develop, and build up giving you a lot but little by little instead of smashing your face right away is one of the very strong points of the album IMO.
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One thing I really love about this album is that it is a bit different from the other 2 albums, but in a good way. This song is already one of my favorite songs ever. Is It Really Happening? is so amazing.
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I said weeks ago that "A Man Can Feel" was the best movement from the first CD. Good to see you are all catching up. ;) :biggrin:
Not sure I can say that this album sounds their most Beatles-esque, though. "Suite Charlotte Pike" is still BY FAR their most Beatles-esque song, which I am pretty sure was intentional.
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I said weeks ago that "A Man Can Feel" was the best movement from the first CD. Good to see you are all catching up. ;) :biggrin:
Not sure I can say that this album sounds their most Beatles-esque, though. "Suite Charlotte Pike" is still BY FAR their most Beatles-esque song, which I am pretty sure was intentional.
Yeah I agree, the suite was clearly a let´s do a Beatles song kind of thing. But I think in this new album the feeling is everywhere throughout the album. I´m not a big Beatles fan but I´ve been listening to them lately and I can hear some elements of their music in the whirlwind.
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What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
Yeah. Here are the lyrics.
*Immanuel Kant*
:lol excellent!
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@Kev: the album wasn't out here a few weeks ago, so my catching up was just waiting for the CD to arrive ;)
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I really do love their cover of A Salty Dog. It's a great tune, and Mike's vocals are excellent on it!
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What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
Yeah. Here are the lyrics.
Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.
There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya'
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates himself was permanently pissed...
John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away;
Half a crate of whiskey every day.
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart: "I drink, therefore I am"
Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!
I C WAT U DID THAR
-
What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
Yeah. Here are the lyrics.
Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.
There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya'
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates himself was permanently pissed...
John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away;
Half a crate of whiskey every day.
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart: "I drink, therefore I am"
Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!
:lol Did you write that or is it a copypasta?
-
I typed most of it by memory, but had to look up a few lines.
-
So I was listening to The Whirlwind while slaving over this essay I was writing for college. I finish the essay, and am just going to turn it in online... and "Is it really happening?" comes on.
Absolutely epic finish for my essay. "Is it really happening? Am I finally done with this essay?.." And then I heard the line that says "Is it really going to pass?", and that was just too freaking perfect :lol
-
What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
Yeah. Here are the lyrics.
Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.
There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya'
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates himself was permanently pissed...
John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away;
Half a crate of whiskey every day.
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart: "I drink, therefore I am"
Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!
:lol Did you write that or is it a copypasta?
Monty Python's Flying Circus, "The Bruces' Philosophy Song".
-
Alright well, I dunno if anyone of you guys know what to do in my situation. I still don't have it. I've emailed them, the first time she said I was overlooked and sent it out immediately. It's been 2 weeks since then even. I preordered Sept 18 or whatever, and it's now Nov 19, almost a month after the release. Should I just go to a store and buy it? Am I going to find the 3disc edition at HMV? I'm so disappointed in Radiant Records..
-
Seems a bit strange really, my copy arrived reasonably quickish.
And the HMV here had all three versions of the album, including the deluxe 3 disc one, but can't guarantee yours will.
-
What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
Yeah. Here are the lyrics.
Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.
There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya'
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates himself was permanently pissed...
John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away;
Half a crate of whiskey every day.
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart: "I drink, therefore I am"
Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!
:lol Did you write that or is it a copypasta?
Monty Python's Flying Circus, "The Bruces' Philosophy Song".
Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl :lol
-
Also the album Matching Tie and Handkerchief and the original TV episode 22.
-
Seems a bit strange really, my copy arrived reasonably quickish.
And the HMV here had all three versions of the album, including the deluxe 3 disc one, but can't guarantee yours will.
I live right by an HMV superstore, so I guess I should be fine. Thanks
-
Does anyone find it really hard to find the time to listen to the entire first disc? I find myself wanting to listen to it but I don't really have the time to sit down for 80 minutes. Back when I used to play WoW I could listen to music while playing, but now I don't really do anything I can listen to music to.
-
Does anyone find it really hard to find the time to listen to the entire first disc? I find myself wanting to listen to it but I don't really have the time to sit down for 80 minutes. Back when I used to play WoW I could listen to music while playing, but now I don't really do anything I can listen to music to.
Yea I haven't had the time to listen to it in full either. The last time I did was at the gym, other than that I don't really have any moments where I have 80 minutes to spend listening to music.
-
Just like with SDOIT the song, I listen to bits here or there.
-
What is Rose Colored Glasses about? Immanuel Kant?
Yeah. Here are the lyrics.
Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
Who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
Who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out-consume
Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
Who was just as schloshed as Schlegel.
There's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya'
'Bout the raising of the wrist.
Socrates himself was permanently pissed...
John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
On half a pint of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away;
Half a crate of whiskey every day.
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
Hobbes was fond of his dram,
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart: "I drink, therefore I am"
Yes, Socrates, himself, is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed!
A wonderful irony just occurred to me. Quite a few of these guys were poofters! :rollin
-
Rule 1: NO POOFTERS!
-
Rule 2: No member of the faculty is to maltreat the Abos in any way whatsoever, if there's anybody watching.
-
The more I listen to it the more I appreciate it. I might have to say that this album is better than BCSL.
-
No, man, you were supposed to give Rule 3.
-
Does anyone find it really hard to find the time to listen to the entire first disc? I find myself wanting to listen to it but I don't really have the time to sit down for 80 minutes. Back when I used to play WoW I could listen to music while playing, but now I don't really do anything I can listen to music to.
I did that while grading some problem sets. But I had to stop and only listen to the music during the end of Is it really happening.
-
The more I listen to it the more I appreciate it. I might have to say that this album is better than BCSL.
I agree, I think it's better than BC&SL.
But you failed on Rule 3: NO POOFTERS!
-
Rule 4: I don't want to catch anyone not drinking in their room after lights out.
-
Rule 5: NO POOFTERS!
-
Rule 6:
There is NOOOOO Rule 6!
-
What the fuck :lol
-
No, man, you're supposed to give Rule 7. It's an easy one, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA)
-
lol
Rule 7: NO POOFTERS!
-
Okay then! Now we can get back to the discussion.
-
Weeeeeeeeee gotttt, CAUGHT IN THE WHIRLWIND!!
-
I absolutely love the verses of Set us Free. Such a great bass and drum groove and a really really cool vocal part for that. This section kicks ass. I think it's my second favorite vocal part. My first still being lay down your life.
-
I just listened again. Why is the end of Is It Really Happening not the end of the song?
I mean, it gets so fast over a long period, and builds in epicness until the kick ass finish.
Then that added more! I mean, the rest is good to, but come on, it was such a perfect ending!
-
So I finally heard it! Amazing! I had to go to HMV, where I couldn't find the 3disc and bought the 2 disc instead, and Radiant are refunding me my order from them. Unfortunate, but it had to be done!
-
I just listened again. Why is the end of Is It Really Happening not the end of the song?
I mean, it gets so fast over a long period, and builds in epicness until the kick ass finish.
Then that added more! I mean, the rest is good to, but come on, it was such a perfect ending!
As much as it is my favorite spot in the song so far, and as epic as it sounds (especially the beginning of the synth after that entire orchestral buildup), it would need more to satisfy the band, I would think. Plus, the ending is great and powerful.
-
As much as I like this whole record, I am still surprised at how underwhelming the first track is. I usually listen to the 12-track suite in pieces, but I almost never listen to the first track, as opposed to all of the others, most of which are getting heavy rotation with me.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore? It's one of the shortest parts of the song, but I really like it.
My favorite parts of it include the beginning piano riff and the "Down from the Mothership.." verse.
EDIT: Did they ever announce who won the TA whiteboard? I was never in it but I'm curious to see who won.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore? It's one of the shortest parts of the song, but I really like it.
My favorite parts of it include the beginning piano riff and the "Down from the Mothership.." verse.
EDIT: Did they ever announce who won the TA whiteboard? I was never in it but I'm curious to see who won.
The guy who won it posted on Neal Morse's forums (as well as SB's forums), and said he'd put it up for auction and would donate the proceeds to charity (being the holiday season and all). Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me. I haven't checked on it in over a week, so I'm not sure what it's going for/what it went for...
-Marc.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore?
Love it. :)
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Well my fellow DT fans, I have just ordered The Whirlwind and I have absolutely no idea what to expect. Although I am aware of Transatlantic, I have to say I have NEVER listened to them at all. The idea of a 78 minute song really appeals to me. 2 CD's and a DVD for £13 is great value too. No idea why I have left it so late to get round to listening to Transatlantic but I can't wait to receive this. Hell, it must be good if it's better than BC&SL! :metal
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Well my fellow DT fans, I have just ordered The Whirlwind and I have absolutely no idea what to expect. Although I am aware of Transatlantic, I have to say I have NEVER listened to them at all. The idea of a 78 minute song really appeals to me. 2 CD's and a DVD for £13 is great value too. No idea why I have left it so late to get round to listening to Transatlantic but I can't wait to receive this. Hell, it must be good if it's better than BC&SL! :metal
I think its the best album they ever did, and I love the first two ! :metal
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Well my fellow DT fans, I have just ordered The Whirlwind and I have absolutely no idea what to expect. Although I am aware of Transatlantic, I have to say I have NEVER listened to them at all. The idea of a 78 minute song really appeals to me. 2 CD's and a DVD for £13 is great value too. No idea why I have left it so late to get round to listening to Transatlantic but I can't wait to receive this. Hell, it must be good if it's better than BC&SL! :metal
I think its the best album they ever did, and I love the first two ! :metal
Get ready to have an eargasm, my friend. tick is correct, all three are amazing, but this one takes the cake as 78min of pure and utter bliss.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore?
Love it. :)
Same here. Pete is a total beast on that song and leaves no doubt about, not only his talent as a player, but also his ability to just groove.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore?
Love it. :)
Same here. Pete is a total beast on that song and leaves no doubt about, not only his talent as a player, but also his ability to just groove.
I daresay The Whirlwind features the best bass lines, bass tones, and bass grooves in years, maybe even a decade.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore?
Love it. :)
Same here. Pete is a total beast on that song and leaves no doubt about, not only his talent as a player, but also his ability to just groove.
I daresay The Whirlwind features the best bass lines, bass tones, and bass grooves in years, maybe even a decade.
This is an unquestionable truth. I mean, bass playing doesn´t get any better than that.
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totally picked up The Whirlwind today. and wow. the second disk was NOT what i was expecting at all.
i got a... country vib from a few a sections of the songs. but it was all really good. I gotta listen the hell out of that album now.
i just gotta find time to listen to the first disk all the way through. i havent even played any part of it yet
-
Portnoy's drumming on this album is interesting. I don't know if it's as creative as BCSL, but it certainly services the songs better.
So far my favorite track is Spinning. I really like the vibe I get from it.
-
I daresay The Whirlwind features the best bass lines, bass tones, and bass grooves in years, maybe even a decade.
Definitely the best I can remember. Due to my musical ineptitude, I don't usually notice bass too much, but it is really, really outstanding on this album.
Well my fellow DT fans, I have just ordered The Whirlwind and I have absolutely no idea what to expect. Although I am aware of Transatlantic, I have to say I have NEVER listened to them at all. The idea of a 78 minute song really appeals to me. 2 CD's and a DVD for £13 is great value too. No idea why I have left it so late to get round to listening to Transatlantic but I can't wait to receive this. Hell, it must be good if it's better than BC&SL! :metal
This really is a great album, but I have to disagree with tick and SI about where it falls among Transatlantic's other work. That is not an insult; their other two albums are absolutely stellar and this one comes pretty damn close.
Anyway, since you don't know what to expect, they really sound nothing like DT. Yes, Transatlantic write epic stuff, but it's not metal and it's much more in the vein of "traditional" progressive rock. Which I have no clue how to describe in musical terms.
-J
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I've listened through completely about 5 times, and it's definitely a grower. My highlights so far are Evermore, A Man Can Feel, Pieces of Heaven, and On the Prowl.
And yes, the basslines are absolutely amazing.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore?
Love it. :)
Same here. Pete is a total beast on that song and leaves no doubt about, not only his talent as a player, but also his ability to just groove.
Huge Marillion fan here !!! Pete is the man. All members of this band are extremely talented. Just the fact they can form on a whim and create a masterpiece pretty much says it all. The Whirlwind has the cohesive flow of a classic Steely Dan album. Its just amazing these guys created something so good. One of my all time favorite albums. :metal
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Anyone else really like Evermore?
Love it. :)
Same here. Pete is a total beast on that song and leaves no doubt about, not only his talent as a player, but also his ability to just groove.
I daresay The Whirlwind features the best bass lines, bass tones, and bass grooves in years, maybe even a decade.
Not a question. Not only is the playing fantastic, but the tone, coupled with the crystal clean production, is incredible. It was my first reaction and give me the shivers every time.
-
Anyone else really like Evermore?
Love it. :)
Same here. Pete is a total beast on that song and leaves no doubt about, not only his talent as a player, but also his ability to just groove.
I daresay The Whirlwind features the best bass lines, bass tones, and bass grooves in years, maybe even a decade.
Not a question. Not only is the playing fantastic, but the tone, coupled with the crystal clean production, is incredible. It was my first reaction and give me the shivers every time.
Agreed. I don't see the first disc leaving my car stereo any time soon.
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So I gave the album a listen and enjoyed it. Reminded me of 70s music. I'll spin it again tomorrow and that will determine if it's going to be my first Transatlantic purchase.
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So I gave the album a listen and enjoyed it. Reminded me of 70s music. I'll spin it again tomorrow and that will determine if it's going to be my first Transatlantic purchase.
If it's not, you best make SMPTe or Bridge Across Forever your first TA purchase. Pretty much everything this band does turns to gold. :coolio
And I will say the same thing I said years ago: Even though it would NEVER happen, if the four announced that they are all leaving their respective bands/projects to make Transatlantic a full-time band, I would have no problem with it at all. Imagine getting CDs of this quality once a year, every year. :eek :eek :eek :eek
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I would sacrifice current Marillion, Flower Kings, or Neal Morse solo for Transatlantic no question. Would I sacrifice all three? Probably not. Nor would I sacrifice Dream Theater.
-
So I gave the album a listen and enjoyed it. Reminded me of 70s music. I'll spin it again tomorrow and that will determine if it's going to be my first Transatlantic purchase.
If it's not, you best make SMPTe or Bridge Across Forever your first TA purchase. Pretty much everything this band does turns to gold. :coolio
And I will say the same thing I said years ago: Even though it would NEVER happen, if the four announced that they are all leaving their respective bands/projects to make Transatlantic a full-time band, I would have no problem with it at all. Imagine getting CDs of this quality once a year, every year. :eek :eek :eek :eek
As much as I love DT and Neal solo (my top 2 bands), yeah, I'd actually not have too much of a problem with such a scario either.
-
The Flower Kings being on an extended hiatus right now made that a lot easier for me to say now than when I first said it a few years ago. :p
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The Whirlwind is easily their best CD for me. There is not one single note that I don't like on this album. No low moment at all for me. The other albums all have a few moments that I am not crazy about. The Whirlwind is musical perfection. I really can't get enough of this album.
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This album is so unbelievably hard to wrap my mind around. "Spinning" is the only track I really know. For better or for worse, this album just feels very subtle to me. I don't want to say you have to be smart about music to get it, the album's not pretentious that way. But it really wants you to actively listen, instead of passively letting the sound through your head.
The one thing I will say is that, if Transatlantic considers the Whirlwind to be one song, then awesome. But I just can't do it. At this point, I'm just trying to enjoy the individual tracks. Maybe once that's done I can take in the whole piece, but as a beginning listener it's just impossible.
So far I've been able to get into Spinning (like I said earlier), and now "A Man Can Feel" is starting to click. I like how it's able to alternate between very dark and groovy vibes.
By the way, I haven't seen any posts about this, but am I the only one who thinks this album sounds really good?
-
Yeah I'm pretty sure the sound production has been mentioned already, but I agree that it's excellent, everything is so CLEAR!
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It definitely sounds really good. Hasn't Rich Mouser always mixed Neal Morse's music? If so, it is so weird, as the early SB up until Day for Night all sounded okay, but then 2000 rolled around and SMPTe and V came out, both of which sounded really good, and almost all of his stuff has sounded similar to that since (although It's Not Too Late, Neal's second solo record, doesn't sound very good at all). It is like a light bulb went on and the guy figured out how to make records Neal is on sound great.
And they can call it one song, but it is a suite or collection of songs that all run together, to me. I almost never listen to the whole thing all at once, and I got into by listening to it in chunks.
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Have you seen the DVD? I like the fact that when Mouser was mixing it all, he would keep sending it to the band members and Pete, Roine and Neal would keep messaging him back with suggestions and changes. Sounds like the process went on for ages, but it was totally worth it because the final product is great!
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Have you seen the DVD? I like the fact that when Mouser was mixing it all, he would keep sending it to the band members and Pete, Roine and Neal would keep messaging him back with suggestions and changes. Sounds like the process went on for ages, but it was totally worth it because the final product is great!
Agreed. He did a great job with it.
I have to confess, while I've listened to the title song a lot, I haven't listened to disk 2 very much. Maybe 4-6 times. Not that it isn't good, but I really like the title song. I wish they talked more about the tracks on disk 2 in the documentary. I would love to know how some of those got put together. For instance, with all the Whirlwind references in For Such A Time, I'm wondering whether it was composed of leftovers that didn't make it into the title song, or if the title song was essentially done and Neal liked so many parts of it that he wanted to keep those themes going.
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Wow, Portnoy does a great job on A Salty Dog. First disc is really good, but I can't get into the second much.
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I have to confess, while I've listened to the title song a lot, I haven't listened to disk 2 very much. Maybe 4-6 times. Not that it isn't good, but I really like the title song.
Same here.
What I can't believe is that there's been almost no love for The Wind Blew Them All Away in this entire thread! I think that is my favorite part of the song right now. From about 4:30 on in particular is awesome. Morse singing the last choruses while Stolt solos like a badass underneath; that shit is genius.
-J
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I wouldn't say there's no love for it. It's just that there is so much awesome packed into the entire song that it is easy for really good parts to get overlooked.
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I don't know what it is about Neal Morse's vocal melodies, but they're really something else. Most vocalists seem to have to conform to the song to some degree, but Morse feels like he's just so effortlessly singing whatever he feels like over the music, it's something really special. I will say that the music in Transatlantic is written to service Morse's vocal style, but that doesn't change the power of the result.
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Writing catchy vocal melodies is definitely one of Morse's strongest attributes as a musician; that is why I used to always refer to Spock's Beard as catchy prog.
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What I can't believe is that there's been almost no love for The Wind Blew Them All Away in this entire thread! I think that is my favorite part of the song right now. From about 4:30 on in particular is awesome. Morse singing the last choruses while Stolt solos like a badass underneath; that shit is genius.
-J
I was just thinking about this yesterday. I wanted to come in and praise this part of the song. The lyrics and the way they are sung are so powerful to me. I just had a childhood friend die of an overdose, and the lyrics to this part of the song really hit home for me, especially when he sings but the wind blew them all away. Really really powerful section.
This album could become my favorite album of all time. It's possible. It is definitely at number two right now under Scenes From a Memory. Just an absolutely brilliant musical adventure. And I love how emotional the whole song is all the way through. I think they really just made one of those albums that should be talked about for many years to come.
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This album is so unbelievably hard to wrap my mind around. "Spinning" is the only track I really know. For better or for worse, this album just feels very subtle to me. I don't want to say you have to be smart about music to get it, the album's not pretentious that way. But it really wants you to actively listen, instead of passively letting the sound through your head.
Of course you have to actively listen. I'm not sure I even understand your comment.
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This album is so unbelievably hard to wrap my mind around. "Spinning" is the only track I really know. For better or for worse, this album just feels very subtle to me. I don't want to say you have to be smart about music to get it, the album's not pretentious that way. But it really wants you to actively listen, instead of passively letting the sound through your head.
Of course you have to actively listen. I'm not sure I even understand your comment.
With a lot of music, I can listen to it once and form an opinion that holds over time. Even OSI didn't take this much work to get into.
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This album is so unbelievably hard to wrap my mind around. "Spinning" is the only track I really know. For better or for worse, this album just feels very subtle to me. I don't want to say you have to be smart about music to get it, the album's not pretentious that way. But it really wants you to actively listen, instead of passively letting the sound through your head.
Of course you have to actively listen. I'm not sure I even understand your comment.
With a lot of music, I can listen to it once and form an opinion that holds over time. Even OSI didn't take this much work to get into.
I still don't understand. I didn't find that this album took any work, per se. I just had to commit the time to listening to it.
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I still don't understand. I didn't find that this album took any work, per se. I just had to commit the time to listening to it.
I just don't understand.
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I don't know about the rest of you, but I am completely addicted to the trilogy of:
"A Man Can Feel"
"Out of the Night"
"Rose Covered Glasses"
That is probably the best 19 consecutive minutes on the whole record (which is really saying something, considering the tracks that precede and follow them, "On the Prowl" and "Evermore," are very strong).
This record rules. :coolio
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Yea.. It's up there with Black Clouds and the Incident. They're my top three right now.
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I think I overplayed it, because now I don't feel like I want to listen to this record anymore. I discovered Bridge Across Forever and damn, this album is way better than The Whirlwind (which is still outstanding). I also listened to All of the Above, which I didn't do for months, and I realized that this song is one of my all-time favorite. So those two discoveries made me realize that this band did a lot better than The Whirlwind, and that's why I much prefer to listen to Duel With The Devil or All Of The Above than to The Whirlwind.
But it's still my second favorite album of the year :metal
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So those two discoveries made me realize that this band did a lot better than The Whirlwind, and that's why I much prefer to listen to Duel With The Devil or All Of The Above than to The Whirlwind.
:metal
-J
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Great interview with Neal Morse:
https://www.nealmorsefans.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=153&Itemid=38&lang=en
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Sweet. :tup
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Great interview with Neal Morse:
https://www.nealmorsefans.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=153&Itemid=38&lang=en
Really interesting interview, cheers for posting!
I agree with his general sentiment on The Whirlwind. It's not particularly religious, but the lyrics are somewhat abstract and open to interpretation, so some people probably will take religious or spiritual meaning from them.
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I don't know about the rest of you, but I am completely addicted to the trilogy of:
"A Man Can Feel"
"Out of the Night"
"Rose Covered Glasses"
That is probably the best 19 consecutive minutes on the whole record (which is really saying something, considering the tracks that precede and follow them, "On the Prowl" and "Evermore," are very strong).
This record rules. :coolio
I agree. But the tough thing for me is, then I look at those next few tracks, and want to go, "Oh, yeah, and it gets even better when you add on Nevermore. Oh, and then if you add on..." and pretty soon, I've got the whole thing in there. :lol
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By the way, I have about a half-a-day's worth of consecutive awesome in my iTunes, given that if I click play on Redemptions Snowfall on Judgment Day and just let iTunes continue playing, it goes: Snowfall on Judgment Day -> Whirlwind disk1 -> Whirlwind disk 2, in that order.
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I like the new Redemption record, but I don't think it compares to The Whirlwind.
But hey, that's just me.
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The transition from a man can feel into out of the night is pretty eargasmic. I love the switch of moods real suddenly and they just start right on the coming out of the night lyrics. SOO GOOD.
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I like the new Redemption record, but I don't think it compares to The Whirlwind.
But hey, that's just me.
As far as releases for 2009, my ranking goes:
1. The Whirlwind
2. BC&SL
3. Snowfall on Judgment Day
.
.
.
4. Shallow Life
.
.
.
5.-10. A bunch of other stuff.
But that's just me. :D
What I would really love at this point is some in-depth discussion from the members about disk 2. The documentary and the interviews I've seen thus far focus almost exclusively on disk 1. And I understand the emphasis being placed there, but I really want some insight into the other material.
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I like the new Redemption record, but I don't think it compares to The Whirlwind.
But hey, that's just me.
Oh..it kills Whirlwind..but that's just me! :lol
Actually I'm a little late to the Transatlantic party but....
Whirlwind is a DAMN FINE ALBUM!!!
I really like it.
Some thoughts..
1. This is a great alternative for those who think there's too much metal in DT's music.
2. Whirlwind is actually heavier than I expected
3. The story and the journey kind of remind me of Kiss' The Elder
4. MP is simply amazing
5. Neal Morse isn't a particularly strong vocalist, but he's still 10 times BETTER than Steven Wilson!!!
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The story and the journey kind of remind me of Kiss' The Elder
*faints*
-
Does anyone hear Pete Trewavas singing on the main track? I guess he is singing in the finale, the A man can sense the speed of falling down part, but I can't hear him doing any solo parts.
-
Pretty sure he sings on Out of the Night.
-J
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Yep. He sings the "my chance to meet an inner light.."-part.
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Anyone feel like doing a little listening party tonight? The DJ on my station took the night off, I'm thinking of starting a show around 9, album around 9:30.
-
I'll be there if Amanda's there. :eyebrows:
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She'll either be in the room with me or in chat over in her room.
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Can anyone tell me the lyrics to the chorus of Spinning? The part before Some goes up, and some goes down.
-
Can anyone tell me the lyrics to the chorus of Spinning? The part before Some goes up, and some goes down.
https://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858803031/
I posted my interpretation of the Bonus Disc lyrics on the page for Transatlantic on songmeanings.net
If anyone can help me clean-up some of the lyrics by posting comments on those pages, that'd be great!
-Marc.
-
Can anyone tell me the lyrics to the chorus of Spinning? The part before Some goes up, and some goes down.
https://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858803031/
I posted my interpretation of the Bonus Disc lyrics on the page for Transatlantic on songmeanings.net
If anyone can help me clean-up some of the lyrics by posting comments on those pages, that'd be great!
-Marc.
When did you put this up? I was searching for the lyrics yesterday.
-
Can anyone tell me the lyrics to the chorus of Spinning? The part before Some goes up, and some goes down.
https://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858803031/
I posted my interpretation of the Bonus Disc lyrics on the page for Transatlantic on songmeanings.net
If anyone can help me clean-up some of the lyrics by posting comments on those pages, that'd be great!
-Marc.
When did you put this up? I was searching for the lyrics yesterday.
Hmmm... according to my songmeanings.net account, the day I put up the Bonus Disc lyrics was October 31st.
-Marc.
-
Can anyone tell me the lyrics to the chorus of Spinning? The part before Some goes up, and some goes down.
https://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858803031/
I posted my interpretation of the Bonus Disc lyrics on the page for Transatlantic on songmeanings.net
If anyone can help me clean-up some of the lyrics by posting comments on those pages, that'd be great!
-Marc.
When did you put this up? I was searching for the lyrics yesterday.
Hmmm... according to my songmeanings.net account, the day I put up the Bonus Disc lyrics was October 31st.
-Marc.
Oh. I guess Google did a poor job searching then.
-
The story and the journey kind of remind me of Kiss' The Elder
*faints*
trys to help out but also drops while responding.
-
Transatlantic fans will love this story:
Yesterday, we had our big family Christmas party, with my mom's side of the family (with uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.), and I was talking to my older brother Tim, asking him if he was still digging the new TA CD (he is also a big fan of Neal Morse and TA). His response was that he likes it, but he is sort of sick of it, because his kids (my nephew is 4 1/2, and my niece just turned 3) want to hear it every time they get in the car! How about that? He then added that they love track 5 and always want that one played. Track 5 is, of course, "Out of the Night."
So I go over to where the kids were playing, lean down to my nephew and softly sing, "Coming out of the night." He smiles, looks up and me and softly sings back, "Stepping out where the winds are warmer." I literally laughed and smiled as big as I can smile at the same time as we both sang the next two lines together. How freaking awesome is that?!?!?!?! My 4 1/2-year old nephew knows Transatlantic well enough to sing along to the correct lyrics!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :)
And for the next few minutes, I could still hear him humming the song to himself. :hat :hat :hat :hat
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Wow, that's really cool Kev!
-
Your nephew is badass! :tup
-
I want a tour.
Really bad.
-
Transatlantic fans will love this story:
Yesterday, we had our big family Christmas party, with my mom's side of the family (with uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.), and I was talking to my older brother Tim, asking him if he was still digging the new TA CD (he is also a big fan of Neal Morse and TA). His response was that he likes it, but he is sort of sick of it, because his kids (my nephew is 4 1/2, and my niece just turned 3) want to hear it every time they get in the car! How about that? He then added that they love track 5 and always want that one played. Track 5 is, of course, "Out of the Night."
So I go over to where the kids were playing, lean down to my nephew and softly sing, "Coming out of the night." He smiles, looks up and me and softly sings back, "Stepping out where the winds are warmer." I literally laughed and smiled as big as I can smile at the same time as we both sang the next two lines together. How freaking awesome is that?!?!?!?! My 4 1/2-year old nephew knows Transatlantic well enough to sing along to the correct lyrics!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :)
And for the next few minutes, I could still hear him humming the song to himself. :hat :hat :hat :hat
Prog Fans: The Next Generation
-
Transatlantic fans will love this story:
Yesterday, we had our big family Christmas party, with my mom's side of the family (with uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.), and I was talking to my older brother Tim, asking him if he was still digging the new TA CD (he is also a big fan of Neal Morse and TA). His response was that he likes it, but he is sort of sick of it, because his kids (my nephew is 4 1/2, and my niece just turned 3) want to hear it every time they get in the car! How about that? He then added that they love track 5 and always want that one played. Track 5 is, of course, "Out of the Night."
So I go over to where the kids were playing, lean down to my nephew and softly sing, "Coming out of the night." He smiles, looks up and me and softly sings back, "Stepping out where the winds are warmer." I literally laughed and smiled as big as I can smile at the same time as we both sang the next two lines together. How freaking awesome is that?!?!?!?! My 4 1/2-year old nephew knows Transatlantic well enough to sing along to the correct lyrics!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :)
And for the next few minutes, I could still hear him humming the song to himself. :hat :hat :hat :hat
Why can't my family be that cool?
-
Yes, my nephew is badass, and yes, my family is that cool. :biggrin:
-
:lol I thought you were going to say you and your nephew started singing it at the top of your lungs, and your brother screamed and ran through a plate glass window or something.
-
Transatlantic fans will love this story:
Yesterday, we had our big family Christmas party, with my mom's side of the family (with uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.), and I was talking to my older brother Tim, asking him if he was still digging the new TA CD (he is also a big fan of Neal Morse and TA). His response was that he likes it, but he is sort of sick of it, because his kids (my nephew is 4 1/2, and my niece just turned 3) want to hear it every time they get in the car! How about that? He then added that they love track 5 and always want that one played. Track 5 is, of course, "Out of the Night."
So I go over to where the kids were playing, lean down to my nephew and softly sing, "Coming out of the night." He smiles, looks up and me and softly sings back, "Stepping out where the winds are warmer." I literally laughed and smiled as big as I can smile at the same time as we both sang the next two lines together. How freaking awesome is that?!?!?!?! My 4 1/2-year old nephew knows Transatlantic well enough to sing along to the correct lyrics!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :)
And for the next few minutes, I could still hear him humming the song to himself. :hat :hat :hat :hat
heh, awesome story :metal
reminds of a (non TA) story... We had family over for dinner, and my little 3 year old cousin who was/still is a terror was causing havoc in our basement, and I was trying to get his attention with my guitar. He was still running around crazily, and then the second I started playing Stairway to Heaven he froze, turned to me, and sat down to watch/listen
-
First TA 'Whirld Tour' date announced.
May 18th 2010
At the Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland
https://www.z-7.ch/start.php
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Sweet, this makes it certain they will be playing live!
Also means I can plan on late April/Early May of June for the American leg.
-
I'm so th--oh, never mind.
-
Within 2 minutes of me seeing this news All of the Above came on my MP3 player which was set to random. :D
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First TA 'Whirld Tour' date announced.
May 18th 2010
At the Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland
https://www.z-7.ch/start.php
Sweet!!! I think Mike said they'd hit America in April and Europe in May, so this looks to confirm that... I hope they film some of this tour, and knowing Neal and Mike, there should be plenty of footage! I'd like to see clips from both the American and European "legs" of this tour, and have them release all the songs from the tour (if they manage to vary the setlist at all), from different venues/nights to make for a great show! Then the next live release would truly be Transatlantic!
-Marc.
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I REALLY hope they hit Montreal. It's the only place where I could see them.
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Yes, my nephew is badass, and yes, my family is that cool. :biggrin:
Yes, but will you adopt me? I know, I'm 23, but it just seems like you should be my dad.
-
Big news coming...
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You are my father? :neverusethis:
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Ironically, yes, it has something to do with that. But I cannot say any more.
-
Transatlantic dates are going to be released soon as MP's christmas present.
https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=2460970&mpage=1#2461009
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Yes, that would indeed be big news. But think bigger.
-
Yes, that would indeed be big news. But think bigger.
WORLD TOUR?
SOME KIND OF NEW CRAZY PROG TOUR?
-
MP and NM are getting married?
-
Transatlantic will kick off a tour which will feature shows in every city on the planet and on the moon, all starting in my backyard?
-
Yes, that would indeed be big news. But think bigger.
I think he probably nailed it. Might just be European dates with a promise of American dates to follow.
-
Bigger.
And don't unsticky this thread yet.
-
I know what the news is.
James was frighteningly accurate...
-
Big news coming...
I can think of one of two things...
1 - A Dream-Team tour that includes Transatlantic, and members of their individual bands' to play some SB/TFK/DT/Marillion...
OR...
2 - Another album will come out next year, since it seems DT will be taking a break next year for its members to focus on solo/side projects, MP will book studio time with Neal to record another TA album after the late-spring tour for a late 2010/early 2011 release.
-Marc.
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World Tour?
Why does MP always have to announce things, before he actually says it? :lol
-
Yes, that would indeed be big news. But think bigger.
WORLD TOUR?
SOME KIND OF NEW CRAZY PROG TOUR?
ftw
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I know what the news is.
James was frighteningly accurate...
I have that effect on people.
-
Big news coming...
So when are we going to find out what this big news is?
-
Big news coming...
So when are we going to find out what this big news is?
I think it was tour dates.
One is in Chicago.
Which means I should pick up The Whirlwind.
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Big news coming...
So when are we going to find out what this big news is?
I think it was tour dates.
I thought Bosk was hinting at something other than tour dates. Nevermind then.
-
Bigger.
-
So there still is something yet to be announced?
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Bosk mystifies with the things that he says.
-
[zappa] Is There More? [/zappa]
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May i ask a question about Transatlantic ?
I just started paying attention to them when they are on the web station i listen to and i noticed most of the songs i hear alot of YES in them.
My question is are most of the songs like this ?
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A lot of their stuff has that "symphonic prog" sound to it, which is often associated with Yes, Genesis, and others. So, Yes.
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A lot of their stuff has that "symphonic prog" sound to it, which is often associated with Yes, Genesis, and others. So, Yes.
(https://userpages.umbc.edu/~zuses1/i-see-what-you-did-there.jpg)
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Hee hee
-
Thought I'd unsticky this as TA discussion is now in the tour thread.
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And don't unsticky this thread yet.
-
Ouch. :lol
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Oh yeah :lol
:facepalm:
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Richfail. :p
-
Caps necessary:
WHEN WILL WE FIND OUT THIS NEWS?
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I'm on my first listen of The Whirlwind.
Wow.
I think this might be their strongest record :omg:
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Yeah, overall I think it is their strongest record. Which is great as the first two are quite excellent as well!
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listened to the whirlwind song twice today...it is growning on me quick
-
So... How about giving a hint?
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Got the 2-disc version for Christmas, and subjected my wife and kids to Disc 1 while playing Monopoly. (Hey, Christmas is family time, but if I'm going to play Monopoly, then we're listening to some good tunes while I kick everyone's butt.) I've listened to it three or four times before, but from mp3s I... found somewhere. This was the first "real" listen, lossless on the stereo.
It of course sounded amazing, and I did notice my kids bopping their heads to the music a few times. My wife did not seem offended, so overall it was a success. I don't think I converted anyone, but Transatlantic isn't exactly metal or anything, so it was all good, just not what they usually listen to.
Weird "Whirlwind-related" story
Driving around in the car the other day, we had my wife's iPod on shuffle. Some ancient Bob Seger song comes on that I don't recognize. It's from his second album, Noah, and it is titled "Lennie Johnson". I gasped in astonishment. It's not the same song; the TA song isn't a cover or anything. All I could find out is that "Lennie Johnson" was written by Honaker (presumably a last name). Weird, though. 40 years apart, two songs about some guy with an almost identical name arise independently.
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I have not been able to get into this album at all. The only thing that sticks with me is Roine's first solo in The Wind Blew them All Away, everything else has just been kinda meh. Not bad per se, but not terribly captivating. *shrug*
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I have not been able to get into this album at all. The only thing that sticks with me is Roine's first solo in The Wind Blew them All Away, everything else has just been kinda meh. Not bad per se, but not terribly captivating. *shrug*
:|
I was into it first listen, which is more than can be said for their other two releases.
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Yeah, this has just been turning into more of a disappointment. On my first listen I figured "oh it's just a really long song, it'll take some spins to really absorb". But the more spins I give it, the less interested I become.
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This song seems to be shorter and shorted upon each listen. Masterpiece song.
One day we'll burn like lightning
In that city in the skyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
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One day we'll burn like lightning
In that city in the skyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
That's my favorite single moment of the song.
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One day we'll burn like lightning
In that city in the skyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
That's my favorite single moment of the song.
It's tough to call, there's also that moment in Is It Really Happening? when the synth comes in after the crazy brass/string buildup in the instrumental section.
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I think bosk is bluffing about any big news. :millahhhh
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I don't hope so :sadpanda:
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edit: nevermind
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ideal setlist for this spring:
The Whirlwind
-----
My New World
Spinning
Stranger In Your Soul
-----
All Of The Above
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That looks good, but I wouldn't mind seeing the following:
The Whirlwind
-- (Intermission) --
Spinning
Lenny Johnson / Beatles mash-up
Mystery Train
My New World (with some crazy jam in the middle of it)
-- (Break) --
Stranger In Your Soul (with Bridge Across Forever in the keyboard solo)
I think Neal has played "We All Need Some Light" enough to not want to do it on the TA tour, so in it's place I'd love to see them bring back "Mystery Train" on it's own (without the Beatles songs tacked onto the end of it).
And as much as I'd love to hear "All Of The Above" again, it's captured on their first two tours (Live In America and Live In Europe), so with an inevitable third live release (Live Across The Atlantic, maybe?), it'd be a bit redundant (too redundant for Mike, that is). Without that 30 minute power-house, they have a chance to play two (or even three) of the other originals from the Whirlwind Bonus Disc, or extending some of their older songs (in the vein of "Suite Charlotte Pike" with covers or jams).
-Marc.
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Stranger In Your Soul (with Bridge Across Forever in the keyboard solo)
Well, that's a fine idea.
-
Driving around in the car the other day, we had my wife's iPod on shuffle. Some ancient Bob Seger song comes on that I don't recognize. It's from his second album, Noah, and it is titled "Lennie Johnson". I gasped in astonishment. It's not the same song; the TA song isn't a cover or anything. All I could find out is that "Lennie Johnson" was written by Honaker (presumably a last name). Weird, though. 40 years apart, two songs about some guy with an almost identical name arise independently.
I don't know the Seger one, but I was under the impression the TA version is about John Lennon. I remember some early posts about that (although I have been so stuck on disk 1, I haven't even begun to really listen to the lyrics on any of the bonus tracks).
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welcome back from never never land, bosk....NOW TELL US WHAT THE NEWS IS!!!!
please
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I am not authorized to do so.
-
that's fine...I just was afraid you were going to say it fell thru
-
Not as far as I know.
-
I'm listening to this for the first time now and I'm pretty underwhelmed. :mehlin
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Driving around in the car the other day, we had my wife's iPod on shuffle. Some ancient Bob Seger song comes on that I don't recognize. It's from his second album, Noah, and it is titled "Lennie Johnson". I gasped in astonishment. It's not the same song; the TA song isn't a cover or anything. All I could find out is that "Lennie Johnson" was written by Honaker (presumably a last name). Weird, though. 40 years apart, two songs about some guy with an almost identical name arise independently.
I don't know the Seger one, but I was under the impression the TA version is about John Lennon. I remember some early posts about that (although I have been so stuck on disk 1, I haven't even begun to really listen to the lyrics on any of the bonus tracks).
That's what I've heard/read to, and it makes sense. The music and vocals are very reminiscent of John Lennon, and I suppose the lyrics as well, though I'm not that familiar with his solo work. And of course the name "Lenny Johnson" is just "John Lennon" switched around, or something.
"Lennie Johnson" is also clearly about John Lennon ("Here we go tape rolling, Sgt. Pepper take 6") but is a completely different song. So it's just a weird coincidence.
-
I am not authorized to do so.
Can you tell us or even guess when we'll find out what this news is?
-
After listening to The Whirlwind A LOT of times, I finally have a semi-coherent opinion.
Overture - Unlike KevShmev, I kinda like it. The part with the bass/drums/organ right before the vocals is awesome. It puts a big smile on my face.
The Wind Blew Them All Away - The creepy parts about The Master's House are great.
On The Prowl - Fun to listen to, but kinda a weird mood relative to the rest of the song.
A Man Can Feel - So good
Out of the Night - I like the reprise of the "Catch your step as you watch your breath" sections. Good overall.
Rose Colored Glasses - The big rise with the city of fire lyrics is amazing.
Evermore - It's not bad
Set Us Free - Really like this
Lay Down Your Life - Fun track
Pieces of Heaven - It's alright
Is It Really Happening - The ending is a huge rush.
Dancing With Eternal Glory - I agree with Hef. It has the Return of the King problem (too many potential endings), but it's still good. I LOVE the last chord.
Spinning - I love this song.
Haven't listened to the rest at all really.
Also, going to Rumby and Kev's discussion on how the album sounded stylistically, I know what Rumborak's saying to a degree. Listen to Dancing With Eternal Glory and Spinning. A lot of the album seems to be from one of those two lineages. It's not too radically over the top. Stuff like "A Man Can Feel" combines both styles very well. But I agree that Stolt and Morse have different styles, and sometimes the CD heavily favors one over the other.
Also, I can't be the only one who's noticed that MP's fills at the end of DWEG and TCOT are almost exactly the same.
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Also, I can't be the only one who's noticed that MP's fills at the end of DWEG and TCOT are almost exactly the same.
He seems to end just about every big epic these days with some type of fill on the toms like that as the big crescendo is dying down.
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The last 3 minutes of Is It Really Happening are just about the best thing ever. So awesome.
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So holy shit, I got this today out of a whim for like 6 dollars on sale. Never heard Transatlantic before. It's like if DT had different members except for Mike and they play more prog then metal in vein of Yes and King Crimson! lulz.
It's seriously great. Much better than I expected it, whats the next album I should get by them?
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To me, the song selection on Live In Europe really gives you a great sampling of the first two albums. That was the first think I ever had from them, and I really like it.
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To me, the song selection on Live In Europe really gives you a great sampling of the first two albums. That was the first think I ever had from them, and I really like it.
Agreed! It includes 3 songs from each of their first two albums, although to be fair, they only had 4 original songs on both SMPT:e and Bridge Across Forever (so you're only missing out on two shorties - "Mystery Train" and "Bridge Across Forever").
Live In Europe is fantastic and I recommend it to everyone! One of my favorite live albums ever!
-Marc.
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I can't listen to the studio version of Stranger in Your Soul and Duel with the Devil because of live in europe.
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I'm not too familiar with Morse outside of Transatlantic and limited Spock's Beard exposure. How is he live, vocally?
-J
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So holy shit, I got this today out of a whim for like 6 dollars on sale. Never heard Transatlantic before. It's like if DT had different members except for Mike and they play more prog then metal in vein of Yes and King Crimson! lulz.
It's seriously great. Much better than I expected it, whats the next album I should get by them?
Get the other two studio albums, not either live album. The live albums are good, but the studio material is where it's at. :tup :tup
I'm not too familiar with Morse outside of Transatlantic and limited Spock's Beard exposure. How is he live, vocally?
Good. Not great, not bad, but good.
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I'm not too familiar with Morse outside of Transatlantic and limited Spock's Beard exposure. How is he live, vocally?
-J
Since leaving SB, he's released Testimony Live, ? Live, Sola Scriptura & Beyond, and So Many Roads - Live Across Europe... so he's had a pretty good representation of his live voice!
I'd say he's pretty good. He gets pretty emotional with his music, so sometimes he'll crack or fade, but it's part of his show, his emotional out-put and if you're into it, you'll feel it too. Just depends on what you like - emotional vocalists or ones who are strictly studio-reproductions.
Personally I love the emotion that Neal puts into his music, both studio AND live, because he is very spiritual and you get a sense that he truly believe in his music, and with all of that, you feel the power behind the music and words he's playing and singing. He pretty much sings his heart out.
-Marc.
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I'll second what M said. (and add to the live output his two live Transatlantic releases) I would classify Neal as a "very good" to "great" live vocalist. Not in terms of someone who stands still and focuses and makes sure to faithfully reproduce every note and every dynamic perfectly from the studio releases. If that's what you look for in a live vocalist, you will be disappointed. As M said, he does crack and fade, and sometimes chooses easier notes. But he's super enthusiastic and into the music and the performance, and what he lacks in technical skill, he more than makes up for in showmanship. I've neve seen him live in person. But from the many live recordings I've seen and heard, at the end of a show, you feel like he left it all out there on the stage and held nothing back. And I also give him points for his note selection as well. Although he cracks at times, I've very rarely heard him ever sing off-key. He's great about knowing what notes fit the song and choosing and hitting correct notes, even if they aren't the specific notes on the studio recording of a song.
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I finally managed to listen to The Whirlwind as a coherent piece.
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that is how I like it...what did you think, reap?
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The Whirlwind keeps growing on me. By far, though I like the Colored Glasses, Evermore, and Set Us Free trio the best. Some parts of the Whirlwind are slower than others, but those three sections are just fantastic from beginning to end.
That said, is anyone else having trouble getting into the songs on the 2nd disc? For some reason or another, I really don't enjoy them so much.
-
Nah I love 'em, the only one I'm less keen on is Pete's song. It's ok, but it goes on a bit. Feels like a sub-par Marillion song. The other three are great though, and the covers are really cool.
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"Spinning" is okay and "For Such a Time" is good because it couldn't have been part of the suite, but I really can't stand Lenny Johnson. The others are meh, and the covers are OK but I don't know the originals so they don't mean as much as me.
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Yeah, "Lenny Johnson" is fun the first time or two, but for me it doesn't bear repeated listenings. I like "Spinning" but I'm still trying to figure out if it's because it reminds me so much of Yes, and I like Yes, or because it's a good song on its own merit.
What's the story behind "For Such a Time"? It has that instrumental hook from the title suite, but (obviously) isn't part of the suite. Was it something that was originally supposed to be in there?
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Lenny Johnson is like being stuck on a long car ride with a fanatic who knows you don't really like the Beatles, but feels the need to keep blasting them and screaming in your ears about how great they were for the whole drive anyway.
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"Lending a Hand" sounds a lot like Beatles to me too, for some reason.
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Lenny Johnson is like being stuck on a long car ride with a fanatic who knows you don't really like the Beatles, but feels the need to keep blasting them and screaming in your ears about how great they were for the whole drive anyway.
Are you a Flower Kings fan at all?
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I don't have any of their albums, but what I've heard from them I've pretty much liked.
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Ah ok fair enough, Lenny Johnson reminds me quite a lot of some of TFK's shorter songs.
I don't get your analogy at all either, it's a really short song.
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I think "Spinning" is fantastic, and "Lenny Johnson" is quite nice, too. I never listen to the other two new songs on the bonus disc. I like the vibe going on in "Lending a Hand," but Trewavas on lead vocals for a whole song like that was a bad idea (but it was a bonus song, so no biggie, I guess). "For Such a Time" isn't bad, but not memorable either.
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I remember awhile ago Roine saying something about how he wished Transatlantic had been more experimental with the first two albums, whereas they both were more like prog rock homages. Does anyone think Transatlantic really broke out of the classic prog homage arena with Whirlwind?
-
Who is Ronnie?
-
Ronnie Scott. He has a club where bands play and record famous gigs. DT recorded there, and Mike plays in both DT and Transatlantic, so there's the connection, so it must be him.
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Who is Ronnie?
Oh geez. I meant Roine.
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Ronnie Stilt?
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I remember awhile ago Roine saying something about how he wished Transatlantic had been more experimental with the first two albums, whereas they both were more like prog rock homages. Does anyone think Transatlantic really broke out of the classic prog homage arena with Whirlwind?
I recall Roine saying that somewhere (was it the Live In Europe tour documentary?)... I don't think they broke out from classic prog with The Whirlwind. Sure, they tried a FEW different things, vocally and instrumentally, but really, I feel that they played it more "safe" (in terms of prog) with the new album, and were even a bit less experimental than on SMPT:e and BAF. There aren't many crazy bits like you hear in "Mystery Train" or some of the cool vocal things they did in "All Of The Above" and "My New World", or the "Hanging In The Balance" part of SIYS.
I don't think they COULD break out of the classic prog homage arena even if they tried really hard! They all share many common roots and inspirations/influences. With Pete, you get someone who helped find one of the leading Neo-Prog bands of the 2nd wave in the 80's, and with Mike, you get a drummer whose prog influences are pretty much Yes with a metal edge (and then some more obscure/lesser-known prog). With Neal and Roine, two of the most prolific 3rd wave prog artists (both with their bands and solo), their influences are pretty much Genesis and Yes as well...
... So with all of that in mind, it's pretty hard to escape the Genesis/Yes/classic prog influences and sounds that they seem to enjoy and love, and find comfort and joy in composing/performing.
-Marc.
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I agree, M, but I wanted to see what someone else thought before sounding off. But yea, The Whirlwind seems like it's even more dependent on Yes' playbook than previous outings. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just what TA seem to be best at.
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I agree, M, but I wanted to see what someone else thought before sounding off. But yea, The Whirlwind seems like it's even more dependent on Yes' playbook than previous outings. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just what TA seem to be best at.
Indeed, it is what they do best! I think if someone wants something different from any of the members of TA, there's plenty out there for them! Roine, more recently, has done the Genesis-esque Agents of Mercy, and the jazz-fusion project 3rd World Electric, and a few years ago made a 2-disc blues-influenced solo album Wall Street Voodoo. Pete has the more pop-sounding prog side-project Kino (who I hope gets back together for a second album!). Neal's done a lot of pop-sounding prog as well, with his first two solo albums, and has even dabbled in musicals. And of course, Mike does TONS of stuff...
So really, if you're going to get into Transatlantic, you should know what you're getting into, and not expect something radically new or world-changing... it's just great, good ole classic-prog-inspired music performed by four amazing musicians!
-Marc.
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Yeah, so this album just isn't clicking for me. It has some great parts, but overall it just seems to drag on, rambling here and there with no real direction or point. Damn.
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Yeah, so this album just isn't clicking for me. It has some great parts, but overall it just seems to drag on, rambling here and there with no real direction or point. Damn.
I think maybe your trying to hard to enjoy the song as a whole. I find nothing wrong with just sticking with my favorites and listening to the other parts on occasion.
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Oh yeah, I have no problem with listening to to few parts I like, I'm just disappointed that the album turned out to be so inconsistent.
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I don't think it's that inconsistent, but it's definitely repetitive. While I do like it quite a bit, the "main theme" is reprised a bit to often. By the time you get to the final reprise, it's kinda got a "been there, done that" feeling. Overall, I'd still rank The Whirlwind slightly below BAF. I haven't heard the first album yet :-[
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I find nothing wrong with just sticking with my favorites and listening to the other parts on occasion.
That is pretty much what I do most of the time. I listen to tracks 4-8 all of the time, and all of the others, not nearly as much, but I still like them all.
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I agree, M, but I wanted to see what someone else thought before sounding off. But yea, The Whirlwind seems like it's even more dependent on Yes' playbook than previous outings. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just what TA seem to be best at.
I'm actually listening to Close to the Edge for the first time right now (it hasn't clicked for me yet, sadly) and Evermore kinda sounded like Seasons of Man.
-
I always like when Roine posts at the FK yahoo mailing list. When asked what the concept was behind "Lenny Johnson," this is what he said:
Lenny Johnson is a tribute to the common man, or maybe the forgotten
man, or the little man
with no money,no exceptional skills,no grandeur and no good looks.
There are many out there - Many Lenny's, small people who dream but do
not dare to change or grab a chance,go away
to new places or take control over their own lives, they live a life
but do not leave a big mark.
We gotta love the Lenny's cause sometimes a country's wealth is built
upon those men.
Roine.
Very cool. :tup :tup
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I've given this album a listen, and it really doesn't do much for me. I actually prefer disc 2 over disc 1, though I'm giving disc 1 another listen right now.
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Giving the first disc another spin after the whole "best albums of 2009" thread. Maybe it'll grow on me...I consider Bridge Across Forever to be a "guilty pleasure" album for me, maybe this one will follow suit.
-
You know what else I just realized, the bass progression in the last 8 bars before the vocals enter on On the Prowl is so cool! I really love it! It starts at 3:07, you go check it out.
-
I always like when Roine posts at the FK yahoo mailing list. When asked what the concept was behind "Lenny Johnson," this is what he said:
Lenny Johnson is a tribute to the common man, or maybe the forgotten
man, or the little man
with no money,no exceptional skills,no grandeur and no good looks.
There are many out there - Many Lenny's, small people who dream but do
not dare to change or grab a chance,go away
to new places or take control over their own lives, they live a life
but do not leave a big mark.
We gotta love the Lenny's cause sometimes a country's wealth is built
upon those men.
Roine.
Very cool. :tup :tup
That was always the kind of message I got from the song, really good stuff :tup
-
Has anyone found a place where Roine or Pete have posted the lyrics to their respective songs from Disc 2? My ears can't distinguish some of their words in their songs, so the lyrics I posted on Transatlantic's page on songmeanings.net aren't very complete, however, I did see some lyrics posted on the LyricWiki for Transatlantic, but some of the words/stanzas still don't look like they sound in the song.
I've been hoping we'd get lyrics for those songs posted on the official website, but I guess not...
-Marc.
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I have to say that this album has finally clicked. :tup
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Much as I love The Whirlwind, to me it sounds like one of Neal's solo albums, and not at all what I'd expect from TA - the "classic prog" homages of the first two albums are missing. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, coz I love Neal's work, but still...
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Much as I love The Whirlwind, to me it sounds like one of Neal's solo albums, and not at all what I'd expect from TA - the "classic prog" homages of the first two albums are missing. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, coz I love Neal's work, but still...
I wouldn't say the classic prog influences are missing at all. It might be a bit more subtle than in their last two albums but are most definitely still there.
*is still patiently waiting for Bosk's news*
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I can't stop playing this cd.(My wife looks at me in the car and says, "Not again".) I really like, Is it Really Happening, Spinning and Out of the Night.
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Much as I love The Whirlwind, to me it sounds like one of Neal's solo albums, and not at all what I'd expect from TA - the "classic prog" homages of the first two albums are missing. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, coz I love Neal's work, but still...
I'm sorry, but I still don't get that at all. Much of the album was clearly not written solely by Neal Morse, and the songs that were clearly written by Roine Stolt (or mostly written by him) don't sound like anything you would hear on a Neal Morse album.
As for not getting what you were expecting, I would say that is a good thing. While TA is sort of a homage to classic prog, they are still a PROGRESSIVE rock band, so if they do the unexpected, then that means they are living up to their reputation, right? ;)
I can't stop playing this cd.
You and me both. :biggrin:
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Amen. This CD and four others are my current addictions.
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That Hogweed cover is bloody awesome.
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That Hogweed cover is bloody awesome.
Agreed, as is the Santana cover. Funny thing is, on the bonus disc, I absolutely love two of the four new songs, while thinking the other two are kind of meh, and the same goes with the four covers. Funny how that worked out.
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That Hogweed cover is bloody awesome.
No doubt. I listened to it again the other day. It's outrageous.
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Amen. This CD and four others are my current addictions.
come by my house on Tuesdays at 7pm. We have a meeting on the beach around a campfire. It is called PA.
Proggers Anonymous.
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Amen. This CD and four others are my current addictions.
come by my house on Tuesdays at 7pm. We have a meeting on the beach around a campfire. It is called PA.
Proggers Anonymous.
"Hi, my name is Jamesman, and I just listened to The Whirlwind and Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence straight through and back to back. . .IN THE SHOWER!" *sobs*
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Just here to let you know this is the first thread I check every morning hoping for those TA news :\
-
==========OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF TRANSATLANTIC==============
Dear Roine, Neal, Mike, and Pete:
I hate you all. Sorry to be so negative, but yes, I do indeed hate you. You are going to tie up yet another 80 minutes or so of my day today simply because you cannot seem to restrain yourselves from writing some of the best, catchiest, most awesome progressively progressive music ever written. But let me back up and explain. Here I was, minding my own business at work, when the intro for Overture/Whirlwind came on. I was going to shut it off and skip to something else, but got distracted doing something else for a couple of minutes. I come back, and Roine's vocals are just starting. Next thing I know, I'm hooked again and can't shut it off. So here I sit, listening to this song for the next 77:something, unable to resist. I truly hate you.
Signed,
:itchy:
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==========OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF TRANSATLANTIC==============
Dear Roine, Neal, Mike, and Pete:
I hate you all. Sorry to be so negative, but yes, I do indeed hate you. You are going to tie up yet another 80 minutes or so of my day today simply because you cannot seem to restrain yourselves from writing some of the best, catchiest, most awesome progressively progressive music ever written. But let me back up and explain. Here I was, minding my own business at work, when the intro for Overture/Whirlwind came on. I was going to shut it off and skip to something else, but got distracted doing something else for a couple of minutes. I come back, and Roine's vocals are just starting. Next thing I know, I'm hooked again and can't shut it off. So here I sit, listening to this song for the next 77:something, unable to resist. I truly hate you.
Signed,
:itchy:
You should name this, "The Declaration of Transatlantic", and we'll all sign this!!
-
Oh come to think about it:
WHAT IS THE BIG NEWS?
-
==========OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF TRANSATLANTIC==============
Dear Roine, Neal, Mike, and Pete:
I hate you all. Sorry to be so negative, but yes, I do indeed hate you. You are going to tie up yet another 80 minutes or so of my day today simply because you cannot seem to restrain yourselves from writing some of the best, catchiest, most awesome progressively progressive music ever written. But let me back up and explain. Here I was, minding my own business at work, when the intro for Overture/Whirlwind came on. I was going to shut it off and skip to something else, but got distracted doing something else for a couple of minutes. I come back, and Roine's vocals are just starting. Next thing I know, I'm hooked again and can't shut it off. So here I sit, listening to this song for the next 77:something, unable to resist. I truly hate you.
Signed,
:itchy:
Let's start a listening to The Whirlwind at work club. Can someone make a banner?
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For those interested, I've started a TA survivor! See sig.
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I have obtained The Whirlwind, my first Transatlantic album and first time even hearing them.
I love it! :biggrin:
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:tup
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I have obtained The Whirlwind, my first Transatlantic album and first time even hearing them.
I love it! :biggrin:
Awesome.
-
great....NOW GO GET THE OTHERS :)
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great....NOW GO GET THE OTHERS :)
+734
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great....NOW GO GET THE OTHERS :)
For sure man. They're such a prog fest. Love it.
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Gotta catch'em all! If you're a TA-fantatic like me, you'll probably end up with SMPT:e, Bridge Across Forever (regular and special/limited edition), Live In Europe (the separate 2CD and 2DVD sets), Live In America (2CD), Live In America/Building The Bridge DVD, the Transatlantic Demos, SMPT:e - The Roine Stolt Mixes, and of course The Whirlwind 3-Disc Special Edition.
Just need to get the Live In Europe 4-Disc book-case special edition and SMPT:e Limited Edition (which is VERY hard to find, and VERY expensive :'()
Yes... I am pretty crazy, but what can I say... I love this band and these musicians!
-Marc.
-
==========OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF TRANSATLANTIC==============
Dear Roine, Neal, Mike, and Pete:
I hate you all. Sorry to be so negative, but yes, I do indeed hate you. You are going to tie up yet another 80 minutes or so of my day today simply because you cannot seem to restrain yourselves from writing some of the best, catchiest, most awesome progressively progressive music ever written. But let me back up and explain. Here I was, minding my own business at work, when the intro for Overture/Whirlwind came on. I was going to shut it off and skip to something else, but got distracted doing something else for a couple of minutes. I come back, and Roine's vocals are just starting. Next thing I know, I'm hooked again and can't shut it off. So here I sit, listening to this song for the next 77:something, unable to resist. I truly hate you.
Signed,
:itchy:
Did Itchy post that? :tard
-
So I finally got around to listening to this album (it is a little daunting to know that you'll be out 77 minutes), but it is certainly a combination of :metal :corn :hefdaddy and more :metal
-
Just need to get the SMPT:e Limited Edition (which is VERY hard to find, and VERY expensive :'()
I have two (and two of the Bridge Across Forever Limited Edition). I think one of them is signed by Roine, even.
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Just need to get the SMPT:e Limited Edition (which is VERY hard to find, and VERY expensive :'()
I have two (and two of the Bridge Across Forever Limited Edition). I think one of them is signed by Roine, even.
Oooooh...willing to part with the unsigned one for a reasonable price?? ;)
Sweet that you have one signed by Roine, though!
-Marc.
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Just need to get the SMPT:e Limited Edition (which is VERY hard to find, and VERY expensive :'()
I have two (and two of the Bridge Across Forever Limited Edition). I think one of them is signed by Roine, even.
Oooooh...willing to part with the unsigned one for a reasonable price?? ;)
Sweet that you have one signed by Roine, though!
-Marc.
Hahaha, what is reasonable? I shelled out between $50-150 each, for all of them. I don't remember how I ended up with multiple copies, though...
-
Just need to get the Live In Europe 4-Disc book-case special edition and SMPT:e Limited Edition (which is VERY hard to find, and VERY expensive :'().
Have you ever found one, because I can't find one over the web anywhere which kinda upsets me... Don't really care about the price, I want it :D
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I know what bosk is talking about.
-
While it is possible you do, I tend to doubt it. If you aren't bluffing, PM me and I'll tell you if you're right.
-
lol
-
Yeah, I think I know too. Pm me Bosk, I'll tell you if it's the same.
:angel:
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So has this just become the official yet unintentional TA thread?
-
Semi necropost, but wowowowowow! I've had this for a while but only just appreciated, it's about as close as I've ever heard prog come to truly 'beautiful' music, from the wonderful first minute (when the strings kick in I SWOON, okay?!) to the (maybe too long) finale, it's the best 'classic' sounding prog I've heard in a long time. Several hundred thumbs up, which I will not actually insert into my post due to time constraints.
-
How is it possible they're not coming to Stockholm. Stolt is born a town away and they're not even going to play one concert in Sweden. Sad... :(
-
I've been listening to ABAF for a while now, :metal. Duel with the Devil is :metal + :hefdaddy + :hat + :metal
-
I don't think this is really "news" anymore, so I am unstickying this topic.
-
OK,
secrets out: From today on we are selling a limitied VINYL DELUXE
EDITION of every Transatlantic studio album with bonus material! They are black and magenta colored. They're limited to 1000
copies of each album. They will be gone quickly, so bring extra money
if you want them! All albums are redesigned with new artwork. 35 euros each!
https://www.facebook.com/#!/TransatlanticMusic?v=wall&story_fbid=105871559457888 (https://www.facebook.com/#!/TransatlanticMusic?v=wall&story_fbid=105871559457888)
Is there a way we can buy this on internet or are they only available at the Europe shows ?
-
CAN ANYONE FIND TABS FOR THE WHIRLWIND ANYWHERE?!?!?!
I've been looking all week, guess I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and do it by ear, which won't be fun.
-
OK,
secrets out: From today on we are selling a limitied VINYL DELUXE
EDITION of every Transatlantic studio album with bonus material! They are black and magenta colored. They're limited to 1000
copies of each album. They will be gone quickly, so bring extra money
if you want them! All albums are redesigned with new artwork. 35 euros each!
https://www.facebook.com/#!/TransatlanticMusic?v=wall&story_fbid=105871559457888 (https://www.facebook.com/#!/TransatlanticMusic?v=wall&story_fbid=105871559457888)
Is there a way we can buy this on internet or are they only available at the Europe shows ?
Was THIS bosk's BIG secret about TA?!?
Holy crap... wait... I like how they say "every Transatlantic studio album"... there's only 3! But then again, all three had limited/special editions made at the time of release... I hope the extras on the vinyl releases are the same extras from the bonus discs.
I have to wonder how they'll handle AOTA and "The Whirlwind" as they are all over 25-26 minutes in length, the average length of a vinyl side...
-Marc.
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Vinyls can hold 30 minutes, its just the quality decreases the longer you go over it. However, their 30+ minute songs have a lot of "dead time" at the end of them, so it should be no problem.
And 35 euros is A LOT.... thats like 70 dollars if I'm not mistaken :\ I might buy The Whirlwind or BAF, but with those costs I don't even know if I can afford one.
EDIT - $45... not as bad but still quite a bit.
EDIT 2 - DAMN IT WHAT THE FUCK?! Shows only? American fans got fucked on this one. :\
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Yup, that sucks. They only way we could have one is to buy on ebay. Sucks.
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Vinyls can hold 30 minutes, its just the quality decreases the longer you go over it. However, their 30+ minute songs have a lot of "dead time" at the end of them, so it should be no problem.
And 35 euros is A LOT.... thats like 70 dollars if I'm not mistaken :\ I might buy The Whirlwind or BAF, but with those costs I don't even know if I can afford one.
Oh...okay. Well in that case, if the extras are the same as the LE/SE releases, then I see the following being the vinyl sides:
SMPT:e
Side 1 - "All Of The Above"
Side 2 - "We All Need Some Light", "Mystery Train", "My New World"
Side 3 - "In Held ('Twas) In I", "Honky Tonk Woman", "Oh Darling", "We All Need Some Light" (Alt. mix w/Roine on lead vocals)
Side 4 - "My Cruel World" (Demo), "My New World" (Alt. mix w/Neal on lead vocals)
Bridge Across Forever
Side 1 - "Duel With The Devil"
Side 2 - "Suite Charlotte Pike", "Bridge Across Forever"
Side 3 - "Stranger In Your Soul"
Side 4 - "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", "And I Love Her", "Smoke On The Water"
The Whirlwind
Side 1 - "Overture/The Whirlwind", "The Wind Blew Them All Away", "On The Prowl", "A Man Can Feel"
Side 2 - "Coming Out Of The Night", "Rose Colored Glasses", "Evermore", "Set Us Free", "Lay Down Your Life", "Pieces Of Heaven"
Side 3 - "Is It Really Happening?", "Dancing With Eternal Glory"
Side 4 - "Spinning", "Lenny Johnson", "For Such A Time", "Lending A Hand"
Side 5 - "Return Of The Giant Hogweed", "A Salty Dog", "I Need You", "Soul Sacrifice"
Side 6 - Outtakes or demos? ("Helter Skelter" from Whilrwind Drumming, or "Mother Nature's Son" from The Making Of The Whirlwind)
I can't wait to see what these are like... I don't buy or collect vinyl, but since these are from what may possibly be my favorite band ever, I may have to fetch these no matter the cost...
-Marc.
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Holy crap, 35 Euro's an album, that's ridiculous.
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Sadly, 35 euro per vinyl album, especially since there's 4 lp's per package, isn't that highly priced.
I won't be able to buy one however.
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Posted this in the other thread, but I might as well post it here too.... if anyone is going to any of the shows from now on, and can pick me up one of the albums, I'll pay for the cost of it + shipping to the States.
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Sadly, 35 euro per vinyl album, especially since there's 4 lp's per package, isn't that highly priced.
I won't be able to buy one however.
There are two LP's per package, there are two sides to an LP.
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Nick is correct.
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Sadly, 35 euro per vinyl album, especially since there's 4 lp's per package, isn't that highly priced.
I won't be able to buy one however.
There are two LP's per package, there are two sides to an LP.
yeah sorry, that's what I meant. Even so, 35 euro for a new double lp isn't massively expensive.
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Maybe is just seems that way, but $35 for a new two LP set would be on the expensive side over here, but 35 Euro translates to at least $50, which is just ridiculous.
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Err, the price for one album was 45 Euro, not 35. All 3 for 120 Euro. Limited to 1000 worldwide.
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Err, the price for one album was 45 Euro, not 35. All 3 for 120 Euro. Limited to 1000 worldwide.
:sadpanda:
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So I assume there's nobody with the vinyl versions yet?
I hope that a friend will buy those for me in Tilburg...
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I just got home from the concert in Barcelona and I'm fucking EXCITED. Best concert I've ever had, and the band seemed pretty happy too, they switched instruments, Portnoy did a stage dive and they said it was the best night of the tour so far.
I also bought the vinyls, it was finally 35 per, 105 total. I will make some pictures and post them tomorrow when I get home (I'm at my cousin's now) and maybe do a review of the concert.
ROCK ON TA!!
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JFSFJSDKJGFSDLGSDLKJGSDLJKGJKLSD I need one of those vinyls :( I don't care that it costs a billion dollars. Still really upset they didnt even offer it to the American fans...
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JFSFJSDKJGFSDLGSDLKJGSDLJKGJKLSD I need one of those vinyls :( I don't care that it costs a billion dollars. Still really upset they didnt even offer it to the American fans...
I know, and they'll go for an insane amount on the secondary market. I'd love to have these, even tho I don't collect vinyl or own a record player... but I LOVE Transatlantic... :'(
-Marc.
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I'm finally home and as promised, here are the pictures. I took two per album - one with the 3 boxes (main box, original album, bonus disc) and one with the vinyl on top so you can see the different colors. If you want to see some particular frame or detail let me know and I'll make more pics:
SMPTe
(https://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac31/jafean/IMG_4341.jpg)
(https://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac31/jafean/IMG_4345.jpg)
Bridge Across Forever
(https://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac31/jafean/IMG_4346.jpg)
(https://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac31/jafean/IMG_4351.jpg)
The Whirlwind
(https://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac31/jafean/IMG_4352.jpg)
(https://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac31/jafean/IMG_4357.jpg)
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I'm finally home and as promised, here are the pictures. I took two per album - one with the 3 boxes (main box, original album, bonus disc) and one with the vinyl on top so you can see the different colors. If you want to see some particular frame or detail let me know and I'll make more pics:
SMPTe
(snip)
Bridge Across Forever
(snip)
The Whirlwind
(snip)
What are the specific tracklistings on each LP and side? Just curious...
Also, those look gorgeous! Thank you for the pictures... Man, I really want those.
-Marc.
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All albums are 2 vinyls (original album) + 1 vinyl bonus disc
SMPTe:
1- All of the Above pt1
2- All of the Above pt2
3- We all need some light, my new world
4- Mystery Train, In held (twas) in I
BONUS
1- My new world pt1 + pt2 (alternative take, Neal lead, different lyrics), We all need some light (Roine lead vocals, alternative mix)
2- Honky Tonk Woman (studio jam), Oh darlin' (studio jam), My cruel world (original demo)
Bridge Across Forever
1- Duel with the devil
2- Suite Charlotte pike
3- Bridge across forever
4- Stranger in your soul
BONUS
1- Shine on you crazy diamond, studio chat, and I love her
2- Smoke on the water, dance with the devil, Roines demo bits
The Whirlwind
1- Overture/whirlwind, the wind blew them all away, on the prowl
2- a man can feel, out of the night, rose colored glasses
3- evermore, set us free, lay down your life, pieces of heaven
4- is it really happening?, dancing with eternal glory/whirlwind (reprise)
BONUS
1- spinning, lenny johnson, for such a time, lending a hand
2- the return of the giant hogweed, a salty dog, i need you, soul sacrifice
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Thanks Xanthul! Interesting that they split AOTA and re-ordered the track list of SMPT:e... about how much do they cost at the shows? For 3 LPs, I'm sure it's got to be worth it, especially since each album is only being pressed 1000x each.
-Marc.
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35 euros each, 105 total. I still haven't had a chance to listen to them though, these are the first vinyls in my collection so I need to get a decent player this week (hints and advice will be welcome).
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35 euros each, 105 total. I still haven't had a chance to listen to them though, these are the first vinyls in my collection so I need to get a decent player this week (hints and advice will be welcome).
That's about $43.49 USD each, or about $130.46 for all three... which, considering how pricey other limited edition vinyls go for these days, is not too unreasonable. If only I had the money to get all three right now, I would, but I have so much other (new, to me at least) music to get this summer... But if i wait, secondary market prices will sky-rocket, and individual albums will probably go for anywhere between $75-150 over the coming months. AHHHHHHHH...
-Marc.
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Wow, they really look awesome!! :tup
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Thanks for posting the pics, they look awesome!
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I cannot get enough of "Spinning" lately. I love how it sounds like Yes had a grandchild, yet still features the Roine Stolt stamp. Also, the instrumental section is one of the best moments of the entire record (counting both the main and bonus discs); fantastic keyboard and guitar solos, and whatever the hell Portnoy and Trewavas are doing is totally bad ass. :coolio
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Yea "Spinning" is definitely the best track on Disc 2 as far as I am concerned.
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"Lending a Hand" is an interesting tune. I generally like it, although Trewavas' vocals leave a little bit to be desired at times, especially during the choruses. But man, those verses are terrific. I love that vibe going on, and some of Neal's keyboard fills in the second verse are just outrageously great.
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I'm still really enjoying the entire album. Regarding the second disk, I think it's cool that they basically did a "budget version" for those who don't want to shell out the case for the entire set, but it's kind of a shame the people who bought that are missing out on a lot of additional great material.
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I'm still really enjoying the entire album. Regarding the second disk, I think it's cool that they basically did a "budget version" for those who don't want to shell out the case for the entire set, but it's kind of a shame the people who bought that are missing out on a lot of additional great material.
That is a shame, but boy am I glad I was able to buy the special deal through Radiant Records - The Whirlwind 3-Disc set and Neal Morse's latest live album So Many Roads, which came to my house MONTHS before it's retail release! Woohoo!
I also bought MP's "Whirlwind Drumming", which is a great companion to the Making Of The Whirlwind DVD that's include with the special edition.
I really cannot wait for the live London DVD (and hopefully CD). Roine just posted in the last day on his FB that the mixing for it is done, so I'm hoping it'll be out around October!
-Marc.
-
Yeah, I read Roine's update on FB, too. Very nice. It sounds like he had a major hand in the mixing, which is good, as the CDs he is involved with always sound great.
-
Welcome to the High Voltage Festival in London- Victoria park -
24th & 25th of July (thisweekend)
Transatlantic play a 1 & half hour set on 24th @ 8:00 in the evening-"progstage.
before that Zappa Plays Zappa & Asia among others .
Last TA gig for a while - don't miss it .
High Voltage Festival
Victoria Park
Grove Road
London E9 7HJ
Looks like they'll have 90 minutes to play. I can only guess that they'll play the second half of their show from the Whirld Tour.
-Marc.
-
I doubt that they'd skip the new material. I think it likely you will see a few movements from The Whirlwind, either individually throughout the set or as a mini-Whirlwind "medley."
-
I doubt that they'd skip the new material. I think it likely you will see a few movements from The Whirlwind, either individually throughout the set or as a mini-Whirlwind "medley."
I thought about that, but if they do ANY of it, it'll probably be the whole thing. I doubt they'd take the time to truncate the whole thing and re-learn what took them longer than a week to piece together as a live band. I see it as all-or-nothing in this case. And I only think they'd skip the new material because they've already toured for it, and even recorded a show in London. If anyone wanted to see them for the new material, they probably would've tried to do so already. That and I just think they're more likely to get a (bigger) reaction if they play their older material instead.
-Marc.
-
Set:
1. The Whirlwind
2. encore: We All Need Some Light
:lol
-
Set:
1. The Whirlwind
2. encore: We All Need Some Light
:lol
:rollin
How about this instead...
Set:
1. We All Need Some Light
2. Encore: The Whirlwind
-Marc.
-
I'm really getting into TA. I have yet to listen to The Whirlwind yet though :lol
I'm really loving their first two albums.
-
I really see m's points, but my gut tells me to go with bosk.
-
bosky is probably right...but I hope they break out The Whirlwind.
"OK, guys, we're only going to play one song for you tonight..."
-
They oughta do the Whirlwind. It's pretty darn impressive live.
-
Set:
1. The Whirlwind
2. encore: We All Need Some Light
:lol
:rollin :rollin :rollin
-
I don't see anyway they don't play anything new. Playing for 90 minutes and playing nothing from the new album would be kind of pointless. I could see them cutting out maybe a few parts out of "The Whirlwind," enabling them to play "Stranger in Your Soul" after it, but avoiding it altogether? No way.
-
Set:
1. The Whirlwind
2. encore: We All Need Some Light
:lol
Hey, that sounds good to me. :metal
The Whirlwind is my favorite TA album and We All Need Some Light is stunning.
-
The "have you woke up screaming" reprise part in Duel with the Devil is epic.
-
The sky is blue.
-
I agree with both of you.
-
Don't know the full set, but apparently Steve Hackett came on to do Return of the Giant Hogweed with Transatlantic.
-
:tup
-
Awesome!
-
From MP's twitter
"Just played Transatlantic's final performance of The Whirlwind and were joined by Steve Hackett for an encore of Return of the Giant Hogweed"
Final performance? :(
-
From MP's twitter
"Just played Transatlantic's final performance of The Whirlwind and were joined by Steve Hackett for an encore of Return of the Giant Hogweed"
Final performance? :(
Maybe he means just this tour?? As for the encore... that's pretty epic. Steve Hackett?!? I hope video of it shows up somewhere!
-Marc.
-
Very nice. That should be an extra on the DVD set they are gonna release.
And that probably is the last time they ever play "The Whirlwind" from start to finish. You gotta figure, if they tour again, it would be after releasing a new album, and with more material, they likely wouldn't want to dedicate literally half of the concert to what would then be not a new song. Odds are, they would do an abridged version of it, where they scale it down and play just some of it.
-
Very nice. That should be an extra on the DVD set they are gonna release.
And that probably is the last time they ever play "The Whirlwind" from start to finish. You gotta figure, if they tour again, it would be after releasing a new album, and with more material, they likely wouldn't want to dedicate literally half of the concert to what would then be not a new song. Odds are, they would do an abridged version of it, where they scale it down and play just some of it.
They could cover "The Whirlwind" material in one of two ways: the Neal Morse way of truncating by making it into a medley, like he has done with his Testimony and ? albums... or they could play certain sections of it like DT have with "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence", like playing runs of 2-3 songs. It all really depends on what sort of new material they release, if ever.
-Marc.
-
From MP's twitter
"Just played Transatlantic's final performance of The Whirlwind and were joined by Steve Hackett for an encore of Return of the Giant Hogweed"
:metal
-
From Neal Morse, regarding the "Whirlwind" intro:
I wrote this little classical intro for French Horns playing that melody and changing keys a few times and then going into the big string fanfare that leads to the band entrance, and we liked it OK but Roine kept mentioning in his emails that he thought we could have something better. But this is all we had. I kind of agreed but couldn’t think of anything else. Then, in mid-July when the album was supposed to be done already, Roine saved the day. He said “What about if we added some cinematic sound effects and things TO the orchestra bit” I said “Go for it! Who better to do something like that than you?” So the record was pretty much done when Roine sent his layered sound effects to Rich in L.A. via the internet, Rich layered it in, and we all said hooray! Wil and Cherie and I listened to the new intro while traveling around in Europe and we all agreed it was just what was needed. I believe Pete sent an email saying something like “what a team, this is awesome.”
:hat :hat :hat
-
So I have been on a Transatlantic binge this past week, listening and watching their DVDs. I've played through SMPT:e (regular and the Roine Stolt mixes, as well as the limited edition bonus disc), Bridge Across Forever (and it's bonus disc as well), The Whirlwind (both discs), and I've watched the Making Of Whirlwind DVD, as well as Portnoy's Drums Across Forever and Whirlwind Drumming and the recent Transatlantic Bootlegs DVD. All that's left is Live In America/Building The Bridge and Live In Europe (probably my most watched live concert DVD) that I need to watch.
It's truly amazing how well these four work, but I also think it's interesting to see Roine during these videos. He always seems so introverted despite him being so expressive and emotional on his guitar and on stage (and most likely with his own band The Flower Kings). He seems so quiet in the studio and doesn't offer much, at least compared to the other three. Then again, Mike is ALWAYS offering suggestions, and Pete and Neal give nearly as much as Mike, so I wonder if Roine just kind of sits back and waits for instructions and offers his advice when the "dust has cleared" so to speak, between the other guys.
It's also funny to note how tall Roine is and how short Pete is. I also really enjoy how each of them can spontaneously break out any number of songs and all of them will know it (especially The Beatles). In Mike's Whirlwind Drumming, Mike comments on his parody of Ringo's "Helter Skelter" line, then Roine breaks out the opening of that song and they all join in for a verse and chorus. Amazing! I also enjoyed their off-the-cuff acoustic cover of "Mother Nature's Son". Also, their on-stage impromptu "Birthday" and partial "Yer Blues" from Chicago during the show on Mike's birthday was really nice! These boys really love The Beatles' The Beatles, and I wouldn't mind them seeing cut an album of Beatles tunes (or even the whole White Album, actually... can you imagine Roine re-orchestrating "Revolution 9"?!).
-Marc.
-
Roine is like the mad scientist, quietly working diligently in the lab, coming up with new ideas, etc. Musically speaking, Neal's solo albums are what we get with the Portnoy/Morse combo, but with TA, which has some very easy-to-spot differences, if you listen to both enough, it is easy to figure out how much Trewavas and (especially) Roine bring to the table.
I think you also have to consider that, with all due respect, Morse and Portnoy are both very much camera hogs, so the footage you are gonna see was when they knew the cameras were rolling, so they hammed it up or whatever. Roine is not really the type to do that.
And I would love to see them do an all Beatles cover show. It is obvious that all four of them are huge fans, and I think they could do a helluva good job with it.
-
I discovered Roine through TA and now I'm absolutely in love with TFK.
The guy is a fucking musical genius, entertaining to watch, and seems fairly humble. Definitely one of my favorite guitarists.
-
Roine is like the mad scientist, quietly working diligently in the lab, coming up with new ideas, etc. Musically speaking, Neal's solo albums are what we get with the Portnoy/Morse combo, but with TA, which has some very easy-to-spot differences, if you listen to both enough, it is easy to figure out how much Trewavas and (especially) Roine bring to the table.
Very true, and Neal is a great composer, but I think with Roine and Pete, they definitely produce something that is greater than what Neal can do alone (not to belittle Neal's work at all, I LOVE almost everything he puts out but I can definitely see how it can been seen as forumlaic, filled with familiar Morse-isms). I need to listen and digest his ? album a lot more for Roine's contributions. Maybe I'll give it a good spinning this coming week (pun intended).
I think you also have to consider that, with all due respect, Morse and Portnoy are both very much camera hogs, so the footage you are gonna see was when they knew the cameras were rolling, so they hammed it up or whatever. Roine is not really the type to do that.
This is also very true. They both tend to film a LOT of what they do - Mike for his drum-cam stuff, and Neal for his behind-the-scenes things, so between the two of them, they do take up much of the camera time, but Pete also manages to get in his voice a bit, especially on the Making Of The Whirlwind DVD.
And I would love to see them do an all Beatles cover show. It is obvious that all four of them are huge fans, and I think they could do a helluva good job with it.
I know, right?! I think a Beatles show or cover album would be amazing and easy for them to put together and the fans would eat it up! I know I would! Mike's Yellow Matter Custard show was amazing, and I would love to hear what those two (Mike and Neal) could do with more Beatles covers in the TA-vein (extending sections or what have you) with both Roine and Pete with them!
-Marc.
-
I discovered Roine through TA and now I'm absolutely in love with TFK.
The guy is a fucking musical genius, entertaining to watch, and seems fairly humble. Definitely one of my favorite guitarists.
:tup :tup
Roine is like the mad scientist, quietly working diligently in the lab, coming up with new ideas, etc. Musically speaking, Neal's solo albums are what we get with the Portnoy/Morse combo, but with TA, which has some very easy-to-spot differences, if you listen to both enough, it is easy to figure out how much Trewavas and (especially) Roine bring to the table.
Very true, and Neal is a great composer, but I think with Roine and Pete, they definitely produce something that is greater than what Neal can do alone (not to belittle Neal's work at all, I LOVE almost everything he puts out but I can definitely see how it can been seen as forumlaic, filled with familiar Morse-isms). I need to listen and digest his ? album a lot more for Roine's contributions. Maybe I'll give it a good spinning this coming week (pun intended).
? benefits greatly by the contributions by Roine Stolt, Steve Hackett, Jordan Rudess and Alan Morse.
I think you also have to consider that, with all due respect, Morse and Portnoy are both very much camera hogs, so the footage you are gonna see was when they knew the cameras were rolling, so they hammed it up or whatever. Roine is not really the type to do that.
This is also very true. They both tend to film a LOT of what they do - Mike for his drum-cam stuff, and Neal for his behind-the-scenes things, so between the two of them, they do take up much of the camera time, but Pete also manages to get in his voice a bit, especially on the Making Of The Whirlwind DVD.
Man, I wish I would have bought the edition with that DVD. D'oh! :facepalm:
And I would love to see them do an all Beatles cover show. It is obvious that all four of them are huge fans, and I think they could do a helluva good job with it.
I know, right?! I think a Beatles show or cover album would be amazing and easy for them to put together and the fans would eat it up! I know I would! Mike's Yellow Matter Custard show was amazing, and I would love to hear what those two (Mike and Neal) could do with more Beatles covers in the TA-vein (extending sections or what have you) with both Roine and Pete with them!
Imagine them doing a Beatles set list of all songs that YMC didn't do already. Hmmm, I might have to work on that. ;)
-
Imagine them doing a Beatles set list of all songs that YMC didn't do already. Hmmm, I might have to work on that. ;)
Mike said on the commentary for the YMC DVD that he (and/or the other members of the band) had picked enough songs for them to do a second show with a completely different set list. Part of me wishes they would get back together to do that other set list! I wonder what all the songs were...
-Marc.
-
A quote from a post on MP.com:
In this month's Record Collectors forthcoming releases, it lists:
Transatlantic Live In London 2-DVD and Live In Manchester 3-CD as coming out Oct 26 on Radiant. This list isn't always 100% accurate but it's a pretty good guide.
-
A quote from a post on MP.com:
In this month's Record Collectors forthcoming releases, it lists:
Transatlantic Live In London 2-DVD and Live In Manchester 3-CD as coming out Oct 26 on Radiant. This list isn't always 100% accurate but it's a pretty good guide.
Two different shows, eh? I wonder why... In reality, they probably could have decided to use ANY show for the CD set since mixing the audio wouldn't be so hard, but filming any/ever show to choose from would be.
I wonder if there will be a 5-disc Whirld Tour Limited/Special edition? Hmmm... can't wait for this!
-Marc.
-
Being Transatlantic I'm surprised that if they wanted to use two different shows that they didn't do the film from London and the CD's from somewhere in America.
-
Transatlantic is awesome, no matter where they are recorded.
-
The sun is hot.
-
Water is wet.
-
Being Transatlantic I'm surprised that if they wanted to use two different shows that they didn't do the film from London and the CD's from somewhere in America.
Actually I was hoping for that myself... or at least, doing a Chaos In Motion type film taking the best performances from different shows to put together a concert, but I guess that would've been expensive to do professionally.
I guess the Brits get all the glory this time around. Considering we got two different American concerts from the SMPT:e tour, one European concert from the BAF tour, I guess getting an English show (or two) makes up for Pete's homeland. Two American shows for Mike and Neal, one main-land European show for Roine (I know he's not from Holland, but it's sort of close, and Roine filmed there at the 013 later for two different shows)...now Pete gets TWO for England!
-Marc.
-
The sun is hot.
Water is wet.
:lol
-
I'd like to throw The Whirlwind out there as being one of the best albums for riffs of all time, along with probably a Metallica album and Opeth's BWP. The riffs in the Overture alone, even when they're not expanded upon, are enough to base one song each on. (which I guess they then do...)
-
The sun is hot.
Water is wet.
:lol
"Fire burns, wind blows, water falls..." yeah... I was watching Fifth Element the other night...
-Marc.
-
I was watching Fifth Element the other night...
Why anyone would willingly do that to themselves, I cannot understand.
But back on topic: Pete probably demanded restitution for them making him play Shine On You Crazy Diamond in Germany last time over his protests that he didn't know it, and then the band butchering it because nobody else knew it either. :lol
-
Why let the fact that you don't know how to play a song stop you from launching into it? It never stopped Dragonforce.
-
Why anyone would willingly do that to themselves, I cannot understand.
Permabanned. See you never.
But back on topic: Pete probably demanded restitution for them making him play Shine On You Crazy Diamond in Germany last time over his protests that he didn't know it, and then the band butchering it because nobody else knew it either. :lol
Mike at least knew part of the intro to the song.
-
A quote from a post on MP.com:
In this month's Record Collectors forthcoming releases, it lists:
Transatlantic Live In London 2-DVD and Live In Manchester 3-CD as coming out Oct 26 on Radiant. This list isn't always 100% accurate but it's a pretty good guide.
Has anyone any more word on when and how these live sets will be released? I've been keeping an eye out for information but haven't found any, except a few bits from Roine's updates via Facebook about how he's mixing or finished mixing the live TA show(s). Apparently we will be getting bonus stuff with the DVDs, so I hope we get some cool bits from various live shows over the course of the tour, or perhaps a whole-tour-wide documentary!
-Marc.
-
From Neal:
Live Transatlantic DVD - The only “normal” thing I’ve been working on is the Transatlantic DVD. I’ve seen the roughs, I’ve heard the mixes, and I’m here to tell you that I think it’s going to be one of the best live DVD’s to come out in many years! I think they’ve done a really, really good job. Jerry Guidroz did the behind the scenes documentary that is just amazing. It’s two hours long and funny and captures the whole behind the scenes thing in the best way of any of them that we’ve ever put out. We’re currently working on some other extra special features. In fact I’m waiting for a drive right now to do a few more things. But the release date is the end of October. October 28th, I think. So there’s going to be a two-disc live DVD, as well as a three-disc live CD, and of course a super deluxe edition with both together. All of that is being worked on right now. I haven’t seen any final artwork yet, it’s making me rather nervous. I keep e-mailing everybody going, “We need to get the artwork in”. One thing is that I’m in charge of manufacturing in America and Americans take a lot longer to manufacture stuff. So, I have to have the parts a lot earlier than they do in Europe. So there’s always this little bit of a struggle with me being a nudge and continually saying “where’s the stuff, where’s the stuff?” But I’m sure it will all get done as it always does. And it’s going to be a fantastic package. You’re gonna love it!
-
YEEES! :caffeine:
-
Thanks for posting that, ich bin besser!!!
Also...
From Neal:
But the release date is the end of October. October 28th, I think. So there’s going to be a two-disc live DVD, as well as a three-disc live CD, and of course a super deluxe edition with both together.
5 Disc Set?! YES PLEASE! Sweeeeeet... JUST what I was hoping for! I will shell out $40-$50 for it, even though I'm hoping it's around $35 unless the super deluxe edition has something the DVD and CD sets won't have individually (outside of packaging that is).
Fall will be a good time for new music - end of September will see Roine's Agents Of Mercy releasing DramaRama and then a month later, TA live in London/Manchester! :metal
-Marc.
-
Very nice. :tup :tup
Now, if Neal could let us know when the band plans to get together to record the next TA studio record, that would be even better. A somewhat specific date or time period would be nice. :biggrin:
-
With the news of Mike leaving Dream Theater, the band is now one-half ex-members - Neal being ex-Spock's Beard, and Mike being ex-Dream Theater. Roine hasn't done anything with The Flower Kings since 2008, and the future of the band still remains in question (with Roine, like Mike, being far more involved with outside projects and consequently, enjoying them more).
It is quite possible that with Mike being free of DT obligations that another TA album could be on the horizon if Neal wishes to do so. I'm sure Mike and Roine would have no problem doing it. It would simply be a matter of finding a window of time in which Pete could come in and write/record with the rest of them.
-Marc.
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Ich bin besser, where' did you get that info anyway?
-
Ich bin besser, where' did you get that info anyway?
From Neal
-
From his Inner Circle August email.
-
With the news of Mike leaving Dream Theater, the band is now one-half ex-members - Neal being ex-Spock's Beard, and Mike being ex-Dream Theater. Roine hasn't done anything with The Flower Kings since 2008, and the future of the band still remains in question (with Roine, like Mike, being far more involved with outside projects and consequently, enjoying them more).
It is quite possible that with Mike being free of DT obligations that another TA album could be on the horizon if Neal wishes to do so. I'm sure Mike and Roine would have no problem doing it. It would simply be a matter of finding a window of time in which Pete could come in and write/record with the rest of them.
-Marc.
As I've said in three other threads or so, it really doesn't matter how free Mike is because if Neal wants to do another record it will get done in time... the problem is Neal and him wanting to do the record.
-
Or him getting permission from above. :biggrin:
-
Saw this at PE - https://www.progressiveears.com/forums/thread.asp?ForumID=1&TopicID=123485&posttime=9/9/2010+2:39:37+PM&private=
TRANSATLANTIC NEWS: The new Transatlantic Live album and DVD, TRANSATLANTIC - WHIRLD TOUR 2010, LIVE AT SHEPHERD'S BUSH EMPIRE LONDON, will be released October 26, 2010 in North America, November 8 in Europe. Here's a bit about it:
PROG ROCK SUPERGROUP TRANSATLANTIC UNLEASHES:
WHIRLD TOUR 2010, LIVE AT SHEPHERD'S BUSH EMPIRE LONDON -
A MAMMOTH LIVE 2-DVD SET
WITH 6 HOURS OF AMAZING FOOTAGE
RELEASE ON OCTOBER 26th, 2010
AVAILABLE AS 2-DVD SET, 3-CD AUDIO VERSION, AND 5-DISC DELUXE EDITION
More info to come. We just wanted to get you excited. We will start taking pre-orders September 28th.
5-Disc set is Auto-Buy for me... and I will definitely be look out and waiting for Pre-Orders, which will likely come from Radiant Records (as they did with The Whirlwind).
-Marc.
-
And if you go to the thread on PE that I linked to, you'll see posts by "ManInTheMountain", the one who does most of the artwork and stuff for Neal's related projects and albums. Apparently, while doing the artwork, he wondered if Mike should be listed as "ex-Dream Theater". A forum member there suggested "Dream Theater Founder" as his title on the upcoming release, to which MITM agreed was a good idea.
He also said:
He's decided on no "X" at this time.
I can understand Mike's not wanting to be titled as "ex-Dream Theater" in the same way Neal is often titled "ex-Spock's Beard". The TA shows were done when he was still a part of DT, so from a purely chronological stand point, at the time, he was still a member of Dream Theater.
-Marc.
-
Normally, I stay away from 5-disc combo packages, but I'm willing for live Transatlantic.
-
And if you go to the thread on PE that I linked to, you'll see posts by "ManInTheMountain", the one who does most of the artwork and stuff for Neal's related projects and albums. Apparently, while doing the artwork, he wondered if Mike should be listed as "ex-Dream Theater". A forum member there suggested "Dream Theater Founder" as his title on the upcoming release, to which MITM agreed was a good idea.
I think that is a bad idea. That implies that he is the only DT founder, which in fact he is one of three guys who formed the band. Co-Founder would be more appropriate. In fact, Portnoy should do the right thing and veto that idea, as I assume the guys have a big say-so on what goes on such things.
Either way, Martin/MITM is a super cool guy. Met him when I saw The Flower Kings back in '06; very nice guy. :coolio
-
Agree with Kev, MP should really put a stop to that.
-
Awesome HD footage of Overture / The Whirlwind from High Voltage Festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFb7JQhi_EQ&fmt=22
I'm even more pumped for the DVD!
-
And if you go to the thread on PE that I linked to, you'll see posts by "ManInTheMountain", the one who does most of the artwork and stuff for Neal's related projects and albums. Apparently, while doing the artwork, he wondered if Mike should be listed as "ex-Dream Theater". A forum member there suggested "Dream Theater Founder" as his title on the upcoming release, to which MITM agreed was a good idea.
I think that is a bad idea. That implies that he is the only DT founder, which in fact he is one of three guys who formed the band. Co-Founder would be more appropriate. In fact, Portnoy should do the right thing and veto that idea, as I assume the guys have a big say-so on what goes on such things.
Either way, Martin/MITM is a super cool guy. Met him when I saw The Flower Kings back in '06; very nice guy. :coolio
I see your point, and I don't disagree that "co-founder" is more accurate. But, honestly, I don't think it's necessary. The "co-" is clearly implied. It didn't even occur to me to read it as implying "sole founder" until I read your post.
-
How is "co-" implied?
Saying just "Founder" is singular, and gives the impression of him being the only one. It is like if a high school had two class presidents. You wouldn't call either of them "Class President," but both of them "Co-Class President."
Really, though, why not just stick with "ex-Dream Theater"? I am sure it will say "ex-Spock's Beard" for Neal Morse, so this is really the same thing. Just because Portnoy's departure from his band just happened doesn't mean the "ex-" isn't correct.
Not that it really matters, but I am just saying...;) :lol
-
How is "co-" implied?
Saying just "Founder" is singular, and gives the impression of him being the only one. It is like if a high school had two class presidents. You wouldn't call either of them "Class President," but both of them "Co-Class President."
Really, though, why not just stick with "ex-Dream Theater"? I am sure it will say "ex-Spock's Beard" for Neal Morse, so this is really the same thing. Just because Portnoy's departure from his band just happened doesn't mean the "ex-" isn't correct.
Not that it really matters, but I am just saying...;) :lol
Except "Class President" is most uniformly a singular position, something that's widely, if not universally accepted. Something as being a "Founder" isn't always a singular position, so it's not necessarily implied that being listed as a "Founder" means you're the only one.
Also, saying "ex-Dream Theater" can be a BIT misleading considering he was still in the band at the time of the recordings to be featured on the upcoming Transatlantic release. IIRC, the liner notes for TA's Live In Europe didn't mention Neal as being "ex-Spock's Beard", and at the time of the recording he was still part of SB. I think listing Mike as "Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)" would be sufficient enough, much in the way "Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings)" would be okay. At least there's BEEN a Dream Theater in the last couple of years... the same can't really be said for The Flower Kings, though.
-Marc.
-
My question is this, does it really matter?
-
My question is this, does it really matter?
Re: prog discussion.
-
Heh, not really. :lol
But, yeah, I agree with you, Marc. I don't think "ex-" is needed for any of them. Just list all of the major bands each guy has been in next to their name. Of course, you will have a million for both Stolt and Portnoy...:lol :lol
-
Heh, not really. :lol
But, yeah, I agree with you, Marc. I don't think "ex-" is needed for any of them. Just list all of the major bands each guy has been in next to their name. Of course, you will have a million for both Stolt and Portnoy...:lol :lol
In a contest, I think it would be a pretty even draw...even if you count one-off shows Mike has done. Roine's been around for a long time, so I'm sure he's been a part of many bands before Mike even picked up drum sticks.
-Marc.
-
Awesome HD footage of Overture / The Whirlwind from High Voltage Festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFb7JQhi_EQ&fmt=22
I'm even more pumped for the DVD!
Awesome! It will be amazing! :metal
And Daniel Gildenlöw seems to be enjoying himself. :lol
-
Btw I think we should have a thread title change :p
-
Nah, it's like on the news, they always use present tense. "Gunman Robs Store" or "Kitten Explodes". I've never understood it, but they always do. "Transatlantic releases The Whirlwind" is news, and should be treated as such.
:P
-
Am I bumping the right thread?
Man, I just listened to this again after about maybe a month of not hearing it. I was just laying down and chilling and listening to it.
This song is a freaking masterpiece. It is starting to age well.
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The riff at 4:26 in the Overture is so FUCKING GROOVY, I LOVE IT
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Definitely in my top ten 77+ minute songs of all time.
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I actually have 14 of those, :D
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Definitely in my top ten 77+ minute songs of all time.
I'm inclined to agree with this. Not sure, though.
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Listening to The Whirlwind for the first time since October... what a great album. And that concert was amazing!
(https://img33.imageshack.us/img33/5028/ta1b.jpg)
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Listening to the whirlwind for the first time whislt in the mood - I gave up after a few parts of the song twice previously for not being in the mood, but i'm on evermore now and WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
Rose Colored Glasses and Out of the Night and The Wind Blew Them All Away :o
edit: holy shit set us free O_O
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I still think that it's probably the best albums in terms of riffs since Metallica in the 80s.
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Yeah it's such an enjoyable album all the way through. :D
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Yep, it is aging really well. Listened to it the other day for the first time in a while, and it still sounded awesome. I still wish the first track was better (this would probably be my favorite TA CD if it was), but as a whole, it is still magnificent.
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The Whirlwind is actually my favourite bass album of all time. Trewavas has so many amazing moments, and his tone is up there with the best I've heard.
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Oh yes the album is still amazing, and the second disc is awesome too Spinning fucking rules.
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I listened to this album many many times when it came out, for a few months, and I still throw it on about 1-2 times a month on average, and it's great every time. In fact, I'm inspired to to listen to it now because this thread popped back up. :metal
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I listened to this album many many times when it came out, for a few months, and I still throw it on about 1-2 times a month on average, and it's great every time. In fact, I'm inspired to to listen to it now because this thread popped back up. :metal
This. When I first got it I thought it was slightly weaker than BAF. But, actually, it's the best Transatlantic album.
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The Whirlwind is actually my favourite bass album of all time. Trewavas has so many amazing moments, and his tone is up there with the best I've heard.
I agree, I love his bass tone on this album. Yummy for me who's a bass player too.
I had a Transatlantic period this weekend, listened to their first two studio albums plus their live albums (Live In America & Europe). It's a lot of music to take in, but it is a rewarding listen. You always find something new to be awestruck by.
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I agree, I love his bass tone on this album. Yummy for me who's a bass player too.
All of this.
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Yep, it is aging really well. Listened to it the other day for the first time in a while, and it still sounded awesome. I still wish the first track was better (this would probably be my favorite TA CD if it was), but as a whole, it is still magnificent.
o_0 I love the first track. Why do you think it could be better?
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Yep, it is aging really well. Listened to it the other day for the first time in a while, and it still sounded awesome. I still wish the first track was better (this would probably be my favorite TA CD if it was), but as a whole, it is still magnificent.
o_0 I love the first track. Why do you think it could be better?
I think the first huge theme that kicks in following the intro is very underwhelming (at 1:32). Considering there are several main themes throughout the record, I think using one of the other ones would have given it a bigger and more triumphant beginning. When you compare it to the similar moments in songs like "All of the Above," "Duel with the Devil" and "Stranger in Your Soul," all of which also have a short build-up intro and then explode into one of the main themes, it just pales in comparison, IMO.
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But the big explosion into main theme comes in later in the song, 30 seconds or so before the vocals start up. That's where all the release is.
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I'm with Kev...that's why I skipped it a lot when I first got used to it. I've come to like it a lot more, though.
The song is aging well with me.
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I just listened to the entire Whrild Tour set today while doing some video editting. Still sounds great, especially Neal. PLEASE DO MORE SECULAR ALBUMS NEAL!
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I just listened to the entire Whrild Tour set today while doing some video editting. Still sounds great, especially Neal. PLEASE DO MORE SECULAR ALBUMS NEAL!
Disc 2 of Testimony 2 is about as secular as anything on The Whirlwind or the other two Transatlantic albums, so if you don't get the whole album, at least check out the second disc of Neal's latest album! The epic "Seeds Of Gold" sounds like something he could have done with TA or even SB back in the day, but it's very fresh-sounding and has many interesting parts in it, including an epic guitar solo by Steve Morse!
-Marc.
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Oh God, what an album!
It turned out to be my favorite from last decade (topping Colors from BTBAM). Everything just sounds in place, great connection of themes, tons of emotion, correct doses of virtuosity, excellent production, unbelievable basslines.
I saw them live on the Whirld tour, simply put A-MA-ZING! And the DVD is top notch stuff too.
I'm lost for words with these guys!
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Wanna appreciate Mike's vocals in Set Us Free. Really good.
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Wanna appreciate Mike's vocals in Set Us Free. Really good.
Agreed. He sounds a bit like Ozzy, and I mean that in a good way.
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The revival of this thread is making me listen to all my Transatlantic stuff again. :laugh:
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Does anyone have a preferred way of listening to the Whirlwind? Like, do people listen to both discs or mostly just the first one.
I don't care for the second disc, but I've found that when I listen to the first disc I do like adding on "For such a Time" at the end. It's a nice way of closing out the album, especially since while I love the first disc I do always feel like the finale is a bit overwhelming.
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I actually threw the bonus disc on the other day. "Spinning" is also a great track, and one of their best short songs (at a "mere" 10 minutes), the Genesis and Santana covers are good, and "For Such A Time" is cool, but the rest is just ok, nothing special. It is all about disc 1.
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Spinning is my favourite on the 2nd disc. Such a great tune.
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I listen to the first song FAR more often than I listen to the songs on disk 2. There are definitely some cool moments on the second disk, but to me, the songs there for the most part feel like leftover tracks in comparison to the title song.
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I only listened to the 2nd disc once, while I've listened to the first disc like 100 times. I'll give it another spin soon.
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Spinning is my favourite on the 2nd disc. Such a great tune.
I like Spinning too, it's probably my favorite on disc 2. But tacking it on at the end of Whirlwind doesn't have the same effect as tacking on For Such a Time.
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I've listened to the second disc almost as much as the first, but that's not that much because I have a lot of music to listen to these days. The first disc maybe eight or 10 times, second disc maybe five or six.
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I usually listen to the first disc, and the four originals on the second disc, pretty much every time I listen to the album. I don't usually listen to the covers (not any more so than I do the covers that came with Black Clouds & Silver Linings), so it's usually all the originals.
-Marc.
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I only have the live version so when I listen to The Whirlwind I like to listen to it all the way through.
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I was just listening to this album again this morning at work. Since I have it loaded into iTunes, the songs on disk 2 start right after The Whirlwind. I have to say, while I don't dislike the songs on disk 2, they haven't aged very well at all. I still love listening to disk 1, but nothing on disk 2 really grabs me at all anymore.
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I was just listening to this album again this morning at work. Since I have it loaded into iTunes, the songs on disk 2 start right after The Whirlwind. I have to say, while I don't dislike the songs on disk 2, they haven't aged very well at all. I still love listening to disk 1, but nothing on disk 2 really grabs me at all anymore.
You mean the originals, or the covers too? I still highly enjoy "Spinning" and find "Lenny Johnson" entertaining. Neal's "For Such A Time" is what it is, a Neal Morse ballad, and the only good thing about it is the use of a Whirlwind theme. And Pete's "Lending A Hand" is still kind of mediocre to me, but I've grown to appreciate it in a Beatles-esque kind of way, but it's not THAT great.
I agree, nothing on the second disc is even as good as anything on their previous two album, but with all the effort they put into the main track, I'm not surprised. The 2nd disc stuff is mostly solo-things that probably didn't get used on "The Whirlwind", so they shaped them into individual songs without much changing. At least something like "My New World" had a bit of input from Neal (and possibly Pete and Mike) after Roine's demo, but "Spinning" sounds like a straight-up Roine/TFK demo that didn't get used in the last few years and Roine brought it with him (same for the other 3 and their respective writers).
-Marc.
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Yeah, I was referring to the originals as well as the covers. Again, I don't dislike any of them. I just don't find that they have a lot of long-term listenability. I'll listen to them every now and then, but probably not much. Funny, of the four originals, Spinning and Lenny Johnson had the most immediate appeal. But now that that has worn off, I actually enjoy For Such A Time more than those.
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Yeah, I was referring to the originals as well as the covers. Again, I don't dislike any of them. I just don't find that they have a lot of long-term listenability. I'll listen to them every now and then, but probably not much. Funny, of the four originals, Spinning and Lenny Johnson had the most immediate appeal. But now that that has worn off, I actually enjoy For Such A Time more than those.
Well if you're a fan of Neal's work, and you like his voice/playing style, and love his ballads (like "We All Need Some Light" and "Bridge Across Forever", as well as his countless ones on his solo albums), then I can see why! It's definitely right up there with his other works, and I'm glad he recorded it with TA. I kind of wish he had saved "Seeds Of Gold" for Transatlantic, although hearing Steve Morse play that guitar solo, it'd be hard to imagine Roine doing it, but I'm sure it would've been as good!
At any rate, I don't really listen to the covers that often, mostly the originals. I like "Hogweed", but then again I'm a great fan of Genesis, and they pull it off pretty well. The other 3 are OK. I do enjoy the "I Need You" mash-up! I thought it was brilliant how they combined the two songs and each of them sang a verse - definitely a group effort!
-Marc.
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The Whirlwind (according to my last.fm account), is still in the top 5 most played albums of the past year, even though I bought i when it came out 2 years ago. Just shows how good an album it is. It has aged well and I still consider it the best TA work they've done. I used to not care about the bonus disc, but I enjoy it nowadays.
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Yeah I've only listened to disc 2 once, didn't dig it. Disc 1 is excellently excellent excellence.
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Yeah I've only listened to disc 2 once, didn't dig it. Disc 1 is excellently excellent excellence.
Ah. Give it another shot! At least there's more entertainment value on The Whirlwind's 2nd disc than there is on either 2nd disc from the special editions of SMPT:e and Bridge Across Forever, although the Beatles songs on both are quite fun, being spontaneous jams!
-Marc.
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I might...I just get TA'd out and would rather listen to the beast that is The Whirlwind.
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I still think Spinning and Lenny Johnson are both awesome. For Such a Time is okay, and Lending a Hand has some cool things going on, even if it isn't a great song.
I still spin the Hogweed cover at the gym on occasion. The ending is killer to work out to. :metal
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I absolutely adore Lenny Johnson and really like Spinning and For Such a Time. Agreed with you Kev about Lending a Hand, some cool stuff but overall it's not that exciting.
The covers are enjoyable but I don't find myself listening to them that much anymore.
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I just really enjoyed the America/Beatles mash-up of I Need You
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I like it, too. Kinda clever, and the songs themselves actually fit together rather well.
(By the way, Bread did the other "I Need You", not America)
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I like it, too. Kinda clever, and the songs themselves actually fit together rather well.
(By the way, Bread did the other "I Need You", not America)
Really? Because it sounds an awful lot like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk-7n1hdK3M
Also - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Need_You_(America_song)
-Marc.
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Argh, you're right! My apologies.
I always thought that was David Gates singing lead, therefore the band was Bread. Apparently I'm not the only one who thought so, either, because I actually did a quick Google search before "correcting" you, and the first result was "BREAD I NEED YOU LYRICS".
Damn, I hate it when that happens.
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Disc 2 is cool. Spinning and For Such a Time are great, Lenny Johnson is amusing, Lending a Hand is okay but a bit overlong, and the covers are well done and enjoyable. The I Need You mashup is really nice.
Speaking of America, co-founder Dan Peek died on July 24th. RIP.
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Oh! While on the subject of the 2nd disc, props to the band for their "theme song" at the end of the 2nd disc! Love that! And I also love that they tacked it to the end of the Whirld Tour CD set!
-Marc.
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https://www.nealmorse.com/
COMING SOON!!!
Transatlantic Live in Manchester and Tilburg.
5 disc set consisting of 3 Audio CDs and 2 Full Length DVDs.
The set includes a 3+ hour concert DVD from Tilburg (plus the "Return of the Giant Hogweed" encore), audio from the whole Manchester show and crazy STRANGER JAMS - the section where Mike would do all kinds of nutty stuff. See Mike crowd surfing in Cologne! See Mike sing Smoke on the Water
-Marc.
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I like Spinning and For Such a Time, but really don't like the covers and absolutely loathe Lenny Johnson.
I actually like putting For Such a Time on at the end of the Whirlwind. Dancing With Eternal Glory is just so bombastic that For Such a Time works better as a closer, in a nice "cool down" sort of way.
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Anyone who listened to my Morse interview months ago already knew this was coming. ;)
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https://www.nealmorse.com/
COMING SOON!!!
Transatlantic Live in Manchester and Tilburg.
5 disc set consisting of 3 Audio CDs and 2 Full Length DVDs.
The set includes a 3+ hour concert DVD from Tilburg (plus the "Return of the Giant Hogweed" encore), audio from the whole Manchester show and crazy STRANGER JAMS - the section where Mike would do all kinds of nutty stuff. See Mike crowd surfing in Cologne! See Mike sing Smoke on the Water
-Marc.
I didn't know Mike Portnoy was the only member of Transatlantic! :biggrin:
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He was. He was also the founder of Dream Theater, and a lot of other things we thought other people were involved in.
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Not sure what the point of another DVD set from same tour is. It is the same regular set list, and the Hogweed cover is on the other one already. But hey, if someone wants to fork over money to see Portnoy sing Smoke on the Water, more power to 'em. :rollin
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But hey, if someone wants to fork over money to see Portnoy sing Smoke on the Water, more power to 'em. :rollin
:lol
I've gotta say, though. As someone who hasn't purchased the last DVD yet, I'll be interested in reading future comparisons to help me judge which is more worth my money.
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Well I gotta have this since I was at this show, but it's a weird way of making more money out of the same album.
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Yeah, I also find this kinda weird. Perhaps Neal's a bit more hard-up than people thought? The Whirldtour DVD came out in a similar fashion, as well as Testimony 2 and now another Whirldtour DVD plus a similar 5-Disc package for Neil's T2 tour. It seems like Neal (or maybe Mike?) are trying to milk this for all it's worth.
I mean, sure, you don't make a whole lot on record sales to begin with. But my guess is this will be a 5 disc box set that's probably at least $45-50 bucks (even though that it'll cost just a wee-bit more to produce than a normal CD or DVD), so it'll mean bigger profits with slightly higher production costs than a normal release would be.
I guess in the end it's a win-win. More money for Neal, and plenty of stuff to spend money on for the fans who've got to have everything. I just find it a bit strange.
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So basically Transatlantic are about to have more live albums than they do studio albums? They are not a jam band. I think I'll pass on this one, WhirldTour 2010 was great too.
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I don't think I'll get either dvd from this tour. The show I went to was great, but TA isn't a band I usually feel like listening to... much less setting aside 3 hours to watch a whole performance from them.
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I don't think I'll get either dvd from this tour. The show I went to was great, but TA isn't a band I usually feel like listening to... much less setting aside 3 hours to watch a whole performance from them.
I hear you on the length. And the other downside is that, unlike the studio album, The Whirlwind is not divided up into separate tracks, so listening to it is pretty much an all-or-nothing proposition. But even though I rarely have time to sit down and watch the whole thing, it's still a great set to own. Yeah, $50 (actually, I seem to recall I got mine for about $35) isn't cheap, but it's a bit cheapter than the concert ticket, and even if I only watch the show 3 or 4 times total, it's worth it to be able to see all the cool stuff they did during that show. Plus, the bonus content is really, really good.
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I don't think I'll get either dvd from this tour. The show I went to was great, but TA isn't a band I usually feel like listening to... much less setting aside 3 hours to watch a whole performance from them.
I hear you on the length. And the other downside is that, unlike the studio album, The Whirlwind is not divided up into separate tracks, so listening to it is pretty much an all-or-nothing proposition. But even though I rarely have time to sit down and watch the whole thing, it's still a great set to own. Yeah, $50 (actually, I seem to recall I got mine for about $35) isn't cheap, but it's a bit cheapter than the concert ticket, and even if I only watch the show 3 or 4 times total, it's worth it to be able to see all the cool stuff they did during that show. Plus, the bonus content is really, really good.
Definitely. I grabbed the "bootleg" DVD they had on sale at the show (I can't remember what it was called, but it was something along the lines of the Ytsejam DVDs) so I will probably just go to that if I ever need a TA Live fix. I actually haven't even watched all of THAT, just because there is so much content on it. :lol But if I didn't already have that I would probably get one of the two sets they released from the last tour. For the price, you do get quite a bit, and it was a great tour, so definitely worth it if you really love The Whirlwind/TA.
But like others said, why they released two DVD sets that are pretty similar from the same tour is beyond me. It might have made more sense to include two concerts in a limited edition boxset for the die-hard fans who love having as much material as they can, but for most fans I don't think the new release will fare too well.
Just noticed the CDs and DVDs are two different shows... interesting. I figured it would be the same show on CD and DVD format, but I guess this way you get even more content!
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I love the WhirldTour DVD, not least because I was there, but I can't really see much reason to get this new one as well as the set is just the same.
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Just started getting into Transatlantic, and The Whirlwind was my first exposure.
Damn, this stuff is great. :hefdaddy
Being a huge Spock's beard fan, I've always wanted to have more than only six albums with Neal Morse. And how I kinda have one more. ;D Gonna spin their first two records as soon as possible. Probably when I get tired of The Whirlwind, maybe not too soon. :smiley:
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Neal Morse has six solo albums as well, most of them better than SB's stuff (not quite as good as TA though).
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Actually, he has eight studio albums.
And I think the first two Transatlantic albums are slightly better than The Whirlwind (although all of them rule), so you are in for a treat.
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Oh a Transatlantic thread.
I've been listening to Bridge Across Forever in the last couple days and just when I two weeks ago came to the conclusion that Whirlwind is their best album, now I perhaps think that Bridge Across Forever is. Maybe someday I'll think SMPT:e is their best.
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They're all pretty amazing, in different ways. I like the raw energy of the first one, how gelled they were on the second one, and Whirlwind is just a trip, in a class of its own.
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For me, Whirlwind is probably my favorite. I like the format- 12 (somewhat) stand-alone tracks that can also be listened to as one long work- better than I like a disc full of 20 minute tracks. Because of that, the whole album is very digestible and yet just as fulfilling as an in-depth listen.
BaF comes close, though. That one has more heart-wrenching moments for me, and a better finale, but Whirlwind as a whole is just better. And Whirlwind doesn't have SCP-- sorry, but there's no "Beatle living inside of me" to make me care much about it. :biggrin:
As far as SPTM:e goes, I don't really know. I've only listened to it a couple times. Aside from "We All Need Some Light," nothing about it really stuck with me. That's my least favorite by a long shot. I should give it another spin soon, though.
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BAF is my favorite all time album. Just unbelievably awesome. The Whirlwind is also very very good, but can't match BAF. There are no parts that really make me go :omg: like the heavy section with traded off vocals from Stranger in Your Soul.
SMPT:e (that little e at the end is weird) is cool, but I never got into the Procol Harum cover. All of the Above and We All Need Some Light are great.
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All three have taken time to grow on me. I remember buying the first two at the same time and being absolutely put off by the tracks lengths, but one day I just hopped right on in. "We All Need Some Light" is great, but the rest of the first album does nothing for me. Bridge Across Forever is awesome. I loved "Duel With The Devil" right off the bat. "Stranger In Your Soul" took some time, but I like that too. Never cared for "Suite Charlotte Pike", though. The talking at the beginning kind of disrupts the flow of the album for me, and that "Mr. Wonderful" section bugs the crap out of me. "The Whirlwind" is my favorite, though. The whole thing just flows together so well and each section is great. The second disc is... alright. The original songs aren't that great, but I enjoy the covers, especially the "I Need You" mash-up.
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I really hope we get another album within the next two years or so. But I hope Neal's voice is okay...Testimony 2 was kind of a weak vocal effort.
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I really hope we get another album within the next two years or so. But I hope Neal's voice is okay...Testimony 2 was kind of a weak vocal effort.
It was?
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I really hope we get another album within the next two years or so. But I hope Neal's voice is okay...Testimony 2 was kind of a weak vocal effort.
It was?
It was.
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Testimony 2 was kind of a weak vocal effort.
Nah, son.
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I really hope we get another album within the next two years or so. But I hope Neal's voice is okay...Testimony 2 was kind of a weak vocal effort.
It was?
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I really hope we get another album within the next two years or so. But I hope Neal's voice is okay...Testimony 2 was kind of a weak vocal effort.
Crazy talk. Neal's vocal performances have never been about hitting high notes or showing off his range or anything technical like that. It is about singing the vocal melodies he writes. And Testimony Two is chock full of great vocal melodies. Me thinks that your ears are broken.
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I really hope we get another album within the next two years or so. But I hope Neal's voice is okay...Testimony 2 was kind of a weak vocal effort.
Crazy talk. Neal's vocal performances have never been about hitting high notes or showing off his range or anything technical like that. It is about singing the vocal melodies he writes. And Testimony Two is chock full of great vocal melodies. Me thinks that your ears are broken.
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All the "yaaaaaaaaaa"s are awful.
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Crazy talk.
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I just saw this video the other day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My1zjc0F06c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My1zjc0F06c)
I really envy anyone that has been able to see them live.
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Man, Neal is so out of his normal range in that cover, and not in a good way :lol
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I just realised - The London DVD setlist is actually my exact, song-for-song, perfect setlist for Transatlantic. Annoyed I didn't go now, I could have gotten free backstage too.
edit: does Gildenlow do any singing in the Whirld Tour? Any solo singing spots?
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He does backups throughout. They asked him if he wanted a lead spot, and he declined, but finally agreed to do the final "have you woke up screaming" section in DWTD.
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He does backups throughout. They asked him if he wanted a lead spot, and he declined, but finally agreed to do the final "have you woke up screaming" section in DWTD.
This, and it was really good! I was at that London gig, Dan. :biggrin:
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Man, Neal is so out of his normal range in that cover, and not in a good way :lol
Yeah that, but what kills me is that Hackett's guitar isn't in tune. Or Neal's keys are too high, one of the two.
rumborak
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I find Neal's singing to be VERY tasteful.
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In that specific video? Come on, dude, he is clearly struggling and has to constantly switch between chest and head voice.
rumborak
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I must've mis-read something. Gah, at my hangover.
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Finally got to listen the More Never is Enough CDs.
Gotta say, it sounds much better than Whirld Tour. This is by far, the superior mix.
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That's the Manchester show, right? I was there, so I guess I should give it a whirl...LOL
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:omg:
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Finally got to listen the More Never is Enough CDs.
Gotta say, it sounds much better than Whirld Tour. This is by far, the superior mix.
...Finally?
I'm still waiting for them?
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That's surprising, I put it down to a rush job/cash in, since as the dvd doesn't even have surround sound...
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I just saw this video the other day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My1zjc0F06c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My1zjc0F06c)
I really envy anyone that has been able to see them live.
You know, this video reminds me of why, whenever people champion particular guitarists that are their favorites in progressive rock, I'll always be the guy standing up and saying "Steve Hackett." I love his playing, odd sound here or not.
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Finally got to listen the More Never is Enough CDs.
Gotta say, it sounds much better than Whirld Tour. This is by far, the superior mix.
...Finally?
I'm still waiting for them?
Bought them on release date, didn't have to chance to check 'em out.
I'm not as keen as lots of you with Whirld Tour because of the mix, so when I heard the audio mix in one of the previews I figured this was the better deal. They should have waited and released this one instead.
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When I fell in love with The Whirlwind about two weeks ago, I knew that their other two albums are an absolute must. I really enjoyed SMPT:e and liked it even better than The Whirlwind.
So I moved onto Bridge across forever yesterday. That's when I discovered Suite Charlotte Pike.
Wow. Just one huge wow.
His name is wonderful,
and it's wonderful, just to be near him.
His name is majesty,
and his majesty's requesting your presence...
Can music get any better than this?
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Can music get any better than this?
Rarely. :)
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When I fell in love with The Whirlwind about two weeks ago, I knew that their other two albums are an absolute must. I really enjoyed SMPT:e and liked it even better than The Whirlwind.
So I moved onto Bridge across forever yesterday. That's when I discovered Suite Charlotte Pike.
Wow. Just one huge wow.
His name is wonderful,
and it's wonderful, just to be near him.
His name is majesty,
and his majesty's requesting your presence...
Can music get any better than this?
Only when Portnoy decided to infuse that song with bits of the Abbey Road medley on their Live In Europe tour/album, and create something AWESOME.
-Marc.
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Can music get any better than this?
Rarely. :)
This is the correct answer. All three TA albums are three of the greatest albums I have ever heard. :tup :tup
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Yes, TA are awesome. But Suite Charlotte Pike is by far the lowest point on all three albums :biggrin:
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Yes, TA are awesome. But Suite Charlotte Peak is by far the lowest point on all three albums :biggrin:
Suite Charlotte Pike, on the other hand, is a lot of fun.
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I have to say that while More Never Is Enough just kinda felt like a cash grab, listening to it has completely reignited my interest in this band and made me remember why I love their music so much.
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Same here pretty much.
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So, I don't have either yet. Which is the worthier of the two?
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What "two" are you referring to? ???
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The 2 live releaases of The Whirlwind. I didn't get the second DVD so both you and Nick are saying it's worth getting? You may have talked me into adding it to my Christmas list.
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I am not gonna bother getting the 2nd one. As much as I love Transatlantic, I don't watch their live stuff that much, so getting a 2nd set from the same tour and with the same set list isn't necessary for me. It's still a cash grab, no matter how you slice it. I mean, who releases two DVD sets from the same tour and featuring the exact same set list? :lol
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The two Transatlantic DVDs from Whirld Tour.
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Gotcha.
Yeah, there isn't much difference. But for those who don't mind spending a little more money to support the band, it's really cool having a different take on the material. I'm digging it.
If I had to choose one and only one, it would be a tough choice. At first listen, I seem to like the mix on the new one a little better. And I like We All Need Some Light just a bit better on that one. Haven't watched the video yet, so I can't speak to that, but they LOVE playing Tillburg, and from what I've heard, the crowd is great, so I'm sure it'll be really good.
But the first one is great, too, and it's neat having the first ever time they put Boba Fett back into The Whirlwind (they include it for the Manchester show on the second one as well, but it's obviously not the "first time").
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I don't get the fascination with the Boba Fett thing, but I don't like Star Wars, and throwing it in where they did seemed a bit too random, but whatever. :biggrin:
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Same fascination that prog fans would have with any other piece of music that ends up on the "cutting room floor" during album recording that a band later reincorporates in a live setting. Or think of the FII demos--similar thing. By not getting included in the album, it just has that mystical "lost track" connotation to it.
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I just spent too much on concert tickets to buy this. Just bought tickets to two Marillion shows and a Mike Peters(from The Alarm) acoustic gig.
I'm sure its great though.
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Yeah, I mean, paying $100 to see them (plus getting a DVD from BaF there) was nice, so I don't really feel obligated to support the band, but if one of these DVDs is truly exceptional then I will possibly put it on a Christmas list :P
I don't get the fascination with the Boba Fett thing, but I don't like Star Wars, and throwing it in where they did seemed a bit too random, but whatever. :biggrin:
Wow, and I thought I was the only poster here that doesn't like Star Wars :biggrin:
Ok, I do like it, and used to worship it, but the prequel films left such a bad taste in my mouth that I don't even like thinking about Star Wars anyway... LOTR is far superior ;)
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Wow, and I thought I was the only poster here that doesn't like Star Wars :biggrin:
Oh, you aren't. :)
Same fascination that prog fans would have with any other piece of music that ends up on the "cutting room floor" during album recording that a band later reincorporates in a live setting. Or think of the FII demos--similar thing. By not getting included in the album, it just has that mystical "lost track" connotation to it.
I get it. I just don't know why they would have even considered putting it on the original studio version. It sounds too random and out of place. As a nugget during a concert, it is kind of neat, like the Highway Star thing in Duel with the Devil, but that's about it.
Also, I forgot to comment on this:
Yes, TA are awesome. But Suite Charlotte Pike is by far the lowest point on all three albums :biggrin:
There is no low point on any TA album. Now.....if you want to call it the lowest high point, then you'll have something. :biggrin:
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hmm, I'd have to respectfully disagree that there's no low point on any TA album. I was pretty disappointed in the final track on The Whirlwind and I know I'm not alone.
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Wow. I've arrived at Evermore on the new DVD, and my lord, this is amazing.
Instead of an MP drumcam dvd, I demand a Daniel Gildenlow cam dvd. That man has so much energy on stage!
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Could someone describe me the meaning of the The Whirlwind possibly even breaking it down part by part? I'd really appreciate it, thanks.
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Sorry, I can't.
Just being positive about the DVD, really it's the best Whirlwind experience I've had since listening to it for the first time.
It's fresh, it has a lot more energy than the old dvd, really, this is the show.
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I'd say I prefer the new DVD. Problem is the Whirld Tour DVD has the tour documentary which is better than the bonus material on this one, so really it's a toss. It depends if you prefer performance/sound or special features/video upgrade.
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hmm, I'd have to respectfully disagree that there's no low point on any TA album. I was pretty disappointed in the final track on The Whirlwind and I know I'm not alone.
Because it's over? ;)
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Could someone describe me the meaning of the The Whirlwind possibly even breaking it down part by part? I'd really appreciate it, thanks.
It's hard to because (1) it is a bit abstract, and (2) even though Neal contributed the most in terms of lyrics and had a definite lyrical concept/theme in mind, some of the other lyrical contributions may not strictly follow that theme. But I'll give it my best shot, even though I don't claim to have completely figured it out even after having the album over two years now.
Neal has commented that the general idea came to him from the Bible story of God speaking to Job out of the whirlwind in the book of Job. The point of that passage in the Bible is, in part, to explain and give deeper meaning to the relationship between God and man, and to illustrate that by Job's epiphany and understanding that God's knowledge and wisdom is so much greater than his own that he can't understand it. As a result, he concludes that he must simply love and trust God to be who God is.
The song I think builds on that idea in a more general way. Just as Job learned that lesson through disaster and suffering befalling him, the song takes on a similar idea in the first movements in terms talking about disasters and tragedies that humble humanity, great and small. The question in On The Prowl, "Will they turn to me or turn to something here?" to me is key. It is God noting that these tribulations will cause people to grapple with what to do and how to handle it, and asking the rhetorical question of whether these tribulations will cause people to come closer to God or to push him away and trust in something else. Rose Colored Glasses is, to me, the turning point in the song in which a protagonist realizes he must let go of preconceived notions and assess the trials of life for what they are (i.e., take off the rose colored glasses). And at the end, as with a lot of Neal's songs, it deals with a reconciliation with God similar to the end of Job. That's probably not exactly right, but I think it's pretty close.
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I like how most of the lyrics on The Whirlwind have that spiritual slant to them, similar to the ones on the first two TA albums, but never really leap over into the type that Neal writes on his solo albums. And even the few lyrics throughout the album that mention God or heaven do not sound preachy at all. I can see why some might not like the lyrics in Dancing with Eternal Glory, but I think they are really good, and it is a fantastic ending to the first disc.
I still can't imagine trying to rank the 12 songs from 1-12 in order of preference. A Man Can Feel will always be number 1, and Overture/Whirlwind will always be last (since I still feel it is somewhat of an underwhelming intro), but the rest is just too impossible to put in order. For me, anyway.
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hmm, I'd have to respectfully disagree that there's no low point on any TA album. I was pretty disappointed in the final track on The Whirlwind and I know I'm not alone.
Because it's over? ;)
:lol No, it's the song itself. It's just not a good climax. It's very ponderous and I'm not really crazy about the vocal melodies. It just doesn't have that big, huge grandiose, bombastic feel to it like, say, "Stranger In Your Soul"
The rest of the album is killer, but I removed that track from my iPod and I'm fairly satisfied with how it ends now.
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I agree. The finale of Whirlwind is just a bit too repetitive for my tastes, and a little too glimmery. I like tacking on "For such a time" as the closer when I listen to the album. It's always a nice cool-down that is more heartfelt than the actual closer.
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Of the four songs on the bonus disc, I was always pretty disappointed with For Such a Time. While Roine's and Trewavas' songs were all completely originals and independent of The Whirlwind suite, Neal basically wrote For Such a Time using themes from the suite, but with more overtly spiritual lyrics. It's too bad he didn't take the opportunity to write something completely new (meaning, not using themes from the main disc) like the others did.
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Back to More Never Is Enough: Watched the DVD over the weekend. For the Tillberg performance, it isn't shot as well as the Whirlwind live DVD. And parts of the Whirlwind seemed maybe just the smallest bit flat in terms of energy. But for other parts of the show, ESPECIALLY the second set and the encore, the band was absolutely on fire. And I noticed a lot more personal crowd shots in the second set and encore sets where people were really into it. Really good DVD. But if a well-shot performance is your thing, and you want everything to look crisp and the camera angles to be just right, this one would probably drive you nuts.
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Of the four songs on the bonus disc, I was always pretty disappointed with For Such a Time. While Roine's and Trewavas' songs were all completely originals and independent of The Whirlwind suite, Neal basically wrote For Such a Time using themes from the suite, but with more overtly spiritual lyrics. It's too bad he didn't take the opportunity to write something completely new (meaning, not using themes from the main disc) like the others did.
I always felt/thought "For Such A Time" was a song Neal wrote that had that theme in it, and then they ended up using that them in The Whirlwind itself, but Neal shelved the song for another time, and felt it would be a good bonus track to record. Or perhaps it was part of the jamming when they came up with that theme, and Neal put it aside then. I just don't think Neal would have blatantly written the song after the whole of Whirlwind was completed, but at least during the writing, or even before.
I do enjoy Roine's originals the most, though, and Pete's took awhile for me to grow, but once I appreciated it for what it is, it became very likable, and it has a great Beatles-esque quality to it, as does "Lenny Johnson", for obvious reasons.
I hope if TA tours again, they play one or more of these bonus tracks, as well as bring back "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train" from the first album.
-Marc.
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Assuming TA does a 4th studio album, it will be interesting to see what songs from the first three albums made the cut on the next tour. I suspect All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul are the two automatic plays, and I think they'd probably play a good chunk of The Whirlwind suite (I could see A Man Can Feel through Rose Covered Glasses and then the last two), but what else? We All Need Some Light is always short enough to squeeze it. I'd also love to see My New World come back, but it would probably be a matter of what they have time for. As awesome as Duel with the Devil is, I think they would probably consider it the least essential of the three 25 minute plus tracks from the first two albums.
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I agree with all of that.
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Not sure how For Such A Time came about. I just know I like it.
I hope if TA tours again, they play one or more of these bonus tracks, as well as bring back "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train" from the first album.
Same here, for the most part. But while I do like My New World and Mystery Train, along with SCP, they are my least favorite original tracks from SMPTe and Bridge, so I'm glad the set list was what it was for this last tour.
We should do a "rank 'em" poll with the officially-released original tracks. Some of these are really close and would perhaps change places on any given day, but at the moment, I probably rank them about like this:
1. The Whirlwind
2. Stranger In Your Soul
3. We All Need Some Light
4. All Of The Above
5. Duel With The Devil
6. Bridge Across Forever
7. Mystery Train
8. My New World
9. For Such A Time
10. Suite Charlotte Pike
11. Lenny Johnson
12. Spinning
13. Lending A Hand
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See, for me, I don't consider The Whirlwind one song, but I can't rank most of the songs from it in order, and putting them individually up against the big epics almost seems unfair. So, I can't put it in here. As for the rest:
1. Stranger in Your Soul
2. All of the Above
3. Duel with the Devil
4. My New World
5. Spinning
6. We All Need Some Light
7. Suite Charlotte Pike
8. Lenny Johnson
9. Mystery Train
10. Bridge Across Forever
11. Lending a Hand
12. For Such a Time
If I had to put The Whirlwind in there as one song, not sure where it would go. Maybe 3rd or 4th. Too tough to figure out.
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We should do a "rank 'em" poll with the officially-released original tracks. Some of these are really close and would perhaps change places on any given day, but at the moment, I probably rank them about like this:
Oooooh ranking time!
The Whirlwind
Stranger In Your Soul
Duel With The Devil
All Of The Above
My New World
Bridge Across Forever
We All Need Some Light
Spinning
Mystery Train
Suite Charlotte Pike
For Such A Time
Lenny Johnson
Lending A Hand
The top 3 might as well be a 3-way tie for me.
-Marc.
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1. Stranger in Your Soul
2. Duel with the Devil
3. We All Need Some Light
4. The Whirlwind
5. Bridge Across Forever
6. Suite Charlotte Pike
7. All of the Above
8. Spinning
9. For Such a Time
10. My New World
11. Mystery Train
12. Lenny Johnson
13. Lending a Hand
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Listened to The Whirlwind again. I think Dancing With Eternal Glory has gotta be the greatest song/track I know of, probably better than DT, even. The only thing I can't stand is the "a man can feel" reprise, which is awful awful awful.
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I like you, but this is not the first time I have thought you are out of your mind.
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How can the greatest song you've ever heard have a part that you can't stand? ???
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I dunno Kev, the entire song aside from that part is absolutely perfect.
I like you, but this is not the first time I have thought you are out of your mind.
The "better than DT" part, or the "'a man can feel' reprise stinks" part?
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The latter, I'm sure.
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I'm not a big fan of "A Man Can Feel", but that reprise comes as a MUCH needed change in pace for that song, which is kinda redundant.
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A Man can feel is such a sweet song. And that epic outro, wow! :hefdaddy
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I'm not a big fan of "A Man Can Feel", but that reprise comes as a MUCH needed change in pace for that song, which is kinda redundant.
>that song, which is kinda redundant.
>that reprise
I like it, i just thought this was kind of funny. :lol
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hmm, I'd have to respectfully disagree that there's no low point on any TA album. I was pretty disappointed in the final track on The Whirlwind and I know I'm not alone.
Because it's over? ;)
:lol No, it's the song itself. It's just not a good climax. It's very ponderous and I'm not really crazy about the vocal melodies. It just doesn't have that big, huge grandiose, bombastic feel to it like, say, "Stranger In Your Soul"
The rest of the album is killer, but I removed that track from my iPod and I'm fairly satisfied with how it ends now.
I don't know, it feels like an epic closer to the album for me, but it isn't the climax. That would be the previous track, Is It Really Happening.
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FINALLY got my *SIGNED* copy of the More Never Is Enough 5-disc set, but I've only had time to listen to the Manchester show!
I'll agree with what many have said, the mix on this set is pretty damn good, and just a hair better than the London show in many places. It's fun to hear the guys get crazy on the last show of the tour, and the extended intro to "We All Need Some Light" is just on fire, and even crazier than the one on the London show! These guys knew how to party it up on the last gig, and they let everyone know, too.
I haven't had a chance to watch the DVDs yet, but I'm looking forward to it!
There's something awesome about having some version of the last 3 gigs of the Whirld Tour (Tilburg, London and Manchester) on CD or DVD. I kind of wish there was a full show from their BAF Tour, near the end, when the show was a bit tighter, but at least we got bits and pieces on the Unofficial Bootleg DVD. I enjoy having at least 2 shows from every tour (and yes, both the Live In America CD and Video are different shows!), so it's cool to see how the Whirld Tour unraveled at the end.
-Marc.
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Looks like Neal and Pete (with Defence Of The Realm) aren't the only ones playing Transatlantic tunes outside of TA gigs -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36K0GonspJc&feature=share
Nice to see Roine playing some of "The Whirlwind", and with Agents Of Mercy, no less! Gotta love Roine! :tup
-Marc.
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I just have to say something right quick.
IN A STATE OF FALLEN GRACE
WITH SMILE UPON HIS FACE
IT CAME!
FULL MOON RISING TODAY!
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I think it was in the Neal Morse thread here that someone said both Neal and Mike are trying to look for some time to get Transatlantic back together to record sometime this year!
-Marc.
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More great news. This year is rocking the shit out of me in every way
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I want to know your thoughts about two questions:
1) We all need some light vs. Bridge across forever
2) Am I the only one who thinks that Suite Charlotte Pike is underrated? IMO is as great as the 30 minute epics.
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We All Need Some Light is better, but I also love Bridge Across Forever. And yeah, Suite Charlotte Pike is great. I like it when bands do less serious material and just have fun.
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We All Need Some Light is better, BAF is waaaay too cheesy.
My favourite Transatlantic songs are probably All of the Above and The Wind Blew Them All Away.
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:tup
Though BAF is also very good. My favourites would be those to, but would include Duel With The Devil as well.
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I prefer Bridge Across Forever. As for Suite Charlotte Pike, it is a great song but I don't think it's as good as the 30 minute ones.
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Suite Charlotte Pike is my favorite Transatlantic song. All of the above is extremely close, though.
And I prefer Bridge across forever to We all need some light, it just moves me more than the latter does.
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I started loving BAF more than WANSL, but these days I've completely fallen in love with WANSL, it's SO beautiful. I still love BAF though.
I feel happy when I listen to SCP, I think they had a great time recording it, and the song has many catchy parts, and those chorus remind me of Queen. Love it.
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I prefer WANSL but BAF is a great little song too.
Suite Charlotte Pike is fantastic, but I'm not sure I would put it as the equal of the longer pieces.
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https://progshine.com/entrevistas/exclusive-interview-with-neal-morse-by-diego-camargo/
Neal Morse - Frankly I have been trying to get them together, but Pete and Mike their schedules will not seem to permit it. Pete does not have any significant time off until the late Spring of next year. So that is what we are looking at this point unless something opens up. So, we will just keep writing, praying, plugging away and maybe that is just the perfect time. We will just see how it goes
So, unless Mike and Pete have a 1-2 week hole that opens up out of nowhere, we can probably look forward to a new Transatlantic album in the fall of 2013 (assuming they follow the same schedule they had when recording/releasing The Whirlwind, recorded in April and released in October 2009). This makes me excited, especially since 2013 should also see the release of new Dream Theater!
-Marc.
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Awesome! I was afraid that we might never see another album.
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Excellent, can't wait for another TA album :tup
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Cool! I want that!
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We need more material from these guys. A fall 2013 release would be fantastic.
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Fall of 2013?!?! I might be dead by then! :'( :'( :'(
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Awesome. I'd say it'd be hard to follow The Whirlwind, but they had no trouble following SMPT:e and BAF, so I'm pure excitement.
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Fall of 2013?!?! I might be dead by then! :'( :'( :'(
hehe. kinda sound like me (been saying to people im worried that i might die before new BTBAM...i'll be pissed if i die before hearing Telos, even though i gotz the opportunity to do it right now).
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So I was watching the Making Of Momentum DVD that Neal Morse released with his latest studio album and he says that he had wanted Transatlantic to get back together at the beginning of this year, but because of (I suppose Roine's and Pete's) schedules not lining up, he decided on recording another studio album with Randy and Mike.
A shame, as we could have had TA's 4th album in our hands around now, but I guess not! :'(
Either way, there is hope that they will reconvene before or after the Holidays this Christmas season, depending on how Pete and Roine and Mike's schedules line up with Neal's. Apparently EVERYONE wants to do it, so it's not a question of IF but more of WHEN. Let's hope they can all get back together sometime this Winter and bang out a new album for a Summer/Fall release next year! TA4 = AOTY'13!!!
-Marc.
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2013 is shaping up to be a battle between the 2 biggest modern prog bands. TA4 vs. DT12. Who will win?
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2013 is shaping up to be a battle between the 2 biggest modern prog bands. TA4 vs. DT12. Who will win?
SW3... LOL jk. Not Steven Wilson...
...Spock's Beard! :tup
-Marc.
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Wow, good point, M. Looks like 2013 is going to be a prog year - Dream Theater, Transatlantic, Spock's beard and Steven Wilson are all supposed to release a new album. I'm really looking forward to all of those.
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oops. wtf just happened?! wrong thread.
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Wow, good point, M. Looks like 2013 is going to be a prog year - Dream Theater, Transatlantic, Spock's beard and Steven Wilson are all supposed to release a new album. I'm really looking forward to all of those.
True, but how will those albums compete with the best prog had to offer in 2012? Rush, The Flower Kings, Neal Morse, Marillion....all BIG albums this year, in my eyes. There's always a lot of anticipation with fans of Rush for their next album, since they've all been 5+ years apart for the last four studio albums. And with Marillion, they haven't had a fully original studio album since 08's Happiness Is The Road, so that's been quite a wait...and it's been an even longer wait since the last Flower Kings, since Roine Stolt had put the band on ice for five years before returning to them. Neal, however, has been pretty prolific but his albums are always great and highly anticipated (by me, a least).
As for 2013, the return of the Transatlantic airship is always a welcome sight, so when those four prog giants reconvene, it'll be the news of the year, I'm sure. As for Spock's Beard, I think the anticipation there is that it's a new line-up, with Jimmy permanently on drums and Ted on vocals and guitars. It'll be an interesting sound and the clips they've posted throughout the year have whetted my appetite a lot. And speaking of clips, the SW3 studio clips offer enticing looks into where Steven is taking his band. He's practically the modern-day Robert Fripp! Mellotron and real winds and an insanely great drummer along with jazz-influenced musicians and great players, his third solo album will likely get all it deserves.
And of course, DT's follow-up to ADTOE will likely turn heads, and with the news that Mangini will likely be more involved from the get-go is exciting as well! DT12 will be right up there next year. It's a great time to be a prog-fan, for sure, between this year's releases and next year's, how can you NOT love all of this music?! OH! And I just remembered... Jem Godfrey should be releasing Frost*'s third album next year, as well! Been waiting for that one for quite awhile now, too!
-Marc.
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I wasn't really impressed with this year's The Flower kings. As for Marillion, I'm not a fan. I haven't heard any of their classic albums, so there's no use for me to check out their latest record. But Rush did a great job, and Neal Morse's solo album is really growing on me, it might even be one of the albums of the years for me. Other great prog releases this year were Thick as a brick 2, the Storm corrosion debut, if you can call it prog, and Flying colors, if you can call it prog as well.
So yeah, Neal Morse is there for his prog fans every year, he shined in 2012 as well, so I can't wait to hear the new Transatlantic. :smiley:
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So yeah, Neal Morse is there for his prog fans every year, he shined in 2012 as well, so I can't wait to hear the new Transatlantic. :smiley:
This is true - and with Mike and Neal having done the Flying Colors AND Momentum tours together, I'm hoping their playing chemistry is at it's peak right now and up til the TA4 sessions. As for Roine, he's been touring with The Flower Kings, so he'll be in great shape, and the same goes for Pete with Marillion. I'm hoping all the writing/recording/touring they've done over the last year or so pays off when all four of them get back together for the next Transatlantic album!
As for the TYPE of album they'll release next, I can only imagine what it might be... we've got a collection of songs with a large epic (SMPT:e), the album of epics (BAF), and the multi-tracked single-piece album epic (TW). The only thing I could think of next would be the double album, either in the vein of Snow/TLLDOB, or something like TFK's Unfold The Future or even Yes' TFTO (which would just be another album of epics). I wouldn't mind something more like TFK's UTF - have 2 or 3 big epics (20-35 minutes in length), then a bunch of shorter songs (like 8-10 of them). Either way, it'll be hard to top themselves, although they seem to have been able to do it every time!
-Marc.
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With the anticipation of the announcement of TA4, what are you hoping the band plays on the next tour?
Personally, I'm hoping they bring in Spinning to the set list, as well as bringing back My New World and Mystery Train. Not sure what they're going to do with The Whirlwind, but if they only perform sections, I hope they at least play Rose Colored Glasses, Evermore, and Set Us Free, as those seem like the best songs to take out of context of the entire piece.
But if the new album is a double album, I don't know how and where they would fit in older material....
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I hope they play All of the Above, Duel With the Devil, Suite Charlotte Pike, Stranger in Your Soul, and for The Whirlwind: Overture/Whirlwind, Evermore, Set Us Free, and Is It Really Happening?. Of course, a cover medley or cover would be cool too.
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With the anticipation of the announcement of TA4, what are you hoping the band plays on the next tour?
Personally, I'm hoping they bring in Spinning to the set list, as well as bringing back My New World and Mystery Train. Not sure what they're going to do with The Whirlwind, but if they only perform sections, I hope they at least play Rose Colored Glasses, Evermore, and Set Us Free, as those seem like the best songs to take out of context of the entire piece.
But if the new album is a double album, I don't know how and where they would fit in older material....
As I said before, I also hope they bring back "My New World" and "Mystery Train". The former hasn't been performance since 2002, and the latter since 2000! I also wouldn't mind hearing "Suite Charlotte Pike" in it's original form, since when it was played live, it had Abbey Road parts intermingled with it. I doubt they'll play any part of "The Whirlwind" just because they already toured the whole thing as a WHOLE band, so having only 3/4ths of the band play parts of it would feel kind of... I dunno, a bit of a let-down. I'd rather hear "Spinning" or "Lenny Johnson" to be honest, but please, NO COVERS in the TA set (unless it was one song, or something short). If I had it my way, their 60 minutes would go like this:
1. Spinning
2. Mystery Train
3. Lenny Johnson/Beatles Cover
4. Suite Charlotte Pike
5. My New World
I'd be totally OKAY with all of that, and there wouldn't be any song over-lap from their last tour, which had TWO live releases. As mindful as Mike Portnoy is about set lists, I would hope he has the same ideas! Also, most of those songs were Roine Stolt's, so having his band there might amp up the flowery-ness of them!
As for the next FULL on tour with all four (five?) members, if the new album is anywhere near 80 or more minutes, I think they'll retire "All Of The Above", which has been on all 3 of their tours. They will likely play "Duel With The Devil", but I can see Neal wanting to retire "Stranger In Your Soul", which he has done on some of his solo tours between BAF and TW. Any of the above songs mentioned for the NM/TFK Tour would be great, as well as "For Such A Time" (maybe done in a medley of other TW songs?) and "Lending A Hand", which would make for another great Beatles-esque cover mash-up. I guess it all depends on what the next album is like and how much time they'll have!
-Marc.
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Man, I love any of your NM/TA related posts. I really wish Neal and/or Mike would read your suggestions, because, as normal with your setlist suggestions, this would be awesome.
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I would bank on a Whirlwind "medley" of sorts. Can't say which parts they would do, other than to say that Rose Colored Glasses will almost for sure be included. But they will most definitely play parts of it, and I would bet that they do it as a medley. As for the songs on the bonus disk, while I like them, each and every one of them definitely feels like "leftover" material that is just a step in quality lower than the title song. I don't really crave seeing any of those in a TA live set.
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I would bank on a Whirlwind "medley" of sorts. Can't say which parts they would do, other than to say that Rose Colored Glasses will almost for sure be included. But they will most definitely play parts of it, and I would bet that they do it as a medley. As for the songs on the bonus disk, while I like them, each and every one of them definitely feels like "leftover" material that is just a step in quality lower than the title song. I don't really crave seeing any of those in a TA live set.
Not even "Spinning"? That's a great tune and measures up to par for TA material. The other three, maybe not so much.
A Whirlwind medley would be interesting, but I think I've had quite enough of Neal scaling down his albums into medleys (which he's done with Testimony, ? and Sola Scriptura). I'd rather see them perform all of "Is It Really Happening?" than anything else, especially with just 60 minutes of set time. My biggest hope is the return of "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train", especially the former since it was pretty much Roine's song.
-Marc.
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Not even "Spinning"? That's a great tune and measures up to par for TA material. The other three, maybe not so much.
I enjoy it. That and For Such A Time are my two favorites from the bonus disk. But they still aren't quite as strong as the band's A-list material.
A Whirlwind medley would be interesting, but I think I've had quite enough of Neal scaling down his albums into medleys (which he's done with Testimony, ? and Sola Scriptura). I'd rather see them perform all of "Is It Really Happening?" than anything else, especially with just 60 minutes of set time. My biggest hope is the return of "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train", especially the former since it was pretty much Roine's song.
Yeah, but while some fans may have had enough of the medleys, in terms of whether we are likely to get one, I just have to take a look at Neal's and Mike's track record, which leads me to say, "yup, we're definitely getting a Whirlwind medley." :lol
Why do you think they're only going to have a 60-minute set?
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im lost, do we know transatlantic are performing sometime soon? or is this speculation for an eventual tour in support of album 4..
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Not even "Spinning"? That's a great tune and measures up to par for TA material. The other three, maybe not so much.
I enjoy it. That and For Such A Time are my two favorites from the bonus disk. But they still aren't quite as strong as the band's A-list material.
A Whirlwind medley would be interesting, but I think I've had quite enough of Neal scaling down his albums into medleys (which he's done with Testimony, ? and Sola Scriptura). I'd rather see them perform all of "Is It Really Happening?" than anything else, especially with just 60 minutes of set time. My biggest hope is the return of "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train", especially the former since it was pretty much Roine's song.
Yeah, but while some fans may have had enough of the medleys, in terms of whether we are likely to get one, I just have to take a look at Neal's and Mike's track record, which leads me to say, "yup, we're definitely getting a Whirlwind medley." :lol
Why do you think they're only going to have a 60-minute set?
It's been announced that on the upcoming tour, the "encore set of TA tunes" will only be an hour, while Neal's band and The Flower Kings will get 90 minutes.
I've only been talking about the upcoming joint tour that Neal and Roine have been promoting, which has been promising a three-quarters TA reunion that will close out the double-billed show with an hour of music.
I'm not even THINKING of the next album's tour because we don't even know what the next album will hold. If it's going to be a full 75-80 minute tour de force, they may play the whole thing, leaving barely any room for any thing from "The Whirlwind". And if it's a double album, you can bet they probably won't do any part of "The Whirlwind" since it was already covered, and we have 2 shows (technically 3) from that tour released to the fans. I'd hope Mike's OCD of "playing songs to release that haven't been done in awhile or EVER" kicks in for the next full-length TA tour.
-Marc.
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It's been announced that on the upcoming tour, the "encore set of TA tunes" will only be an hour, while Neal's band and The Flower Kings will get 90 minutes.
Hmm, my ticket for Rüsselsheim/Germany says "feat. 30 min Transatlantic Special".
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Still, I hope he understands (and I'm sure he will) that some songs like We All Need Some Light cannot be ever left out of any Transatlantic show. I think I have attended the ONLY ONE not to feature it in the setlist (High Voltage), and I was a bit disappointed by that (I would have enjoyed it a bit more than I enjoyed the Giant Hogweed, which was just amazing itself!)
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It's been announced that on the upcoming tour, the "encore set of TA tunes" will only be an hour, while Neal's band and The Flower Kings will get 90 minutes.
Hmm, my ticket for Rüsselsheim/Germany says "feat. 30 min Transatlantic Special".
Really, only half an hour? Hmm, I SWORE that I read that the TA set would be an hour, somewhere.
Here it is, from Neal's forum, someone posted a quote from Mike's forum:
Mike P has just posted on his forum that he is not confirmed yet for this tour. It's "schedule permitting". 90 mins Neal band, 90 mins FK, 60 mins TA.
Oddly enough, that would count up to FOUR hours of music! I doubt that'll be the case since all the posters I've seen promoting the tour have said 3.5 hours. Maybe Mike was wrong and because of his quote, I've been thinking wrong the whole time?!? Damn...
I hope it's more than half an hour!
-Marc.
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Oh, I thought you were talking about a tour in support of the new album. Okay. But still, part of The Whilrwind will still likely be played, and I'd still bet on a "medley" of sorts.
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Oh, I thought you were talking about a tour in support of the new album. Okay. But still, part of The Whilrwind will still likely be played, and I'd still bet on a "medley" of sorts.
Well if it's only half an hour now, which seems to be the case, then I'm willing to bet on one epic (either DWTD or SIYS), and maybe WANSL or BAF to be played (though the former would involve the whole band). That would make up a comfortable half hour. The out-of-left-field choice would be MNW and MT from SMPT:e, which would also make up about 24 minutes, then they could throw in WANSL. It'd make for a nice SMPT:e set!
-Marc.
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IS IT 30 OR 60? MAKE UP YOUR MIND!
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If it's 30 minutes, here's my out-of-left-field pick: Neal comes out with accoustic guitar, and they do We All Need Some Light and then Rose Colored Glasses. Then they finish up with a Beatles medley. Bank on it. :)
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I'd be surprised if they played as long as 60 minutes - that's two-thirds of the time the co-headliners get, which I think is a bit out of proportion! Also (though I know this is likely to be only a few people) it would be a tad unfair on those in the audience who weren't fans of Transatlantic.
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Screw the audience. It's a prog show, for crying out loud. The only reason the audience are there in the first place is to pay for the venue for the bands to jam in.
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I'd be surprised if they played as long as 60 minutes - that's two-thirds of the time the co-headliners get, which I think is a bit out of proportion! Also (though I know this is likely to be only a few people) it would be a tad unfair on those in the audience who weren't fans of Transatlantic.
I'd be interested to know what percentage of Neal Morse Fans and TFK fans WEREN'T Transatlantic fans!
-Marc.
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Haha, I know, it would be a pretty small proportion. I don't know, I guess it just seems silly for a band not even on the main bill to play for so long. Not that I'd be complaining!
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I'm sure that the audience would not complay if they saw their favourite musicians playing together and enjoying the ride a little bit longer :)
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And I don't believe that werewolves come with glasses
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And I don't believe that werewolves come with glasses
But on the dark side, there are kind of submarines...
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The Neal Morse/TFK Tour starts tomorrow/tonight, and here's a photo of 3/4ths TA rehearsing the encore material:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BDqFcfKCUAITay7.jpg:large)
Looks like Jonas Reingold is filling in on Bass guitar duties, with Bill Hubauer as the obligatory 5th-member fill-in on keys/vocals. I suspected as much for Jonas, but it's nice to see Bill filling in as well!
I cannot wait to see/hear what they have planned for this show's encore! My hope for their half-hour encore is "We All Need Some Light", "Mystery Train" and "My New World", in that order!
-Marc.
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^ I'm liking that line-up a lot !!!
(I don't know that 5th guy, but it's so cool to see Jonas on bass along with NM and MP.
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We need an album from that lineup with Jonas. How about..... TRANSMAKANIC.
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I'd be so down for that. Though I'd want Goran Edman in for additional vocals.
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We need an album from that lineup with Jonas. How about..... TRANSMAKANIC.
Clever! But at this point, it'd be like Flying Colors - two members from two different bands, plus one more guy, although more like 3 + 2 in this case as Mike and Bill are part of Neal's band, although Mike has been with Neal for much longer. For Mike and Neal, it would be playing with yet another guitar/bass duo (in FC, with Steve and Dave, and here, with TFK's Roine and Jonas).
I think a live release of this tour will be enough for me to feel like this line-up can release. I wouldn't want TA to "replace" Pete in any way, and I wouldn't want Neal, Mike and Roine to make a record WITHOUT Pete. It just wouldn't feel right to me.
-Marc.
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We need an album from that lineup with Jonas. How about..... TRANSMAKANIC.
Clever! But at this point, it'd be like Flying Colors - two members from two different bands, plus one more guy, although more like 3 + 2 in this case as Mike and Bill are part of Neal's band, although Mike has been with Neal for much longer. For Mike and Neal, it would be playing with yet another guitar/bass duo (in FC, with Steve and Dave, and here, with TFK's Roine and Jonas).
I think a live release of this tour will be enough for me to feel like this line-up can release. I wouldn't want TA to "replace" Pete in any way, and I wouldn't want Neal, Mike and Roine to make a record WITHOUT Pete. It just wouldn't feel right to me.
-Marc.
Or something like the Karmakanic/Agents of Mercy live album. And yea, have Goran Edman on vocals as well, that's a good idea. This way we have some Karmakanic and TA songs played.
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We need an album from that lineup with Jonas. How about..... TRANSMAKANIC.
Clever! But at this point, it'd be like Flying Colors - two members from two different bands, plus one more guy, although more like 3 + 2 in this case as Mike and Bill are part of Neal's band, although Mike has been with Neal for much longer. For Mike and Neal, it would be playing with yet another guitar/bass duo (in FC, with Steve and Dave, and here, with TFK's Roine and Jonas).
I think a live release of this tour will be enough for me to feel like this line-up can release. I wouldn't want TA to "replace" Pete in any way, and I wouldn't want Neal, Mike and Roine to make a record WITHOUT Pete. It just wouldn't feel right to me.
-Marc.
Or something like the Karmakanic/Agents of Mercy live album. And yea, have Goran Edman on vocals as well, that's a good idea. This way we have some Karmakanic and TA songs played.
Well if a show or two from this tour gets released on CD and/or DVD, that's pretty much what we'll have - another "Power Of Two" type release, with two bands playing a set each, then a shared encore with some of both band's members performing.
My hope is that one of the UK shows gets released (like London), and Pete shows up for the encore as a guest for a complete Transatlantic reunion! :metal
-Marc.
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It would be nice, but I'm not sure the London venue is suitable for filming. It's a bit small. The Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton could work though.
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It would be nice, but I'm not sure the London venue is suitable for filming. It's a bit small. The Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton could work though.
Either could work, really, but on March 8th, Pete will be in the Netherlands playing with Marillion for their annual Marillion Weekend Convention. So with that in mind, I doubt Pete could play either of the UK dates as I'm sure he and the rest of Marillion will be rehearsing that day/night before on the 7th, when the NM/TFK Tour will be in London.
-Marc.
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It will be a medley... ;D
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I'm attending their show in Stockholm tonight and man have I waited for this..! Any of you other swedes going?
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It will be a medley... ;D
That's a safe bet, given that Portnoy probably insisted on getting to pick what they are playing, and he loves medleys. I could see something like starting off with the first 7-8 minutes of All of the Above, ending with the end of Stranger in Your Soul, with some of The Whirlwind and an excerpt from Duel with the Devil in the middle there somewhere, too.
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And Neal basically said it in the youtube clip :lol
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My bet: We All Need Some Light and a Whirlwind medley.
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They should do a Whirlwind medley so hopefully they don't do it on the TA4 tour, and use that time for more full songs, depending on the material for the next album.
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So someone posted a brief review of the show on MP.com, but failed to mention what the TA encore was...
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Confirmation that it was a medley - of which songs I don't know.
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Review from the TFK yahoo mailing list:
It was a superb evening. Perhaps I had som wiches about songs, but I was satiesfied. Opening track was Numbers folloed by Cosmic Lover which was a positive surprise. I loved the way Jonas played the bass in the song. Roine´s guitarr solo on The Truth Will Set You Free was awesome. I was pure magick,I guess it must have been ten minutes long. Roine! You hit the right spot there, beautiful and expressive.
Neal played mostly from the new album Momentum and ended with a very long track World witout End. Lot from Questionmark and Author of Confusion from One are songs from the concert, Also an excellent show with a tight band. I must say that the volume was a little bit to high.
Transatlantic with parts from Whirlwind with som errors in switching from one part to another, anyhow I enjoyed it.
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Confirmation that it was a medley - of which songs I don't know.
https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/fb.ashx?m=2823579
The TA encore was a medley including "Full Moon Rising", "A Man Can Feel", Lay Down Your Life", last part of "stranger in soul" and one more part from "Whirlwind" between "Full Moon Rising" and "A Man Can Feel".
So the beginning of "All Of The Above", 3 parts from "The Whirlwind", and the ending part of "Stranger In Your Soul".
Sounds pretty epic. Those who called "Medley" get points! Those who called "The Whirlwind" as the medley get semi-bonus points for being semi-right!
Here's the only YouTube video I've found so far of the TA portion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubHAVOc874o
-Marc.
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I feel smart. :biggrin:
I could see something like starting off with the first 7-8 minutes of All of the Above, ending with the end of Stranger in Your Soul, with some of The Whirlwind and an excerpt from Duel with the Devil in the middle there somewhere, too.
I was not that far off. :metal
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I feel smart. :biggrin:
I could see something like starting off with the first 7-8 minutes of All of the Above, ending with the end of Stranger in Your Soul, with some of The Whirlwind and an excerpt from Duel with the Devil in the middle there somewhere, too.
I was not that far off. :metal
DUDE..... :hefdaddy
Great calls there. You (nearly) totally nailed it! Then again, if they were going to do a medley, it would undoubtedly HAVE to end with SIYS, and open with AOTA, their two most well known epics, mostly because AOTA has been on every TA live album, and Neal has played SIYS soooo much (heck, between solo NM and TA live, I have at LEAST 5 versions of it).
Interesting choices of TW pieces, and I cannot wait to get confirmation as to what the first portion/movement is. I'm going to guess "On The Prowl", which would segue into "A Man Can Feel" nicely. I wonder if "Lay Down Your Life" includes the infamous "Boba Fett" theme? :lol
-Marc.
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Wasn't it the Set Us Free section of The Whirlwind that featured the Boba-Fet theme on the Whirld Tour?
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Wasn't it the Set Us Free section of The Whirlwind that featured the Boba-Fet theme on the Whirld Tour?
Ahhh, you know what? You're right. I was remembering wrong! Oops... :facepalm:
-Marc.
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Wasn't it the Set Us Free section of The Whirlwind that featured the Boba-Fet theme on the Whirld Tour?
Ahhh, you know what? You're right. I was remembering wrong! Oops... :facepalm:
-Marc.
It's all good. :tup
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Well, the ending of Stranger In Your Soul is not something you can easily leave out of a set :D
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The TA encore was a medley including "Full Moon Rising", "A Man Can Feel", Lay Down Your Life", last part of "stranger in soul" and one more part from "Whirlwind" between "Full Moon Rising" and "A Man Can Feel".
My God, that looks awesome! :omg: :hefdaddy
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I feel smart. :biggrin:
I could see something like starting off with the first 7-8 minutes of All of the Above, ending with the end of Stranger in Your Soul, with some of The Whirlwind and an excerpt from Duel with the Devil in the middle there somewhere, too.
I was not that far off. :metal
DUDE..... :hefdaddy
Great calls there. You (nearly) totally nailed it!
Hehe, almost. :lol
Interesting that Lay Down Your Life was part of the Whirlwind section; I wouldn't have guessed that part would be played. I figured Is It Really Happening? wouldn't be cause of how difficult it is to nail that song (which they talked about on the TA DVD last time), and given that Stolt and Morse have their own bands' sets to worry about, spending so much time in rehearsals on one section in a TA song probably wasn't gonna happen.
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Found some really good-quality videos on Youtube, from the two Sweden shows:
Stockholm
Momentum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llPE5q_vDMM
Author Of Confusion/Thoughts pt 5 (bad sync): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-XVoBcu7sk
Malmö
World without end: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpaZfB1hGwA
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World Without End is such a great song. Still, I wish it had been a TA song... :-[
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World Without End is such a great song. Still, I wish it had been a TA song... :-[
It almost could have been, but scheduling conflicts couldn't allow TA to reconvene last year, so Neal used the material for a solo album. I'm hoping his recent demo'ing with Roine and now the current tour will yield some amazing results for the new TA album!
-Marc.
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World Without End is such a great song. Still, I wish it had been a TA song... :-[
It almost could have been, but scheduling conflicts couldn't allow TA to reconvene last year, so Neal used the material for a solo album. I'm hoping his recent demo'ing with Roine and now the current tour will yield some amazing results for the new TA album!
-Marc.
Do we have any informal info/rumors about a possible mutual schedule gap that could serve as a studio spot for TA4?
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World Without End is such a great song. Still, I wish it had been a TA song... :-[
It almost could have been, but scheduling conflicts couldn't allow TA to reconvene last year, so Neal used the material for a solo album. I'm hoping his recent demo'ing with Roine and now the current tour will yield some amazing results for the new TA album!
-Marc.
Do we have any informal info/rumors about a possible mutual schedule gap that could serve as a studio spot for TA4?
Over the last few Inner Circle newsletters, Neal has mentioned that he has planned dates for BOTH Flying Colors and Transatlantic to record this year. I'd assume sometime in late spring or early summer, whenever Pete is done touring with Marillion and Mike with Adrenaline Mob. I think after this current tour, Roine won't be TOO busy, so his schedule will synch up with Neal's really well.
In short - I'd guess late April/early May, which is about when TA recorded their last album 4 years ago! I'm hoping for a similar time-frame, and so we'd see the album released in October/November of this year, followed by a tour in Spring 2014.
-Marc.
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Over the last few Inner Circle newsletters, Neal has mentioned that he has planned dates for BOTH Flying Colors and Transatlantic to record this year. I'd assume sometime in late spring or early summer, whenever Pete is done touring with Marillion and Mike with Adrenaline Mob. I think after this current tour, Roine won't be TOO busy, so his schedule will synch up with Neal's really well.
I guess then it all depends on what and when Portnoy's plans are with Dream Theater this year, right? Oh wait... :lol :lol
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Is it four years ago already?!
Incredible. I just thought 'a TA album should remain special. Not something that happens every other year'
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Time really freaking flies, huh? :eek
Funny enough, all I've ever seen in stores is the 2-disc version of the album. I've never seen a "standard edition" of The Whirlwind, to the point that I'm starting to think it's a myth. :lol
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It fucking flies indeed! I remember becoming a Transatlantic fan in 2009 and then reading the "Transatlantic Flies Again" announcement less than two months later... Those were the times!
Also, I've never seen Transatlantic at all in any store close to my homeplace. The only time I saw the 1CD version was in London, this summer (and still there I saw only the double package the previous two summers since the release date!)
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I've seen the live version of the Whirlwind in CD and DVD form at my local fye. But never any of their studio albums. Funny how that works.
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I even saw the More Is Never Enough set in a store today. But that's a weird place. Like a big international electronics store (Media Markt, or Saturn), but only the one in Utrecht, NL has such a great selection of CD's. Bought some Spock's Beard there today, and they have a ton of Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree/No-Man/Blackfield. Plus a lot of Neal Morse/Transatlantic
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Saw this posted on the Wiki article for Transatlantic:
On March 10, 2013, Pete Trewavas announced at the Marillion Weekend Convention in Port Zélande, the Netherlands, that he would be going to Nashville in the Summer to record new material with Transatlantic.
If true, this is very exciting, but at the rate they put out their last album, I don't think we'll see the album's release THIS year, but probably Jan-March of 2014. Sad, but I'm okay with that, especially with so much great new music already out this year, and more to come!
-Marc.
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That's fantastic news :metal
I don't mind how long it takes, after the 8-year gap between the last two albums waiting another year and a half or so seems like nothing.
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Awesome news!
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I was assuming this anyway, but still good to hear.
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Saw this posted on the Wiki article for Transatlantic:
On March 10, 2013, Pete Trewavas announced at the Marillion Weekend Convention in Port Zélande, the Netherlands, that he would be going to Nashville in the Summer to record new material with Transatlantic.
If true, this is very exciting, but at the rate they put out their last album, I don't think we'll see the album's release THIS year, but probably Jan-March of 2014. Sad, but I'm okay with that, especially with so much great new music already out this year, and more to come!
-Marc.
On the plus side, maybe the extra time leaves time for Neal to do something solo...
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Saw this posted on the Wiki article for Transatlantic:
On March 10, 2013, Pete Trewavas announced at the Marillion Weekend Convention in Port Zélande, the Netherlands, that he would be going to Nashville in the Summer to record new material with Transatlantic.
If true, this is very exciting, but at the rate they put out their last album, I don't think we'll see the album's release THIS year, but probably Jan-March of 2014. Sad, but I'm okay with that, especially with so much great new music already out this year, and more to come!
-Marc.
On the plus side, maybe the extra time leaves time for Neal to do something solo...
Between the rest of March and the summertime? I doubt it, considering Mike will be touring with Adrenaline Mob, and I'm sure Neal will want some down time to spend with family. He toured last fall and this spring, and has already put out a live album this year. I'm sure he will demo a lot of stuff, but most of it will be geared toward TA material.
I think he will take a similar break as he did when TA released The Whirlwind. He probably won't release another solo album until 2015, and I'm okay with that, especially if TA4 is an amazing release!
-Marc.
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There's also the fact that they were starting to work on a new Flying Colors album so he'll probably spend time on that.
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Maybe we'll get another Flower Kings album before then.
I wonder if Portnoy is going to try and pull out all the stops on this one, y'know, maybe try and top DT12?
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Btw, here's my vid from the end of the NM/TFK gig. Check out that crazy Jonas Reingold guy. :lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yovJ19ZzoHk&feature=youtu.be
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Maybe we'll get another Flower Kings album before then.
I wonder if Portnoy is going to try and pull out all the stops on this one, y'know, maybe try and top DT12?
I read on the TFK Message Boards that someone in the band had mentioned they would be entering the studio after the current tour, perhaps this Spring or Summer, to write/record a new album, so it's possible we'll get another TFK album this year, but more likely early next year.
-Marc.
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Transatlantic is recording in May, a bit earlier than expected.
https://www.dprp.net/wp/interviews/?page_id=4298
Neal: Oh, sure, yeah! Other things will be happening. There is a new Transatlantic in the offing. So I will be thinking about that. We’re scheduled to get together in my place in Nashville at the end of May. So I guess this is our big announcement! [hands in the air] We are all really looking forward to that.
I'm looking forward to it, but honestly I hope it isn't more of the same. I know Transatlantic has their own style, and I don't expect them to deviate from that style, but it would be nice if there was some diversity on the new album. Neal's keyboard sounds are getting a little tiring IMO so I'd like to see him experiment a little more in that department. More lead vocals from Roine would be cool too. I guess I'm just getting a little tired of Neal's more recent material...
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Maybe Mike can bring in some AMOB influence. :justjen
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Whoa. :|
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With recording in May, I expect a release anytime between December-February of next Winter. At least we'll have new Dream Theater to tide me over until new Transatlantic.
I'm hoping they jump the shark and do a 4-6 song album of epics that spans 2+ hours on 2 CDs.
But that's just me...
It'll be interesting to see what Roine will bring to the table considering The Flower Kings are going back in to the studio pretty soon themselves, so unless Roine has an OCEAN of ideas floating around in his computers, I'm not sure Roine will contribute much, unless it's all jam/improve/write-in-the-studio this time around.
-Marc.
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...unless Roine has an OCEAN of ideas floating around in his computers, I'm not sure Roine will contribute much, unless it's all jam/improve/write-in-the-studio this time around.
-Marc.
I'm not so sure about that. Roine never seems to be short of musical ideas.
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I'm hoping they jump the shark and do a 4-6 song album of epics that spans 2+ hours on 2 CDs.
I'm not that big of a fan of 2+ hour albums since I always listen to albums straight through without skipping any tracks. The average modern album length of 60-75 minutes would be perfect for me.
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Mike Portnoy
Transatlantic 4 Sessions begin today...New album in 2014!! Can't wait to see what we come up with this time! Let the Prog flow....
:caffeine:
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:biggrin:
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Mike Portnoy
Transatlantic 4 Sessions begin today...New album in 2014!! Can't wait to see what we come up with this time! Let the Prog flow....
*cue Grendel by marillion*
Let the prog flow, Let the prog flow, Let the PROG flow, Let the prog flow, Let the PROG flow, Let the prog flow, flow flow flow FLOOOOOOOOW *epic guitar outro*
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I'm hoping they jump the shark and do a 4-6 song album of epics that spans 2+ hours on 2 CDs
No, that's not just you... I'm sure whatever they do I won't be disappointed. Heck, some of the times I'm most pleased is when bands do something completely opposite of what I hope or expect. Although TA by definition almost has to be somewhat predictable (be epic and sound like epic prog) - I'm not sure how much experimentation they could do.
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Mike Portnoy
Transatlantic 4 Sessions begin today...New album in 2014!! Can't wait to see what we come up with this time! Let the Prog flow....
(https://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/super-duper-anchorman.gif)
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I'm hoping they jump the shark and do a 4-6 song album of epics that spans 2+ hours on 2 CDs
No, that's not just you... I'm sure whatever they do I won't be disappointed. Heck, some of the times I'm most pleased is when bands do something completely opposite of what I hope or expect. Although TA by definition almost has to be somewhat predictable (be epic and sound like epic prog) - I'm not sure how much experimentation they could do.
Well, since you've defined prog in the most broad, general terms possible, I think there is plenty of room for experimentation within those confines you've drawn. :lol
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LOL - maybe not the best wording. How I REALLY feel is: the new album will feel fresh and inspired while still sounding like classic prog (drowning in mellotron and organ and having recurring themes, etc). Believe me, I am sure I am going to love it.
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How do you know if you're gonna like this before even listening to a single second? If I were you I wouldn't assume anything because at this point it seems to me you are setting really high expectations and if the album isn't close what you are hoping for you'll have a hard time enjoying it even if it's a good album.
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How do you know if you're gonna like this before even listening to a single second?
I would say a band's track record is a good indication. I'm pretty confident I will like it as well, even though I haven't heard it yet. In fact, I'm pretty confident it will probably be in my top 3 releases this year, or at least very close. And I am comfortable saying that because I have really liked the vast majority of what they have put out to date, and I would consider each of their past releases to be top-tier releases in the years in which they were released. I don't think it's unreasonable for a fan to assume they will like a band's next album without having yet heard it.
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How do you know if you're gonna like this before even listening to a single second?
I would say a band's track record is a good indication. I'm pretty confident I will like it as well, even though I haven't heard it yet. In fact, I'm pretty confident it will probably be in my top 3 releases this year, or at least very close. And I am comfortable saying that because I have really liked the vast majority of what they have put out to date, and I would consider each of their past releases to be top-tier releases in the years in which they were released. I don't think it's unreasonable for a fan to assume they will like a band's next album without having yet heard it.
While that is true I'm sure you can think of other bands that put a series of great albums and at some point they came up with something that you didn't enjoy. Also, it's coming out in 2014 :biggrin:
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How do you know if you're gonna like this before even listening to a single second? If I were you I wouldn't assume anything because at this point it seems to me you are setting really high expectations and if the album isn't close what you are hoping for you'll have a hard time enjoying it even if it's a good album.
Neal Morse (solo and with Spock's Beard) has made MANY albums, and Transatlantic has also made a few, NONE of which would be a disappointment as a new release. Even the ones that over time I don't really listen to hardly at all anymore were HUGE to me when they came out. I think this is especially true with a band like Transatlantic, which was pretty much formed as a band to adhere to the "classic prog" sound. I really don't think they're going to stray from their formula much (but am pretty sure I'd still enjoy it if they did stray).
I'm really just expanding and being more specific on what Bosk said, as he is pretty much echoing how I feel on this topic. There's really only been one time when I was surprisingly disappointed with a new release when I highly anticipated it (Queensryche's Q2K, but that can be explained by major lineup change). Realistically, the only way I think I could be disappointed with a new TA album is if Neal Morse said "ok, let's do something different and just use Roine and Pete's demos", and there was no Neal influence on the album.
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I'm calling it now - (Prog) Album Of The Year for 2014.
And yes, I agree with the above sentiments. My love for all things Transatlantic means that I will more than likely praise TA4 til the day I die. I worship The Whirlwind, and I absolutely adore Bridge Across Forever. I greatly enjoy SMPT:e as well, but with each new release, I've grown to love them even more, so my hopes are high for TA4. Especially considering the quality music that Neal and Roine and Pete have put out in the last couple years, so they're on a roll at least writing and performance wise. I'd say Momentum, Banks Of Eden and Sounds That Can't Be Made are in my Top 5 Albums of 2012, so with these three writers coming together, I can't wait to hear what they put out in 2014! Also, their recorded performances should be stellar considering ALL FOUR of them have been touring with their respective bands, so their chops must be pretty high right now!
-Marc.
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Realistically, the only way I think I could be disappointed with a new TA album is if Neal Morse said "ok, let's do something different and just use Roine and Pete's demos", and there was no Neal influence on the album.
While I wouldn't want it to be totally based on Roine and Pete's demos, I'd like it if they contributed more than Neal. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't The Whirlwind based on ideas by Neal, with Roine and Pete contributing once the theme had been set? I'd like to hear something the other way around, with more of a Roine and Pete influence than a Neal influence. I know this would never happen but the results would be very interesting.
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I know what you're saying, but feel differently. In hindsight, the songs I listen to least by far on the Whirlwind are the Roine contributed song ideas (I know I've seen them listed as his demos but more easily you know they're his as he does the main lead vocals on them). So that's where I'm coming from. I'm not just assuming that I like Neal's contributions more, I know I do as I've heard most of the demos (such as Neal's Whirlwind demo in it's entirety).
At this point I'm not even too concerned with how many of Neal's ideas they use. As previously mentioned, there is very little probability I won't like it. And based on Neal's twitter comments, I believe he has written I think 3 epic demos for this? So even if they use little from those then we're in for a kick ass solo Neal Morse album also in the near future as well as new TA.
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I know what you're saying. In hindsight, the songs I listen to least by far on the Whirlwind are the Roine contributed song ideas (I know I've seen them listed as his demos but more easily you know they're his as he does the main lead vocals on them). So that's where I'm coming from. I'm not just assuming that I like Neal's contributions more, I know I do as I've heard most of the demos (such as Neal's Whirlwind demo in it's entirety).
At this point I'm not even too concerned with how many of Neal's ideas they use. As previously mentioned, there is very little probability I won't like it. And based on Neal's twitter comments, I believe he has written I think 3 epic demos for this? So even if they use little from those then we're in for a kick ass solo Neal Morse album also in the near future as well as new TA.
I haven't heard the demos so my opinion was based on speculation and assumptions. I'm getting a little tired of Neal's recent output, and that factors into my preference for more Pete and Roine. I've enjoyed the new Marillion and Flower Kings albums much more than Momentum so I'm a bit skeptical about any new Morse material. Regardless, I'm sure I'll end up liking TA4.
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Great news! :tup :tup
I'm calling it now - (Prog) Album Of The Year for 2014.
Probably a good bet, but if Steven Wilson and his current band decide to record another album together and release it next year, all bets are off. :biggrin:
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The only sure bet I will make if Steven Wilson is releasing an album next year is that it's a sure bet there will be an album released next year that I will completely ignore.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BK0NlVpCEAAPc_Q.jpg:large)
Man, I'm just too excited for this. And did you know that Neal and Mike stopped shaving for the duration of the TA sessions? Probably some weird bet, but it'll look funny on the inevitable making of
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:metal
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Awesome picture!!!
But what's wrong with Neal's right arm?
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Man, I'm just getting so excited! Just reading Mike and Neal's tweets, the talking about trons, moog, and vintage rhodes.... Where else can you get this priceless stuff??? (rhetorical question, not looking for actual responses as I'm sure there's many bands I can't get into that use these)
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Awesome picture!!!
But what's wrong with Neal's right arm?
It's disjointed so he can jump from hammond to moog to mellotron to rhodes more efficiently?
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(https://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag94/ShadowNinja38/OfCourse_zps69b46373.jpg)
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OK, I'm a fanboy. Man, it's killing me knowing they're in the studio right now! According to Mike's twitter they did one epic already and are onto the next! And Neal's tweet mentioned them working on one of Pete's demos today. My only complaint is that they are clearly shooting for a 2014 release, so there's no rush. But that's not really a big deal.
The biggest excitement for me is the idea of them using the vintage Rhodes. I don't recall that being used in TA yet.
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According to Mike's twitter they did one epic already
AKA disc one.
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I'm really hoping Roine takes the reigns a bit more on this one. I've got to say, I'm kinda Neal Morse'd out.
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OK, I'm a fanboy. Man, it's killing me knowing they're in the studio right now! According to Mike's twitter they did one epic already and are onto the next! And Neal's tweet mentioned them working on one of Pete's demos today. My only complaint is that they are clearly shooting for a 2014 release, so there's no rush. But that's not really a big deal.
The biggest excitement for me is the idea of them using the vintage Rhodes. I don't recall that being used in TA yet.
Neal has used his Rhodes on every recording since early Beard. This could be the first time it's with him in the studio, instead of just for home overdubbing.
And well, I love the fact that they've done one epic and claim they're 'on to the next one'.
But then again, they could've said that they've recorded one 3 minute song, and that they're on to the next one, to get me bouncing.
I'm just too excited for this
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I'm really hoping Roine takes the reigns a bit more on this one. I've got to say, I'm kinda Neal Morse'd out.
No one writes epics like Neal. I have to admit, even though I'm also a little bit burned out on his solo material, the idea of some new TA epic stuff is exciting.
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I love Neal, but after having only one TFK record in the past so many years, and after not really getting into his main side project during that time (Agents of Mercy), I really hope that this album is Roine driven more than anything. His signature sections on the last album were all highlights.
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I really think there's a difference between NM sections and NM/MP sections. Many of the Duel With The Devil sections are really arranged by MP, and therefore have a lot less NM-solo-albums feel.
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I'd be happy with DWtD type stuff as it is, of course, the best them of TA songs.
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Don't really agree with that, but I guess that's a prime example of how NM's music could still be fresh. And I really think they'll work like they did with DwtD on this album. A lot of arranging, a lot of fitting pieces together, especially since they appear to be taking their time this time around.
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While I know they can do amazing things in short amounts of time, I'd hardly call knocking the basics of an epic out in 3 days "taking their time". Of course there will be lots of parts added and refining and all that, but even at a slower than normal pace they still write way faster than a typical band.
If they actually made TA their main focus I have no doubt they could average more than 1 full-length or better album a year, which is saying something for today.
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I'd be happy with DWtD type stuff as it is, of course, the best them of TA songs.
This. Old question: Duel or Stranger?
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I've already told you that Duel is the best them. :p
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Stranger. By a large margin.
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Stranger is definitely better.
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Stranger
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Old question: Duel or Stranger?
I usually find whichever one I am listening to at that very moment to be the better one. Since I am listening to neither at the moment, I will just say that All of the Above is still their best song.
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Duel by tons.
-J
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Stranger In Your Soul
All the way.
But Duel is pretty sweet too.
-Marc.
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Stranger.
Especially when live.
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Stranger.
Especially when live.
More especially special when EVER.
-Marc.
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Stranger.
Especially when live.
Yeah, this.
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Stranger
:metal
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"Class is in session!"
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/981326_603064146377898_787502392_o.jpg)
-Marc.
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Without zooming Pete looks 25 years younger than he is!
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Okay, someone with super awesome vision, what are those things written on the dry erase board? I have 20/30 vision, but even I cannot read that.
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Somebody go get the CSI filter from the DT forum!
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Stranger - Shepherds Bush Empire. Makes my nipples hard everytime.
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Okay, someone with super awesome vision, what are those things written on the dry erase board? I have 20/30 vision, but even I cannot read that.
Its the Images and Words chart o.O
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It's MP being overbearing again omgwtf!! He's telling everybody what to do, and now he has a whiteboard!!
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:lol
I like the fact that the Whiteboard has three lists - Roine, Pete and Neal, and then a different list on the right that isn't headed Mike. So possibly it's a listing of the ideas/demos they've brought, with the right maybe being other things they've jammed/come up with in the studio.
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:lol
I like the fact that the Whiteboard has three lists - Roine, Pete and Neal, and then a different list on the right that isn't headed Mike. So possibly it's a listing of the ideas/demos they've brought, with the right maybe being other things they've jammed/come up with in the studio.
Isn't the last column titled "Here's what we're really gonna do"? Which, by default, is Mike's column? :lol
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Looks like they've stretched the right side of Roine's face a bit... But other than that observation, I was thinking exactly what ariich was thinking.
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The white board is where Mike is recommending the points where, in the new epic they were working on, each of the others needs to sing "Are you motherfuckers feeling it?"
:P
And the answer to the Duel/Stranger debate always is All Of The Above. Always the best them.
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Stranger In Your Soul
All the way.
But Duel is pretty sweet too.
-Marc.
- hefdaddy42
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From MP: The TA4 Sessions went splendidly fantastic! (I think I've been hanging around Pete too much these past weeks...haha!) I won't disclose any details, but I will say the album is about 75 mins long and has 5 songs (2 Epics & 3 "normal" length) and we also recorded 8 Covers for a Bonus Disc as well! Release is expected for the beginning of 2014...more info to come later in the year...
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MP is just obsessed with doing covers lately isn't he :lol. I'm hoping the choice of songs interests me more this time.
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MP is just obsessed with doing covers lately isn't he :lol. I'm hoping the choice of songs interests me more this time.
Lately? Only lately? :lol
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There'll be Beatles (there has to be), maybe another Floyd song, and I'm guessing bands like Camel, Yes, King Crimson, Jetro Tull or even Zappa. Or what about Egg? I guess the covers disc will be great!
And as far as the normal album goes: I'm sure I'll be blown away, I'm looking forward to the 'normal length' songs as well (btw, what ís normal length? 5-6 minutes or somewhere between 4 and 12?), but of course the epics are the ones I'm really looking forward to.
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MP is just obsessed with doing covers lately isn't he :lol. I'm hoping the choice of songs interests me more this time.
Lately? Only lately? :lol
Okay, okay...more obsessed with it lately. ;)
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Of course Portnoy is obsessed with covers. But the band as a whole has been into the covers thing since day 1. They had a cover on SMPTe. Suite Charlotte Pike was modeled after Abbey Road, and incorporated half of Abbey Road on the tour. They've covered Hogweed and Shine On You Crazy Diamond live. And The Whirlwind bonus disk had 4 covers. So I'm actually not surprised that they have more covers coming out with this one.
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Any musician will tell you that it's great getting together with friends and playing songs that everyone knows. I've never been in a band that did a lot of originals, and certainly never an actual recording band, but I'm sure the joy playing good songs with your friends doesn't go away just because you've got your own material.
Whether or not you play a lot of these songs in concert, or put them on your albums, is another matter. But as bonus material, sure. A disc of originals and a disc of covers. More Transatlantic.
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I'm really looking forward to the new album, although I kinda hoped it would come out this year. The covers are going to be awesome for sure, I'll most certainly enjoy some of them.
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2 Epics and 3 shorter songs. How much do you all want to bet that the epics will book end the album? :lol As cliche as that usually is, I'm willing to be bet good money that's how the track list will come out (especially with their track records, as a band together and in their respective bands). I mean, epics make good openers, and a great closers, so we'll see.
As for the shorter songs, I'd say if the epics are anywhere between 25-30 minutes, that's about 50-60 minutes of music right there, leaving at MOST 25 minutes left for 3 songs. Average that out to about 8 minutes a song, so the 'shorter' songs could be 4 minutes...or 12, but 8 on average.
And EIGHT covers?! AWESOME :tup More power to them. It'll be an album in itself! And considering they may cover PROG songs, the bonus disc could be at least 50-60 minutes long!
-Marc.
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I'm going to go with:
1. Middle-length "shorter" song to open and set the stage
2. Shorter epic
3. Longest "shorter" song, because even if it is around 12 minutes, it will feel short right after a big epic
4. Shortest "shorter" song, because this is the spot where the shortest song always goes
5. Big epic closer
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Great news, but why wait till early next year to release it? You don't often hear about an album being finished and then waiting eight plus months to release it. My guess would be that their schedules won't allow them to tour till next year, and they don't want a huge gap in between the album release and the tour, but wasn't there a pretty big gap between the release of The Whirlwind and that tour?
I hope both epics aren't super long. Like bosk just said, I'd like to see one of the epics being on the shorter side (like 17-19 minutes), and then one of the "shorter" songs being somewhat of a mini-epic (around 8-12 minutes).
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2 epics and three shorter songs?
They're re-doing Wish You Were Here!
Drum On You Psychosane Bluebeard (Part 1)
Neal To The Machine
Have A Guitar
Wish You Were Roine
Drum On You Psychosane Bluebeard (Part 2)
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The shortest song is a NM ballad.
Or a Pete ballad, that would be awesome!
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Personally, I hope Pete gets to sing a bit more on this one. I really like his voice.
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I'm going to go with:
1. Middle-length "shorter" song to open and set the stage
2. Shorter epic
3. Longest "shorter" song, because even if it is around 12 minutes, it will feel short right after a big epic
4. Shortest "shorter" song, because this is the spot where the shortest song always goes
5. Big epic closer
I could see this happening. I honestly hope they don't open with an epic considering their first two albums did that. Let's see them shake things up a little!
And you're right about track 4, there's always a short songs before the closing epic, and it just works that way, especially if it's a prelude of sorts.
I wonder, then, if there will be any shared themes/motifs across the album, a la Bridge Across Forever? Neal is big on those, and Roine has been too in the last couple TFK albums. It'll be neat if the epics share some themes/motifs that also pop up in the shorter songs.
-Marc.
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Drum On You Psychosane Bluebeard (Part 1)
Neal To The Machine
Have A Guitar
Wish You Were Roine
Drum On You Psychosane Bluebeard (Part 2)
I would be okay with this.
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I'm going to go with:
1. Middle-length "shorter" song to open and set the stage
2. Shorter epic
3. Longest "shorter" song, because even if it is around 12 minutes, it will feel short right after a big epic
4. Shortest "shorter" song, because this is the spot where the shortest song always goes
5. Big epic closer
I could see this happening. I honestly hope they don't open with an epic considering their first two albums did that. Let's see them shake things up a little!
And you're right about track 4, there's always a short songs before the closing epic, and it just works that way, especially if it's a prelude of sorts.
I wonder, then, if there will be any shared themes/motifs across the album, a la Bridge Across Forever? Neal is big on those, and Roine has been too in the last couple TFK albums. It'll be neat if the epics share some themes/motifs that also pop up in the shorter songs.
-Marc.
Oh totally, it wouldn't be a TA record without it. I think that once they thought of that during the making of BaF, it sort of became one with the way TA writes. At least, I hope so. It's part of what makes BaF such a great album.
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i just emailed Pete Zydar's song titles...i think he feels left out; all he replied with was a " :sad:"
didnt MP try and introduce Heart of the Sunrise at rehearsals for the BAF tour, but it was too much for neal or maybe roine to learn within the small window of time they had?
please please please include it on the bonus disc! :hat (i'll email Pete again and see if he will drop some info)
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i just emailed Pete Zydar's song titles...i think he feels left out; all he replied with was a " :sad:"
haha :lol
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Correct the tracklist with "Wish You Were Pete", Roine already had his spot on Have A Cigar :D
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No, change Track 2 to Welcome to the Bass Line and make Track 4 Wish You Were Neal.
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No, change Track 2 to Welcome to the Bass Line and make Track 4 Wish You Were Neal.
Better :hefdaddy
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:tup
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From a Facebook update from Roine just now:
Stranded in Quebec City after a whopping 10 days with the TA gang. May I suggest you avoid United Airlines - 4 hours on the tarmac - no food - babies crying - these folks are beyond cheap. The fleet is rubbish and I hope they go out of business soon. Anyways - the good news is that the TA album is gonna spin some serious wigs - a fun and very intense 10 days with some of my best - but stubborn- music compadres. You'll get the best of both melodic prog but also more intense atonal odd meter stuff this time - looking forward to finish it - but first getting back to Sweden and finish the new Flowerkings album.
Sounds interesting! I think the guys may have pulled out more stops than usual this time around. And it seems Roine's TFK album isn't quite finished yet, but his projected release date for TFK12 (last I heard) was October, so I hope he means mixing/mastering in terms of having to "finish" the album.
-Marc.
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Interesting update. Trippin on the atonal comment.
Bring on both them albums. :hat
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Can you bring forth some example of what you would consider "intentse atonal odd meter stuff"? I'm no musician and I'm curious!
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I am not much of a musician either, but I am guessing the end of Is It Really Happening? would be a good example of it, yes?
If so, while the ending of that song is awesome, I don't hope they didn't go overboard with that kind of crazy stuff.
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Lots of prog is atonal. The standard definition of "atonal" is merely "not tonal." So, it basically doesn't obey the typical rules of major/minor/modal scales. The end of Is It Really Happening? is a great example, but they've explored a lot of atonal space with their previous albums too. Don't get too scared.
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Not to be a negative Neddy, but it's possible that the only things that are done are the songs being written and drums tracked. I'm basing this theory on one of Neal's twitter updates:
"TA4 is on it's last day! After this Pete'll focus on bass and Roine on gtrs. But, it's gonna be a great one! I'm excited! Covers anyone?"
Also, Neal wrote (maybe in an inner circle letter?) that he was taking a few weeks off then working on Transatlantic lyrics. So it's a long ways from being finished. If Flying Colors and new Flower Kings weren't in the works, we'd probably see something late this year. But, they're all working on other stuff and not focusing right now on just the TA.
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I am not much of a musician either, but I am guessing the end of Is It Really Happening? would be a good example of it, yes?
If so, while the ending of that song is awesome, I don't hope they didn't go overboard with that kind of crazy stuff.
Ah, my favourite part of the album! :laugh:
And I agree with the rest of your comment. Just like everything, it's poisonous in too large amounts!
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Sorry to be late on this one, but...
DUEL DUEL DUEL DUEL DUEL DUEL DUEL DUEL
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Makes sense to have #4 in 2014
So, it seems there's going to be 2 big epics, and 3 smaller songs. I feel like it's going to be like a mix of SMPTe and BAF in format, but obviously different in terms of writing (hopefully). I'd love it if Neal backs off more, and lets Roine and Pete have more influence (either in writing, and/or singing).
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...I'd love it if Neal backs off more, and lets Roine and Pete have more influence (either in writing, and/or singing).
so, like, BAF?
"no, even more so!"
k, cool. :metal
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This album's gonna be awesome. If they can top their other albums, then I think I'll forever be in bliss.
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Bump.
I know I'm late to the party, but I've never really explored any of the side projects and solo stuff of Dream Theater members, and I've decided it's finally time for me to start. Transatlantic's pretty much at the top of my list, so I was wondering where I should start. Any recommendations on which album I should try to pick up first?
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Any of their albums really, but I'd just do The Whirlwind.
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The Whirlwind is my favorite as well, though I think most would recommend Bridge Across Forever.
You can't really go wrong wither way, though.
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Bump.
I know I'm late to the party, but I've never really explored any of the side projects and solo stuff of Dream Theater members, and I've decided it's finally time for me to start. Transatlantic's pretty much at the top of my list, so I was wondering where I should start. Any recommendations on which album I should try to pick up first?
If you are into The Beatles then start from Suite Charlotte Pike and Mistery Train. If you love long, articulate and uplifting compositions then you gotta check the three epics, All Of The Above, Duel With The Devil and the fan favourite (they are all, but this one is often credited as their best song) Stranger In Your Soul.
If you like mellow, heartfelt ballads then We All Need Some Light (Live In London 2010) is sure to be a hit, while The Whirlwind may be a good choice if you have a blind love for concept albums made of one song! If you got this far without making up your mind you may wish to check out My New World, a pretty balanced medium sized song (16 minute) that encapsules most of what Transatlantic is about.
So, I hope I was useful to you! Find yourself a confortable listening spot and relax. The songs are long and their reach is wide, but so is the trip between the Old and the New World :D
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Thanks for the answers. :)
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The Whirlwind is a bloated mess. I honestly don't think there's any reason to recommend that album 1st.
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The Whirlwind is the best them.
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I would definitely recommend Bridge Across Forever as a first Transatlantic album for anyone.
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You pretty much can't go wrong with any of the three; they are all tremendous in every way imaginable.
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You pretty much can't go wrong with any of the three; they are all tremendous in every way imaginable.
I agree with this, Jaffa, with just a couple of additional thoughts:
First off, although you really can't go wrong with any of them, The Whirlwind sonically sounds the most current. For that reason, that would be my recommednation. And if you go for The Whirlwind, spring for the special edition. The bonus songs (4 more originals and 4 covers) are completely worth it, as is the bonus DVD. For what it's worth, although many might disagree, my next order of preference would be: Bridge Across Forever, and then SMPTe. While both are awesome, as an intro to the band, I find Bridge to be stronger. SMPTe is great. But it concludes with a 17:21 Procol Harem cover that I do not like at all. And while you may end up liking it, if you don't, that's a big chunk of an album not to like. Bridge just feels more consistent to me.
Second, and I'm sure you know this already, but just in case: Transatlantic is a prog rock group. There is no metal, so hopefully, you aren't expecting any.
Third, start with the studio albums, not the live albums. The live recordings are insanely good. But TA really take advantage of layering A LOT of tracks to create very textured soundscapes. You lose a lot of that in a live setting with only 5 guys onstage. So as a new fan being introduced to the band, I would go with the studio recordings first. Or may be one studio recording and one live recording.
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I like the Procol Harum cover, but I can see why others might not.
Agreed about going with the studio albums first. Not just for the reasons you mentioned, but the vocals are always better in the studio, especially Neal's. He is not a bad live vocalist by any means, but he is simply much better in the studio.
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First off, although you really can't go wrong with any of them, The Whirlwind sonically sounds the most current. For that reason, that would be my recommednation.
Well, to be honest, sonic quality usually isn't much of a factor for me. Even if an album is downright horrible sonically, I can usually get past that and enjoy the music (assuming I like the music, of course). So, while I really appreciate that you pointed this out, I'm curious: taking sonic quality out of the equation, would you still recommend The Whirlwind first?
Second, and I'm sure you know this already, but just in case: Transatlantic is a prog rock group. There is no metal, so hopefully, you aren't expecting any.
Thanks a lot for pointing this out. I was already aware, but it was nice of you to think to warn me. :tup
And thanks again for the tips, everybody. Much appreciated.
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Bridge Across Forever is the only Transatlantic album that I enjoy, so take my recommendation with a grain of salt, but that's what I'd recommend to you.
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First off, although you really can't go wrong with any of them, The Whirlwind sonically sounds the most current. For that reason, that would be my recommednation.
Well, to be honest, sonic quality usually isn't much of a factor for me. Even if an album is downright horrible sonically, I can usually get past that and enjoy the music (assuming I like the music, of course). So, while I really appreciate that you pointed this out, I'm curious: taking sonic quality out of the equation, would you still recommend The Whirlwind first?
Yes. And just for clarification, when I say "sonic quality," I'm not just talking about production, but more about how current the music sounds.
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Bridge Across Forever is the only Transatlantic album that I enjoy, so take my recommendation with a grain of salt, but that's what I'd recommend to you.
:( but.... The Whirlwind.....
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The Wind Blew Them All Away is amazing, the rest ranges from meh to boring as fuck.
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A Man Can Feel/Out of the Night/Rose Covered Glasses is nearly 19 minutes of the best music Transatlantic has ever done.
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First off, although you really can't go wrong with any of them, The Whirlwind sonically sounds the most current. For that reason, that would be my recommednation.
Well, to be honest, sonic quality usually isn't much of a factor for me. Even if an album is downright horrible sonically, I can usually get past that and enjoy the music (assuming I like the music, of course). So, while I really appreciate that you pointed this out, I'm curious: taking sonic quality out of the equation, would you still recommend The Whirlwind first?
Yes. And just for clarification, when I say "sonic quality," I'm not just talking about production, but more about how current the music sounds.
Fair enough. :tup
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A Man Can Feel/Out of the Night/Rose Covered Glasses is nearly 19 minutes of the best music Transatlantic has ever done.
That truly is an amazing section of The Whirlwind. But to me, if I had to pick the best 3-movement section of the song, I would hands-down go with Rose Colored Glasses/Evermore/Set Us Free. That, to me, is in the running for 17 minutes of the best music anybody has ever done.
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The Whirlwind used to be one of my favorite albums of all time, but recently I've found a lot of it to be really boring and tiring. Bridge Across Forever is good, but I think my favorite is currently SMPT:e. I love the Procol Harum cover, but it could be a turn-off for some people. All of the Above is a fantastic epic, and We All Need Some Light is one of my favorite ballads. So if you don't mind a 17 minute cover, then I'd start from the beginning and work your way through the three albums.
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A Man Can Feel/Out of the Night/Rose Covered Glasses is nearly 19 minutes of the best music Transatlantic has ever done.
That truly is an amazing section of The Whirlwind. But to me, if I had to pick the best 3-movement section of the song, I would hands-down go with Rose Colored Glasses/Evermore/Set Us Free. That, to me, is in the running for 17 minutes of the best music anybody has ever done.
Really? No love for Dancing With Eternal Glory? As incredible as some of the other sections are, Is it Really Happening and Dancing blow the others out of The Water for me.
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A Man Can Feel/Out of the Night/Rose Covered Glasses is nearly 19 minutes of the best music Transatlantic has ever done.
That truly is an amazing section of The Whirlwind. But to me, if I had to pick the best 3-movement section of the song, I would hands-down go with Rose Colored Glasses/Evermore/Set Us Free. That, to me, is in the running for 17 minutes of the best music anybody has ever done.
Yep, that is awesome, too. Really, tracks 2-8, 11 and 12 are all absolutely stunning.
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Also, Pete's bass tone is fantastic.
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Evermore is way up there among my favorite TA songs.
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Also, Pete's bass tone is fantastic.
His and Roines combine beautifully I think.
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Also, Pete's bass tone is fantastic.
Yeah, The Whirlwind has one of the best bass tones I've ever heard.
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I can't believe it took me this long to listen to The Whirlwind. My habit of buying media and shelving it sucks. lol
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A Man Can Feel/Out of the Night/Rose Covered Glasses is nearly 19 minutes of the best music Transatlantic has ever done.
That truly is an amazing section of The Whirlwind. But to me, if I had to pick the best 3-movement section of the song, I would hands-down go with Rose Colored Glasses/Evermore/Set Us Free. That, to me, is in the running for 17 minutes of the best music anybody has ever done.
Really? No love for Dancing With Eternal Glory? As incredible as some of the other sections are, Is it Really Happening and Dancing blow the others out of The Water for me.
Oh, plenty of love. I just happen to think some of the other sections are even stronger, that's all.
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Pretty awesome cover of Bridge Across Forever:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysx-_GpPBJ8
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Finished all vocals on TA4 yesterday! Sang 2 covers and a short heartfelt track. Running ruffs this am then on to a new writing project!
A recent tweet from Neal Morse himself! Looks like progress is going well with TA4 and that we are getting at least 2 covers for the new album! Sweet!
-Marc.
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Finished all vocals on TA4 yesterday! Sang 2 covers and a short heartfelt track. Running ruffs this am then on to a new writing project!
A recent tweet from Neal Morse himself! Looks like progress is going well with TA4 and that we are getting at least 2 covers for the new album! Sweet!
-Marc.
You know the cool thing I just realized? They'll more than likely be playing this material on the ProgNation cruise!!! :happydance:
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I was reading Wikipedia earlier and I don't ever recall reading this before (I probably did but forgot). Jim Matheos was to do the guitar work when they formed, but couldn't so they got Roine Stolt.
I gotta say, I love Matheos but I can't help but wonder if without Roine's playing if I'd love the albums near as much as I presently do.
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I'm not a huge Stolt fan, in fact I probably prefer Matheos. But Stolt fits the group perfectly, having Matheos just doesn't seem right.
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I'm not a huge Stolt fan, in fact I probably prefer Matheos. But Stolt fits the group perfectly, having Matheos just doesn't seem right.
Well it doesn't seem right _NOW_. I'm trying to imagine what The Whirlwind would have been with Matheos. If they would have even gotten 3 albums out.
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It's funny, because even though I love Dimebag, I couldn't see the LTE albums being anywhere as good without Petrucci's being there. Just can't imagine Dimebag playing or helping to create a song like Universal Mind. Same with Matheos and TA imo!
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I've always wondered, even wished at many times, Jim has been involved. But then OSI likely wouldn't have happened. But then again, I've always wondered what OSI would have been like had Daniel Gildenlow been involved like he was supposed to be initially (and John Arch at 1 point as well).
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I've always wondered, even wished at many times, Jim has been involved. But then OSI likely wouldn't have happened. But then again, I've always wondered what OSI would have been like had Daniel Gildenlow been involved like he was supposed to be initially (and John Arch at 1 point as well).
I've never heard that Arch and Glidenlow were to be part of OSI. That's interesting. I mean Arch makes sense though.
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I'm not a huge Stolt fan, in fact I probably prefer Matheos. But Stolt fits the group perfectly, having Matheos just doesn't seem right.
Well it doesn't seem right _NOW_. I'm trying to imagine what The Whirlwind would have been with Matheos. If they would have even gotten 3 albums out.
I dunno, Matheos is more of a Metal player. I know Portnoy is pretty Metal too, but he has a pretty big classic Prog side too. Honestly I couldn't think of a better fit for TA than Stolt. I imagine it would be a completely different band with Matheos.
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Sorry to interrupt the discussion, but I thought I'd check back in and update everybody who gave me reccomendations.
My birthday was a couple weeks ago, and since nobody had any idea what to get me, I got cash and a couple gift cards. One of the gift cards was for a record store, where I managed to find both Bridge Across Forever and The Whirlwind. No sign of SMPT:e, but I bought what they had. And after listening to both albums a few times, I'm definitely loving this band. Stranger In Your Soul in particular is out of this world incredible. I'm not quite as fond of Suite Charlotte Pike or BAF (the song) so far, but Duel With the Devil is great, and The Whirlwind is mostly excellent, although I did feel like it dragged a bit in a few places. Overall, though, I'm thoroughly pleased.
So, yeah. Thanks for the recommendations, peoples.
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:tup
BTW, it's now more than obvious that they'll cover Close To The Edge on PN14, and most likely on the bonus disc of the new album. (Collaborating with Jon Anderson, so there must be a Yes cover somewhere, plus MP asked Pete to be a part of TA because he heard him play the Close To The Edge bass theme, if I remember correctly)
And yes, I'd love to hear that.
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Ah that would be so cool! Love all of their covers, almost looking forward to those as much as I'm looking forward to TA4.
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would much prefer to hear them do a cover of heart of the sunrise.
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Eh, I guess I'm the only one who doesn't really care about covers.
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Eh, I guess I'm the only one who doesn't really care about covers.
You aren't, I couldn't care less about them either.
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I would love to see a cover of Nine Feet Underground, Starless or Lady Fantasy.
EDIT: Although i know it's not gonna happen :-\
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I would love to see a cover of Nine Feet Underground, Starless or Lady Fantasy.
EDIT: Although i know it's not gonna happen :-\
Neal and Mike (along with Randy George) covered "Starless" and I believe Bill Bruford gave Mike props for his drumming on the cover! It's a great rendition, too, so I doubt Mike and Neal would do "Starless" with TA. Mike has also already done HOTS with Dream Theater, so if he's going to be picky about covers, I'm sure he'd pick CTTE since, as far as I know, he's never played it with any major band before.
-Marc.
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Didn't know that :omg:
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BTUy1EaIIAAIYLs.jpg)
Apparently Mike sings on the new TA disc.
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I would love to see a cover of Nine Feet Underground, Starless or Lady Fantasy.
EDIT: Although i know it's not gonna happen :-\
Lady Fantasy would be awesome!
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I would love to see a cover of Nine Feet Underground, Starless or Lady Fantasy.
EDIT: Although i know it's not gonna happen :-\
Lady Fantasy would be awesome!
Agreed. Would love to hear TA do that.
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1237392_10151819965746293_706022123_o.jpg)
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An abandoned church?
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An abandoned church?
Yeah something like that
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if it is, it appears to be a pretty small church.
But I was going to mention, the band with Matheos was tentatively to be called "Second Nature." Matheos is a big Marillion fan, and to think he likely would have really enjoyed working with Pete. Also the fact Spock's Beard were on Metal Blade Records as well as Fates Warning, would have given Neal and Jim a connection for what that may be worth. I even recall NDV once filling in on a tour? or at least 1 show for Fates Warning live.
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if it is, it appears to be a pretty small church.
It's all relative. Around here, that would be average-sized, maybe a little big.
At first I thought it was a warehouse or something, because of the ceiling, then I saw the stained glass, then the scriptures on the walls and other elements of religious architecture. I'm not even sure why I asked; it was more an expression of surprise I guess.
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Interesting to note that Neal is not playing keys here, but acoustic guitar! I wonder what the song will sound like, if it'll be similar to any of Neal's acoustic guitar ballads like Spock's Beard's "Distance To The Sun" or Transatlantic's own "We All Need Some Light".
Also, neat to see there's moments of Pete and Mike singing together!
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BTUy1EaIIAAIYLs.jpg:large)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BTUkd0oCUAAf5N9.jpg:large)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BTVQpK1CAAEaxZS.jpg:large)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BTUKjCLIcAAtsZp.jpg:large)
-Marc.
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I would love to see a cover of Nine Feet Underground, Starless or Lady Fantasy.
EDIT: Although i know it's not gonna happen :-\
Lady Fantasy would be awesome!
Agreed. Would love to hear TA do that.
Or Ice. Man I'm having goosebumps just thinking about it. It's not gonna happen, but the idea is nice. And yes, Lady Fantasy would be awesome. As well as a Gentle Giant song, or (being Dutch) I'd love to hear them play Focus' Hocus Pocus. I think Mike would be up for it.
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Hocus Pocus would be great! Who would do the yodeling? Neal? :lol
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Quite possibly Mike, haha.
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Quite possibly Mike, haha.
:lol
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That would be amazing :lol :lol
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They could do a little Crime of the Century medley :metal
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March 13-14 / 013 / Tilburg / Holland
https://www.013.nl/event/4512_transatlantic
Great :)
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Predicting a London show the night before or after that.
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Two nights? Man I might have to be there both nights :D
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I predict zero concerts in the Northeast.
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I predict zero concerts in the Northeast.
I predict zero concerts in TX.
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Oh, European tour in march, eh? That could be neat...
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Yeah, it's too bad they can't come to New England somewhere, but they probably wouldn't generate enough ticket sales to make it feasible. I ain't driving 4 hours to see them in NYC either.
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I hope they play in NYC in late spring/summer as I'll be back in CT then and will be able to take the train into the city. Otherwise, I doubt I'll be able to see them.
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MP:
Yes indeed....TA dates are starting to slowly leak....
We will have a full schedule announced very soon!
6th March Karlsruhe
7th March Munich
8th March Berlin
9th March Cologne
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I hope both nights in Tilburg will be somewhat different. I'm trying to reach Mike or Neal to answer that, if there's something special happening on the second night, I totally wanna be there
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Oh, European tour in march, eh? That could be neat...
Did you suddenly forget where we live? ;D
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Oh, European tour in march, eh? That could be neat...
Did you suddenly forget where we live? ;D
I've been saving up for a couple of concerts next year. :D Right now I'm sure I'll sort things out in order to catch Dream Theater, but if I could squeeze another one abroad, Transatlantic might be a sweet deal, being that I love Neal and Portnoy only seals the deal. Budapest would probably be the only option for me, though, so we'll see what happens.
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Transatlantic 4 on tour in Europe? I hope they pass by central Italy (I know they won't :yeahright).
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12 March - London Forum :yarr
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New dates:
Thursday, 27 of February 2014, Madrid, La Riviera
Friday, 28 of February 2014, Barcelona (Barcelona),Razzmatazz 2
03/15/2014, Le Bataclan, Paris
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Fev. 27 @ Madrid, Spain
Fev. 28 @ Barcelona, Spain
Mar. 2 @ Milan, Italy
Mar. 3 @ Roma, Italy
Mar. 5 @ Basel, Switzerland
Mar. 6 @ Karlsruhe, Germany
Mar. 7 @ Munich, Germany
Mar. 8 @ Berlin, Germany
Mar. 9 @ Cologne, Germany
Mar. 12 @ Londres, UK
Mar. 13 @ Tilburg, Holland
Mar. 14 @ Tilburg, Holland
Mar. 15 @ Paris, France
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Where did you guys see these dates? On the official website there's nothing.
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Dang, nothing even remotely close...
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Yeah, it's too bad they can't come to New England somewhere, but they probably wouldn't generate enough ticket sales to make it feasible. I ain't driving 4 hours to see them in NYC either.
There is one place that does Prog concerts in Mass that the Flower Kings and Spock's Beard have played before. I'd love for them to play there. It's the Regent Theatre - Arlington, MA.
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This was in my inbox from last week.
An Evening with TRANSATLANTIC
Friday January 31, 2014 8:00pm
El Segundo Performing Arts Center
Looks like they are adding some US dates, but still nothing on their website and I can't find any mention of other dates. This was from CalProg.
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Dang, nothing even remotely close...
Yes, it's the typical "not-DT bands with MP playing in Europe"-Syndrome. They always choose safe locations in Western Europe, they surely think it's impossible there are more than 100 prog/Adrenaline Mob/Winery Dogs fans altogether south of Austria..... ::)
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I think it's a matter of promoters not being able to persuade bookers to take a risk. I mean, you can call booking TA a risk, especially when comparing to DT.
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For anyone with any TA questions, I'll be interviewing Roine tomorrow morning. Will be focusing on the Flower Kings record coming out, but certainly hope to hit on the new TA a little bit.
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For anyone with any TA questions, I'll be interviewing Roine tomorrow morning. Will be focusing on the Flower Kings record coming out, but certainly hope to hit on the new TA a little bit.
Can you ask him about the double night in Tilburg? If they're planning on something special, like a two night DVD, or maybe something entirely special the first or second night. I'm hoping to get to know that before I buy my tickets. Plus: recording a DVD in Tilburg is not at all unlikely.
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For anyone with any TA questions, I'll be interviewing Roine tomorrow morning. Will be focusing on the Flower Kings record coming out, but certainly hope to hit on the new TA a little bit.
Can you ask him about the double night in Tilburg? If they're planning on something special, like a two night DVD, or maybe something entirely special the first or second night. I'm hoping to get to know that before I buy my tickets. Plus: recording a DVD in Tilburg is not at all unlikely.
Well since TA are planning an encore with Jon Anderson on the PN14 Cruise, it wouldn't be beyond reason that they might play some Yes on one or both of those nights, or perhaps, dare I wish, a whole Yes album (anyone REALLY want them to do TFTO?).
-Marc.
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For anyone with any TA questions, I'll be interviewing Roine tomorrow morning. Will be focusing on the Flower Kings record coming out, but certainly hope to hit on the new TA a little bit.
Can you ask him about the double night in Tilburg? If they're planning on something special, like a two night DVD, or maybe something entirely special the first or second night. I'm hoping to get to know that before I buy my tickets. Plus: recording a DVD in Tilburg is not at all unlikely.
Well since TA are planning an encore with Jon Anderson on the PN14 Cruise, it wouldn't be beyond reason that they might play some Yes on one or both of those nights, or perhaps, dare I wish, a whole Yes album (anyone REALLY want them to do TFTO?).
-Marc.
Well yeah, an especially special night would be awesome. Hoping Roine can shed light on that!
I'm still guessing (and hoping) Close to the Edge btw!
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Hey everyone!I'm having an interview with Roine Stolt this week for Rocking.gr, so if you want to ask some questions, i would be glad to ask them!
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Well yeah, same for you. Maybe Nick will be able to get an answer out of Roine about the two Tilburg night, but if he can't, maybe you can :)
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Hey everyone!I'm having an interview with Roine Stolt this week for Rocking.gr, so if you want to ask some questions, i would be glad to ask them!
Could you ask Roine if the Banks of Eden vinyl used a higher than CD quality master and if The Desolation Rose Vinyl will be using a higher than CD quality master and if they did, what are the quality of those files (24bit/(44.1khz, 48khz, 96khz)? I know that Banks of Eden and The Desolation Rose were recorded on Reel to Reel but I just wanted to see if they converted that audio to high-rez digital (I'm guessing 24bit/96khz) during the final mixing and mastering stages. I really hope you can ask this because I haven't seen any interview with him where the interviewer asks about the audio sources/quality for the vinyl.
I didn't ask him about this at RoSfest because he was really sick during the show so I didn't want to bother him! They were amazing though! :hefdaddy
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Transatlantic posted about the leaked date at the highline ballroom in NY in feb, now another has surfaced! Feb 8th at Keswick theater in Glenside, PA
https://www.axs.com/events/245715/transatlantic-tickets
so stoked to finally get to see these guys, seeing the encore at the morse/flower kings show was a nice tease :metal
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Hey guys sorry for not asking your questions, there was a miscommunication with the manager and the interview was conducted earlier than i expected.
If you are interested, here is a link for the interview, he covers some interesting stuff about Transatlanic https://www.rocking.gr/interviews/en/The-Flower-Kings-interview-Roine-Stolt/17634/ (https://www.rocking.gr/interviews/en/The-Flower-Kings-interview-Roine-Stolt/17634/)
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Progressive-rock super-group Transatlantic, featuring Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Roine Stolt and Pete Trewavas will release their brand new fourth studio album ‘Kaleidoscope’ on the 27th January 2014. The track-listing for the forthcoming record is as follows:
1. INTO THE BLUE
2. SHINE
3. BLACK AS THE SKY
4. BEYOND THE SUN
5. KALEIDOSCOPE
The band will also embark on a 6-week World Tour that will see them joined once again by Pain of Salvation’s Daniel Gildenlöw as a 5th touring member.
(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1380733_10152011661785439_816115559_n.jpg)
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Sounds proggy :tup
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I like how they used the ship on that cover art.
I also wish they would just bring Gildenlowe in as an official 5th member rather than just a touring member.
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Cover looks like an old Flower Kings album, love it.
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Looks like it's straight from the LSFNY DVD ;D
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Great cover!
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I KNEW it was gonna be a green artwork! Love the titles and the number of songs too :biggrin:
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I like how they used the ship on that cover art.
:omg:
I love the look of the cover art, but I was wondering why they didn't include the ship this time. I can't believe I missed it. It's there 12 times!
I like how each cover has its own look. They're all so different. And the ship.
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I KNEW it was gonna be a green artwork! Love the titles and the number of songs too :biggrin:
Somehow I felt this way, too (regarding the green-ness of the album cover)! I love the art work, the album title and the song titles as well! Looking forward to this greatly! I wonder what the track lengths will be... :lol
-Marc.
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:hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :metal :metal :metal :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
cant wait :biggrin:
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Super excited about the album, but also super bummed that the closest tour date is 6.5 hours away.
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Transatlantic posted about the leaked date at the highline ballroom in NY in feb, now another has surfaced! Feb 8th at Keswick theater in Glenside, PA
https://www.axs.com/events/245715/transatlantic-tickets
so stoked to finally get to see these guys, seeing the encore at the morse/flower kings show was a nice tease :metal
Hmm, I figured I'd miss the tour proper when it was the NYC date. NYC is expensive and a pain in the ass, and I'll be seeing them on the cruise. But northern Philly is really easy and cheap for me, might have to go to that.
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Hmm again, front seats are $91 after charges, may have to rethink that. It seems so silly to not go when they are so close, but I'll see them on the cruise... just have to be good.
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obviously ny is a pain cause its ny :P, but where are you from? keswick is only difficult for me if shows go late, only so many trains back to the city :-\
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sorry for double post, but how are so many tickets for the philly show already gone?! :-\
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I'm in Allentown. I have to pay to use the turnpike, but driving to Glendale is pretty nice all things considered. I think the sale now is just a pre-sale, and hopefully a general sale will see some of those front seats still available.
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Grreeeeeen! :D
So excited!
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i just went ahead and bought a ticket a little further back with todays presale, for anyone interested the code is 'prog'! since the vip didnt include a m&g i figured $60 was enough for a seat
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Woah @ those ticket prices.
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I'd be lying if I didn't admit the prospect of flying to Philly for the show since it is on a Saturday hasnt crossed my mind.
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Woah @ those ticket prices.
It sucks, but it's also smart. They know that at $25 a ticket they might get 400 people to the show, and at $60 a ticket they'll get 350 people at the show.
There are no casual TA fans, and regardless of price the same general number of people will likely show.
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Woah @ those ticket prices.
It sucks, but it's also smart. They know that at $25 a ticket they might get 400 people to the show, and at $60 a ticket they'll get 350 people at the show.
There are no casual TA fans, and regardless of price the same general number of people will likely show.
Well, I know one person (myself) and one other (the person who went with me last time) who definitely won't be going at $60 a pop.
...Well, MAYBE. If they're doing 4 hour shows again, and I really like the new record, I guess I'd consider it.
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Great stuff, like the titles. And yeah the tickets are that expensive over here too, but you know for a fact that you will be getting an entire evening of great music. Especially Tilburg, I can't wait for Januari, and then the show a couple of months later!
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So excited to hear this. :tup
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I like how they used the ship on that cover art.
:omg:
I love the look of the cover art, but I was wondering why they didn't include the ship this time. I can't believe I missed it. It's there 12 times!
Yeah, I was also like ''Where's the zeppelin?'' for a minute. :lol
Looks really good, can't wait for the album. :smiley:
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Also, I can't believe it's almost been 4 years since The Wirlwhind came out. It definitely doesn't feel it's been that long.
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Also, I can't believe it's almost been 4 years since The Wirlwhind came out. It definitely doesn't feel it's been that long.
Wow, that's right. Feels like yesterday. I'm gonna give it a spin this weekend.
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Also they will be coming down to Milan and Rome the beginning of March, wich is interesting. Should the stars above align, I'll attend the Rome gig!
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Also, I can't believe it's almost been 4 years since The Wirlwhind came out. It definitely doesn't feel it's been that long.
Wow, that's right. Feels like yesterday. I'm gonna give it a spin this weekend.
Me too, love that album. Actually I think I'll watch the More is Never Enough version.
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I got 2 VIP seats for NYC!!! Believe me when I tell you there is no better place to see a show! I saw Neal Morse there and it was awesome! :metal
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Yeah, Highline is definitely a nice venue.
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I doubt I'll be able to drive out to Chicago for a Tuesday night show. :'(
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Hmmm, Seattle is listed, but no venue.
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MP rehearsing on his new tour kit: https://vine.co/v/hw3PheQ6dPd
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Yeah, Highline is definitely a nice venue.
Not on a Sunday night it isn't...especially with transportation costs to NY. I may revisit that later, however.
I'm already locked in at the Keswick though. No way I'm missing that.
Cannot wait!
This pretty much unfolded as expected....
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Just bought my VIP ticket for the NYC show. Seriously pumped for this, the Philly Whirld Tour show was one of the best concerts I've ever been to.
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Honestly, this is really kind of a bummer from my perspective. I'd be happy to travel somewhere for it, but February is a pretty crappy time for it, and none of the cities are particularly appealing. Had enough of LA and NY. Don't much care for Phili. SF would be great, but it'll be too cold to spend my time outside of the city as I'd prefer. Seattle is actually pretty high on my list, but it'll be far, far too cold to do the things I'd want to do up there. Miami and that PN lineup seem ideal, but the idea of that cruise sounds absolutely fucking dreadful; think I'd rather blow the $1500 on the right to shoot myself in the head.
I'm really wanting to get back to Europe, and that Karlsrhue date seems pretty appealing to me for some reason, but again with the too early part. Two months earlier (over Christmas) or two months later would be perfect. Add to that, there's no way I could take a 3 week vacation to do Europe halfway properly after my two month leave of absence. Seems like the only decent option would be Mexico City, and that just doesn't sound all that appealing. Looks like I'm going to miss this one, despite my willingness (if not eagerness) to travel for it.
On a side note, don't know if anybody's looked at all of the dates, but I think that's the most hectic tour I've ever seen. I don't think it's possible they make every date. Too many shows with not enough days off, and zero margin for error on the travel days.
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but the idea of that cruise sounds absolutely fucking dreadful; think I'd rather blow the $1500 on the right to shoot myself in the head.
That's original. :lol Don't you like ships?
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El Barto, I totally agree with you about February being a crappy time to travel - impossible to know if it will be snowing or what - but my brother and I are giving serious consideration to making the trek up to Chicago from St. Louis for that show on the 2nd. It just sucks that it is on a Tuesday.
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El Barto, I totally agree with you about February being a crappy time to travel - impossible to know if it will be snowing or what - but my brother and I are giving serious consideration to making the trek up to Chicago from St. Louis for that show on the 2nd. It just sucks that it is on a Tuesday.
Kev, you know you are getting old when a concert is on a weekday and it makes you pause. I'm in the same boat.
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but the idea of that cruise sounds absolutely fucking dreadful; think I'd rather blow the $1500 on the right to shoot myself in the head.
That's original. :lol Don't you like ships?
I've got no problem with ships, but as I've mentioned elsewhere, the entire concept of cruises is highly unappealing to me. It's just not the way I like to travel.
El Barto, I totally agree with you about February being a crappy time to travel - impossible to know if it will be snowing or what - but my brother and I are giving serious consideration to making the trek up to Chicago from St. Louis for that show on the 2nd. It just sucks that it is on a Tuesday.
Kev, you know you are getting old when a concert is on a weekday and it makes you pause. I'm in the same boat.
I think his point, and it'd certainly be mine, is that it's the traveling that makes Tuesday bad; not the concert. Hell, just catching a show down in Houston requires two days off for me. From my perspective, flying somewhere only becomes worthwhile when you get 4 or 5 days out of it.
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Well that too. Funny thing is, I'd see so many bands over the years no matter what day of the week but now as I work so many hours and get up so early I only see certain bands that I really want to see if they come during the week.
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Football games, too. :lol
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Bastard! :lol
I need to become rich!! Oh and not own a house. :lol
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I've only just seen the new album announcement. So excited for it! Love the title and the artwork! The title track definitely sounds like the name of a big 25min+ epic! Maybe even 30+.
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So yeah, any speculations on track lengths? Here are mine:
1. INTO THE BLUE 7.34
2. SHINE 3.25
3. BLACK AS THE SKY 14.40
4. BEYOND THE SUN 6.35
5. KALEIDOSCOPE 31.15
Adding up roughly to 63 minutes. I don't see them making another long disc, for some reason. All three of their albums have been at least 76 minutes long, but somehow I guess this one will be shorter. I guess the closing and title track will be the grand epic, like Stranger of All Of The Above, but I don't know which one will be the 'other epic' like My New World or Duel, either Black as the Sky or Into The Blue.
I'm fairly certain that Beyond the Sun will be the Neal ballad, and I feel that Shine is something special.
All of this is speculation of course. But it's fun to speculate!
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Our tickets already showed up. Hope I remember where I put them in four months.
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So yeah, any speculations on track lengths? Here are mine:
1. INTO THE BLUE 7.34
2. SHINE 3.25
3. BLACK AS THE SKY 14.40
4. BEYOND THE SUN 6.35
5. KALEIDOSCOPE 31.15
Adding up roughly to 63 minutes. I don't see them making another long disc, for some reason. All three of their albums have been at least 76 minutes long, but somehow I guess this one will be shorter. I guess the closing and title track will be the grand epic, like Stranger of All Of The Above, but I don't know which one will be the 'other epic' like My New World or Duel, either Black as the Sky or Into The Blue.
I'm fairly certain that Beyond the Sun will be the Neal ballad, and I feel that Shine is something special.
All of this is speculation of course. But it's fun to speculate!
Dunno, I guess I'm predicting that they'll pull a BAF on us and bookend the album with the two epics.
The remaining three will probably be a four minute song, a five minute song and a six minute song but I've no basis for that.
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Our tickets already showed up. Hope I remember where I put them in four months.
I put all my tickets for concerts and hockey games in the same spot. When it comes time for a show or concert I go to that spot and retrieve the ones I need.
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Yeah, Highline is definitely a nice venue.
Not on a Sunday night it isn't...especially with transportation costs to NY. I may revisit that later, however.
I'm already locked in at the Keswick though. No way I'm missing that.
Cannot wait!
This pretty much unfolded as expected....
I take the train to NYC. 30 bucks round trip. I'm soooo glad I scored a pair of VIP seats!!! :metal
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It would be interesting if one of these 5 tracks was an instrumental. And I don't mean an instrumental movement of an epic; a standalone instrumental.
As for lengths, I'm going for Into the Blue as a 12-13 minute song, the three inner tracks being under 10 minutes, Beyond the Sun as an instrumental, then the 32-minute title track. A minute or two longer than All of the Above.
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I'm guessing two 25 to 30 minute epics, and 3 songs 5-8 minutes.
And I'll probably end up going to the Chicago show. I saw them in Chicago on the Whirlwind tour and it was great!
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It would be interesting if one of these 5 tracks was an instrumental. And I don't mean an instrumental movement of an epic; a standalone instrumental.
As for lengths, I'm going for Into the Blue as a 12-13 minute song, the three inner tracks being under 10 minutes, Beyond the Sun as an instrumental, then the 32-minute title track. A minute or two longer than All of the Above.
I don't really care for TA-instrumentals I think. Normally their epics have enough instrumental sections, sometimes up to 5 minutes, that a standalone one isn't something I'm looking forward too.
I do however would love some sort of intro to an epic. I love the idea that Into The Blue isn't a 7 minute track, or a bookend type epic, but just a 3-4 minute intro, with a lot of strings, no vocals (so there's your instrumental) and with a more overture feel.
There's one other thing I'd love to see them try though, that is to end an epic not as busy or grand as The Whirlwind, All Of The Above, Duel With The Devil or Stranger In Your Soul, but more like TFK's I Am The Sun. I really think that if this album has another two epics ending in a semi-slowing down - concluding kind of revisiting older themes - ending on a grandiose major chord, it can become predictable. In all fairness though, I guess I won't be thinking of that when I'm all covered in goosebumps.
Damn I'm excited for this album!
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So I'm thinking we don't have the track times yet because they're still mastering the final mix, so Rich is probably going through final mixes with the band before finishing the album. Because of that, we don't have the final track lengths yet.
We do know there are at least TWO epics on the album, as per information from Neal and Mike. I expect one to be in the 25-35 minute range, and one in the 12-16 minute range, so maybe an album similar to their debut, but a bit longer.
The other three tracks I'd like to see be between 5 and 10 minutes long. And being that their upcoming tour is another "Evening With", I expect the WHOLE album to be played live, and I HOPE they pull out "My New World" and "Mystery Train" as they haven't been played live since before 2003!!! That's over a decade ago!!! They deserve to be brought back.
If *anything* from The Whirlwind gets played, I'd love it if they pulled out one of the 2nd Disc tracks like "Spinning" and "For Such A Time".
-Marc.
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I've never really understood the obsession with knowing track times before a release. Unless there is something really noteworthy (such as the Whirlwind being a 77+ minute song), track times are about the most useless piece of information about a forthcoming release as I can imagine.
If *anything* from The Whirlwind gets played, I'd love it if they pulled out one of the 2nd Disc tracks like "Spinning" and "For Such A Time".
Um...you do realize this is a band with Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse in it, right? :biggrin: Do you honestly believe they won't play some sort of "medley" of some of the different parts of The Whirlwind?
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I've never really understood the obsession with knowing track times before a release. Unless there is something really noteworthy (such as the Whirlwind being a 77+ minute song), track times are about the most useless piece of information about a forthcoming release as I can imagine.
Well, when it is a band with Portnoy, Morse and Stolt involved, track times are ALWAYS interesting. At least, to me, being a prog snob who loves epics. And I always enjoy seeing how much longer Neal's epics get as the years/albums go by. And besides Neal Morse's solo albums (Testimony 2 and Momentum), this is Mike's first full-on prog release since leaving Dream Theater. I would count Neal's solo albums, but I feel like Mike's input/direction is different in that situation than it is for Transatlantic.
If *anything* from The Whirlwind gets played, I'd love it if they pulled out one of the 2nd Disc tracks like "Spinning" and "For Such A Time".
Um...you do realize this is a band with Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse in it, right? :biggrin: Do you honestly believe they won't play some sort of "medley" of some of the different parts of The Whirlwind?
I knooooooow, but a fan can hope, right? I think it would be neat if they threw in "For Such A Time" as part of a "Whirlwind" medley, just to mix things up a little. I wouldn't mind if they closed one of their two sets with "Is It Really Happening?"/"Dancing With Eternal Glory/The Whirlwind (Reprise)". But considering 3/4ths of the band played some Whirlwind material on the Morse Band/TFK tour, I feel like Mike and Neal would want to phase some of it out. Most fans of TA are typically diehards, as in, there aren't many "casual TA fans" around. If you caught them on the Whirld Tour, chances are you got your fill of Whirlwind material. And if you caught the Morse/TFK tour, you got even more. Honestly, I could see them phasing out most of the TW material, and even one of the two BAF epics, especially if there are two epics on Kaleidoscope. If they do, dock SIYS and keep DWTD.
-Marc.
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I agree with bosk1; I couldn't care less what the song lengths are.
I also agree that there has to be a Whirlwind medley on the tour next year. Two or three of us will likely be seeing them for the first time, and I know I'd be disappointed if they played nothing from it.
And what they played on the Morse/TFK tour should be completely irrelevant.
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I agree with bosk1
That's 'cause I'm hecka' smart.
But yeah, I think we'll likely either get a medley or a few different movements scattered throughout the set that are treated as standalone songs like DT has done with the movements of 6DOIT. Mark, I like your idea of throwing a bit of For Such A Time in there. That would be really cool. And I love that song, so I'd be fine with it just from that perspective alone.
But if a medley is in there, I personally would prefer it to not have all of Dancing With Eternal Glory/The Whirlwind (Reprise). I mean, it's a cool movement. But it suffers from having the Lord Of The Rings/November Rain ending syndrome. It sounds like you are at the end. But no! There is still like another 20 minutes and another 6 or 7 "endings" before you really get to the end. That's all fine, except where you have a limited amount of time in a set and a LOT of music to play.
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I agree with bosk1
That's 'cause I'm hecka' smart.
But yeah, I think we'll likely either get a medley or a few different movements scattered throughout the set that are treated as standalone songs like DT has done with the movements of 6DOIT. Mark, I like your idea of throwing a bit of For Such A Time in there. That would be really cool. And I love that song, so I'd be fine with it just from that perspective alone.
But if a medley is in there, I personally would prefer it to not have all of Dancing With Eternal Glory/The Whirlwind (Reprise). I mean, it's a cool movement. But it suffers from having the Lord Of The Rings/November Rain ending syndrome. It sounds like you are at the end. But no! There is still like another 20 minutes and another 6 or 7 "endings" before you really get to the end. That's all fine, except where you have a limited amount of time in a set and a LOT of music to play.
Which is why I would like them to limit the amount of Whirlwind material in the set. If the new album is 75-79 minutes long (as is typical with Transatlantic), that's about 80 minutes of a 3 hour set. What will they do with the remaining 100 minutes? I'm sure we'll get ONE of their first 3 epics ("All Of The Above", "Duel With The Devil", and "Stranger In Your Soul"), and possibly at least "We All Need Some Light". I say, keep DWTD, trade AOTA out with MNW, and play either "Mystery Train" or "Suite Charlotte Pike", as both were only played on one tour.
That doesn't leave a lot of time left in the show, as most about 50 minutes left of material to fill out between Whirlwind material and other songs. Guess we'll find out in a few months...
Either way, the new album will definitely be a contender for AOTY 2014!
-Marc.
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So they're coming to SA for the first time in February and I already got my ticket. 4 months will be a long wait :caffeine:
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I'll throw my 2 cents in and say that to me, track lengths are very interesting. To me, it's pretty much as exciting to hear about as the song titles themselves. Anyone going to the Chicago show and have tickets yet? I haven't found them on sale anywhere yet.
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I agree with the above post. I wish they'd release track lengths when they announce the song titles. It gives me a general idea of what the album's structure and flow will be like. It's the thing I want to find out more than anything else about an album.
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Some info from an interview with Mike:
Mike: Well, it’s everything that anybody that’s a fan of Transatlantic would want to hear from the band. “The Whirlwind” was a big epic undertaking and, when we started to make this follow-up, we did what we do. We make these epic songs. “Kaleidoscope” is made up of basically five songs, two of which are huge epics. One is 25 minutes, and one is 35 minutes. The three pieces in the middle are medium-length songs -- 6 or 7 minutes. It’s everything that Transatlantic fans would want from the band -- taking that classic prog sound from the 70s and giving it a modern twist and taking it to all-new extremes.
link: https://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=96992
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Some info from an interview with Mike:
Mike: Well, it’s everything that anybody that’s a fan of Transatlantic would want to hear from the band. “The Whirlwind” was a big epic undertaking and, when we started to make this follow-up, we did what we do. We make these epic songs. “Kaleidoscope” is made up of basically five songs, two of which are huge epics. One is 25 minutes, and one is 35 minutes. The three pieces in the middle are medium-length songs -- 6 or 7 minutes. It’s everything that Transatlantic fans would want from the band -- taking that classic prog sound from the 70s and giving it a modern twist and taking it to all-new extremes.
link: https://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=96992
1. INTO THE BLUE ~ 25:00
2. SHINE ~ 6:00
3. BLACK AS THE SKY ~7:00
4. BEYOND THE SUN ~6:00
5. KALEIDOSCOPE ~ 35:00
Total ~ 79:00 (my guesses, of course, given that we know the album is book-ended with epics now)
That would seem about right...a full single CD, and I'm pretty sure we will get a bonus disc with extra songs, most likely covers.
As repetitive as it seems for Neal, I'm excited for these epics, especially if they're as good, if not better, than the last two he wrote since "The Whirlwind" with TA (that is, "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End", two of my favorites by Neal).
-Marc.
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And from the same interview, there's this tasty tidbit:
Frank: Will “Kaleidoscope” actually involve Daniel Gildenlow of Pain of Salvation, since you’ve been using him on tour?
Mike: We talked about it before starting the album, but, really, Transatlantic is the four of us and there’s a great chemistry between the four of us. Daniel’s a great additional element on stage live, but we wanted to keep the writing chemistry just as it always has been, with just the four of us. That being said, we did find a nice spot for Daniel to do a guest vocal on the album.
SWEET! Even if it's just a guest vocal spot, it's nice that they put him on there like that! I enjoyed his longer, and lead vocal contributions on the last tour as documented on the live albums from it. I'm sure the next tour will be even better!
-Marc.
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Some info from an interview with Mike:
Mike: Well, it’s everything that anybody that’s a fan of Transatlantic would want to hear from the band. “The Whirlwind” was a big epic undertaking and, when we started to make this follow-up, we did what we do. We make these epic songs. “Kaleidoscope” is made up of basically five songs, two of which are huge epics. One is 25 minutes, and one is 35 minutes. The three pieces in the middle are medium-length songs -- 6 or 7 minutes. It’s everything that Transatlantic fans would want from the band -- taking that classic prog sound from the 70s and giving it a modern twist and taking it to all-new extremes.
link: https://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=96992
1. INTO THE BLUE ~ 25:00
2. SHINE ~ 6:00
3. BLACK AS THE SKY ~7:00
4. BEYOND THE SUN ~6:00
5. KALEIDOSCOPE ~ 35:00
Total ~ 79:00 (my guesses, of course, given that we know the album is book-ended with epics now)
That would seem about right...a full single CD, and I'm pretty sure we will get a bonus disc with extra songs, most likely covers.
As repetitive as it seems for Neal, I'm excited for these epics, especially if they're as good, if not better, than the last two he wrote since "The Whirlwind" with TA (that is, "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End", two of my favorites by Neal).
-Marc.
Following this thread. I know nothing about Transatlantic other than the fact that MP is there, I haven't heard one song by them (will fix that tomorrow), but just the grandiosity of the track titles for this and their assumed lengths is too much to handle.
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You'll love 'em. My humble recommendation would be to start with Stranger in Your Soul or All of the Above.
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You'll love 'em. My humble recommendation would be to start with Stranger in Your Soul or All of the Above.
Definitely that one.
If the track lengths are a put off, try to think of it as just 30 minutes of music. Whether it's one song or six, who gives a fuck? All that matters is whether it's 30 minutes of music that you like.
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You'll love 'em. My humble recommendation would be to start with Stranger in Your Soul or All of the Above.
Definitely that one.
If the track lengths are a put off, try to think of it as just 30 minutes of music. Whether it's one song or six, who gives a fuck? All that matters is whether it's 30 minutes of music that you like.
When I said "too much to handle" I meant it in a good way.
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When I said "too much to handle" I meant it in a good way.
Oh. :lol Well you're not wrong, you're in for a treat if you haven't heard these guys before.
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Funnily enough, the first Transatlantic song I ever heard was We All Need Some Light and I was totally sold on the sweet poppy sound they had going on. Talk about misrepresentative! The material I heard after just blew my head clean off.
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Waiting for the Chicago tix to go on sale, anybody know when?
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I'd bet the farm they play Spinning. Soul Sacrifice wouldn't surprise me, either; it'd make a good encore.
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Definitely looking forward to this. A Transatlantic release seems even more special now with Portnoy no longer being a part of dream theater - also, partly because I have not been the biggest fan of his other musical projects since his departure. (Although Flying Colors had its moments) It will be nice to hear Portnoy grooving to some good prog music again.
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Our tickets already showed up. Hope I remember where I put them in four months.
I put all my tickets for concerts and hockey games in the same spot. When it comes time for a show or concert I go to that spot and retrieve the ones I need.
We do that too, Except the last time I was in there I couldn't find my lucky earplugs (sometimes I forget to put them back) and tore the drawer apart looking for them and I haven't fixed it yet.
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I am seriously considering getting a VIP meet and greet for the Chicago show. After spending hundreds on one for DT and then feeling rushed and ripped off (systematic chaos tour, Detroit), an additional $50 seems worth it to meet Neal and Mike.
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No turning back now. I just purchased the meet and greet package for Chicago. Now I just have to buy a concert ticket when they go on sale. I can't imagine how awesome this will be. When I last saw TA (on Whirld tour), I was brought to tears when Neal came on stage and started singing. I only met Mike once (see above post). I was star struck so I didn't know what to say. I only said that I was a huge Transatlantic fan, and his response was along the lines of "so am I." (this was in that time period where it seemed unlikely they'd ever do another album). I was dumb and didn't bring anything along to have signed. It will be different this time for sure. Definitely going to take a picture with Neal, and with Mike. So freakin' excited!!!
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Ah, seems MP has that kind of behavior when people turn up to M&G without anything to sign..... ::)
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Not sure what you mean there. Mike was genuinely cool. The meet and greet started really late and we were all rushed through, that's all.
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Reaaaally thinking of buying a M&G ticket.
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i would buy a m&g for philly, but since its after the show there wouldn't be time for me to catch a train back to the city :-[
next time perhaps
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Ah, seems MP has that kind of behavior when people turn up to M&G without anything to sign..... ::)
I can totally see how what I said could get this response. It's not that he was all "blah" and that's all he said. But what I wrote I can totally see that it could have sounded like I was saying that.
I was just saying that all I could come up with was saying I loved Transatlantic, and he agreed.
Soooo looking forward to this!!!!
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I am seriously considering getting a VIP meet and greet for the Chicago show. After spending hundreds on one for DT and then feeling rushed and ripped off (systematic chaos tour, Detroit), an additional $50 seems worth it to meet Neal and Mike.
Don't overlook talking with Pete. The guy is a riot and loves to chat with the fans. Roine and Daniel are much more reserved adn difficult to get talking.
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I am seriously considering getting a VIP meet and greet for the Chicago show. After spending hundreds on one for DT and then feeling rushed and ripped off (systematic chaos tour, Detroit), an additional $50 seems worth it to meet Neal and Mike.
Don't overlook talking with Pete. The guy is a riot and loves to chat with the fans. Roine and Daniel are much more reserved adn difficult to get talking.
Thanks for the tip, I'll make sure to do so! I should probably check out some Marillion so I can have something to talk about. I've honestly never heard a single Marillion song. Not sure why...
I'm REALLY looking forward to meeting Neal. From the first time I heard the Testimony album, he has been my favorite musician since. And I've never met him.
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You'll love 'em. My humble recommendation would be to start with Stranger in Your Soul or All of the Above.
I second this. All of the Above is a great introduction to the band.
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Tickets for Chicago on sale!!!
https://www.oshows.com/ (the link's not perfect but at least brings you to the right site, just click on "upcoming shows")
I went for the closest aisle seat in the cheapest section (which is still a good seat at row 16 if I remember correctly). $43 after small convenience fee. Not bad to see these wonderful musicians!!!! So stinking excited.
BTW I checked out Marillion. Good stuff, probably an acquired taste (to really get into it I'd probably have to invest quite a bit of listening time to absorb it). The song "sounds that can't be heard" (going by memory, I may have mistaken the title) is really cool!
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Man, I wish that Chicago show was on the weekend; we'd be there without hesitation. We are mulling it for now, but it could be tough, it being in the middle of the week and all, and making the trek up from St. Louis would require dedicating a Tuesday and Wednesday to it.
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SINGLE CD VERSION
3 DISC SPECIAL EDITION DIGI-PACK - This version comes in a lovely digi-pack and includes the main disc, bonus disc, "Making Of" DVD and deluxe artwork.
LIMITED EDITION ART BOOK - This version is in a spectacular full color large book with 36 pages and crazy amazing cover texturing. You have to see it to believe it! Includes the main disc, bonus disc, "Making Of" DVD, deluxe artwork and a 5.1 mix of the main audio disc created by Rich Mouser.
3 LP - 2 CD VERSION - 3 LPs in a deluxe package that will blow your already blown mind! Green vinyl to match the artwork. Totally cool! 3 LPs contain all the music on the main disc and bonus disc. Comes with the main disc CD and bonus disc CD as well.
SONGBOOK - For the first time ever! A complete music book of the entire album. Includes everything you need to be able to play this incredible album either solo or with a whole band. All melodies and themes (vocal and instrumental), riffs, lyrics, and chords. A dream come true for the musician in the house and a great collector's item!
BUNDLES! - We have bundled all the deluxe versions with the songbook at a special price!
Aww yis.
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Came to post about this... well, looks like they went the Art Book direction again. SO MANY bands are doing this now, it's getting EXPENSIVE to be a fan of them all! But...it's TA, and I can't help it. I love this band so much, I'll shell out the money for them. I mean, it's going to be around $80-100 I am sure, but it'll be worth it from the sound of it.
-Marc.
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I think this is the first time they've offered Vinyl for their albums in the US too.. I'm doubly screwed.
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I think this is the first time they've offered Vinyl for their albums in the US too.. I'm doubly screwed.
I wonder if the 3LP Green Vinyl set will match the same style as the releases of their first three albums in 3LP Vinyl format? I've been wanting to get them for awhile now, but they're pretty rare (the colored vinyls that is) and I've not had the income to set aside for them. I might bite and get the vinyl this time, in addition to the Book set as well (leaving me with 2 sets of the album/bonus disc). Who knows...depends on the costs.
-Marc.
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I think this is the first time they've offered Vinyl for their albums in the US too.. I'm doubly screwed.
I wonder if the 3LP Green Vinyl set will match the same style as the releases of their first three albums in 3LP Vinyl format? I've been wanting to get them for awhile now, but they're pretty rare (the colored vinyls that is) and I've not had the income to set aside for them. I might bite and get the vinyl this time, in addition to the Book set as well (leaving me with 2 sets of the album/bonus disc). Who knows...depends on the costs.
-Marc.
Marc,
I've never seen ANY of them. Were they even sold state side?
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I think this is the first time they've offered Vinyl for their albums in the US too.. I'm doubly screwed.
I wonder if the 3LP Green Vinyl set will match the same style as the releases of their first three albums in 3LP Vinyl format? I've been wanting to get them for awhile now, but they're pretty rare (the colored vinyls that is) and I've not had the income to set aside for them. I might bite and get the vinyl this time, in addition to the Book set as well (leaving me with 2 sets of the album/bonus disc). Who knows...depends on the costs.
-Marc.
Marc,
I've never seen ANY of them. Were they even sold state side?
In stores? Doubtful. If they were, it was likely only the black vinyl sets. The colored ones had a small, limited production run. They were sold online, I think, on a site called Nuclear Blast, but they haven't had them in quite some time. I'm pretty sure the only way they were sold to people in the US was from online stores, and I think even Radiant had them for a short time.
-Marc.
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Mike is teasing us on facebook... "Of the upcoming Transatlantic covers, 1 of them is an all-time Prog classic (& one of my all-time fav songs) Proud to say we did it justice!"
Well, I'd like them all to be prog classics lol, but it's good to know that they've done at least one. I for one would LOVE to have a TA cover of Supper's Ready. I know, I can dream...
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In stores? Doubtful. If they were, it was likely only the black vinyl sets. The colored ones had a small, limited production run. They were sold online, I think, on a site called Nuclear Blast, but they haven't had them in quite some time. I'm pretty sure the only way they were sold to people in the US was from online stores, and I think even Radiant had them for a short time.
-Marc.
Well I figured not in stores, but I never saw them on Radiant either. I'd love to get my hands on The Whirlwind on vinyl.
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https://www.radiantrecords.com/products/483-transatlantic-kaleidoscope.aspx
With Prices.
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Hmmm, looking at the covers, I would like to have seen a less obvious and more proggy tune by the Moody Blues, although I guess they are a hard band to cover if you don't have a flautist in the band (and it would be criminal to cover a song that features the flute but use that keyboard flute sound...ick).
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Yellow Brick Road could be interesting.
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Oh wow, those sets are awesome!
I guess I'll be ordering the Limited Edition Art Book, mainly because I want a nice edition and I have to have that making of DVD. Those earlier making of's are so much fun to watch.
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Nice, they are covering Sylvia. Great song by Focus :tup
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Whoa! Thanks for that link, Mindflux!
Hopefully I can be in the first 200 to get that signed poster! If not, that's cool too...either way, $52.99 for the book set isn't that bad at all! Guess I am buying the Book AND a Bundle to try and get that poster... yeah, it sounds crazy, but I really do love this band, Neal and Mike especially. Cannot wait for the 10th to roll around!
-Marc.
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I hope the presales aren't till another few weeks. I want the book and digi, being in the first 200 would be nice.
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Oh wow, they're actually covering And you and I and Indiscipline! This is one of the rare occasions that I'm looking forward to the bonus disc. ;D And the tracklist for the main album looks good as well.
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Whoa! Thanks for that link, Mindflux!
Hopefully I can be in the first 200 to get that signed poster! If not, that's cool too...either way, $52.99 for the book set isn't that bad at all! Guess I am buying the Book AND a Bundle to try and get that poster... yeah, it sounds crazy, but I really do love this band, Neal and Mike especially. Cannot wait for the 10th to roll around!
-Marc.
I want the deluxe picture/art book with song book and the LPs. I'm a bit concerned trying to both and get the signed poster won't happen. The site was crushingly slow during the live FC preorder. I did get that signed poster though.
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Man, I really wish 5.1 wouldn't be seen as some super deluxe bonus material. That should be included in any basic bundle, and I'm afraid with the limited number of people who will actually buy the package that has the 5.1 it will not have had a lot of time/money spent on it. Not sure what I'm going to get.
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I'd like the "Making Of.." DVD, but I'm not really interested in the covers disc, so I'm not sure which one I'm getting yet.
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I'll either get the 3 disc set or the 3 disc set with songbook bundle. I'll decide based on what I think of the song "Shine" they release the video to on December 2. And to those wondering, pre-sales begin December 10. (source: https://www.radiantrecords.com/default.aspx)
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Nice, they are covering Sylvia. Great song by Focus :tup
Focus III was the first Focus album I ever owned, and I played the heck out of it. "Sylvia" is a great tune, and now it's stuck in my head.
All of those covers sound great. The only one I'm not familiar with is "Tin Soldier". The rest are all great choices and I'm looking forward to hearing them.
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Song lengths are on that Radiant page as well. As I predicted (especially the title track), but Into the Blue is about twice as long as I guessed it would be. Still very exciting! What other bands manage to fit two 20-minute-plus epics (which, I'm sure we all agree, and speaking generally across prog rock, are nearly always the best songs on their respective albums) onto a single album?
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And You And I! Yes!
Looks like I'm forced to get some kind of bundle.
If that depiction is true, we'll also be treated to Mike's longform signature. Don't have too many of those, so that will be nice.
Maybe there's a way we all can get together and do some kind of mix and match program.
For example, I'm only interested in the artbook package and the signed artwork, but there's no bundle for that. So I may have extra set of special edition digipak and the songbook to trade.
Anyone think this can work?
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$53 + Shipping.
That is the price I have to pay to have the 1 disc in this entire thing I want. A simple audio-DVD of the album.
That. Is. Ridiculous.
I can only imagine I'll end up breaking down and getting it, but I still find it somewhat infuriating.
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$53 + Shipping.
That is the price I have to pay to have the 1 disc in this entire thing I want. A simple audio-DVD of the album.
That. Is. Ridiculous.
I can only imagine I'll end up breaking down and getting it, but I still find it somewhat infuriating.
Need me to call you a wah-mbulance? :lol
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$53 + Shipping.
That is the price I have to pay to have the 1 disc in this entire thing I want. A simple audio-DVD of the album.
That. Is. Ridiculous.
I can only imagine I'll end up breaking down and getting it, but I still find it somewhat infuriating.
Need me to call you a wah-mbulance? :lol
Only if it serves french cries.
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https://www.burningshed.com/store/progressive/?utm_source=Newsletter+27+11+2013&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter+27+11+2013
Burning Shed's pre-orders are now live! First 500 get a lenticular postcard for free! Sadly enough, I went ahead and ordered the digibook 2CD/DVD set. I mean...it'll be a different package than the Book, right? So I get the postcard from Burning Shed, and I get the poster (hopefully) from Radiant when I pre-order in a couple weeks. Bonus!
-Marc.
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Why are you ordering from both? Just for the promo items?
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Why are you ordering from both? Just for the promo items?
Kind of, and also because of the packaging. As crazy as it sounds, I'd like the smaller 3-disc set to store in my CD Tower with my other TA albums, but also the big artbook version because of how beautiful it's going to look with my other artbooks.
That, and I love TA, and I have high hopes for this album. Heck, even Haken have said they love it! Soooo...I trust having TWO copies of this album won't be a bad thing.
-Marc.
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Food for thought for anybody pondering traveling to one of the shows. You can get some pretty good travel deals on Friday and Monday. Certainly worth looking into. I put together a nice trip this time last year on Cyber-Monday, and whether or not I catch one of these shows will depend on whether or not I can do something similar.
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It's looking not likely that I will see them this time around, because that damned Chicago show is on a Tuesday. If it were on the weekend, it would be no problem for two or three of us to make the trek up there, but in the middle of the week, not so easy. Bummer. :(
It figures that of their six shows in the United States, that is the only one not on the weekend. :facepalm:
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Too bad man, I could choose one of two shows that would fit for me. Both in Tilburg, one on Thursday, one on Friday. I went ahead and bought tickets for the Friday gig. But it's sad when things don't work out. I missed a couple of cool shows last year because I had to play a gig with my own band, that's a bummer too.
BTW, anyone else thinks it's crazy of them making such a fuzz about preordering, when the preordering is still 2 weeks away? They should've done that in the last week before the pre orders started.
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I want the art book and the signed "graphic." That's really all I'm interested in.
Just have to figure out a way to make that happen somehow.
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Christ, I can't buy a freaking break for this thing. Found a great place in Phili for next to nothing, then find out the show is 20 miles North of the city. Sounds like a genuine pain in the ass.
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Appearently, it is almost $100 cheaper for me to leave from the local airport (Florence, SC), transfer in Charlotte, and then fly to Philly; than it is to take the same Charlotte to Philly flight non-stop. :facepalm:
Tell me what world that makes sense in.
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Appearently, it is almost $100 cheaper for me to leave from the local airport (Florence, SC), transfer in Charlotte, and then fly to Philly; than it is to take the same Charlotte to Philly flight non-stop. :facepalm:
Tell me what world that makes sense in.
Check US Air. They're offering quite a few $44 flights. I can get round trip from DFW to Phili for $88+taxes. Unfortunately, the fine folks at Radisson completely fucked me (they autofilled the wrong promo code on their promo page, so by the time I sleuthed it out 15 minutes later all of the deals were gone >:() on their deal, so I'm probably out.
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VIDEO IS OUT!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn2vCHrycvI#t=20
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Beautiful song :smiley:
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This is fantastic!
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Excitement building! :biggrin:
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LOVE it! Great ballad, love the trading vocals, and Roine's solo KILLED it. Great song all around, and I hope they play it live...well, no reason for them NOT to, especially being the "lead single" and having a video.
-Marc.
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Little uncomfortable video, especially the first half, but oh my god that SONG!
I've blasted it 5 times now, and the chorus is great, the guitar solo wonderful, and I love that Neal and Roine both have a verse to sing.
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Good song.
I am sure some will complain about the video seemingly being shot in a church, but oh well.
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Cool song, I really enjoyed it! Video was a little awkward at times, but its all good.
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Videos where people are playing the song with instruments and without microphones always look awkward to me, so that's nothing new :lol
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Videos where people are playing the song with instruments and without microphones always look awkward to me, so that's nothing new :lol
What was awkward in the first part was that Pete had nothing to do but...sit there...and hum/tap his foot. I mean, at least Mike had an egg shaker! :lol
-Marc.
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:lol
yeah, that looked pretty awkward
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Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
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I only listened once, but it did seem like it could have been shortened a bit. It reached a point where I was like, "There are still four minutes left?" :lol
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Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
I totally agree.
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Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
I didn't say anything cause I'd just be accused of trolling.
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This is a neat song, but the shorter Transatlantic songs are usually somewhat lost on me. So I'm definitely excited about the epics, and as for the three shorter ones, they'll be as solid as Shine, I guess.
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I will admit my excitement is more in the area of "yay new Transatlantic soon" and less excitement over the particular song. It's good, don't get me wrong, but it was pretty well done in four minutes and not sure why it particularly needed to be seven. TA's always been about the epics to me, though.
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Anyone else really hope they bring back "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train" for the next tour? Both songs haven't been played in over a decade, by anyone, and the latter of the two not since their first tour!
-Marc.
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No.
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Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
I hate being negative, but I completely agree. This could have been a decent 3-4 minute song IMO and I feel like they purposely stretched the song out a bit. Hopefully the epics will be more inspired than this and not 30 minutes for the sake of being 30 minutes long.
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Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
I hate being negative, but I completely agree. This could have been a decent 3-4 minute song IMO and I feel like they purposely stretched the song out a bit. Hopefully the epics will be more inspired than this and not 30 minutes for the sake of being 30 minutes long.
If the epics are anywhere near as good as the epic Neal and Roine have put out since their last get together, then I think we're in for a treat. As for Neal, "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End" are two of his best, so I'm pretty sure he's gonna have some great contributions for the new TA album. As for Roine, he is just a music machine, and his stuff on the last two TFK albums have been pretty stellar as well.
-Marc.
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Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
I hate being negative, but I completely agree. This could have been a decent 3-4 minute song IMO and I feel like they purposely stretched the song out a bit. Hopefully the epics will be more inspired than this and not 30 minutes for the sake of being 30 minutes long.
If the epics are anywhere near as good as the epic Neal and Roine have put out since their last get together, then I think we're in for a treat. As for Neal, "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End" are two of his best, so I'm pretty sure he's gonna have some great contributions for the new TA album. As for Roine, he is just a music machine, and his stuff on the last two TFK albums have been pretty stellar as well.
-Marc.
I'm not too crazy about World Without End, and Seeds of Gold was just alright. I definitely wouldn't place them on the same level as Spock's Beard's epics or even the epics from the first two TA albums. That said, I really liked Infinite Fire and Waiting For Me, but I'm not sure exactly how much he was involved in the writing of them (it sounds like he was pretty involved with them to me) and they're significantly shorter.
As for Roine, the last two Flower Kings albums have been good, so I'm expecting his contributions to be fairly strong. I personally think that Marillion's Sounds That Can't Be Made and Edison's Children's debut are two of the best albums from the past several years that feature a TA member. Therefore, I'm really hoping that Pete contributes a lot to this album.
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I am hoping Roine and Neal saved all of their great stuff for this. The last two TFK albums and the last Neal album are all just good. Both have tons of albums much better. But I trust that the magic came alive when they came together, and the epics on this will slay. :coolio
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Anyone else really hope they bring back "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train" for the next tour? Both songs haven't been played in over a decade, by anyone, and the latter of the two not since their first tour!
-Marc.
Not that I'm gonna catch them next year, but I would love to see My new world.
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My New World should definitely come back, but given the amount of material they now have, it would mean having to sacrifice one or two of the three long epics from the first two albums, and I am not sure that is something they would do.
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My New World should definitely come back, but given the amount of material they now have, it would mean having to sacrifice one or two of the three long epics from the first two albums, and I am not sure that is something they would do.
True, but I wouldn't be mad if they decided to drop any one of those three epics, especially considering they've been played on every tour, and Neal himself has done SIYS without TA before, so it's not like he hasn't played it enough.
Then again...they've played WANSL a lot, too. Perhaps it's time to drop both in favor of new songs and bringing back MNW?
-Marc.
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Neal playing SIYS on his own is irrelevant, since you cannot assume everyone who has seen or would see Transatlantic goes to see solo Neal, so they might never have seen those songs before. Plus, if you are seeing Transatlantic for the first time on the upcoming tour, it would suck to not get at least two of those three epics. I think it is likely that Duel with the Devil is the song that gets dropped, if they do decide not to play all three. All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul are almost must-plays. If you figure a 3-hour show, an hour can go to those two, an hour plus to the new stuff, five minutes for We All Need Some Light, and probably 30+ minutes for some type of Whirlwind medley.
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Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
I didn't say anything cause I'd just be accused of trolling.
literally Transatlantic ballad-by-the-numbers, and the video is completely atrocious.
doesn't dull whatever excitement i had for the epics, though.
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Neal playing SIYS on his own is irrelevant, since you cannot assume everyone who has seen or would see Transatlantic goes to see solo Neal, so they might never have seen those songs before. Plus, if you are seeing Transatlantic for the first time on the upcoming tour, it would suck to not get at least two of those three epics. I think it is likely that Duel with the Devil is the song that gets dropped, if they do decide not to play all three. All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul are almost must-plays. If you figure a 3-hour show, an hour can go to those two, an hour plus to the new stuff, five minutes for We All Need Some Light, and probably 30+ minutes for some type of Whirlwind medley.
I suppose so, but knowing the way Mike thinks, he might figure they could drop any of the three, to be honest. It could also be up to what THEY feel like playing, and I know Mike and Neal have played a lot of TA songs outside of TA, and they even did a medley encore on their tour with The Flower Kings. If Mike, and possibly Neal, are in the charge of the set list, they could construct a set list that doesn't include some or all of the songs they've played, or over-played, over the years, in and out of Transatlantic.
Either way, it might be safe to assume they will play all of the songs on the new album, so that takes up almost 80 minutes out of the 3 hour show, leaving about 100 minutes for other songs, covering three albums. Doing all 3 of their first epics would consume most of that time, leaving room for one other song (most likely WANSL). I think doing only 2 of those 3 epics gives them enough space to do other songs like "My New World", "Mystery Train", or even "Spinning" (which I would absolutely LOVE to see them play live).
On a side note, I cannot wait for them play "And You And I" with Jon Anderson on the Prog Nation Cruise! I mean, it's on their bonus disc, and they're going to play some Yes classics with Jon, so it stands to reason "And You And I" is going to be ONE of those songs!!! I really hope that performance gets recorded and released for those of us unable to see it live!
-Marc.
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Liked the new song though why let Stolt and Portnoy sing? They even had to drown NP in effects. Just let the guy who can sing do it.
Not very prog though, was it.
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More like, "Why did they let Portnoy sing the bridge?" As always, I blame Neal Morse :lol :lol, who always thinks Portnoy can sing better than he really can. But at least they drowned most of this vocals here in effects, so they don't take away from the song at all (and his voice sounds best when doing softer stuff like that, like the call and response stuff in the last chorus of Neal's Somber Days). I think having Neal and Roine do all of the lead vocals is the way to go, while using all four for harmonies and whatnot, but it's almost a guarantee that the other two will be given their spots to sing, too. Fortunately, they are usually pretty brief.
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The song was cool, but the solo was HUGE. :o
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Anyone else really hope they bring back "My New World" and/or "Mystery Train" for the next tour? Both songs haven't been played in over a decade, by anyone, and the latter of the two not since their first tour!
-Marc.
These really both need to be in the set.
Well looks like I'm the only one who didn't like it. I thought it was very boring, uninspired, and definitely didn't need to be 7 minutes. :/
I hate being negative, but I completely agree. This could have been a decent 3-4 minute song IMO and I feel like they purposely stretched the song out a bit. Hopefully the epics will be more inspired than this and not 30 minutes for the sake of being 30 minutes long.
I agree, this would have been a great ballad under 5 minutes, but seems unnecessarily long. Cut the intro in half and some later repetition and they would have really nailed a great song imo. Still solid with some great melodies.
Liked the new song though why let Stolt and Portnoy sing? They even had to drown NP in effects. Just let the guy who can sing do it.
Have you ever seen them live? With TA or otherwise? When it comes down to it Roine will probably do his stuff more accurately than Neal. Not a knock on Neal, as he is fantastic live and has a ton of emotion, but Stolt tends to have a more pure live voice.
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I wouldn't like to see the song any shorter. I mean, how can you cut the intro in half when the singing starts at just a half a minute in? If anything, the outro drags a bit. But I wouldn't take any parts out of it.
I'm really digging this song. It is definitely what I hope for in Transatlantic. And as a bonus, may have my favorite guitar solo in a Transatlantic song. I've never really loved Roine's style (like it enough to love TA obviously), but I absolutely love the guitar solo in this song. Very much looking forward to the new album and meeting them in Chicago.
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The song was ... ok, I guess. The video however was varying degrees of awkward.
And a dentist's dream.
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Haha, I will say I started to enjoy the song a lot more once I stopped watching the video. :lol
Um, really... yeah. As others have said, it's okay. I think Roine's solo was probably my favourite part... didn't think much of the effects laden vocals on the bridge. Seems like Roine or Neal could have covered that just fine.
I dunno, the whole thing stunk of Neal Morse by the numbers to me. Pretty pleasant but definitely won't be a favourite I wouldn't think.
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I dunno, the whole thing stunk of Neal Morse by the numbers to me.
While I love Neal Morse, and his contributions here, one of my favorite things about many TA songs is how you can feel the multiple musicians converging in a song, and this lacked that I thought. Sounded like a NM solo track with a guest solo from Roine.
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No sir. I don't like it.
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No sir. I don't like it.
Oh joy oh joy.
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Call me crazy, but I don't think it was too long at all. To me it sounded much shorter than 7 minutes.
Sometimes I wonder if I just have different types of ears than most people here :P
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Call me crazy, but I don't think it was too long at all. To me it sounded much shorter than 7 minutes.
Same here. I never at any point during the song felt like, "man, this is dragging on. It should have ended a minute or two ago." :dunno:
Sometimes I wonder if I just have different types of ears than most people here :P
Well, true, but in this case, I think that actually works in your favor. :lol
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The song was ... ok, I guess. The video however was varying degrees of awkward.
And a dentist's dream.
Wait, was Gildenlow in it and I somehow missed it??
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I really like the song.
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Well, true, but in this case, I think that actually works in your favor. :lol
Touché :hat
I've been so underwhelmed by so many anticipated releases recently, that it's kinda nice being on the other side, where people are complaining and I'm sitting back like, "what's up? This is really good!"
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Found it to be pretty boring. But the new album is still an obvious must buy. I think I'll like the song in the context of the album (after a 20+ minute epic).
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Not a huge fan of this song. Awesome guitar solo though.
-J
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This song is OK I guess, but I'm not terribly excited about it.
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I'm sorry, but this song just isn't doing anything for me. Way too country for my tastes, and sounds below par in terms of creativity based on previous Transatlantic content. Overall, I'm a bit disappointed...
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Country? ???
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What I don't get is why they released this one as the single. If it were just one of the songs on the album then nobody would be complaining. This one just wasn't well suited for a variety of reasons. What I will hope for is that nothing else on the album is even remotely suitable to being a single. That would be most encouraging.
Country? ???
Yeah, it does have some twang to it. I noticed that too.
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Huh, I don't hear it myself.
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Guess I'm one of the few people here who like a little twang.
Well, true, but in this case, I think that actually works in your favor. :lol
Touché :hat
I've been so underwhelmed by so many anticipated releases recently, that it's kinda nice being on the other side, where people are complaining and I'm sitting back like, "what's up? This is really good!"
By the way, me liking this is quite unexpected, considering the list of recent albums I've been underwhelmed by include:
1. Excluding Flying Colors, almost all Morse albums since I became a fan (Around SS)
2. The latest The Flower Kings record
3. Most, if not all, MP albums since he left DT
4. The newest Marillion record
I guess for me TA is just way greater than the sum of its parts.
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Lovely song. I'm sure it will serve as a come-down after the 25-minute opener.
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Starting Dec 10 for 3 days at Radiant Records, save 15% on EVERYTHING~!
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Starting Dec 10 for 3 days at Radiant Records, save 15% on EVERYTHING~!
Wait, on the DAY the pre-orders go LIVE on Radiant, you can save 15% on EVERYTHING? WHOA! Great news, now I can save a little more on the artbook bundle I'm getting from them!!!
I hope their release is exactly the same as the one InsideOut is putting out in Europe. Last time I pre-ordered from them, it was the Whirld Tour live set, and the packaging was kind of cheap from Radiant, but the one from Europe/IO records was REALLY nice, digi-books in a hard-cover slipcase. I can't imagine the artbooks being different over seas, but you never know...this is why I own two sets of Whirld Tour and Live in Europe - the IO releases are MUCH nicer!
-Marc.
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Starting Dec 10 for 3 days at Radiant Records, save 15% on EVERYTHING~!
Wait, on the DAY the pre-orders go LIVE on Radiant, you can save 15% on EVERYTHING? WHOA! Great news, now I can save a little more on the artbook bundle I'm getting from them!!!
Agreed. Bad-ass of them to do that on release day!
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Starting Dec 10 for 3 days at Radiant Records, save 15% on EVERYTHING~!
That'd be great if the normal prices there weren't so outrageous in the first place.
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Listened to it again just now, this time without the video. Yeah, decent song, but as others mentioned, really a Neal Morse song, not so much TA (except the solo).
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Listened to it again just now, this time without the video. Yeah, decent song, but as others mentioned, really a Neal Morse song, not so much TA (except the solo).
You could say the same for other TA ballads like "We All Need Some Light", "Bridge Across Forever", and "Rose Colored Glasses".
-Marc.
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Listened to it again just now, this time without the video. Yeah, decent song, but as others mentioned, really a Neal Morse song, not so much TA (except the solo).
You could say the same for other TA ballads like "We All Need Some Light", "Bridge Across Forever", and "Rose Colored Glasses".
-Marc.
I have to disagree. For me, any of those 3 ballads are clearly better than Shine. And I think that Rose Colored Glasses do sound like a TA song, but I agree with BAF and WANSL sounding like Neal's stuff.
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Starting Dec 10 for 3 days at Radiant Records, save 15% on EVERYTHING~!
That'd be great if the normal prices there weren't so outrageous in the first place.
Bingo.
Listened to it again just now, this time without the video. Yeah, decent song, but as others mentioned, really a Neal Morse song, not so much TA (except the solo).
You could say the same for other TA ballads like "We All Need Some Light", "Bridge Across Forever", and "Rose Colored Glasses".
-Marc.
I would say that the others sound more distinctive than Shine does, but more importantly, the first two especially are so freaking amazing that I really don't care who made them or what album they are on. TA is a special thing, whereas every year I can basically expect a new Neal Morse album (and live album) with many of the same elements and sounds on each ones. And while I LOVE what Neal does, in TA I hope for it to be a bit more of a group thing.
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I will be among the first 200 to order the complete bundle of everything. :hat
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Listened to it again just now, this time without the video. Yeah, decent song, but as others mentioned, really a Neal Morse song, not so much TA (except the solo).
You could say the same for other TA ballads like "We All Need Some Light", "Bridge Across Forever", and "Rose Colored Glasses".
-Marc.
I have to disagree. For me, any of those 3 ballads are clearly better than Shine. And I think that Rose Colored Glasses do sound like a TA song, but I agree with BAF and WANSL sounding like Neal's stuff.
I only mentioned those three because, as far as I know, BAF and RCG were initially Neal compositions (well, in the case of BAF, it was co-written with Celeste Prince).
It could be that "Shine" started out as a Neal song, then the others had their input on arrangements and chords and Roine had his solo, etc.
-Marc.
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I will be among the first 200 to order the complete bundle of everything. :hat
I hope I will be too. The site was SO-DAMN-SLOW for the FC Live in Europe pre-order though.
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Very good song. Can't wait to get my mitts on this CD.
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Decent song but I expect the rest of the album to be better.
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With Whirlwind as the recent album (which didn't do much for me), for me TA is beyond the point where a mere namedrop justifies a mandatory listen or let alone purchase. This song doesn't do much for me, so I would have to hear something very good as the next thing to actually be interested in the new album.
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Very good song. Can't wait to get my mitts on this CD.
This exactly. I always love their melodies and Neal's voice makes just about anything listenable.
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Music is good, I wish only Neal sang on these albums though. Saying he makes just about anything listenable is a great way to describe him.
I don't listen to TFK but that Roine guy (is it pronouced Royne?) does lay down some nice guitar work. But I cannot stand his snooty British butler / whiney art student voice (I have no idea how else to describe it)
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I like how they share the vocals, with the exception of MP. I don't really like his lead voice that much, whereas he can often be very good at backing vocals.
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Music is good, I wish only Neal sang on these albums though. Saying he makes just about anything listenable is a great way to describe him.
I don't listen to TFK but that Roine guy (is it pronouced Royne?) does lay down some nice guitar work. But I cannot stand his snooty British butler / whiney art student voice (I have no idea how else to describe it)
What..? It's called having a Swedish accent. He didn't choose it.
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What..? It's called having a Swedish accent. He didn't choose it.
+1
:facepalm:
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It's also not like Cool Chris choose to dislike it. It's just personal tastes, some people don't like accents.
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I wouldn't assume that the accent is the problem. It may be more Roine's tone, timbre, or just the way he chooses to sing. Accent aside, his voice is far from the standard rock singing voice, so I can see people not connecting with or liking Roine's singing (although I personally do). Way to leap to conclusions there, guys.
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Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to blast the guy, and it is not his accent, just his style. Or maybe is tone/timbre/other musical words I don't understand. I like the idea of the multi-vocalist band, a la Queen or the Beatles. Just don't think it works here.
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Man, can't wait to hear the epics on this album. I'm sure this song is nothing in comparison to them. If this is the equivalent of We All Need Some Light or Bridge Across Forever for this album, then it's an indication of awesomeness. I'm also hoping for another weird quirky song like Mystery Train. That would be cool.
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I've just thought of something. These epics aren't broken down into movements yet. I have no doubt there will be distinct sections in the music, but so far every TA epic (the 20-min+ ones) has separate movements with roman numerals and titles. Or do you think they would be announced at a later date?
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I wouldn't assume that the accent is the problem. It may be more Roine's tone, timbre, or just the way he chooses to sing. Accent aside, his voice is far from the standard rock singing voice, so I can see people not connecting with or liking Roine's singing (although I personally do). Way to leap to conclusions there, guys.
This is exactly what took me a few listens before I could get into his voice. Something about his timbre bothered me at first. I don't mind it as much anymore but I'd still rather hear 99% Neal on the songs.
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I've just thought of something. These epics aren't broken down into movements yet. I have no doubt there will be distinct sections in the music, but so far every TA epic (the 20-min+ ones) has separate movements with roman numerals and titles. Or do you think they would be announced at a later date?
I would say wait until closer to the release date. We may get more information about the epics and their movements. Between Neal and Roine (and Mike, to some extent), the epics they've been a part of, more often than not, have movements within them. A very few of TFK's epics don't have them, but they still have the feeling of segmented-portions that sound like movements, but they aren't given a name of any sort. I don't think Neal has done a song over 18 minutes long that HASN'T had movements within them.
-Marc.
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I've just thought of something. These epics aren't broken down into movements yet. I have no doubt there will be distinct sections in the music, but so far every TA epic (the 20-min+ ones) has separate movements with roman numerals and titles. Or do you think they would be announced at a later date?
You can see them in the vinyl track list
https://www.burningshed.com/store/progressive/product/99/5282/
EDIT: they show in the CDs too
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I've just thought of something. These epics aren't broken down into movements yet. I have no doubt there will be distinct sections in the music, but so far every TA epic (the 20-min+ ones) has separate movements with roman numerals and titles. Or do you think they would be announced at a later date?
You can see them in the vinyl track list
https://www.burningshed.com/store/progressive/product/99/5282/
EDIT: they show in the CDs too
For those who just wanna see them here...
CD1:
1. Into The Blue (25:13)
I. Overture (Instrumental)
II. The Dreamer And The Healer
III. A New Beginning
IV. Written In Your Heart
V. The Dreamer And The Healer (Reprise)
2. Shine (7:28)
3. Black As The Sky (6:45)
4. Beyond The Sun (4:31)
5. Kaleidoscope (31:53)
I. Overture (Instrumental)
II. Ride The Lightning
III. Black Gold
IV. Walking The Road
V. Desolation Days
VI. Lemon Looking Glass (Instrumental)
VII. Feel The Lightning (Reprise)
CD2 (Bonus CD):
1. And You And I (Yes cover) (10:45)
2. Can't Get It Out Of My Head (ELO cover) (4:46)
3. Conquistador (Procol Harum cover) (4:13)
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John) (3:20)
5. Tin Soldier (Small Faces cover) (3:22)
6. Sylvia (Focus cover) (3:49)
7. Indiscipline (King Crimson cover) (4:45)
8. Nights In White Satin (The Moody Blues cover) (6:13)
GREAT diversity in the covers! I'm looking forward to hearing them even more! As for the main album, that monster of a closing epic looks nice, especially with a fully instrumental movement near the end (with a funny name). Also - "Desolation Days"... I wonder if its Roine's doing? Heh heh
And of course, there are movement reprises in both, as can be expected of Transatlantic (and Neal, to some extent). I'm curious about the last movement of the title track, though, as it is a reprise of but the title is slightly different than the second movement - "Feel The Lightning" as opposed to "Ride The Lightning". Interesting.
-Marc.
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I love that both songs have overtures and reprises of the first real part. Man, I'm looking forward to this album!
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Roine's voice was definitely an acquired taste for me. I still get put off by some Flower Kings material because of it (among other things). So I see where Cool Chris is coming from, sometimes accents in music can be a bit tough to swallow.
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I love that both songs have overtures and reprises of the first real part. Man, I'm looking forward to this album!
Yeah, man, what a surprise that is ::)
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Those looking to preorder:
The preorder is at 10AM EST tomorrow and 15% off seems to apply on orders $80 and up, at least how I interpreted the email
Also if you are a Inner Circle member and order the Song Book Neal will sign it.
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From Radiant:
Big Holiday Sale At Radiant! 15% EVERYTHING in the store for 3 days only!
Starting Dec. 10
and later...
Pre-orders for the new Transatlantic release, "Kaleidoscope" will begin Dec. 10
But I can't seem to pre-order yet.
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Given past experience, why are you trying to pre-order from Radiant anyway?
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From Radiant:
Big Holiday Sale At Radiant! 15% EVERYTHING in the store for 3 days only!
Starting Dec. 10
and later...
Pre-orders for the new Transatlantic release, "Kaleidoscope" will begin Dec. 10
But I can't seem to pre-order yet.
It's not Dec 10?
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Given past experience, why are you trying to pre-order from Radiant anyway?
Because A) signed stuff, B) you can't get the deluxe stuff elsewhere sometimes?
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You know what, I glanced and saw a tweet from Neal about TA pre-orders starting and just assumed it was today. :lol
I don't know yet what I'll do PC. I might get the artbook at the "discount" price, I might get the vinyl, or I might just get the 3-disc package elsewhere. I assume the artbook package won't be available through other outlets. Vinyl likely will, but you never know.
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18 minutes!
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so slow...
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this website isn't working at all :-[
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this website isn't working at all :-[
Neal posted 7 minutes early it was up for preorder on Facebook, which caused the site to bog down when it wasn't really available yet.
My page came up, only thing addable was the songbook itself.. grrrr
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if i miss the 200 mark due to slow traffic ill be annoyed >:(
at least its transatlantic tho :hefdaddy
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if i miss the 200 mark due to slow traffic ill be annoyed >:(
at least its transatlantic tho :hefdaddy
I'm sure we will, this is going nowhere.
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now getting service unavailable messages.. it's barfed hard.
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yup, this sucks :sad:
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The site is so busy they can't enable the buy buttons.. lol
"Hey guys, So sorry...Neal and Matthew (our IT guy) are working on increasing the band width now. They increased the band width before launching but obviously it wasn't enough. Now Neal can't even get on to enable the 'buy' button. GRRR"
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After several minutes, the page finally came up... with no pre-order buttons except for the songbook.
This basically happens every time they offer a "first 200 get _____". Would it be so hard to say "everyone who orders in the first 2 hours gets ______"? Maybe they have to sign a few more autographs to cover the sales... but they'd also likely sell more of their premium-priced, high-margin copies (as opposed to people just buying from Amazon) and it wouldn't anger/frustrate the fans nearly as much as this mess.
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Maybe Kathleen Sebelius designed the Radiant website.
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What a freaking joke. :\ Been trying to connect since 10:00am on the dot. The site won't even load. :yeahright
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What a freaking joke. :\ Been trying to connect since 10:00am on the dot. The site won't even load. :yeahright
They had the site throttled too low bandwidth wise, but then Neal couldn't log into the back end to enable the buy buttons... so now it's just busted.
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Oh, believe me, I know what the problem is.
It's basically shitty web hosting.
You get what you pay for. And it's pretty clear that Radiant Records ain't paying squat to host that site.
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Oh, believe me, I know what the problem is.
It's basically shitty web hosting.
You get what you pay for. And it's pretty clear that Radiant Records ain't paying squat to host that site.
I'd be inclined to agree.. though I've never seen a 'shitty' web host that lets you set your bandwith throttle unless they're just lying.
Their IP is owned by Amazon-EC2. So yeah.... it's not 'so' shitty. They just need to ramp it up.
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Now they say they are moving to a larger server... hah
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A lookup of their IP address would indicate that they host in the Amazon cloud (EC2). Bandwidth isn't the problem, they just don't have enough instances set up to handle the load. Given an operation of their size, I wouldn't be surprised if they usually run the site on a single, fairly small (and inexpensive) instance. Fortunately, in EC2 it is very easy to move to larger instances to handle traffic spikes, provided you've done a little up-front planning. Unfortunately, they didn't do this.. so now they are scrambling.
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Well if you CAN get on there they are having a sale on some items. TA Live In Europe is only $2.99 (crazy low) and Spock's The
Light is only $1.99.
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Well if you CAN get on there they are having a sale on some items. TA Live In Europe is only $2.99 (crazy low) and Spock's The
Light is only $1.99.
they have some great deals, thats how I'm bringing my order up to $80 for this discount; the spocks beard cd, LIE dvd, and proggy christmas cd :metal
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A lookup of their IP address would indicate that they host in the Amazon cloud (EC2). Bandwidth isn't the problem, they just don't have enough instances set up to handle the load. Given an operation of their size, I wouldn't be surprised if they usually run the site on a single, fairly small (and inexpensive) instance. Fortunately, in EC2 it is very easy to move to larger instances to handle traffic spikes, provided you've done a little up-front planning. Unfortunately, they didn't do this.. so now they are scrambling.
It probably doesn't help the site runs ASP.NET... sometimes that crap doesn't scale well.
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The instance must be moving, the site just craters instantaneously now.
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It probably doesn't help the site runs ASP.NET... sometimes that crap doesn't scale well.
Heh, I just noticed that when I saw the 500 error page. Yea, lots of bad .NET stacks out there (but some good ones too).
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"IT dude is now Initializing new server.. Should be running soon…very sorry for the delay.."
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site is back to spinning, must be on it's way up.
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its up, still no add to cart button lol
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cart buttons went up slow.. i wanted the mega deluxe and it was last to get buttons.. probably missed it.
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32 DOLLARS SHIPPING?
-
Done.
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3835* number.
-
Aaaaand it's hosed again.
I did get far enough to see the outrageous shipping costs, and to see that despite having $70+ worth of items in my cart, and a total close to $100, the 15% discount still wasn't being applied (guessing the $80 requirement is pre-tax/shipping). At this point I'm going to pass on this pre-order and just buy it somewhere else later for a much more reasonable price. I've wasted enough of my morning trying to make this work. I like to support the artists, but this is bordering on ridiculous.
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Ugh, woke up late and missed the start time, my order number is 386**, so unless most of the last 400 orders WEREN'T bundles, then I probably won't get the signed poster.
At least, as an Inner Circle member, I get the songbook signed by Neal, so that's not ALL bad.
-Marc.
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Ugh, woke up late and missed the start time, my order number is 386**, so unless most of the last 400 orders WEREN'T bundles, then I probably won't get the signed poster.
At least, as an Inner Circle member, I get the songbook signed by Neal, so that's not ALL bad.
-Marc.
No worries, the site was down for over an hour with capacity issues and the fact the IT guy couldn't turn on the buy boxes. So none of us got in right at 10AM EST. Mine was 11:14EST....
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3835* number.
same here :metal
luckily once the buy buttons were up it was relatively quick to do the checkout process, so heres hoping.
$90 spent, but who needs money? :lol
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3835* number.
same here :metal
luckily once the buy buttons were up it was relatively quick to do the checkout process, so heres hoping.
$90 spent, but who needs money? :lol
Right, just the Picturebook+Songbook button went up way after the 3 CD deluxe edition button did. It doesn't appear they can 'enable all'... so I wonder how many orders snuck in before ours.
Mine was $116 after shipping..... Picturebook+Songbook + LP set.
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I'm sorry, but when your website has in huge bold letter:
Big Holiday Sale At Radiant! 15% EVERYTHING in the store for 3 days only!
And then it's on orders $80 or more, that's absolutely awful. I love Neal as a musician, but kinda dislike him at this point as a businessman and label runner.
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I'm sorry, but when your website has in huge bold letter:
Big Holiday Sale At Radiant! 15% EVERYTHING in the store for 3 days only!
And then it's on orders $80 or more, that's absolutely awful. I love Neal as a musician, but kinda dislike him at this point as a businessman and label runner.
Yeah they snuck the "$80 or more" in at the last minute, the ORIGINAL promo email did not mention that.
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Well, I'm going to wait and see what's offered through retailers. Probably will have to end up with just the 3 disc edition. It's really sad that what is, musically, probably my biggest anticipated release of 2014 is now something I'm already lukewarm towards because of how and where it was marketed.
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The sale was very misleading! But they still got my business since I want the special edition and songbook... I usually go to other retailers if I only want a std edition.
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I never even noticed the 80 bucks minimum. I just kept on clicking and clicking. The funny thing is, I shopped in work-breaks, so I really ended up buying a lot of stuff I couldn't even remember at the end of the day. I never looked at the cart total. I love the fact that I'm really impatient for all that stuff to arrive, since it'll probably surprise me.
And apart from that I haven't bought the meet and greet with 15% off (was that even with 15% off?) And I'm still doubting whether I'd like to 'meet my heroes'.
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I've met them all (some at TA, some otherwise), and they were all nice. That said I think Roine is probably the most approachable and fan friendly. Next is likely Daniel.
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I'm sorry, but when your website has in huge bold letter:
Big Holiday Sale At Radiant! 15% EVERYTHING in the store for 3 days only!
And then it's on orders $80 or more, that's absolutely awful. I love Neal as a musician, but kinda dislike him at this point as a businessman and label runner.
Yeah they snuck the "$80 or more" in at the last minute, the ORIGINAL promo email did not mention that.
This is what I get for going back on my decision (made over 7 years ago) that I'd never buy anything direct from that site again. They sucked me in with the false misleading promise of "15% off everything" combined with "First 200 orders get a signed poster" >:( :censored >:( . I guess I expect better (read: more honest, less deceptive) advertising and disclosure in a pre-sale promotion. Hell, ANY promotion.
Fool me once...
Edit:
And just after I hit the "Post" button on the above, an email from Radiant Records in my inbox. Here is the opening statement from that message:
Hello,
Thanks to all of you who ordered from us this week! We really appreciate it.
If you had trouble ordering we are very sorry and are extending the 15% off sale one more day so no one will be left out that wants to take advantage of this amazing offer.
NOTE: We will do our best to get your items to you by Christmas but we can't guarantee it. (this applies to anything ordered that is not the new Transatlantic. The release date for the new TA is Jan. 28)
Thanks and all the best,
Radiant Team
No disclaimer, no asterisk that points to any conditions or requirements on the 15% off. These emails are blatantly false and misleading. Not cool.
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Yeah, that's ridiculous.
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From MP:
"Something very special coming next Monday from Transatlantic, Inside Out Music and Progressive Nation at Sea...get ready for something very Progalicious! : )"
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From MP:
"Something very special coming next Monday from Transatlantic, Inside Out Music and Progressive Nation at Sea...get ready for something very Progalicious! : )"
I'm going to guess it will be their cover of "And You And I", as well as revealing their encore plans with Jon Anderson for the PN14 cruise. Or hopefully an announcement of one or more live releases from the cruise.
-Marc.
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Yeah, given how much Roine and Portnoy are already performing on the cruise I can't imagine their is going to be more performances announced, so it probably has something to do with what's already going on with TA on the cruise.
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Why would they announce their encore plans for the cruise? What fun would that be, if they announce what they are gonna do? Better to not say anything and leave it a surprise.
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Why would they announce their encore plans for the cruise? What fun would that be, if they announce what they are gonna do? Better to not say anything and leave it a surprise.
Maybe not specifically, but perhaps they'll say "we're doing an epic" (in reference to saying it's a 'progalicious' update)...or I daresay, a whole album for a 40 minute encore!
Who knows...if it involves Transatlantic AND the cruise, it's gotta involve their show somehow.
-Marc.
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Go to the PN14 website to check out the World Premiere of Transatlantic's cover of the Yes classic "And You And I":
https://www.progressivenationatsea.com/premiere/
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Go to the PN14 website to check out the World Premiere of Transatlantic's cover of the Yes classic "And You And I":
https://www.progressivenationatsea.com/premiere/
Called it! Too bad I can't listen to it right now as I am at work, but I will asap!
-Marc.
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Call me a pessimist, but I wasn't wild about this. The music was done really well of course, even with not doing the normal intro, but as much as I enjoy the vocals of both Neal and Roine, neither have the vocals to do this song justice. Neal sounded like he was really struggling with some of the lines during his section, and Roine aiming for some of those high notes is not playing to his strength as a vocalist (in the "I listen hard..." section). I am sure it will slay on the cruise when Jon Anderson performs with them and likely does all of the lead singing, but while I suspect Portnoy chose this song because it is probably a favorite of his (and it is my favorite Yes song), it probably would have made more sense to choose a Yes song that was better suited for their singing voices. Not be a spoil sport, but that was my impression after one listen. I am admittedly a tough judge when it comes to covers though, especially when it is a song of which I am a huge fan. :biggrin:
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At first I didn't like it because I was expecting it to be more like the original one but then I realized that's not what I should be expecting at all since this is a completely different band, doing a song that is almost 40 years old and also a song that I think is near perfect so I just relaxed and accepted what was coming my way and it was quite enjoyable actually. I think they just tried to modernize so that people would get past the comparison and that was probably a wise decision because I'm sure I'm not the only one that absolutely loves the original and I probably wouldn't listen to this song if it was too similar to the old one.
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At first I didn't like it because I was expecting it to be more like the original one but then I realized that's not what I should be expecting at all since this is a completely different band, doing a song that is almost 40 years old and also a song that I think is near perfect so I just relaxed and accepted what was coming my way and it was quite enjoyable actually. I think they just tried to modernize so that people would get past the comparison and that was probably a wise decision because I'm sure I'm not the only one that absolutely loves the original and I probably wouldn't listen to this song if it was too similar to the old one.
Same feelings. I enjoyed their meshing of live and studio versions of the song, while giving it a bit of a modern-prog twist. I dug the vocals because I was expecting TA-styled vocals, not Jon Anderson + Chris Squire vocals. Instrumentally, it's a pretty decent cover, great performances all around, especially Roine and Pete.
This makes me wonder what else they will be playing with Jon on the Cruise. I would really love to hear them do a whole album, but a few epics would be great, too!
-Marc.
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I guess I'm more with Kev. As soon as it started and it was the "old-style live version" (they've returned to the acoustic 12-string thing more recently) and of course they have to lower the key significantly, I realized that I should not have expected anything like an exact cover. Other than the vocals, I'm sure these guys have the chops, but the idea here is clearly to put their own spin on it, and ultimately I didn't really care for it. But that's after one listen. I've heard the original and various live versions hundreds of times, easily. So maybe it'll grow on me.
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I gotta be honest, I don't get MP's cover-itis anyway (BCSL extra disc, Coverta etc etc). I mean, I *do* get wanting to play your favorite tunes, but recording it in a studio setting I don't get. Covers, IMHO, really only belong on a record if a) you have a really different approach to the tune or b) you don't have enough original tunes to fill up an album.
I think when they play it live on the cruise this tune will be probably all kinds of awesome. But the recording is decisively "eh".
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I gotta be honest, I don't get MP's cover-itis anyway (BCSL extra disc, Coverta etc etc). I mean, I *do* get wanting to play your favorite tunes, but recording it in a studio setting I don't get. Covers, IMHO, really only belong on a record if a) you have a really different approach to the tune or b) you don't have enough original tunes to fill up an album.
I think when they play it live on the cruise this tune will be probably all kinds of awesome. But the recording is decisively "eh".
I'm somewhat with you. I actually like getting some bonus covers now and then, whether live or studio. Both are cool for different reasons. But I am definitely with you on the fact that I feel like Mike has overdone it in recent years, and I am burned out on covers by him in his various bands. Not that they aren't well done, but it's just overkill.
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I think to some degree it's a smart way of extracting more money out of a given release. Even just judging by this forum, people are total suckers for "bonus extra boxes with bobble head and pez dispenser". Recording a cover album is a quick and easy thing to do, and it lets you sell the bonus box for twice the money.
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I gotta be honest, I don't get MP's cover-itis anyway (BCSL extra disc, Coverta etc etc). I mean, I *do* get wanting to play your favorite tunes, but recording it in a studio setting I don't get. Covers, IMHO, really only belong on a record if a) you have a really different approach to the tune or b) you don't have enough original tunes to fill up an album.
I think when they play it live on the cruise this tune will be probably all kinds of awesome. But the recording is decisively "eh".
I'm somewhat with you. I actually like getting some bonus covers now and then, whether live or studio. Both are cool for different reasons. But I am definitely with you on the fact that I feel like Mike has overdone it in recent years, and I am burned out on covers by him in his various bands. Not that they aren't well done, but it's just overkill.
The studio covers have been a bit more and more rampant lately. Although he's only done covers with Adrenaline Mob, Neal Morse and now Transatlantic, since leaving Dream Theater at least. However, he's been doing covers all along. Looking at his discography on Wikipedia, it seems that ever since 2000 (with the exception of 2002), he's released at least one album every years with some sort of cover on it, be it studio or live, stand-alone or medley, one song or a whole show, so it's not really a NEW thing for him, and he was always about covers in DT, especially during the Derek-era.
I can see why an MP-fan might feel overwhelmed by it lately, though, especially since one of his bands (PSMS) strictly does covers, and since 2010, he's had at least 8 releases with covers on them, so it has been a bit more concentrated lately.
I guess not having one single major band tied to his name, he feels like he spread out his covers between various bands and fitting them to their style and genre. I mean, with Dream Theater, he was able to cover prog, metal, classic rock and even pop-rock tunes. Now with various bands, he only covers pop-rock with Flying Colors, metal with Adrenaline Mob, prog with Transatlantic, classic rock with Neal Morse, etc. etc. It just seems overwhelming now because he's got more outlets for covers, more options and choices.
If I were him, I'd totally take advantage of the situation and have my various bands cover various songs that I love. I'm sure there were times when he was in DT and they wanted to do a cover but not all of them could agree to it, so songs weren't played. I recall that he wanted to do "Heart Of The Sunrise" on Transatlantic's Bridge Across Forever tour but Neal (and one other) vetoed it. Eventually, Dream Theater covered it live.
I'll give Mike ONE thing, though - he doesn't repeat himself often, if at all, in terms of his covers, both studio and live.
-Marc.
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I gotta be honest, I don't get MP's cover-itis anyway (BCSL extra disc, Coverta etc etc). I mean, I *do* get wanting to play your favorite tunes, but recording it in a studio setting I don't get. Covers, IMHO, really only belong on a record if a) you have a really different approach to the tune or b) you don't have enough original tunes to fill up an album.
I think when they play it live on the cruise this tune will be probably all kinds of awesome. But the recording is decisively "eh".
I might be inclined to agree with you if it weren't the case that the covers have generally been better than his original material. Hell, the covers on BC&SL blew away the album itself. Add to that, he tends to be pretty thoughtful with the whats and hows of recording covers.
As for this one, I like it a lot. Like many here, I'm a huge fan of AYAI, and I like what they've done with it. I don't think it's trying to modernize it at all. It's Transatlantic just being Transatlantic with a great song.
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"bonus extra boxes with bobble head and pez dispenser".
There was a Pez dispenser set?!!?!?!? Awwwww man, missed that one. :angry:
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I don't get why anyone would complain about extra music. It's so easy to NOT play it if you don't have an interest. Many enjoy them.
I think it's a way to create value for your fans. It's something extra that most bands don't do. And, maybe most important, it's
a way for the artists in the band to pay homage to songs that influenced them as musicians. Seems like everyone wins to me.
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I bought the artbook w/ songbook....$75 includes shipping, not bad at all.
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I think to some degree it's a smart way of extracting more money out of a given release. Even just judging by this forum, people are total suckers for "bonus extra boxes with bobble head and pez dispenser". Recording a cover album is a quick and easy thing to do, and it lets you sell the bonus box for twice the money.
I agree with you, but I don't see that as a problem at all. It's a business. And while you and bosky are losing interest in all these covers discs, a lot of people love that stuff. So if they can, at relatively little cost, get a whole load of extra income from selling covers albums or special editions of albums with covers bonus discs, more power to them. Those who aren't interested can just buy the regular versions of the albums.
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Oh, absolutely. Don't get me wrong, I think the single biggest aspect in which I respect MP the most is his business skill. He has been very good at generating revenue, through Ytsejam Records, his drum videos, cover bands etc etc.
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I liked Shine. It was the generic transatlantic christian ballad (i.e. We All Need Some Light, The Bridge Across Forever). Super disappointed with And You And I, since that's my favorite Yes song. Didn't like the cover at all.
I've got high hopes for the rest of the album though.
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Unfortunately (or fortunately) I forgot about the pre-sale and when I remembered a few hours later I figured anything signed was likely gone so I'm just getting the 3 Cd Deluxe Edition in my favorite independent store a few days before it comes out (although, if I got it through Radiant it would have been here even earlier.)
I've never liked the business side of Neal's world, and I don't know if it's intentional or just through ignorance, but there are musicians or don't want anything to do with the buisness side and he might be one of those - I don't know.
I will say everything usually arrives well ahead of the release date, but since there's no longer hope of a cool signed poster I'm not going to take on the inflated shipping cost this time.
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https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F5vfNNMkKB78&h=cAQFaUI1D&enc=AZPbUpT2UKKOrJQ9rimGzqW68t8-wPfnnPcJTSROqL3F5uOZpVLbVeXCZiVHXAMS-smAxU99gjUHQe1fldLlEa7h&s=1
Portnoy drum cam for King Crimson cover.
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https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F5vfNNMkKB78&h=cAQFaUI1D&enc=AZPbUpT2UKKOrJQ9rimGzqW68t8-wPfnnPcJTSROqL3F5uOZpVLbVeXCZiVHXAMS-smAxU99gjUHQe1fldLlEa7h&s=1
Portnoy drum cam for King Crimson cover.
Very nice! I was wondering when he would announce the eventual drum-cam video, now titled "Kaleidodrums" :rollin
This song suits MP very well, and I think he does a good job, again, of emulating Bill Bruford, TWICE on this album alone (earlier on "And You And I", and for those keeping track, he once did "Starless" with Neal Morse and Randy George, as well as KC's "Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part 2" with Dream Theater). Nice drumming and his vocals, while more like spoken-word reading, work really well here!
-Marc.
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I like it!
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I liked MP's vocals.
You heard it here first.
Seriously, be has an interesting speaking voice, and this type of stuff suited his voice very well.
That said, I don't think it's a good cover. As with the previous cover of theirs, while they play all the notes correctly, they fail to capture the mood of the song. MP's vocals are interesting, but they completely fail to get the manicness across. Belew's voice-over makes you think this insanely sleep-deprived, manic person is describing his object of obsession to you. MP's rendition reminded me a bit of how William Shatner would go about it. Accentuated, in itself actually somewhat interesting to listen to, but eventually devoid of the emotion the piece is supposed to evoke.
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They didn't really grab me with their version of And you and I, but this is pretty damn cool. Hats off to MP. :tup
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That was great. MP was the perfect choice for the vocals there. I couldn't fathom any of the other guys singing that; they all just seem way too happy. Also, I don't think it was any more spoken word-ish than the way Belew sang it.
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Very tempted to check this out, but I'm still going to wait until it's in my hand.
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That was pretty awesome.
I haven't heard the original song, though.
Goddamn it's good to see Mike though. Looks like he's having fun in the home studio. I wonder if we'll see any crazy solo recordings coming from that dude.
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That was pretty awesome.
I haven't heard the original song, though.
Goddamn it's good to see Mike though. Looks like he's having fun in the home studio. I wonder if we'll see any crazy solo recordings coming from that dude.
That vocal was recording on TWD bus during the European leg of their tour.
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Still haven't listened to it, but I can't imagine it approaching the original.
Larks Part 2 is pretty good and I'm glad they (Dream Theater) recorded it, but I thought the original was so much more.
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Does anybody know what the VIP situation in Phili is? Is the "reception" a M&G? Do you have to purchase it through Radiant or do any of the $75 tix include that?
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Does anybody know what the VIP situation in Phili is? Is the "reception" a M&G? Do you have to purchase it through Radiant or do any of the $75 tix include that?
All I know is, a lot of prog bands play that venue, and when you go to see 'em, there's a decent chance you'll meet MP for no additional cost :biggrin:
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I believe I already have gotten an email saying my media book edition of the new TA is on its way!
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I believe I already have gotten an email saying my media book edition of the new TA is on its way!
Nothing here yet. I just got an email a while ago that said other non preorder items are shipping and the TA4 stuff would ship much closer to release date ( which is still 18 days away?)
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I believe I already have gotten an email saying my media book edition of the new TA is on its way!
This was in an email from Radiant I received 10 days ago, on New Year's Eve:
"Hello,
Happy Holidays to you! We want you to know that if you pre-ordered the new Transatlantic or are going to we are beginning the process of preparing your order now. So, you may get a notification that your order has shipped (because it's an automatic email that goes out when we print the shipping label), however, ***the pre-orders will not ship until closer to the release date***. (We will do our best to ship your order so you get it on or just before the release date.)
We just want to make sure there is no confusion.
Thank you all for a great year and we wish you a great 2014!!
Radiant Team"
So it looks like they may have just printed our shipping labels because I got the "Chris Thompson has sent you a package" email today as well. But, HEY, if they shipped them out today, then I hope I get mine on Monday or Tuesday next week! If not, I'm okay with waiting a little longer.
-Marc.
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Review: https://www.wpapu.com/rev074.html
It is hard to believe it’s only been four and a half years since The Whirlwind. After waiting eight years between Transatlantic’s second and third albums, the fourth seems to have come up rather quickly. Perhaps the difference was the band staying somewhat active in the period between studio releases this time, perhaps it was better scheduling, but whatever the case may be, Roine Stolt, Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy and Pete Trewavas have returned with the new album, Kaleidoscope.
It will come as no surprise to fans of the band that the opening piece, “Into the Blue” is twenty five minutes long. The band at this point has become a flagship band for the longer songs that progressive rock is known for. “Into the Blue” along with the thirty two minute closing piece and title track “Kaleidoscope” make up the bulk of the album, and together feature songwriting that seems slightly more driven by Neal Morse’s input than the previous release “The Whirlwind”. Both tracks, especially parts of “Into the Blue” seem to have a strong influence from classic Yes and Genesis. Along with the track lengths, certain other aspects of the two epic tracks, and in fact the whole album will feel familiar to fans of the band: First, the lyrics, while not as clearly religious as on Morse’s solo work are still clearly spiritual, and the vocals are handled mainly by Morse, with Stolt, Portnoy, and Trewavas contributing in descending amounts. The one amazing surprise in “Into the Blue” is a few excellently done lines of vocals from longtime live member of the band Daniel Gildenlow. That same movement of the song also features the first of many excellent solos on the album from Roine Stolt. The song ends much as it began, with a classic prog reprise to the second and most memorable movement.
The next track, “Shine” is a classic ballad, and the one chosen as the lead video from the album. Though the track is perhaps a tad too long and repetitive, strong vocals from Morse and Roine, and the most stunning guitar solo of the album certainly help distract from any other issues. The third track, “Black as the Sky” ended up fulfilling what I felt was something this album needed, and is what I found to be the best on the album. The song sees the epic, prog loving band keep things short, simple, and rocking. While not necessarily metal by any means, the song just drives forward at a great pace, has a great chorus, and beautifully features the talents of four amazing musicians wonderfully crammed into seven minutes. The fourth track, and last of the shorter pieces, “Beyond the Sun” harkens back to the very simple, vocal driven ballad that was “Bridge Across Forever”. One part piano, one part slide guitar, and one part Morse’s emotional vocals make up the formula for most of this song, which is a breather before the epic conclusion to the album.
“Kaleidoscope” starts, perhaps expectedly with an instrumental overture, that along with the earlier track “Black as the Sky” highlights what is perhaps one of the highlights of this album. Along with some of his great more atmospheric work, Morse came up with some fantastic more up-tempo keyboard leads for this album. Those leads, along with Stolt’s guitar work, really help create a one-two punch of hooks as far as the instrumental work on the album is concerned. As a whole I found the song “Kaleidoscope” to be the stronger of the two epics, I can certainly see that question as a subject of debate amongst fans for years to come. Both tracks sound new, and to a degree fresh, but there is certainly no big departure from what fans have come to expect from Transatlantic.
Through all of this I’ve made little mention of drummer Mike Portnoy or bassist Pete Trewavas, and there is a reason for that. As has often been the case the pair made a perfect supporting cast for this album. Both played as we’ve come to expect, and both gave the songs, especially the epics, just what they needed to compliment what Morse and Stolt seemed to be trying to accomplish. The sound of this album, as with the similarly crafted previous effort is crisp and clear, and for the fan with a little extra to spend it is offered in a plethora of formats including a bonus covers CD, vinyl, an artbook, and with a songbook for musicians who will want to learn the album. While I don’t see this as the best effort to date from these four amazing musicians, it is certainly strong enough to reside alongside the incredibly strong catalog they have delivered thus far.
Nick’s grade: A-
When it comes to expectations from a band, it is quite possible that Transatlantic has a higher bar than any other band I follow. All three of their previous albums would probably make my top 50, and so putting a fourth album in that stratosphere would be akin to making two hole in ones during a single round of golf. As unfair as that expectation is, that is pretty much where it was heading into the album. I won’t go into the specifics that Nick has already covered, but I will give a few additional thoughts on Kaleidoscope.
This review is probably going to sound much more negative than it is intended. Don’t get me wrong, Kaleidoscope is a very good album; however it was clearly not in the rarified air of their previous albums. Unlike the previous albums, Kaleidoscope did not seem to feature a balance of creative power, and at times felt more like a Neal Morse solo album than a Transatlantic album. “Into the Blue” lacked that really special moment that all the previous Transatlantic epics have, and unlike the other opening tracks, did not have a “grab me by the short and curlies” moment and this leaves the song as the weakest epic from the band to date. “Shine” similarly falls short of excellence in my eyes, but since that track has been released, you can draw your own conclusions. “Black is the Sky”, however, takes the title for best non-epic Transatlantic song including the four on the Whirlwind bonus disc (but taking Whirlwind as one song). “Beyond the Sun” doesn’t really even register for me when I’m listening; it feels like a filler piece to hold over to the title track. When I'm not listening to the album, but I think about it, my mind immediately recalls the melodies of the title track. "Kaleidoscope" encompasses everything in a song you expect from Transatlantic, and sees the album finish strongly.
One of the things I really liked in this album was the use of recurring themes. You will hear little pieces of one song in the other songs, and it helps make the whole listening experience cohesive. My biggest complaint is that at times it lacks the mutli-songwriter dynamic I alluded to earlier. While Neal and Roine do shine in their spots, Mike and Pete take more of a backseat than they ever have, which I feel Nick implied in his review without stating it. Like I said, this is a very good album – but what the listener needs to brace themself for is that this is not what we have come to expect. This is the only Transatlantic album that had to grow on me, all the others wowed me from the first listen. It has probably the weakest epic in “Into the Blue”, and weakest short songs in “Shine” and “Beyond the Sun”. “Black is the Sky” and “Kaleidoscope” are certainly what one comes to expect from this super group. While any Transatlantic fan will like this, I don’t think anyone will ever consider this a classic, or even a great album. Very good is a fair and apt description for what was my most anticipated album. I’m still looking forward to the covers, which I suspect will excellent.
Dr. DTVT’s grade: B+
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Interesting review, Nick.
I'm very curious about them Gildenlol vocals. Also, I find it kind of unfortunate that neither of you seem to really love this album as much as their others.
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Pics of the media.
(https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ziANI1hRfh8lKv2I3LmnnogtYlqISiY46Wwn1rowkMfZh5gc4jiMDPgniU_P7YXtd6L2WPstFvTk2BR5iTWkURBWb9mG3s7EiM5iJ8eJ0QbB4AY=s0-d-e1-ft#https://ih.constantcontact.com/fs175/1109748798654/img/341.jpg)
DAT LP SET
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Just got the email from Radiant about pre-ordering the record. It might as well say:
"Pre-order Kaleidoscope today and we guarantee you'll have it no later than several weeks after its release!"
:lol :lol
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Interesting review, Nick.
I'm very curious about them Gildenlol vocals. Also, I find it kind of unfortunate that neither of you seem to really love this album as much as their others.
I could lie to you if it would make you feel better.
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Just got the email from Radiant about pre-ordering the record. It might as well say:
"Pre-order Kaleidoscope today and we guarantee you'll have it no later than several weeks after its release!"
:lol :lol
How do you figure?
Welcome to 2014! We know it's going to be an amazing year in prog and it is kicking off with the crazy new Transatlantic Kaleidoscope extravaganza!We are getting close to the shipping date so if you haven't already ordered now is the time
doesn't sound like any delay to me.
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I'm very curious about them Gildenlol vocals. Also, I find it kind of unfortunate that neither of you seem to really love this album as much as their others.
I find it interesting how they don't love the album but still give it A- and B+. Those are pretty high marks. I'd love to see how the grading scale works unless it's just arbitrary.
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Just got the email from Radiant about pre-ordering the record. It might as well say:
"Pre-order Kaleidoscope today and we guarantee you'll have it no later than several weeks after its release!"
:lol :lol
How do you figure?
Welcome to 2014! We know it's going to be an amazing year in prog and it is kicking off with the crazy new Transatlantic Kaleidoscope extravaganza!We are getting close to the shipping date so if you haven't already ordered now is the time
doesn't sound like any delay to me.
I think Kev is simply referring to Radiant's history.
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I think Kev is simply referring to Radiant's history.
Everything I've preordered from Radiant has come before the release date. Maybe I'm lucky that way.
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LOL, well, they aren't gonna say that ahead of time, but many of us could give you stories about ordering from Radiant and then not getting the CD until well after the release date, hence my sarcastic post earlier. I was burned by them on that back in 2005 when I pre-ordered Neal Morse's ?, had to bug them over a week after the release date about it, finally got a reply saying that it was being sent out, with no apology or anything. They burned their bridges with me right there and then, and I have read enough stuff over the years, from others who've had similar problems, to know that I made the right decision.
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I think Kev is simply referring to Radiant's history.
Everything I've preordered from Radiant has come before the release date. Maybe I'm lucky that way.
That's true for most people, I'm sure. But there have been plenty who have had issues with the website and/or delivery.
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LOL, well, they aren't gonna say that ahead of time, but many of us could give you stories about ordering from Radiant and then not getting the CD until well after the release date, hence my sarcastic post earlier. I was burned by them on that back in 2005 when I pre-ordered Neal Morse's ?, had to bug them over a week after the release date about it, finally got a reply saying that it was being sent out, with no apology or anything. They burned their bridges with me right there and then, and I have read enough stuff over the years, from others who've had similar problems, to know that I made the right decision.
Well I'll wait until I get burned like that before reserving my own judgement.
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I pre-ordered the super-deluxe media book package from Radiant this time because I was interested in getting one of the signed copies and -more importantly- I don't really give a shit when it gets delivered.
If I absolutely had to have it on release day, I would have found another way to get the album.
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I've honestly never cared about the whole "getting it on the release date". I can afford to wait a few days.
Anyways, I usually never order things until they've been out for years...
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I can only speak for myself, but I've NEVER had a problem in dealing with Radiant in more than 15 years.
They absolutely inflate their shipping costs, but I've always mitigated that with the guarantee that I'll get it well before the release date and the incentive that something would be signed. Okay...I'm a sucker for that personal touch.
Since I blew my shot at getting something signed during the last round, I opted not to order during the last go round.
The signed music book was not something I was interested in.
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NEWS FROM MIKE!!!
We are saddened to announce that because of some personal issues that have unfortunately arisen, Daniel Gildenlow will not be able to join us for the first half of the upcoming Transatlantic tour.
However, coming to our rescue will be Ted Leonard of Spock's Beard/Enchant to help us out and step in as Transatlantic's 5th touring member
Ted will be standing in until Daniel is able to come join back up with us...(we are hoping that will be for the Progressive Nation at Sea cruise and the European tour, but only time will tell...)
In the meantime, please help us wish Daniel all the best and welcome aboard Ted!
Sad to hear about DG, but I hope his issues are quickly resolved. Glad to hear they have gotten Ted to helm the 5th spot, though, and I think he'll be suitable for the band! Kind of funny to have Spock's Beard's former and current frontmen in the same band...
-Marc.
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That's too bad. On the last tour DG was the most interesting one to watch. The new guy's resume and skillset seem to be up to the task, but DG just seemed to really gel with his role there.
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It worries me that MP says that he "hopes" that DG will be ready for the cruise, since Pain of Salvation are playing. Ted will do a fantastic job, and since I've already seen TA with DG I'd almost prefer to get to see them with Ted, but when I saw PoS at RoSfest DG was sick and the other guitarist had to stay back and the show was lacking as a result, was hoping to see them under proper circumstances this time.
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It worries me that MP says that he "hopes" that DG will be ready for the cruise, since Pain of Salvation are playing. Ted will do a fantastic job, and since I've already seen TA with DG I'd almost prefer to get to see them with Ted, but when I saw PoS at RoSfest DG was sick and the other guitarist had to stay back and the show was lacking as a result, was hoping to see them under proper circumstances this time.
You raise a good point. If the show gets to the point where Ted gels really really well with the rest of the band and it becomes a tight touring unit, a live recording from them would be AWESOME to have, especially since we already have 3 live releases featuring DG in the band. One from them with TL would be neat, especially if we get a separate release from them from the cruise.
I guess if DG isn't ready for the PN Cruise, Ted will still cover since Spock's Beard will also be on the cruise. Hopefully that doesn't mess up THEIR schedules either (in that TA and SB aren't performing at the same time).
-Marc.
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Kind of funny to have Spock's Beard's former and current frontmen in the same band...
Ha ha, I totally forgot that Ted Leonard is with Spock's Beard now. I'll always think of him as the guy from Enchant. I don't even follow Spock's Beard anymore.
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Kind of funny to have Spock's Beard's former and current frontmen in the same band...
Ha ha, I totally forgot that Ted Leonard is with Spock's Beard now. I'll always think of him as the guy from Enchant. I don't even follow Spock's Beard anymore.
WHAAAAT. Dude, get Brief Nocturnes & Dreamless Sleep. It's easily one of my Top 5 albums of 2013, and has been on a lot of people's Top 10 lists in many magazines, blogs, critic's sites, etc. etc.
It's a great album, and I hear they're working on another album this year as well. It's good stuff, and it's even got a couple songs with Neal Morse's help (as he helped Alan put some stuff together). It's fresh-yet-classic SB, definitely worth listening to at LEAST once (the special edition, with the bonus tracks), if not owning in physical format!
-Marc.
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I think it might actually be my favourite SB album. :O
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I remember checking out Feel Euphoria and then Octane, neither of which were completely horrible, but they didn't really fire me up. The self-titled was okay, too, some good stuff, but it just seemed like the spirit was gone (the spirit being Neal, of course). Then I vaguely remember hearing that Ted Leonard had joined them, and I'm apparently one of like five people in the world who actually likes Enchant, but somehow I never got around to checking out the new Spock's Beard album.
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Bob, it's really good. I think you'll like it.
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I remember checking out Feel Euphoria and then Octane, neither of which were completely horrible, but they didn't really fire me up. The self-titled was okay, too, some good stuff, but it just seemed like the spirit was gone (the spirit being Neal, of course). Then I vaguely remember hearing that Ted Leonard had joined them, and I'm apparently one of like five people in the world who actually likes Enchant, but somehow I never got around to checking out the new Spock's Beard album.
So, you stopped before X came out (which, to that point, was their best post-Neal album), and then skipped over BNADS too?!
Their last two albums, while being two different line-ups, are both two of the best SB albums, right up there with the best of the Neal-Era material! Both are definitely worth checking out!
-Marc.
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To avoid any speculations - Daniel is hospitalized - "The issues" that keeps him from joining Transatlantic on the American shows - are medical issues. I've spoken to him today and he is OK - but it will be a few weeks to full recovery. In time he may let you know details (or not) but let's just say he was in a very dangerous place just yesterday. (agressive bacteria) We're relieved that he returned from the twilight zone and he will now need rest and to be under observation - so a tour and frequent flights,early mornings and exposure to bacterial all sorts is not a good idea. Daniel is looking forward to meet you all - and rest assured he will give you 100% once he is fully recovered. We aim at the PROG cruise. That's the plan. Until then Ted Leonard (Spocks Beard) will join Transatlantic . Send your good vibes to both Daniel - his family & Ted who was gracious to fill in at short notice.
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To avoid any speculations - Daniel is hospitalized - "The issues" that keeps him from joining Transatlantic on the American shows - are medical issues. I've spoken to him today and he is OK - but it will be a few weeks to full recovery. In time he may let you know details (or not) but let's just say he was in a very dangerous place just yesterday. (agressive bacteria) We're relieved that he returned from the twilight zone and he will now need rest and to be under observation - so a tour and frequent flights,early mornings and exposure to bacterial all sorts is not a good idea. Daniel is looking forward to meet you all - and rest assured he will give you 100% once he is fully recovered. We aim at the PROG cruise. That's the plan. Until then Ted Leonard (Spocks Beard) will join Transatlantic . Send your good vibes to both Daniel - his family & Ted who was gracious to fill in at short notice.
Always good to hear from Roine, and for some clarification regarding Daniel's issues. Sad to hear about his hospitalization. It's always something, isn't it? What bad luck to have, but hopefully he will recover quickly!
And yes, cheers to Ted for filling in on such REALLY short notice. I mean, he's got to learn 3 hours of music he's never played before! YIKES...but I'm sure he'll handle it expertly!
And go figure - just as soon as TA give DG some vocals to do on an album, he can't make the start of the tour.
-Marc.
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Bob, it's really good. I think you'll like it.
This. I didn't like Octane and Feel Euphoria but this latest record is fantastic.
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I remember checking out Feel Euphoria and then Octane, neither of which were completely horrible, but they didn't really fire me up. The self-titled was okay, too, some good stuff, but it just seemed like the spirit was gone (the spirit being Neal, of course). Then I vaguely remember hearing that Ted Leonard had joined them, and I'm apparently one of like five people in the world who actually likes Enchant, but somehow I never got around to checking out the new Spock's Beard album.
So, you stopped before X came out (which, to that point, was their best post-Neal album), and then skipped over BNADS too?!
Their last two albums, while being two different line-ups, are both two of the best SB albums, right up there with the best of the Neal-Era material! Both are definitely worth checking out!
-Marc.
Not to hijack the TA thread with SB love, but this so much. While I like Octane, FE and s/t were mediocre by SB standards for sure. X and BNADS are fantastic.
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To avoid any speculations - Daniel is hospitalized - "The issues" that keeps him from joining Transatlantic on the American shows - are medical issues. I've spoken to him today and he is OK - but it will be a few weeks to full recovery. In time he may let you know details (or not) but let's just say he was in a very dangerous place just yesterday. (agressive bacteria) We're relieved that he returned from the twilight zone and he will now need rest and to be under observation - so a tour and frequent flights,early mornings and exposure to bacterial all sorts is not a good idea. Daniel is looking forward to meet you all - and rest assured he will give you 100% once he is fully recovered. We aim at the PROG cruise. That's the plan. Until then Ted Leonard (Spocks Beard) will join Transatlantic . Send your good vibes to both Daniel - his family & Ted who was gracious to fill in at short notice.
Always good to hear from Roine, and for some clarification regarding Daniel's issues. Sad to hear about his hospitalization. It's always something, isn't it? What bad luck to have, but hopefully he will recover quickly!
And yes, cheers to Ted for filling in on such REALLY short notice. I mean, he's got to learn 3 hours of music he's never played before! YIKES...but I'm sure he'll handle it expertly!
And go figure - just as soon as TA give DG some vocals to do on an album, he can't make the start of the tour.
-Marc.
Not to mention Yes stuff if DG ends up having to miss the cruise.
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Huge Transatlantic fan here, but maybe I'm just not a huge fan of covers. Anyway, checked out the King Crimson and Yes covers today for the first time. :o Superb stuff, instantly I like them better than any of the covers from The Whirlwind.
Also been reading a lot of reviews. This one may have already been linked to, but good none the less. https://www.hitthefloor.com/music/rock-metal/review-transatlantic-kaleidoscope-album
I can't be more excited for this release. And of course, seeing them in Chicago very soon. I'm really excited to meet Ted Leonard as well, as I'm doing the VIP thing. I love all his work. That said, I'd obviously rather have Daniel in better circumstances instead (I haven't really heard anything he's done, but his health is far more important than me meeting a singer I like!!!).
I have such incredibly high expectations for this album. I really don't see how they won't be met, Transatlantic seems to exceed expectations every time for me. And with it being a while since Momentum, and no new prog cd from him on the horizon that we know about (he's talked about a singer/songwriter album if I remember correctly, possibly from IC letters?), I'm thirsty for some Morse/Portnoy prog.
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no new prog cd from him on the horizon that we know about (he's talked about a singer/songwriter album if I remember correctly, possibly from IC letters?), I'm thirsty for some Morse/Portnoy prog.
Actually, it was reported by Randy George that he, Eric, and Bill were writing new solo-prog album music without Mike a few weeks ago. There was a pic of Eric mashing out skeleton drum parts for the music, too, supposedly whenever Mike can get around to tracking for them.
It looks like this will be a full-band release, with their input and performances. Between releasing and touring the new Transatlantic, then doing the new Flying Colors, I don't expect a new Neal Morse album until midway next year. If the next Flying Colors album is out by fall or winter, they'll likely be touring for it next winter or spring, so to give Neal (and Mike) some breathing room, they'll probably not release Neal's next solo album until at least the summer of 2015. I'm okay with that - gotta space out my Neal/Mike projects/bands over the next couple years!!
-Marc.
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Dang, Ted must be a pro. :omg:
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Dang, Ted must be a pro. :omg:
It's a crazy task, for sure. But if any of the guys of TA called today that I should fill in keyboard parts, maaaan, I'd work my ass off. I wouldn't sleep for days on end, just to be part of that experience.
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Exactly. "What? You want me to play with TransAtlantic on the tour?"
What will be the next words out of your mouth? "I don't know. I would probably have to practice really hard..."
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I really consider Daniel to be the fifth member in the band.
I'm a little bummed, but the opportunity to see Ted in this context will be interesting at least although I think he may be in over his head.
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I really consider Daniel to be the fifth member in the band.
I'm a little bummed, but the opportunity to see Ted in this context will be interesting at least although I think he may be in over his head.
I wouldn't count Ted out so quick. He was in a similar situation having to learn a set of SB tunes before his first appearance with them at the High Voltage show a couple years ago.
And being a multi-instrumentalist AND a vocalist will help him I think. He can cover a LOT of parts, but I wonder if Roine and Neal will be picking up a bit of the slack for Ted since he is new to Transatlantic? Their rehearsals have only just begun, so we will see.
I cannot wait to see their tour documentary for this tour, at least, I hope they are filming one!!!
-Marc.
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I kinda always thought Rikard from Beardfish would be a perfect-fit 5th member live if Daniel couldn't continue on for them. ah well.
GET WELL SOON, Dannyboy!
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Rikard. <3
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOP-DjbuYvM
Mike Portnoy's KALEIDODRUMS teaser, featuring a sample of what I presume to be new music from the new album!!!
9 days til release!!! I CAN'T WAIT!
-Marc.
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Not sure if I prefer Kaleidodrums or Kadrumoscope for the latest MP attempt to insert "drum" into an album title. I wonder if that is taken into consideration when his bands decide on album titles... ;D
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I really consider Daniel to be the fifth member in the band.
I'm a little bummed, but the opportunity to see Ted in this context will be interesting at least although I think he may be in over his head.
I wouldn't count Ted out so quick. He was in a similar situation having to learn a set of SB tunes before his first appearance with them at the High Voltage show a couple years ago.
And being a multi-instrumentalist AND a vocalist will help him I think. He can cover a LOT of parts, but I wonder if Roine and Neal will be picking up a bit of the slack for Ted since he is new to Transatlantic? Their rehearsals have only just begun, so we will see.
I cannot wait to see their tour documentary for this tour, at least, I hope they are filming one!!!
-Marc.
The High Voltage set was a lot shorter than a Transatlantic set.
If there is enough rehearsal time, I'm sure things will improve.
Generally though, a band that has Mike Portnoy in it doesn't get many full band rehearsals so the first several shows may be lacking more in chemistry than they normally would.
I'm sure he'll be fine after getting some shows in, but I don't think it's going to be easy.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOP-DjbuYvM
Mike Portnoy's KALEIDODRUMS teaser, featuring a sample of what I presume to be new music from the new album!!!
9 days til release!!! I CAN'T WAIT!
-Marc.
This got me quite excited too. I've been ramping up towards the new TA release by listening to them a LOT lately, and there isn't any MP playing quite like this on any other TA stuff. Sure, it's varied and interesting, but this is full on balls to the wall awesome!
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These polyrhythms look.... Interesting....
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These polyrhythms look.... Interesting....
Without discussing... The clip is from the title track.
I think I finally went too far with the video for that (even though MP loved it).
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"polyrhythms"
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https://youtu.be/iopIjEIiWi0
Another good interview. Some possible new TA music included. There's music at the beginning that totally sounds like it could be from the new album. There's several minutes of music at the end also. Doesn't sound like TA, but certainly could be some experimental stuff from them.
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The beginning is "Black as the Sky". The end is not TA, unless it's from the covers disc.
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that ending tune is apparently something the interviewer himself composed :P
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The music from the Portnoy drum clip sounds a lot like The Great Nothing.
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So I wonder how that Seattle show going to go now?
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The music from the Portnoy drum clip sounds a lot like The Great Nothing.
It's from the title track.
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ugh, I really want to hear another song from this album. The anticipation is killing me
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Well, with the Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb 2nd, looks like I won't be seeing Transatlantic, since they are coming to Everett on the same day (unless someone is about to tell me that they changed the date). I think the show might be poorly attended...
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Well, with the Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb 2nd, looks like I won't be seeing Transatlantic, since they are coming to Everett on the same day (unless someone is about to tell me that they changed the date). I think the show might be poorly attended...
Not for people who have tickets already, but yeah it was something I thought as soon as I saw that date. I said, wow, Feb.2 in Seattle! Seattle will likely be in the Superbowl.
Being a Broncos fan, if my show fell on that date I would be pissed, but I would go to the show.
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Well, with the Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb 2nd, looks like I won't be seeing Transatlantic, since they are coming to Everett on the same day (unless someone is about to tell me that they changed the date). I think the show might be poorly attended...
Bad timing. :lol
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Seriously. When it was 10-0 yesterday, a small part of me was like "well, maybe I'll get to see TA...".
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Got a shipping notice this morning. Hopefully I'll have this stuff by Friday!
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Same here.....I'm so excited.
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Hello everyone,
I want you all to know what's happening with the shipping of the Transatlantic Kaleidoscope packages from Radiant. Some of the products we received on time, and some we didn't. As of today, Tuesday, we just received the LPs. (They are AMAZING BTW) I was warned that we might not get them on the 15th as requested because they just take a long time to make and ship. But I wanted to make a vinyl anyway... I just wanted to let you know that if you ordered the transatlantic vinyl it's just arrived here in Tennessee after being stuck in customs for a little over a week. Apparently, customs in the US is a ridiculous hassle...you wouldn't believe the hoops we had to jump through... Ask me how I know :-)
Also, the art books that came from Europe were delayed and we didn't receive them til last Friday. We asked for them to get here as early as possible and apparently that was as early as they could get here.
I just wanted to make sure you all know that we are doing everything we can to get these out in the next couple days. Some of you may get them early, but others will get the packages a little later than the release date. Please be patient and I sincerely apologize for any disappointment you may have.
Also, Megan and Julie (and everyone else on the planet I can convince to help us!) are crazy busy trying to get your orders out so email responses will be slow.
The great news is that the product itself is killer! When you get it you will be in love for sure! I know I am... We finally got the artbooks and my mind is permanently blown! Oh yes, other not so good news, we cannot get any more Artbooks from Europe as they are sold out. I've been talking to Thomas and begging him... But he says it's just not possible at this time unless they get any returns from the shops. So there won't be any on the tour either unless something happens unforeseen. Again, my apologies... I thought I ordered more than I did. It was my mistake.
Anyway, we at the Radiant team are working practically round-the-clock to get you your stuff as fast as possible. We ask for your patience and your forgiveness for our shortcomings.
Thank you and God bless you,
D'oh.
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Every. Single. Time. >:(
But luckily I really don't care this time. I wanted the artbook, preferred that it be signed, so I ordered early -from Radiant- KNOWING FOR A FACT that I would NOT have it anywhere near release date. Radiant never disappoints in that regard ::)
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Uh. I ordered the vinyl + CD + songbook edition, so my order was only just shipped, meaning that I'll probably get it way after the release date (a downside of living in Australia). But hopefully I'll get a signed poster.
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So I was looking through iTunes for something to play to amp up for the new release.
I'm not sure how I never noticed it before, but Whirld Tour 2010 and More Never Is Enough audio CD's are damn near identical. Same exact tracks, just slightly different lengths.
I kind of feel gypped for buying both.. not sure how I never realized it before. I realize More Never Is Enough came with 2 DVD's and Whirld Tour 2010 the DVDs were separate?
Am I missing something here? :rollin
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I didn't quite get the point of releasing a second DVD package from the same tour featuring the same songs, either. It struck me as a total cash grab.
As for the delay at Radiant, "I can't believe it," said no one ever. :lol :lol
Still can't wait to hear the new stuff, though. :tup :tup
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The new album is quite great, I must say.
Into the Blue is a masterpiece :tup
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I just figured that after such a long time of not listening to Whirlwind, I'd put it on. Nah, for the new one I will wait until it's on Google Music; Whirlwind is too Morsey, in music and lyrics.
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I just figured that after such a long time of not listening to Whirlwind, I'd put it on. Nah, for the new one I will wait until it's on Google Music; Whirlwind is too Morsey, in music and lyrics.
(https://i.imgur.com/dAX3Bgd.png)
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Back in the day he was able to restrain himself, to scale it back so that it all blends together. I dunno, Whirlwind has parts where that still happens, but then it's back to full blow Neal Morse Jesusland music. What kind of blows my mind is that the guy doesn't get bored singing about the Rapture for 20 years.
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I have yet to detect any "Jesusland" in The Whirlwind, except for maybe Dancing With Eternal Glory.
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In my interpretation, the "Whirlwind" is nothing but the End of Times. The Blind Blew Them All Away is all about that too. "Master's House", "gone astray" etc etc.
Set Us Free: "Satan like lightning falling down, The ungodly world Is like a vicious troubled sea, Feels like our ship is sinking down"
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Sure, you could interpret it that way, or you could just see it as struggle and hardship in life in the general sense.
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There is a real Transatlantic sound (think first two albums), and a Neal Morse sound. They blended a little bit on Whirlwind. They got put together and got shook with a paint mixer on this album, which is by far my biggest complaint about Kaleidoscope. It feels more like Neal Morse featuring Roine Stolt more than Transatlantic. As much as it sucks to say, I don't know if this will even make my top 10 for the year.
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Sure, you could interpret it that way, or you could just see it as struggle and hardship in life in the general sense.
The words "Satan", "ungodly", "giver of life" and "city of the sun" kinda make the latter interpretation a bit ... difficult.
I mean seriously, it's Neal Morse. Neal Morse sings about Jesus, and has been for the last 10 years or so. Trying to come up with some alternate interpretation of what the "Whirlwind" could be is kinda silly.
It feels more like Neal Morse featuring Roine Stolt more than Transatlantic.
This, definitely. It's really an extension of Morse's solo music at this point. If you like Morse's late solo output you're probably a happy camper, if you (like me) miss the old Transatlantic days, it's not really that interesting anymore.
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As much as it sucks to say, I don't know if this will even make my top 10 for the year.
Well, I just took a look at the 2014 release calendar, and I'm not seeing ANYTHING on it so far, so this may end up being my album of the year by default. :lol
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I gotta agree with Rumby and Mason to the degree that I once looked as Transatlantic as something super special, a blending of great minds and voices to create something truly special. The new album, although very good, just seems kinda like another Neal Morse album + great special guests.
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New album = Kaleidoscope?
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As much as it sucks to say, I don't know if this will even make my top 10 for the year.
Well, I just took a look at the 2014 release calendar, and I'm not seeing ANYTHING on it so far, so this may end up being my album of the year by default. :lol
:rollin :facepalm:
It's true, there isn't a lot of new music coming out this year that I am particularly interested in, especially on the prog-side of things. Besides the aforementioned Neal morse singer-songwriter album he plans to release this summer and Flying Colors this fall, there's only maybe a couple other things that MIGHT come out this year that I'd be interested in.
Either way, this is Transatlantic, a Top 5 band for me, and I was already feeling that this album would be at the top of my list for 2014. We'll see how it handles in the fall after it's been out for awhile, but I have a feeling that it'll hold up as well as the past two TA albums have.
As for Kaleidoscope, yes, there are some very Morse-y moments, both musically and lyrically, but I have come to expect and accept them, even in Transatlantic. And yes, while his lyrics were a bit more muted pre-breakup, there was ALWAYS that spiritual-essence about his writing that was ever-present in his lyrics and songs. Practically everything he's written has some sort of Jesus/God/Spirtualism to it, but then again, Roine has done the same thing to, but from different angles.
It's not too terribly hit-you-over-the-head with it tihs time, and certainly not as blatant as Lifeline or his Testimony albums. I'd say it's about on par with Momentum as far as spiritual-influence. You get a sense that you know what Neal means, but it can still be interpreted many ways. Honestly, though, he puts so much of himself into his words and how he sings them that the passion alone engrosses me in his music and I do not feel bothered by it at all. Maybe I'm an obsessive mega-Morse fan, and I will blindly enjoy almost everything he puts out, but I don't feel pressured or coerced by anything he writes.
I take his stories and allegories and analogies at face value - they can be anecdotal, life-lessons and things like that, with the use of Christianity and spiritual topics as a metaphor/background for things that we should all believe in, things that are right and just, honest and good. He, along with a lot of classic Roine Stolt/Flower Kings, shine a bright light down upon a world music lovers who might otherwise pass up music with a positive message.
Musically speaking though, this album is top-notch, and the mix by Mouser is amazing as usual. Just enough bass and drums to compliment the guitars and keys, and the vocals are fantastic. And I can't talk about the vocals without bringing up how great the section with Gildenlow is! I also do enjoy the amount of non-Neal vocals on here - it's about as equal as The Whirlwind, I think.
I will say, though, if you really enjoyed The Whirlwind, you'll love this album. Also, the final mix of "Shine" is brilliant, especially at the end! I loved that part! Anyways, it'll take a couple more weeks of intense digesting to full dive in to this album, but I already love it.
-Marc.
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New album = Kaleidoscope?
Yeah, what else could it be?
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Sorry, a bit of a stupid reply :lol We had been talking about Whirlwind for several posts, so I just wanted to clarify.
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I thought Kaleidoscope doesn't come out til next week?
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You guys obviously missed this. :)
Review: https://www.wpapu.com/rev074.html
It is hard to believe it’s only been four and a half years since The Whirlwind. After waiting eight years between Transatlantic’s second and third albums, the fourth seems to have come up rather quickly. Perhaps the difference was the band staying somewhat active in the period between studio releases this time, perhaps it was better scheduling, but whatever the case may be, Roine Stolt, Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy and Pete Trewavas have returned with the new album, Kaleidoscope.
It will come as no surprise to fans of the band that the opening piece, “Into the Blue” is twenty five minutes long. The band at this point has become a flagship band for the longer songs that progressive rock is known for. “Into the Blue” along with the thirty two minute closing piece and title track “Kaleidoscope” make up the bulk of the album, and together feature songwriting that seems slightly more driven by Neal Morse’s input than the previous release “The Whirlwind”. Both tracks, especially parts of “Into the Blue” seem to have a strong influence from classic Yes and Genesis. Along with the track lengths, certain other aspects of the two epic tracks, and in fact the whole album will feel familiar to fans of the band: First, the lyrics, while not as clearly religious as on Morse’s solo work are still clearly spiritual, and the vocals are handled mainly by Morse, with Stolt, Portnoy, and Trewavas contributing in descending amounts. The one amazing surprise in “Into the Blue” is a few excellently done lines of vocals from longtime live member of the band Daniel Gildenlow. That same movement of the song also features the first of many excellent solos on the album from Roine Stolt. The song ends much as it began, with a classic prog reprise to the second and most memorable movement.
The next track, “Shine” is a classic ballad, and the one chosen as the lead video from the album. Though the track is perhaps a tad too long and repetitive, strong vocals from Morse and Roine, and the most stunning guitar solo of the album certainly help distract from any other issues. The third track, “Black as the Sky” ended up fulfilling what I felt was something this album needed, and is what I found to be the best on the album. The song sees the epic, prog loving band keep things short, simple, and rocking. While not necessarily metal by any means, the song just drives forward at a great pace, has a great chorus, and beautifully features the talents of four amazing musicians wonderfully crammed into seven minutes. The fourth track, and last of the shorter pieces, “Beyond the Sun” harkens back to the very simple, vocal driven ballad that was “Bridge Across Forever”. One part piano, one part slide guitar, and one part Morse’s emotional vocals make up the formula for most of this song, which is a breather before the epic conclusion to the album.
“Kaleidoscope” starts, perhaps expectedly with an instrumental overture, that along with the earlier track “Black as the Sky” highlights what is perhaps one of the highlights of this album. Along with some of his great more atmospheric work, Morse came up with some fantastic more up-tempo keyboard leads for this album. Those leads, along with Stolt’s guitar work, really help create a one-two punch of hooks as far as the instrumental work on the album is concerned. As a whole I found the song “Kaleidoscope” to be the stronger of the two epics, I can certainly see that question as a subject of debate amongst fans for years to come. Both tracks sound new, and to a degree fresh, but there is certainly no big departure from what fans have come to expect from Transatlantic.
Through all of this I’ve made little mention of drummer Mike Portnoy or bassist Pete Trewavas, and there is a reason for that. As has often been the case the pair made a perfect supporting cast for this album. Both played as we’ve come to expect, and both gave the songs, especially the epics, just what they needed to compliment what Morse and Stolt seemed to be trying to accomplish. The sound of this album, as with the similarly crafted previous effort is crisp and clear, and for the fan with a little extra to spend it is offered in a plethora of formats including a bonus covers CD, vinyl, an artbook, and with a songbook for musicians who will want to learn the album. While I don’t see this as the best effort to date from these four amazing musicians, it is certainly strong enough to reside alongside the incredibly strong catalog they have delivered thus far.
Nick’s grade: A-
When it comes to expectations from a band, it is quite possible that Transatlantic has a higher bar than any other band I follow. All three of their previous albums would probably make my top 50, and so putting a fourth album in that stratosphere would be akin to making two hole in ones during a single round of golf. As unfair as that expectation is, that is pretty much where it was heading into the album. I won’t go into the specifics that Nick has already covered, but I will give a few additional thoughts on Kaleidoscope.
This review is probably going to sound much more negative than it is intended. Don’t get me wrong, Kaleidoscope is a very good album; however it was clearly not in the rarified air of their previous albums. Unlike the previous albums, Kaleidoscope did not seem to feature a balance of creative power, and at times felt more like a Neal Morse solo album than a Transatlantic album. “Into the Blue” lacked that really special moment that all the previous Transatlantic epics have, and unlike the other opening tracks, did not have a “grab me by the short and curlies” moment and this leaves the song as the weakest epic from the band to date. “Shine” similarly falls short of excellence in my eyes, but since that track has been released, you can draw your own conclusions. “Black is the Sky”, however, takes the title for best non-epic Transatlantic song including the four on the Whirlwind bonus disc (but taking Whirlwind as one song). “Beyond the Sun” doesn’t really even register for me when I’m listening; it feels like a filler piece to hold over to the title track. When I'm not listening to the album, but I think about it, my mind immediately recalls the melodies of the title track. "Kaleidoscope" encompasses everything in a song you expect from Transatlantic, and sees the album finish strongly.
One of the things I really liked in this album was the use of recurring themes. You will hear little pieces of one song in the other songs, and it helps make the whole listening experience cohesive. My biggest complaint is that at times it lacks the mutli-songwriter dynamic I alluded to earlier. While Neal and Roine do shine in their spots, Mike and Pete take more of a backseat than they ever have, which I feel Nick implied in his review without stating it. Like I said, this is a very good album – but what the listener needs to brace themself for is that this is not what we have come to expect. This is the only Transatlantic album that had to grow on me, all the others wowed me from the first listen. It has probably the weakest epic in “Into the Blue”, and weakest short songs in “Shine” and “Beyond the Sun”. “Black is the Sky” and “Kaleidoscope” are certainly what one comes to expect from this super group. While any Transatlantic fan will like this, I don’t think anyone will ever consider this a classic, or even a great album. Very good is a fair and apt description for what was my most anticipated album. I’m still looking forward to the covers, which I suspect will excellent.
Dr. DTVT’s grade: B+
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You guys obviously missed this. :)
No, we talked about it earlier. In fact I questioned how you both could bring up the negative issues but still give it a high passing mark and wondered how you grade your reviews. It doesn't seem that you break anything down by numbers but neither reviews wording (to me) sounded like it was a B+ or A- grade, lower in fact.
Eg: Dr. DTVT calls "Into the Blue" the weakest epic to date from the band, but still gives the album as a whole a B+? The epic is something like 40% of the disc's total length is it not?
In fact, he doesn't like Into The Blue, Shine or Beyond the Sun very much. That's over 50% of the disc, yet a B+ is still called for?
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You guys obviously missed this. :)
No, we talked about it earlier. In fact I questioned how you both could bring up the negative issues but still give it a high passing mark and wondered how you grade your reviews. It doesn't seem that you break anything down by numbers but neither reviews wording (to me) sounded like it was a B+ or A- grade, lower in fact.
I was actually addressing Rumby and Orbert, so my apologies. I still find the new album to be a really solid album. While two of the shorter tracks had negative comments about them, realize that at the end of the day they combined only make up a small fraction of the album. The one shorter track is one of the best things they've ever done, the title track is really fantastic, and the opener is strong as well. It's a really good album, it's just not a particularly special one from a TA point of view.
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You can still find faults in good work. I won't speak for Nick, but a B+ album is going to be just outside my top 20%. For me, that means it is not a top 200 album. I expect the reader to be familiar with Transatlantic since I write for a prog oriented crowd. My goal was to try to temper expectations versus reality, because for me, those two rarely met for me this album. This was my most anticipated album for the year and in all honesty it fell well short of my expectations (on par with the first three). That doesn't mean it is bad, but it is not great either.
I have somewhere to be now, but I will try to answer any other questions you have.
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I basically forgot that we have people here who review albums and get advance copies. More than one person was commenting on the new album, and I thought maybe I'd missed the release date.
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You can still find faults in good work.
Sure can, but when you don't like 50% of the work I don't see how a B+ is warranted, period.
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I basically forgot that we have people here who review albums and get advance copies. More than one person was commenting on the new album, and I thought maybe I'd missed the release date.
I should start reviewing stuff. I could stand to get a few advance copies of some albums...
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OK, kind of an odd question that maybe nobody knows the answer to. I purchased the VIP to the Chicago show. I've really received nothing other than an e-mail verification that I ordered it. Do I just print that off and bring it to the show? And can I bring a camera and stuff to be signed and not worry about it being taken away? I'm new to this stuff.
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You can still find faults in good work.
Sure can, but when you don't like 50% of the work I don't see how a B+ is warranted, period.
I really don't see how those two things are mutually exclusive. Taking TA's first album as an example, I don't like In Held T'was I. At all. I never listen to it. It's not a bad song. I just don't enjoy it. I'd probably give it a C or C- if I were using that grading scale. It's about 22.5% of the album, lenthwise. Given that I think Mystery Train is a B, My New World is a B+, and the other two songs are A's, what should my overall rating be? I can tell you that it's probably about an A-. In Held doesn't drag down the overall album for me. I love the other tracks enough, and the album holds together so well as a whole, that I have to rank it that high.
I don't see DTVT's rating/review to be much different. If it's a good album, it's a good album, even if he isn't in love with parts of one long song on the album.
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Mindflux, you are over extrapolating my words. I said they were the weakest amongst Transatlantic songs, I didn't say they were bad.
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Well lets use a 0-5 scale. 0 Being Bieber,5 being Epic.
1) He calls Into the Blue the weakest epic to date. Lets assume that's still a 3/5, because hey it's till a prog epic.
2) He says Shine falls short in his eyes. So maybe a 2/5. He doesn't really say anything redeeming about it.
3) Beyond the Sun, for him "doesn't even register". This is a 1/5, because hey they put chords together in a way that sounded like music.
4) Black is the sky "Best non epic track". 5/5
5) Lets assume the last track is a 5/5.
So we've got a total of 5 tracks for a maximum high score of 25, But we scored a a 16 of 25. That's a 64% grade, which isn't even a C.
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Might I suggest simply leaving such detailed analysis for the actual album, as opposed to a review of the album? For better or worse I can tell you, Mason tends to point out the things he doesn't like more than the things he does, whereas I am often the opposite. In addition I'm a chump when it comes to grading as I tend to love everything, whereas if Mason says B+, you can rest pretty well that that's where it belongs in his mind, and will for a long while.
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Might I suggest simply leaving such detailed analysis for the actual album, as opposed to a review of the album? For better or worse I can tell you, Mason tends to point out the things he doesn't like more than the things he does, whereas I am often the opposite. In addition I'm a chump when it comes to grading as I tend to love everything, whereas if Mason says B+, you can rest pretty well that that's where it belongs in his mind, and will for a long while.
I give this post 9/10.
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Might I suggest simply leaving such detailed analysis for the actual album, as opposed to a review of the album? For better or worse I can tell you, Mason tends to point out the things he doesn't like more than the things he does, whereas I am often the opposite. In addition I'm a chump when it comes to grading as I tend to love everything, whereas if Mason says B+, you can rest pretty well that that's where it belongs in his mind, and will for a long while.
I'm not grading his review, I'm trying to understand how one can dislike 50% of the album enough to bring it up and still give the thing a B+. Sounds like it was graded on a curve. Which is also why we have so many high school and college graduates that haven't a clue about what they learned in school because suddenly a 64% (a D) suddenly becomes a B.
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Might I suggest simply leaving such detailed analysis for the actual album, as opposed to a review of the album? For better or worse I can tell you, Mason tends to point out the things he doesn't like more than the things he does, whereas I am often the opposite. In addition I'm a chump when it comes to grading as I tend to love everything, whereas if Mason says B+, you can rest pretty well that that's where it belongs in his mind, and will for a long while.
I give this post 9/10.
10/10 would read again.
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Well lets use a 0-5 scale. 0 Being Bieber,5 being Epic.
1) He calls Into the Blue the weakest epic to date. Lets assume that's still a 3/5, because hey it's till a prog epic.
2) He says Shine falls short in his eyes. So maybe a 2/5. He doesn't really say anything redeeming about it.
3) Beyond the Sun, for him "doesn't even register". This is a 1/5, because hey they put chords together in a way that sounded like music.
4) Black is the sky "Best non epic track". 5/5
5) Lets assume the last track is a 5/5.
So we've got a total of 5 tracks for a maximum high score of 25, But we scored a a 16 of 25. That's a 64% grade, which isn't even a C.
True, but you're not taking the song's length/percentage of the album total into consideration. Going by their length, you have to change their grading by giving the longer songs more weight. Let's say you give a point for every minute, and use the score out of 5 to give a score for each song based on their minutes/points:
Into The Blue - 15/25
Shine - 3/7.5
Black As The Sky - 6.75/6.75
Beyond The Sun - 0.9/4.5
Kaleidoscope - 32/32
Add that all up and we get - 57.65/75.75 = 0.7610 - which would equal a 76.1% grade, a mid-C, almost a C+ depending on how you want to look at where the "+" comes in.
In that case, it is definitely a C.
-Marc.
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1/10, would not read again.
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In that case, it is definitely a C.
-Marc.
Which is still a far cry from a B+. That's why I was asking if the grades are arbitrary, because I've never seen a clear cut grading scale on WPAPU. It's just a "lets type some words and wing the grade" or is there more to it?
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Just wanted to chime in with some religious lyrics. I don't know how you could miss these from On the Prowl.
"Break the banks - fill them with fear
Will they turn to me or turn to something here?
But listen through the wind you'll hear him now
Working wonders though we know not how
Before we're raised up he's got to break us down"
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1/10, would not read again.
0/10. Bieber.
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https://www.wpapu.com/Grades.html
Also, it's worth noting, that at the end of the day, when you're talking about music, some things are going to seem arbitrary. In my reviews I try to give people a flavor for the album, and help set up expectations for what it will or will not be. Of course there is commentary on good and bad, and the grade, but that's my opinion, and I don't like that being the only focus. The fact that we're talking about the grade this much, and that's what you've latched onto makes me feel like it's a bad review more than most else would.
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(https://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag94/ShadowNinja38/srsly_zpsa8831c9f.gif)
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https://www.wpapu.com/Grades.html
But how do you quantify those on a per track basis when you are reviewing? In Mason's case suddenly a 5/5 on one track becomes a 10/5 because it's so glorious while others are a complete miss, thus bringing the score up?
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In that case, it is definitely a C.
-Marc.
Which is still a far cry from a B+.
True, but we're basing that on a purely mathematical analysis - there's also how the album is perceived as a whole, and one's own personal enjoyment, which cannot be formulated with numbers. Even fans who don't enjoy everything on a album can still find the whole thing enjoyable enough to give the album a higher-than-expected score.
-Marc.
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https://www.wpapu.com/Grades.html
But how do you quantify those on a per track basis when you are reviewing? In Mason's case suddenly a 5/5 on one track becomes a 10/5 because it's so glorious while others are a complete miss, thus bringing the score up?
You don't, as M said. We don't break it down, minute by minute, give each a grade, and then take the average of the minutes. You present your comments on everything you feel needs it, look back, take the album as a whole and assign it the grade you think it deserves. I won't tell you that it'll always make perfect sense, and I have gone back and changed my grades months later, but as of now I feel as a whole it's an A- album, and there really isn't much more to it than that.
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https://www.wpapu.com/Grades.html
But how do you quantify those on a per track basis when you are reviewing? In Mason's case suddenly a 5/5 on one track becomes a 10/5 because it's so glorious while others are a complete miss, thus bringing the score up?
You don't, as M said. We don't break it down, minute by minute, give each a grade, and then take the average of the minutes. You present your comments on everything you feel needs it, look back, take the album as a whole and assign it the grade you think it deserves. I won't tell you that it'll always make perfect sense, and I have gone back and changed my grades months later, but as of now I feel as a whole it's an A- album, and there really isn't much more to it than that.
Precisely this! Grading an album isn't like grading an exam, or even meat, it's like offering your own personal opinion using a known-system as a reference to be able offer your thoughts in a manner that can make sense, leading towards the goal of saying whether or not an album is worthy of being suggested to fans, new or old.
Remember, music is all about what it makes us feel, and that's different for everyone, as are our perceptions of said music and our abilities to convey our feelings to others.
-Marc.
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Well lets use a 0-5 scale. 0 Being Bieber,5 being Epic.
1) He calls Into the Blue the weakest epic to date. Lets assume that's still a 3/5, because hey it's till a prog epic.
2) He says Shine falls short in his eyes. So maybe a 2/5. He doesn't really say anything redeeming about it.
3) Beyond the Sun, for him "doesn't even register". This is a 1/5, because hey they put chords together in a way that sounded like music.
4) Black is the sky "Best non epic track". 5/5
5) Lets assume the last track is a 5/5.
So we've got a total of 5 tracks for a maximum high score of 25, But we scored a a 16 of 25. That's a 64% grade, which isn't even a C.
There's really no need to read so deep into it. From Doc's review:
This review is probably going to sound much more negative than it is intended. Don’t get me wrong, Kaleidoscope is a very good album
Problem solved, B+ ranking justified, end of story.
That being said, if you're gonna overanalyze, at least do it properly. According to your analysis, Doc likes Beyond the Sun only slightly better than Justin Beiber. I'm pretty sure he didn't say it was only slightly better than Justin Beiber. Do you really think that's a good assumption to make?
1. 'Weakest epic' = 3/5? Where are you getting that math? Maybe he just really loves all of their epics, and even the weakest one is a 4.5/5.
2. 'Falls short' = 2/5? Again, where are you getting that math? What if most TA songs are 4.5/5 for him? Then Shine could be a 4/5 and still 'fall short in his eyes.'
3. 'Doesn't even register' = 1/5? Maybe it doesn't stand out to him when he's listening to the whole album but he does enjoy it when he listens to it by itself. Could be a 3/5 for all we know.
4. 5/5, no argument.
5. 5/5, no argument.
Your arbitrary number assignments came up with a score of 16/25, but my arbitrary number assignments came up with a score of 21.5/25. That's an 86% grade.
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Justin Bieber rocks, bro. I have all his albums.
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Well lets use a 0-5 scale. 0 Being Bieber,5 being Epic.
1) He calls Into the Blue the weakest epic to date. Lets assume that's still a 3/5, because hey it's till a prog epic.
2) He says Shine falls short in his eyes. So maybe a 2/5. He doesn't really say anything redeeming about it.
3) Beyond the Sun, for him "doesn't even register". This is a 1/5, because hey they put chords together in a way that sounded like music.
4) Black is the sky "Best non epic track". 5/5
5) Lets assume the last track is a 5/5.
So we've got a total of 5 tracks for a maximum high score of 25, But we scored a a 16 of 25. That's a 64% grade, which isn't even a C.
There's really no need to read so deep into it. From Doc's review:
This review is probably going to sound much more negative than it is intended. Don’t get me wrong, Kaleidoscope is a very good album
Problem solved, B+ ranking justified, end of story.
That being said, if you're gonna overanalyze, at least do it properly. According to your analysis, Doc likes Beyond the Sun only slightly better than Justin Beiber. I'm pretty sure he didn't say it was only slightly better than Justin Beiber. Do you really think that's a good assumption to make?
1. 'Weakest epic' = 3/5? Where are you getting that math? Maybe he just really loves all of their epics, and even the weakest one is a 4.5/5.
2. 'Falls short' = 2/5? Again, where are you getting that math? What if most TA songs are 4.5/5 for him? Then Shine could be a 4/5 and still 'fall short in his eyes.'
3. 'Doesn't even register' = 1/5? Maybe it doesn't stand out to him when he's listening to the whole album but he does enjoy it when he listens to it by itself. Could be a 3/5 for all we know.
4. 5/5, no argument.
5. 5/5, no argument.
Your arbitrary number assignments came up with a score of 16/25, but my arbitrary number assignments came up with a score of 21.5/25. That's an 86% grade.
Where I getting my math? 2.5 out of 5 is middle ground (neither hate it or love it).
So 2/5 for falls short is appropriate.
Likewise 3/5 on the first track because it's still good but not a great epic. Above average rating.
1/5 doesn't even register still makes sense to me. Why would it ever be 3/5? He doesn't dig it.
I'm on my iPad so excuse my brief reply.
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i think the other problem with the grading scale is that A B C & D are each 10% of 100, but when you reach an F its everything below 60. so if you were to honestly split 5 grades over 100%, it wouldn't break down that way.
so while the grade might be arbitrary, so is the grading scale in the end
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So 2/5 for falls short is appropriate.
You're assuming that he means it falls short of 2.5. Maybe he means it falls short of the TA standard, which could be a 4.5.
1/5 doesn't even register still makes sense to me.
A 1/5 would be a song that registered negatively. For a song not to register at all, that would logically be a 2.5 - 'neither love it or hate it', in your own words.
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Isnt this thread about Transatlantic though
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......No..... ???
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First off, thank you for coming to my defense Jaffa. The main point I wanted to get across was that this album was not going to be like the first three, and I briefly explained why I felt this way (too much Neal Morse influence). I then mentioned that I liked the recurring themes as it tied the album together since it was something that the first two albums didn't really explore (I view The Whirlwind as one song because I prefer the live version to the studio version, and it is one track there). I had Nick's review when I wrote mine, so I didn't want to repeat too much. I've only written one gloat-fest of a review, and that was for Haken, which I love to death. Most bands I am happy with just a good album. Transatlantic is my superstar student and fairly or unfairly I expect more from them. I've praised one student for getting an 80 and chastised another for getting a 86 simply because the 80 student worked hard and was meeting their potential, and the student who got the 86 performed well below their standard.
In grading, most people don't fail. In an upper level course, about 20% of students will get an A, 40-50% will get a B, 20% will get a C, and the rest will get Ds and Fs. It is not a flat distribution, although it flattens out significantly for a freshman level class. I tend to think of prog and metal as an upper level class, not the intro level 101 class.
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I then mentioned that I liked the recurring themes as it tied the album together since it was something that the first two albums didn't really explore (I view The Whirlwind as one song because I prefer the live version to the studio version, and it is one track there).
I wouldn't say that Bridge Across Forever didn't do that - the three longer songs on the album all shared movements/themes between them. One song has at least one part/theme/motif that connects it to another of the two longer songs.
And if you tack on the real ending to "Suite Charlotte Pike" from the end of the album to the end of its song, you get a crazy sound fx outro (similar to the ending of DWTD) that goes well into "Bridge Across Forever". There's a lot of great theme-sharing across the whole album, and it's why it's one of my favorite albums of all time. There's a very cohesive feel to the whole thing with the whole sharing of themes across the album. The same definitely goes for The Whirlwind as well, and I appreciate that they used a theme from the main album epic in a shorter song with "For Such A Time" as well.
-Marc.
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It's much more pronounced on this album, and more memorable.
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I can't speak about Kaleidoscope yet, but even though I slightly prefer to the first two TA albums, The Whirlwind by far sounded like the most "full band" effort by Transatlantic so far. Sure, there were some moments that were very Neal Morse-ish, but there were plenty of moments that were very Roine Stolt-ish, too. It was the perfect mix. And since Neal tends to write in pretty much the same style with TA as he does on his solo albums, it is easy to detect which moments reek of Neal Morse. :lol
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I can't speak about Kaleidoscope yet, but even though I slightly prefer to the first two TA albums, The Whirlwind by far sounded like the most "full band" effort by Transatlantic so far. Sure, there were some moments that were very Neal Morse-ish, but there were plenty of moments that were very Roine Stolt-ish, too. It was the perfect mix. And since Neal tends to write in pretty much the same style with TA as he does on his solo albums, it is easy to detect which moments reek of Neal Morse. :lol
It's funny you bring this up because there were moments on the last two Neal Morse solo albums (Testimony 2 and Momentum) where I thought "Huh, this sounds a LOT like something Transatlantic would do" and it became the opposite of what I would've said about TA sounding like Morse.
And apparently, Neal HAD written a lot of music intended for TA back around 2011/2012 when he originally wanted them to get back together, but Mike and Pete were both busy, so it was pushed back even further to 2013 before their schedules could line up again. I remember listening to Neal's last two epics, "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End" and hearing a LOT of things that would have very well been written with Transatlantic in mind, rather than for his solo albums. For some, though, the two are nearly inseparable but, maybe it's just feelings I have about some of his music, I can kind of feel the difference. Maybe it's just me, though.
Either way, I do agree, The Whirlwind as a whole definitely had a more band-effort feel than the first two, and it seemed like it got better and better all the time. Heck, even Bridge Across Forever had more from Pete and Roine than the first album did, both musically and vocally. That brilliant theme in "Stranger In Your Soul" by Pete is one of the best things on the whole album.
I'd like to think that without the others, no one single musician in Transatlantic could pull off and put out the music they do. Neal comes CLOSE, but listening to TA and his solo albums side-by-side, I just feel the difference between Randy and Pete. Randy is great, by no means is he a bad or sub-par bassist, but their styles are a BIT different to my ears. And the guitars on Neal's solo albums lack the feel that Roine offers with his signature style and sound.
Maybe my super-fan-side is showing, but I really do believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts in this case.
-Marc.
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https://www.wpapu.com/Grades.html
But how do you quantify those on a per track basis when you are reviewing? In Mason's case suddenly a 5/5 on one track becomes a 10/5 because it's so glorious while others are a complete miss, thus bringing the score up?
Who on earth would rate an album by quantifying each track/minute and averaging them? I go by how the overall album makes me feel.
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Hi Mr. Portnoy!! You rock!!!!! See you on the first night in CA!!
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Hey Mike, I'm looking forward to hearing the new TA album.
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I'd like to think that without the others, no one single musician in Transatlantic could pull off and put out the music they do. Neal comes CLOSE, but listening to TA and his solo albums side-by-side, I just feel the difference between Randy and Pete. Randy is great, by no means is he a bad or sub-par bassist, but their styles are a BIT different to my ears. And the guitars on Neal's solo albums lack the feel that Roine offers with his signature style and sound.
I'm inclined to agree. Neal's music is fine, but it's very distinctively all coming from him, and while I like it, it doesn't grab me or pull me back very much. Whereas I find TA to be a completely different beast - more varied and engaging, and clearly a full-band thing.
I find it funny that some people find the Whirlwind to be apparently too much Neal, when Pete really stepped up and had a huge input on that album, more so than previously. The Whirlwind still has plenty of moments where I think "that bit is Neal, and that bit is Roine", but not as extensively as on the first two albums.
As for Kaleidoscope, I'm really looking forward to it! I heard most of the title track on Nick's radio show last night, and it was a lot to take in but there were some really cool bits in it. Pete has a lovely Pink Floyd-inspired vocal section that works really well. I can see the album getting quite a few spins while I try and digest it all.
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I don't think Doc's score was really that inconsistent with what he said - you can be highly critical, and still an easy grader.
However, Doc, you really should proofread your review next time. ;)
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Who on earth would rate an album by quantifying each track/minute and averaging them? I go by how the overall album makes me feel.
Nobody does. I didn't ask to quantify each minute. I asked to quantify a score based on how well the track performed.
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A 1/5 would be a song that registered negatively. For a song not to register at all, that would logically be a 2.5 - 'neither love it or hate it', in your own words.
To me "Didn't register" may as well be "unlistenable" (In the reviewers eyes). That's not a neutral stance.
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Not that I put a lot of stock in "official" reviews, but I do worry a bit about this new album. So far, Transatlantic is batting 1.000, as the first three albums all knocked it out of the park, but can they really keep it up? I am not saying I don't think this new album won't be really good, but will it be "holy shit, this is totally awesome in every way possible!" like the first three were? Time will tell...
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Not that I put a lot of stock in "official" reviews, but I do worry a bit about this new album. So far, Transatlantic is batting 1.000, as the first three albums all knocked it out of the park, but can they really keep it up? I am not saying I don't think this new album won't be really good, but will it be "holy shit, this is totally awesome in every way possible!" like the first three were? Time will tell...
I think the time they waited will help. Had they released an album a year or more ago as Neal and originally wanted, I think it would not have been received as well as this might be. It's been over 4 years since the last album, which is just enough time to settle down from it. And it's been long enough since Neal's last solo album that this won't seem to rushed in terms of his solo work and TA being too close together. The timing is right, so I hope this album really gets all the positive reception it can get and be another one that becomes a hit with fans everywhere.
-Marc.
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However, Doc, you really should proofread your review next time. ;)
That's Nick's job, as I proofread his. ;)
I am not saying I don't think this new album won't be really good, but will it be "holy shit, this is totally awesome in every way possible!" like the first three were?
Kev, my review was written for people like you, because I feel the same way about the first three albums. I'm just trying to soften the blow.
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However, Doc, you really should proofread your review next time. ;)
That's Nick's job, as I proofread his. ;)
Dammit, Nick >:(
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A 1/5 would be a song that registered negatively. For a song not to register at all, that would logically be a 2.5 - 'neither love it or hate it', in your own words.
To me "Didn't register" may as well be "unlistenable" (In the reviewers eyes). That's not a neutral stance.
But those two phrases don't mean the same thing at all. Again, 'unlistenable' would mean that the song registered in a very negative way, not that it didn't register at all.
Anyway, not going to dwell on it any longer.
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Never cared about Transatlantic but gave this album a spin. It was pretty meh but Shine is horrid.
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Never cared about Transatlantic but gave this album a spin. It was pretty meh but Shine is horrid.
Is it streaming somewhere?
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I can't speak about Kaleidoscope yet, but even though I slightly prefer to the first two TA albums, The Whirlwind by far sounded like the most "full band" effort by Transatlantic so far. Sure, there were some moments that were very Neal Morse-ish, but there were plenty of moments that were very Roine Stolt-ish, too. It was the perfect mix. And since Neal tends to write in pretty much the same style with TA as he does on his solo albums, it is easy to detect which moments reek of Neal Morse. :lol
It's funny you bring this up because there were moments on the last two Neal Morse solo albums (Testimony 2 and Momentum) where I thought "Huh, this sounds a LOT like something Transatlantic would do" and it became the opposite of what I would've said about TA sounding like Morse.
I thought the same thing. Especially with "Testimony II"
As far as Neal's religiosity goes, it is what it is, folks. ***RANT WARNING*** Expecting him to do something different at this point is just unrealistic and is going to lead to disappointment after disappointment. Most of us Neal Morse fans (and I consider myself a Neal Morse fan) have come to accept that Neal's religion has become something that is profoundly important to him. And that importance manifests itself in the lyrics he writes. One thing I strongly prefer that musicians NOT do is something I call "shoehorning." (writing about topics that are meaningless to the writer) In my opinion, Neal Morse (and any musicians for that matter) should write songs and music that move him, that he connects to in a personal way. It's pretty much how all musicians who write music typically compose. I know that the music I write and the lyrics I write are usually a reflection of experiences I've had or something I believe in strongly. I think all of the best music is music that is written from the heart. Music that is personal, introspective, contemplative...these are all elements that usually typify all of the songs we all talk about with superlatives like "amazing" or "incredible."
Songs about drinking whiskey and banging chicks? eh, you know, not so much. ::)
So if Neal Morse writes music and lyrics that convey his thoughts and feelings, it's probably a little unfair of fans to criticize the guy for being true to himself and what he believes. Doesn't matter if I think he's misguided, delusional or a genius, I'm pretty sure Neal Morse is going to keep writing music and lyrics that deal with the topic of his spiritual journey. I dunno, I just think, after more than a decade of material from the guy it should come as no surprise to anyone that his lyrics have a spiritual or religious slant to them.
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^ If there were a "like" button, I'd like the crap out of that.
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^ If there were a "like" button, I'd like the crap out of that.
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My frustration, and I think it is shared by others, isn't that Neal Morse is writing how Neal Morse is going to tend to write. It's that unlike his solo work, Transatlantic has a special touch in the blending of 4 great minds, and it's sad when an album seems to lose that because Neal is so dominant. And I'm not even saying that would be Neal's fault, as it could very well be the other guys not taking a strong enough role. Realize, at the end of the day I have really been enjoying the new album, but one epic and two shorter tracks just feel like they belong on a solo album.
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I don't know, Neal's solo work has never grabbed me, but I love everything Transatlantic does. In my mind, at least, there is a very clear difference.
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My frustration, and I think it is shared by others, isn't that Neal Morse is writing how Neal Morse is going to tend to write. It's that unlike his solo work, Transatlantic has a special touch in the blending of 4 great minds, and it's sad when an album seems to lose that because Neal is so dominant. And I'm not even saying that would be Neal's fault, as it could very well be the other guys not taking a strong enough role. Realize, at the end of the day I have really been enjoying the new album, but one epic and two shorter tracks just feel like they belong on a solo album.
Similar to my issue. When Transatlantic were on that major hiatus between BAF and Whirlwind, there was an interview with Roine where he said that while he was proud of the music Transatlantic made, he also wished they would have further progressed beyond the classic prog sound into something more experimental. But ever since the band became active again, it's been very clear that they're confined to Morse's brand of retro prog. Which is fine, but I will always wonder why they've never branched out, especially since Roine seems to have wanted them to.
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They do branch out a bit, it just happens to be in the form of "Black as the Sky", which I had very high praise of.
Also:
My frustration, and I think it is shared by others, isn't that Neal Morse is writing how Neal Morse is going to tend to write. It's that unlike his solo work, Transatlantic has a special touch in the blending of 4 great minds, and it's sad when an album seems to lose that because Neal is so dominant. And I'm not even saying that would be Neal's fault, as it could very well be the other guys not taking a strong enough role. Realize, at the end of the day I have really been enjoying the new album, but one epic and two shorter tracks just feel like they belong on a solo album.
Nail, meet hammer.
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My frustration, and I think it is shared by others, isn't that Neal Morse is writing how Neal Morse is going to tend to write. It's that unlike his solo work, Transatlantic has a special touch in the blending of 4 great minds, and it's sad when an album seems to lose that because Neal is so dominant. And I'm not even saying that would be Neal's fault, as it could very well be the other guys not taking a strong enough role. Realize, at the end of the day I have really been enjoying the new album, but one epic and two shorter tracks just feel like they belong on a solo album.
Similar to my issue. When Transatlantic were on that major hiatus between BAF and Whirlwind, there was an interview with Roine where he said that while he was proud of the music Transatlantic made, he also wished they would have further progressed beyond the classic prog sound into something more experimental. But ever since the band became active again, it's been very clear that they're confined to Morse's brand of retro prog. Which is fine, but I will always wonder why they've never branched out, especially since Roine seems to have wanted them to.
Honestly, I think it's a matter of circumstance if I had to guess. Neal probably has the most music pre-done before the guys ever get together. They all fly and work for a short time in Neal's studio. Most of the work post-main meeting is done by Neal. Neal is the most passionate about getting his lyrical message out there. Unless forces act against this, it's just natural that things are going to sound like a Neal record to some degree.
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I don't know, Neal's solo work has never grabbed me, but I love everything Transatlantic does. In my mind, at least, there is a very clear difference.
For sure.
One, the TA sound has heavy influences by Roine Stolt, and while both operating in the symphonic rock swimming pool, Stolt and Morse's styles are not that similar. Perhaps a better way to put it would be to say that the differences in their styles are more than obvious. And when Roine sings, it often sounds like he is singing a song that could have been a TFK song, as opposed to it sounding like him singing a Neal solo song. And when TA does harmonies, it has that real band full sound, instead of Neal's solo harmonies, which almost always sound like Neal's voice overdubbed a bunch.
Two, Roine Stolt's guitar playing adds a major element that is not heard in Neal's solo work. Sure, Neal has had some great guitarist guest spots, even from Roine himself on the ? album, and Neal himself has really improved as an electric guitar player on his last few solo albums (since Roine helped him with some things on the Whirlwind tour), but there is still a massive difference between Roine's guitar playing and the overall guitar work on Neal's solo work. Not to mention that the mere presence of Roine seems to influence Neal to write stuff that is sometimes more guitar-driven, while his solo work is almost always keyboard-driven. Most of the time when you hear electric guitar in Neal's solo songs, it is lead stuff, but with Roine and TA, you get a ton of background stuff, more riffs, etc. It just adds so much more.
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Regarding Neal's religiosity, I can understand that it encompasses his life. But, two things:
1. Transatlantic isn't Neal Morse Solo. Well, now it essentially is, but the idea at some point was, as Nick pointed out, to have a blend of the participating musicians.
2. Maybe it's because I'm not religious, but I just can't fathom how a person can wish to talk/sing about the same fricking topic over and over again. I mean, Neal still will read the news I assume, he will still experience things that are not related to God or Jesus. Is it really killing the guy to talk about those things for once, especially when he's playing in a band whose other individuals might not participate in his rather extreme brand of religiousness?
As Nick aptly put it, "frustration" is really the best word. They can do whatever the hell they want, but it's a shame knowing the previous glory of the band, how it now is essentially just a Morse side project.
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I am guessing the other guys do not challenge him on anything lyric-related. Hell, Roine writes about a lot of spiritual stuff, although he writes about it in a much more general and less in-your-face way (than Neal's solo albums), so I am sure he is fine with what Neal writes. I don't know enough about Trewavas to know what his perspective is. As for Portnoy, considering the friendship he has with Neal, I am sure he is probably fine with just about anything Neal does (in the bottom line sense, as opposed to little things like song arrangement, vocal parts, etc., which I am sure they have their little friendly squabbles about, like any friends would in those instances).
But to touch on what KNH said earlier, it is no secret anymore that when Neal is a heavy writer in something, we know what the lyrics are usually gonna be about. We all know this. It is not a surprise or shocking. So, my friendly advice would be to a) deal with it and listen to the music, which is still almost always pretty great, or b) stop listening to his music altogether. :)
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Which I have really, for the most part. I will still listen to the first two. But Whirlwind is definitely now on the scrap heap, and I guess I'll let the new one run at least once, just for the off chance that it connects with me.
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Whirlwind is definitely now on the scrap heap
Wha? How???
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I had this conversation a month or so ago with a friend who is a big Spock's and first two TA albums fan. He has almost no interest in listening to, in his words, Neal "Jesus saves" lyrics. There are a handful of Neal solo songs that he does like enough to revisit here and there, and he did like some of The Whirlwind, but overall his love for any new music Neal Morse would do plummeted the minute he left Spock's Beard.
But, like I told him, even though I wish Neal would tone it down a bit at times, his music is just so damn good that I just don't care about him singing about the same thing over and over (although he does sing about different things, even if the general topic/message is often the same thing). He could sing the phone book and it would sound awesome to me. His music is what I call ear candy. :coolio
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I think Neal Morse is one of those musicians, like many others before, who thrive under constraints. When he was in SB he was forced to moderate and blend things, and it was the same with early TA. But when left without constraints it becomes one-dimensional, like a cook dumping a pound of curry into a dish, because he reaaally loves curry.
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They do branch out a bit, it just happens to be in the form of "Black as the Sky", which I had very high praise of.
Agreed. After a couple of listens that is my favorite song on the album by far.
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They do branch out a bit, it just happens to be in the form of "Black as the Sky", which I had very high praise of.
Agreed. After a couple of listens that is my favorite song on the album by far.
I agree. Favourite song so far.
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Every. Single. Time. >:(
But luckily I really don't care this time. I wanted the artbook, preferred that it be signed, so I ordered early -from Radiant- KNOWING FOR A FACT that I would NOT have it anywhere near release date. Radiant never disappoints in that regard ::)
Quoting myself here because I find myself in the position of.....
(https://www.salvospeak.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/eatcrow.gif)
Radiant Records delivered this time. I had a package waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55966936/pics/Transatlantic/TASwag_group.jpg)
Obviously I ordered early enough to get the autographed poster. :tup
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55966936/pics/Transatlantic/TASwag_Poster.jpg)
Can't wait to dig into the songbook...
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55966936/pics/Transatlantic/TASwag_Song_Book.jpg)
Shitty iPhone shots, sorry :\
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55966936/pics/Transatlantic/TASwag_Art_Book.jpg)
This is now the third "Art Book" style media purchase I've made, the other two being the Ayreon art book of "The Theory of Everything" and the Dream Theater art book package for "Dream Theater" and I've gotta tell you this Transatlantic art book is all kinds of awesome. :tup :metal
I've only had a chance to listen to the album one time through, and that was here at work with constant distractions and interruptions. I probably actually heard about 30% of it. So, I won't comment on the music until I've listened to it at least 3 times start to finish.
I hope others who bought different packages post some pictures, I'm particularly interested in seeing what they did with the LP
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Just recieved mine. Looks fantastic, although their is an error in the covers credits for Tin Soldier, it has 'and' twice.
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So, are we allowed to discuss the music yet? :P
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So, are we allowed to discuss the music yet? :P
Don't see why not, especially as plenty of people have been getting their orders today!
-Marc.
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So, are we allowed to discuss the music yet? :P
Only if you got it through legit means. :police:
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My stuff arrived today! Huzzah
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Daniel Gildenlöw apparently got attacked by some really dangerous bacteria, streptococcus group-A. Souded really creepy, glad he's okay though... Anyone else heard of this?
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My order hasn't even left America according to the tracking information... hopefully I get it within the next week
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The artwork is definitely very TFKesque. Which is good.
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Woo. Signed song book and signed poster.
I am pleased.
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Why's mine not coming till monday? Later UK release?
Plus i'm not even going to be in at all on monday, or tuesday... or wednesday... Damn amazon requiring a signature.
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Woo. Signed song book and signed poster.
I am pleased.
Songbook is signed too? Didn't think that was part of the promotion
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Really digging this album. For sure I like it more than the Whirlwind. Hard to compare it to Bridge Across Forever, as that album is more than awesome. The title track floors me, easily my favorite song on the album. The part of the song that Pete sings is magnificent. I've always liked Neal Morse solo stuff more than Transatlantic, but I'm thinking I may like this album at the moment more than I liked Momentum initially.
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Woo. Signed song book and signed poster.
I am pleased.
Songbook is signed too? Didn't think that was part of the promotion
It was if you are an inner circle member. Only signed by Neal, though.
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I'm kind of stunned at how little discussion of the actual music there is. :p I'm listening right now, so here's some stream-of-consciousness thoughts.
Into the Blue: Awesome, Transatlantic by the numbers. Gildenlow's vocal passage was a nice surprise, and the last 5 minutes really makes an impact. Good song, but preemptively I would only consider it slightly above My New World (my least favorite epic).
Shine: Heard it with the video a while back. Decent song, but not nearly as good as We All Need Some Light.
Black as the Sky: Oh man, this is really energetic and bouncy for them. This may well go down as the best non-epic TA song ever.
Beyond the Sun: Well, this was pretty unexciting. Typical piano ballad, I guess. Obvious comparison would be Bridge Across Forever.
Kaleidoscope: Man that intro made me pay attention right away. Only 3 minutes in and I can already tell this is going to be the best song on the album and easily join the elite ranks of "phenomenal Transatlantic epic." Also that part that starts around 23 minutes reminded me a hell of a lot of the crazy shit at the end of Is it Really Happening. Awesome fucking song.
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Looking forward to picking up the album. My ticket just arrived in the mail for the Seattle show.
I could strangle the guy responsible for scheduling the show on Super Bowl Sunday. :facepalm:
Still....the concert will be well after the game is over. I will probably just have to watch it at a sports bar in Everett instead of at home...which is a bit of a bummer.
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Shine Your Love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXXBuEfQskk
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Also that part that starts around 23 minutes reminded me a hell of a lot of the crazy shit at the end of Is it Really Happening.
Speaking of that section...and this is probably just me, but that has got to be some of the best shit any group has ever composed. It always wows me no matter how many times I spin it on repeat. Absolutely fucking amazing. :hefdaddy
Nice to hear your thoughts as well. My hopes are high for this one.
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Does anyone else hear the opening of Octavarium at the beginning for Into the Blue, or the beginning of Hell's Kitchen at around 9:05 in Kaleidoscope?
Maybe it's just me.
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So I had a chance to finally watch the Making Of Kaleidoscope DVD documentary today and I enjoyed it thoroughly! They don't cover every minute of the music they make, and in fact, they don't even show how they go about writing/arranging/recording "Shine" at all, although there's a lot of the "making of the music video" in there.
What I *did* really enjoy were the out-of-studio takes, mostly taken during meals, where they would be silly, but also talk business and you see them discover ideas that would end up on the album, even the album title itself!
The chemistry these guys have is amazing, and Neal even says at one point that he never has to worry about how an album will go when the four of them are together because he knows it will turn out amazing regardless, and boy is he ever right! We get to see/hear a lot of input from Roine and Pete this time around, regarding their demos and then their input on arrangements and parts of songs. We learn a lot about where songs, and parts of the epic songs, all come from (even if some of them are obvious, some of them aren't!).
I can't say I enjoy this documentary more than the one that came with The Whirlwind, which, I will admit, I have gone back to watch every now and then for pure enjoyment. I may watch this documentary a couple more times over the next couple months as I digest this album even more just to allow me to get even MORE intimate with it through its inception.
-Marc.
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After 2 or 3 spins, I have to say that Black is the sky and Kaleidoscope are awesome songs, Shine and Into the blue are decent songs, and Beyond the sun is just ok. I would rank the album as their worst, probably.
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I Got my copy! :D
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1. Black as the Sky
2. Kaleidoscope
3. Into the Blue
4. Shine
5. Beyond the Sun
I must say that Into the Blue seemed absolutely god-tier on my first listen, and I didnt like the title track at all. That changed quickly with repeated listed and Kaleidoscope clicked and I realized that Into the Blue was weaker than my first impressions led on.
That said, the incredible dynamic build-up from 12:58 - 16:25 in Into the Blue is one of the greatest musical moments ive heard in any song. Ever. :hefdaddy
This album also SOUNDS incredible. The louder you turn it up, the better it is. I highly recommend cranking it up loud in your car stereo while you drive :tup Kaleidoscope (track) totally clicked with me last night while driving through the blizzard here in PA. Its a fantastic song with no weak moments whatsoever. Pete's part (14:00-17:00) really brings a huge smile to my face, the Genesis vibe is strong.
Am I the only one who actually LIKES Neal's religious Jesus-freak lyrics?
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Lol, I like them too. Despite the name 'God' being used once, I personally feel like this album is less 'preachy' than the Whirlwind. But that could be an opinion thing.
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So far, I am really loving this. Big surprise there, I know. :lol :lol
I wasn't so sure about either long epic at first, but, as usual, those really long songs require many listens to get into, and it only took a few for them to really grab me. I won't dare try to compare them to the long epics from the first two albums yet, but both are pretty awesome and definitely worthy of the Transatlantic name.
Interestingly, despite never being that much of a Gildenlow fan, I was pretty blown away by the section in Into the Blue that he sings; that moment really stood out to me pretty quickly. Same goes for the section Trewavas sings in the title track. In fact, that whole middle part from around 8:35 to 17:00 is beyond awesome.
Black as the Sky is totally awesome, too. In fact, that was an instant grabber for me. I love that they did a relatively short rocker like that (if you can call a song nearly 7 minutes relatively short :lol).
Shine is still nice, and it sounds good in the context of the album, as I figured it would.
Beyond the Sun is also nice, and I suspect it will be similar to the Bridge Across Forever title track for me: nice mellow song that I won't listen to that much on its own, but will thoroughly enjoy within the flow of the record.
All in all, it sounds like Transatlantic has given us another 5-star record. :coolio :coolio :coolio
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Awesome. I hope to pick this up sometime before next year.
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Still waiting for my copy, but I've listened to the album a couple of times now. Not from start to finish, and I've never really been able to finish the title track in one go, which is a shame. Maybe mostly because of that I think Into The Blue is the best track on the album. I love the themes, the ending and I love Daniel (and his vocal part). Funny thing that Beyond the Sun and Bridge across Forever share (apart from each having 3 words and starting with a B) is that they IMO have a looot of repetitions of the name of the track. Not a bad thing per se, but that makes them twins, at least in my mind.
I'm hoping I'll find the time this week to crank the title track, and I hope I'll be able to do that while enjoying the deluxe edition.
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It's much more pronounced on this album, and more memorable.
In regards to themes shared throughout the album, I've heard/sensed a few of them by this point in time, after a couple dozen casual listens and a half-dozen full-on concentrated listens, but I just don't hear as many as BAF. Perhaps it's because BAF had named movements shared between it's three longest tracks, so they're more pronounced.
As for this new album, I hear the 7-note pattern in 7/8 (well in the songbook it's in 7/4, at least in "Into The Blue"), as well as the shared vocal parts between "Into The Blue" and the end of "Shine". Can anyone else point out any more?
-Marc.
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So far, I am really loving this. Big surprise there, I know. :lol :lol
I wasn't so sure about either long epic at first, but, as usual, those really long songs require many listens to get into, and it only took a few for them to really grab me. I won't dare try to compare them to the long epics from the first two albums yet, but both are pretty awesome and definitely worthy of the Transatlantic name.
Interestingly, despite never being that much of a Gildenlow fan, I was pretty blown away by the section in Into the Blue that he sings; that moment really stood out to me pretty quickly. Same goes for the section Trewavas sings in the title track. In fact, that whole middle part from around 8:35 to 17:00 is beyond awesome.
Black as the Sky is totally awesome, too. In fact, that was an instant grabber for me. I love that they did a relatively short rocker like that (if you can call a song nearly 7 minutes relatively short :lol).
Shine is still nice, and it sounds good in the context of the album, as I figured it would.
Beyond the Sun is also nice, and I suspect it will be similar to the Bridge Across Forever title track for me: nice mellow song that I won't listen to that much on its own, but will thoroughly enjoy within the flow of the record.
All in all, it sounds like Transatlantic has given us another 5-star record. :coolio :coolio :coolio
Very pleased to hear this! In general I'd say I'm a bit less picky than you, so when it comes to bands that we both like I take a lot of excitement from you reacting so positively to it.
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Hehe, cool! I can't imagine anyone who is a fan of the band already not loving this to pieces.
Also, the keyboard solo in that section of the title track that I referenced earlier, is totally rad. I've never really heard Neal do a keyboard solo like that, so that was pretty neat to hear something that different from him. It starts shortly after the 12-minute mark.
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The cello outro in Beyond The Sun is revisited again in the title track at 17:10 after Pete's vocal spot.
I am loving this entire recording. Can't wait to see it live in PA! :hefdaddy
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The cello outro in Beyond The Sun is revisited again in the title track at 17:10 after Pete's vocal spot.
I am loving this entire recording. Can't wait to see it live in PA! :hefdaddy
Hmmm, that sounds likely since, I believe, Neal has gone on to say that he felt like "Beyond The Sun" and "Kaleidoscope" were originally going to be one track but they were split, so the sharing of those themes makes sense.
Question - does "Black As The Sky" share any themes/motifs with any of the other songs?
-Marc.
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The cello outro in Beyond The Sun is revisited again in the title track at 17:10 after Pete's vocal spot.
I am loving this entire recording. Can't wait to see it live in PA! :hefdaddy
Hmmm, that sounds likely since, I believe, Neal has gone on to say that he felt like "Beyond The Sun" and "Kaleidoscope" were originally going to be one track but they were split, so the sharing of those themes makes sense.
Question - does "Black As The Sky" share any themes/motifs with any of the other songs?
-Marc.
I havent noticed any whatsoever, which is a bit of a shame. That would make the full-album experience just that much better.
And taking in the fact that they share a musical theme, the fact that one segues into the other rather seamlessly, and that they are paired together on one side of the vinyl, it only makes sense that Beyond the Sun and Kaleidoscope go together. In fact, i usually dont listen to one without the other.
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The cello outro in Beyond The Sun is revisited again in the title track at 17:10 after Pete's vocal spot.
I am loving this entire recording. Can't wait to see it live in PA! :hefdaddy
Hmmm, that sounds likely since, I believe, Neal has gone on to say that he felt like "Beyond The Sun" and "Kaleidoscope" were originally going to be one track but they were split, so the sharing of those themes makes sense.
Question - does "Black As The Sky" share any themes/motifs with any of the other songs?
-Marc.
I havent noticed any whatsoever, which is a bit of a shame. That would make the full-album experience just that much better.
And taking in the fact that they share a musical theme, the fact that one segues into the other rather seamlessly, and that they are paired together on one side of the vinyl, it only makes sense that Beyond the Sun and Kaleidoscope go together. In fact, i usually dont listen to one without the other.
Agreed - and no matter where they put those songs in the set list, I can bet they will be played back-to-back.
And speaking of the set list for the tour, if it is as long as the last tour's set, will they play the whole album? And if so, will it be all in one go in the 1st set?
I wouldn't mind them playing the whole album in one go for the first set of the show, but maybe breaking it up with other classic Transatlantic songs might be a good thing. I bet they will open with "Into The Blue", though.
-Marc.
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I could see a set list something like this:
Set 1
Into the Blue
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
All of the Above
Set 2
Whirlwind medley (20-25 minutes)
Shine
Suite Charlotte Pike
Beyond the Sun
Kaleidoscope
Encore
Stranger in Your Soul
Or maybe make the Whirlwind medley longer and chuck Suite Charlotte Pike.
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I could see a set list something like this:
Set 1
Into the Blue
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
All of the Above
Set 2
Whirlwind medley (20-25 minutes)
Shine
Suite Charlotte Pike
Beyond the Sun
Kaleidoscope
Encore
Stranger in Your Soul
Or maybe make the Whirlwind medley longer and chuck Suite Charlotte Pike.
It would be neat if they opened with the first couple parts of "The Whirlwind" in the first set, then go in to "Into The Blue". Then close the 2nd set with "Is It Really Happening?" and "Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise)" as a sort of book-ending for the main show. Then encore with "Kaleidoscope" or "All Of The Above".
Also, "Suite Charlotte Pike", "My New World" and "Mystery Train" all need to return. Either way, I wonder how much of "The Whirlwind" will be played, or if any of the Bonus Disc Originals will be played.
-Marc.
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So I'm embarrassed to admit this is one DT-related side project that I've never tried. :blush With all this talk of the new CD, though, I may need to rectify that. Any suggestions on which release is the best entry into Transatlantic's stuff? Start with the new one or go back to one of the others? :huh:
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You pretty much cannot wrong with any of them, so throw a dart and let your journey begin!! :biggrin:
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The Whirlwind was my first one, and it is also my favorite.
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So I'm embarrassed to admit this is one DT-related side project that I've never tried. :blush With all this talk of the new CD, though, I may need to rectify that. Any suggestions on which release is the best entry into Transatlantic's stuff? Start with the new one or go back to one of the others? :huh:
You can really start on any of them and you'll be fine. They're all stellar. I started right from the beginning and worked my way chronologically. My personal favorite is Bridge Across Forever so if I were hard pressed for one sole recommendation, I'd say start there.
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Thanks, gang! :tup
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I think The Whirlwind is probably the most accessible. It's my favorite.
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I think The Whirlwind is probably the most accessible. It's my favorite.
:tup
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So far, I'm trying really hard to like it. There are some great Morsic melodies that really get to me, but a large portion of the epics and Shine just bog me down. I don't want to say that some parts are annoying, but it kind of breaks up the symphonic, melodic style that I like. For example, I really don't like the weird voice thing/Stolt vocals and Portnoy vocals part in Into the Blue, and there are 2 acoustic soft parts that take up another large portion of that song. Pete's vocals in Kaleidoscope is just really.. uh, not enjoyable to listen to in my opinion. The parts that I like are the beginnings and endings of the epics as well as the hard rock proggy instrumental parts. Black as the Sky and Beyond the Sun are okay.
Another thing that is prevalent here which plagues almost all prog records is the lack of smooth transitions. Often times the style is incredibly schizophrenic and difficult to follow, so I can't really get myself into the atmosphere of the songs. Compared to the other TA records, the placement and song structuring of buildups and alternating sections lack a certain magic to it. BAF had the uplifting lyrics and thematically memorable reprisals, Whirlwind had the cohesiveness yet adventurous style that took the listener on a journey. Overall it's still good, but I had really high expectations for Morse and crew.
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It would be neat if they opened with the first couple parts of "The Whirlwind" in the first set, then go in to "Into The Blue". Then close the 2nd set with "Is It Really Happening?" and "Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise)" as a sort of book-ending for the main show. Then encore with "Kaleidoscope" or "All Of The Above".
I had considered that they might do something along those lines. As I recall, DT split up ACoS and played it throughout a show to wonderful effect. Whirlwind would work pretty well like that, and they could omit some of the lesser tunes. At the same time, to really make it work you'd have to open the show with it and I don't think they're going to do that.
And I still think they play Spinning.
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It would be neat if they opened with the first couple parts of "The Whirlwind" in the first set, then go in to "Into The Blue". Then close the 2nd set with "Is It Really Happening?" and "Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise)" as a sort of book-ending for the main show. Then encore with "Kaleidoscope" or "All Of The Above".
I had considered that they might do something along those lines. As I recall, DT split up ACoS and played it throughout a show to wonderful effect. Whirlwind would work pretty well like that, and they could omit some of the lesser tunes. At the same time, to really make it work you'd have to open the show with it and I don't think they're going to do that.
And I still think they play Spinning.
Hmm maybe they could open the 2nd set with some of "The Whirlwind" and close with it, with a couple of their shorter tunes in the middle? Maybe "Spinning" or "For Such a Time", which has a theme from the main album in it already, so working it in to a medley would be pretty easy and neat!
The big question is...what will they encore with? "Stranger In Your Soul" or "All Of The Above"? Or something else entirely??
-Marc.
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So I'm embarrassed to admit this is one DT-related side project that I've never tried. :blush With all this talk of the new CD, though, I may need to rectify that. Any suggestions on which release is the best entry into Transatlantic's stuff? Start with the new one or go back to one of the others? :huh:
My first was the debut, but I agree with the others that you can start anywhere you like. I haven't heard the latest one though, vinyl still hasn't arrived in the mail :(
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I could see a set list something like this:
Set 1
Into the Blue
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
All of the Above
Set 2
Whirlwind medley (20-25 minutes)
Shine
Suite Charlotte Pike
Beyond the Sun
Kaleidoscope
Encore
Stranger in Your Soul
Or maybe make the Whirlwind medley longer and chuck Suite Charlotte Pike.
It would be neat if they opened with the first couple parts of "The Whirlwind" in the first set, then go in to "Into The Blue". Then close the 2nd set with "Is It Really Happening?" and "Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise)" as a sort of book-ending for the main show. Then encore with "Kaleidoscope" or "All Of The Above".
Also, "Suite Charlotte Pike", "My New World" and "Mystery Train" all need to return. Either way, I wonder how much of "The Whirlwind" will be played, or if any of the Bonus Disc Originals will be played.
-Marc.
I can see (mainly) Mike make a medley out of Charlotte again, and not with Beatles tunes, but with My New World and Mystery Train, or maybe even the Whirlwind second disc originals. That way making it another epic. I think the whole idea of playing 6 songs in an entire evening is part of TA.
Apart from that, they can't go wrong in terms of setlists. They have to play at least one of the 3 classic epics, Duel, Stranger or All of the Above, and one of those is enough for me to be happy with the setlist. I like your Whirlwind bookending idea, Marc, but I think it'll be more special if it bookended one set, instead of the main show.
So here's my take:
Set 1: 68:00
Whirlwind opening: I - Overture, II - The Wind Blew Them All Away 15:00
Into The Blue 25:00
Shine 8:00
Whirlwind ending: XI - Is It Really Happening, XII - Dancing With Eternal Glory 20:00
Set 2: 69:00
All of the Above 31:00
Black as the Sky 7:00
Suite Charlotte Medley (with Mystery Train and bits of My New World) 25:00
We All Need Some Light 6:00
Encore: 36:00
Beyond The Sun 4:00
Kaleidoscope 32:00
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The new album is out today in the UK, but isn't on Spotify yet. I think I'll pop via HMV on the way home in the hope that they have it so I can listen tonight!
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Honestly, if you ask me, The Man Can Feel, Out of the Night, and Rose Covered Glasses is by far the best 19 minutes of the Whirlwind suite, so that should be a part of any Whirlwind medley they do. I think they'll be playing enough other songs with big openings and big endings that having to play Overture/Whirlwind and/or Dancing with Eternal Glory won't be necessary.
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The new album is out today in the UK, but isn't on Spotify yet. I think I'll pop via HMV on the way home in the hope that they have it so I can listen tonight!
I think Morse is anti-Spotify, if not anti-Amazon too. None of his stuff is on Spotify, and very little of it is on amazon anymore. I remember with Momentum, you had to buy even digital downloads straight from Radiant.
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I may as well make a prediction. Into the Blue will open (it practically begs to be an opener I think). I think the long epics are almost too long to be an encore, so the encore will be a Whirlwind medley.
I would love to see Mystery Train live. I only saw them once before (last time in Chicago). Too many epics and not enough shorter songs for a live setting, imo. I wouldn't mind a cover thrown into the set as well.
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I could be wrong, but I think the odds of Is It Really Happening? being played are very low. I remember them saying that song was a bitch in rehearsals last time as far as getting the timing down, as they all have to be in perfect synch for it not to be a trainwreck, and with Ted Leonard now needing to learn all of the material they plan to play, for at least part of the tour, it doesn't make sense to play that and make him spend so much time getting down a 3-minute section just right, when there is nearly 3 hours worth of other music to get right. I suspect it wasn't gonna be played this tour anyway, and once Gildenlow got sick, any small chance it had probably went out the window.
Then again, like I said before, I could be dead wrong. :lol :lol
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The new album is out today in the UK, but isn't on Spotify yet. I think I'll pop via HMV on the way home in the hope that they have it so I can listen tonight!
I think Morse is anti-Spotify, if not anti-Amazon too. None of his stuff is on Spotify, and very little of it is on amazon anymore. I remember with Momentum, you had to buy even digital downloads straight from Radiant.
Well, that's lame. You're probably right though, as no TA albums are on Spotify, and they're not available for mp3 download on Amazon. The only version of Kaleidoscope that is on Amazon at all is the 2CD + DVD set which costs £17.
Pretty sucky attitude, that actually makes me feel less inclined to go out and buy the CD now.
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I just got the email from them about the new song video etc, and I looked at the tour schedule ... Wtf? Not a single concert in New England? I have a hard time imagining that they can draw enough crowd in Quebec City, but not New England.
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I checked Amazon, it looks like almost all of Neal's CDs are available there. ???
Is it just the downloads that he's against?
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I checked Amazon, it looks like almost all of Neal's CDs are available there. ???
Is it just the downloads that he's against?
I imagine so. The CDs are sold on exactly the same terms as they would be in a shop, so I'm not sure why he'd single out Amazon. But he may have a problem with digital downloads (or how Amazon processes them).
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I just searched a bit in the past about tour dates, and the 2010 TA tour did the same wide berth around New England. Same with any Neal Morse solo dates I could dig up.
What's the deal on that? Don't tell me that has some political or religious reasons. Because once you're in New York, you'll drive for 2 or 3 hours to Hartford, CT or Providence, RI, and scoop up all of New England essentially.
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The new album is out today in the UK, but isn't on Spotify yet. I think I'll pop via HMV on the way home in the hope that they have it so I can listen tonight!
I think Morse is anti-Spotify, if not anti-Amazon too. None of his stuff is on Spotify, and very little of it is on amazon anymore. I remember with Momentum, you had to buy even digital downloads straight from Radiant.
Well, that's lame. You're probably right though, as no TA albums are on Spotify, and they're not available for mp3 download on Amazon. The only version of Kaleidoscope that is on Amazon at all is the 2CD + DVD set which costs £17.
Pretty sucky attitude, that actually makes me feel less inclined to go out and buy the CD now.
Yeah, I basically won't buy Radiant stuff on principle, because I can't stand that attitude. Taking the hardline against Spotify is one thing, but taking it as far as Amazon MP3 and the like is just goofy. I'm not gonna buy anything Radiant direct, given their history.
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I just got the email from them about the new song video etc, and I looked at the tour schedule ... Wtf? Not a single concert in New England? I have a hard time imagining that they can draw enough crowd in Quebec City, but not New England.
Boo freaking hoo. Chicago is the only city in the Midwest they ever hit, and two of their six U.S. shows are in NY and Philly, so yeah, don't look for any sympathy from me. :biggrin:
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If religion played into it Rumby, I'd have front row seats here in S. Carolina.
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Haha, exactly. Transatlantic is playing zero shows in the Bible belt, so Neal must be letting his religious beliefs influence where they play. :lol :lol :lol
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No need to convert the already converted.
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:rollin :rollin
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I just got the email from them about the new song video etc, and I looked at the tour schedule ... Wtf? Not a single concert in New England? I have a hard time imagining that they can draw enough crowd in Quebec City, but not New England.
Boo freaking hoo. Chicago is the only city in the Midwest they ever hit, and two of their six U.S. shows are in NY and Philly, so yeah, don't look for any sympathy from me. :biggrin:
I think for many Midwestern states, it's simple demographics over geography that makes a lot of artists skip it. They can't turn a profit because no area on its own has enough fans to sell out a decent-sized venue.
But, if you're in New York City, leaving out a 14-million people area the size of Iowa, right north of New York, is kinda odd, to say the least. And I checked; TA, Neal solo, and Flying Colors, all turned around once they reached New York, or went on cities such as Quebec City.
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Okay, but NY isn't that far from much of the New England area. In fact, I believe it is a shorter drive for someone to drive from Boston to NYC than it is for me in St. Louis to drive to Chicago.
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It's a pretty nasty 5-hour drive from Boston, and more if you're in NH, VT or ME. For most people here Hartford and Providence is the cut-off point below which we don't go the concert anymore.
All I'm saying is, for Neal it's a 2-hour drive from New York to Hartford, and he'd be tapping into the New England fans. Barely any New England fan will haul their ass down to NY from here.
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Black As the Sky video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmKsVDUv9_4&feature=youtu.be
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Not bad, but I hate videos that have clips of artists singing something that clearly is not what is being sung in the song that is playing; that is distractingly annoying.
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I would love to see them, but I can't exactly drive out the Chicago on a Tuesday. :/
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Same here. We could have had a group of four that would have gone to see them, but with it being on a Tuesday, it just isn't feasible. :(
I gotta say, considering Chicago was probably the likely destination for any Transatlantic in the Midwest or, hell, the Bible belt (except for Easterners who could go to Philly or NY), scheduling it on a Tuesday was a major blunder.
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Man, I'm starting to feel bad. They're playing 40 mins from me on a Saturday, and I'm still really on the fence about it :/
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You should feel bad. There's guys wrestling with driving hours on a weeknight. 40 minutes on a Saturday is a no-brainer.
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Eh, I dunno. Seeing Whirld Tour was just such a complete experience, I almost have no desire to see it again and I don't think what they're doing this time around could top Whirld Tour either.
Plus, I hate the drive. Same with the DT show I'm skipping, unless you wanna go around the city (making it a 90 minute drive), as it stands it's only a 40 minute drive if you encounter no traffic on your route through Camden, NJ and north Philly. Not really the best places to be driving around at night, but Philly is an awful city.
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its nice and convenient for me, since i live in philly now the train to glenside is pretty easy. unfortunately the last train is at 1215, so for the sake of not getting stranded there i hope its no 4 hour show :lol
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its nice and convenient for me, since i live in philly now the train to glenside is pretty easy. unfortunately the last train is at 1215, so for the sake of not getting stranded there i hope its no 4 hour show :lol
Well if the last tour is any indication, it looks like it's going to be a 3-hour show, give or take. The live albums clocked in at about 180-190 minutes, and if there's a 15-20 minute intermission between sets, and a 5-minute break before the encore, you're looking at a show that's at least 210 minutes long.
-Marc.
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Just finished listening Kaleidoscope , and i wanna say that i think it is their best work; especially the guitar work is awesome... the title song features tremendous solos and into the blue has really cool progressive moments.The second CD which includes covers is pretty cool too,with and you and i and indiscipline,these guys really really love prog.
Highlights of the album;
Kaleidoscope,Shine,Nights in White Satin(yeap)
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Twice through the main album and it sounds good to me. Not too crazy about them giving Pete such a long lead vocal part, I admit I cringed a bit when I heard it.
But otherwise it sounds pretty great. :tup
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My review probably would let you guys know my general feelings, but does anybody disagree that Black as the Sky absolutely should have been the first release from this album instead of Shine?
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No way.
Shine is, in my opinion, best short song that translatlantic done,well maybe after The Wind Blew Them All Away,it is a great first release,while Black As Sky is my least favourite from the album,i think it's just a classic rocker, nothing more
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Considering that the people in the NE also have Amtrak to facilitate the thing, I'm not wholly sympathetic. Granted, Amtrak sucks, but it does beat driving and is damned reliable. Besides which, I'm freaking flying up there to see it, so not being willing to ride the train down seems even more bitchy. Try living in Texas. Closest we'll get to a TA or DT show is Denver; a miserable-ass 8 hour drive and you still wind up in Denver. :lol
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Living in Michigan (near Grand Rapids) I thought I was eternally screwed from ever seeing a good prog show since they only used to play on the west and east coasts. But TA came to Chicago last time and I made it. Going again this time. Hopefully the weather gets less sucky, it's been the worst winter I can remember for quite some time now. If the weather next week is like it is today, what should be a 3 hour drive will be more like an 8 hour white knuckle drive.
I passed on my one chance to see Neal solo, since it happened to be a concert with multiple bands and I didn't want to make the treck for a short Neal set and hours of stuff from bands I had never heard of.
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but does anybody disagree that Black as the Sky absolutely should have been the first release from this album instead of Shine?
I agree with you. Shine is nice, but Black as the Sky is totally rocking AND catchy, and that is more likely to draw in new fans.
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It's hard for me to travel with my job so I wish they played closer but I've got to think they are playing in the markets that they will make money. Hard to believe they couldn't here in Boston but maybe, I'm wrong.
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Really good album. Gets better with every listen.
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Just came back from Best Buy and they didn't have it. They said it don't get it until 2/4.. That's weird :-\ and I'm seeing them Friday, I guess I just have to buy it or listen to it electronically right now?
Edit: I'm in California btw
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Man, I'm starting to feel bad. They're playing 40 mins from me on a Saturday, and I'm still really on the fence about it :/
Suck it up. If I wanted to see them play, I'd have to go to another continent. :lol
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Are we confirmed to have 3 hour + shows on this tour?
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Just to confirm, is this album going to be release digitally at all? Or do you have to wait for Radiant or Amazon to ship it, or wait for Retailers to get it next week?
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Just came back from Best Buy and they didn't have it. They said it don't get it until 2/4.. That's weird :-\ and I'm seeing them Friday, I guess I just have to buy it or listen to it electronically right now?
Edit: I'm in California btw
I'm honestly surprised Best Buy would have it at all...though that is where I got my copy of Flying Colors so anything's possible. :lol
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Well they might not have it 2/4, but that's what they have as the release date.
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Well, remember - Flying Colors are signed to Mascot, not Radiant. Mascot seem to do a much better job at making sure music gets out there.
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Just came back from Best Buy and they didn't have it. They said it don't get it until 2/4.. That's weird :-\ and I'm seeing them Friday, I guess I just have to buy it or listen to it electronically right now?
Edit: I'm in California btw
2 glaring flaws in your plan:
1. Best Buy
2. New album release dates in the U.S. are Tuesdays, so they wouldn't have it today (Monday) anyway.
Not sure what BB's issue is, but I'm surprised they are showing it at all. I wouldn't expect them to carry this. I see that some U.S. shops are showing a release for the "import" vinyl of 2/4. But the CD comes out tomorrow.
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Are we confirmed to have 3 hour + shows on this tour?
Well seeing as how this tour is being billed as "An Even With", just like the Whirld Tour was in 2010, it stands to reason that the length of the show will be similar. We will definitely know in four nights from now!
The full-band rehearsals have begun as pics from the rehearsal room via Randy George have been posted on Facebook. All five musicians are working hard and Portnoy updated his status earlier saying "At 1st Transatlantic rehearsal: working on the "Written In Your Heart" section of INTO THE BLUE...one of my fav TA moments ever! #goosebumps".
I think it's very likely that they will play the whole album, either straight through in the first set, or across the whole show. No reason not to when you have 3+ hours to play!
-Marc.
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I might be wrong, obviously, but I think if Black As The Sky had vocals shared between Roine and Neal (well Neal sings but not really any lead parts imo), it probably would have been the first single. When I saw TA live in Chicago last tour, Neal had by far the biggest crowd reaction of any of the four members when he got onto the stage (well Mike was a close contender). I can't picture them doing a first single that doesn't feature Neal. Just my opinion, of course.
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Plus, I hate the drive. Same with the DT show I'm skipping, unless you wanna go around the city (making it a 90 minute drive), as it stands it's only a 40 minute drive if you encounter no traffic on your route through Camden, NJ and north Philly. Not really the best places to be driving around at night, but Philly is an awful city.
Jeez, I WISH I only had 90-minute drives for good shows. :\ I'll be driving 3.5 hours each way to see DT in April. :metal
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Agreed. I drive 40 minutes when I want to go hang out with some of my friends. It'd be a 6 hour drive for me--which I would do if it were a weekend show. :lol
Also, finally got the album in my hands and am listening for the first time now.
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Just came back from Best Buy and they didn't have it. They said it don't get it until 2/4.. That's weird :-\ and I'm seeing them Friday, I guess I just have to buy it or listen to it electronically right now?
Edit: I'm in California btw
2 glaring flaws in your plan:
1. Best Buy
2. New album release dates in the U.S. are Tuesdays, so they wouldn't have it today (Monday) anyway.
Not sure what BB's issue is, but I'm surprised they are showing it at all. I wouldn't expect them to carry this. I see that some U.S. shops are showing a release for the "import" vinyl of 2/4. But the CD comes out tomorrow.
Yea I thought new releases came Tuesday but I didn't see anything that said 1/28 as the release date.. I must not have been looking very closely because now that's one of the first things I see on google :lol
And it showed 2/4 on the screen for both vinyl and CD. I'll just pre-order for more obscure albums like this from now on I guess, that seems to be best when it's not DT themselves.
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Just to confirm, is this album going to be release digitally at all? Or do you have to wait for Radiant or Amazon to ship it, or wait for Retailers to get it next week?
Just saw this posted on FB from Mike Portnoy:
Mike Portnoy
It's after Midnight...Transatlantic's Kaleidoscope is officially out! Grab it from iTunes NOW:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kaleidoscope-kaleidoscope/id778563541
(also available is the digital Special Edition w 8 Bonus Cover Songs: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kaleidoscope-digital-special/id792847764)
Looks like all you guys had to do was wait until the release date for the digital purchases, at least through iTunes!
-Marc.
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iTunes sucks balls. How weird that Neal would be so anti-Amazon but happily support Apple. Anyone have a clue why that's the case?
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This is… …disappointing.
Firstly, let me make it clear that I’m not one of those people who feel the need to poo-poo new releases all over the internet. If anything, I’m aware that music like this grows on the listener with time, so if anything I’m more likely to be overly positive. I have only listened to it once, and while my expectations may well be too high after the splendid Whirlwind, I don’t think they’re too high.
There’s very little here that is original. Don’t get me wrong, I know TA is all about having fun with 70s prog tropes, and I don’t expect or want anything avant-garde, but this sounds like a “cut-and-paste” job from previous TA albums. The band seem to be on autopilot, not really trying. Into The Blue is a standard TA epic, I particularly like the bass line around the New Beginning section. Shine is lovely, but sounds like it was written to replace We All Need Some Light in the live show, much as Beyond the Sun is meant to replace Bridge Across Forever. Black as the Sky is the best thing on here, even if it does remind me of the Rain in Spokane section of Whirlwind.
But it’s the title track, Kaleidoscope, that I just don’t get. Frankly, Neal Morse needs to find a new subject matter to sing about (this is why I stopped listening to his otherwise excellent solo albums). Using a whirlwind as a metaphor was pretty interesting, and kept things fresh, and I would have expected something similar here – “God is like a kaleidoscope / you shake it up and it’s different everytime / but you only see a little piece of the picture…” sort of thing. But no. I like the Black Gold section, and the transition to the Walking the Road section (I’m one of the few who doesn’t mind Pete’s vocals here – he reminds me of Eric Woolfson from The Alan Parsons Project), but the whole thing lacks cohesion, and frankly Mr Morse, we’ve heard it all before. Please, please, please come up with something new, or at the very least a new way of presenting something old. And then, just to top it all off, it fades out. Like I said, disappointing. Hoping this significantly improves on repeated listens, but on first listen, it's got one hell of an uphill climb ahead.
Still looking forward to seeing them in March, but after the transcendent experience of the Whirl Tour, I suspect this will be a bit of a come-down. Just my $0.02, of course…
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iTunes sucks balls. How weird that Neal would be so anti-Amazon but happily support Apple. Anyone have a clue why that's the case?
It's probably just that TA's in house record label is needlessly keeping his cash close to the vest because Neal does not understand how people listen to and distribute music in the year 2014.
I have friends who have their albums up online for digital purchase. You don't make more from Amazon or iTunes as an artist, but it costs you money to keep an album up on the site for a year. Same goes for Spotify. So instead of putting out extra cash to put the albums on all three mediums, Neal probably figures it's no different to just chose one and let that one be the "digital option" for those fans - 'cause they don't really register with him, and he thinks most people want to buy (and wait) for the actual record anyway.
We saw the same confused mentality from the guy who ran the Levin Minneman Rudess record label awhile back, which only had iTunes as its digital distributor - just utter confusion and pretentiousness regarding how people are going to listen to music. Oh well.
Maybe I'll suck it up and buy the album on iTunes... maybe I won't. Looks like they want $11.99 for just a digital copy of the vanilla version. Did anyone say "Morse Tax"? Honestly, ugh. Like 20+ new albums are out today not counting various indies which cost less and allow me to listen to music how I want to, rather than forcing me to use iTunes. I might just move on - sucks, but I haven't been excited about the "singles" anyway, so maybe it's time.
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iTunes only? No dice. Unless I am mistaken that requires you to install iTunes on your computer, and that's not gonna happen.
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iTunes sucks balls. How weird that Neal would be so anti-Amazon but happily support Apple. Anyone have a clue why that's the case?
It could be something as mundane as him and the other guys being iPhone users. I've noticed that before that Apple users can sometimes be completely oblivious about the other technologies out there.
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It's hard for me to travel with my job so I wish they played closer but I've got to think they are playing in the markets that they will make money. Hard to believe they couldn't here in Boston but maybe, I'm wrong.
I don't know how popular Transatlantic is compared to Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings and Neal Morse, but I can tell you from first-hand information that those three bands all failed to break even when playing in this area. They didn't even come close. :(
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Just got this email from Neal/Radiant:
Hey there,
It's a EPIC day! This is the official release date for Transatlantic's Kaleidoscope Album. It's ALSO a epic day because today is the day the entire Kaleidoscope album is available for download at Radiant! The secrets out...this is an amazing album getting rave reviews EVERYWHERE! You can hear it full quality RIGHT NOW!
Take your pick: Download the full uncompressed AIFF files or MP3s of both the main disc and the bonus disc now. Click Here (https://www.radiantrecords.com/products/483-transatlantic-kaleidoscope.aspx)
There's your antiTunes alternative, folks! :tup And right from the source, too!
-Marc.
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Maybe I'll suck it up and buy the album on iTunes... maybe I won't. Looks like they want $11.99 for just a digital copy of the vanilla version. Did anyone say "Morse Tax"? Honestly, ugh. Like 20+ new albums are out today not counting various indies which cost less and allow me to listen to music how I want to, rather than forcing me to use iTunes. I might just move on - sucks, but I haven't been excited about the "singles" anyway, so maybe it's time.
"Morse Tax"? Doubtful - the Special Edition is only $9.99 on Radiant for MP3, and for AIFF files of the vanilla version. You can also get the Special Edition in AIFF for only $12.99.
I'm glad Radiant is charging less for their digital versions than iTunes. I rarely buy digital over physical, but even if I did, I wouldn't do it through iTunes, so I'm glad there's this alternative for many fans, AND at a very affordable price! I mean, come on, over 120 minutes of music for only $9.99? Can't beat that!
-Marc.
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"A" epic day?
Sounds like EPIC fail. :lol :lol :lol
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My package is still in Miami, btw. I originally wanted to hold off listening to it until I had the media book, but I'm glad I didn't! In the meantime my local CD store already had the same edition (a bit more expensive, fair enough) last thursday.
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Nice :tup
$9.99 to download the main album and bonus tracks is a steal, compared to iTunes. Neal's probably making more profit from it this way, anyway.
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Nice :tup
$9.99 to download the main album and bonus tracks is a steal, compared to iTunes after everyone elses cut. Neal's probably making more profit from it this way, anyway.
No, not probably. Definitely. Weird Al once said he makes something like 7c ( ?) per track sold on iTunes. Spotify gives artists something like a fraction of a penny per play too. So it's no wonder Neal doesn't care to be on there.
https://slashdot.org/story/06/06/15/0030209/how-itunes-hurts-weird-al
A lot of the links to the real articles are dead now.
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From what I understand, artists usually get around 30 cents per song download on iTunes and Amazon. 7 sounds way low.
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From what I understand, artists usually get around 30 cents per song download on iTunes and Amazon. 7 sounds way low.
7 sound high compared to the raw deal the Alman Bros seem to be getting (bolded for emphasis)
King of comic rock, Weird Al Yankovic says digital is a raw deal for artists like himself. When asked by a fan whether purchasing a conventional CD or buying a digital file via iTunes would net Yankovic more pocket money the artist answered on his website.
"I am extremely grateful for your support, no matter which format you choose to legally obtain my music in, so you should do whatever makes the most sense for you personally. But since you ASKED... I actually do get significantly more money from CD sales, as opposed to downloads. This is the one thing about my renegotiated record contract that never made much sense to me. It costs the label NOTHING for somebody to download an album (no manufacturing costs, shipping, or really any overhead of any kind) and yet the artist (me) winds up making less from it. Go figure."
It confuses me too Weird Al. I think you deserve at least an equal amount of compensation for each digital track sold as you would be entitled to for that same one track on CD.
As you said Al, "Go figure". I'm a big fan, you've given me a lot of fun music over the years, and I wanted to do what you said. So, I went and did the math.
Here's what I found out: (more after the jump)
According to DownhillBattle, Apple pays the labels $0.65 (some say its as high as $0.80) of the $0.99 cents paid for your song.
So, for an album with the average 12 songs, like your current release "Poodle Hat" which has exactly 12, Apple takes in $11.88. Apple sends the label $7.80. That's $4.08 cents for the boys in Cupertino. And, it might be a pretty reasonable split if you then received the whole $7.80. Apple would take 35% of your work, for developing the infrastructure that makes you able to sell it to millions of people while you sleep, instead of selling it to 5 people out of your van in the parking lot of Stuckey's. That's what we call a value equation. Apple did work, and got paid for it. You did an arguably larger portion of the work, by creating something people wanted to buy in the first place, so Apple got a little money, and you got a good deal more.
Unfortunately, that's not how this version of the universe operates. So Apple sends the check to your record label.
The record label takes that $7.80. And, let's face it, they had something to do with your making the album. In some cases, you may have even been contractually required to make another album, whether you felt like it or not. So, you could say that without the record company, you'd not have made an album at all. They paid for the production, and some marketing, and now they should get paid right along side of you as the artist. You created the music, they recorded it and packaged it, marketed and distributed it. Right?
Well, not exactly. First, many artists can record fantastic music of very high quality in their own home studios. So, for some artists the record label is more marketing firm than recording technician(or, the guy who pays for one). But if the record label paid for your recording they will take 100% of sales until the recording costs are re-imbursed. They'll also keep taking money until paid back for promotional costs, packaging design and more.
If you manage to break even, here's where the money just starts rolling in. Right? The label got their money back (by taking $7.80 of every $7.80 that Apple paid them) so, now they're going to start sending you most of the $7.80 per record they are receiving.
Not so fast. According to widely circulated data from the coverage of The Alman Brothers suit against Sony BMG, you could expect something like $45 of each thousand songs sold to be paid to you in royalties. That's around 4% of the amount paid to Apple for your work, and around 5.7% of what was paid to the label. For The Almans', that works out to $24,000 when taking Nielsen SoundScan data of 538,000 Almans' songs sold as downloads since mid-2002. I don't have SoundScan data on your sales, but I'm sure you do. So the labels and Apple got 96% and you got %4. And as you said, there were no packaging, shipping or storage costs for your album sold though iTunes.
I went to Amazon.com and found that your album is selling for $14.98. That's $3.10 more than iTunes, but you get an actual CD, liner notes and a snazzy jewel case. And, you actually own the CD. You're really just kinda leasing the songs with iTunes, but we'll save that for another time. Suffice it to say that I think $14.98 is a totally reasonable price.
If your deal with your record company is like The Alman Brothers, then you're getting something like $315.50 for those same 1,000 songs (83.3 CDs worth). That works out to $0.31 cents per song, instead of the $0.045 on a digital download.
Ouch! It turns out you were being more than kind to that fan by telling him to buy either format he wanted, you're losing $0.265 cents per song! . If all of your fans bought through iTunes rather than buying CDs at the record store you'd be looking at an overall reduction in income of 85%!
Eighty Five Percent! If they cut my income by 85%, I'd be making soup from old shoes down by the railroad tracks!
My advice is probably similar to what your accountant's would be. Tell your fans to buy a CD, your retirement income may depend on it.
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Anything from Radiant Records seems to live in bizarro land. MP3s encoded at 160kbps? AIFF format?
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From what I understand, artists usually get around 30 cents per song download on iTunes and Amazon. 7 sounds way low.
7 sound high compared to the raw deal the Allman Bros seem to be getting (bolded for emphasis)
King of comic rock, Weird Al Yankovic says digital is a raw deal for artists like himself. When asked by a fan whether purchasing a conventional CD or buying a digital file via iTunes would net Yankovic more pocket money the artist answered on his website.
"I am extremely grateful for your support, no matter which format you choose to legally obtain my music in, so you should do whatever makes the most sense for you personally. But since you ASKED... I actually do get significantly more money from CD sales, as opposed to downloads. This is the one thing about my renegotiated record contract that never made much sense to me. It costs the label NOTHING for somebody to download an album (no manufacturing costs, shipping, or really any overhead of any kind) and yet the artist (me) winds up making less from it. Go figure."
It confuses me too Weird Al. I think you deserve at least an equal amount of compensation for each digital track sold as you would be entitled to for that same one track on CD.
As you said Al, "Go figure". I'm a big fan, you've given me a lot of fun music over the years, and I wanted to do what you said. So, I went and did the math.
Here's what I found out: (more after the jump)
According to DownhillBattle, Apple pays the labels $0.65 (some say its as high as $0.80) of the $0.99 cents paid for your song.
So, for an album with the average 12 songs, like your current release "Poodle Hat" which has exactly 12, Apple takes in $11.88. Apple sends the label $7.80. That's $4.08 cents for the boys in Cupertino. And, it might be a pretty reasonable split if you then received the whole $7.80. Apple would take 35% of your work, for developing the infrastructure that makes you able to sell it to millions of people while you sleep, instead of selling it to 5 people out of your van in the parking lot of Stuckey's. That's what we call a value equation. Apple did work, and got paid for it. You did an arguably larger portion of the work, by creating something people wanted to buy in the first place, so Apple got a little money, and you got a good deal more.
Unfortunately, that's not how this version of the universe operates. So Apple sends the check to your record label.
The record label takes that $7.80. And, let's face it, they had something to do with your making the album. In some cases, you may have even been contractually required to make another album, whether you felt like it or not. So, you could say that without the record company, you'd not have made an album at all. They paid for the production, and some marketing, and now they should get paid right along side of you as the artist. You created the music, they recorded it and packaged it, marketed and distributed it. Right?
Well, not exactly. First, many artists can record fantastic music of very high quality in their own home studios. So, for some artists the record label is more marketing firm than recording technician(or, the guy who pays for one). But if the record label paid for your recording they will take 100% of sales until the recording costs are re-imbursed. They'll also keep taking money until paid back for promotional costs, packaging design and more.
If you manage to break even, here's where the money just starts rolling in. Right? The label got their money back (by taking $7.80 of every $7.80 that Apple paid them) so, now they're going to start sending you most of the $7.80 per record they are receiving.
Not so fast. According to widely circulated data from the coverage of The Alman Brothers suit against Sony BMG, you could expect something like $45 of each thousand songs sold to be paid to you in royalties. That's around 4% of the amount paid to Apple for your work, and around 5.7% of what was paid to the label. For The Almans', that works out to $24,000 when taking Nielsen SoundScan data of 538,000 Almans' songs sold as downloads since mid-2002. I don't have SoundScan data on your sales, but I'm sure you do. So the labels and Apple got 96% and you got %4. And as you said, there were no packaging, shipping or storage costs for your album sold though iTunes.
I went to Amazon.com and found that your album is selling for $14.98. That's $3.10 more than iTunes, but you get an actual CD, liner notes and a snazzy jewel case. And, you actually own the CD. You're really just kinda leasing the songs with iTunes, but we'll save that for another time. Suffice it to say that I think $14.98 is a totally reasonable price.
If your deal with your record company is like The Alman Brothers, then you're getting something like $315.50 for those same 1,000 songs (83.3 CDs worth). That works out to $0.31 cents per song, instead of the $0.045 on a digital download.
Ouch! It turns out you were being more than kind to that fan by telling him to buy either format he wanted, you're losing $0.265 cents per song! . If all of your fans bought through iTunes rather than buying CDs at the record store you'd be looking at an overall reduction in income of 85%!
Eighty Five Percent! If they cut my income by 85%, I'd be making soup from old shoes down by the railroad tracks!
My advice is probably similar to what your accountant's would be. Tell your fans to buy a CD, your retirement income may depend on it.
Are you're gonna tell me I'm wrong by quoting an article bolding exactly what I just said? Ok... :lol
If Weird Al is only getting 7 cents on the song, that's pretty low. Everyone else I've seen (including your article) how something more like 30 cents per song.
Anything from Radiant Records seems to live in bizarro land. MP3s encoded at 160kbps? AIFF format?
Yeah, that is pretty odd. But I'll take it.
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Are you're gonna tell me I'm wrong by quoting an article bolding exactly what I just said? Ok... :lol
If Weird Al is only getting 7 cents on the song, that's pretty low. Everyone else I've seen (including your article) how something more like 30 cents per song.
Uh, the article clearly states the Alman's are making $0.04 per digital download. They make more per CD (about 31 cents per track, which is on par with your suggestion). I bolded the entire line which tells you the real media price per song and the digital download price per song.
Read the whole damn thing if you are still confused.
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From what I understand, artists usually get around 30 cents per song download on iTunes and Amazon. 7 sounds way low.
7 sound high compared to the raw deal the Alman Bros seem to be getting (bolded for emphasis)
musicians being underpaid
Man, I can't stand those kind of stories. If I'm spending 20 dollars on an album, I want my money to get to the artist. I understand that a fair bit is being lost in the making and distributing of that album, but 4 cent per song?! That means if you now start writing the best sold hit ever on itunes, which is 15.000.000 copies, you get 675.000 dollars. Share that with a band of 5, and pay tax over it...
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Are you're gonna tell me I'm wrong by quoting an article bolding exactly what I just said? Ok... :lol
If Weird Al is only getting 7 cents on the song, that's pretty low. Everyone else I've seen (including your article) how something more like 30 cents per song.
Uh, the article clearly states the Alman's are making $0.04 per digital download. They make more per CD (about 31 cents per track, which is on par with your suggestion). I bolded the entire line which tells you the real media price per song and the digital download price per song.
Read the whole damn thing if you are still confused.
Yeah, I did. Pretty sure the article lays out Allman Brother's dipsute with their label, while throwing in some iTunes statistics to vaguely point the finger in that direction. I agree that iTunes seem to take an unreasonable percentage of the cut, but honestly, you are making it sound like iTunes are giving people pennies on the dollar for their music, when they're not. Artists are, once again, getting screwed by their labels out of iTunes profits. Just like they get screwed out of CD profits.
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Yeah, this kind of robbery is on the labels, not iTunes. I'll bet the label gets a shit ton more for every single download than the artist does, most of the time.
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Yeah, I did. Pretty sure the articles lays out Allman Brother's dipsute with their label, not iTunes. I agree that iTunes seem to take unreasonable percentage of the cut, but honestly, you are making it sound like iTunes are giving people pennies on the dollar for their music, when they're not. Artists are, once again, getting screwed by their labels out of iTunes profits.
I didn't say that, I said Weird Al said he makes 7c per track sold on iTunes. This is after Apple's cut and the cut from everyone else involved. Track starts at 99c, Apple takes 30%, then the record labels, lawyers, whoever else. By the time Weird Al gets his cut, it's apparently about 7c. 85% of what he makes per track on a CD. So if you take $0.31 * .15 you get $0.045. So it seems Weird Al may make a little bit more per track than say the Alman's in this case.
The gist of the article was he doesn't make nearly as much as he does if you buy the physical media and that the digital sales hurt the artist, I'm sure the math works out about the same for Amazon and just about any other 'big' digital media retailer.
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The gist of the article was he doesn't make nearly as much as he does if you buy the physical media and that the digital sales hurt the artist, I'm sure the math works out about the same for Amazon and just about any other 'big' digital media retailer.
Really? What percentage of profits do you get from CD sales these days?
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Really? What percentage of profits do you get from CD sales these days?
What? Are you forgetting the article above already? Are you being sarcastic? I can't tell what you want.
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WTF. When you download the mp3s in a zip file from them, it has a "_MACOSX" folder. :lol
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WTF. When you download the mp3s in a zip file from them, it has a "_MACOSX" folder. :lol
Yep. When I zip up MP3s to send to my google drive to re-download at work I get those. Hidden Mac OSX folders end up in the archive. meh
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Radiant Records is such a mom-and-pop business. :lol I can totally see Neal sitting at his iMac, ripping the CD and zipping it up.
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Man, that's just too funny :facepalm:
As far as the actual album, I'm liking it a lot more than I thought I would, though I'm not through it yet. I think I like it better than Whirlwind, though. We'll see, but so far the lack of reprises is really refreshing.
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I kind of feel that TA set the bar so ridiculously high with The Whirlwind that they'll never reach that level again. I'm DIGGING this Kaleidoscope, but not as much as The Whirlwind. Maybe that'll change with more listens. Kaleidoscope still sounds fantastic, and I'm enjoying it thoroughly.
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I think the reprises are what prog is all about. I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff. :heart
The new album is really good and I can even see it maybe being my favorite Transatlantic release, but time will tell.
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Reprises are fine, but Neal has the tendency to overdo them at times, while Roine doesn't, so it seems like Roine's way won out on this record, happily.
I mean, as much I love The Whirlwind, I always thought that the Overture was a bit underwhelming, and them making it so long by seemingly including every theme heard on the album in it, but they picked one of the least interesting of all of those themes to use to kick the song off after the minute plus intro. Same thing with Dancing with Eternal Glory, which I do like a lot, but it's like they felt the need to feature every main theme again, which is why that song sounds like it has multiple endings, like, "Okay, here is where they end it," and then, boom, it's a false ending, and then here comes another main theme being reprised. This is probably why tracks 2-11 get listened to far more often by me than tracks 1 or 12.
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If anyone's interested, Mike's got his Kaleidodrums DVD (https://mikeportnoy.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=65&idcategory=4) up for sale, as well as a cheap bundle that includes Kaleidodrums, Whirlwind Drumming, and Drums Across Forever (https://mikeportnoy.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=66&idcategory=4).
If I didn't already have his first two TA drumming DVDs, I'd have gone for the bundle since it saves you $20 from having to get all three separately, but I got them awhile ago.
I did, however, went ahead and got The Drumming Dog DVD. I always seem to get his drumming DVDs in pairs. Last time I got Drumming Colors and Drumertà together.
-Marc.
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Yup. The Whirlwind suffered from Lord of the Rings syndrome big time. :lol
And yet, I still love it. :) Anyway, heading out now to pick it up. I shall return...
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I easily like this record more than Whirlwind. Despite my initial assumption, it feels a lot less like a Morse solo record than Whirlwind.
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but so far the lack of reprises is really refreshing.
:lol You don't say? :lol
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Halfway through the album now, and Black as the Sky really makes me happy. That's one that'll make the trip North to see them worth while.
As for the economics of it all, it's a screwjob for the artist anyway you buy it. They'll get a couple of concert tickets and a t-shirt sale from me. That's how I'll happily support them, and they'll do better for it.
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Halfway through the album now, and Black as the Sky really makes me happy. That's one that'll make the trip North to see them worth while.
As for the economics of it all, it's a screwjob for the artist anyway you buy it. They'll get a couple of concert tickets and a t-shirt sale from me. That's how I'll happily support them, and they'll do better for it.
Speaking of t-shirts, I found out that pre-orders from InsideOut's European website had their albums bundled with t-shirts adorning the cover art! I'd LOVE to have one of these and I'm sad that neither Radiant Records or Burning Shed had them when I pre-ordered.
I hope Radiant or TA's own website put up some tour shirts for sale. I really dig the artwork and would love to have a Transatlantic shirt!
-Marc.
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This new album is a ton better than Whirlwind, that's for sure.
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Alright, I know I'm posting a lot in here, but I was wondering if anyone knew about this box set:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Transatlantic-JAPAN-4-titles-Mini-LP-HQCD-DVD-PROMO-Kaleidoscope-BOX-SET-/370990758036?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item5660c5b894
(https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/z/CBcAAOxygPtS5xKW/$_57.JPG)
It's pretty pricey, but what would you expect out of a Japanese exclusive box set? It looks gorgeous though, and the first two albums are the 2-disc special editions, of which the European InsideOut versions go for nearly $100 a piece these days.
-Marc.
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Oh my
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Whoa, "Wind at my Back" alert in Kaleidoscope around 5:00!
EDIT: Sorry, but I burst out laughing at the "many days I've wondered" (14:30). That's karaoke level, sorry.
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EDIT: Sorry, but I burst out laughing at the "many days I've wondered" (14:30). That's karaoke level, sorry.
Yeah, that was pretty dodgy. :lol
Not bad enough to derail the track mind you. I think they could have stood to shorten the amount he had to sing but what are you gonna do?
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Hey, I like Pete's vocals. Theyre not that great, but I think they fit the segment itself rather nicely. I wouldn't want to hear any other voice singing that part. its perfect, in my opinion
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Haven't heard the song in question, but I've always liked Pete's vocals.
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Eh, usually I haven't got a problem with Pete's vocals. I thought he did a good job on Lending a Hand for instance, but the delivery was just no good this time.
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I'm starting to like the cover of Indiscipline more than the original :|
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"Ride the Lightning" is just one of those phrases that strike me as very odd to be the central lyric of a song.
That said, it's just off center enough to at least make me think about what I'm listening to.
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I am really enjoying this so far.
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After a first full listen, it's a mixed bag for me so far. Black as the Sky is the clear standout track, the title track is a total stinker. "Shine" is actually better than I remembered (probably because I don't that awkward video alongside it)
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EDIT: Sorry, but I burst out laughing at the "many days I've wondered" (14:30). That's karaoke level, sorry.
Yeah, that was pretty dodgy. :lol
Not bad enough to derail the track mind you. I think they could have stood to shorten the amount he had to sing but what are you gonna do?
Well, in my book it's one of those "Neal Morse is not realizing he's plagiarizing himself" tracks. I know it's been many years since Snow, but the constant reminder of "Wind at my back" just kept the track at a constant "meh" for me.
When you then got this karaoke section coming in, there's no help for the song (at least for me).
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Currently on my third listen of this album, but so far I can't say I am all that impressed. It's a little too by-the-numbers sounding to me, and I get the impression it was less of a colaborative effort than the last couple of albums. I didn't like The Whirlwind at all at first either though, so there's a chance this will grow on me.
As for the Snow throwbacks...not sure what to make of those.
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Okay, comments:
Into the Blue - Like the overture, especially the crazy section. Like the Dreamer and Healer chorus. As is too often the case with Transatlantic, the song starts and ends strong, but meanders into worse territory in the middle.
Shine - Meh.
Black as the Sky - Favorite track of the album.
Beyond the Sun - I like this track. This and the previous track are now in my top 3 non-epics, along with Spinning.
Kaleidoscope - Can't help but clap along to the "Hey Bulldog" riff. Like the chip-tune keyboard solo in "Black Gold." But overall, the themes aren't that compelling, and after the overture, there aren't many upbeat sections. Probably my least favorite epic yet.
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Well, I think the middle of Into the Blue is pretty damn great, and arguably one of the best extended TA sections ever. But hey, that's me.
The chorus to the title track sounds like Wind at My Back? Um, sure, whatever you guys say. ???
I think the Trewavas vocal section is just fine, and actually stands out.
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EDIT: Sorry, but I burst out laughing at the "many days I've wondered" (14:30). That's karaoke level, sorry.
Yeah, that was pretty dodgy. :lol
Not bad enough to derail the track mind you. I think they could have stood to shorten the amount he had to sing but what are you gonna do?
Well, in my book it's one of those "Neal Morse is not realizing he's plagiarizing himself" tracks. I know it's been many years since Snow, but the constant reminder of "Wind at my back" just kept the track at a constant "meh" for me.
When you then got this karaoke section coming in, there's no help for the song (at least for me).
It's funny you bring up Neal self-plagiarizing himself because on the DVD, during a bit about "Beyond The Sun", he's playing the piano and after a vocal part, he accidentally goes into a piano part that sounds a lot like a theme from his Testimony album, and before proceeding too far along, he stops, laughs and turns to Jerry and says that he was just playing part of Testimony and Jerry agrees with a laugh as well. :facepalm:
With all the music Neal has written, recorded and released, it's not unlikely that he might tread ground he's been on before. Sometimes musical ideas just stay in you for a very long time, so a certain melody, chord progression or rhythm may return every now and then. It's nothing new for Neal, either, and I recall many other instances of this making it to an album, like a part in ? that sounds like a song from his It's Not Too Late album.
-Marc.
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I think it's rather well-known that Neal has a bit of a problem with plagiarizing himself. This album isn't nearly as bad as others before (it's really just the title track that suffers from it), but that, along with his his lyrical themes, have kept me away from him for the last 5 years or so.
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Obviously not very far if you are still checking out the release of a record from one of his major projects on release day. In what world is that staying away from him (and his music)?
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Well, Neal does also have a solo career.
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Well, Neal does also have a solo career.
This is true, but I will say that his last solo album is about as close to a pre-breakup feel, both musically and lyrically, that Neal has gotten since he left Spock's Beard. The lyrics are quite a bit more secular and a little less in-your-face religious, but still spiritual and inspirational in many ways, much like early TA and his work with SB.
Honestly, if you enjoy Transatlantic, definitely check out his Momentum album, especially if you love his albums with Spock's Beard. The epic is as good as "All Of The Above" and "The Great Nothing", both songs he's called "the epic to end all epics" at some point (also a title he used for "Stranger In Your Soul" as one point as well). Also, definitely check out his piece "Seeds Of Gold", which is also very TA-ish and less like his Christian-heavy solo albums. It's a grand epic with an amazing guitar solo by Steve Morse.
Then of course, there's his stuff with Flying Colors, which really is about as far away from his solo stuff, lyrically speaking, as he can be these days. His music and playing is all over the album, but his voice and lyrics aren't so much, so that may be more to your liking if you find his obviously-Christian lyrics overbearing.
I'm hoping Neal keeps going in the direction he has been since The Whirlwind, with a return to some more religiously-vague lyrics, perhaps a bit more secular, and a little less "God-this, Jesus-that, etc.". He's done religious concept albums enough, and I think he's returning to lyrics that can be interpreted a number of ways, while still retaining that inspirational feeling he embodies with his writing. If "Seeds Of Gold", the whole Momentum album, and now Kaleidoscope are any indication, he's moving in a good direction. I guess we'll see how he plays out over the next year with his singer-songwriter album this summer, Flying Colors' second album in the fall, and then his next solo album in the Winter into 2015.
-Marc.
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Obviously not very far if you are still checking out the release of a record from one of his major projects on release day. In what world is that staying away from him (and his music)?
I have really only cursory checked into anything he's done over the last 5 years. His solo stuff was regurgitation to the max, and I have not listened to anything since Sola Scriptura I think. Whirlwind I listened to a total of maybe 5 times. Frankly, the only reason I ended up buying this release is because Black as the Sky seemed decent, which it is. For the rest, honestly, I think Neal Morse has long used up his creative savings account.
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I've had Black as the Sky suck in my head all day. Dare I say the best song on the album is not an epic!
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Just received my vinyl and had a listen. Thoughts at the moment:
ItB - Pretty good, chorus was cool. Had some good riffs
Shine - Alright. Not awful, but not at all fantastic.
BatS - Don't really remember much from this
BtS - A nice short song that will probably take a few more listens to appreciate.
Kaleidoscope - Good song, a few of the middle sections seemed a bit mediocre, and the 'Ride the Lightning' chorus is VERY reminiscent of 'World Without End'. Bad decision to end on a fadeout, though.
Albums usually take at least 3 listens for me to be able to properly appreciate them, so I'll probably like the songs more after a few listens. It seems like a pretty impressive album though
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Can't help but clap along to the "Hey Bulldog" riff.
Thank you! That's what it reminds me of! :lol
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I'm liking the album a lot! I don't think it's as good as the Whirlwind for me, but there's so many great moments throughout and it's pretty consistent, so I put it roughly on a par with the first two albums.
I can see why some people wouldn't find it very exciting, because it's not like it treads any new ground. But then, as far as I'm concerned, TA was never about that. They do exactly what a prog-rock supergroup should do, which is to make fun, over the top and somewhat indulgent prog rock. And in that regard, this album is another excellent success!
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Just like their previous efforts,I didn't care much for it. I'm just tired of the "Morse style" of prog.
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Well, got the album, and 10 minutes into "Into the Blue", and I got my tickets. Guess Neal and Mike got me again :lol
This album doesn't feel as Morsey to me, but more Stolty. That's probably becuase Stolt's guitar playing is so awesome on this, though. Stolt is really the MVP of the record, for his lead playing. It's just that good.
I like both epics, but the early favorite is "Into the Blue" which seems like more of a change of pace, while the title track is good but seems like it's been done before. I also really enjoy two of the three shorter tracks - the piano one is OK, not bad, but not as good as "Bridge Across Forever".
One thing I did notice is that while, instrumentally, the band sounds better than ever, all four voices are wearing thin. Neal is losing the softer side of his voice, and sounds kind of ghastly at times. Roine sounds aged. Pete sounds the same as ever, I guess, but that's not saying much. And while Mike's never been a good vocalist, I don't ever remember him requiring so many effects just to get his voice to "decent" - but it is awesome to see him playing with Pete again. Those two have amazing chemistry.
But overall, I think what I like most is how the album is a bit denser and forces you to really dig into the songs. Whereas Whirlwind basically handed Morse's trademark "Vindicated Refrain" section right off the bat and then dished it out repeatedly, we get far less of that on Kaleidoscope. It's still there, but it's not pounded into the listener to the point of tedium.
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I like both epics, but the early favorite is "Into the Blue" which seems like more of a change of pace, while the title track is good but seems like it's been done before. I also really enjoy two of the three shorter tracks - the piano one is OK, not bad, but not as good as "Bridge Across Forever".
Definitely agree with this. Keleidoscope is fine, but almost exactly what I expect from TA, whereas Into the Blue is more exciting to me.
Interesting comments on the voices. I'm not sure I agree that they're wearing thin, although there are occasional moments where Neal is singing that I feel lack a bit of power. That's always been his style somewhat - he has an everyman quality which is what I like about his voice, but I do think he's a little less strong here than he was on the Whirlwind.
The thing for me, though, is just what a great vocalist Gildenlow is. I love his section in Into the Blue, and when Neal comes back in after that, he just feels a bit bland in comparison.
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@ Perpetual Change....
fwiw I have heard MP's raw vocals for this album, and they are fine. The effects are just for style. I agree that he his no vocal virtuoso, but he knows what to do to get the job done.
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The thing for me, though, is just what a great vocalist Gildenlow is. I love his section in Into the Blue, and when Neal comes back in after that, he just feels a bit bland in comparison.
See, I think the weariness in Neal's voice there, as he sings the same melody that Gildenlow just had, makes that section particularly awesome.
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Yeah I think MP's vocals have been improving with each album (his little section in Black as the Sky is actually rather good).
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The thing for me, though, is just what a great vocalist Gildenlow is. I love his section in Into the Blue, and when Neal comes back in after that, he just feels a bit bland in comparison.
See, I think the weariness in Neal's voice there, as he sings the same melody that Gildenlow just had, makes that section particularly awesome.
Yeah I don't disagree with that, on second and third listen I dug it a lot more. I think it was mainly just on the first listen the contrast seemed so stark.
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Yeah I think MP's vocals have been improving with each album (his little section in Black as the Sky is actually rather good).
I am admittedly not usually a fan of him singing, but, amazingly, none of his vocals on this album annoy me. It helps that the Shine section is swallowed in effects, and both of his parts in Black as the Sky and Into the Blue are more spoken words than singing, granted. But I think he did a solid job on the Conquistador cover, given his very limited vocal range.
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The voice itself doesn't annoy me, but being swallowed in effects does. There's no reason for it IMO.
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The voice itself doesn't annoy me, but being swallowed in effects does. There's no reason for it IMO.
Well, I don't think they'd do it if they didn't have a reason to. :lol The section in Shine is clearly meant to be a 70s psychadelic vibe, so although I don't find that section very exciting, stylistically it makes sense.
And yeah, I never said anything about his voice annoying anyone, was just commenting that I think his voice has been improving with each TA album. Some of his vocals on the first two albums were really not very strong, whereas nothing on the last two has made me feel that way, and I think maybe it's because of where and how they've been used, but I really enjoy them on Kaleidoscope.
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I'm starting to think I'm pretty lucky in that I've never heard a single NM solo work. I can certainly tell where the NM themes are in TA, but the whole "he's ripping himself off" thing is not a factor for me.
While I'm still far from having a real grasp of the thing, it really does seem to be straight prog by numbers. That's not a bad thing, and my main interest is how it's going to come off live anyway. What I didn't want was 60 minutes of music I don't like that I'd have to sit through at the two shows, and that's clearly not going to be a problem. Besides which, BatS will very likely make the setlist and that will be one of those "worth the price of admission" things for me; there's always one.
As for Pete's vocals, he sings with a sort of frailness and vulnerability. Often times that works great for the song. The contrast of Pete singing "though I strain my voice I can not be heard" and Neil singing the conclusive reply at the end is one of the best things they've done, and it wouldn't be the same without Pete's vulnerability. As for what we're discussing with Kaleidoscope, I'm not yet familiar enough with it to know if it's well used or not.
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For me, it definitely helps that I haven't listened to Transatlantic probably since Whirld Tour. Also, I listened to Testimony 2 maybe once when it was first released, heard just snippets from Momentum, and ignored Testimony 2 Live and Live Momentum completely. I'm sure all that helps me approach Neal's songwriter with a fresh perspective again.
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I'm liking the album a lot! I don't think it's as good as the Whirlwind for me, but there's so many great moments throughout and it's pretty consistent, so I put it roughly on a par with the first two albums.
I can see why some people wouldn't find it very exciting, because it's not like it treads any new ground. But then, as far as I'm concerned, TA was never about that. They do exactly what a prog-rock supergroup should do, which is to make fun, over the top and somewhat indulgent prog rock. And in that regard, this album is another excellent success!
This nailed it. Excellent album for me so far. Can't wait to see it performed live. 3 weeks and counting.
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As for Pete's vocals, he sings with a sort of frailness and vulnerability. Often times that works great for the song. The contrast of Pete singing "though I strain my voice I can not be heard" and Neil singing the conclusive reply at the end is one of the best things they've done, and it wouldn't be the same without Pete's vulnerability.
Agreed.
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Well, shoot. I was not planning on seeing them. But they're in San Francisco on Saturday night. And I'm going to be in San Francisco on Saturday night. Shoot.
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Just don't forget to wear flowers in your hair.
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Well, shoot. I was not planning on seeing them. But they're in San Francisco on Saturday night. And I'm going to be in San Francisco on Saturday night. Shoot.
the regency is a great venue, one of my favorites from SF. enjoy! :metal :metal
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Man, the Wind at my Back stuff is really killing Kaleidoscope (the song) for me. Crap :( Otherwise the album is quite decent really.
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Well, shoot. I was not planning on seeing them. But they're in San Francisco on Saturday night. And I'm going to be in San Francisco on Saturday night. Shoot.
the regency is a great venue, one of my favorites from SF. enjoy! :metal :metal
I don't think I'm going to go. But it just sucks because it seems like such a wasted opportunity.
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Well, shoot. I was not planning on seeing them. But they're in San Francisco on Saturday night. And I'm going to be in San Francisco on Saturday night. Shoot.
the regency is a great venue, one of my favorites from SF. enjoy! :metal :metal
I swear I followed up that they were making a new album and touring but obviously not. Only found out yesterday that it released and they're playing in San Francisco Saturday night. Problem is I don't drive and public transportation stops at midnight and I work the graveyard shifts starting at 1:00 AM Sunday nights. Can't believe I'm gonna miss out!
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Love the album! Just from the first listen, it's not quite as good as the other three (which are pretty much tied for me) but it's great and I'm totally psyched for Friday. I'm hoping to see Stranger in Your Soul :metal
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Kaleidoscope (song) is much better than I expected it to be. Also, yes, pretty strong similarities with Wind At My Back :lol
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Two more comments:
-The final vocal note of Into The Blue is 16 seconds long.
-3:03 of Kaleidoscope is a horrible transition.
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YOUR MOM IS A HORRIBLE TRANSITION!
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-3:03 of Kaleidoscope is a horrible transition.
Funny, I find it gorgeous :p
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-3:03 of Kaleidoscope is a horrible transition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqyixwqiCag
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Exactly! I take back what I said about his mom. HIS MOM ACTUALLY PUT THE "HOR" IN HORRIBLE! >:(
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Exactly! I take back what I said about his mom. HIS MOM ACTUALLY PUT THE "HOR" IN HORRIBLE! >:(
Just appreciating this. Nothing more to add.
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Plot twist! 3:03 of Kaleidoscope IS my mom!
:eek :eek :eek
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:panicattack:
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Plot twist! 3:03 of Kaleidoscope IS my mom!
:eek :eek :eek
For Bosk1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZd_YyFzPD0
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Who does one of the lead vocals on Into The Blue???Its an amazing job!
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Daniel Gildenlow did those awesome vocals 17 and a half minutes in. The booklet says he's a guest vocalist. I sure hope this Ted Leonard guy is a good singer. It's too bad I won't be able see Gildenlow do those vocals live.
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Daniel Gildenlow did those awesome vocals 17 and a half minutes in. The booklet says he's a guest vocalist. I sure hope this Ted Leonard guy is a good singer. It's too bad I won't be able see Gildenlow do those vocals live.
Ted is good. I have the new Spocks Beard. He does a great job.
Daniel is great on that track!
Hope he gets well soon!!!
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Daniel Gildenlow did those awesome vocals 17 and a half minutes in. The booklet says he's a guest vocalist. I sure hope this Ted Leonard guy is a good singer. It's too bad I won't be able see Gildenlow do those vocals live.
Ted is good. I have the new Spocks Beard. He does a great job.
Daniel is great on that track!
Hope he gets well soon!!!
Ted is great, but he just doesn't sing/sound like Daniel, so I'm not expecting much from that section live.
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Yeah, that is some unfortunate irony that they finally gave him a vocal section on a studio album, instead of being a live-only 5th member, and now he will miss a part of the tour and not be there to sing it.
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Daniel Gildenlow did those awesome vocals 17 and a half minutes in. The booklet says he's a guest vocalist. I sure hope this Ted Leonard guy is a good singer. It's too bad I won't be able see Gildenlow do those vocals live.
Ted is good. I have the new Spocks Beard. He does a great job.
Daniel is great on that track!
Hope he gets well soon!!!
Ted is great, but he just doesn't sing/sound like Daniel, so I'm not expecting much from that section live.
Yeah, it makes me sad he won't be there. Especially hearing what the reason why is.
Hopefully Ted will surprise us all.
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I'm sure Ted will do a fine job on guitar and vocals. Of course he won't beat Daniel in terms of showmanship.
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Man, Roine really butchers the Preacher and the Teacher part of "And You and I". Otherwise, the cover is great.
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When we did The Whirlwind tour we were playing a three hour show and it was only six songs. [laughs] Obviously, now with the new album we can’t physically go out and play four or five hour show. So, inevitably you have to start to pick and choose what stays and what goes. Basically, the setlist on this tour will be pretty much everything off the Kaleidoscope, because we want to play the new stuff and let people hear the new stuff, but at the same time obviously we have to play some of the epics, we have to pick and choose. We can only use sections of The Whirlwind, we can’t go out there and do the full 75 minutes, we did that at our last tour. So, you know as you go further into your career you have to start to pick and choose. It was something I learned with Dream Theater. With Transatlantic we only get to do a limited amount of touring with each album, because all four of us have some of the other things going on in our lives. You kind of have to make each show very special for the people that are coming because, you know, who knows when you’re gonna get to see Transatlantic again. So that’s it, we wrote a setlist this time around that will be great for the people that have already seen us, but will also be great for people that have never seen us and you know, make it a special night of intense progressive music.
https://www.prog-sphere.com/interviews/mike-portnoy-interview-2/#sthash.BUEhizL0.dpuf
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Man, Roine really butchers the Preacher and the Teacher part of "And You and I". Otherwise, the cover is great.
I don't see myself listening to any of these covers as I often as I have listened to the Genesis and Santana covers from the Whirlwind bonus CD, but I do like the ELO and Focus covers on the new one quite a bit. I have a hard time with the Yes and Moodies covers, simply because the originals are so absolutely perfect, so it is pretty much impossible to do them justice.
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I'm down with all of Kaleidoscope, but since they didn't play Suite Charlotte Pike on Whirld Tour, I hope they bring it out this time. Otherwise, all their music is so good, I'll enjoy whatever they do.
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40 seconds into black as the sky, it's Devil's Got My Throat from Snow. Love it popping up randomly in TA. That is all for now as the album is way too fresh to have any real opinion.
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Yeah, I noticed the Devil's Got My Throat thing too. It's only very short though.
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^Yep. Noticed right away on the first listen. Sometimes I wonder if these little reprises are intentional or if it's been so long since
NM heard Snow that he forgot he already did a section like that.
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Well, keep in mind that Neal Morse is an extremely prolific writer, so when you write that much stuff, you are bound to write songs with riffs or melodies that are similar to others you've written. Hell, Steven Wilson is far more diverse of a writer stylistically than Neal, and yet even he does it at times, too (like The Sky Moves Sideways guitar leads showing up in both Glass Arm Shattering and Veneno Para Las Hadas). It happens.
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Sorry, but I always find these "I write so much, I'm bound to repeat myself" arguments rather weak. Not that I have written all that much music myself, but when I have done so, I am keenly aware what my previous stuff has been and try to avoid it. And I would say most artists have this aversion to repeating themselves, including artists who have had a career for 50 years.
Reality is, like it or not, but Neal has somewhat of a Lego approach to his music. He has fixed elements he plugs into his songs, and that regularly causes repetition in his songs. He essentially "parked" the Wind At My Back chord progression for a while, and the same for the Devil At My Throat thing. Whether him pulling them out of park position was intentional (in the sense of enough time has passed, let's reuse this) or unintentional, who knows. But fact is, Neal has a problem with self-plagiarization.
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Sorry, but I always find these "I write so much, I'm bound to repeat myself" arguments rather weak. Not that I have written all that much music myself, but when I have done so, I am keenly aware what my previous stuff has been and try to avoid it. And I would say most artists have this aversion to repeating themselves, including artists who have had a career for 50 years.
Reality is, like it or not, but Neal has somewhat of a Lego approach to his music. He has fixed elements he plugs into his songs, and that regularly causes repetition in his songs. He essentially "parked" the Wind At My Back chord progression, and the same for the Devil At My Throat. Whether him pulling them out of park position was intentional (in the sense of enough time has passed, let's reuse this) or unintentional, who knows. But fact, Neal has a problem with self-plagiarization.
(https://www.zuguide.com/images/2358/2358.0.570.359.jpg)
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Riffs always rehash, over and over and over...
Every artist who has been around long enough, winds up having stuff sound similar.
Rush...Yes...Dream Theater...Neal Morse....
all guilty.
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Riffs always rehash, over and over and over...
Every artist who has been around long enough, winds up having stuff sound similar.
Rush...Yes...Dream Theater...Neal Morse....
all guilty.
True, and in the case of at least Rush and Yes, and perhaps even Dream Theater, they do it ON PURPOSE!!! *GASP*
I'm not sure which is worse - rehashing motifs/riffs/ideas/melodies/progressions on purpose, or by accident?
With Rush, they/Alex purposely re-used the infamous "Hemispheres Chord" for "Far Cry" back in 2007. With Yes, they threw in a ton of stuff over the years, be it lyrical or musical mentions to their 70's glory. And with Dream Theater, they did it a couple times on FII, and even ended up doing a WHOLE ALBUM based on a 9-minute song, re-using a ton of riffs and progressions, as well as lyrical ideas.
But yeah, it happens! What do you expect? Musicians who live and breathe music often find themselves treading old ground, either on purpose or by accident, but it DOES happen. A lot. More than you'd think.
-Marc.
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I like to think they do stuff like that on purpose as a little nugget for people who are in the know.
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Like I wrote earlier, yeah, sure, Neal repeats himself musically and lyrically quite a bit. But I keep gobbling up the albums he's involved with, so I guess he's doing something right. :lol
I'm digging the album, especially Into The Blue and Shine. I need more time with Kaleidoscope (the song). I'll probably mostly skip the other tracks like I skip We All Need Some Light, Bridge Across Forever and Dancing With Eternal Glory.
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Oh, yeah, regarding that "Devil's Got My Throat" keyboard patch/riff that's GOT TO BE intentional right ? :rollin
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Riffs always rehash, over and over and over...
Every artist who has been around long enough, winds up having stuff sound similar.
Rush...Yes...Dream Theater...Neal Morse....
all guilty.
Yep.
Anyway, I love the new album. It's the 2nd best Transatlantic record in my opinion, right behind Bridge across forever. However, I can see it possibly surpassing it and being my favorite album by the guys.
First of all, the title track is absolutely incredible. The first three minutes grabbed me and already made me aware that something awesome is coming my way. I adore the cute part in the middle with Pete singing, as well as the Neal section that follows, it has a gorgeous verse. The darker instrumental bits are brilliant and lead into the intro melody very nicely.
Into the blue is lesser good of the two epics, pretty much what Stranger in your soul was to Duel with the devil, but nonetheless it's still pretty fine and it might grow on me. Some of the MP's vocals are really cool on here, I figure that section was written by Roine. And it's actually quite amazing, which is a neat surprise because his sections tend to be my lesser favorites. That's probably why I'm having trouble with The Flower kings - Roine is not Neal, that's for sure.
The shorter songs have never been what Transatlantic are about, but they are still good. Shine is a nice ballad, and Black as the sky is a fun track as well, but the song that completely blew me away is Beyond the sun. It's truly one of the most heartfelt and emotional moments of the album.
Overall, I'm very happy with Kaleidoscope. The album. And the song as well, if it weren't for Suite Charlotte Pike and All of the above, it would be their best work.
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I guess I'm weird. I'd rank the albums:
1. Whirlwind
2. SMPTe
3. Kaleidoscope
4. Bridge Across Forever
But all the albums are excellent.
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I only have The Whirlwind and Bridge Across Forever, and the former is my favorite.
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1. Whirlwind
2. SMPTe
3. Kaleidoscope
4. Bridge Across Forever
Reverse that, and you got my order. That's odd. ;D
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And that's what keeps the world interesting.
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So, how many DG vocals are there on this album?
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I think it was just the one section.
Though I have not actually heard the album, so don't put too much stock in what I say. :lol
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Album ranking:
1. The Whirlwind
2. Bridge Across Forever
3. Kaleidoscope
4. SMPT:e
For the record, Kaleidoscope is still my least favorite epic of theirs, but Into the Blue is looking to be my 3rd favorite (after Stranger and Whirlwind).
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Alright so I've spent a little bit of time with it. I'm maybe in with 3 listens or so and I'm really liking it so far.
Into the Blue, at least so far, is my favorite of the two epics here. There's so many bluesy and heavier sections that took me aback, as well as the many fantastic build ups and intense moments. Definitely gonna go down as one of the group's finest epics.
Shine is a really nice ballad, and it seems to have grown on me much more since the video came out. I love Neal's vocal melodies and DAT SOLO. That's all I gotta say about that.
Black as the Sky was surprisingly very proggy for a non-epic track and my favorite of the 3 shorter songs on here. I feel it's a very concise representation of how well the group works together.
Beyond the Sun didn't really wow me, and the obvious comparison to it would be Bridge Across Forever (the song), which I still like better, but this one is stunningly beautiful as well, more so after repeated listens. It also works really well in context with the album and the way it segues into our next epic track.
Kaleidoscope (the song) opened very strongly, but the verse sections in the "Ride the Lightning" section felt somewhat weak honestly. The theme introduced at around 9:25, however is just brilliant and the "Black Gold" section is quickly becoming one of my favorite moments on the album. There's many other moments that wowed me, but being a 32 minute epic, I'm sure it just needs more listens to be digested properly. Overall, another great epic by the group.
Before Kaleidoscope, I'd rank the albums as:
1. Bridge Across Forever
2. The Whirlwind
3. SMPT:e
I'm still not sure where the new one would sit for me, but so far it seems like it would at the very least surpass SMPT:e, and if it continues to grow on me (which still seems to be the case), I'd probably put it above The Whirlwind. I'm not surprised, but it's still pleasing to see that the Transatlantic guys still got it. :hefdaddy
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I can't even begin to properly process a prog album until I'm 10 listens in. That's just me.
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It's different for different albums, and it's usually easier to get into if you're already familiar with the band.
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That's why I've refrained from putting the new one in my own personal ranking among the others. My thoughts can still change and I still need to digest and process more of it.
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Well, you could just rank them based on how you feel now, and then re-rank them if your opinion change.
Because this is DTF, we must rank things. :lol
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Good point. Your post is definitely in my top 5 of this week. :lol
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:partyinpartyinyeah:
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I would definitely put this one in the Top Four Transatlantic studio releases. That could change later.
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It's been about a week since I've been listening to this album and I have to say, it has been growing on me a LOT. Sure, my expectations were pretty high for this album because, well, IT'S TRANSATLANTIC!!! They're four of my favorite musicians who stemmed from four of my favorite bands. Portnoy knew what he was doing when he brought this band together, and dare I say, they may be my favorite band. And it is with this album that they definitely prove they are a BAND and not just another side-project.
Kaleidoscope offers a well balanced blend of styles, and I hear a lot more of Roine/Flower Kings in this album than any of the others, which is always a good thing. Pete, as well, delivers his style of British Prog, which goes anywhere from Genesis and Yes to Pink Floyd (with the obvious "Us And Them" nod in the middle of the title track). So what we have is another amalgamation of Roine's quirky, heavy-riffing Swedish prog, Pete's rocking and atmospheric British prog, and Neal's super-melodic and symphonic American prog, topped off with Mike's brilliant arrangements and prog metal drumming.
The opening epic really sticks out, in that it features a lot of new sounds and things that we've never really heard from Transatlantic before, but perhaps in the members' other bands. For TA, though, some of these things are a first, and we're treated to a blazing overture that sets up the epic, rather than hashes its themes into layered sandwich (much in the way "The Whirlwind's" overture felt like - theme A/theme B/theme C/theme A/theme C, etc. etc.). The calm vocal section that introduces Daniel Gildenlow's studio album debut with Transatlantic offers a unique and fresh moment for the band as they wrap up their first album on the album. While it's a similar moment heard on their previous epics, Daniel's voice really brings it some new life as "Into The Blue" reaches its conclusion. As a note, in the middle of the epic there resides a 7-note bass riff that is later reprised in the title track. A brilliant yet subtle cross-pollination of themes and motifs across the album.
"Shine" offers up another Morse-y ballad, but unlike "We All Need Some Light", this feels like a more collaborative effort with Roine's solo in the middle, which absolutely SLAYS their previous ballad's solos. Roine truly is the musical VIP for this album, as if his work in "Into The Blue" didn't already prove that. This is a slow-burn ballad that starts off at a simmer, but by the time the guitar solo comes in, the song begins to boil! There's some neat vocal contributions from Pete and Mike, just to give them some time to shine behind the mic, but they don't make or break the song.
The next short track is one that offers up some brave new ground for the band, but not for its players. Pete provided the basis for this track, and it shows - there's a distinctive British prog feel to it with its romping 12/8 meter in a Genesis/Yes-styled rock feel, and the synth solo in the middle is very much in the vein of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway with a "Slippermen" feel, while also recalling some of the 2's+3's of Dream Theater's "Metropolis Part 1" (and I believe that MP came up with that section of changing accents). "Black As The Sky" also features some welcome vocals from Roine, and a nice interchange of vocalists after the crazy instrumental section with all four contributing a bit of the verse. This one will definitely "rock the house" (pun intended) and it will surely be a lot of fun for the band (and the audience). I wonder, however, if they will augment the instrumental section with a cover or nod to a past influence?
"Beyond The Sun" is the token Neal-penned piano ballad. While "Shine" had echoes of "We All Need Some Light" in the 2nd-track position, this track has echoes of "Bridge Across Forever" in the second-to-last-track position, and a great lead-in to the title track. It's beautiful, it's magical, it's everything you'd come to expect from Neal, with some wonderful contributions by Rich Mouser. I get a sort of "Wait For Sleep" feel from this as it relates to the title track, much in the same way that "Wait For Sleep" connects to "Learning To Live". Originally thought up by Neal to be a part of the closing epic, it was a smart move to separate it from that track to give it a bit more individuality. I have a feeling, like "Bridge Across Forever" was on the Whirld Tour, that this song will see some magical enhancements on the live stage.
And with the fading notes of "Beyond The Sun", we're greeted with the bombastic intro of the title track, "Kaleidoscope". Just like the opening epic, this one has Neal and Roine all over it, but also a beautiful middle section by Pete. This is truly a kaleidoscopic blend of the band's strengths as writers and performers. Another 30-minute track by the band, and if this happens to be their last album, it's a great mirrored book-ending to "All Of The Above", their other 30-minute magnus opus. This is a dense, packed epic with a lot of great sections and moments, some beautiful themes and motifs, with every member pitching in their vocals. Arguably this will be the one track that takes fans awhile to digest, and I'll admit, I'm still in the middle of full grasping this immense epic, much like I was with Neal's "World Without End" over a year ago. But unlike Neal's last epic, this one has Roine and Pete all over it as well. Concerning the fade-out ending, I'm not particularly FOND of it, but it's growing on me, especially in that it's similar to Neal's fade-out on Testimony 2. It's a great ride-out ending, and in the Making Of DVD, you hear them doing an ending, and I'm sure it'll sound epic in the live show. This will mean the live DVD/CD/Blu-Ray will have something else special about it when it comes time because "Kaleidoscope" will have a definitive ending.
WHEW...what a review...what an album! I cannot wait to enjoy this for years and years to come.
-Marc.
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That's why I've refrained from putting the new one in my own personal ranking among the others. My thoughts can still change and I still need to digest and process more of it.
I wasn't saying what you said wasn't cool. For me I just can't form an opinion without multiple listens. For prog that is...
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Something I love about Beyond the Sun is that it sounds like it could have comfortably sat anywhere on Neal's "?", which incidentally is my favourite Morse album of all time.
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Although the album is still growing on me, I really think that "World without end" is an amazing epic, and I like it more than "Into the blue" or "Kaleidoscope". I'm enjoying the album with each spin, but I noticed that there are very few remarkable melodies in this album, which didn't happen with the other albums. I remember the first time I listened to Duel With the Devil: I didn't know if I liked the song, but I found some melodies that clicked on me in the first listen, and I wanted to listen to the song more and more. For me, this album really lacks that feeling.
As for the ranking, I'd say:
1. Bridge Across Forever
2. The Whirlwind
3. SMPT:e
4. Kaleidoscope
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BAF>TWW>SMPTe>KS
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BAF >>>>> TW > SMPT:e = KS
I love the new album, but because it IS a new album, it's still gonna be a few years before I can properly rank it amongst the other three. BAF will still stay my number one by a good margin, and I enjoy their third album a lot, especially with it's 400+ plays on my iPod since it came out.
Honestly though, they're all really good in their own ways, and I'm not sure I could ever truly rank them. It would be like having to choose which child of mine is my favorite...just couldn't do it.
-Marc.
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BAF>TW>SMPTe>KS
Winner winner chicken dinner.
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LISTS
Bridge Across Forever
The Whirlwind
SMPTe
Kaleidoscope
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Not really grabbing me.
Feels weird.
I'm sure it will connect more live.
Not enjoying the bonus disc much either save for Nights In White Satin and Can't Get It Out Of My Head (Pretty cool!).
Usually watch the DVD before listening to the CD but I didn't do it this time. Maybe that's the reason.
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The epics feel to me like Neal Morse epics, which is something I really didn't expect. I mean, I feel just fine with Neal Morse's epics, but it really doesn't feel like a collaboration. They are fine, but I didn't have a "WOWWTF reaction from them like the first time I listened to Duel with the Devil and Stranger in your Soul". One thing that kinda disappoints me in this is MP. All the goddamned fills are so overused and the rhythms feel so stale and "standard" now. Don't get me wrong, "it works", but I really feel MP has lost his spark and like someone pointed out somewhere (I think it was right here), he's become just a beat keeper. I don't know how much input he had in the actual writing of the music (I'm going out on a limb and say quite a big chunk, considering the nature of the project), but as a drummer he just doesn't make me excited anymore. Such a shame, the guy used to be amazing composing drum parts ...He still is good, but I'd say nowadays he's just okay (compared, of course, to most of the "monster" drummers that are out there)
The album, so far (I've listened to it 4 times as of today) is good, but not incredibly epic and grabbing like BAF or The Whirlwind, for that matter.
Daniel Gildenlow should be more involved in the writing of the music. I love his contributions to the band, and I'd say that the first moment that really grabbed me in this album was his vocal moment from Into the Blue.
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One thing that they did a really good job with on this album was the overtures. If I had to rank my favorite openings to the epics (more ranking :tup), it would probably be:
***NOT A RANKING OF THE EPICS AS A WHOLE***
1. Into the Blue
2. All of the Above
3. Kaleidoscope
4. Duel with the Devil
5. Stranger in Your Soul
6. The Whirlwind
7. My New World
(not including Suite Charlotte Pike because it doesn't have an "epic" opening)
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I don't really hear how Kaleidoscope is overly Morsey. You can pick out his contributions pretty easily, but there's a ton of stuff, especially in Into the Blue, that you'd never hear on a Morse solo record.
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After a couple of listens Into the Blue hooked me pretty well; good song. Kaleidoscope doesn't do it for me, though. Too many different things going on and no real connection that grabs me. That might change with another listen or two, but so far it's not working.
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BAF>TWW>SMPTe>KS
And Bingo was his name. Oh!
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I don't really hear how Kaleidoscope is overly Morsey. You can pick out his contributions pretty easily, but there's a ton of stuff, especially in Into the Blue, that you'd never hear on a Morse solo record.
Agreed. I think if you're familiar with The Flower Kings' and Roine Stolt's discographies, you tend to hear his handiwork a lot easier. I hear his demos/parts/sections pretty easily on all the TA albums, and not just because he sings most (not all, mind you) of them. There's a lot of riffing and sounds and other things that range from whole sections to just solos that remind me of Roine/TFK a lot.
-Marc.
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I also need more time with the album to absorb that closing epic. But I'm definitely looking forward to those listens and trying to spread them out a bit so I don't wear this album out in a couple of weeks like I did with the last Spock's Beard disc and the last Neal Morse solo disc.
I've had a few of the melodies from "Into The Blue" stuck in my head all week.
I'm gonna hafta listen to some Opeth or something to cleanse the audio palate :P
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I also need more time with the album to absorb that closing epic. But I'm definitely looking forward to those listens and trying to spread them out a bit so I don't wear this album out in a couple of weeks like I did with the last Spock's Beard disc and the last Neal Morse solo disc.
I've had a few of the melodies from "Into The Blue" stuck in my head all week.
I'm gonna hafta listen to some Opeth or something to cleanse the audio palate :P
I've been spreading out my listens of Kaleidoscope with the first two Transatlantic albums lately. Well, I've been exclusively listening to the Roine Stolt Mixes of the debut album, and my own personal cut/mix of their second album (which basically puts the ending of SCP back on to the song with the sound effects after it fading in to the title track - it makes for a more complete-album experience IMO).
I haven't been spinning The Whirlwind much lately, though. I think I over-spun that when it came out and the follow years, so I'm going back to the first two, at least til their third album's survivor begins in my Transatlantic Survivor....which you should all participate in!!!
-Marc.
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Speaking of Roine's handiwork, I didn't realize it at first, but that big riff that comes in near the end of Into the Blue's intro, and comes back later in the song, is a lot like the main riff in TFK's Monster Within (the one that returns briefly at the end of A King's Prayer). It's not the same, but it's kinda similar.
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I kind of feel like I need to over indulge this album because I am going to see them in NYC on Feb.9th and I need to be adequately familiar with the album by then. But I will take a break from it on the weekend and give a few more listens next week.
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BTW, totally random, I can't believe they tried to rhyme "sheep" with "deeper" :lol
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Speaking of Roine's handiwork, I didn't realize it at first, but that big riff that comes in near the end of Into the Blue's intro, and comes back later in the song, is a lot like the main riff in TFK's Monster Within (the one that returns briefly at the end of A King's Prayer). It's not the same, but it's kinda similar.
So THAT'S where that's from. I couldn't pin-point it because I haven't listened to early TFK in awhile, but that riff sounded very much like TFK from their first five albums. It's a big riff and has that heavy, hard-edged sound that they had on some of their tracks back then. That's one of the biggest things on the album that stuck out as being very Roine/TFK-ish to me.
-Marc.
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BTW, totally random, I can't believe they tried to rhyme "sheep" with "deeper" :lol
Also random…I have a hard time with any MP vocal/speaking parts in songs. Like nails on a chalkboard for me.
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Speaking of Roine's handiwork, I didn't realize it at first, but that big riff that comes in near the end of Into the Blue's intro, and comes back later in the song, is a lot like the main riff in TFK's Monster Within (the one that returns briefly at the end of A King's Prayer). It's not the same, but it's kinda similar.
THAT'S where I know that from. Yes. YES!! That's GOT to be a Roine contribution :hat
That was bugging the crap out of me :lol I owe you one :tup
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Just as a reminder, the first show of the tour IS TONIGHT - Jan 31st - Los Angeles, CA - El Segundo Performing Arts Center
Is anyone here going to this show tonight?! I would to hear your thoughts on the show and performance, the set list of course, how Ted is handling Daniel's duties, etc. etc.
-Marc.
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Haha, there ya go, Barry. :biggrin:
A friend of mine thinks I am nutty with it sometimes, but I always say that I have a knack for hearing something, and if it is similar to a song I already know, I can usually pinpoint the similarity pretty quickly. That is why the Wind at My Back/Kaleidoscope thing is a WTF to me, cause I don't hear that one at all.
Hell, last night he and I were lifting weights at his house, and he has a workout metal playlist, and when Ozzy's No More Tears came on and got to the middle section where it is just the piano, I was like, "There's that Heart Alone piano melody." He was like, "What?" I said, "That piano melody is nearly identical to the one in Alone by Heart," and after doing the mental scan of it in his head for a few seconds, he was like, "Wow, I never noticed that." And, of course, I was like, "I caught it the first time I heard it!" :lol :lol
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Yeah, gotta be honest, it's a bit of a mystery to me how you don't hear that. It was in-your-face obvious when I first heard it.
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I kind of feel like I need to over indulge this album because I am going to see them in NYC on Feb.9th and I need to be adequately familiar with the album by then. But I will take a break from it on the weekend and give a few more listens next week.
I'll be at that show as well! I'm trying to listen to the CD as much as possible before the show. I want to be able to sing along and really feel the connection to the music. The last time I saw TA it was so intense because I already loved every note from the CDs.
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Setlist Predictions:
Into the Blue
Shine
Beyond The Sun
The Whirldwind (25-35 Minute excerpt)
Duel With The Devil
Mystery Train
Beyond The Sun
Kaleidoscope
Stranger In Your Soul
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A wild ninja appears! En guarde!
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A wild ninja appears! En guarde!
-
Touché, sir.
:ninja: :shadowninja:
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I know it's not what's going to happen, but here is what I'd like the set to look like.
Set 1:
New Album
Set 2: (Not in order)
Mystery Train
My New World
Suite Charlotte Pike
Spinning
Lenny Johnson
~Encore~
Duel with the Devil
Frankly, the 2nd set full of forgotten songs would be better than sets by most bands I see. I know they have some really popular stuff, but I'll be somewhat disappointed if the show (aside from new stuff) is Duel, Stranger, AotA and bits of the main disc of WW.
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I know it's not what's going to happen, but here is what I'd like the set to look like.
Set 1:
New Album
Set 2: (Not in order)
Mystery Train
My New World
Suite Charlotte Pike
Spinning
Lenny Johnson
~Encore~
Duel with the Devil
Frankly, the 2nd set full of forgotten songs would be better than sets by most bands I see. I know they have some really popular stuff, but I'll be somewhat disappointed if the show (aside from new stuff) is Duel, Stranger, AotA and bits of the main disc of WW.
The one song I really don't want them to play is All of the Above.
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Setlist Predictions:
Into the Blue
Shine
Beyond The Sun
The Whirldwind (25-35 Minute excerpt)
Duel With The Devil
Mystery Train
Beyond The Sun
Kaleidoscope
Stranger In Your Soul
I think you meant Black as the Sky for one of those.
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Wow, what happened with Roine? :huh:
How was the concert in general? What about the setlist? :metal
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Roine doesn't play solo's like on the record, if that is the only thing needed for one being an asshole...
But first show of the tour, there could've been some hiccups. Could you tell us the setlist?
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From setlist.fm:
1. Into The Blue
2. My New World
3. Shine
4. Black As The Sky
----
5. The Whirlwind Medley
6. Guitar Solo
7. We All Need Some Light
8. Kaleidoscope
----
9. Encore: All Of The Above / Stranger In Your Soul
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Ok wow, that's something I didn't think of, a strager/all of the above, medley.
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I have to dislike My New World, never appreciated it as most fans do. About the encore medley, we'll have to see how both song are mixed, but I would have preferred DWTD more than SIYS.
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Ooh, thumbs up for My New World, I would be trilled to hear that live! :tup
Shame about the exclusion of Suite Charlotte Pike, that one seemed like a possibility. But oh well, they're not coming anywhere near me this time around.
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Great! I finally got the message that I can pick up my radiant ordered mediabook edition of Kaleidoscope! It has been in stores for 9 days now, but now I can finally fully enjoy the album.
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Just got back. 4/5 of the band made for one of the greatest, if not, the greatest concert I've ever been to, and one guy who was just an asshole who simply didn't bother to even learn his part.
FUCK YOU ROINE. I payed good money for this show and you ruined what was otherwise GODLY.
What the actual fuck?? First of all, Roine never plays the same solo twice, he has always been about changing up his solos. He's not my favorite guitar player by any means, but I definitely appreciate his talent. Secondly, how did he ruin the show? I find it hard to believe he played a lot of mistakes, so if the "ruining" of the show was merely straying away from the stuff he recorded on the albums, well, I guess it's tough luck to you.
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He wasn't terrible. But he along with the other guys are still learning their parts. Nobody was dead on and there where no trainwrecks.
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What songs were played in the Whirlwind medley??
Also:
Just got back. 4/5 of the band made for one of the greatest, if not, the greatest concert I've ever been to, and one guy who was just an asshole who simply didn't bother to even learn his part.
FUCK YOU ROINE. I payed good money for this show and you ruined what was otherwise GODLY.
So yea, as long as I ignored the lead guitarist (although he was BY FAR showed up on guitar by the keyboardist) I could have stayed and watched that show another 4 hours. :metal :metal
Stay classy.
:tdwn :tdwn
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From Pete's Twitter:
"First Transatlantic show under our belts. Mixed feelings about how it it all went, I was just pleased to get through it to be honest.
San Francisco tonight. I'm looking forward to it. See you there"
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RepqcQgfNkg
The ending of "Kaleidoscope" from last night.
-Marc.
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From Pete's Twitter:
"First Transatlantic show under our belts. Mixed feelings about how it it all went, I was just pleased to get through it to be honest."
That's interesting.
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What songs were played in the Whirlwind medley??
Also:
Just got back. 4/5 of the band made for one of the greatest, if not, the greatest concert I've ever been to, and one guy who was just an asshole who simply didn't bother to even learn his part.
FUCK YOU ROINE. I payed good money for this show and you ruined what was otherwise GODLY.
So yea, as long as I ignored the lead guitarist (although he was BY FAR showed up on guitar by the keyboardist) I could have stayed and watched that show another 4 hours. :metal :metal
Stay classy.
:tdwn :tdwn
Overture
Rose Colored Glasses
Evermore
Overture reprise
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Wow, that's interesting, I didn't see those coming.
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Yep, definitely interesting. I would have thought the Whirlwind medley would have included more movements from it. Still sweet to see Rose Covered Glasses and Evermore in there, regardless.
And it's great to see that My New World is back!
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Setlist.fm also has is it really happening and dancing with eternal glory
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Well, it sounds like bobs23 was at the show, so I will take his word for it if he says they only played what he said they played.
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Yep, definitely interesting. I would have thought the Whirlwind medley would have included more movements from it. Still sweet to see Rose Covered Glasses and Evermore in there, regardless.
And it's great to see that My New World is back!
I'm trying to picture glasses covered in roses, now... :tup
Also, YES! I am so glad that "My New World" has returned. Sad to see "Mystery Train" or any of the Whirlwind bonus originals not in the set though. Interesting encore and I wonder how it sounds!
As for the Whirlwind medley, there's some nice choices, especially "Rose Colored Glasses". "Evermore" is a neat choice, as well.
I wonder if MIke, Neal and Roine considered "Evermore" in lieu of other parts because when they toured together last year, they did a Transatlantic encore which included:
All Of The Above / Overture Whirlwind / A Man Can Feel / Rose Colored Glasses / Lay Down Your Life / Stranger In Your Soul
They still brought back the Overture/Whirlwind part, as well as RCG, but it's nice to see they (well, 3/4ths of TA) rotated a couple of those. I mean, it's a MASSIVE song/album with 12 parts, they could do a dozen different medley arrangements, especially considering how often themes are shared between songs, it would be pretty easy.
I hope some more videos pop up of the new material, as well as the Whirlwind medley.
-Marc.
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Colored, covered, ah, same thing. :facepalm: :lol
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Setlist.fm also has is it really happening and dancing with eternal glory
Sorry, it's pretty early after a long night. "Is It Really Happening" yes "Dancing" no
I just checked the tape to be sure.
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Ah. That makes the medley a bit beefier, then. :tup :tup
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I SWEAR. The only reason you're telling me to stay classy is because you weren't there and don't believe me. Actually the only parts of the entire show that Stolt did not mess up we're his solos. He did fine on improving those. But I can tell you that he literally was trying to find the notes all night long, and sometimes just simply was not playing his part. EVERYONE ELSE WAS PEFECT OR NEAR PERFECT AND I WAS JUST AS SHOCKED WATCHING ROINE AS YOU ARE HEARING ME WRITE ABOUT IT. I seriously couldn't believe what an absolute asshole he made of himself, and I'm not even exaggerating a little bit.
Facts:
1- He was literally reading every word he sang from an iPad and guessing at half of the melody as if he hadn't even heard the songs in 5 years. Morse had to sing along with him during the second verse of Shine. I could have sung the part 100 times more accurately and I've heard the song 5 times in my life. And this is just what I'm choosing as an example. All night my brother and I were going "oh boy here comes another Stolt section, can't wait to see him make an ass out of himself again."
2- this was NOT "it's the first night, there's a couple of bumps." MP literally did not hit ONE SINGLE wrong note on the drums all night. Period. Watching Leanord, you would have thought he's been playing the songs for 30 years and his voice was impeccable. The other two guys played their parts perfectly and occasionally had a little strain in their voice. Harmonies were pretty good, but a little off and one time in the 3 hours, they totally flubbed one. ONCE. ROINE didn't sing half of his harmonies, and was the most off of all of them when he did sing. And I don't know how else to say it, but he really actually seriously just simply DID NOT KNOW HIS GUITAR PART AND WAS FIGURING IT OUT ON STAGE.
3- He screwed all the other guys up during the best part of My New World, which was my favorite song of the night.
4- I'm not even referring to any guitar solo whatsoever. He just played like the first night wasn't important and he could learn his part as the tour goes on.
5- it makes me INCREDIBLY angry that people are now just going to excuse this because it was the first night. We're talking about master musicians and professional situations where they are getting paid big time to play music. He did not go on stage doing his best and having to concentrate extra hard because of a new environment. He went on stage without nearly adiquite preparation.
Trust me, my previous post was generous. What I should do is find a video of all of last night focusing on just him and spread it all across the internet so that maybe he'll have a little more appreciation for the guy on the FIRST night who wanted to hear one of his favorite singers and players.
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To confirm, the medley was 30 minutes long and included:
Overture (snippet)
The Whirlwind
Rose Colored Glasses
Evermore
Is It Really Happening?
Whirlwind (Reprise)
They only played about a minute or two of intro and then started the vocals. Which of course Stolt even had to read "Catch your breath as you watch your step head spinning 'round as you hit the ground" off of his iPad. They only played the WW reprise part of the last track.
At first I was thinking "ugh they're doing a medley" but actually it turned out to be PERFECT. Great parts chosen that work extremely well together, and it was a very captivating and emotional performance. This medley-ish thing was one that worked fantastically. Of course, the encore was… strange :lol reminded me of Pull Me Tropolis. Still great though.
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To confirm, the medley was 30 minutes long and included:
Overture (snippet)
The Whirlwind
Rose Colored Glasses
Evermore
Is It Really Happening?
Whirlwind (Reprise)
They only played about a minute or two of intro and then started the vocals. Which of course Stolt even had to read "Catch your breath as you watch your step head spinning 'round as you hit the ground" off of his iPad. They only played the WW reprise part of the last track.
At first I was thinking "ugh they're doing a medley" but actually it turned out to be PERFECT. Great parts chosen that work extremely well together, and it was a very captivating and emotional performance. This medley-ish thing was one that worked fantastically. Of course, the encore was… strange :lol reminded me of Pull Me Tropolis. Still great though.
I figured the Whirlwind Medley would be about half an hour. Good choices, though, and I cannot wait to hear how it all works together.
As for the encore, was the transition that jarring? And did they play complete halves of each and just sandwich them together, or was there some mashing-up or mixing of movements, or perhaps jamming to meld them?
-Marc.
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It was just a switch half way through. Setlist.fm says Full Moon Rising/October Winds/Awakening The Stranger/Slide/Stranger In Your Soul. I'm pretty sure that's correct. It wasn't jarring but it was confusing. And I would have rather them play one or the other because the good part of SIYS is really the first half. It was still great, I could always list off more songs I'd like to see.
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I'll give the poster of the concert critiqued the benefit of the doubt. I love transatlantic, but last time I saw them live, while I still immensely enjoyed the show, I felt embarrassed for them because it didn't sound like they were prepared. I just never pinpointed the problem. Maybe the same thing was going on?
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I'll give the poster of the concert critiqued the benefit of the doubt. I love transatlantic, but last time I saw them live, while I still immensely enjoyed the show, I felt embarrassed for them because it didn't sound like they were prepared. I just never pinpointed the problem. Maybe the same thing was going on?
IIRC, there was some issues on the Whirld Tour with Roine learning the lyrics to "We All Need Some Light", and even had to read lyrics on the start of the tour. Then again, the decision to have him sing that song was made DURING REHEARSALS, and not prior, so I'm not sure what the issue is this time with "My New World" (assuming he's not singing WANSL again).
Perhaps Roine is just a bit slow on tours, at least lyric-wise? Hopefully, when they record a show (probably at Tilburg since they have a two-night stand there), that all the kinks will be worked out. If they record BOTH nights there, they'll have their pick of shows! And maybe by then, Daniel Gildenlow will be with the band!
I do hope, however, we get some show or songs from the NA Tour with Ted Leonard in the band.
-Marc.
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Maybe that's what Pete was referring to in his tweet. It's rather unusual that a musician would be so openly critical of a performance that just happened.
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Maybe that's what Pete was referring to in his tweet. It's rather unusual that a musician would be so openly critical of a performance that just happened.
That thought did cross my mind, but it's a bit disheartening that Roine's lackluster performance affects a bandmate so much. Hopefully Roine picks up the pace tonight and tomorrow. I hope it's nothing more than just beginning-of-tour-jitters really getting to him and nothing to do with bandmates or crew or anyone personally. I would hate to see any friction within the band that might cause them to never perform together again.
I guess we will wait and see and hopefully we have a few DTF'ers at the upcoming shows so we can get a show-by-show report of this tour!
-Marc.
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I SWEAR. The only reason you're telling me to stay classy is because you weren't there and don't believe me.
No, it's because of the way you worded it. Believe it or not, it is easy to critique the performance of a musician without calling him an asshole or saying FU to him. THAT is why your critique was tactless and lacking in class. HTH.
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So Roine's an asshole for reading from an iPad and playing improvisational solos? You mean the same thing Jordan Rudess does all the time? Okay...
Seriously, though, it sucks you were disappointed. I'll reserve final judgment for when I see them Saturday, but Roine's always been more of an improv guy live. That's rare in prog rock, but I prefer it to the more recent DT attitude, i.e. 5 guys standing on stage playing their album note for note.
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Not quite.
4- I'm not even referring to any guitar solo whatsoever.
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Interestingly, I have read a handful reviews of last night's show in other places today and not a single one of them mentions Roine's flubs or whatever TheAtliator wants to call them. Not saying they didn't happen, as I wasn't there and can't possibly know, but it's possible that they weren't as pronounced as he made them out to be or everybody else enjoyed the show so much that they didn't care about a few mistakes (OMG, I didn't get a perfect 3-hour show! The humanity!!!!!!!!!!!!).
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Ah, I just skimmed through that big rant. However:
We're talking about master musicians and professional situations where they are getting paid big time to play music.
Dude, I think you really tend to exaggerate how important these prog rock stars you like are, and how posh they have it in reality. I'm all for the guys being prepared, but when you consider realistically the schedules, logistic, and financial concerns the band has to deal with, it's really amazing they manage to tour at all.
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Well, they sound pretty good, and got an instant standing ovation anyway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RepqcQgfNkg
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Agreed, PC. If they were a full-time band, it would be different, but when consider how many songs they have all played over the years, especially given how prolific all of them are from a sheer quantity standpoint, nailing these brand new COMPLEX songs (to us, and to them!) the first time out can't be easy. I am sure that in an ideal world, they would have had months of rehearsals to get everything down to a 't', but they don't have that luxury.
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First of all, let me remind you this was one of the greatest shows I've ever seen. I'd like to think I was probably one of the loudest-cheering audience members. And I also forgot to mention- Ted Leonard did a FLAWLESS job with the ITB vocals.
I SWEAR. The only reason you're telling me to stay classy is because you weren't there and don't believe me.
No, it's because of the way you worded it. Believe it or not, it is easy to critique the performance of a musician without calling him an asshole or saying FU to him. THAT is why your critique was tactless and lacking in class. HTH.
I understand what you're saying, but I'm personally angry at Roine, not just disappointed by the performance. He didn't make mistakes with his parts, he actually didn't know them. Any imperfections by the other guys (which was rare) were honest mistakes.
Not quite.
4- I'm not even referring to any guitar solo whatsoever.
THANK YOU. It was not just the iPad either. It was that he was reading every single line off of it and he didn't know his guitar part.
Ah, I just skimmed through that big rant. However:
We're talking about master musicians and professional situations where they are getting paid big time to play music.
Dude, I think you really tend to exaggerate how important these prog rock stars you like are, and how posh they have it in reality. I'm all for the guys being prepared, but when you consider realistically the schedules, logistic, and financial concerns the band has to deal with, it's really amazing they manage to tour at all.
I understand the near impossible challenges, and I'm the last person you have to convince of how miraculous these guys are. But 1- tell that to the excited customer who just paid $100 to go see them, and 2-how come 4/5 of the band was able to do their best?
Sorry for the huge post. I've said everything I have to say now. Believe me or don't. :metal
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Well, they sound pretty good, and got an instant standing ovation anyway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RepqcQgfNkg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RepqcQgfNkg
The ending of "Kaleidoscope" from last night.
-Marc.
I guess no one sees my posts anymore?! :facepalm:
-Marc.
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Well, they sound pretty good, and got an instant standing ovation anyway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RepqcQgfNkg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RepqcQgfNkg
The ending of "Kaleidoscope" from last night.
-Marc.
I guess no one sees my posts anymore?! :facepalm:
-Marc.
Apparently not because I even went back to look for them and STILL didn't find them. :rollin
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:facepalm: :| :lol
-Marc.
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Sorry, dude :hat
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Sorry Marc, but PC's post was just better. The video he linked made a much more convincing argument than the one you linked.
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Black as the Sky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W92TSgLkIMg They did really well on this one, it was very exciting live
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I'm personally angry at Roine
You really need to get some perspective. :lol
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No I don't. He was ruining awesome music. Just because he's successful, famous, or even a master of the guitar doesn't make it fun for me to listen to him screw up.
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Yeah, but people make mistakes. I think you're overreacting a bit.
It is a shame that it messed up the show for you, though.
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Another clip from the "Black As Gold" section.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waUKWsTc__4
-Marc.
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No I don't. He was ruining awesome music. Just because he's successful, famous, or even a master of the guitar doesn't make it fun for me to listen to him screw up.
I never said it did, just that in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't matter. Making some mistakes really shouldn't make you angry.
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I was at the concert yesterday and I can safely say it was one of the best concerts I have been to.
Everyone (including Roine Stolt) were in top form. Mike Portnoy especially killed it last night. Never have I seen him spot on like yesterday!
In regards to Roine's "sub-par" performance, according to Atliator, I can say that he did a fantastic job. I was seated 3rd row and throughout the night, he was just on it. I can confirm that during the last part of "Into the Blue" and pretty much all of "My New World," Roine was having technical problems, as he was motioning to the controls guys (the gear dudes behind stage) to raise the volume of his sound, as it was quite faint during most of "My New World." It was definitely NOT because he was lazy or seemed disinterested or unmotivated. You can tell he was slightly frustrated but he continued in a professional manner. Once "Shine" started, and pretty much for the rest of the night, his guitar volume/sound/tone were back to optimal quality and he, just like the rest of the guys, gave an outstanding performance.
I have much more to say but I definitely recommend seeing them! All 5 of them were great! I'm not taking a jab at Atliator but all I'm saying is what I saw from what I think was a better viewing area (as I believe Atliator was seated further back).
I have pictures as well! They're posted on my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/AlexAlvarez2112
Hopefully you guys can see them (as I made the album public)!
If not, I'll figure out how to post pictures on here and give a more in-depth review once I come back from work tonight!
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Either way, there's always that risk during the first show or two of any tour, especially for progressive rock bands with such long, complex and complicated pieces of music.
I think they will iron out the kinks today and tomorrow. I guess this is why they've opted to release shows from later in the tour, with the exception of the Live In America shows, but then again, they only did 6 dates but released 2 of them.
-Marc.
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No I don't. He was ruining awesome music. Just because he's successful, famous, or even a master of the guitar doesn't make it fun for me to listen to him screw up.
Ruining??? Someone's getting a bit dramatic, eh? :biggrin: I've watched all the posted clips now ... haven't seen any "ruined" music yet..... ::)
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Just chiming in to say I'm pretty damned stoked about the setlist. I could certainly do without WANSL, but I'm happy as hell to see MNW. Also, the Whirlwind medley seems about perfect to me. The two parts I'd most want to see live, and the overture. About the only thing I could criticize is that (as somebody else pointed out) the first half of SiYS is the better half.
Really glad to be seeing it twice, in two very different environments.
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I hoping for them to record both nights and change the setlist a little bit for Tilburg. I could see something like this.
Night 1
Into The Blue
My New World
Shine
Black As The Sky
Whirlwind Melody
We All Need Some Light
Kaleidoscope
All Of The Above
Night 2
Into The Blue
My New World
Shine
Black As The Sky
Whirlwind Melody
Mystery Train
Beyond The Sun
Kaleidoscope
Stranger In Your Soul
And You and I
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Okay I have no discipline when it comes to dropping the conversation, so I'll respond to this one more time :lol
Roine was having technical problems, as he was motioning to the controls guys (the gear dudes behind stage) to raise the volume of his sound, as it was quite faint during most of "My New World." It was definitely NOT because he was lazy or seemed disinterested or unmotivated. You can tell he was slightly frustrated but he continued in a professional manner. …
I'm not taking a jab at Atliator but all I'm saying is what I saw from what I think was a better viewing area (as I believe Atliator was seated further back).
THAT is a good argument. I did not know he was having technical problems although I saw him adjust his tone a few times. If he couldn't hear himself that definitely explains some of it. PS thanks again for letting me know about the tickets being on sale so I wasn't even further back :tup :tup Not that there was a single bad seat in that place.
As for me being dramatic, I suppose I am being a bit too intense, but saying he's ruining songs would not be the dramatic part :P I really think it was to the point that in order to enjoy the show I had to actually tune him out. Once I did that, it became the greatest show ever and that's how I enjoyed it so much.
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As for me being dramatic, I suppose I am being a bit too intense, but saying he's ruining songs would not be the dramatic part :P I really think it was to the point that in order to enjoy the show I had to actually tune him out. Once I did that, it became the greatest show ever and that's how I enjoyed it so much.
If he was sloppy and was out of step with the rest of the band then yeah, you could blame him. Technical problems is totally different.
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Agreed, king.
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THAT is a good argument. I did not know he was having technical problems although I saw him adjust his tone a few times. If he couldn't hear himself that definitely explains some of it. PS thanks again for letting me know about the tickets being on sale so I wasn't even further back :tup :tup Not that there was a single bad seat in that place.
As for me being dramatic, I suppose I am being a bit too intense, but saying he's ruining songs would not be the dramatic part :P I really think it was to the point that in order to enjoy the show I had to actually tune him out. Once I did that, it became the greatest show ever and that's how I enjoyed it so much.
I can appreciate you wanting a good show. Just remember some of us won't ever get to see them without a good bit of traveling. Be glad with what you got!
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I just watched the clips. A few things jump out at me:
1) Neal Morse looks like a professor with that jacket and wardrobe. I think that's awesome.
2) Mike was stage left and facing the center of the stage on the Whirld Tour DVD as well. Are there any other bands that routinely don't put the drummer center and have him face the audience?
3) Roine did seem a little scatterbrained early in the "Black as the Sky" clip. It very well could be a technical problem, in which case it is totally understandable. But I'm also not going to draw sweeping conclusions on a 3 hour show based on two 6 minute clips. Aside - I wonder if these guys could have pulled something off like MP, JP, and Levin did when JR's keyboard broke in Chicago?
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I just watched the clips. A few things jump out at me:
1) Neal Morse looks like a professor with that jacket and wardrobe. I think that's awesome.
2) Mike was stage left and facing the center of the stage on the Whirld Tour DVD as well. Are there any other bands that routinely don't put the drummer center and have him face the audience?
3) Roine did seem a little scatterbrained early in the "Black as the Sky" clip. It very well could be a technical problem, in which case it is totally understandable. But I'm also not going to draw sweeping conclusions on a 3 hour show based on two 6 minute clips. Aside - I wonder if these guys could have pulled something off like MP, JP, and Levin did when JR's keyboard broke in Chicago?
I had wondered about that. Is it so he can make eye contact with the other band members?
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It does seem it's his job in this band to give a ton of cues. He's extremely on top of it, and it was really fun to watch. I know I've seen other bands with the drummer on the side but it's just not the standard.
Be glad with what you got!
Oh I'm so happy I can't stop thinking about it. I've been listening to TA all day today :biggrin:
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The drummer for Night Ranger in the 80's was always stage left. I thinking it's because he sang half the songs on their albums and with Mike singing a lot for TA that it might be the reason as well. Better sight lines to watch him.
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Okay I've decided that Black As The Sky is my favourite song so far this year. And that solo section so sooo good.
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The drummer for Night Ranger in the 80's was always stage left. I thinking it's because he sang half the songs on their albums and with Mike singing a lot for TA that it might be the reason as well. Better sight lines to watch him.
Yep, Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger has had that set-up throughout their career. Saw them in Vegas a couple years ago for the first time since the late 80s and they still have the same set up:
(https://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f253/rickhawk80/nightranger.jpg) (https://s49.photobucket.com/user/rickhawk80/media/nightranger.jpg.html)
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So, according to setlist.fm, this was their set last night:
Into the Blue
My New World
Shine
Overture (Abridged)
Rose Colored Glasses
Evermore
Is It Really Happening?
Dancing With Eternal Glory (Abridged)
Guitar Solo
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
Kaleidoscope
Encore:
All of the Above (First half)
Stranger in Your Soul (Second half)
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/the-grand-ballroom-at-the-regency-center-san-francisco-ca-5bc5c770.html
It looks like they switched the Whirlwind Medley to the end of what seems like the 1st set, and put BATS between WANSL and Kaleidoscope. This would make the 1st set about 80 minutes long, and the 2nd about 50-55 minutes long. I wonder why they switched? Or was there not even any intermission, since it wasn't listed in the setlist? Did anyone here even actually go to last night's show??
-Marc.
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"Rose Colored Glasses" from the first night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8sdrlq9CoI
-Marc.
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I could be wrong, but I think the odds of Is It Really Happening? being played are very low. I remember them saying that song was a bitch in rehearsals last time as far as getting the timing down, as they all have to be in perfect synch for it not to be a trainwreck, and with Ted Leonard now needing to learn all of the material they plan to play, for at least part of the tour, it doesn't make sense to play that and make him spend so much time getting down a 3-minute section just right, when there is nearly 3 hours worth of other music to get right. I suspect it wasn't gonna be played this tour anyway, and once Gildenlow got sick, any small chance it had probably went out the window.
Then again, like I said before, I could be dead wrong. :lol :lol
Also, I guess you were dead wrong since they are playing it :lol
I'm glad they are, though, because it's a great highlight of the band's strengths and complex musicianship. I hope some videos pop up of the whole Whirlwind medley sometime soon.
-Marc.
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There are a bunch of clips from last night on YouTube. The best way to get to them is to type in Transatlantic to youtube and then click Time, Today or search by upload date. One or the other. I do the same with Styx and DT every day. Just not DT right now before I see them. (Is this already a totally well-known thing to do?)
Oh and in one of the videos when you do that, you might see someone familiar other than TA https://youtube.com/watch?v=EUSZTzAA6Xw
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I'm going to the show tonight completely blind. This will be interesting.
Other than Shine, I have not heard a single note from the new album. Haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. And I won't have time today because of the Super Bowl.
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There are a bunch of clips from last night on YouTube. The best way to get to them is to type in Transatlantic to youtube and then click Time, Today or search by upload date. One or the other. I do the same with Styx and DT every day. Just not DT right now before I see them. (Is this already a totally well-known thing to do?)
Oh and in one of the videos when you do that, you might see someone familiar other than TA https://youtube.com/watch?v=EUSZTzAA6Xw
I had been doing that, but I guess the results were skewed a bit. I did, however, just sort them by upload date:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_sort=video_date_uploaded&search_query=transatlantic
There are at least 8 videos from SanFran last night!
-Marc.
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I'm going to the show tonight completely blind. This will be interesting.
Other than Shine, I have not heard a single note from the new album. Haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. And I won't have time today because of the Super Bowl.
You're having a huge day today, Dude. :tup Super Bowl with your beloved Hawks followed by a concert? Can you possibly fit something else in, too? :lol :rollin
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I'm going to the show tonight completely blind. This will be interesting.
Other than Shine, I have not heard a single note from the new album. Haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. And I won't have time today because of the Super Bowl.
You're having a huge day today, Dude. :tup Super Bowl with your beloved Hawks followed by a concert? Can you possibly fit something else in, too? :lol :rollin
well in a perfect world I would get a pirate interview with the man himself but I doubt that will happen.
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:tup :tup :tup
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I'm going to the show tonight completely blind. This will be interesting.
Other than Shine, I have not heard a single note from the new album. Haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. And I won't have time today because of the Super Bowl.
You'd pick the superb owl over listening to the new Transatlantic? :facepalm:
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I'm going to the show tonight completely blind. This will be interesting.
Other than Shine, I have not heard a single note from the new album. Haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. And I won't have time today because of the Super Bowl.
You'd pick the superb owl over listening to the new Transatlantic? :facepalm:
(https://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag94/ShadowNinja38/owl_zps48c38b4a.jpg)
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(https://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag94/ShadowNinja38/owl_zps48c38b4a.jpg)
(https://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/files/2013/02/Superb-Owl.jpg)
Someone doesn't watch the news/read about Colbert's antics?
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I never watch TV. :lol
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I never watch TV. :lol
I guess the NFL doesn't dig satire and Colbert doesn't want to get sued so he's been calling it the Superb Owl for weeks.
https://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/432697/january-30-2014/superb-owl-xlviii---football-health-concerns
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I'm going to the show tonight completely blind. This will be interesting.
Other than Shine, I have not heard a single note from the new album. Haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. And I won't have time today because of the Super Bowl.
You'd pick the superb owl over listening to the new Transatlantic? :facepalm:
I've never heard of Superb Owl...their music can't be nearly as soaring as TA's! :rollin
Sorry, couldn't resist the play on words. :D
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I had actually wanted to go see the game with some friends locally...but instead, I'm going to be going to a sports bar somewhere near the venue...just so I can be close to the theater when the game is over. (Everett is over an hour away from where I live)
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Hopefully, the concert will help you get over the depression that will inevitably set in when the Broncos win tonight. :)
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Have a great time at the concert tonight, JD. If you get a chance, give us a quick review of the show. BTW KS, I'll take the Seahawks!
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Does anybody know what the length of the show is? Maybe something a wee bit more accurate than about 3 hours? :lol
Getting into the more advanced scheduling phase of this thing.
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3 hours, 4 minutes, and 22 seconds.
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Mine was 3 hours including intermission.
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3 hours, 4 minutes, and 22 seconds.
Nobody likes a smartass, Kev.
Thanks for the answers, though. Sadly, that means an hour between the end of the show and the train back into town. Not fun given the expected temperatures.
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I think it went something like-
8:16 - 9:15 First set
9:34 - 10:44 Second Set
10:46 - 11:15 Encore
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I'm taking a break from Black as the Sky. I think I'm starting to wear it out.
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i consider myself a fanboy and have had Kaleidoscope for how long now(?), and i still havent spun the main disc. i guess im scared im not gonna love it, probs based off what i read in this thread circa a few pages back (you bastards). i dont know, maybe im just a pussy.
anyone wanna reassure me that its good stuff but also that its okay to be let down a little (or a lot)?
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I've actually only listened to the covers disc so far, mostly out of curiosity. Can't really say any of them stand out to me. The reason I haven't spun the main disc is because usually when in album starts with a 20+ minute song it takes me a bit to get motivated. :lol
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Ok that's just silly, if this album was 10% as good as the last one it would be worth it. Yet, it was about 85 or 90% as good when I first heard it, and now it's growing 5 or 6% higher. This album is AWESOME. Listen to it, NOWWWWWW :biggrin:
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I've been a huge fan of TA since SMPTe. However, I haven't weighed in on Kaleidoscope yet. I've spun the main disc at least a dozen times over the course of the past week, and what I've found is....
......I LOVE IT! :heart
The musical and lyrical content is great! It took several spins to really take it all in. If you like the previous offerings from TA, I'm sure you'll be happy! Enjoy!!!
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Yeah, I think the first listen I was a little underwhelmed, especially with the first three tracks. But a little over a week averaging on one total spin a day and I'm slowly starting to fall in love with it. I think given time it might sit comfortably in second place under Bridge.
It's totally okay to be disappointed, but you know how it goes. You start finding tiny little bits that you think are cool and then you start appreciating how they sit in the larger picture and eventually that larger picture starts seeming a lot more appealing.
It's one of those albums, I think.
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Not sure yet, but I think this might be my favourite Transatlantic album. When I first saw the video for Shine I was very meh about it, but when I heard it in the context of the album for the first time (and without the slightly awkward video!), I enjoyed it much more. Still probably my least favourite of the 5 though. Really loving the 2 epics, especially the title track - but that's not too surprising, as I'm usually a sucker for the longer songs. ;D
I'd probably say I prefer each of their albums more than the last.
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Not sure yet, but I think this might be my favourite Transatlantic album. When I first saw the video for Shine I was very meh about it, but when I heard it in the context of the album for the first time (and without the slightly awkward video!), I enjoyed it much more. Still probably my least favourite of the 5 though. Really loving the 2 epics, especially the title track - but that's not too surprising, as I'm usually a sucker for the longer songs. ;D
I'd probably say I prefer each of their albums more than the last.
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Earlier, I said that Kaleidoscope is my least favorite TA epic. I definitely said that too hastily. It is now my third least favorite, which doesn't seem like much of an improvement, but it had to grow on me a lot to get to that spot. It definitely helps with epics when you can see the bigger picture ;), and that took longer than normal for Kaleidoscope for some reason.
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...It's totally okay to be disappointed, but you know how it goes. You start finding tiny little bits that you think are cool and then you start appreciating how they sit in the larger picture and eventually that larger picture starts seeming a lot more appealing.
It's one of those albums, I think.
touche. the other reason im being scared is probs cuz of a couple albums last year not living up to my lofty expectations. that being said, one of those letdowns was Karnivool. while it didnt live up to the expecations, i still liked it. but after recently revisiting it a bunch, im realizing just how good it actually is.
...This album is AWESOME. Listen to it, NOWWWWWW :biggrin:
hehe. k, i'll try and get to it soon. the other thing is i havent had a great chance to spin it in a high concentration situation.
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currently in the fourth row with my buddy Chris from the MP forum waiting for the show to start
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Forgot about the time differential, so you did get to see the Super Bowl and TA in one day. Awesome for you :tup
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ya man, thats a pretty good combo right there. hopefully transatlantic crushes it for you as much as the seahawks did.
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what sucks is that the show is running way behind it was originally supposed to start at 6 got moved to 9 now its 930 and they just came out and made an announcement that it's been delayed
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that blows, hope they can figure it out and still give you a full show
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How much later can they delay it??
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we got the full show but they skipped intermission it was amazing!
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I just got home. I should be tired, but I'm as wired as I can be. But I really need to get some sleep.
Just an amazing show. The Kaleidoscope material was amazing. It's not often any more that I get to hear prog rock *for the first time* in a live setting, but it happened with new band Odd Logic a few weeks ago...and now with Transatlantic.
I couldn't manage to wrangle in Mike for an interview...but I *DID* get Ted Leonard! We were outside after the venue, and it was VERY dark, so the video quality is quite poor...but I will be uploading it tonight.
Mike was amazing. I just couldn't believe how much FUN he was having. And of course, much was made about the Seahawks win.
I need to go to bed.
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And of course, much was made about the Seahawks win.
From what I gathered from twitter and facebook the Broncos may as well have not been there at all. Not sure that's much to brag about.
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Got my copy today. Have not bothered with any reviews or previews. With the collective reputation with everybody involved I'm certain it's gonna be great.
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I just got home. I should be tired, but I'm as wired as I can be. But I really need to get some sleep.
Just an amazing show. The Kaleidoscope material was amazing. It's not often any more that I get to hear prog rock *for the first time* in a live setting, but it happened with new band Odd Logic a few weeks ago...and now with Transatlantic.
I couldn't manage to wrangle in Mike for an interview...but I *DID* get Ted Leonard! We were outside after the venue, and it was VERY dark, so the video quality is quite poor...but I will be uploading it tonight.
Mike was amazing. I just couldn't believe how much FUN he was having. And of course, much was made about the Seahawks win.
I need to go to bed.
How exactly do you get to interview band members? Like, are certain musicians just that willing to chat with fans after the show or do you really come off as something special?
First Dan Briggs and now Ted Leonard, wow.
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:omg: Looks like some AMAZING footage is on youtube from last night, gonna check it out!!! :omg: :omg:
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I just got home. I should be tired, but I'm as wired as I can be. But I really need to get some sleep.
Just an amazing show. The Kaleidoscope material was amazing. It's not often any more that I get to hear prog rock *for the first time* in a live setting, but it happened with new band Odd Logic a few weeks ago...and now with Transatlantic.
I couldn't manage to wrangle in Mike for an interview...but I *DID* get Ted Leonard! We were outside after the venue, and it was VERY dark, so the video quality is quite poor...but I will be uploading it tonight.
Mike was amazing. I just couldn't believe how much FUN he was having. And of course, much was made about the Seahawks win.
I need to go to bed.
How exactly do you get to interview band members? Like, are certain musicians just that willing to chat with fans after the show or do you really come off as something special?
First Dan Briggs and now Ted Leonard, wow.
Dork Castle's 5 tips to interviewing musicians:
1. Frantically shout the musician's name back at them, ensure they are aware of your presence
2. Upon catching up with them(which can be a hassle if they run) start crying, getting overly emotional does a lot to calm the musicians down
3. Babble out incoherent, sob statements of love out, let them know you care.
4. After taking a 5'er to catch your breath after all of that crying, start apologizing for freaking out, and start freaking out again.
5. Take many uncomfortable photos with the musician, and let them know where they can check out the interview before parting ways with them (make sure to stick tracker onto them).
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:metal
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Kaleidoscope (the song)....The theme introduced at around 9:25, however is just brilliant and the "Black Gold" section is quickly becoming one of my favorite moments on the album.
You know how Bacon makes everything better? Roine Stolt is the bacon of bands. :hat
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Something I realized:
"Black as the sky in the broad daylight"
"The river flows, black as gold"
Apparently Transatlantic doesn't know the meaning of the word "black".
:biggrin:
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After that Superbowl, I can't wait till this Sunday in NYC to redeem the Sunday past!
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Kaleidoscope (the song)....The theme introduced at around 9:25, however is just brilliant and the "Black Gold" section is quickly becoming one of my favorite moments on the album.
You know how Bacon makes everything better? Roine Stolt is the bacon of bands. :hat
It's nice to see you've come around to realizing this. :biggrin: :hat
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:hat
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Something I realized:
"Black as the sky in the broad daylight"
"The river flows, black as gold"
Apparently Transatlantic doesn't know the meaning of the word "black".
:biggrin:
I noticed that too. Pretty hilarious!
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Something I realized:
"Black as the sky in the broad daylight"
"The river flows, black as gold"
Apparently Transatlantic doesn't know the meaning of the word "black".
:biggrin:
I noticed that too. Pretty hilarious!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_gold
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:omg: Looks like some AMAZING footage is on youtube from last night, gonna check it out!!! :omg: :omg:
Ted sounds AMAZING on Daniel's part. I'm glad he's doing well with them! I'm finishing up "Into The Blue" from Lloyd2112DT's videos now. Sounds amazing live!
-Marc.
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anyone know (or worked out yourselves) the timings of each section in the big suites? i can tell when "Black Gold" starts because of the vinyl split but there are a bunch i can't make sense of yet, and i find it's always easier to digest once i know how the parts work together. are they listed in the liner notes?
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anyone know (or worked out yourselves) the timings of each section in the big suites? i can tell when "Black Gold" starts because of the vinyl split but there are a bunch i can't make sense of yet, and i find it's always easier to digest once i know how the parts work together. are they listed in the liner notes?
I don't have either on hand with me but I think both the liner notes with the lyrics have the splits, but also the songbook should list, by the measure, where the sections are in the piece.
-Marc.
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All I know, is that I am going to mangini all over myself when I meet Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse tomorrow. I'm assuming some people here have been to the backstage meet and greets? Do you just take your camera and crap you want signed and they let you through the doors with all of it?
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First half of Whirlwind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-RqHG0p1u0
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I definitely agree with many people here that Roine is the MVP of Kaleidoscope. Fantastic solos, and I love his voice anyway.
The LVP I have to say is ... MP. I have not listened to much MP-related stuff lately, but even on first listen of Kaleidoscope I still found myself correctly guessing the fills and beats he was going to play. On first listen.
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I'm going to give this album the benefit of the doubt, and give it a few more spins. I remember when I was first listening to the band, it took a few years for the first three albums to click. The only thing that really sticks out to me on Kaleidoscope is the awesome guitar solo on Shine and the title track itself. The title track is great! The intro is awesome and parts of it are mellow and serene. But the rest of the songs were a chore to sit through, which is a shame. But I'll try it again when I'm over this flu.
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I just got home. I should be tired, but I'm as wired as I can be. But I really need to get some sleep.
Just an amazing show. The Kaleidoscope material was amazing. It's not often any more that I get to hear prog rock *for the first time* in a live setting, but it happened with new band Odd Logic a few weeks ago...and now with Transatlantic.
I couldn't manage to wrangle in Mike for an interview...but I *DID* get Ted Leonard! We were outside after the venue, and it was VERY dark, so the video quality is quite poor...but I will be uploading it tonight.
Mike was amazing. I just couldn't believe how much FUN he was having. And of course, much was made about the Seahawks win.
I need to go to bed.
How exactly do you get to interview band members? Like, are certain musicians just that willing to chat with fans after the show or do you really come off as something special?
First Dan Briggs and now Ted Leonard, wow.
:hat
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anyone know (or worked out yourselves) the timings of each section in the big suites? i can tell when "Black Gold" starts because of the vinyl split but there are a bunch i can't make sense of yet, and i find it's always easier to digest once i know how the parts work together. are they listed in the liner notes?
Well now that I am home, I can try and answer these questions with where their start-times are in the track, then each movement's length in parenthesis:
"Into The Blue" (25:13)
I. "Overture" - 00:00 (5:52)
II. "The Dreamer And The Healer" - 05:52 (4:02)
III. "A New Beginning" - 09:54 (6:59)
IV. "Written In Your Heart" - 16:53 (5:24)
V. "The Dreamer And The Healer (Reprise)" - 22:17 (2:56)
"Kaleidoscope" (31:54)
I. "Overture" - 00:00 (3:04)
II. "Ride The Lightning" - 03:04 (5:33)
III. "Black Gold" - 08:37 (5:21)
IV. "Walking The Road" - 13:58 (5:23)
V. "Desolation Days" - 19:21 (3:30)
VI. "Lemon Looking Glass" - 22:51 (4:54)
VII. "Ride The Lightning (Reprise)" - 27:45 (4:09)
All of these time stamps are based on the official Kaleidoscope songbook. Hope that helps!
-Marc.
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Thanks! :tup
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Listening to this album for the first time. This is the first album I've listened to by these guys and any related bands in some time, and I gotta say, knowing most of the members' previous works, this album has an inspired feeling to it. Maybe because I haven't been actively listening to this kind of music for well over a year, but I feel like this is much better than Momentum 2, Dream Theater, and Banks of Eden, haven't heard the new TFK or Tangent albums yet :o
Daniel's vocal section almost made me tear up. :'(
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Listening to this album for the first time. This is the first album I've listened to by these guys and any related bands in some time, and I gotta say, knowing most of the members' previous works, this album has an inspired feeling to it.
Agreed 100 percent. Most recent Morse, TFK, Marillion, and MP albums have been one-and-done spins for me. Not this, though.
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Like I always since, with Transatlantic, you get the best of Neal Morse and Roine Stolt, with each other making the other's music better. For me, as much as I love their main projects, my complaints about each are:
Neal: lack of stellar guitar-playing on every track (the guest spots are nice, but they are just that: spots)
Roine: lack of a great secondary lead vocalist (Froberg is very hit or miss for me, mostly miss lately)
With TA, those two things automatically become much better: Roine's guitar playing makes Neal's music that much better, and Neal's natural singing voice is just better and way more pleasant-sounding than Froberg's, IMO (character > range).
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Like I always since, with Transatlantic, you get the best of Neal Morse and Roine Stolt, with each other making the other's music better. For me, as much as I love their main projects, my complaints about each are:
Neal: lack of stellar guitar-playing on every track (the guest spots are nice, but they are just that: spots)
Roine: lack of a great secondary lead vocalist (Froberg is very hit or miss for me, mostly miss lately)
With TA, those two things automatically become much better: Roine's guitar playing makes Neal's music that much better, and Neal's natural singing voice is just better and way more pleasant-sounding than Froberg's, IMO (character > range).
With this in mind, what're your thoughts on Roine's solo album Wallstreet Voodoo, which sees Roine and Neal sharing the mic on many songs? Sure, it's not quite prog, but it's a great blend of Neal and Roine, especially on the tracks that they share vocals on. And all the Hammond organ stuff from Neal is absolutely great on that album! Between this and Neal's ? album (oddly enough, released the same month), which featured Roine AND Mike, this was the closest we had to a TA reunion in 2005, 3 years after BAF.
I always wished Roine toured the Wallstreet Voodoo album with Neal at some point back then, if only for them to cover a couple TA tunes as well.
-Marc.
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I think these guys tend to bring out the best in each other. The Flower Kings are cool; lots of good stuff. Neal's solo stuff is also very good, though it doesn't really have a lot of replay value for me. But put those two guys together, and amazing things happen.
I'm not sure how much Pete contributes to the music, though I'm sure he "writes" his own parts, but he's great, too, and just last night MP's parts kept catching my attention. I think my favorite Portnoy work is with Transatlantic. It's stellar playing, but not the constant double-bass pounding "in yer face metul!" sound. Much more controlled and, to my ears, enhancing the music without overpowering it.
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Wall Street Voodoo is good, and I like most of the songs on it, but I almost never listen to it. Bluesy rock, which the album mostly is, is just not something I like listening to that much. Hell, I think Stevie Ray Vaughan and Walter Trout, both of whom were/are very blues-driven, are both totally amazing guitar players, but I almost never listen to either.
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I enjoy all of the combined output of these guys. I guess I don't really care all that much about who's a "better" vocalist than who. As long as they all keep making music I love I'll keep buying it and listening to it.
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finally got my bundle, and its beautiful :hefdaddy
also managed to snag one of the signed posters from the bundle deal, so I'm happy with that :tup
question: was planning to get the picture book signed when i see them this weekend, but i didn't realize it would have this holographic cover. is there any chance a signature would come out on this cover? or should i just go for one of the band photos instead
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Like I always since, with Transatlantic, you get the best of Neal Morse and Roine Stolt, with each other making the other's music better. For me, as much as I love their main projects, my complaints about each are:
Neal: lack of stellar guitar-playing on every track (the guest spots are nice, but they are just that: spots)
Roine: lack of a great secondary lead vocalist (Froberg is very hit or miss for me, mostly miss lately)
With TA, those two things automatically become much better: Roine's guitar playing makes Neal's music that much better, and Neal's natural singing voice is just better and way more pleasant-sounding than Froberg's, IMO (character > range).
Every time I see you talk about Hasse, you seem to refer to him as some sort of guest vocalist or shared lead vocalist... you do realize he is and has been the primary vocal force in the band for quite some time now, right?
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Yes, and I personally feel that that is a big reason why the band's music is mostly good to very good now, instead of great. I got into TFK before The Rainmaker, which ironically was the album where Froberg's share of the lead vocals went up significantly, yet of the seven albums they have released since then, Paradox Hotel is the only one that I feel is as good as ANY of the first five albums. Don't get me wrong, I like every TFK album, but I think there is definitely a correlation between Roine being the dominant lead singer and what I consider their best work. Even most of the best songs on Paradox Hotel, IMO, are ones where Roine is the primary lead singer for all or a big chunk of the song.
Oh, and Roine sings just as much as Froberg on the last two TFK albums, especially if you count the bonus tracks, so I am not sure you can see either is the primary vocal force right now, which is why I referred to him as a secondary lead vocalist. TFK have two lead vocalists.
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Their albums have been receiving better and better reviews over the years, I'd say that's probably a sign that they're on the right track with what they're doing.
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Wall Street Voodoo is good, and I like most of the songs on it, but I almost never listen to it. Bluesy rock, which the album mostly is, is just not something I like listening to that much. Hell, I think Stevie Ray Vaughan and Walter Trout, both of whom were/are very blues-driven, are both totally amazing guitar players, but I almost never listen to either.
I think because it is Roine and Neal, I tend to spin it a lot more often than anything else that is similar to it. I'm mostly strictly a prog guy with some classic rock and modern rock, and I don't really listen to blues rock often, but THIS album, while it is blues-inspired, is very much Roine. It's almost Blues Prog, or Prog Blues...either way, it's got Roine's distinct flavor of guitar playing with a blues sound and feel, and having Neal is the icing on the cake.
-Marc.
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Their albums have been receiving better and better reviews over the years, I'd say that's probably a sign that they're on the right track with what they're doing.
Or it could just be that their fanbase is getting smaller and is made up of just diehards who love TFK regardless now. It tends to happen; there's a point with all bands where people outside the scene stop paying attention to new music from them.
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Yes, and I personally feel that that is a big reason why the band's music is mostly good to very good now, instead of great. I got into TFK before The Rainmaker, which ironically was the album where Froberg's share of the lead vocals went up significantly, yet of the seven albums they have released since then, Paradox Hotel is the only one that I feel is as good as ANY of the first five albums. Don't get me wrong, I like every TFK album, but I think there is definitely a correlation between Roine being the dominant lead singer and what I consider their best work. Even most of the best songs on Paradox Hotel, IMO, are ones where Roine is the primary lead singer for all or a big chunk of the song.
Oh, and Roine sings just as much as Froberg on the last two TFK albums, especially if you count the bonus tracks, so I am not sure you can see either is the primary vocal force right now, which is why I referred to him as a secondary lead vocalist. TFK have two lead vocalists.
I'd say Hasse still has an edge in studio, and if you go and see them live, it's abundantly clear who the lead singer is.
Hasse is their vocalist who plays guitar as well. Roine is their guitarist who sings as well. Don't get me wrong, I love Roine's vocals, love hearing him sing, but from the recent DVDs I've seen and the show I went to Hasse was definitely the main vocalist.
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Their albums have been receiving better and better reviews over the years, I'd say that's probably a sign that they're on the right track with what they're doing.
Or it could just be that their fanbase is getting smaller and is made up of just diehards who love TFK regardless now. It tends to happen; there's a point with all bands where people outside the scene stop paying attention to new music from them.
Very true. Plus, newer fans are a lot less likely to go back and actually review the older albums, no matter how much they like them.
At rateyourmusic, the first 10 studio albums all have 300-430 reviews/ratings, while the last two have only 264 (Banks of Eden) and 127 (Desolation Rose), so that definitely backs up your theory, PC.
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Watched the making of today, and LOVED it.
Great humor, and showed how they actually crafted the music, which is what I really love. I wish it would have gone one step further and gone into the creative process before they were kinda hammering semi-finished ideas out, but overall a fantastic look behind the curtain.
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TA killed it tonight in Chicago. Hands down the best concert I've ever been to. Everyone (Roine included) was spot on. And they were clearly enjoying it. I fricken love the new album, and it is awe inspiring live. And Neal and Mike are the sh1t. I love them.
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Daniel's vocal section almost made me tear up. :'(
Yeah I wouldn't call myself a fan of PoS but I got shivers the first time I heard Daniel's vocals on Into The Blue.
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TA killed it tonight in Chicago. Hands down the best concert I've ever been to. Everyone (Roine included) was spot on. And they were clearly enjoying it. I fricken love the new album, and it is awe inspiring live. And Neal and Mike are the sh1t. I love them.
I'm still a bit bummed that we couldn't make it up there for that show, but with all of the snow that happened yesterday across the area, driving up there and back would have been a nightmare, so it was for the best. Still, though... >:( >:(
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Just listened to the album for the first time, I enjoyed it. The two epics were good but didn't floor me, although they probably require more listens to digest. Black as the Sky is pretty great, and the guitar solo in Shine almost single-handedly redeems the mediocre rest of the song.
Can somebody give me a time stamp for this alleged Gildenlol vocal section in Into the Blue? I don't know his voice and I guess it didn't jump out at me like I expected it to on first listen.
-J
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Just listened to the album for the first time, I enjoyed it. The two epics were good but didn't floor me, although they probably require more listens to digest. Black as the Sky is pretty great, and the guitar solo in Shine almost single-handedly redeems the mediocre rest of the song.
Can somebody give me a time stamp for this alleged Gildenlol vocal section in Into the Blue? I don't know his voice and I guess it didn't jump out at me like I expected it to on first listen.
-J
Daniel's part is at the beginning of "IV. Written In Your Heart".
-Marc.
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Everyone (Roine included) was spot on.
I'm sure what I was talking about only happened the first night. He's such a great accomplished player that it probably only took one or two proper run-throughs to get his part totally down, my only complaint was that I would expect from the top pros of prog that it would happen two run-throughs before the first show.
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Well, the gf decided she likes Transatlantic enough that she would be interested in seeing them, so it looks like I'm hitting the Philly show.
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Casey and I will be there too, barring any kind of major storm.
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I missed the previous tours due to work schedules. So Saturday night in Philly will be my 1st TA show! I'm bringing my wife & my 2 teenage boys from Rhode Island! See you there!
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Casey and I will be there too, barring any kind of major storm.
Where are we eating before the show?
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Casey and I will be there too, barring any kind of major storm.
Where are we eating before the show?
No idea! :lol
You probably know the area a bit better? I think we went to the Tavern last time we were at the Keswick, which was pretty good.
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Jennie's family is actually from that area, so I'll ask her if there is anything they'd recommend.
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Well, the gf decided she likes Transatlantic enough that she would be interested in seeing them, so it looks like I'm hitting the Philly show.
You could only go to the show now that your girl decides she likes them?
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I wasn't planning on attending, since I'll see them on a cruise, but her deciding she would like to see them was all the extra nudge I needed to see them an additional time.
Will also be the first field test of new stealth mics.
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Seeing all the people who are going to see Transatlantic in this thread, I can only think of one appropriate response:
I hate you all and I hope you die from multiple STD's simultaneously.
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I hope you die from multiple STD's simultaneously.
:arranged:
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Is that supposed to be lonestar?
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Yes, from the original Duncan's adventure.
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I hope you die from multiple STD's simultaneously.
:arranged:
Thank god they don't have those mail slots on doors anymore. I could see RJ perving through those.
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Everyone (Roine included) was spot on.
I'm sure what I was talking about only happened the first night. He's such a great accomplished player that it probably only took one or two proper run-throughs to get his part totally down, my only complaint was that I would expect from the top pros of prog that it would happen two run-throughs before the first show.
I only thought it was worth mentioning since I had said earlier in the thread that last time I saw them they didn't sound very prepared. It wasn't in reference to your earlier comments.
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Any thoughts from anyone on Ted's performance?
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My dad said there's still no power in Glenside. Not good for the show on Saturday.
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Most of Philadelphia's northern suburbs are expected to have power by Saturday.
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Can someone please tell how Ted filled his role? Pretty please!!!!
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Sheesh. That's lame. But yeah, I expect it to be back in order soon.
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Can someone please tell how Ted filled his role? Pretty please!!!!
Judging by some of the videos on YouTube, it looks like he's having fun and doing a great job keeping up with the others, especially having been asked to fill in nearly last-minute.
Daniel's part in "Into The Blue" is beautifully covered by Ted and he sounded pretty good in the one video I saw of the song.
-Marc.
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Can someone please tell how Ted filled his role? Pretty please!!!!
Judging by some of the videos on YouTube, it looks like he's having fun and doing a great job keeping up with the others, especially having been asked to fill in nearly last-minute.
Daniel's part in "Into The Blue" is beautifully covered by Ted and he sounded pretty good in the one video I saw of the song.
-Marc.
:tup
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Ted definitely delivered! One would never have the slightest clue that he's not a member of the band. What a great professional musician! He wasn't part of the meet and greet, but I had the pleasure of meeting him back stage and briefly chatting with him. Nice guy, good sense of humor!
The meet and greet was kind of a gyp for me (I personally blame the venue). And like my only other meet and greet experience (DT on the SC tour) I swore I'd never do it again. But that one gripe aside, the concert itself was so amazing that any gripe about the meet and greet just melted away. I think the last concert I went to was literally the Whirld tour 4 years ago, so it's not something I do often. I can't believe how blown away I was. I just keep thinking "how is DT going to even come close to being this good?"
I can't f-ing wait to see DT in Detroit in a couple of months. If this is an indication as to how awesome a concert can be, then I'm sure DT won't let me down. Especially considering their new album is my favorite of theirs in over a decade.
So my obvious fanboi-ism aside, here's a review of the Chicago show: https://www.69facesofrock.com/transatlantic_concert_020414.html
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Can someone please tell how Ted filled his role? Pretty please!!!!
GREAT. perfectly. And check this out if you haven't- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9y4UYjAPhg&t=3m25s
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Most of Philadelphia's northern suburbs are expected to have power by Saturday.
Ah, Christ.
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Feb. 3 they posted on their facebook they'd be closed due to weather. They've been updating ever since without mentioning any closings or cancellations. I plan on calling tomorrow, but I don't see anything that would imply they will have issues there.
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Well, decision time for me, but since I have NYC tickets as well, I seen no point in altering my plans.
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I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night. Hope it's opened and that we don't get bad weather while we're there.
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BTW, JackLuminos on 5/8 is giving his tickets away. So any of you guys who post there too but missed it... check it out!
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I just got off the phone with an employee at Keswick Theatre. They DO HAVE power, and are fully prepared for tomorrow's Transatlantic show! YEAH!!!!
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great! :metal :metal :metal
ill see you all at the show tomorrow! will be wearing my PSMS shirt :biggrin:
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I just got off the phone with an employee at Keswick Theatre. They DO HAVE power, and are fully prepared for tomorrow's Transatlantic show! YEAH!!!!
Awesome. Thanks for the update. :tup
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I really wanted to know ahead of time since I'm hauling my family down from Rhode Island!
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Hey folks, PerpetualChange has made reservations for 6:00pm at the Keswick Tavern for himself and I. If you'd like to join us, please PM him ASAP. It's within walking distance of the venue, and so you'd only have to park once. Hoping to see a few of you there!
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Anybody who wants to go to Philly: I just won a pair of tickets. I already have tickets. Whoever wants to go is free to have the worse of the seats (I'm not sure where the new ones are at)
Please PM me if interested.
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Very cool Nick!
Anyhow...
I'll be in NYC by 3:15 on Sunday and will be finding a place to eat and drink near the venue. If anything is happening let me know.
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Another curious question...
Does anyone know how that cruise is selling? Is it a success in terms of bookings?
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Tick, a few of my buddies and I will be getting into the city around that time as well. I'll be talking to him tomorrow about what we're doing. If you're down to grab food with us and whoever you might be going with, let me know. Anyone else who is going to the show as well can join. The more, the merrier. :metal
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Hope you guys seeing the show tomorrow all have a great time! I'm jealous and wish I could go too! Take plenty of pics and videos and report to us what you all experienced!
-Marc.
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In spite of it sounding like so many Neal Morse ballads...Shine just clicked with me. I love it.
Just had my first full spin of Kaleidoscope and the jury is still out. Loving it so far though.
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Another curious question...
Does anyone know how that cruise is selling? Is it a success in terms of bookings?
I'm guessing not so great. They were offering booked guests to bring traveling companions for just the cost of the taxes and fees. They've also been adding a bunch of additional bands that auditioned (20 of them) which means they must've had plenty of open rooms.
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That is REALLY too bad. That would be the DREAM place to be for me. It's such an incredible idea and vision. I hope it really really goes well for them. I REALLY wish I could go.
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Keep in mind cruises in general are suffering now.
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Anyhow...
I'll be in NYC by 3:15 on Sunday and will be finding a place to eat and drink near the venue. If anything is happening let me know.
No idea when I'll be in town, but that's probably pretty close. I'll probably hunt down some Thai before hand, but I'll definitely be down for a beverage or two before the show. Just let me know where to be and I'll be there. My hotel's within walking distance of the venue so it'll be a pretty simple deal to work out. Happy to meet up with Scrub, as well, if you want to coordinate with them.
Hey folks, PerpetualChange has made reservations for 6:00pm at the Keswick Tavern for himself and I. If you'd like to join us, please PM him ASAP. It's within walking distance of the venue, and so you'd only have to park once. Hoping to see a few of you there!
Not a clue when I'll get to Glenside as I haven't bothered with the train schedules yet. If I get there early enough I'll stop in for a beverage as I'll be walking right past the place.
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I'll probably be in NYC at 5:30 or 6 on Sunday, I'd definitely be up for a beer before and/or after.
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I'm warming to it...slowly.
Acid test is tonight.
Not sure when we're rolling in yet, but maybe we'll see you there, Nick.
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Anyhow...
I'll be in NYC by 3:15 on Sunday and will be finding a place to eat and drink near the venue. If anything is happening let me know.
No idea when I'll be in town, but that's probably pretty close. I'll probably hunt down some Thai before hand, but I'll definitely be down for a beverage or two before the show. Just let me know where to be and I'll be there. My hotel's within walking distance of the venue so it'll be a pretty simple deal to work out. Happy to meet up with Scrub, as well, if you want to coordinate with them.
I'll let you know where I'm at when I settle in somewhere.
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I'm warming to it...slowly.
Acid test is tonight.
Not sure when we're rolling in yet, but maybe we'll see you there, Nick.
You need reservations on show nights, so you might not be able to get with us, but I hope so!
Still have a pair of extra tickets. If anyone knows anyone who wants to go, please let me know ASAP.
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If I wasn't stuck here in Sweden I'd be on those tickets like Oprah on a ham sandwich.
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I'm warming to it...slowly.
Acid test is tonight.
Not sure when we're rolling in yet, but maybe we'll see you there, Nick.
You need reservations on show nights, so you might not be able to get with us, but I hope so!
Still have a pair of extra tickets. If anyone knows anyone who wants to go, please let me know ASAP.
If I wasn't at work today I would jump all over those! I'm only a 3 hour drive from Philly!
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I've listened to the new album through twice (and the covers disc once; I doubt I give them another listen).
So far, I like it. I haven't fully absorbed the epics yet, but so far, so good, and Shine and Black As The Sky are gold.
Really jealous of those getting to see them live.
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GREAT show tonight. Will recap tomorrow.
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GREAT show tonight.
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Yeah, great show. Could have been about 15% louder for my taste, but I suspect that will be far from the case tomorrow night.
Damn nice of them to skip the intermission. Allowed us train riders to catch the 1055 back home, rather than having to wait until 1215. Great attention to detail and wonderful regard for the fans.
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That's sarcasm right? At least in the back, it was ear splitting levels of loud. :lol
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Damn nice of them to skip the intermission. Allowed us train riders to catch the 1055 back home, rather than having to wait until 1215. Great attention to detail and wonderful regard for the fans.
agreed, i was happy to catch the earlier of the two and get back sooner. idk if it was a conscious decision, but it worked out nice.
Met Neal and Mike, got my Kaleidoscope picture book signed by both, and mike also signed I&W/8V vinyl plus a drum head :metal
amazing show, so glad i got to see them finally! :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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A review of the Transatlantic show last Sunday, meeting Ted Leonard and Pete Trewavas, the Seattle Seahawks winning Super Bowl XLVIII, my dishwasher catching on fire, and the invention of the Snegurechka!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAhWcP13VwM
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So I was watching the making of Momentum for the first time in a while, and there's a scene with Neal playing the chorus to Shine. I don't know if anyone brought it up already, it's interesting that the song was in the making even during the Momentum sessions.
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That's sarcasm right? At least in the back, it was ear splitting levels of loud. :lol
No, but I will elaborate. For most of the show it was a very nice concert volume; I had no problem with it. Where it was lacking was the parts where everything is firing and it's supposed to push you over the edge. The change to the darker theme in Rose Colored Glasses where Pete starts on the Taurus pedals is the best example. Bass pedals (which Pete uses to fantastic effect) are supposed to blow you right off the edge of the cliff. That was lacking last night. It's not that the show was quiet. It's just that it didn't have the overhead to reach the level that was occasionally required. Make sense?
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I hate you all. >:( :censored
:lol :lol
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GREAT show tonight.
Yup, and no way did that need to be louder! It wasn't that it was too loud, but I've been to way too many loud shows, and just appreciate when an engineer can dial back a bit from "What's the loudest we can go?". I thought the builds still had some decent kick to them.
So I was watching the making of Momentum for the first time in a while, and there's a scene with Neal playing the chorus to Shine. I don't know if anyone brought it up already, it's interesting that the song was in the making even during the Momentum sessions.
At the show Neal said he was the one who wrote Shine, which makes sense as they gloss over it in the documentary. Also, obvious.
I hate you all. >:( :censored
:lol :lol
:-*
I thought Ted did a FANTASTIC job, especially on Daniel's vocal parts. I love Ted to begin with and expected good things, but he just outright nailed it.
And finally, a treat for everyone: www.wpapu.com/sounds/TA2014-02-08Kaleidoscope.mp3
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Damn you Nick! I can't finish listening to this. my dad is coming over. I'll finish it tonight!
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If anybody wants to grab a beer before and/or after the show tonight, just shoot me your cell # in a PM. I should be in the city by 6.
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That's sarcasm right? At least in the back, it was ear splitting levels of loud. :lol
No, but I will elaborate. For most of the show it was a very nice concert volume; I had no problem with it. Where it was lacking was the parts where everything is firing and it's supposed to push you over the edge. The change to the darker theme in Rose Colored Glasses where Pete starts on the Taurus pedals is the best example. Bass pedals (which Pete uses to fantastic effect) are supposed to blow you right off the edge of the cliff. That was lacking last night. It's not that the show was quiet. It's just that it didn't have the overhead to reach the level that was occasionally required. Make sense?
Hm, maybe it was just where I was, but that part really did knock me off my ass. But I do think the show was a bit overly loud, so if you turned everything except the Taurus pedals, it would have been even more awesome.
Also, I've seen TA before, but I never realized that Pete was a Hobbit until last night.
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If anybody wants to grab a beer before and/or after the show tonight, just shoot me your cell # in a PM. I should be in the city by 6.
I will out and about having a few Axman, but by 6:00 I will be moving on to inside the venue. I'm getting in the city at 3:15
Anyone having a couple inside the venue can find me there after 6:00. The guy with really short hair and a Neal Morse tour shirt.
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Here's the moment in time where I learned Pete was a hobbit.
(https://www.wpapu.com/images/nicktrewavas.jpg)
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Here's the moment in time where I learned Pete was a hobbit.
(https://www.wpapu.com/images/nicktrewavas.jpg)
Curious...how tall are you, Nick?
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5'10".
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I met Pete at the Everett show...he is of very small stature. *REALLY* nice guy... but it can surprise you how small he is. IRL
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That's sarcasm right? At least in the back, it was ear splitting levels of loud. :lol
The change to the darker theme in Rose Colored Glasses where Pete starts on the Taurus pedals is the best example. Bass pedals (which Pete uses to fantastic effect) are supposed to blow you right off the edge of the cliff. That was lacking last night. It's not that the show was quiet. It's just that it didn't have the overhead to reach the level that was occasionally required. Make sense?
Where I was sitting at my show, that part was a definite stand out, it sounded amazing. I LOVED the volumes at my show, aside from the mix also being good. You were actually able to hear the acoustic drums better than the mic'ed coming out of the speakers, which meant that it was no louder than it needed to be, but when that part came in, the low synth was HUGE.
And awesome, Nick, thanks!! But how come I'm the only one who claps at the riff around 1:00? :biggrin: do you think audiences in the later half of the tour will know better, or is that far stretched?
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If anybody wants to grab a beer before and/or after the show tonight, just shoot me your cell # in a PM. I should be in the city by 6.
I will out and about having a few Axman, but by 6:00 I will be moving on to inside the venue. I'm getting in the city at 3:15
Anyone having a couple inside the venue can find me there after 6:00. The guy with really short hair and a Neal Morse tour shirt.
Has anybody established if there's a nice bar pretty close to the venue? Certainly up for a cocktail before hand, but would prefer to be able to walk to the venue about 6:30. As for me, all anybody needs to know is Grizzly Adams.
That's sarcasm right? At least in the back, it was ear splitting levels of loud. :lol
No, but I will elaborate. For most of the show it was a very nice concert volume; I had no problem with it. Where it was lacking was the parts where everything is firing and it's supposed to push you over the edge. The change to the darker theme in Rose Colored Glasses where Pete starts on the Taurus pedals is the best example. Bass pedals (which Pete uses to fantastic effect) are supposed to blow you right off the edge of the cliff. That was lacking last night. It's not that the show was quiet. It's just that it didn't have the overhead to reach the level that was occasionally required. Make sense?
Hm, maybe it was just where I was, but that part really did knock me off my ass. But I do think the show was a bit overly loud, so if you turned everything except the Taurus pedals, it would have been even more awesome.
Also, I've seen TA before, but I never realized that Pete was a Hobbit until last night.
Yeah, didn't get the ass-knocking I really wanted out of that (and I was in a prime sound spot). I think the problem is that their PA couldn't produce SPLs at the frequencies Taurus pedals generate. Like I said, I think tonight will be a whole different ballgame.
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Atliator, there was a very lame attempt to clap at that part.
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I hate you all. >:( :censored
:lol :lol
This. I hate Nick especially now though. I could have been in ignorant bliss not knowing what I was missing. I could have convinced myself if was an off night...but NOOOOOOO, you just had to go and make me feel bad about not blowing several hundred dollars and shirking my duties for a weekend. Not only did they sound great, but your recording sounded great as well.
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And finally, a treat for everyone: www.wpapu.com/sounds/TA2014-02-08Kaleidoscope.mp3
Do you have the whole show?
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And finally, a treat for everyone: www.wpapu.com/sounds/TA2014-02-08Kaleidoscope.mp3
Do you have the whole show?
And finally, a treat for everyone: www.wpapu.com/sounds/TA2014-02-08Kaleidoscope.mp3
Do you have the whole show?
Yes, and it will get out eventually, but I don't know when.
I hate you all. >:( :censored
:lol :lol
This. I hate Nick especially now though. I could have been in ignorant bliss not knowing what I was missing. I could have convinced myself if was an off night...but NOOOOOOO, you just had to go and make me feel bad about not blowing several hundred dollars and shirking my duties for a weekend. Not only did they sound great, but your recording sounded great as well.
Well, glad the new mics worked well at least. :lol
Wish you could have made it, still time to hop on the cruise!
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Yes, and it will get out eventually, but I don't know when.
:biggrin: It sounds great so far.
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Yes, but even though I am looking for a new job this fall, I still can't just cancel classes for a week to go on a cruise. I couldn't make it to August without another paycheck, and I don't think I'd get another job in my field if I pulled a stunt like that.
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You're in SC. If you pull any stunts nobody will hear about it since they'll try and get the word out via prayer and smoke signals.
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You're in SC. If you pull any stunts nobody will hear about it since they'll try and get the word out via prayer and smoke signals.
You'd be surprised by how fast Waffle Houses get smoke signals going.
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Well, we're on the train back to Rhode Island. What an absolutely mind-blowing fantastic show in Philly last night!! The band's energy level was high, and they delivered an EPIC performance!
A personal high-light for me was Mike handing a drumstick to my 12 year old son in between songs! Yes, we were in the 2nd row (start the envy posts now). Then MP invited his son Max on stage for a quick cameo which was cool.
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So I was watching the making of Momentum for the first time in a while, and there's a scene with Neal playing the chorus to Shine. I don't know if anyone brought it up already, it's interesting that the song was in the making even during the Momentum sessions.
At the show Neal said he was the one who wrote Shine, which makes sense as they gloss over it in the documentary. Also, obvious.
I'm talking about the Momentum DVD. I would have thought they made the songs during the Kaleidoscope sessions, but it came to me as a surprise that the song has been in the making for a while now. But yeah, from the first time I heard it, it was obvious that Neal came up with it.
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So I was watching the making of Momentum for the first time in a while, and there's a scene with Neal playing the chorus to Shine. I don't know if anyone brought it up already, it's interesting that the song was in the making even during the Momentum sessions.
At the show Neal said he was the one who wrote Shine, which makes sense as they gloss over it in the documentary. Also, obvious.
I'm talking about the Momentum DVD. I would have thought they made the songs during the Kaleidoscope sessions, but it came to me as a surprise that the song has been in the making for a while now. But yeah, from the first time I heard it, it was obvious that Neal came up with it.
On the Making of Kaleidoscope, everyone but MP brought in some Demos. MP was the one whom arranged those ideas into his fantasy arrangement.
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So I was watching the making of Momentum for the first time in a while, and there's a scene with Neal playing the chorus to Shine. I don't know if anyone brought it up already, it's interesting that the song was in the making even during the Momentum sessions.
At the show Neal said he was the one who wrote Shine, which makes sense as they gloss over it in the documentary. Also, obvious.
I'm talking about the Momentum DVD. I would have thought they made the songs during the Kaleidoscope sessions, but it came to me as a surprise that the song has been in the making for a while now. But yeah, from the first time I heard it, it was obvious that Neal came up with it.
On the Making of Kaleidoscope, everyone but MP brought in some Demos. MP was the one whom arranged those ideas into his fantasy arrangement.
Also, the sessions that produced Momentum were originally going to be time to be scheduled for the next Transatlantic album, but Pete's and Roine's schedules didn't line up (or something similar), so I suppose some of the music that Neal had written for those sessions were originally meant for TA, which might explain some of the TA-sounding moments on his last solo album.
I do remember, at one point in the studio diaries for Momentum, that Neal had SEVEN songs ready for the album, but only SIX made it to the final album (which was less than 70 minutes long, so it really felt like he had one more song to put on there but didn't). Was is possibly "Shine"? Or something else? Maybe someone else here would be more knowledgeable of this?
-Marc.
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I'm talking about the Momentum DVD. I would have thought they made the songs during the Kaleidoscope sessions, but it came to me as a surprise that the song has been in the making for a while now. But yeah, from the first time I heard it, it was obvious that Neal came up with it.
Why don't I have this? Oh.. Momentum Special edition.. heh
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I'm talking about the Momentum DVD. I would have thought they made the songs during the Kaleidoscope sessions, but it came to me as a surprise that the song has been in the making for a while now. But yeah, from the first time I heard it, it was obvious that Neal came up with it.
Why don't I have this? Oh.. Momentum Special edition.. heh
Also as a side note, it's been Neal's idea to dig up old demos for TA albums since their first release, with demos that dated back to the early 90's that Neal had written. Since then, I'm pretty sure he's brought in old material for new TA albums, with the possible exception to The Whirlwind, although "Rose Colored Glasses" was NOT part of his original 35-40 minute "The Whirlwind" demo that he sent out to the band, and was a separate piece he introduced during the studio sessions, AFAIK.
-Marc.
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I'm talking about the Momentum DVD. I would have thought they made the songs during the Kaleidoscope sessions, but it came to me as a surprise that the song has been in the making for a while now. But yeah, from the first time I heard it, it was obvious that Neal came up with it.
Why don't I have this? Oh.. Momentum Special edition.. heh
Also as a side note, it's been Neal's idea to dig up old demos for TA albums since their first release, with demos that dated back to the early 90's that Neal had written. Since then, I'm pretty sure he's brought in old material for new TA albums, with the possible exception to The Whirlwind, although "Rose Colored Glasses" was NOT part of his original 35-40 minute "The Whirlwind" demo that he sent out to the band, and was a separate piece he introduced during the studio sessions, AFAIK.
-Marc.
Rose Colored Glasses is probably the best chunk on The Whirlwind. Glad it made it.
That said, why can't I buy the Momentum SE anywhere but Radiant it seems? Grrrr. I just placed a small order with them last week and already got gouged 6 bucks to ship 2 discs!
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The biggest old Neal demo is We All Need Some Light. The guys in Spock's didn't want to put it on (I believe) Day for Night because it was too Pink Floyd-y. I hope they are still kicking themselves to this day about that.
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The biggest old Neal demo is We All Need Some Light. The guys in Spock's didn't want to put it on (I believe) Day for Night because it was too Pink Floyd-y. I hope they are still kicking themselves to this day about that.
Right? That track is great.
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The biggest old Neal demo is We All Need Some Lightalbum.
he guys in Spock's didn't want to put it on (I believe) Day for Night because it was too Pink Floyd-y. I hope they are still kicking themselves to this day about that.
In turn they did get "The Distance To The Sun", which is an amazing ballad in itself, and arguably one of the best from that album.
-Marc.
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WANSL is my 2nd least favorite TA song. The TA ballads aren't good like the DT ones. But if I don't like 4 minutes of a 78 minute album, you're not gonna hear me complain about it more than 1/19.5 of the time ;) :P
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WANSL is my 2nd least favorite TA song. The TA ballads aren't good like the DT ones. But if I don't like 4 minutes of a 78 minute album, you're not gonna hear me complain about it more than 1/19.5 of the time ;) :P
A lot of the TA ballads are great, and We All Need Some Light is definitely the best among them. It's beautiful and has so much both serene and solemn atmosphere to it. In fact, I find very few DT ballads that can even compare with it.
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WANSL is my 2nd least favorite TA song.
The TA ballads aren't good like the DT ones.
Sometimes I think you're from an alternate dimension.
:P
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I only just got into this band a few weeks ago, what an absolute revelation! <3
I'm really enjoying Whirlwind a lot, but the title track from Kaleidoscope is beyond amazing, the bit from 1800-2400ish (you know what I mean) has been on a permanent loop either on my laptop or inside my head for a fortnight now. I even said to my friend I think I've found my song of the year, before January is out. The feels <3
Really excited to search through their back catalogue now. I'm really up for the London gig in March but it's in the second week of my placement so I haven't booked anything, I doubt they'll be too happy if I show up for my first day and tell them I'm leaving for a couple days halfway through the induction for a gig! (Takes me about 7 hours from my door to the venue door for London shows) so I'll wait until I've started, test the waters and then maybe grab a ticket if they're still available.
I can't seem to find the Whirld Tour DVD for my region DVD players (UK), and it seems to be only on Amazon.com not .uk. Does anyone know if it was ever released for the UK? I will pay to get it imported from the US if necessary, I love gig DVDs. Have seen the whole thing on YouTube but I like owning them in case I ever just HAVE to watch one when there's no internet connection ;)
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Great to hear you've discovered them, you're in for a treat :tup
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You're in SC. If you pull any stunts nobody will hear about it since they'll try and get the word out via prayer and smoke signals.
You'd be surprised by how fast Waffle Houses get smoke signals going.
:rollin
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Ok, I be the first to chime in on NYC last night....
and of course Tick has a story!
So the evening started well. My buddy Emmett and I found a brew pub and settled in. Later Barto and then Axman joined in and we had a few drinks. It was cool hanging out.
Then the fun begin...
We get to the venue at 6:30 for a 7:00 show. I had VIP seats and so did Axman.
This place fucked this thing up royally. I walk to the door and the person asks..."VIP or regular?" I say VIP and Barto had regular. We both went in different doors and went up flights of steps to wind up in the exact same spot... DERP!
So I say to the kid at the door taking the tickets "VIP" and he says...."Ok you walk into the area and ask a waitress to seat you."
I'm like...ok. The place is packed and these waitresses are busy as hell taking orders and have no time to try and seat people.
So my buddy Emmett who is 6'3" and a big guy, also a nice guy unless you piss him off.
So yeah...that happens right off the bat.
He gets a uninterested waitresses attention and shows the tickets and says we were told to ask a waitress to seat us?
She is all flustered and responds VERY rudely in a nasty tone of voice..."There are no seats in here, I have no place to put you."
He responds calmly but firmly with that look in his eye..."Well, then I guess you will owe me some money then."
Her attitude gets better as she responds in anger..."I'm NOT giving you anything!"
Not good! I can see Emmett about to lose it and I'm not too happy either so I look at him and say, stay here I'll go deal with this.
I go back out to the kid taking the tickets and say, "seriously? no one in there has any intention of seating us and could care less. They are quite busy and there are no seats."
Now the kid is flustered and says, "hold on a manager is coming go get the other person and come back here."
I go to get Emmett and he doesn't really want to deal with anyone but he reluctantly follows me back.
As we stand out there waiting its get more ridiculous as people keep walking up to the kid saying..."VIP?"
I'm like wow! this is crazy!
So the manger says "give me 2 minutes and I will get you great seats, I will be right back. I have 2 others to seat with you"
Emmett says, well I hope so, you are the 4th person we have dealt with and its not going well.
He says..."I'm not them, I will seat you"
So he takes the 4 of us to a pizza parlor style booth off to the side of the main VIP floor and seats us in the booth across from Neals wife and kids.
The other people were who were with us had VIP balcony and were screwed as well. It was truly a cluster fuck!
I have no idea what happened with Axman? He had VIP as well, and I don't know what they did with him? I'm curious to hear his story...
So it took a few minutes to clam down and settle in after that mess, but a couple of beers works wonders.
So...
The show itself was great as I knew it would be. Barto would up settling in to our booth in the later stages when Emmett saw him coming back from a bathroom trip. That was a fun adventure trying to fight through an immovable crowd to get to the bathroom and back but that's another story. He said follow me and brought him to our booth. That was cool.
One of the highlights was Pete's bass going dead leading into the encore. As the crew worked to fix it Mike blabbed away per usual and the band started doing inprov versions of Beatles songs as it was the 50th anniversary of the Beatles playing the ed Sullivan show right down the street.
So the night was awesome and the show was amazing, but this place needs to get a clue.
I think the problem was they didn't really give a shit about the VIP situation very much and I don't think they monitored who was sitting in the area very well. You needed a wristband to be in there and I think alot of GA people just wandered in early and copped a squat.
Great night of music and hanging with cool peeps, and OF COURSE...a classic Tick story to entertain!
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Really excited to search through their back catalogue now. I'm really up for the London gig in March but it's in the second week of my placement so I haven't booked anything, I doubt they'll be too happy if I show up for my first day and tell them I'm leaving for a couple days halfway through the induction for a gig! (Takes me about 7 hours from my door to the venue door for London shows) so I'll wait until I've started, test the waters and then maybe grab a ticket if they're still available.
When's the gig again? I'm thinking of going, wasn't originally planning to as I saw them on the Whirld Tour, but I enjoyed it so much and I don't have all that many gigs planned at the moment.
I can't seem to find the Whirld Tour DVD for my region DVD players (UK), and it seems to be only on Amazon.com not .uk. Does anyone know if it was ever released for the UK? I will pay to get it imported from the US if necessary, I love gig DVDs.
I'm pretty certain it was released in the UK because my DVDs definitely work!
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Really excited to search through their back catalogue now. I'm really up for the London gig in March but it's in the second week of my placement so I haven't booked anything, I doubt they'll be too happy if I show up for my first day and tell them I'm leaving for a couple days halfway through the induction for a gig! (Takes me about 7 hours from my door to the venue door for London shows) so I'll wait until I've started, test the waters and then maybe grab a ticket if they're still available.
When's the gig again? I'm thinking of going, wasn't originally planning to as I saw them on the Whirld Tour, but I enjoyed it so much and I don't have all that many gigs planned at the moment.
I can't seem to find the Whirld Tour DVD for my region DVD players (UK), and it seems to be only on Amazon.com not .uk. Does anyone know if it was ever released for the UK? I will pay to get it imported from the US if necessary, I love gig DVDs.
I'm pretty certain it was released in the UK because my DVDs definitely work!
Oh, it's suddenly on .co.uk! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whirld-Tour-2010-Transatlantic/dp/B00455QC1W is this the one you have? I am so buying it!
Okay I bought it before I even hit post. Awesome. It'll be fine if it's on the uk site.
Umm the gig is in March 12th. Are you coming to see dredg in April at Scala?
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Got this text from my older brother (who loves Transatlantic as much as many of us do) earlier this morning:
"New Transatlantic is definitely their worst CD."
I agree with him, although I told him I prefer the phrase "least favorite" :lol, but it's still pretty great. And considering the first three are all 5-star albums, IMO, this one being only 4 or 4 1/2 is not bad at all.
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Oh wow, didn't even know dredg were touring - might well go to that as I've never seen them live before.
Transatlantic I may go to, depends on other plans as March is fairly busy for me. But they're such good fun live so I might just say sod it and go. I'm also seeing The Dear Hunter on the 6th.
Anyway we should take this discussion to Facebook - had no idea you were coming to London for so many gigs!
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Got this text from my older brother (who loves Transatlantic as much as many of us do) earlier this morning:
"New Transatlantic is definitely their worst CD."
I agree with him, although I told him I prefer the phrase "least favorite" :lol, but it's still pretty great. And considering the first three are all 5-star albums, IMO, this one being only 4 or 4 1/2 is not bad at all.
I think the problem with music fans sometimes is that don't stop to appreciate how precious it is to get new music and a tour for an artist as great as Transatlantic. You can't take it for granted, imo. I just try to not place albums in certain orders and stuff like that. Instead when I get new music from bands like Transatlantic I embrace them and am thankful for new material! As you said, its great regardless of how it compares to past releases.
That's how I feel.
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Axeman was standing by me in front of the sound guy. We had a great view from there. That venue is complete garbage. It sucked the first time I went there for Neal's momentum tour and it sucked last night. They were late opening the doors by 50 minutes but I don't actually think that was their fault, and I'm a pretty patient person so it wasn't really a big deal. Also they offered all of us free coffee cause it was pretty cold out.
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Axeman was standing by me in front of the sound guy. We had a great view from there. That venue is complete garbage. It sucked the first time I went there for Neal's momentum tour and it sucked last night. They were late opening the doors by 50 minutes but I don't actually think that was their fault, and I'm a pretty patient person so it wasn't really a big deal. Also they offered all of us free coffee cause it was pretty cold out.
I agree. Axman got screwed! He paid for a ticket right up at the stage and those douche bag employees fucked everything up!
I was going to lose it if they didn't find us seats. So as I said, they put us in a reserved for family booth right next to Neal's family. It worked fine.
That place is an absolute joke in terms of just being flat out clueless on how to run an event.
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Oh wow, didn't even know dredg were touring - might well go to that as I've never seen them live before.
Transatlantic I may go to, depends on other plans as March is fairly busy for me. But they're such good fun live so I might just say sod it and go. I'm also seeing The Dear Hunter on the 6th.
Anyway we should take this discussion to Facebook - had no idea you were coming to London for so many gigs!
Yup I'm all over the place for gigs ATM! Do you wanna meet up for a drink before the DT show?
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Watched the "Making Of..." doc that came with Kaleidoscope yesterday. It's pretty interesting to see how the guys do things. From what I saw, it appeared that the "Into the Blue" started as a Neal thing that just turned into something completely different once the guys got together. I also thought it was interesting how Pete (or maybe Roine?) diplomatically repelled the idea of going to a main theme after intense build-up section, saying something to the effect of "we've done that so many times". That heavy riff with Roine vocal section is one of my favorite parts of the album, and it would have been a tragedy had it not had a chance to develop.
Comparing both epics side-to-side, I like "Into the Blue" better than "Kaleidoscope", and agree with Roine where he mentions the music sounding "fresh" in the doc. Also, I noticed that "Into the Blue" came really easy for the band, with them writing it basically right out of the gate and jamming out a lot of parts, whereas "Kaleidoscope" seemed to be a lot tougher and more stressful for them to peice together. "Kaleidoscope" is more like a Frankensong attempt to meld together different Neal, Pete, and Roine songs. Interestingly, my wife prefers "Kaleidoscope". Whereas I like the more intuitive progression of "Into the Blue", she really enjoys the variety and sort of patchwork feel of the other song.
I still like Bridge Across Forever best, but this album might be a solid No. 2. It's nowhere near as bombastic as some of the previous albums, but I think the playing is just more solid all around, and unlike with some of their other music, I never feel like I'm just listening to stuff I could take or leave just to get to a certain climatic part (lookin' at you, Whirlwind!).
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Good show last night. As expected, night and day from PHL 2 nights ago. As for the venues, I preferred the Keswick, although the Highline got much better once Tick and his buddy upgraded me to the rich people's section. :tup The NYC performance was a bit better. PHL was textbook performances of all the material. NYC was a bit looser, particularly with all of the Beatles jams going on. I've always thought that technical foul ups add to shows, and Pete's bass thing made for a damned entertaining 15 minutes. Incidentally, it was resolved by removing his effects rig and playing straight through, which actually sounded a lot better. As for sound, as expected a big improvement. The Keswick show might actually have been a bit louder, but the Highline PA offered the headspace that was needed. They had no problem turning it up to 11 when situation called for it. RCG actually provided the kick in the face that Keswick was lacking.
Nice to meet up with some forummers, as well.
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Here's the moment in time where I learned Pete was a hobbit.
(https://www.wpapu.com/images/nicktrewavas.jpg)
I'm showing this to my wife! I've been calling Bilbo (in his most recent incarnation) Trewavas for almost two years now and she insists I'm crazy (Well, I am, but not about that.)
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TA playing a bit of The Beatles' "You Can't Do That" from NYC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbe86l0EXN0
-Marc.
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Good show in Philly. Very enjoyable. Nearly flawless execution.
Something just seemed off to me though. Just like the album. I thought hearing it live would improve things, but it was marginal. Very strange.
The band was inspired, ripped through the set and had fun doing it. The crowd loved it. They really accepted Ted (The only time I wasn't thrilled was the vocals to We All need Some Light) and he didn't disappoint. It sounded great.(Could have done with more Taurus pedals, but that's a personal problem!) It was a fun gig.
The fifth time I've seen this band and this is the first time I wasn't moved and I'm still trying to figure out why.
I had a delusional fantasy about the band breaking into an Enchant song when Ted was singing which I though was pretty wild.
Nick, I wish I could have spent more time with you and yours but we had t get out of dodge fairly quickly. My friend had a longer drive home and my son got up at 6 Saturday for his herp show and was getting tired at the end.
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Could have done with more Taurus pedals, but that's a personal problem!
So it wasn't just me. :biggrin:
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Great show in NYC, despite the brief technical glitch towards the end. The band was full of energy, and Ted certainly did a capable job of filling in for Mr. Gildenlow. I definitely feel like the new epics came across better live than they have on the album so far, and I was very glad that My New World was on the setlist.
Tick, I went to the back to check my coat and say hi to Scrub, and then I lost sight of you guys. Seeing as they had a pretty good spot view-wise, I just settled in for the night back there. Glad to hear you guys got seats though. It seemed like the venue was a little bit in disarray in general.
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TA playing a bit of The Beatles' "You Can't Do That" from NYC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbe86l0EXN0
-Marc.
You had to have been JUST to the left of me. That's cool. What did you record that with?
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TA playing a bit of The Beatles' "You Can't Do That" from NYC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbe86l0EXN0
-Marc.
You had to have been JUST to the left of me. That's cool. What did you record that with?
Oh that's not my recording, just one I found on YouTube lol
-Marc.
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Great show in NYC, despite the brief technical glitch towards the end. The band was full of energy, and Ted certainly did a capable job of filling in for Mr. Gildenlow. I definitely feel like the new epics came across better live than they have on the album so far, and I was very glad that My New World was on the setlist.
Tick, I went to the back to check my coat and say hi to Scrub, and then I lost sight of you guys. Seeing as they had a pretty good spot view-wise, I just settled in for the night back there. Glad to hear you guys got seats though. It seemed like the venue was a little bit in disarray in general.
Everything was so screwed up I lost sight of you. They didn't have a clue. Honestly, in my opinion...the fact you stood general admission when you paid for VIP was bogus. I'm glad you were ok with it. Your a nice guy. If they had not been able to seat me, I would have asked for a full refund since they did not honor what I paid for. and then I would have resigned myself to standing GA. A partial refund would have not been sufficient since this was there problem.
Don't know if that would have flew with them, but the way I see it, I spend a lot of money to come into the city for a show and its not my screw up, its theirs.
Of coarse I'm a grumpy old man who wants what I paid good money for. I'm glad Barto wound up in the booth I was in. That made me feel better. If I had not lost sight of you, you would have definitely had a seat. I would have made sure of it.
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TA playing a bit of The Beatles' "You Can't Do That" from NYC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbe86l0EXN0
-Marc.
So I was wondering why weren't the other guys bothering with learning the song, but then I realized Neal and Mike had to do something while Pete was getting his bass fixed. :lol This is a terrific song, by the way, they could do a serious full-on cover of it at some point.
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Well Neal and Mike already did the song with Yellow Matter Custard, which was a great performance by the way, and a wonderful live show/DVD/album. Both of the YMC shows are, in fact.
Anyway, here's a youtuber who has posted a few videos from the NYC show:
https://www.youtube.com/user/keebsmp3s/videos
Included are both Beatles jam sessions during the night, as well as a few other songs.
-Marc.
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WANSL is my 2nd least favorite TA song.
The TA ballads aren't good like the DT ones.
Sometimes I think you're from an alternate dimension.
:P
That would explain a lot :lol
But wait, just to be clear because that sentence was worded weirdly- I'm saying the DT ballads ARE good. In fact they're outstandingly awesome.
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I think we understood that that's what you meant, that's why we think you're crazy. :P
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Ok good that's what I thought. No it's definitely you guys that are crazy, there's no comparison.
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According to Mike last night...
(https://www.facebook.com/mikeportnoyofficial/posts/743550748995903)Mexico City: GRACIAS! Great audience, beautiful theater! Sorry Neal's keys went down, but you got 2 bonus songs out of it! : )
[/url]
And in the comments, they apparently got "Beyond The Sun" and "Bridge Across Forever". Lucky audience getting two more songs!
Anyone here go to that show last night? I'm interested in hearing more about what happened!
-Marc.
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(https://www.facebook.com/mikeportnoyofficial/posts/743550748995903)
Neal's keys went down, but you got 2 bonus songs out of it! : )
"Beyond The Sun" and "Bridge Across Forever"
??? :justjen
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(https://www.facebook.com/mikeportnoyofficial/posts/743550748995903) Neal's keys went down, but you got 2 bonus songs out of it! : )
"Beyond The Sun" and "Bridge Across Forever"
??? :justjen
From what I've gathered, he played them acoustically, meaning he probably did acoustic guitar renditions of them. I hope some vids pop up from those performances because I'd love to hear them.
Here's the full set list of the show - https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/teatro-metropolitan-mexico-city-mexico-6bc51602.html
-Marc.
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Wow, so they missed at least part of BatS. That'd really suck. Besides which, crude though they were, I'd take the Beatles songs we got over the two Neil solo tunes (but that's just me).
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Wow, so they missed at least part of BatS. That'd really suck. Besides which, crude though they were, I'd take the Beatles songs we got over the two Neil solo tunes (but that's just me).
But those are transatlantic songs.
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Neil
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Wow, so they missed at least part of BatS. That'd really suck. Besides which, crude though they were, I'd take the Beatles songs we got over the two Neil solo tunes (but that's just me).
But those are transatlantic songs.
Who is Neil? :tup
Anyways, as Ben said, they are both TA tunes, and sadly enough, have not been getting any play this tour so far. I would love to see "Beyond The Sun" properly played in full for the filmed show.
-Marc.
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I'm thinking Barto's just saying they sound pretty much like Neal solo songs.
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Bridge Across Forever is my least favorite TA song, and BTS is probably my 4th least favorite even though I like that one.
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Some stuff here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fnwHNdQQFE
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If y'all hadn't pointed it out to me I probably would have gotten his name right about 50% of the time. Now I'll probably brainlock on Neil and you'll have to keep seeing it. :lol
I just dig talented guys playing cover songs. Even though I'm not a big Beatles fan I enjoy seeing people have fun with such things. If I thought that NM (is that better) hadn't sang or played either one of those for 15 years I'd be cooler with it, but at this point it's just standard material that A: I don't much care for and B: isn't particularly unusual or unique. I've often said that some of the coolest things you'll see at a concert happen because something fucks up, and I prefer for those situations to result in really unusual or extraordinary things.
I suppose with that being said it probably is cool for the folks in Mexico to see perhaps the only time those songs are played on this tour.
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Bridge Across Forever is my least favorite TA song, and BTS is probably my 4th least favorite even though I like that one.
'
I think Bridge across forever is a beautiful song! Maybe I'm just an emotional homo? :justjen
:biggrin:
(not that theirs anything wrong with that)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI7-rFEiENw
So I stumbled upon this while searching for new TA live videos and this looks like the Radiant Records release of the 3-Disc set. Is that right? It looks so...plain.
I ordered the 3-Disc set from Burning Shed, which was manufactured by InsideOut, and it came in a lavish book-like packaging, much like the Limited Editions of SMPT:e and Bridge Across Forever, with the booklet/liner notes bound in to the main packaging, with the discs in bound sleeves that hold the discs in from the sides and bottom (which you slide them out from the top to remove).
I'm kind of glad I got the 3-Disc set from IO, which happens to manufacture much BETTER packages for their special/limited editions than Radiant does. Same happened with the 5-disc set of Whirld Tour 2010: Live In London - the Radiant version had plain cardboard DVD-sized pieces that held the discs and then slid in to a flimsy cardboard box. The InsideOut version housed the book-like disc-holders in a really thick, really durable hard cardboard box. It's kind of a shame that Radiant skimps out on the good packaging.
-Marc.
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Seeing them tomorrow for the first time :dangerwillrobinson: I'm freaking excited
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Seeing them tomorrow for the first time :dangerwillrobinson: I'm freaking excited
With good reason! Embrace the magic! It is going to blow your mind! The day before a show is always a great day! The anticipation builds!!! :metal
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This is TA's first tour in South America, right?
I really hope they can win over some of the fans down there. I know the South American DT fans are still hungry for Portnoy Prog... and I know TA are going to deliver.
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This is TA's first tour in South America, right?
I really hope they can win over some of the fans down there. I know the South American DT fans are still hungry for Portnoy Prog... and I know TA are going to deliver.
True dat! and they have some sick ass fans down there!!! I greatly admire the passion! :metal
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I kinda hope the tour is just massively successful so TA continue to be more active.
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All true :2metal:
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So I went to the NYC show. I was hanging with Scrub actually cause he went with one of my friends. We waited on line for like 50 minutes outside which turned into a pretty funny thing because people started getting really pissed off at the staff.
Anyways, show was amazing. Set list was really cool. The bass rig going down was pretty funny. Pete was so frustrated because they were trying to fix it but MP and Neil were playing Beatles covers. So finally he just gets on the mic and says "Can you guys stop because we need to hear to fix this."
So we got to see the beginning of the encore twice due to the bass going down.
Ted was amazing. Roine was INCREDIBLE on guitar. I don't know what it was but his playing blew me away at this show more than the last time I saw them. It was great.
Couldn't have asked for a better show.
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Haha, Pete actually had to tell those two to stop. Dur guys, how can you fix a bass if you can't hear it especially in the monitors.
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Why the hell are they having so many technical difficulties on this tour? Someone will be fired. :lol
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I do remember, at one point in the studio diaries for Momentum, that Neal had SEVEN songs ready for the album, but only SIX made it to the final album (which was less than 70 minutes long, so it really felt like he had one more song to put on there but didn't). Was is possibly "Shine"? Or something else? Maybe someone else here would be more knowledgeable of this?
I think the seventh one was called Altar of my heart or something. That's also on the Momentum DVD. If I recall correctly, the idea to leave that song off the album came from Mike. He actually wanted not to put Freak on the album neither, but Neal really liked the song.
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I do remember, at one point in the studio diaries for Momentum, that Neal had SEVEN songs ready for the album, but only SIX made it to the final album (which was less than 70 minutes long, so it really felt like he had one more song to put on there but didn't). Was is possibly "Shine"? Or something else? Maybe someone else here would be more knowledgeable of this?
I think the seventh one was called Altar of my heart or something. That's also on the Momentum DVD. If I recall correctly, the idea to leave that song off the album came from Mike. He actually wanted not to put Freak on the album neither, but Neal really liked the song.
Ahh okay. Thanks to Mladen for the facts! :tup
Well it seems like "Shine" stemmed back a ways so I'm glad it finally found a home with TA. Either way, Mike was going to play drums on it! :lol
Anyone else hoping that Neal releases his demos for Kaleidoscope through the Inner Circle? I enjoyed hearing his original demo of "The Whirlwind", picking out parts that made it and the ones that didn't. I'd love to hear his original demos of the epics, as well as "Shine". I also wish Roine and Pete would release their TA demos as well.
-Marc.
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So I went to the NYC show. I was hanging with Scrub actually cause he went with one of my friends. We waited on line for like 50 minutes outside which turned into a pretty funny thing because people started getting really pissed off at the staff.
Anyways, show was amazing. Set list was really cool. The bass rig going down was pretty funny. Pete was so frustrated because they were trying to fix it but MP and Neil were playing Beatles covers. So finally he just gets on the mic and says "Can you guys stop because we need to hear to fix this."
So we got to see the beginning of the encore twice due to the bass going down.
Ted was amazing. Roine was INCREDIBLE on guitar. I don't know what it was but his playing blew me away at this show more than the last time I saw them. It was great.
Couldn't have asked for a better show.
Amazing show!...BUT...the staff at that place is absolutely clueless! Read my post a page back if you have not already.
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Soooooo, somewhere between LA and NYC, the guys added another vocal part after the bridge in "Black As The Sky" to give Ted Leonard a bit of vocals after Neal's bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uI8zTvFAcA
Despite a minor gaff on Mike's part during the 2nd odd-meter grouping of the synth solo (supposed to have been 2-2-3-2-3-2-2-3-3), this rendition was electric and lively! I love that they put in an extra vocal bit just for Ted and it changes the song a lil bit! I wonder when they decided to do that?
-Marc.
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That was a great live rendition of the song. Too bad about the distortion. I like how Neal hams it up after the odd-meter breaks. Sure, it wasn't that hard to play, but five guys all getting that rhythm right is still pretty cool.
I couldn't understand what Ted sang, but yeah, it's cool that he got something to sing during the "everyone sings a line" part.
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Yea they didn't do the one Ted line at my show. But they nailed the odd time part and it was AWESOME.
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Also just found out that Ted has been singing the second verse of WANSL, and at the NYC show, his wireless mic wouldn't work so he resorted to using Pete's mic...which is about a foot too short for him, so the crowd was laughing as Ted bent his legs to crouch down to sing into the mic.
-Marc.
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Really, REALLY cool video! :tup
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Ted did his vocal bit at the Philly show.
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Also just found out that Ted has been singing the second verse of WANSL, and at the NYC show, his wireless mic wouldn't work so he resorted to using Pete's mic...which is about a foot too short for him, so the crowd was laughing as Ted bent his legs to crouch down to sing into the mic.
-Marc.
Yeah, that was a hoot. He had to squat kind of bow-legged to make it work. I thought his vocal bits in that and BatS were great.
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My initial thought was that the new album isn't as good as the two before. My absolute favourite is BAF.
I've only listened Kale for a few times though, maybe it'll grow on me with more listens, well see :)
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Was anyone else slightly disappointed by the Song Book for the album? When I ordered it I thought it would be a tab book with all the music transcribed, which is something I would pay a lot of money to have for Neal's music. Apparently though, a song book is simply the chords and selected instrument passages, most of which I could have figured out by myself. I did get a signed version though, which is nice. :)
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Was anyone else slightly disappointed by the Song Book for the album? When I ordered it I thought it would be a tab book with all the music transcribed, which is something I would pay a lot of money to have for Neal's music. Apparently though, a song book is simply the chords and selected instrument passages, most of which I could have figured out by myself. I did get a signed version though, which is nice. :)
A more complete score would have been my preference, but I was pretty sure they were going to send out what amounts to a "fake book" transcription. It's enough to get you going down the right path, but not much else.
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Its not bad for the amount of time they had to transcribe the new songs. I'm glad it has the treble clef notes so I can play bass, unlike some song books that only have guitar.
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I can't even begin to describe how awesome last night's show was. Everything was perfect, they sounded great and were totally on fire with the execution and they had tons of interaction with the crowd. I really missed MP, his showmanship really adds to any show.
But my highest praise goes to Neal, I had never had the chance to see him play live and he just rocked my socks off, I simply didn't know he could pull some of the things they played and I don't think I've ever seen someone being that happy on a stage.
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I'm lov, lov , lov I'm lovin it.
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I can't even begin to describe how awesome last night's show was. Everything was perfect, they sounded great and were totally on fire with the execution and they had tons of interaction with the crowd. I really missed MP, his showmanship really adds to any show.
But my highest praise goes to Neal, I had never had the chance to see him play live and he just rocked my socks off, I simply didn't know he could pull some of the things they played and I don't think I've ever seen someone being that happy on a stage.
How'd the crowd receive TA? Similar to DT? Better? Worse?
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Better than the last time DT came in. Neal was out of his mind playing with crowd and MP was really happy to have come back :D
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI7-rFEiENw
So I stumbled upon this while searching for new TA live videos and this looks like the Radiant Records release of the 3-Disc set. Is that right? It looks so...plain.
I ordered the 3-Disc set from Burning Shed, which was manufactured by InsideOut, and it came in a lavish book-like packaging, much like the Limited Editions of SMPT:e and Bridge Across Forever, with the booklet/liner notes bound in to the main packaging, with the discs in bound sleeves that hold the discs in from the sides and bottom (which you slide them out from the top to remove).
I'm kind of glad I got the 3-Disc set from IO, which happens to manufacture much BETTER packages for their special/limited editions than Radiant does. Same happened with the 5-disc set of Whirld Tour 2010: Live In London - the Radiant version had plain cardboard DVD-sized pieces that held the discs and then slid in to a flimsy cardboard box. The InsideOut version housed the book-like disc-holders in a really thick, really durable hard cardboard box. It's kind of a shame that Radiant skimps out on the good packaging.
-Marc.
Looks like I need to find this version.
The Europeans always seem to step it up with packaging.
I didn't figure on their being a difference, but I suppose it makes sense.
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I can't even begin to describe how awesome last night's show was. Everything was perfect, they sounded great and were totally on fire with the execution and they had tons of interaction with the crowd. I really missed MP, his showmanship really adds to any show.
But my highest praise goes to Neal, I had never had the chance to see him play live and he just rocked my socks off, I simply didn't know he could pull some of the things they played and I don't think I've ever seen someone being that happy on a stage.
I've only had the opportunity to see Neal perform live once. It was back when he first left Spock's Beard. He was touring in support of "Testimony" and because I happen to be friends with the promoter I got to sit about 6 feet away from Neal on the stage.
People often talk of his songwriting talent, but sometimes his skill as a musician is overlooked or taken for granted. Dude is one seriously talented and truly gifted musician. He plays just about everything in terms of instruments and is capable of conveying an incredibly huge amount of emotion into his singing voice. He's really not a very good singer from a technical standpoint. His range, for example, is quite limited. But what he's capable of within the confines of that limitation is nothing short of spectacular.
I really admire him, and not just as a musician. He's got real class and is just a super-nice person.
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I can't even begin to describe how awesome last night's show was. Everything was perfect, they sounded great and were totally on fire with the execution and they had tons of interaction with the crowd. I really missed MP, his showmanship really adds to any show.
But my highest praise goes to Neal, I had never had the chance to see him play live and he just rocked my socks off, I simply didn't know he could pull some of the things they played and I don't think I've ever seen someone being that happy on a stage.
I've only had the opportunity to see Neal perform live once. It was back when he first left Spock's Beard. He was touring in support of "Testimony" and because I happen to be friends with the promoter I got to sit about 6 feet away from Neal on the stage.
People often talk of his songwriting talent, but sometimes his skill as a musician is overlooked or taken for granted. Dude is one seriously talented and truly gifted musician. He plays just about everything in terms of instruments and is capable of conveying an incredibly huge amount of emotion into his singing voice. He's really not a very good singer from a technical standpoint. His range, for example, is quite limited. But what he's capable of within the confines of that limitation is nothing short of spectacular.
I really admire him, and not just as a musician. He's got real class and is just a super-nice person.
Yeah Kirk, technically not the most gifted vocalist, but what makes him brilliant as a vocalist is knowing 100% how to maximize what he has. That's why I love Neal. He is so gifted in so many ways.
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Well said, guys.
Neal just has a wonderful natural singing voice, and that more than makes up for his lack of range. I always say, I will take a vocalist with tons of character and not a ton of range over one with tons of range and not a lot of character, which is why I am a big fan of both Neal and Roine when it comes to their singing. :tup :tup
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The last 3 posts have expressed quite well my thoughts on Neal as a vocalist. He funnels so much energy and feeling into his delivery, yet it sounds so natural. I'm floored by all the varying artists he's covered so convincingly well over the years with the recent Kaleidoscope bonus disc as well as his solo bonus material.
I find his songwriting truly inspiring, both the music and lyrical content.
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Sorry for the double post, but I agree with you KevShmev regarding Roine. He has a truly unique, distinctive and awesome voice. Also, the phrasing and texture of the notes in his guitar solos are so expressive and powerful.
I'll also say that his songwriting especially with TFK is incredible.
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If you don't want to double post, you can just edit your initial post. :tup
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Thanks Shadow. I'm an old fart who's slowly learning the ropes of posting on the forum.....so feel free to help me whenever I slip up.
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And really, there is an abnormal stigma about double posts. It's fine as long as your adding new substantial information. And even if not, doing it occasionally isn't going to harm anything. Just when it's regular and spammy that it gets to be a problem.
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<------this guys doesn't follow any rules. Don't back kingsy in a corner.
I've been playing the crap out of the new album and TFK's Desolation Rose.
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Just found this interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8hRSYCWRc
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Nice little interview.
A little odd for me to hear Neal himself say there isn't much more meaning behind the TA ship. :lol That thing is so iconic to me, when I first listened to SMPT:e and that melody at around 1:35 in All of the Above kicked in, everything about it seemed so grand and huge, it definitely left a lasting impression.
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Isn't it so disappointing when that happens??
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Just found this interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8hRSYCWRc
Thanks for the link. Cool interview.
Nice little interview.
A little odd for me to hear Neal himself say there isn't much more meaning behind the TA ship. :lol That thing is so iconic to me, when I first listened to SMPT:e and that melody at around 1:35 in All of the Above kicked in, everything about it seemed so grand and huge, it definitely left a lasting impression.
Yeah! For me whenever I hear the opening sound of AOTA, I think it IS the TA spaceship!
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I'm sure he's understating it. It definitely had some significance I think.
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GREAT Performance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg-2oMtz2ak
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Just found this interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8hRSYCWRc
Kind of funny that the clip was 40 minutes long, yet the actual interview time couldn't have been more than 7 or 8 minutes. :lol :lol
Regardless, good find. :tup :tup
I've been playing the crap out of the new album and TFK's Desolation Rose.
Time for you to mosey on over to the TFK thread and share your thoughts on Desolation Rose. :)
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Anyone of you guys bought a Meet and Greet. I'm still wondering if I should do it. It's really just a brief chat, a signed picture, and they sign anything you have? No early entry or anything? Or special merch?
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So I just read that Daniel won't be joining the PNAS... Will he join the European Tour? :-\
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I really don't think so. Is he even out of the hospital already? Even if he is strong enough the recover at home, it's still less than a month before the european tour starts. So only a couple of weeks from only being able to lie down, to full nights of prog. I don't think it's even physically possible for him to hold a guitar in 3 weeks.
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So, according to setlist.fm, they apparently played the whole new album in its entirety on the cruise, so far.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/norwegian-pearl-miami-fl-3c56937.html
I wonder how "Beyond The Sun" turned out since they haven't really been playing it live on the tour. Also, I really hope that whatever official release we get of the tour includes the whole album, be it THIS performance or another of the standard set list with "Beyond The Sun" as a bonus track.
I'd love to get a completely live version of the album in sequence, though, like we did with The Whirlwind.
-Marc.
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Also, I really hope that whatever official release we get of the tour includes the whole album, be it THIS performance or another of the standard set list with "Beyond The Sun" as a bonus track.
Since when were we definitely getting an official release of the cruise?
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I can't imagine Mike and Neal not recording it.
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Also, I really hope that whatever official release we get of the tour includes the whole album, be it THIS performance or another of the standard set list with "Beyond The Sun" as a bonus track.
Since when were we definitely getting an official release of the cruise?
I didn't think we would, but I have been hoping they will. It's a bit event, and TA is sort of a headliner, it would be pretty stupid for them NOT to film/record their performances, if not for at least a Radiant Records "unofficial" release or something on the side, maybe even one of Neal's Inner Circle DVDs. At least give us the set with Jon Anderson!
I can bet they will be releasing ONE of the two nights at Tilburg being their only 2-night stand, they can film both nights and compile the best of both for a perfect show! AND it's really close to the end of the tour, so everything's going to be really tight.
IDEALLY - I'd like to see the complete show, live, on DVD/BR/CD from the Tilburg performances, and release the PNAS Performances later on.
-Marc.
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My copy of Kaleidoscope arrived this morning! :D
Update: Just completed my first full playthrough of the album, and wow! They've done it again. A spectacular album! Some observations:
- I love its general flow. Epic > Lighter song with drums > Rocker > Lighter song without drums > Epic.
- During Kaleidoscope, I looked at the timer on my CD player, while enjoying and getting into the song. 21 minutes had passed, but it didn't feel like it at all. It doesn't feel a minute overlong, despite being 32 minutes in length. It flows really well, with the movements not overstaying their welcome. The return of the Ride the Lightning chorus in 6/8 in the fifth movement, Desolation Days, is a stroke of genius. And then the final chorus and solo ends the song (and album) in truly soaring, arms-aloft fashion. Even though it's a fadeout ending, it feels like the journey is complete.
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Nick's facebook:
Doing my one check in during the week at sea, as internet is $0.75 a minute. Bands have been stellar thus far, with standouts being Haken and Anathema. Alan Morse was phenomenal on guitar, and it's just been a fantastic experience. You can't walk ten foot without tripping over an amazing musician, food is great, and went kayaking in the Caribbean this morning. Also, just had lunch with Roine Stolt. Again
I'm pretty jelly.
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Nick's facebook:
Doing my one check in during the week at sea, as internet is $0.75 a minute. Bands have been stellar thus far, with standouts being Haken and Anathema. Alan Morse was phenomenal on guitar, and it's just been a fantastic experience. You can't walk ten foot without tripping over an amazing musician, food is great, and went kayaking in the Caribbean this morning. Also, just had lunch with Roine Stolt. Again
I'm pretty jelly.
Wait... AGAIN?! Oh man... You kind of forget that this is also a cruise for the musicians as well, and not just a concert festival at sea. I'm glad to hear everyone, fans and musicians, are enjoying the cruise together. I wish I could've gone but ah well. Who knows, maybe there will be another one in a few years?
But yes, I'm so jelly right now, you can put me in a jar and shelf me.
-Marc.
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...you can put me in a jar and shelf me.
-Marc.
If that's what floats your boat. :eyebrows:
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...you can put me in a jar and shelf me.
-Marc.
If that's what floats your boat. :eyebrows:
The only boat I'd rather be on right now is the one holding the Progressive Nation festival!!!
-Marc.
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Just saw this update from Randy George:
PN14 was an amazing success! The highlight for me was playing Revealing Science of God with Jon singing! I played guitar along with Roine! The whole Yes set was really great! But the end of Starship Trooper was the bast with many of the artists joining us on stage!
Looks like the final set of the cruise was amazing!!! I really Really REALLY hope the whole thing got captured and will be released! I wonder who all joined TA on stage besides Randy?! And I wonder what else they played besides "The Revealing Science Of God" (OMG!!!) and "Starship Trooper"? I can only assume they did "And You And I" since it was on TA's bonus disc (they did play "The Return Of The Giant Hogweed" last tour and it was on the last album's bonus disc).
Can't wait to read more reports from the cruise!
-Marc.
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Holy shit, they played Revealing Science of God! Prog doesn't get better than that. :hefdaddy
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My copy of Kaleidoscope arrived this morning! :D
Update: Just completed my first full playthrough of the album, and wow! They've done it again. A spectacular album! Some observations:
- I love its general flow. Epic > Lighter song with drums > Rocker > Lighter song without drums > Epic.
- During Kaleidoscope, I looked at the timer on my CD player, while enjoying and getting into the song. 21 minutes had passed, but it didn't feel like it at all. It doesn't feel a minute overlong, despite being 32 minutes in length. It flows really well, with the movements not overstaying their welcome. The return of the Ride the Lightning chorus in 6/8 in the fifth movement, Desolation Days, is a stroke of genius. And then the final chorus and solo ends the song (and album) in truly soaring, arms-aloft fashion. Even though it's a fadeout ending, it feels like the journey is complete.
Yeah, I like it a lot as well. Better than the Whirlwind I think.
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"Prog fan obsessing over minor details" question alert:
In the song Kaleidoscope, where do you think the Overture ends and part II begins. At the start of the organ/guitar bit in C major (near the 3-minute mark), or a minute later when the vocals come in?
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"Prog fan obsessing over minor details" question alert:
In the song Kaleidoscope, where do you think the Overture ends and part II begins. At the start of the organ/guitar bit in C major (near the 3-minute mark), or a minute later when the vocals come in?
anyone know (or worked out yourselves) the timings of each section in the big suites? i can tell when "Black Gold" starts because of the vinyl split but there are a bunch i can't make sense of yet, and i find it's always easier to digest once i know how the parts work together. are they listed in the liner notes?
Well now that I am home, I can try and answer these questions with where their start-times are in the track, then each movement's length in parenthesis:
"Into The Blue" (25:13)
I. "Overture" - 00:00 (5:52)
II. "The Dreamer And The Healer" - 05:52 (4:02)
III. "A New Beginning" - 09:54 (6:59)
IV. "Written In Your Heart" - 16:53 (5:24)
V. "The Dreamer And The Healer (Reprise)" - 22:17 (2:56)
"Kaleidoscope" (31:54)
I. "Overture" - 00:00 (3:04)
II. "Ride The Lightning" - 03:04 (5:33)
III. "Black Gold" - 08:37 (5:21)
IV. "Walking The Road" - 13:58 (5:23)
V. "Desolation Days" - 19:21 (3:30)
VI. "Lemon Looking Glass" - 22:51 (4:54)
VII. "Ride The Lightning (Reprise)" - 27:45 (4:09)
All of these time stamps are based on the official Kaleidoscope songbook. Hope that helps!
-Marc.
From my post back on February 4th, back on page 62.
-Marc.
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Listened to the album for the first time today.
The overture of Kaleidoscope and "Black Gold" are my favourite parts of the album. The instrumental passage around 27 is pretty tasty.
Also, the drums sound amazing. I didn't think he could have a great drum sound again after BC&SL and The Winery Dogs.
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Well now that I am home, I can try and answer these questions with where their start-times are in the track, then each movement's length in parenthesis:
"Into The Blue" (25:13)
I. "Overture" - 00:00 (5:52)
II. "The Dreamer And The Healer" - 05:52 (4:02)
III. "A New Beginning" - 09:54 (6:59)
IV. "Written In Your Heart" - 16:53 (5:24)
V. "The Dreamer And The Healer (Reprise)" - 22:17 (2:56)
"Kaleidoscope" (31:54)
I. "Overture" - 00:00 (3:04)
II. "Ride The Lightning" - 03:04 (5:33)
III. "Black Gold" - 08:37 (5:21)
IV. "Walking The Road" - 13:58 (5:23)
V. "Desolation Days" - 19:21 (3:30)
VI. "Lemon Looking Glass" - 22:51 (4:54)
VII. "Ride The Lightning (Reprise)" - 27:45 (4:09)
All of these time stamps are based on the official Kaleidoscope songbook. Hope that helps!
-Marc.
thanks Marc, i appreciate your effort! i was only off on the "Walking the Road"/"Desolation Days" transition point in the title track, but i was totally off with every change in ITB except the last movement. damn!
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Yep. Thanks Marc. :)
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Also, I'm spotting a few recurring ideas across the album. So far I've got:
- The Dreamer and the Healer chorus used during the outro to Shine
- The cello solo at the end of Beyond the Sun is the basis for the instrumental in Kaleidoscope's Walking the Road
- I'm not sure if TD&TH Reprise chorus chords are used again in Beyond the Sun. I notice the use of B flat major and G minor in both.
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Yep. Thanks Marc. :)
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Also, I'm spotting a few recurring ideas across the album. So far I've got:
- The Dreamer and the Healer chorus used during the outro to Shine
- The cello solo at the end of Beyond the Sun is the basis for the instrumental in Kaleidoscope's Walking the Road
- I'm not sure if TD&TH Reprise chorus chords are used again in Beyond the Sun. I notice the use of B flat major and G minor in both.
Haven´t noticed this, very interesting points IMO, makes the album feel more cohesive.
Also, the bass riff around 15:24 in "Into the Blue" is used at around 26:36 in "Kaleidoscope" for the build-up (which blew me away on first listen, very intense and awesome).
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Does anyone else think that just maybe the repetitive theme from 20:07 to 21:30 of ITB is a precursor to the repetitive theme from 17:11 to 19:10 of Kaleidoscope?
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Does anyone else think that just maybe the repetitive theme from 20:07 to 21:30 of ITB is a precursor to the repetitive theme from 17:11 to 19:10 of Kaleidoscope?
Sort of, but no more so than the first theme of Into the Blue (as soon as the drums kick in) is a precursor of the ending theme of Kaleidoscope. When the first notes of the ITB theme play, I always think it's gonna go the same way as the Kaleidoscope theme.
Could these be examples of Liszt-style thematic development and transformation?
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I just want to say that Black Gold and Walk That Road are amazing.
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I just want to say that Black Gold and Walk That Road are amazing.
Black Gold is my favourite part of the album while Walk That Road is my least favourite part. I really dislike the vocals in that part for some reason.
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I'm pretty sure this album is going to settle in at #2 on my Transatlantic album ratings, just behind BAF. And it's close. Very close.
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I just want to say that Black Gold and Walk That Road are amazing.
Black Gold is my favourite part of the album while Walk That Road is my least favourite part. I really dislike the vocals in that part for some reason.
If Walk That Road were a standalone song, I'm sure I wouldn't think nearly so highly of it. But it fits so well as a part of the whole song, which elevates it considerably. It's just such a fun, feel-good part of the song, and Pete's vocals are a huge part of that.
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Are Pete's vocals as good as they were on his section on Out Of The Night? That's one of my favorites parts.
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I'm pretty sure this album is going to settle in at #2 on my Transatlantic album ratings, just behind BAF. And it's close. Very close.
BAF is my favorite as well, but as much as I like Kaleidoscope, and even though it has grown on me even more over time, it's still #4 for me. At the end of the day TA's discography is ridiculously strong, and so even an album as good as this can still be their "worst" to me. Quite a compliment really.
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What's the deal with the "black gold" thing, anyway?
Is it a Biblical reference, or a Beverly Hillbillies one?
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I just want to say that Black Gold and Walk That Road are amazing.
If you love the Roine Stolt-driven Black Gold section that much, you really should get around to checking out The Flower Kings. Seriously. It's time.
Are Pete's vocals as good as they were on his section on Out Of The Night? That's one of my favorites parts.
They are quirky and a bit unusual, but they just work. Like bosk1 said, if you isolate them on their own, perhaps not, but context matters, and in the context of the song, they work.
as much as I like Kaleidoscope, and even though it has grown on me even more over time, it's still #4 for me. At the end of the day TA's discography is ridiculously strong, and so even an album as good as this can still be their "worst" to me. Quite a compliment really.
Same here. I am totally digging the new album, but I can't say it's better than any of the first three.
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I just want to say that Black Gold and Walk That Road are amazing.
If you love the Roine Stolt-driven Black Gold section that much, you really should get around to checking out The Flower Kings. Seriously. It's time.
No. I refuse.
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"Black as gold" is clearly saying that money is evil I think. Stupid philosophy, but that's what he's saying I would bet.
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"Black as gold" is clearly saying that money is evil I think. Stupid philosophy, but that's what he's saying I would bet.
I'm not drawing the connection there.
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I just want to say that Black Gold and Walk That Road are amazing.
If you love the Roine Stolt-driven Black Gold section that much, you really should get around to checking out The Flower Kings. Seriously. It's time.
No. I refuse.
:facepalm:
This reminds me of your "I love Neal Morse and Transatlantic, but I refuse to listen to Spock's Beard" stance. It's like you are going out of your way to deprive yourself of more great music. Whatever floats your boat, you masochist. :P :biggrin:
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:lol I have nothing against listening to TFK. I just haven't gotten around to it for...really no good reason. What is the new album? Maybe I'll pick it up soon.
For Spock's, I don't refuse to listen to them. From what I've heard, I like a few songs here and there. But for some reason, a lot of their stuff just doesn't click for me the way Neal's solo stuff and TA does. I know it's not that different, but that's just how it is.
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:lol I have nothing against listening to TFK. I just haven't gotten around to it for...really no good reason. What is the new album? Maybe I'll pick it up soon.
For Spock's, I don't refuse to listen to them. From what I've heard, I like a few songs here and there. But for some reason, a lot of their stuff just doesn't click for me the way Neal's solo stuff and TA does. I know it's not that different, but that's just how it is.
I hear ya Bosk. I'm the same with bands like Haken. I know that I should like them... they have all the right elements, but something is just a few degrees sideways with me.
I'm with Nick vis-a-vis ranking. As wicked as this album is, I still rank it behind BAF and The Whirlwind. I'd say it's in a tie with SMTPe, but will likely surpass it.
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I like The Flower Kings, but I wouldn't call myself a fan. The fact is, their music is SO DENSE that, despite having tried to get into their albums several times, I still really can't wrap my head around what they're all about. When I throw 'em on, I usually do enjoy what I'm listening to, but I can nevr really latch on.
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Transatlantic was such a gateway for me. Liked Dream Theater first, but after TA... loved The Flower Kings, loved Neal/Spock's, and loved at least the first 5 Marillion albums.
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Flying Colors was the gateway for me. I had heard TA and thought nothing of it... but after listening to Flying Colors... I decided to check out NM's work with SB... then bounced in and out with TA. I can say I still don't love TA (Mainly because it is the type of Prog that takes me a long time to digest) but I do enjoy it.
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Transatlantic was such a gateway for me. Liked Dream Theater first, but after TA... loved The Flower Kings, loved Neal/Spock's, and loved at least the first 5 Marillion albums.
This, for me, SO much. When I discovered prog through Rush over a decade ago, it went on to Dream Theater.
DT -> Mike Portnoy -> TA, LTE, OSI (and many more) -> SB/TFK/Marillion
And through SB, I found Neal's solo stuff, NDV, and their various members' solo albums.
Through TFK, there were Stolt solo albums, many other members' solo albums, The Tangent, Kaipa, and many others in the years to come.
Marillion came to click with me last of the three, but after it did (a few years after SB and TFK became loves for me), they clicked HARD, especially with Marbles and eventually Happiness Is The Road. I have a thing for double albums, apparently (of which TFK definitely satisfies me in that manner).
-Marc.
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The title track has grown on me a lot. I've gotten used to Pete's vocal section, but I'd still prefer that him and Mike never sing lead vocals. In fact, that's the only aspect of this album that I find a little bit weak, I just think allowing two guys (Mike and Pete) who are very blatantly and obviously not capable of singing (and actually carrying) lead vocals to sing lead vocals...I don't know, I just think differently than they do, I guess.
Think of it this way: I'm pretty good at playing piano and keyboards in general. But I'm not a piano/keyboard player. I'd never use my own piano playing on an actual proper album recording because it would sound....amateur. Which is, unfortunately, how Pete's and to a lesser extent Mike's lead vocals sound. They don't sound professional to me. Their backing vocals are perfectly fine. And it's very easy to dial in a weak vocalist's performance with backing vocals with a nudge of pitch correction here and there. But you can't really do that with a lead vocal performance without sounding like...Cher.
Anyway, love the album, but I only listen to three tracks - Into The Blue, Shine and Kaleidoscope. I have nothing against the others, they just fail to maintain my attention long enough for me to want to finish them.
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After listening to a new album a bunch, I'll usually distance myself from it a little bit and come back to it later at some point. What I've found with the new TA album is that even though I already liked it a lot to begin with it, it's still grown on me.
Every track has given me some sort of charm that by now is really unmistakable. BAF remains my favorite TA release, but as of now, Kaleidoscope might have succeeded The Whirlwind in quality for me. TW has Is it Really Happening?, which made the decision for me pretty tough, but Kaleidoscope feels much more cohesive, well-rounded, and ultimately more enjoyable start to finish. That being said, all TA albums are fucking amazing so :hefdaddy
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Honestly, I think Trewavas and Portnoy's lead vocal moments are infrequent enough to where they are not really a detriment, especially since the songs are always otherwise so freaking awesome. I mean, most TA fans absolutely worship Stranger in Your Soul, even though Trewavas sings both choruses of the first section of the song. Would Set Us Free be better had someone else sang the chorus other than Portnoy? Probably, but the song is still pretty great, and at least with TA he doesn't do those tough guy-type vocals that he often attempted with DT.
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"Black as gold" is clearly saying that money is evil I think. Stupid philosophy, but that's what he's saying I would bet.
I'm not drawing the connection there.
Black usually means evil and dark. There are expressions like "the blackest sin," plus so many people, especially nowadays, sing about money being evil. And Roine usually sings about political things like that anyway. But this is only my first impression; I'm re-listening to the lyrics of that part to see if I find something new.
But about some of Roine's lyrics (or at least the ones that I think are his), I still can't tell what side he's on for sure when he's talking politically, but if he thinks money is evil, I might be able to tell. The thing is, people on both sides usually both claim that their own side is freedom and the other is oppression, so without explicitly saying what he believes, Stolt's lyrics sound like they could be one of two polar opposites to me. For example "They're finding their ways right into your homes with the old wicked lies" could very well be either a capitalist describing socialism or a socialist describing capitalism.
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Given some of his lyrics with TFK over the years, I get the impression that Roine Stolt is a not a fan of capitalism.
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Yeah, I could see it being about greed, but I doubt its overly politicised.
Kev or Nick or someone else knowledgeable should do a walkthrough of the TFK discog, like Orbert did with Yes and ELP.
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^ That would be awesome, and might help me get into TFK.
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Yeah, I could see it being about greed, but I doubt its overly politicised.
Kev or Nick or someone else knowledgeable should do a walkthrough of the TFK discog, like Orbert did with Yes and ELP.
I would, but Kev is probably WAY more qualified to do it than I am. I had planned to do one for Spock's Beard at some point, but I just hadn't gotten around to it. Heck, I still have other threads, like my Rush Tour Thread, which still floats around in thread-limbo every now and then, that I haven't paid much attention to, and I'm running the Transatlantic Survivor. Maybe this summer, when things have died down with work, and when there might be some more news about the next SB album!
-Marc.
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While I disagree with Kev on the ranking and some general opinions on the Kings, he is likely more knowledgeable on them, especially the early years.
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I'd consider doing it, but I worry the interest wouldn't be there as far as people actually contributing instead of just reading. I don't want to do long write-ups for each album and then see only two or three
replying each time. Hell, I gave up on the prog song thread because of the lack of replies, and those were very short write-ups.
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I'd love a thread like that. I've heard a few Flower Kings albums, but I'd like to really dive into their discography. Orbert's threads helped me do that with Yes, so one for Flower Kings would be great.
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I'd consider doing it, but I worry the interest wouldn't be there as far as people actually contributing instead of just reading. I don't want to do long write-ups for each album and then see only two or three
replying each time. Hell, I gave up on the prog song thread because of the lack of replies, and those were very short write-ups.
I'd be following. And I miss the Prog Song Thread. Unfortunately, I wasn't listening to the songs at the time because of my Roulette, plus prepping for ProgNation at Sea. I still have a playlist to listen to because of that thread.
If you're doing it just for the responses, you'll surely feel under appreciated. However, if you're doing it to get the message out, and inspire people to listen... as I said, I'd be following.
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I'd consider doing it, but I worry the interest wouldn't be there as far as people actually contributing instead of just reading. I don't want to do long write-ups for each album and then see only two or three
replying each time. Hell, I gave up on the prog song thread because of the lack of replies, and those were very short write-ups.
I'd be following. And I miss the Prog Song Thread. Unfortunately, I wasn't listening to the songs at the time because of my Roulette, plus prepping for ProgNation at Sea. I still have a playlist to listen to because of that thread.
If you're doing it just for the responses, you'll surely feel under appreciated. However, if you're doing it to get the message out, and inspire people to listen... as I said, I'd be following.
Yeah, if it's responses you want you're in the wrong demographic.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8s1TP6FOy8 :omg:
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Maybe it's already been discussed, but does anybody else get a vibe from "Black As the Sky" about secret societies or the Illuminati? I mean, the lyrics talk about the pyramid, keeping silence, new world order, etc. Just a thought. That's what I think about, at least, when I listen to the song. Great song, by the way.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8s1TP6FOy8 :omg:
Wow, that was amazing, Neal is such a sincere artist. I wish there were more people like him in the world of music, he got obviously so carried away by the song.
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I'd consider doing it, but I worry the interest wouldn't be there as far as people actually contributing instead of just reading. I don't want to do long write-ups for each album and then see only two or three
replying each time. Hell, I gave up on the prog song thread because of the lack of replies, and those were very short write-ups.
I'd be following. And I miss the Prog Song Thread. Unfortunately, I wasn't listening to the songs at the time because of my Roulette, plus prepping for ProgNation at Sea. I still have a playlist to listen to because of that thread.
If you're doing it just for the responses, you'll surely feel under appreciated. However, if you're doing it to get the message out, and inspire people to listen... as I said, I'd be following.
Yeah, if it's responses you want you're in the wrong demographic.
Er, this is a discussion forum, so I don't thinking expecting discussion is unreasonable. To me, it's like having a conversation with a friend where you tell these long stories and he responds with just a nod or, "Uh huh," every time. After a while, it's like, why am I doing this if I am not getting actual feedback? That is all I am saying. If I am want to talk to myself all day, that is what I have a twitter account for. :lol :lol
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8s1TP6FOy8 :omg:
Wow, that was amazing, Neal is such a sincere artist. I wish there were more people like him in the world of music, he got obviously so carried away by the song.
Seriously can't wait for Tilburg now. Next friday!
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Looks like Barcelona didn't get to see/hear "Kaleidoscope". Bummer.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/razzmatazz-2-barcelona-spain-1bc2a9e0.html
-Marc.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8s1TP6FOy8 :omg:
I came here to ask about this, I was completely surprised and almost cried in that moment. Does anyone know the story behind Rose Colored Glasses? Such an intense moment...
Looks like Barcelona didn't get to see/hear "Kaleidoscope". Bummer.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/razzmatazz-2-barcelona-spain-1bc2a9e0.html
-Marc.
That's it, I was very disappointed when the gig finished with half an hour less of the expected time. I wondered if it was due to Mike's injury, but he seemed to be very well (he jumped, kicked and acted normally), and they played Kaleidoscope in Madrid, where his ankle had to be worse... :'(
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8s1TP6FOy8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8s1TP6FOy8) :omg:
I came here to ask about this, I was completely surprised and almost cried in that moment. Does anyone know the story behind Rose Colored Glasses? Such an intense moment...
Something about the passing of his father, I think.
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That's correct, he explains it when he first introduces the song during the whirlwind sessions on the making of DVD, if I'm not mistaken.
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That is REALLY crappy that they skipped over Kaleidoscope. I hope Mike's okay if that was why, I can understand he'd have to really take care of that.
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I'd consider doing it, but I worry the interest wouldn't be there as far as people actually contributing instead of just reading. I don't want to do long write-ups for each album and then see only two or three
replying each time. Hell, I gave up on the prog song thread because of the lack of replies, and those were very short write-ups.
I'd be following. And I miss the Prog Song Thread. Unfortunately, I wasn't listening to the songs at the time because of my Roulette, plus prepping for ProgNation at Sea. I still have a playlist to listen to because of that thread.
If you're doing it just for the responses, you'll surely feel under appreciated. However, if you're doing it to get the message out, and inspire people to listen... as I said, I'd be following.
Yeah, if it's responses you want you're in the wrong demographic.
Er, this is a discussion forum, so I don't thinking expecting discussion is unreasonable. To me, it's like having a conversation with a friend where you tell these long stories and he responds with just a nod or, "Uh huh," every time. After a while, it's like, why am I doing this if I am not getting actual feedback? That is all I am saying. If I am want to talk to myself all day, that is what I have a twitter account for. :lol :lol
I'd try to make meaningful contributions, but I can't speak for everyone and definitely understand the reservation.
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I just don't understand cutting Kaleidoscope. Same with My New World on the cruise. You have the Whirld Medley, and Encore Medley, containing stuff people who saw the last tour already saw. Compared to Kaleidoscope which people love and no one has had a chance to see yet. Why you'd cut that is beyond me. This isn't really a band dependent on "hits".
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and at least with TA he doesn't do those tough guy-type vocals that he often attempted with DT.
Proof that there might actually be a God :P
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and at least with TA he doesn't do those tough guy-type vocals that he often attempted with DT.
Proof that there might actually be a God :P
Hehehe
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A question: having been at the Whirld Tour DVD show in London in 2010 (one of the best I've been to), is it worth spending £35/40 to see them again on this tour? How have the performances been so far? How does the new album come across live?
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I think you'll always get your money's worth at a TA concert. So I'd say go.
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I think you'll always get your money's worth at a TA concert. So I'd say go.
This. And they are playing all but 5 minutes of the new album, so you'll get plenty of awesome new material.
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DEFINITELY worth it. Just know it's not 3.5 hours like last tour.
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Incidentally, how long have the shows been? Three hours including intermission?
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Incidentally, how long have the shows been? Three hours including intermission?
No intermission, but probably a solid 2-3 hours.
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2:40 or maybe a minute or two shy of that. With intermission my show was just under 3 hours.
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I know this:
My favorite moment from the new album is when Neal sings the line, "Sentimental feelings, they will come and go," during the latter part of the Written in Your Heart section of Into the Blue (where he sings the same melody Gildenlow just had).
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My favourite part on the whole album is the solo buildup, and the solo, of Into the Blue. Fantastically played by the band and one of Stolts best solos in a long good while. My favourite part of the title track is the Black Gold part where Stolt sings. I am really glad he got big parts to play in this album.
It might be to early to tell, and probably blasphemous to say, but I am slowly surely starting to consider this my favourite Transatlantic album. I am probably going to change my mind, because albums has to be with a while until I can say that for sure. But this album grows everytime I put it on. I didn't like the titletrack much in the beginning, but now there are parts that I really love. I am still not a big fan of Trewavas singing part in the titletrack, but it doesn't bother me as much as it used to. Into the Blue is definitely my favourite track with Black as the Sky not far behind!
And hello again to you all, I keep popping in and out of this forum. Mostly just reading what other people say!
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The section of Kaleidoscope with Pete singing fits the song perfectly at that point. It's probably my favourite section of the song, especially the cello solo and its buildup leading into V. Desolation Days.
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The section of Kaleidoscope with Pete singing fits the song perfectly at that point. It's probably my favourite section of the song, especially the cello solo and its buildup leading into V. Desolation Days.
I really enjoy this part of the song, too. I agree, Pete's voice does fit so well here.
For me though, I think my favorite section of the song is Desolation Days, and then the ensuing incredible instrumental portion.
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Mike just said they are filming a dvd tonight
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Late to the Kaleidoscope party. Listening for the first time now.... 3 minutes into "Into the Blue" holy shit!!!
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So I totally should be asleep right now but instead I just watched a couple HD/High Quality recordings of three of the four Yessongs they performed with Jon Anderson at the end of the PN14 cruise! AMAZING performances from everyone, especially Jon, who still sounds amazing at the age of 69.
Also, just found out what Ted's verse is at the member's-lines part of "Black As The Sky":
"Sweet to the taste and a feast for the eyes, but under her cloak hides a beast in disguise."
I wonder if he wrote the lines, like if the band approached him and said "Hey, if you want to sing a couple lines like we do, write something up and we'll throw it in!" or if Neal or Mike came up with them and then proposed the idea to Ted.
I also just watched most of a compilation of clips from the Switzerland show and the band looks like they're having an incredible amount of fun on this tour. I hope there was a lot of energy captured at the Cologne show a few nights ago. I also noticed on setlist.fm that they were playing a bit of Metallica's "Ride The Lightning" in "Kaleidoscope". I wonder what other cover-bits they've thrown in on this tour, if any. They did a few on the Whirld Tour, so it's neat that they've done it again!
-Marc.
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Late to the Kaleidoscope party. Listening for the first time now.... 3 minutes into "Into the Blue" holy shit!!!
4 listens in and yeah, another great album... but I don't recall another album that had it's best moment in the opening 3:30.
I'll give it time to sink in/grow, but I don't see this overtaking the last two albums for me.
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I think this album is going to end up settling in at #2 for me. I've grown accustomed to the Pete vocal section, but I still wince a little bit at a couple of those notes :lol
Also, I recently did a cover of "Shine" at an open mic in my area and a LOT of people came up to me after asking where they could get the album. That was pretty cool :) [size=78%] [/size]
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I finally got around to listening to Kaleidoscope the song. The ending that begins with the intro reprise, I thought, could've been cutoff. Especially if they ended it with a fadeout.
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From MP earlier:
What a blast! Just played Sylvia & Hocus Pocus with Focus' legendary singer/keyboardist/flutist/yodeler Thijs van Leer here in Tilburg! \m/
Sounds like a good night in Tilburg! I hope that performance was recorded, video or audio or BOTH! I love that they're playing more of their studio covers in their live setting! First "Indiscipline" and "And You And I" on PN14 Cruise, and now "Sylvia"! I wonder if they have another guest for another cover song tomorrow night for the 2nd Tilburg show?!
-Marc.
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From MP earlier:
What a blast! Just played Sylvia & Hocus Pocus with Focus' legendary singer/keyboardist/flutist/yodeler Thijs van Leer here in Tilburg! \m/
Sounds like a good night in Tilburg! I hope that performance was recorded, video or audio or BOTH! I love that they're playing more of their studio covers in their live setting! First "Indiscipline" and "And You And I" on PN14 Cruise, and now "Sylvia"! I wonder if they have another guest for another cover song tomorrow night for the 2nd Tilburg show?!
-Marc.
I definitely see a live covers release in our future.
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From MP earlier:
What a blast! Just played Sylvia & Hocus Pocus with Focus' legendary singer/keyboardist/flutist/yodeler Thijs van Leer here in Tilburg! \m/
Sounds like a good night in Tilburg! I hope that performance was recorded, video or audio or BOTH! I love that they're playing more of their studio covers in their live setting! First "Indiscipline" and "And You And I" on PN14 Cruise, and now "Sylvia"! I wonder if they have another guest for another cover song tomorrow night for the 2nd Tilburg show?!
-Marc.
I definitely see a live covers release in our future.
Well the encore with Jon Anderson ran at about 45-50 minutes long. Add to that the cover of "Indiscipline" and the two Focus covers, that would be about a total of 60-65 minutes. It would be an awesome unofficial release from the band, or perhaps include it in the upcoming live album(s) from the tour?!
-Marc.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZWTg-VcPV4
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Is tonight and tomorrow the first time ever TA is playing the same place twice in a row?? What could they possibly add to the setlist?? Probably covers, but that'd be cool if they actually added something of theirs. Mystery Train has been quite a while.. I was also ever so slightly disappointed at the lack of the BAF album when I saw the show, maybe they worked up Duel With The Devil for one night :P?
:metal
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They're gonna play Master of Puppets
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I'll be there! I have high hopes, but a 'normal' show would be great too.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZWTg-VcPV4
That is amazing!
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From MP earlier:
What a blast! Just played Sylvia & Hocus Pocus with Focus' legendary singer/keyboardist/flutist/yodeler Thijs van Leer here in Tilburg! \m/
Sounds like a good night in Tilburg! I hope that performance was recorded, video or audio or BOTH! I love that they're playing more of their studio covers in their live setting! First "Indiscipline" and "And You And I" on PN14 Cruise, and now "Sylvia"! I wonder if they have another guest for another cover song tomorrow night for the 2nd Tilburg show?!
-Marc.
I was there yesterday, and camera's were recording the show.
And it was great, again, in Tilburg. Unfortunately, I can't go tonight, but I am curious if they have more surprises in place......
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I finally got around to listening to Kaleidoscope the song. The ending that begins with the intro reprise, I thought, could've been cutoff. Especially if they ended it with a fadeout.
On the drumcam version, it has the full song out to the end that does not fade(about another minute), and has a little something special to close the song
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I must be the only one who doesn't give a crap about them playing the covers live. Okay, it's cool when they have a member from the original band, and the cruise thing with Jon Anderson was a horse of a different name, but given that they have four full albums combined with the fact that they don't tour that often, playing as much Transatlantic material seems like the way to go. I mean, those 5-10 minutes they spend playing a cover could be spent playing another Transatlantic shorter song.
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I have to agree with that. I'd definitely prefer the entire All of the above to a cover song. However, it looks like so many fans are going crazy about the covers. Oh well, can't please everyone.
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Always a good night in Tilburg.
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I also agree with the cover thing. Nice that they do them, and I love them, but just not as much as a real TA song.
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(https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1900019_759565757394402_1391140671_n.jpg)
Tilburg, thanks for the great 2-nite stand! Hope you enjoyed the extra long show tonight... : )
- Mike Portnoy
I wonder just how much longer the show was, and what they played?! Tilburg always gets the good stuff! :tup
-Marc.
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1st Encore They played:Nights In White Satin & And You And I.
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I must be the only one who doesn't give a crap about them playing the covers live.
No you're not.
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Great show in London on Wednesday night - Both Mike and Neal were on top form, and Roine's solo on Rose Coloured Glasses was a thing of beauty.
Still not sure about the encore medley - would rather have heard one of those songs in its entirity.
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The second night in Tilburg was amazing! Neal was reaally struggeling, and Roine was having trouble with his equipment (kept on tuning his guitar, during songs, solo's, and couldn't stay away from his amp for 5 minutes), apart from that Neal's computer failed during the first encore, and there were some pretty big slips during the second half of the concert, but you know what? I don't care. If I wanted to see a band play exactly like you hear it on the album, I would've bought tickets for Muse or John Mayer.
The thing is, I had a smile on my face from start to end, I was really close up front, standing about 4th row, and really made eye contact with every member, felt like I was a part of the band. They we're having so much fun they wanted to share. There was jokes all around, breaks they didn't seem to have rehearsed, solo's were extended, intro's too, but all just because they weren't really focussing, just having a blast.
And so I was too.
The regular show was great, (only Roine's sound did distract a bit, and as a result he was missing some cue's), Mike said at the very beginning of the show that there was no intermission, because they had such a long set planned. (He called it the bladder endurance contest)
The result was that after the regular show, they came out for what they claimed was the 'second encore': Nights in white Satin. At the end of that Neals computer went crazy, so he had to reboot, with the rest of the member leaving the stage, so they came out for, well, the third encore: And You And I. Neal really struggled on that one, vocally, which had Jerry laughing his ass of behind the deck. After that they came out for what they named the first encore. The Above/Stranger medley. And as if a miracle had happened, after all the jokes, hichups and technical problems, they played the highlight of the show. That second half of Stranger was the best I ever heard from Neal.
All in all, I believe, they started just past 8PM, let's say introtape at 8:05, and stopped just before 11:30. No intermission. A massive show, and I've never been smiling more at a concert than last night.
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Wow, sounds like a hell of a show, and a hell of a good time!
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If I wanted to see a band play exactly like you hear it on the album, I would've bought tickets for Mus
Huh? That doesn't even slightly apply to Muse!
Glad the show was so awesome though!
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If I wanted to see a band play exactly like you hear it on the album, I would've bought tickets for Mus
Huh? That doesn't even slightly apply to Muse!
Okay, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who read that and thought WTF. :lol :lol
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Mus
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Yeah, that's a different band.
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So how many live performances will be released from this tour this time around?!
Just for the record:
SMPT:e Tour - 2 Performances; 1 for the live DVD, 1 for the live album
BAF Tour - 1 performance; the 013 Tilburg show was used for both DVD and CD releases
Whirld Tour - 3 Performances; London for the first DVD/CD release, Tilburg for another DVD release and Manchester for CD
With a larger tour and a varying set list throughout (many songs shuffled positions, and some shows got more songs than others), I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility that we'll get 3 or 4 full shows released from Transatlantic this/next year.
We'll definitely get the Cologne show as Mike pointed out that they recorded it, I believe, for film and audio release. That might be the first major live release of the tour.
We'll more than likely get the Progressive Nation At Sea performances as well, both the full Kaleidoscope Live set, and the 2nd set with the Jon Anderson/Yes Encore - it would make for a great 3-disc live set, wouldn't it? Video would be swell, too!
With a two-night stand at Tilburg, I can see the audio being pulled from that show for an Audio-Only release, especially with the covers that were involved. They could also always just throw those covers on to the end of the Encore-disc from the PNAS show, or just release a TA-Live Covers albums with the Yes Encore, and the other covers they've played this tour.
Whatever they decide to release, you can bet I'll be ready and waiting to pre-order anything they've got!
-Marc.
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My guess:
Cologne box set, like the Whirld Tour Box Set, 2Dvd's/3CD's, or Blu-ray/3cd's
Tilburg alternative release, with the best of two nights (especially since the band wasn't playing their best gig ever), on DVD/blu-ray (maybe a audio release from earlier in the tour?)
And the PN14 release will be standalone, maybe in a Cruise-box set. I expect a massive release with the best of the Cruise. Like 3 blu-ray's and 5cd's or something. No full shows (maybe for two or three headliners), just best bits. I don't think performances will be released apart from each other, at least not offically.
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Some more observations, having gotten more familiar with the songs:
- Kaleidoscope is a perfect title for the closing epic. It's a kaleidoscope of different sections put together. Even the Overture is a standalone instrumental, that doesn't really introduce any themes used later in the piece (aside from the reprise of the first theme at the start of the final movement).
- I realised recently how most of Into the Blue is in one tempo. I think the "virtuoso" bit at the beginning is the only section in a very different tempo. Also, the long instrumental in A New Beginning is awesome! It builds up and by the end, it's really quite loud and chaotic.
The songs are all sinking in very nicely though.
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I'm actually enjoying Black As The Sky more than the epics. Its a great song that doesn't have too much going on. Roines vocals make it for me.
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from twitter:
@MikePortnoy When will the TA live album be released?” HOPEFULLY OCTOBER-ISH
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from twitter:
@MikePortnoy When will the TA live album be released?” HOPEFULLY OCTOBER-ISH
Transatlantic Kaleidoscope Live!
Yes, if you have been wondering, of course, there will be a live DVD and CD package from the Kaleidoscope tour. Many of you were there in Cologne, and we will also be including special things from other shows like Tilburg and the cruise ship footage. It is sure to be epic and is hopefully going to be released sometime in the fall, probably late fall before Christmas
This was from Neal's latest Inner Circle newsletter. I'm excited!
-Marc.
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Very cool! I guess there won't be a full Tilburg DVD this time around, because of Neal's health conditions those nights. But including the best material of those nights will be great! Looking forward to the cruise ship material as well!
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I watched the 'making of' DVD, and man does it give me a whole new appreciation to the writing process that artists go through. This album is getting better with every listen.
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I'll generally watch the making of DVD before hearing the album. Yeah, I'm weird.
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I love Neal's voice, keyboard playing and sounds - can anyone recommend some other bands/albums I should check out that feature all that, but that also still contain a healthy dose of guitar?
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I'll generally watch the making of DVD before hearing the album. Yeah, I'm weird.
I do that too...Its like actually being a part of the making of the album. Then when its over, pop in the album and enjoy a nice experience
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Seems like I'm enjoying the shorter songs more than the epics on this release. Would love to hear TA write shorter songs (no longer than 10 mins maybe?).
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Seems like I'm enjoying the shorter songs more than the epics on this release. Would love to hear TA write shorter songs (no longer than 10 mins maybe?).
After albums of epics, I wouldn't mind this. Then again, if you don't consider "The Whirlwind" as one piece/song, then it's 12 tracks, all under 13 minutes each.
I wouldn't mind a concept album from them, really, one that's a bit more 'expected' or 'typical', and a little less oblique and abstract like "The Whirlwind". A narrative conceptual album with characters, a story and plot, beginning-climax-ending, etc. etc. Then again, I think only Neal and Mike really have had the most experience in that, but that's not saying Roine and Pete couldn't contribute to it either.
Concept or not, an album of about 6-10 songs in the 6-10 minute range would be neat from them! Then again, some might claim that "Transatlantic is ALL ABOUT their epics!" and that the members' home bands/other projects produce enough similar-sounding shorter songs.
Either way, the shorter pieces on Kaleidoscope were a very welcomed change from album-length concept pieces and a barrage of multi-movement epics. Honestly, I'm a big fan of the format that Neal has done with albums like Spock's Beard's V and The Kindness Of Strangers, as well as his own Lifeline and Momentum. One medium-sized epic to start, a few shorter songs, and a big epic at the end. It's a great way to showcase a wide range of writing styles, sounds and genres on a single album.
-Marc.
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I wouldn't mind a concept album by them, but the problem there is Neal is the most likely to come up with the story or narrative, and I am not sure I would trust him to not go overboard with the spiritual stuff, resulting in a story that would probably be more appropriate for one of his solo albums.
As for Kaleidoscope, while I like it a lot, it hasn't owned my CD player for months like the first three albums did after they came out (or, in the case of the debut, after I bought it). Again, I like it a lot, but it's definitely my least favorite of the four.
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I wouldn't mind a concept album by them, but the problem there is Neal is the most likely to come up with the story or narrative, and I am not sure I would trust him to not go overboard with the spiritual stuff, resulting in a story that would probably be more appropriate for one of his solo albums.
As for Kaleidoscope, while I like it a lot, it hasn't owned my CD player for months like the first three albums did after they came out (or, in the case of the debut, after I bought it). Again, I like it a lot, but it's definitely my least favorite of the four.
I can't get enough of the spiritual stuff myself, it's the overtly religious stuff that can grate on me at times.
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I adore Snow. But if there's one concept album that's based on the bible... that one's it. So yeah, I'm not too fond of the idea of a religious concept album, but I'm sure it'll turn out to be great.
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Mabool by Orphaned Land is a religious concept album and I love it :metal
I don't care for lyrics as long as the music delivers.
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666 by Aphrodite's Child is a double album and a concept album about the Book of Revelation. Not really a religious or preachy album by any means, it's more of an adaptation of the story's events, and yet it remains of my favorite albums of all time.
I don't think Neal would be interested in doing the same with Transatlantic in that regard, but if he ever does, I'd still listen to it because as they've proven many times now, these guys know what they're doing. :metal
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I also found the shorter songs on this album more interesting than the epic-length offerings.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpX9aGSIUAAUZmq.jpg)
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Must have been a cool show to see!
Anyone else think they could have chosen a much better abbreviated set for this festival from the looks of it?
Into the Blue
Overture (abridged, Intro and Whirlwind)
Rose Colored Glasses
Evermore
Is It Really Happening?
Dancing With Eternal Glory (abridged, Whirlwind Reprise only)
Encore:
All of the Above
(abridged, first half)
Stranger in Your Soul
(abridged, second half)
It should have included less of the Whirlwind to fit either My New World or Black as the Sky, and Kaleidoscope should have taken precedence over the encore medley. But I wasn't there so why should I care :lol
And has anyone found any video?? All I could find was this- https://instagram.com/p/o3U9RpLnm5/ and it sounds great on those giant festival speakers.
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Same for me (I wasn't there either), but that's odd that Kaleidoscope was seemingly their de facto cut song this year. Wasn't there a show during the regular tour where they had to cut one song for time and that was the one that went? Strange. I get that they probably want to include something from all four albums, and with less time, it's probably impossible to then play both long epics from the new album.
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Yes there was a show like that. I woulda been PISSED, but I hate saying things like that because I don't want anyone who was there to read this and then for it ruin the memory for them.
And yes that makes sense.. but that's what I was wondering when I was actually at the first show. Why, in a 2:40 show, did we need We All Need Some Light, and All of the Above AGAIN and no full song from BAF? Why not just do all of SIYS rather than two giant teases in a row? It was still GREAT, don't get me wrong, but it could have been even better if they would have just chosen one of the two... or both and made it a 3:00 show
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Yeah, I agree, it would have been better to just play all of one of the three long epics from the first two albums, instead of busting two of them up into medley form, but I guess they wanted to play something from all four albums, and going with All of the Above would have left nada from BAF. It will be even more challenging when/if they release a 5th album and tour again. I suspect that tour will be even more medley-happy.
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Yeah, I agree, it would have been better to just play all of one of the three long epics from the first two albums, instead of busting two of them up into medley form, but I guess they wanted to play something from all four albums, and going with All of the Above would have left nada from BAF. It will be even more challenging when/if they release a 5th album and tour again. I suspect that tour will be even more medley-happy.
I think if/when we get to a 5th Album Tour, a medley of SMPT:e songs should cover that album, perhaps as the encore. Start with AOTA, segue into a bit of WANSL and MT, then close with the last part of MNW. Condense all of that into about 30-35 minutes and you've got a solid album encore that frees up 2 hours of the main show for four other albums...which is daunting, to say the least. I mean, of the five songs on the new album, only "Into The Blue" was played consistently, with "Shine" and "Black As The Sky" having one less play, and "Kaleidoscope" having two less plays (at 25 plays). "Beyond The Sun" only had ten plays total, and luckily one of those was at Cologne (for the upcoming DVD!). Then again, their second album's title track was rarely played live until the Whirld Tour.
I think a fifth album probably won't have all of its songs played live, which will be a shame, but they could surprise us. They could do the whole album, and only do one or two songs from The Whirlwind, and only one epic from BAF. That would take up about 50 or so minutes of the remaining 2 hours, leaving enough for an album's worth of new music to be played live.
But...who knows when we'd have to worry about any of this? 2017? Neal (and Mike) will have two new albums to release and tour on between now and the better part of 2015, and Mike will also have Winery Dogs stuff. Roine will undoubtedly have a new TFK album at some point, as well as who knows what. And Marillion is probably working on a new album soon, so they'll be busy with that. I don't see Transatlantic reconvening until 2016, LATE 2016 even, with an album and tour in 2017 at the earliest, but all the guys will be 3 years older by then, so we'll see how life and health hold up for these guys!
-Marc.
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I have an idea! Lets start doing setlist predictions/wishlists for the next tour!!
Track 1 of the new album
Track 2 of the new album
The Wind Blew Them All Away
On The Prowl
Mystery Train
Kaleidoscope
-intermission-
Track off the new album
Suite Charlotte Pike
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
Last Track off new album
Duel With the Devil
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Considering Portnoy likely writes their set lists, and he is big on not repeating stuff once they have enough material to not warrant too many repeats, I think it goes without saying that the next tour will have a Whirlwind medley of mostly stuff that didn't get played this year, and Duel with the Devil likely comes back in some form.
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And I would hope WANSL doesn't get repeated, but I just have a feeling it will. I don't know why I included it in my set, I guess I just needed a five minute song, and more from SMPTe. I don't even really like that song much. There is SO MUCH for them to play now!! I'd take a 5 hour show.
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I adore Snow. But if there's one concept album that's based on the bible... that one's it. So yeah, I'm not too fond of the idea of a religious concept album, but I'm sure it'll turn out to be great.
One of the things that bothered me about it (The religion thing really doesn't figure much into Snow for me as it was just a story) was that there was a stated intention to make a concept album because it was the "prog" thing to do. Add that to the complete change in vibe (Spock's Beard albums never seemed to be a tense affair) All of the albums before that had kind of an organic, happy-go-lucky thing to them. In my eyes, Snow really didn't have that. I wasn't shocked in the least that Neil was on the way out after hearing it. There just seemed to be an uncomfortable tension there. It's been ages since I've listened to it. I should pull it put again and see if I view things differently.
Anyway, my real purpose in being here was to say that Bridge Across Forever is quite possibly the best album they've ever done in my opinion. I forgot how awesome it is to crank it up in the car.
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Anyway, my real purpose in being here was to say that Bridge Across Forever is quite possibly the best album they've ever done in my opinion.
I agree. I love all of their albums, but for me, this one is on a different level. It's one of my favorite albums of all time.
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Anyone know the setlist last night? Mike posted some video of Shine and Black as the Sky from the hotel room rehearsal, and then a 90 second clip consisting of Into the Blue, WANSL, Shine, and SIYS. And there's youtube clips of WANSL and Evermore.
So that probably answers my question :lol-
Into the Blue
Shine
The Whirlwind Medley
We all Need Some Light
Black as The Sky
All of your Soul
Maybe a different order.
Oh yea, and here's Evermore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1woIHvURTrU
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Whoa!! I guessed the order correctly! :lol :lol I'm really proud of myself.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/freilichtbuhne-loreley-st-goarshausen-germany-3c12577.html
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Whoa!! I guessed the order correctly! :lol :lol I'm really proud of myself.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/freilichtbuhne-loreley-st-goarshausen-germany-3c12577.html
:tup
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Whoa!! I guessed the order correctly! :lol :lol I'm really proud of myself.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/freilichtbuhne-loreley-st-goarshausen-germany-3c12577.html
:tup
Thank you
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Not a big fan of this album. I think Into the Blue is good, but could probably be shorter. Black as the Sky is wonderful, though. The 2 softer tracks just don't do it for me. The title track needs a couple more listens, it's a lot to take in.
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I like the title track but I wish it wasn't so disjointed. Kaleidoscope is an appropriate name for it though. I guess I have a hard time with them stringing together a bunch of unrelated parts and calling it a song. I know this isn't new to them at all, but the parts used to fit together much more naturally. The first three bits with Neal, Roine, and Peat singing lead respectively could've very well just been their own songs.
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I just find the slow Neal Morse songs to be really dull nowadays..
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Shine is kinda repetitive, but still a neat track. Beyond the sun, however, is truly touching. :heart
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Black As The Sky is still one of their very best songs ever IMHO.
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I think the three shorter songs are the three best on the album, by a long way.
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As much as I like Beyond the Sun, it'd be really hard for it to top WANSL as a ballad for me. Black as the Sky is a great tune.
As for the two epics, I'm actually not as into Into the Blue as I used to be, but it's still another great TA epic. The title track on the other hand, has grown on me a lot.
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Black As The Sky is still one of their very best songs ever IMHO.
I agree with this a lot. Their Epics are becoming kinda stale for me. Although I do enjoy The Whirlwind.
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Sadly, this is the first album of theirs where I really can't tell you right at this moment how any given song goes.
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Sadly, this is the first album of theirs where I really can't tell you right at this moment how any given song goes.
I definitely have that problem with the two epics. Which is why I prefer the other 3 songs.
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I just remember one epic has sort of a weird eerie Roine part where he is singing something about black gold, and then Pete has a really odd part that would be out of place in just about any other song, but somehow fits perfectly and ends up being really cool.
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I think Into the Blue starts off really awesome. After about 15 or 16 minutes though, I lose track.
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I think Into the Blue starts off really awesome. After about 15 or 16 minutes though, I lose track.
Same here. The intro is quite good, but the song starts to drift.
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Sadly, this is the first album of theirs where I really can't tell you right at this moment how any given song goes.
I am sort of the same way. I mean, I like it a lot, but while the first three albums were so awesome that I couldn't get them out of my CD for months, hell, years (!!), this new one is very good, but it just hasn't grabbed on to me and refused to let go. Like I said, it's very good, and there are tons of great moments, but there is just something missing.
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Even now, the title track is the only one I really go back to. Didn't care much for the first four tracks, sadly.
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I have to say, as much as I like it, it might be my least favorite TA release to date. It's not too bad of a detriment--it's still a quite good record with lots of memorable moments, but the other three still surpass it to my ears. The title track, though, definitely still matches up with the other TA epics.
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Just to add a bit of balance to the recent posts ;D This is my favourite Transatlantic album and the epics are my 2 favourite tracks on it.
Ranking:
Kaleidoscope
Into the Blue
Black as the Sky
Beyond the Sun
Shine
I've not been a fan of the band for that long (only since around The Whirlwind came out I think), and I haven't listened to all their albums a huge amount of times. Maybe that has something to do with why I'm really liking Kaleidoscope.
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Into the Blue
Black As the Sky
Kaleidoscope
Shine
Beyond the Sun
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Going back to The Whirlwind, am I the only one that thinks Dancing with Eternal Glory is way longer than it needs to be? It's like it just keeps going...and going...and going...
It's a great album but this song could have been like 3 or 4 minutes :P
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Totally agreed. There are at least 4 moments where I find myself thinking "ah, this is where the song should end". But then it keeps going. Really kills the "grand finale" effect.
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:lol It's like damn, just end!
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Nah, I feel the same way as well. I love The Whirlwind. But the last part of that song just drags. Especially since I find it way more cornball than the rest of the track.
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Going back to The Whirlwind, am I the only one that thinks Dancing with Eternal Glory is way longer than it needs to be? It's like it just keeps going...and going...and going...
It's a great album but this song could have been like 3 or 4 minutes :P
Absolutely!! I feel that way big time. When I put on Whirlwind I just consider the end of the album Is It Really Happening? Either put on disc 2 or another album at that point. Oddly enough, lately I've been feeling this way about several songs. Not that the parts are bad per se, they just take away from the piece as a whole and kinda drag. Ending of Breaking All Illusions and Illumination Theory come to mind. It's odd.
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Maybe this will also balance this out a bit. For one reason or another, I find Kaleidoscope playing in my house/car all the time that I'm really sick of it but still want to hear it over and over. I think it's still my least favorite or third favorite TA album, but I really do like it.
It's not as good as the other albums only because the title track is not as cohesive and interconnected- it feels just a little disjointed. Then Into The Blue is great, but just too slow to be as good as the other 25 min songs. Also, I really hate all the vague, meaningless (as in the lyricist may have had a meaning but it is not expressed well through the lyrics in a logical or precise way) lyrics that I think come mostly from Stolt that are worst on Kaleidoscope. Just a ton of "they"s and "evil ways" and telling not showing of really broad concepts. Luckily he makes up for it with his incredible singing style, so I find myself listening to (and imitating) the Black Gold section and BATS constantly anyway.
But really-
"There is no place to hot to mine the blackest gold
You gave her birth and now you watch her growing old
If life is leaving tomorrow, we'll turn our backs to all sorrow
And in a dancing ghost town, that's the end of story"
It may very well have a meaning, but nothing that is possible to be derived from just the music and lyrics themselves. Unless I'm really missing something, these aren't something that is poetic or just takes time to decipher (like say Lifting Shadows or something), rather, they're just vague and poetic like someone broadly stating something about not falling into superficial desires. Theres no direction for these lyrics other than that broad topic.
But anyway, I do love this album.
Ranking:
Kaleidoscope
Into the Blue / BATS (considering their lengths, one is a 23/25, and one is a 5.5/6 so they both rank like 92% - hope that makes sense) (Also ITB might raise higher than BATS on some days, I'm not sure)
Beyond the Sun
Shine
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Maybe it is oversaturation from having written so many long epics over the years between all of them, but for me, the endings to Into the Blue and Kaleidoscope just don't give me that "holy shit, this is totally incredible" feeling that the endings to the three really long epics off the first two albums do. The meat of both of those songs are both utterly fantastic - like, minutes 10-21 of Into the Blues, and minutes 9-27 of Kaleidoscope - but the climaxes just don't touch the ones done previously by the band. And that includes Dancing with Eternal Glory/Whirlwind (reprise), which I agree goes on a bit too long, but is still highly enjoyable. My only beef with The Whirlwind is still that the Overture is easily the "weakest" overture of their epics. But again, the climaxes to both Kaleidoscope and Into the Blue are both very nice, but for me, there is a big difference between very nice (Kaleidoscope and Into the Blue) and "holy shit, this is totally incredible" (Stranger in Your Soul and Duel with the Devil) with regards to finishes to a long epic.
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Yeah, finishing off an enormous piece of music has to be a huge task for a prog rock musician. I think they pulled it off remarkably well with Duel with the devil and All of the above, but still, I think Kaleidoscope has a neat ending as well, although it's not my favorite part of the song.
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I never thought DWEG was too long at all. It's really cool how they drop it all the way back down at the beginning and really slowly build it to the epic ness necessary to end the album. Always sounded perfect to me!
And the ending os Kaleidoscope also works really well for me. I love how that last chorus is slower, but not too slow so it's still totally driving. And the chord structure and melody at the end is really cool.
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Duel With the Devil is probably my favorite outro for any Morse epic. Honestly every outro I've heard from the guy in the past 5 or so years gave me a huge "been there done that" feeling.
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I can never decide whether I like AOTA's outro or DWTD's outro more. The former is extremely atmospheric, melancholic, serene, and beautiful. The latter is definitely climactic but also feels like this grand cliffhanger the way it segues into the next track. Both fantastic, but in different ways.
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You have to remember that DWEG is effectively in two parts, with The Whirlwind (Reprise) being another movement. Really, The Whirlwind has fourteen movements, if you split Part I where the Overture ends and the "bed" begins for the first vocal entry (at 6:46), and then split Part XII when the first theme comes back in ("We're on a trip...").
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You have to remember that DWEG is effectively in two parts, with The Whirlwind (Reprise) being another movement. Really, The Whirlwind has fourteen movements, if you split Part I where the Overture ends and the "bed" begins for the first vocal entry (at 6:46), and then split Part XII when the first theme comes back in ("We're on a trip...").
That may be how you personally interpret it, but that isn't how the band has divided it. 12 movements, not 14.
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You have to remember that DWEG is effectively in two parts, with The Whirlwind (Reprise) being another movement. Really, The Whirlwind has fourteen movements, if you split Part I where the Overture ends and the "bed" begins for the first vocal entry (at 6:46), and then split Part XII when the first theme comes back in ("We're on a trip...").
That may be how you personally interpret it, but that isn't how the band has divided it. 12 movements, not 14.
I'm just saying you could. I know that's how the band has divided it.
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Duel With the Devil is probably my favorite outro for any Morse epic. Honestly every outro I've heard from the guy in the past 5 or so years gave me a huge "been there done that" feeling.
Well, epics that Neal Morse has a large hand in writing, whether as a solo artist or with TA, usually follow a specific formula or structure, and he rarely veers too from it, so I get that "been there done that" feeling, too, sometimes, but for me, the songs are almost always so good that I don't care.
I can never decide whether I like AOTA's outro or DWTD's outro more. The former is extremely atmospheric, melancholic, serene, and beautiful. The latter is definitely climactic but also feels like this grand cliffhanger the way it segues into the next track. Both fantastic, but in different ways.
There are times I wish All of the Above would have ended three minutes earlier. That ending is definitely beautiful, but it sometimes has that kind of "tacked on" feeling, almost like they stuck it at the end to make the song longer. The fact that they haven't always played that ending live, like on the Whirld Tour, is telling, IMO. Still one of the greatest songs ever written, though. :hefdaddy
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I can never decide whether I like AOTA's outro or DWTD's outro more. The former is extremely atmospheric, melancholic, serene, and beautiful. The latter is definitely climactic but also feels like this grand cliffhanger the way it segues into the next track. Both fantastic, but in different ways.
There are times I wish All of the Above would have ended three minutes earlier. That ending is definitely beautiful, but it sometimes has that kind of "tacked on" feeling, almost like they stuck it at the end to make the song longer. The fact that they haven't always played that ending live, like on the Whirld Tour, is telling, IMO. Still one of the greatest songs ever written, though. :hefdaddy
I think a good reason for that might be that things are different in a live setting. When what sounds like the grand finale finishes off, the crowd is expecting the next one to kick in--they've got all that hype and adrenaline running at this point--whether familiar with the song or not. The mellow three minutes the song takes to close would feel a little jarring, more so in a live setting. That being said, I could understand how it would feel tacked on, but I still love it.
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Duel With the Devil is probably my favorite outro for any Morse epic. Honestly every outro I've heard from the guy in the past 5 or so years gave me a huge "been there done that" feeling.
Well, epics that Neal Morse has a large hand in writing, whether as a solo artist or with TA, usually follow a specific formula or structure, and he rarely veers too from it, so I get that "been there done that" feeling, too, sometimes, but for me, the songs are almost always so good that I don't care.
Oh yea, that's the same for me. I love Into the Blue and even Kaleidoscope, but they're hardly new for Morse. It's a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, I'm guaranteed not to be disappointed with Morse epics since I always have a good idea of what to expect and the songwriting is still really good. On the other, I'm not going to be wowed the way I was when hearing the Spock's Beard epics or Bridge Across Forever.
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I can never decide whether I like AOTA's outro or DWTD's outro more. The former is extremely atmospheric, melancholic, serene, and beautiful. The latter is definitely climactic but also feels like this grand cliffhanger the way it segues into the next track. Both fantastic, but in different ways.
There are times I wish All of the Above would have ended three minutes earlier. That ending is definitely beautiful, but it sometimes has that kind of "tacked on" feeling, almost like they stuck it at the end to make the song longer. The fact that they haven't always played that ending live, like on the Whirld Tour, is telling, IMO. Still one of the greatest songs ever written, though. :hefdaddy
I think a good reason for that might be that things are different in a live setting. When what sounds like the grand finale finishes off, the crowd is expecting the next one to kick in--they've got all that hype and adrenaline running at this point--whether familiar with the song or not. The mellow three minutes the song takes to close would feel a little jarring, more so in a live setting. That being said, I could understand how it would feel tacked on, but I still love it.
True, and if nothing else, it makes the ending to that one a little different at least, right? :biggrin:
I love Into the Blue and even Kaleidoscope, but they're hardly new for Morse. It's a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, I'm guaranteed not to be disappointed with Morse epics since I always have a good idea of what to expect and the songwriting is still really good. On the other, I'm not going to be wowed the way I was when hearing the Spock's Beard epics or Bridge Across Forever.
In a way, Transatlantic are victims of their own awesomeness. They set the bar so high when those epics off the first two albums that it's easy to hear the two new ones and think, "Yeah, they're good, but they're no All of the Above/Duel.../Stranger..."
Having said that, I listened to all of Kaleidoscope (the song) on a long drive yesterday and it was pretty freaking great. :coolio
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I love Into the Blue and even Kaleidoscope, but they're hardly new for Morse. It's a bit of a double edged sword. On one hand, I'm guaranteed not to be disappointed with Morse epics since I always have a good idea of what to expect and the songwriting is still really good. On the other, I'm not going to be wowed the way I was when hearing the Spock's Beard epics or Bridge Across Forever.
In a way, Transatlantic are victims of their own awesomeness. They set the bar so high when those epics off the first two albums that it's easy to hear the two new ones and think, "Yeah, they're good, but they're no All of the Above/Duel.../Stranger..."
Having said that, I listened to all of Kaleidoscope (the song) on a long drive yesterday and it was pretty freaking great. :coolio
Not just Transatlantic, but Neal Morse in general. In the pre-Snow days Neal was writing epics that were really unlike anything anyone else was doing. That's part of what made them so exciting. When you rehash the same approach for 20 odd years, it'll start to get stale. I will say though that Neal's best recent epics are with Transatlantic imo. Every time he works with them, the quality in his writing skyrockets.
Anyway, I'm listening to the Kaleidoscope album as I type this and I'm enjoying it a lot! It may not hold a candle to the early work, but it's still one of my fav albums for 2014. :tup And while Into the Blue is nothing "new", I think it is a very worthy companion to the early epics.
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"There is no place to hot to mine the blackest gold
You gave her birth and now you watch her growing old
If life is leaving tomorrow, we'll turn our backs to all sorrow
And in a dancing ghost town, that's the end of story"
It may very well have a meaning, but nothing that is possible to be derived from just the music and lyrics themselves. Unless I'm really missing something, these aren't something that is poetic or just takes time to decipher (like say Lifting Shadows or something), rather, they're just vague and poetic like someone broadly stating something about not falling into superficial desires. Theres no direction for these lyrics other than that broad topic.
Have you listened to The Flower Kings? They've got about a dozen albums that say absolutely nothing, but they're still great! :rollin
You should be "smiling like a horse, my child..." :P
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Not just Transatlantic, but Neal Morse in general. In the pre-Snow days Neal was writing epics that were really unlike anything anyone else was doing.
Very true. Even the structures were all over the place back then. If you listen to a song like Flow, there really isn't another Neal-penned epic that is quite like it. I think when 2000 rolled around, TA's All of the Above and SB's The Great Nothing went over well so much with fans that he has kind of clung to that kind of structure when doing his epics. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as he's given us a crap ton of great epics since, but I get why some have that "been there done that" feeling with some or all of them.
And while Into the Blue is nothing "new", I think it is a very worthy companion to the early epics.
It's really good. It's probably my least favorite of Transatlantic's "sidelong" epics, but I still enjoy it a ton. :coolio
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"There is no place to hot to mine the blackest gold
You gave her birth and now you watch her growing old
If life is leaving tomorrow, we'll turn our backs to all sorrow
And in a dancing ghost town, that's the end of story"
It may very well have a meaning, but nothing that is possible to be derived from just the music and lyrics themselves. Unless I'm really missing something, these aren't something that is poetic or just takes time to decipher (like say Lifting Shadows or something), rather, they're just vague and poetic like someone broadly stating something about not falling into superficial desires. Theres no direction for these lyrics other than that broad topic.
Have you listened to The Flower Kings? They've got about a dozen albums that say absolutely nothing, but they're still great! :rollin
You should be "smiling like a horse, my child..." :P
:rollin No I still have to get into them. Thats hilarious, but yea it really bugs me and I really can't enjoy lyrics like that. It sounds kinda like when you're listening to someone try to talk about a subject that they clearly have no clue about. So they start getting really vague and don't want to be held to anything.
"The trial jukebox of deception and tyranny, you'll see it works so well, it's proven through our history, they lead us on in darkness just like stupid sheep"
WHO does? What are you calling tyrannical and how the hell is it analogous to a jukebox?
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It's "Tried toolbox*"
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Oh......
:rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
Well that explains it
:blush :blush :blush I coulda looked that up first, huh...
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I realized today while browsing my phone's SD card that I had Kaleidoscope on it. So, I figured I'd throw it on, giving it a second chance.
Man, no. While the music is ok-ish (they've done better, they've done worse), the lyrics are just too much. How many times can one listen to lyrics about God (Into the Blue), Heaven (Beyond the Sun) and the end of days (Kaleidoscope)?
Neal Morse has turned into the Phil Collins of prog.
Sorry for the harsh words, but I really quite liked this band, and seeing them being turned into a ministry band is rather upsetting.
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Bummer for you.
While not as great as the first three, I still think it's really, really good. :hat
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It's far better than The Whirlwind I think. Whirlwind is a great piece but it seriously drags, after hearing some of the repeated themes I start to get seriously tired of them.
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Not me. Five years and hundreds of listens later, I still enjoy the hell out of almost all of it.
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Wow Rumby, a lot of bands you listen to must have a lot of, god, heaven, end of days lyrics.
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How so? Are you suggesting those lyrics are not about what I think they are about? (queue Inigo Montoya pic after this sentence).
I would be hard pressed to come up with a different interpretation of the lyrics.
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I would be hard pressed to come up with a different interpretation of the lyrics.
That's partly because you are looking for them.
I get something vaguely like what you are saying from Beyond The Sun, but it's certainly not specific.
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I would submit that if some had never heard Transatlantic or Neal Morse before, and then listened to Kaleidoscope, most would not come away from it thinking that the lyrics were too religious or anything like that. They are worded in a general and broad enough manner to not be obvious, unlike a lot of the lyrics on Neal's solo albums.
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Even if you might not find the lyrics particularly religious, which at the very least some of them definitely are, they still sound pretty spiritual.
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Are people still surprised that Neal writes spiritual lyrics anymore? He's been doing that since day 1 with Spock's Beard, and even the first two Transatlantic albums had some of it. His prog solo albums became more forward with it, but even with Momentum, it got toned back to SB-levels of spiritual lyrics. Kaleidoscope isn't nearly as forward with the religious/spiritual stuff as The Whirlwind was, at least to me.
My only gripe is that the title track ends with an extended fade out. Meh... I dislike fade-outs, and I didn't like it too much on Testimony 2 either, but I got used to it.
-Marc.
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Nooooo, the fadeout at the end of Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise is absolutely perfect. The way it explodes back into that main melody shortly after it begins slowly fading out is absolutely incredible and gives you the feeling that it will go on forever, even though the journey for us, the listeners, is over. That is how I interpret it.
However, what you said about his spiritual lyrics is mostly true. He has always written spiritual lyrics, and the only overtly religious ones are on his solo albums and a couple of songs on The Whirlwind (one of which is a bonus track).
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Nooooo, the fadeout at the end of Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise is absolutely perfect. The way it explodes back into that main melody shortly after it begins slowly fading out is absolutely incredible and gives you the feeling that it will go on forever, even though the journey for us, the listeners, is over. That is how I interpret it.
However, what you said about his spiritual lyrics is mostly true. He has always written spiritual lyrics, and the only overtly religious ones are on his solo albums and a couple of songs on The Whirlwind (one of which is a bonus track).
True. Anything mentioning Jesus or God, but even with God, it can be interpreted many ways, like, it could be HIS God, or my God, or anyone's God, or even god without a capital "G". It's just a deity to some, or a deeply connected religious figure for others. And the way I see his telling of stories about religion is no different than the lyrics of Jon Anderson with Yes - it's a story, based on history, told with religious words. Now, albums like One or his Testimony albums are more personal and less narrative in the story-telling sense, but they're more inspirational and uplifting, so I don't feel bogged down by the overtly spiritual and religious lyrics. I'm not much of a believer myself, but I'll be damned if I don't feel good after listening to "King Jesus"!
Neal's lyrics have always been that way for me, and it's part of the reason I enjoy him and his music so much. He's inspirational, through his music and his lyrics, and I think if he knew how happy and uplifting his music could make me, or anyone feel, then his job would be done well. He's even gone on the record at concerts saying how he doesn't mean to impose or offend anyone with his words or lyrics or messages in music, but that he hopes that he can make people FEEL something good, something hopeful and something positive. I've been out of religion for 15 years now, but Neal has made me feel more hopeful and positive with his music than ever before, so I do no mind or care that his lyrics are the way they are. Let it be, and if it's good, it'll affect me. If it isn't, I'm still sure to find something good about it.
-Marc.
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I would be hard pressed to come up with a different interpretation of the lyrics.
That's partly because you are looking for them.
I get something vaguely like what you are saying from Beyond The Sun, but it's certainly not specific.
I give you that I am probably over-sensitive at this point given Neal's history, but come on.
In The Blue: "The Dreamer and the Healer, Await for you - they wait for you, The Caller and Conceiver... And if you find the book of Eli ..."
Kaleidoscope: "We will ride the lightning day, As we set our souls on fire ... And so the king of karma lost his only son ..."
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I'm not sure I follow you regarding Into The Blue, rumborak. I honestly have no clue what "The Dreamer and the Healer" is supposed to refer to. That whole lyric is very vague to me. And "the book of Eli" lyric has nothing to do with Christianity. There is no such thing as a "book of Eli," either in the biblical cannon or in historical tradition. Google it and the only thing you find is the 2010 Denzel Washington movie, which as I understand it, didn't really deal with biblical topics at all (it was a fictional story about a dude named Eli in a post-apocalytpic Road Warrior type world who misguidedly believed that he could make people follow him if he got a copy of the Bible). Whatever Roine was trying to say with that lyric is...well, not in the same realm as what you would find in Neal's solo lyrics.
And to be clear, I am not saying Neal's lyrics do not have a Christian bent to them. They do. But I really don't see it in Into The Blue, especially in the Neal or the Roine passages that you cited.
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What else could The Caller and The Conceiver be?
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Eli could just be short for Elijah. It also came up in a google search of Book of Eli. Just pointing that out,
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What else could The Caller and The Conceiver be?
The Caller and The Conceiver , obviously. I take the lyrics at face value. If it's not explicitly Jesus or God in the Christian sense, I can take the lyrics as they are.
I mean, I don't really question who By-Tor or the Snowdog are, but I just take it all as I see/hear it, and enjoy the lyrics with the music.
-Marc.
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What else could The Caller and The Conceiver be?
Dunno. Honestly, it's such vague and strange wording that I have a tough time figuring it out.
Eli could just be short for Elijah. It also came up in a google search of Book of Eli. Just pointing that out,
Okay, but even if that were true, there is no "Book of Elijah," and the story of Elijah doesn't fit. I still subscribe to the theory that those lyrics are just a product of Roine's imagination.
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To heck with the caller and conceiver...I am still wondering who the doorway is!! ;)
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To heck with the caller and conceiver...I am still wondering who the doorway is!! ;)
YOU are, Kev! :lol
-Marc.
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In The Blue: "The Dreamer and the Healer, Await for you - they wait for you, The Caller and Conceiver... And if you find the book of Eli ..."
Kaleidoscope: "We will ride the lightning day, As we set our souls on fire ... And so the king of karma lost his only son ..."
Yeah, exactly 0% of that is Biblical.
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What else could The Caller and The Conceiver be?
Dunno. Honestly, it's such vague and strange wording that I have a tough time figuring it out.
Let me help you a bit. What being is the only one for which uppercase starting letters are used (e.g. as in "As His life fills everything" in Kaleidoscope)?
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The Miracle and The Sleeper
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What else could The Caller and The Conceiver be?
Dunno. Honestly, it's such vague and strange wording that I have a tough time figuring it out.
Eli could just be short for Elijah. It also came up in a google search of Book of Eli. Just pointing that out,
Okay, but even if that were true, there is no "Book of Elijah," and the story of Elijah doesn't fit. I still subscribe to the theory that those lyrics are just a product of Roine's imagination.
Wasn't really trying to prove anything, just throwing up some suggestions
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@Orbert: :lol
That's different though, as that is just usual title uppercase writing.
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Eli could just be short for Elijah. It also came up in a google search of Book of Eli. Just pointing that out,
Okay, but even if that were true, there is no "Book of Elijah," and the story of Elijah doesn't fit. I still subscribe to the theory that those lyrics are just a product of Roine's imagination.
Wasn't really trying to prove anything, just throwing up some suggestions
Oh, I know. Sorry if it sounded like I was being argumentative in my post. I didn't mean to be. I was just saying that even though it is a plausible suggestion, it still doesn't really seem to fit.
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What else could The Caller and The Conceiver be?
Dunno. Honestly, it's such vague and strange wording that I have a tough time figuring it out.
Let me help you a bit. What being is the only one for which uppercase starting letters are used (e.g. as in "As His life fills everything" in Kaleidoscope)?
:dunno: The way he sings it, it didn't sound capitalized to me.
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k
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Something being capitalised would simply denote it being a title, no reason it should be anything to do with god. Especially, as bosk pointed out, as most of those lyrics are Roine's, not Neal's.
Honestly rumby, I think you're seeing things that aren't there because of your dislike of Neal's religious lyrics.
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bro it totally sounded like he sand that with a capital H
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Something being capitalised would simply denote it being a title, no reason it should be anything to do with god. Especially, as bosk pointed out, as most of those lyrics are Roine's, not Neal's.
That applies to "His" as well? Seriously, have you ever seen that word written in uppercase in the middle of a sentence, when it did NOT refer to Jesus or God?
Honestly rumby, I think you're seeing things that aren't there because of your dislike of Neal's religious lyrics.
Not at all. I find it *very* strange that you guys make the argument that a guy who's been writing 95% religious lyrics on his albums, will suddenly stop doing so on TA. Especially when the previous TA album was sledgehammer religious.
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Not at all. I find it *very* strange that you guys make the argument that a guy who's been writing 95% religious lyrics on his albums, will suddenly stop doing so on TA. Especially when the previous TA album was sledgehammer religious.
I'm not sure who is making that argument, but I'm not.
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I get where rumborak is going on some of these, particularly the "His" in Ride the Lightning (Reprise). And yes, it is uppercase in the liner notes. However, I do think a lot of the songs are pretty vague, like Into the Blue. I have no idea who the Dreamer and Healer or Caller and Conceiver are.
Aside from that, I might be strange in this regard, but I don't mind and often enjoy religious lyrics despite not being a Christian or believing in God really.
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I'm anti-religion as much as the next guy, but i love the music so much i don't let it bother me. :tup
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However, I do think a lot of the songs are pretty vague, like Into the Blue. I have no idea who the Dreamer and Healer or Caller and Conceiver are.
In my interpretation of the lyics, the "Blue" is heaven (because of blue sky), and Caller and Conceiver because God calls you to his kingdom and conceived the world.
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I can definitely see that, but the lyrics are so vague that I have no doubt that someone else could easily make a completely different interpretation. In fact, if I had any complaints about Transatlantic's lyrics, it would be that they tend to always be quite vague. I don't mind it all too much myself, because the words do sound good and work with the music, and are generally uplifting (which I tend to like). But if I were to make a complaint about Transatlantic lyrics, that would be it.
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Not to keep this discussion going unnecessarily, but I only now noticed that God is directly mentioned in Kaleidoscope. Go figure.
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Kaleidoscope is definitely a religious song, very Neal like.
Into the Blue is a bit more vague, but still loaded with religious imagery. Maybe not specifically Christian, but some collaborative idea about God representing what a Christian, Jew, and couple of ex hippies can agree upon :D
Then there's the video they shot in church :rollin
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Oh god, I had forgotten about that. That video is the most awkward thing I have ever seen.
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Perhaps the only time a music video ruined a song for me. The video made me so uncomfortable that I hated the song too, finally listened to the album without it and actually liked the song. Weird how that works.
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That video is the most awkward thing I have ever seen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1tjMqULC7EY
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That video is the most awkward thing I have ever seen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1tjMqULC7EY
Yo, he's got a pretty sick DVD collection.
Musta been bored out of his mind though. :lol
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:lol
That Shine video is still as awkward as it gets though. Maaaaaybe I'll give you MP's car wash video. :p
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Yea Rumby I don't see what you find so religious about "that's when God will lift us higher". Just sounds kinda vague to me!
I, for one, think that Neal writes EVERYTHING about God in some way or another, Roine writes a mixed up mush of nonsense imagery and vague politics with an evil sort of sound, and they put it all together in a 30 minute song because it fits the theme "life, ya know?"
And yet here they are as one of my top 10 favorite bands of all time.
Oh and that MP video is epic as hell holy crap :metal
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I, for one, think that Neal writes EVERYTHING about God in some way or another, Roine writes a mixed up mush of nonsense imagery and vague politics with an evil sort of sound, and they put it all together in a 30 minute song because it fits the theme "life, ya know?"
Yup, it's a little irritating but I'm not one to pay attention to lyrics anyway. The epics on this album are so cut and paste that I don't think they're really about anything. You can always count on Neal Morse to have his sections be something with a religious connotation (I'm honestly shocked that people here are using terms like "vague" when discussing his lyrics) and Roine is going to write some vague political nonsense that has nothing to do with what Neal is writing. Pete is more of a mixed bag, but I have a very hard time believing his section in Kaleidoscope has any lyrical connection to the previous bits.
I don't have a huge problem with this though, and while Roine's lyrics are more or less nonsense, I like the word flow and that's usually enough for me. I never listened to any of the members of TA for their lyrics anyway, so that's definitely not going to change when the 4 (even though MP doesn't do lyrics in TA) of them are pitted together.
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Finally picked up the Kaleidoscope CD the other day......man......I've listened to it twice and that may be the only two times I listend to it. It sounds like a poorly constructed rehash of a few themes from the previous albums. I was surprised at how uninspiring and 'boring' I found the music to be considering I absolutely loved all the other releases.....
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That's a bummer, man. Refresh my memory: do you have any of Neal's solo albums, and if so, which ones?
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I think I've listened to the title track Kaleidoscope about 4 times in the last week :lol It's so awesome. Love everything about it but the broadness of the lyrics. Although, it's still not as good as some other Transatlantic.
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I like Into the Blue and the shorter songs, but Kaleidoscope is one of my least favorite TA songs.
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That's a bummer, man. Refresh my memory: do you have any of Neal's solo albums, and if so, which ones?
Yeah, I have all of Neal's solo stuff and I love it!!! I like all the other TA stuff as well....I just find this effort to be very 'formulaic'....like I said, it sounds like they took a bunch of themes from past music and threw it all together. I even tried another spin this morning to see if it'd 'click' or not.....just not happening.
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I'll be honest, as well - I found the title track "Kaleidoscope" to be a bit over-long for me, and a bit hard to digest. I like it, but it's still a tentative "like". I like PARTS of it, but as a whole, it just hasn't gelled with me quite yet. Perhaps because it came not long after Neal's "World Without End", a longer, and arguably, better epic which, to me, sounded a lot like it could've been a Transatlantic epic.
Neal had both "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End" between The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope, and I consider them two of his best works. It's hard not to compare the two newest TA epics to them, and sometimes I find myself liking Neal's tracks a bit more, but "Into The Blue" grew on me quickly. Perhaps I'm getting a bit dazed by Neal epics? I'd like to see him return to an album full of 10-15 minute tracks, or another concept album with a ton of smaller tracks that all run together. I dunno...something "new" would be nice for a change. I hope the next TA isn't so "formulaic" in the Neal-sense.
-Marc.
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I'll be honest, as well - I found the title track "Kaleidoscope" to be a bit over-long for me, and a bit hard to digest. I like it, but it's still a tentative "like". I like PARTS of it, but as a whole, it just hasn't gelled with me quite yet. Perhaps because it came not long after Neal's "World Without End", a longer, and arguably, better epic which, to me, sounded a lot like it could've been a Transatlantic epic.
Neal had both "Seeds Of Gold" and "World Without End" between The Whirlwind and Momentum, and I consider them two of his best works. It's hard not to compare the two newest TA epics to them, and sometimes I find myself liking Neal's tracks a bit more, but "Into The Blue" grew on me quickly. Perhaps I'm getting a bit dazed by Neal epics? I'd like to see him return to an album full of 10-15 minute tracks, or another concept album with a ton of smaller tracks that all run together. I dunno...something "new" would be nice for a change. I hope the next TA isn't so "formulaic" in the Neal-sense.
-Marc.
Seeds of Gold is an incredible song....absolutely love it!!!!
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Funny, I like Kaleidoscope a lot more than Into the Blue. Both are really good, but I just think the title track is better.
Seeds of Gold is definitely most awesome. That's a top 5 solo Neal track in my book. :tup :tup
Yeah, I have all of Neal's solo stuff and I love it!!
Okay, cool! :coolio
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On the topic of lyrics, I don't consider lyrics about god, buddah, whatever religious, the way Neal writes is more Spiritual.
I still enjoy Black As The Sky way more than the Epics. Its fresh and amazing, not too short or too long. I wish they had more shorter songs like this.
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I still enjoy Black As The Sky way more than the Epics. Its fresh and amazing, not too short or too long. I wish they had more shorter songs like this.
Agreed.
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I think its about time they reinvent their epic structure, The Whirlwind was a nice start, a full album epic with seperate tracks.
Watching the making of Kaleidoscope, it really shows they just pasted demoes, mainly of Neal and Roine. Which were interesting. Those could've been songs themselves.
That's how I feel about Kaleidoscope's Epics, theirs great parts but as a whole just doesn't work. If they took ITB intro and Kaleidoscopes middle section it'd be a good epic. But I hate the tacked on reprise at the end of Kaleidoscope.
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I think its about time they reinvent their epic structure, The Whirlwind was a nice start, a full album epic with seperate tracks.
Agreed. I loved that they went with mostly shorter songs on The Whirlwind, but presented them in concept album-like form, so it all flows together, while still being able to take most of the songs on their own.
Even though I really like Kaleidoscope, it seemed like they took the lazy "we'll combine the structure of the first two albums" approach:
-Bookending the album with two long epics, ala Bridge Across Forever.
-Track 2 being an acoustic-driven, laid back tune, ala SMPTe.
-Track 3 being a "short" rocker, ala SMPTe
-Track 4 being what is basically a piano-driven Neal Morse solo song, ala Bridge Across Forever.
My suspicion is that they go into this thinking, "We have to be as epic as possible," which is not bad considering how well they do epics, but I'd love to see them go back to The Whirlwind-type format on the 5th album: focusing more on shorter songs, and if they can make a long conceptual thing out of it again, cool, and if not, so be it.
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MP just announced on Tweet Secret that the new DVD will be called "Ka-LIVE-oscope : Into the Blue" (or maybe Blu) and will be coming out at the end of October. My life has been made.
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MP just announced on Tweet Secret that the new DVD will be called "Ka-LIVE-oscope : Into the Blue" (or maybe Blu) and will be coming out at the end of October. My life has been made.
Yeah there was a little blip about it from Neal Morse's Inner Circle email a week or so ago.
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I wonder if "Once in the LIVEtime" was Mike's idea, too.
Ok fine, I don't actually wonder.
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I wonder if "Once in the LIVEtime" was Mike's idea, too.
Ok fine, I don't actually wonder.
:lol well yay for goofy porginess! :coolio
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A new DVD/Blu-ray was a given, but at some point, it's like, can they do a little something different with these releases? Or maybe go a tour without releasing one, which would then make the next one even more special? I know that would go against Neal and Portnoy's method of releasing everything they do :lol, but it might keep things a little fresh. The DVD after the next one could have featured mostly songs from Kaleidoscope and the next album.
I know, I know, be happy we are getting this much stuff from them, especially when you consider how many bands don't release enough stuff, but it's reaching the point of oversaturation. Hell, they will have more live albums than studio albums once this comes out. :lol :lol
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They already do.
Live in America
Live in Europe
The Official Bootleg
Whirld Tour
More is Never Enough
So the new DVD will be 2 more live videos than studio releases.
Not saying I haven't enjoyed them, but there you have it.
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Right. Hell, I love All of the Above as much as anyone, but do we really need another live version of it? Okay, this tour had it in medley form where they played half of that and half of Stranger in Your Soul, but it's essentially the same thing. I barely watched it on the Whirld Tour DVD because I had already seen it enough on the first two.
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I don't mind KaLIVEoscope coming out, but I do wish they'd at least release the audio from the Progressive Nation cruise shows. They played 3 sets that could easily fit onto 3 CDs:
Disc 1 - Kaleidoscope (entire album live)
Into The Blue
Shine
Black As The Sky
Beyond The Sun
Kaleidoscope
Disc 2 - Other songs (and cover)
Whirlwind Medley
Indiscipline (with Adrian Belew)
Guitar Duet
We All Need Some Light
All of the Above/Stranger in Your Soul
Disc 3 - Yessongs with Jon Anderson
The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)
Long Distance Runaround
And You and I
Starship Trooper
It'd be perfect and I would buy it in a heartbeat. Heck, I'd even buy FLAC downloads of it if they made them available in lieu of a physical release.
-Marc.
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I'll never understand the point in complaining about too many releases from a band. Nobody is forcing you to buy everything, if there's one you're not interested in you don't have to buy it. Personally I like that there's a live release for every tour, I'm a bit of a completionist in that I want to see stuff from every tour.
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It's not complaining about it so much as simply saying that the oversaturation of them makes them feel less special, at least to me.
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Ok wow if TA had 10 live albums coming out this year alone, I'd buy and watch every single one and still want more. Bite your tongue!!
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I'd rather have live albums than studio albums anyway. For me, those are more special.
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Just got an email from Radiant about pre-orders for KaLIVEoscope!!!
Check these out!
(https://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a619/styxkyd/605_zpsdd095ccc.jpg) (https://s1286.photobucket.com/user/styxkyd/media/605_zpsdd095ccc.jpg.html)
(https://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a619/styxkyd/607_zps8b745de0.jpg) (https://s1286.photobucket.com/user/styxkyd/media/607_zps8b745de0.jpg.html)
(https://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a619/styxkyd/606_zps8260a7ed.jpg) (https://s1286.photobucket.com/user/styxkyd/media/606_zps8260a7ed.jpg.html)
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Oh, the pun.
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Predictions on the prices? I really want to get that 6-Disc set. The bonus DVD sounds a lot of fun, especially with the tour documentary and the video of 3 tracks in Tilburg (the cover encores, I suppose). I bet it'll be about $50-$60. Neal's last live release, Live Momentum, was only $29.99 for 3CDs and 2 DVDs, but that was a CD-sized Digipak. Looks like, at least with the artwork, the Deluxe Collector's Edition will be a tall DVD-sized digipak case (which will hopefully be of high quality this time, unlike Radiant's version of Whirld Tour 2010).
-Marc.
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Someone explain to me the point of needing the DVDs AND the Blu-ray.
If I buy anything, I'll probably get just the Blu-ray edition, but I might not. I don't watch much live stuff anymore, and I already have three other TA DVDs to keep me fat and sassy for when I watch to some live TA, so I'll probably pass on this one. Like I said before, these releases feel less special since they release one for every tour and they only have so many songs to choose from.
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Yeah, bands seem to be releasing live DVDs after every single tour now, it's not just Transatlantic. I guess it's a new trend. This way we can criticize the bands that don't release any live footage at all, because look how other bands do it all the time. ;D
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I'll suppose it's cheaper nowadays to do a live recording and put it out. I do agree that live releases don't feel as special as they did 10 years ago.
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Someone explain to me the point of needing the DVDs AND the Blu-ray.
With regular movies, it can make sense because even if you have Blu-ray in your living room, you probably don't have it in your car/van/SUV, but DVD players are pretty common in vehicles, especially if you have kids.
But maybe you don't have Blu-ray in your bedroom, just the DVD player you moved up there when you got the Blu-ray. How you gonna get it on with your honey to the awesome Transatlantic show if all you have is the Blu-ray? That's right; you need the DVD, too.
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I was somewhat unimpressed with this album, so I will definitely skip this live release.
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Good points, Orbert. :lol :lol
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update on radiant's site regarding prices:
Available in 3 formats:
· 4 disc Special Edition Digipak - $22.95
· 6 disc Ltd. Deluxe Edition Box Set - $44.99
· BluRay - $15.99
And ONLY AT RADIANT:
6 disc Ltd. Deluxe Edition + A Proggy Christmas Bundle - $54.95
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update on radiant's site regarding prices:
Available in 3 formats:
· 4 disc Special Edition Digipak - $22.95
· 6 disc Ltd. Deluxe Edition Box Set - $44.99
· BluRay - $15.99
And ONLY AT RADIANT:
6 disc Ltd. Deluxe Edition + A Proggy Christmas Bundle - $54.95
:tup
$44.99 isn't too bad for the 6-disc set. When you think about it, a 2-DVD set would normally be about $20-25, the 3-CD set at about the same, then toss in a Blu-Ray for about $20, and individually, things like these would normally cost $60-70 total. I wonder if the cheap price is a sign of poor package quality yet again?! Ugh I hope not. Either way, I'll still be ready at 10:58am on Tuesday morning waiting to pre-order it.
-Marc.
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My only question is about the signed graphic with the first 100 orders, will it be the same that came with kaleidoscope? I imagine it would be a different design, but nothing really says
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I'm interested in what the proggy Christmas bundle is.
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I'm interested in what the proggy Christmas bundle is.
The kaliveascope set and the proggy Christmas CDs? I think there's two.
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I'm interested in what the proggy Christmas bundle is.
You just get the Deluxe Edition with Neal's album, A Proggy Christmas. It came out a couple years ago and has guests like Steve Hackett, Roine Stolt, Pete Trewavas, and Mike Portnoy.
-Marc.
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The thing is that the descriptions are so confusing-
4 disc Special Edition Digipak
3CD+DVD Digipak containing a full recording of the Tilburg show and the full live footage of the Cologne show.
Into the BluRay
containing a full live footage (filmed in Cologne), "Behind The Scenes" of the Kaldeidoscope World Tour 2014, band interviews and 3 further live tracks (filmed in Tilburg)
6 disc Ltd. Deluxe Edition Box Set
including 2 DVDs containing a full live footage (filmed in Cologne), "Behind The Scenes" of the Kaldeidoscope World Tour 2014, band interviews and 3 further live tracks (filmed in Tilburg), 3 CDs containing the recording of the full Tilburg show and a BluRay disc containing the full cologne show and also the "Behind The Scenes", band interviews and 3 songs of the Tilburg show.
I just want a DVD of everything they videoed and a CD of everything they audio-ed. What the hell do I get?? :lol
Does the first one not include any of the bonus content, or just some of it, or all of it except they couldn't fit the 3 extra Tilburg songs?
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Also, they played two nights in Tilburg. I wonder if they're using the best of both nights like Luna Park or something. If I recall correctly, that was one of the nights that Neal was having some trouble. Maybe that's why they're mostly only doing audio of that show so they can overdub.
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Also, they played two nights in Tilburg. I wonder if they're using the best of both nights like Luna Park or something. If I recall correctly, that was one of the nights that Neal was having some trouble. Maybe that's why they're mostly only doing audio of that show so they can overdub.
Good question. I hadn't even thought about it, but these are the two Tilburg set lists:
Intro ("The Orchestral Whirlwind")
Into the Blue
My New World
Shine
Whirlwind Medley
Bridge Across Forever
Kaleidoscope (with "Ride the Lightning" snippet by Metallica)
Encore:
Guitar Duet (Morse and Stolt)
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
Encore 2:
Sylvia (Focus cover) (with Thijs van Leer) (on keyboards and vocals)
Hocus Pocus (Focus cover) (with Thijs van Leer) (on keyboards and vocals)
Intro ("The Orchestral Whirlwind")
Into the Blue
My New World
Shine
Whirlwind Medley
Beyond the Sun
Kaleidoscope (with "Ride the Lightning" snippet by Metallica)
Guitar Duet (Morse and Stolt)
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
Encore:
Nights in White Satin (The Moody Blues cover)
And You and I (Yes cover)
Encore 2:
All of the Above / Stranger in Your Soul
Note: At 3h 25mins this was the longest show of the tour and probably the longest ever in history of Transatlantic
Ideally, this would be how I would put together both shows for a complete 3 CD set:
Disc 1 - Approx. 80 minutes
Into The Blue
My New World
Shine
Whirlwind Medley
Disc 2 - Approx. 50 minutes
Beyond The Sun
Kaleidoscope
Guitar Duet / We All Need Some Light
Black As The Sky
Disc 3 - Approx. 55 minutes
Sylvia
Hocus Pocus
Nights In White Satin
And You And I
All Of The Above/Stranger In Your Soul
It would combine all the tracks from both shows and be pretty complete. They'd be smart to include everything, especially the Focus tracks as they had a special guest from Focus playing with them on keyboards. Hopefully we get something like this on the 3 CD set.
-Marc.
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Wait a second. UGH the DVD/CD doesn't include the 3 videos from Tilburg, but the Blu Ray doesn't include the full audio from Tilburg. There's no Blu-Ray/CD, what the hell?? ???
So you have to buy the big deluxe edition to get both :tdwn
Again, why don't they just have each combination available, or just each format separate?
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(https://www.radiantrecords.com/images/image/KaLIVEoscope-Radiant-Graphic-Signed.jpg)
Pic of poster for those that were wondering what it was.
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OFFICIAL TRACK LISTINGS FOR THE CD:
Track listing CD 1: Live in Tilburg
1. Into The Blue 00:27:49
2. My New World 00:18:28
3. Shine 00:07:23
Track listing CD 2: Live in Tilburg
1. The Whirlwind Medley 00:30:12
2. Beyond The Sun 00:04:50
3. Kaleidoscope 00:31:30
Track listing CD 3: Live in Tilburg
1. Neal & Roine Duet 00:04:34
2. We All Need Some Light 00:06:05
3. Black As The Sky 00:07:22
4. Nights In White Satin 00:08:09
5. Sylvia 00:04:46
6. Hocus Pocus 00:07:09
7. Medley: All Of The Above / 00:24:34
As I had hoped, they included both encores from both shows, EXCEPT "And You And I'. I wonder if this is because they are going to eventually release the Jon Anderson set from Progressive Nation Cruise?! Hmmmmmmm :tup
Well, we got ALMOST everything from both Tilburg shows, for a total of about 182:51, which is pretty decent. FYI, Disc 1 = 53:40, Disc 2 = 66:32, and Disc 3 = 62:39.
TRACK LIST FOR THE DVD/BR:
Track listing DVD: Live in Cologne
1. Into The Blue 00:26:12
2. My New World 00:17:29
3. Shine 00:07:22
4. The Whirlwind Medley 00:29:34
5. Beyond The Sun 00:04:24
6. Kaleidoscope 00:31:30
7. Neal & Roine Duet 00:03:41
8. We All Need Some Light 00:05:56
9. Black As The Sky 00:08:43
Encore:
10. Medley: All Of The Above / Stranger In Your Soul 00:26:06
Track listing DVD: Bonus DVD
1. Into the Kaleidoscope 01:21:52
(A behind the scenes look at:
Kaleidoscope World Tour 2014)
2. Band Interviews 00:22:31
3. Bonus Live Performances:
3.1. Nights In White Satin (Live in Tilburg) 00:07:46
3.2. Sylvia (with Thijs van Leer - Live in Tilburg) 00:03:46
3.3. Hocus Pocus (with Thijs van Leer - Live in Tilburg) 00:07:53
Additional extras: Mike Portnoy vs Neal Morse in "Name That Beatles Tune"
-Marc.
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this will be amazing :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Order placed! Hope I made it in the first 100! Best of luck to anyone else here hoping to do the same! :tup
FYI, I got the Limited Deluxe Edition 1BR/2DVD/3CD set. Cannot wait to get this!
-Marc.
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(https://i.imgur.com/PIcys7y.png)
Order placed. :lol
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same here! a rare easy purchase from radiant, surprised the site didn't slow down
can't wait for this one :metal
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same here! a rare easy purchase from radiant, surprised the site didn't slow down
can't wait for this one :metal
They probably learned their lesson last time.
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(https://i.imgur.com/PIcys7y.png)
Order placed. :lol
Order Status: Processing
Order Date: 9/16/2014 11:00:34 AM
You got me by about 19 seconds! :lol Good luck, good sir! May we both get what we want!
-Marc.
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Order Status: Processing
Order Date: 9/16/2014 11:00:34 AM
You got me by about 19 seconds! :lol Good luck, good sir! May we both get what we want!
-Marc.
I would be SHOCKED if enough people slipped orders in before we did to not qualify. SHOCKED.
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Order Status: Processing
Order Date: 9/16/2014 11:00:34 AM
You got me by about 19 seconds! :lol Good luck, good sir! May we both get what we want!
-Marc.
I would be SHOCKED if enough people slipped orders in before we did to not qualify. SHOCKED.
Indeed. How many orders could they possibly get in the first 30-40 seconds?! Although I wouldn't be surprised if you got a numbered poster around the low 10s or 20s and mine was around the 60s or 70s. We'll have to report back here with our orders when we get them! :tup :lol
-Marc.
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Order Status: Processing
Order Date: 9/16/2014 11:00:34 AM
You got me by about 19 seconds! :lol Good luck, good sir! May we both get what we want!
-Marc.
I would be SHOCKED if enough people slipped orders in before we did to not qualify. SHOCKED.
Indeed. How many orders could they possibly get in the first 30-40 seconds?! Although I wouldn't be surprised if you got a numbered poster around the low 10s or 20s and mine was around the 60s or 70s. We'll have to report back here with our orders when we get them! :tup :lol
-Marc.
I'm 5289X (between 5 and 9)... how about you?
Might tell us the rate of action.. though it's a small sample.
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5292X, guess we'll see when it arrives :tup
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Order Status: Processing
Order Date: 9/16/2014 11:00:34 AM
You got me by about 19 seconds! :lol Good luck, good sir! May we both get what we want!
-Marc.
I would be SHOCKED if enough people slipped orders in before we did to not qualify. SHOCKED.
Indeed. How many orders could they possibly get in the first 30-40 seconds?! Although I wouldn't be surprised if you got a numbered poster around the low 10s or 20s and mine was around the 60s or 70s. We'll have to report back here with our orders when we get them! :tup :lol
-Marc.
I'm 5289X (between 5 and 9)... how about you?
Might tell us the rate of action.. though it's a small sample.
Order Number: 52899
Looks like less than 4 orders in that span of 19 seconds, which means they took about one order per five seconds. Given that average, it would've taken, at most, about 8 minutes to fill the first 100 orders. I think we're good! :tup
- Marc.
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Order Number: 52899
Looks like less than 4 orders in that span of 19 seconds, which means they took about one order per five seconds. Given that average, it would've taken, at most, about 8 minutes to fill the first 100 orders. I think we're good! :tup
- Marc.
Yeah you're just a couple orders behind me. I think we're good. :)
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BTW in case it was unclear on the site- The Blu-Ray comes with all the bonus features (Into the Kaleidoscope, Band interviews, 3 songs from Tilburg) but the DVD (the single DVD in the DVD/3CD pack) does not. I double checked with them by email.
I wonder if this will be available on iTunes. I bought the Blu-Ray, so even though I don't have the full Tilburg night on CD, I have the hour and a half behind the scenes, 22 min interviews, and the 3 tracks on video. But if it's on iTunes maybe I'll be able to buy the audio of the Tilburg night also.
I am extremely excited for this release!!!
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Really wish there was a Blu-Ray/CD option.
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Yea I probably would have bought that option.
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Amazon.co.uk are listing a BluRay+2DVD+3CD set for GBP£45.99.
That's a lot of money, and there's no sign of other packaging options. Why don't they just sell these things separately anymore, then we can all get the combination that suits us?? :corn
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Orde 52902 for me
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Went deluxe at Radiant.
Might be on the bubble for signatures.
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They randomly had Live In Europe at the record store, so I picked it up. :metal
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They randomly had Live In Europe at the record store, so I picked it up. :metal
Great album! One of my favorite live albums of all time, even after two more TA live albums, and so many others over the last 10 years. Even though the show is only 6 songs, they're all almost all epics, and the Beatles medley with "Suite Charlotte Pike" is brilliant. It's a shame their 2nd encore wasn't more polished enough for official release, which would've been icing on the cake, but this cake is delicious enough as it is.
-Marc.
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Yeah, I want KaLIVEascope, but I have no idea what version I want, so this will suffice. I already blew too much money on Breaking The Fourth Wall.
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Yeah, I want KaLIVEascope, but I have no idea what version I want, so this will suffice. I already blew too much money on Breaking The Fourth Wall.
I did the opposite. When you think about it, the 1BD/2DVD/3CD deluxe edition of KaLIVEoscope on Radiant records costs LESS than what RoadRunner is selling their BD/3CD version of Breaking The Fourth Wall. Also, the 2DVD set of BTFW is cheaper on Amazon, and I figure I will get that sometime next month when I have more money and RR will still likely have some 1BD/3CD sets available then, too, so I'm not missing much by waiting another few weeks to order them. Radiant's deluxe edition might sell out, and the chance to get a signed poster by the band was too enticing.
I think I made the right decision. :tup
I mean, I was going to get both eventually, anyway, but considering TA's set was cheaper and had WAY more stuff, and the fact that I already blew a lot of money on the last DT live set (which had a decent deluxe edition, despite the less-than-par quality of the show itself), it was TA's turn to blow a larger amount of money on.
I still wish DT had BTFW in a 3CD/2DVD(/1BD) deluxe set so I didn't have to buy TWO products (the 1BD/3CD and the 2DVD sets) to get the whole thing, but oh well. That's the price I pay for not having a BD player yet.
-Marc.
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How does Radiant work? Do they charge right away, or not until the thing ships?
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They randomly had Live In Europe at the record store, so I picked it up. :metal
I picked up the DVD myself 2 weeks ago. Good stuff!
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How does Radiant work? Do they charge right away, or not until the thing ships?
I've always been charged at, or shortly after the time of ordering. That's the thing about pre-orders, although the good thing about that is, if you have the money now and pre-order something, you know it's paid off. You're not struck with the payment when it's shipped, when you might accidentally not have the money for it in your account at the time. :facepalm:
-Marc.
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How does Radiant work? Do they charge right away, or not until the thing ships?
I've always been charged at, or shortly after the time of ordering. That's the thing about pre-orders, although the good thing about that is, if you have the money now and pre-order something, you know it's paid off. You're not struck with the payment when it's shipped, when you might accidentally not have the money for it in your account at the time. :facepalm:
-Marc.
As long as you keep proper account of your finances that should never be an issue. I keep what is essentially an excel based checkbook for my credit card and checking account, and always put down any pre-orders and essentially write the money off as spent, even if it technically hasn't been charged yet.
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Well then, I'll pass for now. It's not just DT's live album, I've pretty much hit my entertainment budget for now.
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The Blu-Ray of KaLiveoscope is only $16, and the only part of the package it's missing is the audio of the full Tilburg show (there's still 3 encore songs from it on the video). And the BTFW Blu-Ray is only $15 on Amazon, so unless I'm missing something I don't get why on earth people are buying it for $25 at RR ???
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Wow, I didn't preorder, cause I prefer the certainty of getting it on release date by just buying it in a store. But the price on RR is actually very good compared to my local shop. I mean, the deluxe edition is 45 euro's (57 bucks) including shipping on Radiant, at my local store that set is as much as 63 euro's (80US)! That store does have a thing for pricing stuff really high before it comes out, and then on release day it's a lot cheaper, but man that's a big difference.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWBQo3r050g&feature=youtu.be
YEEESSSS!!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!! PERFECT live sound!! This is very exciting.
edit: Wait, were we not supposed to see this yet? I didn't mean to post anything leaked. Take down if we're not supposed to see it yet.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWBQo3r050g&feature=youtu.be
YEEESSSS!!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!! PERFECT live sound!! This is very exciting.
edit: Wait, were we not supposed to see this yet? I didn't mean to post anything leaked. Take down if we're not supposed to see it yet.
Watched this. Loved it. The cameras are dynamic and playful, some great shots including the one over Neal's keys with Mike in the distance (especially during the mixed-meter keyboard solo in the middle). I love the live energy through the whole thing, and all the added parts are just golden! Cannot wait to get this live set!!! I am more hyped up about this than I am Breaking The Fourth Wall and I don't feel bad about that at all.
-Marc.
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Hey you're the same guy who just commented on Facebook haha!
Yea I agree the angles are great. Only missing a shot of Pete when he does that awesome repeating bass line in the middle. Otherwise, you can tell that even though it kinda looks like low budget videography, it's smartly-done/well-done low budget videography, and it looks very good! Plus it's the sound that really matters IMO.
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Hey you're the same guy who just commented on Facebook haha!
Yea I agree the angles are great. Only missing a shot of Pete when he does that awesome repeating bass line in the middle. Otherwise, you can tell that even though it kinda looks like low budget videography, it's smartly-done/well-done low budget videography, and it looks very good! Plus it's the sound that really matters IMO.
:tup Indeed it is! Good eye haha :rollin
Anyways, I've never really been disappointed by any live Transatlantic video, to be honest, although Live In America was their first, and it was a bit lower budget I'm sure, it's still pretty good. I'm glad we got two different shows off that short tour between the video and the album. Live In Europe remains of my favorite live albums of all time and the video for that show is stunning, especially being only the third show on their tour! Whirld Tour 2010 is astonishing, and it looks and sounds beautiful. After all of those (and More Never Is Enough, although I haven't watched that as much), I've had high hopes for KaLIVEoscope, but this clip has given me everything I wanted, so I hope the whole package is this good, if not better!
-Marc.
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That looked and sounded good, but, and here is something I never say, I was disappointed by Roine's vocals. As much as I like Black as the Sky, I've always thought he lacked the vocal depth to pull off the verse vocals that were needed to match the intensity of the music, and seeing the live clip just confirms that for me. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Roine as a vocalist because he almost always knows what to sing given his obvious vocal limitations, but in this case, I think he was given something he just doesn't have the vocal chops for.
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I love the way Roine sounds on the album, but I can't be the only one who thinks he looks terrible looking at the iPad like that for every sentence. He even messes up the words once. I feel like that was making him hold back vocally. If you're a singer, and you have to concentrate on anything other than just singing, you're going to not do as well because more of your focus is divided.Thats the reason for going on stage knowing your part like the back of your hand; it's not just so you hit the right notes.
Not only can I back that with logic, but also from experience. You just can't sing as well while looking at lyrics as you can with your part fully ingrained in your head. Especially with singing since lyrics require keeping your neck down.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWBQo3r050g&feature=youtu.be
YEEESSSS!!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!! PERFECT live sound!! This is very exciting.
edit: Wait, were we not supposed to see this yet? I didn't mean to post anything leaked. Take down if we're not supposed to see it yet.
Wow, that looks and sounds fantastic!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWBQo3r050g&feature=youtu.be
YEEESSSS!!!! THIS IS AWESOME!!! PERFECT live sound!! This is very exciting.
edit: Wait, were we not supposed to see this yet? I didn't mean to post anything leaked. Take down if we're not supposed to see it yet.
Wow, that looks and sounds fantastic!
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Wow, that clip was great! Easily my favourite song from that album. And Neal's solo section was great too :tup
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Fantastic live video. Stunning performance and recording. :tup
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I have to say, hard to get too excited for a TA live release, given the 24234234 of them, but the camera work and editing on that song was absolutely fantastic. If the whole thing is that good it will certainly help cut its mark into the pack.
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Got my signed Kaliveascope poste from radiant yesterday. I guess the actual media will follow soon.
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Got my signed Kaliveascope poste from radiant yesterday. I guess the actual media will follow soon.
WOW that was quick!!! I thought the actual media wasn't due until November?! That's at least 3 weeks away. Well, hopefully I get my poster sometime in the next few days, as well!
-Marc.
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WOW that was quick!!! I thought the actual media wasn't due until November?! That's at least 3 weeks away. Well, hopefully I get my poster sometime in the next few days, as well!
-Marc.
Hrm you may be right. I wonder why the poster was sent early? Keep the hype alive or just to get stuff off the shipping table?
Either way, I'll take it. It also came with a little note like "Congrats you were one of the first 100 to preorder" typed piece of paper, which is new for Radiant (at least for me)
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WOW that was quick!!! I thought the actual media wasn't due until November?! That's at least 3 weeks away. Well, hopefully I get my poster sometime in the next few days, as well!
-Marc.
Hrm you may be right. I wonder why the poster was sent early? Keep the hype alive or just to get stuff off the shipping table?
Either way, I'll take it. It also came with a little note like "Congrats you were one of the first 100 to preorder" typed piece of paper, which is new for Radiant (at least for me)
My signed Flying Colors poster that I got a couple weeks ago came with a sheet of my order with "#32" written on it in marker, so I guess that's not too far off. Was yours numbered?
-Marc.
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My signed Flying Colors poster that I got a couple weeks ago came with a sheet of my order with "#32" written on it in marker, so I guess that's not too far off. Was yours numbered?
-Marc.
This was different from the order confirmation print out with a hand written number. It was more like "Congrats on being a spaz and pre-ordering uber fast here's your poster" sort of congratulation letter.
I don't think it was numbered, I'll double check.
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My signed Flying Colors poster that I got a couple weeks ago came with a sheet of my order with "#32" written on it in marker, so I guess that's not too far off. Was yours numbered?
-Marc.
This was different from the order confirmation print out with a hand written number. It was more like "Congrats on being a spaz and pre-ordering uber fast here's your poster" sort of congratulation letter.
I don't think it was numbered, I'll double check.
Oh, neat! I'm glad they went out of their way for that, but I liked having a hand-written number for my FC poster. Makes it feel more personal to me, rather than an unnumbered mass-printout. Either way, I'll just be happy to have had two signed posters from Radiant this year, and from two awesome bands with two awesome albums! Both are AOTY material for me!
-Marc.
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WOW that was quick!!! I thought the actual media wasn't due until November?! That's at least 3 weeks away. Well, hopefully I get my poster sometime in the next few days, as well!
-Marc.
Hrm you may be right. I wonder why the poster was sent early? Keep the hype alive or just to get stuff off the shipping table?
Either way, I'll take it. It also came with a little note like "Congrats you were one of the first 100 to preorder" typed piece of paper, which is new for Radiant (at least for me)
That does seem to be a new thing for Radiant. Perhaps that means I missed the cut if people are getting their posters already.
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That does seem to be a new thing for Radiant. Perhaps that means I missed the cut if people are getting their posters already.
Like I said I got mine yesterday. Haven't seen anyone else mention it.. maybe it's a fluke.
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I got mine today, although for all I know it could have been delivered yesterday.
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I just got the Blu-Ray today! I believe that's over a week early, right?? :metal :metal :metal
I'll be watching it tomorrow with some friends.
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I just got the Blu-Ray today! I believe that's over a week early, right?? :metal :metal :metal
I'll be watching it tomorrow with some friends.
Wow! I'll be checking my mail every second now!
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Greetings from Team Radiant! We're excited to let you know that all pre-orders for Transatlantic, KaLIVEoscope have officially SHIPPED and are now on their way to you! In our best effort to meet or beat the release date, all U.S. orders went out today, and all international orders shipped last Monday.
DAAAAAAAAMN
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WOW! Can't fuckin wait!
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Well I watched it last night :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
I have a lot of very strong opinions on it, but I kinda don't feel like sharing them out of laziness and certain things that might ruin it for other people who would've otherwise not noticed. But it's an awesome release through and through. :metal
I will say this though: the bonus features are some of the best I've ever seen and are incredibly inspiring to me personally. I feel bad for whoever got the CD/DVD and doesn't get to see these, though you will get the full audio of the Tilburg show.
Edit: left out the word 'not'
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Very cool to hear about the bonus features. That's really important when you have so many DVDs. Unfortunately DT have been extremely lacking in that department for awhile now.
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Very cool to hear about the bonus features. That's really important when you have so many DVDs. Unfortunately DT have been extremely lacking in that department for awhile now.
Sadly, it seemed like the love of bonus features and documentaries left with Mike Portnoy, which is still a win for solo Neal Morse fans and fans of Transatlantic. The Whirld Tour 2010 live set was amazing, and every single one of Neal's live albums have been great as well, especially with MP offering drum-cam versions of some of their shows!
Cannot wait to get my deluxe set in soon! I hope it's here by week's end so I can crack it open and watch it!
-Marc.
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Pictures from InsideOut's version have been posted online:
(https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/l/t1.0-9/10696266_10152775348083057_4144352321532958952_n.jpg?oh=b7fc3e6f465f13e855900ac899ff2c75&oe=54F7C228)
(https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1521416_10152775348208057_6252647390163640592_n.jpg?oh=ccde0d2731ad982eee13836c80a02a5b&oe=54B87AD1)
(https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10689933_10152775348293057_1151315289631347002_n.jpg?oh=2397b85e760af09e2aff3c34ddfcc3e8&oe=54EE6490)
Looks just like their version of Whirld Tour 2010, which was far superior to Radiant's/Metal Blade's version of Whirld Tour 2010. If no one knows what i mean, I can post comparison pictures I took today for the TA Facebook group showing the differences between IO's and MB's releases.
-Marc.
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Deluxe set arrived today from Radiant! Woohooo.
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Deluxe set arrived today from Radiant! Woohooo.
Does it look like the set in the pictures I posted above? If not, then I'm sure we'll have gotten a flimsier box set from Radiant/Metal Blade again.
Either way, could you post pics of your set? I'd love to see it! I wonder if mine will be in soon...
-Marc.
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got my radiant set today too! :metal :metal
looks exactly the same as the one posted, although the photo is misleading in that the booklets aren't attached to their respective cases, they're just loose in the box.
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got my radiant set today too! :metal :metal
looks exactly the same as the one posted, although the photo is misleading in that the booklets aren't attached to their respective cases, they're just loose in the box.
If they don't come attached, then I'm afraid they really aren't the same. Here's my comparison pictures of the two Whirld Tour 2010 box sets that i own, one from Radiant/Metal Blade, the other from InsideOut (the EU production of the box set):
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1899901_10100514612255091_1852163795489604810_n.jpg?oh=31b7d484d20ece70cba1c6c7881c45f0&oe=54B71D6A&__gda__=1421067859_0a988289772eb5c7d11d59304094d3db)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10610563_10100514612309981_4168054874532517486_n.jpg?oh=516aa22d719ed7273d241a54712d7db8&oe=54AD83D4&__gda__=1420726210_cc1ccd7c422143f54541fb62e1691966)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1458559_10100514612404791_6555604785455938804_n.jpg?oh=f3efa1d57a0c22bd02e2d03d37a80eb3&oe=54EFE20F&__gda__=1421530213_9704bee0f8363c6c85b54023e9d43081)
(https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/10173568_10100514612454691_7375487482883107903_n.jpg?oh=024db689e748214a2cc7257094b93ea5&oe=54A9FD46)
(https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/1932361_10100514612499601_3397965289378158026_n.jpg?oh=e8d71aa67bc69fe5ae359a26f60e5eb2&oe=54B5B78E)
(https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/1899889_10100514612549501_1183858361446102039_n.jpg?oh=6128236d039558592d2c0e4dde95ab84&oe=54ED27D3)
As you can see, they're quite different in that the materials used for the slipcase and the books themselves are not the same, and the booklets are attached to the books on the IO version, which is considerably more sturdy and thicker.
I guess I'm importing the IO version at some point in the future. Ah well.
-Marc.
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I never thought of that, but I remembered you posting pics when The Whirlwind live was released. Fingers crossed that I get the european version, but I don't think so.
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I never thought of that, but I remembered you posting pics when The Whirlwind live was released. Fingers crossed that I get the european version, but I don't think so.
Well, if you ordered yours from Radiant, then we'll just have to wait and see if/when countoftuscany42 and/or Mindflux respond here to see what their sets look like (assuming they both also ordered from Radiant).
-Marc.
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Just got my package and opened it up and sure enough, it's not as prestigious as the InsideOut version pictured above...again. Looks like I'll be buying the import as well sometime in the near-future.
-Marc.
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Well dammit.
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I'd imagine Radiant/Metal Blade contracted with the less expensive package.
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I'd imagine Radiant/Metal Blade contracted with the less expensive package.
Indeed they did. Ah well. I guess that's what I get for trying to be one of the first 100 pre-orders to get a signed poster...which I did, thankfully. I mean, I have no issues buying this set again, as I did with both Live In Europe (I own the NA 2DVD version, and the EU 2CD/2DVD book version from InsideOut) and Whirld Tour 2010: Live In London.
-Marc.
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I'd imagine Radiant/Metal Blade contracted with the less expensive package.
Indeed they did. Ah well. I guess that's what I get for trying to be one of the first 100 pre-orders to get a signed poster...which I did, thankfully. I mean, I have no issues buying this set again, as I did with both Live In Europe (I own the NA 2DVD version, and the EU 2CD/2DVD book version from InsideOut) and Whirld Tour 2010: Live In London.
-Marc.
It looks like no poster for me, but the package just showed up in the mail so you know where I'm going to be spending the evening.
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i don't see why it would be worth purchasing this again just to get a slightly better package with it :huh:
its not as thought this one is horribly put together, and the changes wouldn't make it worth another $20-30 to have the exact same content, at least to me
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i don't see why it would be worth purchasing this again just to get a slightly better package with it :huh:
its not as thought this one is horribly put together, and the changes wouldn't make it worth another $20-30 to have the exact same content, at least to me
I've grown up with the collector-mindset, which started with toys when I was growing up with my older brother. We got into collecting toys in a HUGE way in the late 90's/early 00's, so getting the best/better editions of items has always been a big draw for me. I have two, sometimes three versions of the SAME album, just because the packaging was better. Oftentimes, though, it's because there are bonus materials in one version, but in the case of Transatlantic, the InsideOut versions are just SO MUCH nicer than the Radiant/Metal Blade ones, that I really do not mind buying the set again. And if I ever felt the need to let go of the Radiant/Metal Blade versions, I can sell them off to fans who really want them, especially if they get to a point where they become rare/hard to find.
-Marc.
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Just listened Kaleidoscope (the song) while walking yesterday.
Holy shit x____x .. What an amazing piece of music. Everything is flawless and Mike Portnoy's drumming is just phenomenal.
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Yeah, that one started out as far lesser than Into the Blue in my mind, but it was quite a grower for me. Now it is my favorite epic between the two on the album. The Ride the Lightning chorus is excellent, and Black Gold is just awesome. The main question mark for me with that one is parts of Trewavas's lead section... I am not sure they should have given him that long of a vocal section and there are parts (particularly the beginning) where he sounds like he's in a bit over his head. It's still a great song though.
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I like Kaleidoscope but I don't understand why Ride the Lightning, Black Gold, and the Pete thing had to be pasted together like that. Those pieces are clearly unrelated and I don't think they flow together particularly well. It's almost as if they were too lazy to develop those three things into full songs. Either that or they wanted to force out a long song.
With that aside though, it's still an enjoyable little medley.
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I get your point, but couldn't you say something fairly similar about All of the Above? Full Moon Rising, Camouflaged in Blue and Half Alive don't really have a whole lot to do with each other either. You could argue that they flow better than Kaleidoscope, but I think it's still a valid point to bring up. I think sometimes, unless it's really jarring, it's best to grant the premise that comes with the style of music that sometimes these things will consist of a number of mostly-unrelated sections.
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I think that the sections of All of the Above certainly flow better than either of the epics on Kaleidoscope.
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I certainly agree that they flow better than Kaleidoscope; the point I was bringing up is that they have little to do with each other musically, much like those of Kaleidoscope. Meanwhile Into the Blue (which I think flows better than Kaleidoscope) has sections that tend to have more to do with each other musically. "The Dreamer and the Healer" chorus is repeated in most of the sections of the song, and the melodies of A New Beginning, where it isn't, are heavily featured in the Overture.
Kaleidoscope may well be the least cohesive out of the five 25-35 minute epics, but my point is just that it's all relative and that there's an extent to which the lack of common musical themes between different sections is just a staple of the genre.
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:omg: Holy crap! Ten Leonard can SING! I never thought I would say this, but...they need to ditch Daniel immediately and make Ted a full member! (and, yes, I realize Daniel was never a full member)
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:omg: Holy crap! Ten Leonard can SING!
This... isn't news. :p
You really need to catch up with Ted's work, and I feel you might find Affector particularly pleasing.
It's a tough spot, as Daniel and Ted have both executed their roles fantastically. To me the tie would go to Ted as he seemed more at ease coming up front at times and really making TA seem like a 5 piece, and a great one. That said, I think given the proper opportunity, Daniel would do the same. I actually asked Daniel on the Whirld tour about if he would get the opportunity to be more noticed, and he said something to the effect of having so much to do he just tried to make sure it was all done right, which I understand.
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I certainly agree that they flow better than Kaleidoscope; the point I was bringing up is that they have little to do with each other musically, much like those of Kaleidoscope. Meanwhile Into the Blue (which I think flows better than Kaleidoscope) has sections that tend to have more to do with each other musically. "The Dreamer and the Healer" chorus is repeated in most of the sections of the song, and the melodies of A New Beginning, where it isn't, are heavily featured in the Overture.
Kaleidoscope may well be the least cohesive out of the five 25-35 minute epics, but my point is just that it's all relative and that there's an extent to which the lack of common musical themes between different sections is just a staple of the genre.
Part of what makes a big epic so impressive is the fact that the parts are strung together so nicely and lose their power when broken up. Take Octavarium for example, it includes 5 movements that are quite different from each other, yet they work perfectly together and the transitions between them are really well executed. Or for a Transatlantic example, look at Duel With the Devil. Kaleidoscope just seems lazily pasted together and the transitions between different sections are really half assed. Pete's Walking The Road section might as well be the start of a new song. It even has the structure of a short song.
It's especially disappointing because MP is a fantastic arranger. I'd say his strong point is making sure that there's continuity and that everything goes together. Watching the Kaleidoscope doc made it look like he was too focused on the order of the sections rather than how they tied together. Which makes sense considering he had a lot to work with and they didn't spend a ton of time on this album. Still, the final product suffered. The Whirlwind feels more coherent than Kaleidoscope even.
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:omg: Holy crap! Ten Leonard can SING!
This... isn't news. :p
Well, it is to ME. I'm not familiar with him or his work. :p
To me the tie would go to Ted as he seemed more at ease coming up front at times and really making TA seem like a 5 piece, and a great one.
Exactly this. I am only up to My New World on the DVD, and that is coming through loud and clear already.
That said, I think given the proper opportunity, Daniel would do the same. I actually asked Daniel on the Whirld tour about if he would get the opportunity to be more noticed, and he said something to the effect of having so much to do he just tried to make sure it was all done right, which I understand.
I'm not so sure he would step up much more to the front than he already has. Don't get me wrong--he has performed phenominally, and I thought since the Whirlwind tour that they really should invite him in as a full member. But he still felt like a (extremely gifted and capable) hired gun, whereas, as you said, Ted makes the band truly seem like a 5 piece.
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:omg: Holy crap! Ten Leonard can SING!
If you would have listened to Spock's Beard ages ago, like so many of us recommended, you would know this already. ;)
In other news, Roine Stolt can play the guitar!!! :biggrin:
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:omg: Holy crap! Ten Leonard can SING!
If you would have listened to Spock's Beard ages ago, like so many of us recommended, you would know this already. ;)
I know, but I'm just not crazy about them. Not sure why, but I'm just not.
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Listening through the Whirlwind medley through Rose Colored Glasses, I was ready to declare that this is perhaps better than the original, full song. But on Evermore now, that movement suffers, IMO. But then again, Roine's Count of Tuscany solo spot at the end of Evermore is pretty cool, so...I dunno. Mixed bag.
EDIT: Beyond The Sun is pretty cool in a live setting. I like this.
EDIT: Okay, the Metallica sample in Kaleidoscope was hilariously awesome! I had someone come into my office that I was talking to, and I heard that and literally had to stop the conversation and was like, "Wait...what was that they they just...OH! :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin "
EDIT: And Pete's vocal section is AWESOME!
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I've just listened to the cd's, I love the fact that they've kept the speeches in between songs, making it clear which are from the first night, and which are from the second night. I remember Mike's peeing joke for instance. It's always cool to have a show documented that you've attended.
And thanks Bosk, now I can't wait to see the blu ray!
About the Ted/Daniel thing, I thought they couln'd find a better fifth member than Daniel, and after seeing them play live with both, I really thought Daniel was more entertaining to watch. I gotta watch the new blu ray though, to see if Ted makes a better member of the group, instead of Daniel rocking out in his own world.
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I didn't have much interest in this release, but hearing all of the positive comments is changing my mind.
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I didn't have much interest in this release, but hearing all of the positive comments is changing my mind.
I didn't either. It was in the "automatic buy to support the band" category, but I wasn't overly enthusiastic about it. But I can say it was definitely worth it.
BTW, I got this as part of a pretty amazing haul of new live music, along with Stryper - Live at the Whisky and Redemption - Live from the Pit. Coupled with the release of Breaking the Fourth Wall, and stumbling on the $5.99 clearance of the Luna Park deluxe set, this has been the most epic month of live music releases ever.
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BTW, I got this as part of a pretty amazing haul of new live music, along with Stryper - Live at the Whisky and Redemption - Live from the Pit. Coupled with the release of Breaking the Fourth Wall, and stumbling on the $5.99 clearance of the Luna Park deluxe set, this has been the most epic month of live music releases ever.
5.99 clearance of the luna park deluxe? YOWZA!
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YES! And when I say "deluxe," yes, I truly mean the deluxe big box. So insane. Had to buy an extra copy as a forum raffle prize for the future.
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YES! And when I say "deluxe," yes, I truly mean the deluxe big box. So insane. Had to buy an extra copy as a forum raffle prize for the future.
That's a steal. WHY YOU NO SHARE LINK!?
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YES! And when I say "deluxe," yes, I truly mean the deluxe big box. So insane. Had to buy an extra copy as a forum raffle prize for the future.
:metal
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YES! And when I say "deluxe," yes, I truly mean the deluxe big box. So insane. Had to buy an extra copy as a forum raffle prize for the future.
That's a steal. WHY YOU NO SHARE LINK!?
I had seen it and didn't share it because I honestly thought it was a mistake. I figured if 2350892 people immediately bought it they'd try and cancel the orders out, but if only a handful grabbed it they would let it go. Seems they really just were clearing their inventory though.
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I had seen it and didn't share it because I honestly thought it was a mistake. I figured if 2350892 people immediately bought it they'd try and cancel the orders out, but if only a handful grabbed it they would let it go. Seems they really just were clearing their inventory though.
Where was this? What vendor?
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FYE.com, was a month or two back though.
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FYE.com, was a month or two back though.
Ah. I never look at FYE. No big deal.
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Wow, looks like we haven't talked Transatlantic on this forum for awhile! I've been listening to Kaleidoscope a bit lately, and rewatched a good chunk of this DVD the other day when I was in bed with stomach flu, so they are on my mind. I like these guys so much. But after having Kaleidoscope for a long time now, I can definitely say that it does not grab me NEARLY as much as the prior albums. There is nothing I can point to that I don't like. But it just doesn't soar to the heights that any of the previous albums do, and I don't really find myself seeking it out as something I am eager to listen to over other music in my collection.
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I'd say it remains for me their weakest album thus far, and is definitely their least memorable. That said, it's still a REALLY good album. Transatlantic is a particularly special band.
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That sums up my thoughts as well. Really good album, but just doesn't touch the first three.
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I would rank it third out of four. Bridge Across Forever and The Whirlwind are pretty much untouchable, but Mystery Train and My New World are my least favorite Transatlantic songs, so Kaleidoscope comes out slightly ahead of SMPTe for me.
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After nearly 2 years with Kaleidoscope, it's hard for me to say how I feel about it in relation to the other 3 albums. I feel that BAF will always be my favorite, even if I have my own personal altered version (with SCP's ending mixed back in, fading into the title track). The Whirlwind is just chock full of great music, and I feel like i've spun it WAY more than the debut.
I guess, Kaleidoscope rests between the debut and The Whirlwind, but I feel like it's about AS good as the debut. They battle for a tie in third for me because I do find myself going to their last album sometimes, if not a bit more than their debut (of which I almost exclusively listen to the Stolt Mixes anymore). I like the epics, and "Black As The Sky" is a great rocker. I'd say the ballads are the album's weakest points, but even then, I still enjoy them a lot.
I think, whenever a fifth album is released, I can feel a bit more confident in an actual ranking....or it might get even harder.
Speaking of a fifth album, there's really been no talk between the band members about it, as far as I know. Neal has been busy with his solo band stuff, and in fact, they're meeting this month (sans some Portnoy due to his schedule) to write and record some stuff for the next album, due out later this year. Pete's got a full plate with Marillion this year, working on a new album and touring through early next year. Roine's still on the Hackett tour as far as I know, then likely some Flower Kings and/or Old Kaipa music to work on. And Mike...well Mike is Mike - busy, busy, busy.
At this rate, I doubt TA5 will get released before the end of 2017, so unless they tell us otherwise (and manage to squeeze a week or two between their schedules sometime this or next year), I'm not going to hold my breath on a new album til at LEAST 2018.
What I'd REALLY like is the Progressive Cruise show with Jon Anderson, on CD and BD/DVD. Heck, release their "Kaleidoscope Live" set as well. a 3CD/DVD/BD package would be amazing and I'd buy it up in a heart beat. I'd like to have that Yes set, as well as the covers they did on the cruise, and hearing Kaleidoscope played straight through would be neat!
-Marc.
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I recently listened to all the studio discs again. My ranking would be:
1. Bridge Across Forever
2a. The Whirlwind
2b. SMPTe
3. Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope isn't bad at all but it feels a little bit rushed, no surprise there because they write and record it in a short time. But I think that especially the long tracks could be better if they were given more time to develop.
I wouldn't mind the Yes-set on CD but I'm more interested in new material but I don't think anything will happen anytime soon.
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Spent the last week with Bridge Across Forever in my car.
Had to force myself to remove it on Friday.
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just got an email from Radiant about the first three albums being repressed on vinyl, coming out early february. Tempted to pick them all up, anyone have the Kaleidoscope LP that can speak to it's quality? i know putting such long songs on a single LP side can risk the audio quality going down..
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just got an email from Radiant about the first three albums being repressed on vinyl, coming out early february. Tempted to pick them all up, anyone have the Kaleidoscope LP that can speak to it's quality? i know putting such long songs on a single LP side can risk the audio quality going down..
Damn, that's awesome. I may have to pick up Bridge at some point. One of my favorites of all time, plus a beautiful cover I'd love to have in giant vinyl form.
As for Kaleidoscope, I really love that album. Toss up between it and Whirlwind for 2nd place, but probably coming up 3rd. First album is easily 4th, but still has some great moments. What I really love is the live album. Easily my favorite that they've done (despite the lack of BAF songs). So much fun, and Ted really brings a whole new feel to some of the songs (LOVE We All Need Some Light on that record).
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just got an email from Radiant about the first three albums being repressed on vinyl, coming out early february. Tempted to pick them all up, anyone have the Kaleidoscope LP that can speak to it's quality? i know putting such long songs on a single LP side can risk the audio quality going down..
Quality definitely drops past 23 minutes, it's inescapable. Can't defeat physics, especially with 30 minute songs. Only way around it is to press in mono.
They really should have re-edited the superlong ones to split them across sides, like they did to the Kaleidoscope title track. Especially when some, like "Stranger in Your Soul," have a huge cadence that splits the song nearly in half. Even if they just used fades, I'd take that (and thus a triple LP) over 30 minute sides anyday.
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just got an email from Radiant about the first three albums being repressed on vinyl, coming out early february. Tempted to pick them all up, anyone have the Kaleidoscope LP that can speak to it's quality? i know putting such long songs on a single LP side can risk the audio quality going down..
Quality definitely drops past 23 minutes, it's inescapable. Can't defeat physics, especially with 30 minute songs. Only way around it is to press in mono.
They really should have re-edited the superlong ones to split them across sides, like they did to the Kaleidoscope title track. Especially when some, like "Stranger in Your Soul," have a huge cadence that splits the song nearly in half. Even if they just used fades, I'd take that (and thus a triple LP) over 30 minute sides anyday.
Transatlantic have never been a band that operated with vinyl in mind. That's not to say they should either.
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just got an email from Radiant about the first three albums being repressed on vinyl, coming out early february. Tempted to pick them all up, anyone have the Kaleidoscope LP that can speak to it's quality? i know putting such long songs on a single LP side can risk the audio quality going down..
Quality definitely drops past 23 minutes, it's inescapable. Can't defeat physics, especially with 30 minute songs. Only way around it is to press in mono.
They really should have re-edited the superlong ones to split them across sides, like they did to the Kaleidoscope title track. Especially when some, like "Stranger in Your Soul," have a huge cadence that splits the song nearly in half. Even if they just used fades, I'd take that (and thus a triple LP) over 30 minute sides anyday.
Transatlantic have never been a band that operated with vinyl in mind. That's not to say they should either.
That's irrelevant when their material is going to be produced on the format anyway. I agree they are better off operating without the 23 minute limitation, but then again, they seem to operate quite well with the CD limitation in mind.
Creative limits shouldn't be there, but adaptation for the format should. Neither the band nor the label are doing world's most stellar job at the latter, and it only hurts the band.
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just got an email from Radiant about the first three albums being repressed on vinyl, coming out early february. Tempted to pick them all up, anyone have the Kaleidoscope LP that can speak to it's quality? i know putting such long songs on a single LP side can risk the audio quality going down..
Quality definitely drops past 23 minutes, it's inescapable. Can't defeat physics, especially with 30 minute songs. Only way around it is to press in mono.
They really should have re-edited the superlong ones to split them across sides, like they did to the Kaleidoscope title track. Especially when some, like "Stranger in Your Soul," have a huge cadence that splits the song nearly in half. Even if they just used fades, I'd take that (and thus a triple LP) over 30 minute sides anyday.
Transatlantic have never been a band that operated with vinyl in mind. That's not to say they should either.
That's irrelevant when their material is going to be produced on the format anyway. I agree they are better off operating without the 23 minute limitation, but then again, they seem to operate quite well with the CD limitation in mind.
Creative limits shouldn't be there, but adaptation for the format should. Neither the band nor the label are doing world's most stellar job at the latter, and it only hurts the band.
Where's the market for a quadruple LP? I'm not saying 30 minutes a side or whatever it is makes sense either.
Given those choices I'm not interested in either vinyl option because of cost-prohibitiveness on one side and poor fidelity on the other.
Is there another option I'm not seeing?
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Where's the market for a quadruple LP? I'm not saying 30 minutes a side or whatever it is makes sense either.
Steven Wilson fans. :rollin
Your point is entirely valid. Some bands are just doomed to this sort of thing.
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Happy 15th Anniversary Bridge Across Forever.
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Wow, 15 years already? Still my favorite Transatlantic album.
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Supergroups for me are often clearly fun side projects that have solid and interesting results but rarely produce anything on the level of the members' full time bands.
Bridge Across Forever is one of the biggest exceptions. It could be argued as each member's best album. Maybe a slight stretch for MP, but I'd say it's at least in my top 3 for albums that Roine, Pete, and Neal have appeared on.
For Neal in particular it's also the 2nd album in one of the greatest three album runs: V - BAF - Snow
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This album is easily in my Top 5 albums of all time, and easily a desert island disc for me, though I'd prefer my edited cut which re-inserts the ending of "Suite Charlotte Pike" back onto the end of its song, then uses that ending's noise to crossfade into the opening sounds of the title track. The album then runs nearly continuously through its first three tracks, with the only break being the slight pause between "Bridge Across Forever" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
This is an album that I fell in love with almost immediately, back when I first heard it in 2005 (when I was getting into prog). I was devastated to learn, upon discovering Transatlantic at the time, that the band was on hiatus for the then-foreseeable future, but we had 2 great albums by this supergroup, and I agree with Mosh's statements about how it's one of the best albums from each individual member. Pete's parts on here really shine, and Roine's vocals and guitar work are some of his best throughout his career. Mike offers up some tasty grooves and memorable drum moments throughout, and Neal is on fire the whole way through, hitting some of his best vocal performances in his career!
This album, and its songs, are easily a modern classic prog album, comparable to the likes of Close To The Edge, Foxtrot, and the like when it comes to 70's prog. This album is a benchmark of early 2000's prog, and still easily holds up to today, IMO.
-Marc.
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I agree that it is top quality. But I can't agree that it is the "best album" for each of the individual members. It isn't even the "best" Transatlantic album.
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I agree that it is top quality. But I can't agree that it is the "best album" for each of the individual members. It isn't even the "best" Transatlantic album.
Curious Bosk, which would you consider TA's best album? I really can't get into The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope was a bit of a disappointment for me.
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Had the Overture/first track been better, I would put The Whirlwind at the top without question, since the rest of the album is aces, but while it is pretty solid and does a good job of running through all of the major themes we hear throughout the album, the first track is too scatterbrained, bouncing from theme to theme on a whim, for me.
As it is, I think The Whirlwind is about as great as the first two, and what order I put them really depends on my mood. All three are that awesome.
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To me, The Whirlwind is easily their best and is one of the greatest albums ever made. But:
All three are that awesome.
Yeah, I'm not too far off from this, despite not putting the first two albums up on the same pedestal as The Whirlwind. They are both pretty incredible. I put TWW up at the top as the undisputed #1 just because it is SO good, and not because the other two are lacking in any way. But Bridge is clearly my #2 simply because In Held on the debut is a big dropoff to me. I love and appreciate all 4 of their albums. But at the same time, ranking them 1-4 is very easy and clear to me.
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I put SMPTe last by far because I'm not keen on My New World and I outright don't like Mystery Train. The other three are pretty close for me. I think I either agree with bosk about The Whirlwind or actually break the consensus and name Kaleidoscope as my favorite. However, BAF is an awesome album that deserves all sorts of recognition.
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The Whirlwind is their best.
Followed by Stranger In Your Soul.
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I would say that All of the Above is my favorite single song they've done, but Bridge Across Forever is my favorite album. If I had a count of how many times I'd listened to each of their studio tracks, In Held Twas I would be in last place by a big margin.
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Wow, 15 years already? Still my favorite Transatlantic album.
Mine too. Especially live. We have lift off.
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Wow, 15 years already? Still my favorite Transatlantic album.
Mine too. Especially live. We have lift off.
Not only is it my favorite Transatlantic record, it's one of my 5 favorite albums of all time.
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It's incredibly tough for me to rank Transatlantic's albums. All of them (and every song on them) are incredible. Kaleidoscope might just edge it as I had been a fan for a while, so I was here for the buildup and everything.
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I would say that All of the Above is my favorite single song they've done, but Bridge Across Forever is my favorite album. If I had a count of how many times I'd listened to each of their studio tracks, In Held Twas I would be in last place by a big margin.
This almost exactly (Stranger is my favorite TA song).
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Trying to pick my favorite song of theirs is nearly impossible. Gun to my head, I'd probably say All of the Above, but every time I listen to My New World, Stranger in Your Soul or Duel with the Devil, I think, "How is this not their best song?" All four songs are utterly fantastic. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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All of the above has been one of my all time favourite prog songs. That whole first album is VERY special to me.
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I'm always going back and forth between All of the above and Suite Charlotte Pike.
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I'm always going back and forth between All of the above and Suite Charlotte Pike.
Would you say it's evil to have to choose? Like having some sort of battle with satan residing within your brain?
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Just switch the devil with Satan and it's perfect. ;)
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Idk if AOTA needs that incredibly long ambient bit at the end. A minute or so of it would've been fine; not 3 whole minutes.
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Just switch the devil with Satan and it's perfect. ;)
Fine. :p
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spun Suite Charlotte Pike on the drive home from live Steve Vai last night...such a perfect song, every section, every note.
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spun Suite Charlotxte Pike on the drive home from live Steve Vai last night...such a perfect song, every section, every note.
Totally agree. And the live version with the Beatles Medley is one of my favorite live moments by any band ever.
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I totally didn't almost crash whilst clapping out the clap section.
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So I was revisiting pieces of The Whirlwind. What an album! I love it so much more than the albums before it. Such melody. On The Prowl, Evermore, etc... I cannot believe I haven't listened to Kaleidoscope yet.
Also! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggqmnmBnbHM
^ That version of We All Need Some Light (from Shepherd's Bush Empire) is just so damn good man. Roine sounds phenomenal and when Neal comes in toward the end with "Are you waiting for the sword to find its way down?" Just damn..
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spun Suite Charlotxte Pike on the drive home from live Steve Vai last night...such a perfect song, every section, every note.
Totally agree. And the live version with the Beatles Medley is one of my favorite live moments by any band ever.
Love that too. :)
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I have a BluRay of the entire concert in Mexico City. Soundboard and multicam if anyone interested.
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So I was revisiting pieces of The Whirlwind. What an album! I love it so much more than the albums before it. Such melody. On The Prowl, Evermore, etc... I cannot believe I haven't listened to Kaleidoscope yet.
Over time, On the Prowl has become the song from The Whirlwind I listen to the most. It's just a fun song to crank up and rock out to. :metal
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I have a BluRay of the entire concert in Mexico City. Soundboard and multicam if anyone interested.
I am
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I have a BluRay of the entire concert in Mexico City. Soundboard and multicam if anyone interested.
I am
Send me a PM
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Since it seems like the band won't likely get together this year, or if they do, won't release an album this year, I figured we'd still try to generate some conversation here and there, especially as I have been thinking about this band a lot lately (even amidst Neal's own new album).
First off, just to get this out of the way because I don't think I've seen it in this thread in awhile, here's my current ranking of the studio albums:
Bridge Across Forever
The Whirlwind
Kaleidoscope
SMPT:e
As much as I love SMPT:e, Kaleidoscope has really grown on me over the years. It turns 3 years old in 12 days, and it's a bit hard to believe it's been that long already, but since then, the album's five songs have slowly rooted themselves into my musical veins and they've slowly over-taken SMPT:e in ranking. I love the vocal interplay with all of the members, and the arrangements are more varied. The more I look back at the band's debut album, the more and more it stands out as being VERY Neal-heavy and not that that is a BAD thing per se, but I love the balance that the band would eventually attain with its latter two albums, with quite a bit more Roine and Pete, both musically and vocally. Even with that all in mind, though, BAF still reigns supreme, and it's easily one of my favorite albums of all time, so I doubt The Whirlwind or Kaleidoscope will ever overtake it.
And the live albums, not counting More Never Is Enough (because it really feels superfluous and I've rarely listened to it):
Whirld Tour 2010
Live In Europe
KaLIVEoscope
Live In America
Before Whirld Tour 2010 came out, Live In Europe was one of my top live albums of all time (right up there with the likes of Yessongs and Seconds Out), but Whirld Tour just takes the cake - complete live Whirlwind, plus their 3 major epics and two ballads, what more could you ask for?! Well, you COULD have asked for "My New World" but then the show would've been way over 4 hours...
And as for predictions for the band's future? Considering the time between The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope was 4 years and 3 months, and how busy Mike and Neal are this year (with the NMB and eventually Flying Colors), I suspect that TA5 sessions won't commence until early next year at best, which would mean TA5 would come out at least 4 years after Kaleidoscope, which would be fine with me considering the wait we had for that album. I'm sure Roine has a TON of material in his backlog of stuff he writes because he's not released anything with his own writing in awhile (as I don't think the Anderson/Stolt album has a lot of his input), and The Flower Kings haven't been very active either, so I'd like to see Roine bring a lot of demos to the TA5 sessions.
-Marc.
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I probably ranked them before (and maybe ranked them even different) but as of now it would look like this:
Bridge Across Forever
SMPT:e
The Whirlwind
Kaleidoscope
If they get together again, I hope that they offer something a little different. While Kaliedoscope wasn't bad, it felt a little bit like TA by the numbers.
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^ I'd agree with that order. All of the Above is probably my single favorite of their epics, but the combination Duel with the Devil and Stranger in your Soul (plus me not caring for In Held Twas I) pushes BAF slightly ahead into first place.
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I'm switching to digital and I'm going to sell my collection of CDs and vinyls. Most of what I have is no big deal but I do own the first 3 albums of Transatlantic in colored vinyl (the limited 1000 edition that was sold when the Whirlwind came out). I figured I would post here because I'd rather deal with a good fan from the forums than trying to find someone over the internet.
You can find some pictures here (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=114.msg440653#msg440653), I posted them when I originally bought them during the Whirlwind Tour. If you're interested please send me a PM.
Also, if someone feels this is out of place let me know and I'll delete the post, I figured it'd be OK since there's been a few "Selling my collection" threads over the years.
Thanks!
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The live version of The Whirlwind is what really got me interested in this band. I heard the first album a couple times before but other than the title track there wasn't much else that had an impact. I need to check out Kaleidoscope.
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So the first wave of band announcements for Cruise To The Edge 2020 have been made and they include The Flower Kings, Marillion, and Flying Colors.
I think we all know this means there will likely be a Transatlantic reunion with all 4 members present! Now let the speculation begin on whether or not they'll record anything before the Cruise happens...
-Marc.
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So the first wave of band announcements for Cruise To The Edge 2020 have been made and they include The Flower Kings, Marillion, and Flying Colors.
I think we all know this means there will likely be a Transatlantic reunion with all 4 members present! Now let the speculation begin on whether or not they'll record anything before the Cruise happens...
-Marc.
Ohh man. That would be sweet!!!
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Wrong thread I know, but actual Flower Kings or Roine Stolt's new band that put out Manifesto of an Alchemist last year?
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Wrong thread I know, but actual Flower Kings or Roine Stolt's new band that put out Manifesto of an Alchemist last year?
Yes Roine and friends put it out
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Wrong thread I know, but actual Flower Kings or Roine Stolt's new band that put out Manifesto of an Alchemist last year?
Yes Roine and friends put it out
I think Ministro knows that Manifesto was a Roine (and Friends) album, and not a TRUE TFK album. I believe Ministro is asking whether or not the band announced for Cruise To The Edge 2020 is the ACTUAL TFK (with Tomas Bodin), or the band that Roine has been touring with this past year, Flower Kings Revisited.
As it stands, I'm guessing it'll be the Revisited line-up, so no, I doubt Tomas has returned to play with Roine.
-Marc.
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Oh, OK.
No Thomas Bodin, so it will be the Roine and Friends version. (Got this info from a reliable source)
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Eagerly awaiting/hoping for a new Transatlantic album.
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Eagerly awaiting/hoping for a new Transatlantic album.
We all are, trust me! It's been five years since Kaleidoscope (which, coincidentally, was five years after The Whirlwind...it's about time they put out a new one, eh? :lol), but it feels like it's been a lot longer than that!
I'm hoping they get together sometime this year, as it seems like everyone has said they want to, it's just a matter of schedules lining up (as usual). I'll remain hopeful for a 2020 release date for a new album if they record this calendar year, which would mean a world tour in 2020 as well, giving The Neal Morse Band a much-deserved break after two massive albums and their tours!
Then maybe Transatlantic can play at Morsefest 2020 and give us full-album versions of SMPT:e and Bridge Across Forever! :metal
-Marc.
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Speaking of TNMB, how long is this current tour going for? I know Neal is releasing an album (http://www.radiantrecords.com/products/771-jesus-christ-the-exorcist.aspx) in June, so he'll probably be busy with that one over the summer if he's going to tour it.
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Eagerly awaiting/hoping for a new Transatlantic album.
We all are, trust me!
Eh, I don't know. As much as I love them, I kind of feel like the project may have run its course. The first three albums are untouchable. The last one...not so much. And that's fine. It wasn't bad. But it just didn't come together to be quite as magical as the first three. And if that magic is not there...I'd be fine with them not trying to force it.
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Speaking of TNMB, how long is this current tour going for? I know Neal is releasing an album (http://www.radiantrecords.com/products/771-jesus-christ-the-exorcist.aspx) in June, so he'll probably be busy with that one over the summer if he's going to tour it.
There are no plans to tour for the prmotion of JCTE, and I know this as a fact, I asked Neal Morse and he said that watching the Morsefest 2018 DVD/BD would be the only way to enjoy it "LIVE"
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Okay, thanks! :tup
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Speaking of TNMB, how long is this current tour going for? I know Neal is releasing an album (http://www.radiantrecords.com/products/771-jesus-christ-the-exorcist.aspx) in June, so he'll probably be busy with that one over the summer if he's going to tour it.
There are no plans to tour for the prmotion of JCTE, and I know this as a fact, I asked Neal Morse and he said that watching the Morsefest 2018 DVD/BD would be the only way to enjoy it "LIVE"
I assumed this would be the case, since it would nearly impossible, logistically and financially, to get all of those singers to commit to a tour of the record, and there is no way you can do the album live without all of those singers.
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Speaking of TNMB, how long is this current tour going for? I know Neal is releasing an album (http://www.radiantrecords.com/products/771-jesus-christ-the-exorcist.aspx) in June, so he'll probably be busy with that one over the summer if he's going to tour it.
There are no plans to tour for the prmotion of JCTE, and I know this as a fact, I asked Neal Morse and he said that watching the Morsefest 2018 DVD/BD would be the only way to enjoy it "LIVE"
I assumed this would be the case, since it would nearly impossible, logistically and financially, to get all of those singers to commit to a tour of the record, and there is no way you can do the album live without all of those singers.
You are correct!, I have had this album from some time ago (thanks Neal), and it is a really good album, and there's a LOT going on musically and vocally, it would be not feasible to have all the musicians and cast of singers to do a tour out of this.
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Eagerly awaiting/hoping for a new Transatlantic album.
We all are, trust me! It's been five years since Kaleidoscope (which, coincidentally, was five years after The Whirlwind...it's about time they put out a new one, eh? :lol), but it feels like it's been a lot longer than that!
I'm someone who got into Transatlantic in between The Whirlwind (an album I now love dearly) and Kaleidoscope, so when the latter came out my expectations were sky-high. It didn't quite live up to them, but I'm not sure that was even possible. Most people seem to regard it as their weakest album anyway, and I don't disagree with that. But if they want to get together for another one, I'll be waiting impatiently.
To bosk's point: the magic might not have been there last time, but that's not saying it won't be in the future. That's like suggesting that Dream Theater should have quit after Falling into Infinity (another 4th album widely regarded as a step down from their predecessors) as the band "may have run its course". :)
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I'm someone who got into Transatlantic in between The Whirlwind (an album I now love dearly) and Kaleidoscope, so when the latter came out my expectations were sky-high. It didn't quite live up to them, but I'm not sure that was even possible. Most people seem to regard it as their weakest album anyway, and I don't disagree with that. But if they want to get together for another one, I'll be waiting impatiently.
It was the same for me, I became a fan at the same time. However, I think I'm with bosk, I think the band has run its course, if course I could be wrong.
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I just think the members are, for lack of a better phrase, creatively spent for the most part as far as Transatlantic goes. Kaleidoscope was as by-the-numbers as you can get, and it doesn't really achieve anything that cannot be achieved in TNMB, which is probably where Neal wants to divert most of his attention from here on out. Based on Roine's last few releases, he is absolutely out of ideas and is not producing anything that rivals even Desolation Rose at this point. MP has exhausted his bag of tricks 10 albums ago and I don't really find his production/arranging style to be effective or exciting at all anymore. Not sure what the hell Pete brings to the table (not trying to belittle his contributions, I just seriously have no idea what he's responsible for in TA), but Marillion is most likely gearing up to write a new album so I imagine he'd funnel any ideas into that. Plus he's never seemed to be more than a useful background guy rather than a driving creative force.
I love all these guys immensely, but I really think TA fans are clinging to whatever scraps these guys release in order to feel the magic we felt with SMPT:e and BAF and it's just not going to happen with this group of guys anymore. A tour would be awesome, but I'm not sure any studio work is necessary and it would be created out of a sense of obligation rather than a true desire to write something truly exciting and magical.
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I just think the members are, for lack of a better phrase, creatively spent for the most part as far as Transatlantic goes. Kaleidoscope was as by-the-numbers as you can get, and it doesn't really achieve anything that cannot be achieved in TNMB, which is probably where Neal wants to divert most of his attention from here on out. Based on Roine's last few releases, he is absolutely out of ideas and is not producing anything that rivals even Desolation Rose at this point. MP has exhausted his bag of tricks 10 albums ago and I don't really find his production/arranging style to be effective or exciting at all anymore. Not sure what the hell Pete brings to the table (not trying to belittle his contributions, I just seriously have no idea what he's responsible for in TA), but Marillion is most likely gearing up to write a new album so I imagine he'd funnel any ideas into that. Plus he's never seemed to be more than a useful background guy rather than a driving creative force.
I love all these guys immensely, but I really think TA fans are clinging to whatever scraps these guys release in order to feel the magic we felt with SMPT:e and BAF and it's just not going to happen with this group of guys anymore. A tour would be awesome, but I'm not sure any studio work is necessary and it would be created out of a sense of obligation rather than a true desire to write something truly exciting and magical.
Interesting point. As much as I hate to say it, I'm not even sure there would be enough demand for a tour at this point save for a few one-offs. I'd love a Bridge Across Forever 20th Anniversary Tour but that just isn't going to happen.
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I just think the members are, for lack of a better phrase, creatively spent for the most part as far as Transatlantic goes. Kaleidoscope was as by-the-numbers as you can get, and it doesn't really achieve anything that cannot be achieved in TNMB, which is probably where Neal wants to divert most of his attention from here on out. Based on Roine's last few releases, he is absolutely out of ideas and is not producing anything that rivals even Desolation Rose at this point. MP has exhausted his bag of tricks 10 albums ago and I don't really find his production/arranging style to be effective or exciting at all anymore. Not sure what the hell Pete brings to the table (not trying to belittle his contributions, I just seriously have no idea what he's responsible for in TA), but Marillion is most likely gearing up to write a new album so I imagine he'd funnel any ideas into that. Plus he's never seemed to be more than a useful background guy rather than a driving creative force.
I love all these guys immensely, but I really think TA fans are clinging to whatever scraps these guys release in order to feel the magic we felt with SMPT:e and BAF and it's just not going to happen with this group of guys anymore. A tour would be awesome, but I'm not sure any studio work is necessary and it would be created out of a sense of obligation rather than a true desire to write something truly exciting and magical.
I could not agree more with the bolded.
There is simply no need for a new Transatlantic album at this point.
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DTA summed it up pretty well. Kaleidoscope was such a downer for me. I have enjoyed the shorter songs on The Whirlwind (bonus disc) and Kaleidoscope more than the actual formulaic epics. It would be really cool if TA just focused on short songs.
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Agreed. Both long epics from Kaleidoscope and the one Neal did around the same time for the Spock's 20th anniversary set (Falling for Forever) are all good, but they each kind of have that "I guess we need to write a long epic" feel to them, rather than them happening organically. Notice that on Neal's last two solo albums and all three NMB albums combined, there is only one long epic (Alive Again), so maybe Neal is reaching the point where he feels a long epic is only necessary if it feels really special instead of it being time to write one just because.
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To bosk's point: the magic might not have been there last time, but that's not saying it won't be in the future. That's like suggesting that Dream Theater should have quit after Falling into Infinity (another 4th album widely regarded as a step down from their predecessors) as the band "may have run its course". :)
Oh, I'm not necessarily saying the band has run its course. I'm just saying that, given that last one, I'm just not excited for TA#5 at the moment.
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Seem to be in the minority, but I loved Kaleidoscope. I always wondered if it might be because I got in to the band a little later.
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Seem to be in the minority, but I loved Kaleidoscope. I always wondered if it might be because I got in to the band a little later.
I got into Transatlantic in 2005, just a few years after Neal left both TA and SB, so I latched on to SMPT:e and BAF. When The Whirlwind was announced, I was ecstatic, and eventually loved it. With Kaleidoscope, I was excited as well, but not as much as TW, but in the end, I really love the album as well. Do I love it more than the first three? No...but I enjoy it for what it is and find myself spinning it as often as any of the other three albums. I think I listen to it more often now because it's still newer than the others, which I've listened to hundreds of times, so Kaleidoscope is still "fresh" to me.
As for their contributions, I'd say while it wasn't much new for TA, it was still a bit refreshing to hear compared to what the others were doing at the time. It came out before the first Neal Morse Band album, and I felt like Neal's Momentum was a bit underwhelming, especially after Testimony 2, so hearing Kaleidoscope from the Neal-fan perspective was nice to hear.
As for Roine, he had just come off a two-album reunion with The Flower Kings, so this felt like a continuation of his 2012 and 2013 TFK releases, but little did we know, Desolation Rose was to be his last TFK album, and to be honest, like others have said, his material since Kaleidoscope has been spotty at best (Anderson/Stolt was more Anderson than Stolt than I'd hope for; The Sea Within, while good, hasn't had much staying power with me; and Manifesto has come and gone in my mind and hasn't made much of an impact for me yet). I think working with Neal, Pete, and Mike brings out some of the best in Roine, as I'd take The Whirlwind/Kaleidoscope over anything he's done in the last 10 years.
And as for Pete, well he did contribute one of the best themes in "Stranger In Your Soul", and some tasty bass playing and themes in The Whirlwind. His contributions in Kaleidoscope were probably not as huge, though I remember that middle section in the title track, where his singing sounds a BIT weird, but it was cool to hear him sing on the album. I always think that, while Marillion is always seemingly "preparing for a new album", Pete surely has a lot of material stored away that he keeps demos of, though he did release a new Kino album last year, so who knows how much material he could bring to the table. Of him, Neal and Roine, however, he always seemed to bring the least amount of demos into the TA sessions anyway.
Would I be excited for new TA? Heck yeah! Would I be excited if they just toured! Of course! Would I be sad if they never did anything ever again? Definitely, but I'm happy with what we've gotten from them. I do agree, though, that I hope they don't reunite under some shared sense of obligation to release an album, and that if they do, it happens organically.
-Marc.
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And also, there's the Flying Colors album this year as well as potential touring after the Morsefest gig. I think at the earliest, it would be 2020 for some writing sessions spread throughout the year. Or, with The Cruise to the Edge in 2020, they might play a one-off show in the cruise since everyone will be there (official members) and that might ignite the TA spark and start writing.
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Don't get me wrong, I'd be excited if Transatlantic announced they were doing a new record, but if they never do a thing again, it won't bother me at all. IIRC, the project was initially started as a way of Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy getting to work together, and here we are 19 years later and they have a (mostly) full-time progressive band together (Neal Morse Band) as well as a side project band that straddles the line between prog and regular rock (Flying Colors), so there really is no need for Transatlantic any more. Even the last album they did was done before the Neal Morse Band became a thing, so that just reinforces that there is no need for them to do more TA stuff. It would be like if John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess said, "hey, let's go find a few different guys and make music like Dream Theater and call it something else." What would be the point?
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I've been of the feeling ever since they decided to stop making new music in the 2000's (2002-2003, right when Neal left Spock's) that they may stopped while lighting-was-in-a-bottle.
why the comeback 8-years later with The Whirlwind was too-long of a break.
Had TA released 1 or 2 more records only a few years after BAF, those may have been of the quality if not better.
And with how disappointed I was in The Whirlwind and then Kaleidoscope, the magic didn't really show up like it did on those 1st 2 albums.
They didn't even have Daniel Gildenlow involved in the songwriting on those last records, which may or may not have made a difference. But I'm inclined to wonder if it may have helped enough to make a difference in those 2 albums. And if they ever do make another record, I would love to see him involved in some of songwriting.
Then again this Project originally was called Second Nature and was going to finally have Mike Portnoy work with Jim Matheos, which happened in a way with OSI, but now does not. Instead of a new TA, I would still love to see Portnoy work with Jim and/or Gildenlow on an entirely new band, but that would also add to what may seem like a massive headache of nearly a dozen bands Portnoy already is trying to at least semi-work-with simultaneously.
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Although I understand all the arguments presented here, I still prefer a new Transatlantic than a new NMB.
In the ideal (and totally unlikely) world, Neal Morse's collaboration with MP would occur sporadically in FC and TA. NMB would cease to exist. NM would return to be a solo artist (speaking of progressive music, of course), without MP, Randy, Gillette and Bill. Another focus, other musicians, other perspectives. A Steven Wilson-like way of life.
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Although I understand all the arguments presented here, I still prefer a new Transatlantic than a new NMB.
In the ideal (and totally unlikely) world, Neal Morse's collaboration with MP would occur sporadically in FC and TA. NMB would cease to exist. NM would return to be a solo artist (speaking of progressive music, of course), without MP, Randy, Gillette and Bill. Another focus, other musicians, other perspectives. A Steven Wilson-like way of life.
(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ComfortableShorttermGodwit-size_restricted.gif)
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Count me in as being with Kev and Kramer.
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Neal has his solo stuff of course, and can count Transatlantic, Flying Colors, etc., among his many side projects, so what is the "purpose" of the Neal Morse Band? I always figured that some part of Neal still misses the relative stability of a "real" band as opposed to a side project. The band he returns to when he's done sowing his wild oats. He assembled a group of guys, but it wasn't just to play on the next Neal Morse solo album, this is the Neal Morse Band, the specific group that he chose to put his name on. It clearly was significant to him to make that distinction.
I'm just talking out of my ass here, so if someone can quote Neal actually explaining the difference between the Neal Morse Band and "the group that played on the latest Neal Morse album", I'd love to read it. But that's my theory.
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Neal has his solo stuff of course, and can count Transatlantic, Flying Colors, etc., among his many side projects, so what is the "purpose" of the Neal Morse Band? I always figured that some part of Neal still misses the relative stability of a "real" band as opposed to a side project. The band he returns to when he's done sowing his wild oats. He assembled a group of guys, but it wasn't just to play on the next Neal Morse solo album, this is the Neal Morse Band, the specific group that he chose to put his name on. It clearly was significant to him to make that distinction.
I'm just talking out of my ass here, so if someone can quote Neal actually explaining the difference between the Neal Morse Band and "the group that played on the latest Neal Morse album", I'd love to read it. But that's my theory.
It would appear as if Neal's solo career exists now only for when he wants to do non-prog stuff like Songs from November and Life & Times. He hasn't done a solo prog album since Momentum in 2012, and the guys from the Neal Morse Band did not play on those two non-prog solo albums (aside, I believe, from a very minor contribution by Eric, who did a few vocal lines on Flowers in a Vase).
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I've been of the feeling ever since they decided to stop making new music in the 2000's (2002-2003, right when Neal left Spock's) that they may stopped while lighting-was-in-a-bottle.
why the comeback 8-years later with The Whirlwind was too-long of a break.
Had TA released 1 or 2 more records only a few years after BAF, those may have been of the quality if not better.
And with how disappointed I was in The Whirlwind and then Kaleidoscope, the magic didn't really show up like it did on those 1st 2 albums.
They didn't even have Daniel Gildenlow involved in the songwriting on those last records, which may or may not have made a difference. But I'm inclined to wonder if it may have helped enough to make a difference in those 2 albums. And if they ever do make another record, I would love to see him involved in some of songwriting.
Then again this Project originally was called Second Nature and was going to finally have Mike Portnoy work with Jim Matheos, which happened in a way with OSI, but now does not. Instead of a new TA, I would still love to see Portnoy work with Jim and/or Gildenlow on an entirely new band, but that would also add to what may seem like a massive headache of nearly a dozen bands Portnoy already is trying to at least semi-work-with simultaneously.
I wasn't all that thrilled with The Whirlwind either when it first came out, but seeing it live and after continuing to listen to it it's grown on me to the point where its almost as good as the first two. The last one continues to be forgettable to the point where I don't remember hearing most of it when I listen to it. It's still sounds like a new album to me. I guess it's pleasant enough but it's one of the very few albums where I just don't remember a lot of it when I've heard it. The bonus disc of covers is more memorable to me but I guess that's kind of obvious.
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Mike is hinting at the return of TA...
MP Gratitude Post & 2019 Update
Coming off the incredible back to back tours with The Winery Dogs and NMB, I’ve been thinking about how much gratitude I have for this amazing journey of music I’ve had over the last many years...
I’m currently in 6 different bands and couldn’t be prouder of the music I’ve written and performed in each and every one of them...and above all, the absolutely outstanding musicians I get to work with in each of them...
Thank you Neal Morse, Steve Morse, Dave La Rue, Casey McPherson, Pete Trewavas, Roine Stolt, Randy George, Bill Hubauer, Eric Gillette, Billy Sheehan, Richie Kotzen, Ron Bumblefoot Thal, Derek Sherinian, Jeff Scott Soto, Mark Menghi, David Ellefson and Alex Skolnick for enriching my musical life for the past many years!
(Also to the members of Twisted Sister, Avenged Sevenfold, Adrenaline Mob, The Shattered Fortress, Bigelf, PSMS, LTE and of course last but certainly not least Dream Theater for all the years we played together as well...)
As crazy as my career has been for the last decade, 2019 looks to be the first year I will actually have some activity with ALL SIX of my current bands...
THE WINERY DOGS:
Myself, Richie & Billy just wrapped up a month-long US Tour after having taken a 3 year hiatus...and we had an absolute blast each and every night!
The playing chemistry in this band is off the charts and we are committed to getting back together for a new album and full world tour as soon as we can coordinate our schedules again.
SONS OF APOLLO:
In January myself, Derek & Bumblefoot got together to write and track all of the music for SOA2. We are currently working with Jeff on writing/tracking all of the vocals and then Billy will begin his bass tracks as well...SOA2 is currently pencilled in for a Jan 2020 release with a World Tour to follow.
In the meantime, I have been working on the final touches for the SOA “Live with the Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony” Blu-ray/DVD/CD release that will be coming out in August. An absolutely incredible package that captured one of the most incredible concerts of my career: playing at this beautiful Roman Amphitheater with a Symphony orchestra and choir doing a very special setlist including covers from Queen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rainbow, Ozzy, Aerosmith and Van Halen!
NEAL MORSE BAND:
After having toured North America and Europe extensively in the first half of 2019 for the epic double concept album The Great Adventure, we are now putting the finishing touches on the live release of the Great AdvenTOUR filmed in Brno, Czech Republic. We will also do one final performance of TGA (along with Choir, strings and horns) at this year’s Morsefest in Nashville this coming August.
FLYING COLORS:
After our surprise appearance during my solo set on this year’s Cruise To The Edge, the long awaited 3rd album from FC (entitled “Third Degree”) is finally coming out this September! Many years in the making, we cannot wait to finally unleash this latest master work...and we are able to manage to play some very select shows in the US and Europe between Aug and Dec...(and an official appearance on Cruise To The Edge 2020) please travel to come see us as these are the ONLY shows we are able to schedule at this time! But I can’t wait to play again with this absolutely magical band!
TRANSATLANTIC:
After a surprise appearance during my solo set on CTTE that included myself, Neal, Roine & Ted Leonard (just missing Pete who wasn’t available), could the TA mothership be ready to fly again?? It’s been 5 years since Kaleidoscope...hmmmm 🧐😎
METAL ALLEGIANCE:
For all my fellow metal heads, there’s my metal outlet MA...we’ve already played some incredible shows in 2019 kicking off with our annual Anaheim appearance in January w myself, David Ellefson (Megadeth), Alex Skolnick (Testament), Mark Menghi, Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Bobby Blitz (Overkill), John Bush (Anthrax), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy) & Trevor Strnad (Black Dalia Murder)...and 4 west coast shows in April that also included Chuck Billy (Testament), Troy Sanders (Mastodon), the guys from Exodus, Flotsam & Jetsam, Sacred Reich, Max Cavalera & Nita Strauss...
Thank you everybody for allowing me to have this amazing career and continuing to support my musical journey....
Hmmmm...maybe sessions are lined up this fall/winter?
-Marc.
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I'm solidly in the camp that would prefer a TA album over another from NMB. It seems we can regularly expect new NMB music. TA has become a rarity, and NMB is not a substitute. The reality is that Pete brings something to the sound that RG does not. And while I greatly prefer Gillette to Stolt, the same can be said of RS as Pete. The two of them make for a completely different band, and I miss that sound.
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Transatlantic > NMB really. I would like something new from them, even though the last one was a let-down in the long run. Less replay value than their previous efforts, but still really good.
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Would love to hear TA stay away from the epics. Have really enjoyed the shorter songs on Kaleisdoscope a lot
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Looking at the original sessions for NMB's TGA, they were almost going to put out an album with 3 varying epics (24:30, 16:36, and 28:49) and one short song (as track 3, at 5:51), which is a VERY Transatlantic thing to do.
I think Neal and Mike have been itching to write another epic or two, especially sine TGA ended up being another double-disc concept album like TSOAD. It's been four-five years since they wrote "Alive Again" for NMB's TGE, so I feel like Neal (and maybe Mike) are down to produce an epic, and who better to do that than with TA. I'm hoping Roine and Pete have some epic pieces to bring to the table, as well!
If the FC tour is just a few small dates as we've seen so far, and they don't plan to tour in 2020, we might see a Transatlantic tour in 2020 following a new album, which I would be OK with! I can see Mike being busy with TA, SOA (and their second album), and maybe TWD next year, giving the NMB a year off again.
-Marc.
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I'm solidly in the camp that would prefer a TA album over another from NMB. It seems we can regularly expect new NMB music. TA has become a rarity, and NMB is not a substitute. The reality is that Pete brings something to the sound that RG does not. And while I greatly prefer Gillette to Stolt, the same can be said of RS as Pete. The two of them make for a completely different band, and I miss that sound.
I would write something but it would be saying this with other words.
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Would love to hear TA stay away from the epics. Have really enjoyed the shorter songs on Kaleisdoscope a lot
Agreed. I'd like to see them do a Whirlwind-type record again, with mostly shorter songs that mostly run together, but I am sure Neal and Portnoy will be dying to do long epics after the last two NMB had that type of format. I just hope it is an inspired effort rather than a TA by-the-numbers record.
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Yeah. Nothing says "staying away from the epics" like an album with a 77-minute epic. :lol
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:lol
Perhaps they could follow a format more similar to what they did on SMPT:e, where they did one longer epic piece, and several shorter(ish) pieces. That would be a good medium.
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Something they haven't done as a main-studio-album track yet is a fully-fledged, self-contained instrumental. That'd be cool.
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Something they haven't done as a main-studio-album track yet is a fully-fledged, self-contained instrumental. That'd be cool.
It's crazy to think that with all of the prog stuff Neal Morse has done in the last 25 years, he has never really done a fully-fledged, self-contained instrumental with the full band. His instrumentals are always overtures or ones in the midst of a concept album flow like The Battle.
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Something they haven't done as a main-studio-album track yet is a fully-fledged, self-contained instrumental. That'd be cool.
It's crazy to think that with all of the prog stuff Neal Morse has done in the last 25 years, he has never really done a fully-fledged, self-contained instrumental with the full band. His instrumentals are always overtures or ones in the midst of a concept album flow like The Battle.
On one hand it's crazy due to the high amount of prog output he has, but on the other he is a person to which the music's message seems very important, so it kinda makes sense he wouldn't put too much time aside for music that doesn't have any connection to whatever message he in conveying.
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Something they haven't done as a main-studio-album track yet is a fully-fledged, self-contained instrumental. That'd be cool.
It's crazy to think that with all of the prog stuff Neal Morse has done in the last 25 years, he has never really done a fully-fledged, self-contained instrumental with the full band. His instrumentals are always overtures or ones in the midst of a concept album flow like The Battle.
On one hand it's crazy due to the high amount of prog output he has, but on the other he is a person to which the music's message seems very important, so it kinda makes sense he wouldn't put too much time aside for music that doesn't have any connection to whatever message he in conveying.
Very true.
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Now that you guys mention it, yeah, most of Neal's instrumental pieces tend to be his Overtures, but I think there was an effort on The Whirlwind to include an instrumental movement ("Pieces Of Heaven"), and they even did it again in "Kaleidoscope" (Part VI. Lemon Looking Glass), but I do agree - it would be neat to see them do a full-fledged, stand-alone instrumental track.
To be honest, I don't mind whatever format the next album takes, but I like Scotty's take on revisiting the singular-epic format of SMPT:e (and in turn, similar albums from Neal like Momentum, NMB's The Grand Experiment, and SB's V). Write one huge epic in the 25-35 minute range, then maybe 3-5 shorter songs between 5-15 minutes long.
Whatever they come up with, I just want the music to be good and inspired and feel fresh, but still retain that classic prog sound that they're known for, and more vocals from Roine, Pete and even Mike. I feel like Kaleidoscope was a step or two back in the shared vocal department compared to BAF and TW, so hopefully there will be more vocal interplay.
-Marc.
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Perhaps they could follow a format more similar to what they did on SMPT:e, where they did one longer epic piece, and several shorter(ish) pieces. That would be a good medium.
I’d like to see this, as opposed to an album with super long epics only.
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I kinda just want them to get in the studio and make music that inspires them. I'm not saying that to be a fuddy-duddy, but if they spend their time in the studio worrying about song lengths and what not, I feel like we're not going to get their best work. That's kind of my beef with Sons of Apollo; they're worried so much about being prog-metal gods that they forgot to be inspired musicians. (I exaggerate, but you get my point).
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I kinda just want them to get in the studio and make music that inspires them. I'm not saying that to be a fuddy-duddy, but if they spend their time in the studio worrying about song lengths and what not, I feel like we're not going to get their best work. That's kind of my beef with Sons of Apollo; they're worried so much about being prog-metal gods that they forgot to be inspired musicians. (I exaggerate, but you get my point).
No you don't and yes I do :lol
Yes, honestly, I don't mind how long the songs are, I just hope it's not in the format of TGA, TSOAD, Testimony or Snow. But I don't see that coming on a TA album. Something like One would be cool. But since "epics and nothing but fuckin epics" is kind of TAs thing, I think we will get something similar as SMPTe/Kaleidoscope/BAF.
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I kinda just want them to get in the studio and make music that inspires them. I'm not saying that to be a fuddy-duddy, but if they spend their time in the studio worrying about song lengths and what not, I feel like we're not going to get their best work. That's kind of my beef with Sons of Apollo; they're worried so much about being prog-metal gods that they forgot to be inspired musicians. (I exaggerate, but you get my point).
Not really exaggerating. Just do it and be organic about it.
That's all really what I want from any band. Doesn't matter which band or what box they get put it.
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We will have a new TRANSATLANTIC album next year. I am calling it now. If this was a the case I think it will be very possible that next Morsefest might include them on one or the two nights.
—-
Transatlantic, the progressive-rock supergroup featuring Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas, have extended their deal with InsideOutMusic for their catalogue, & today launch their previous albums on digital services across Europe. This will be the first time that any of these records have been available on streaming services, and includes the below releases. Stream / download all the available albums right now below:
SMPTe
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/SMPTe
Bridge Across Forever
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/BridgeAcrossForever
Live In Europe
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/LiveInEurope
The Whirlwind
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/TheWhirlwind
Whirld Tour 2010
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/WhirldTour2010LiveinLondon2010
More Never Is Enough
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/MoreNeverIsEnoughLiveinManchester2010
Kaleidoscope
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/Kaleidoscope
Kaliveoscope
https://transatlantic.lnk.to/KaLIVEoscopeLiveinTilburg
——
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This is great news! I just hope it doesn’t sound the same as all the NM + MP output from the last few years. All these bands are starting to sound a bit too similar.
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I suspect it will sound like Transatlantic. If that = sounding like NM + MP (which won't surprise me considering that is half the band), I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. After 20 years of collaborating with each other, it's safe to say they have found their core sound, the sound they naturally produce. It's probably impossible for them to deviate from it too far, because then it wouldn't be them.
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I suspect it will sound like Transatlantic. If that = sounding like NM + MP (which won't surprise me considering that is half the band), I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. After 20 years of collaborating with each other, it's safe to say they have found their core sound, the sound they naturally produce. It's probably impossible for them to deviate from it too far, because then it wouldn't be them.
I wouldn't be disappointed per se, as the music will most likely be very good, but I just don't see the need for all these different bands if they're all going to sound pretty similar. At least, TA's approach has always been more towards a lot of epics vs shorter songs, so there's one difference there from NMB and FC.
Somethig else that matters here is that all their albums from the last 10+ years (maybe more) have been mixed and produced by pretty much the same people, and that also contributes to all of them sounding too samey.
-
Before "Waiting For Miracles" comes out in November, Kaleidoscope has been my favorite Roine Stolt appearance in the last 5 years. Depending on how much I like WFM from TFK, he may or may not have some good stuff for a new TA album. I'm hoping that both Roine and Pete have a good amount of material to use for a Transatlantic album, especially since I bet they have all talked to each other about doing another album (since both Mike and Neal have met and played with both Roine and Pete at various venues over the last few years since the Kaleidoscope Tour).
Looking at the Marillion Tour schedule, Pete will have a break between mid-December 2019 and late March 2020 (for Cruise To The Edge).
Roine's touring schedule for TFK is just 12 dates over 14 days during the first half of December.
And as for Mike and Neal, they end their Flying Colors Tour in mid-December with four dates in Europe. Mike then picked up a tour leg with SOA starting January 24th.
What's interesting is that all four of them will be in Europe by mid-December, just as their respective tours end. How awesome would it be if they met up in London or wherever to get together and write for a week before Christmas? Might be unlikely, but I can dream...
-Marc.
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Listening to some of The Whirlwind again... wow! Still one of my favorite albums of all time :hefdaddy
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Listening to some of The Whirlwind again... wow! Still one of my favorite albums of all time :hefdaddy
:metal
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https://www.facebook.com/11963481292/posts/10157192835871293?sfns=mo
Apparently something is happening in the Transatlantic camp!
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:metal :metal :metal
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It's kinda mindblowing in a way that 2020 will be 6 years since the last TA album.
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YES!!! Best news of the year for me.
And I like the fact they are not at the usual setup (NM's studio)
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YES!!! Best news of the year for me.
And I like the fact they are not at the usual setup (NM's studio)
That's good. Mainly all NM and MP projects have suffered from having that same production and sound.
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I do hope they stay away from the typical TA formula. Both 2nd discs with the shorter songs have been way better for me than the main material/songs. Still stoked though.
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OK, so it is easy to assume now that TA will be at Morsefest 2020 one or/and both nights. If that's the case I think they will need a bigger venue as the last MF proved to be very successful and the one with best attendance.
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How do you know they're not just meeting to write/talk about things? They could decide to record at Neal's studio later. Plus I like bands sticking to a standard formula. At least you know what you're getting.
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They don't typically record at Neal's. They usually have gathered there to write, and then to maybe record the drum tracks. Then they go their own ways and record their parts in their own home studios. Honestly, no matter where they gather to write, whether it is in Tennessee, Sweden, or somewhere else, that isn't likely to have much of an impact on the album's sound.
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Just saw the news on Twitter. That definitely looks like a kit set up for Mike, so I think it's safe to assume they're at LEAST writing some things. I can see the typical cymbal stacks above the toms, and it's a Tama set, so I wonder if Mike shipped this to Sweden or if he's borrowing it.
Either way, it gives me immense joy and excitement to see these four in a current picture!
https://twitter.com/Transatlantic99/status/1176553746681204736?s=09
-Marc.
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We shall see.
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They're at Fenix Studios in Varnshelm, Sweden: http://fenixrecording.com/studios/studioone/
Definitely an interesting place to meet up at. Very small town a few hours from any major city.
Seems like a great place to isolate yourselves for a week or two and get some writing and recording done!
EDIT: Ah, this is where the Flower Kings have been recording, and also where Anderson/Stolt recorded their album.
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VERY excited for the prospect of a new Transatlantic album!
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MP pretty much confirmed on Twitter. He retweeted the TA post and added 'Yes it is' and added #TA5.
Seems we'll get a new album next year.
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MP pretty much confirmed on Twitter. He retweeted the TA post and added 'Yes it is' and added #TA5.
Seems we'll get a new album next year.
I wonder if they'll be doing all the writing there, and perhaps tracking the drums, or if this is just a first-writing-session sort of thing. I only say that because each of them will still be in Europe by mid-December when all their respective tours end, so if they needed to reconvene to write or track anything, they'd be pretty close to each other. It's oddly coincidental that The Flower Kings' tour ends in Stockholm, Sweden on December 14th, Flying Colors' last stop is December 14th in London, and Marillion's tour ends on December 16th in Germany. They could all meet back up to do some more writing, but knowing how quickly these guys piece together an album, it wouldn't surprise me if everything was done during this initial stay. I'd like to see them sit on the material for a couple months, though, and perhaps, after spending the next 2-3 months on the road, they might develop those ideas more on their own, or create new ones.
Either way, getting a Transatlantic album next year is the most exciting music news I've heard in a long while, so I cannot wait!
-Marc.
-
MP pretty much confirmed on Twitter. He retweeted the TA post and added 'Yes it is' and added #TA5.
Seems we'll get a new album next year.
I wonder if they'll be doing all the writing there, and perhaps tracking the drums, or if this is just a first-writing-session sort of thing. I only say that because each of them will still be in Europe by mid-December when all their respective tours end, so if they needed to reconvene to write or track anything, they'd be pretty close to each other. It's oddly coincidental that The Flower Kings' tour ends in Stockholm, Sweden on December 14th, Flying Colors' last stop is December 14th in London, and Marillion's tour ends on December 16th in Germany. They could all meet back up to do some more writing, but knowing how quickly these guys piece together an album, it wouldn't surprise me if everything was done during this initial stay. I'd like to see them sit on the material for a couple months, though, and perhaps, after spending the next 2-3 months on the road, they might develop those ideas more on their own, or create new ones.
Either way, getting a Transatlantic album next year is the most exciting music news I've heard in a long while, so I cannot wait!
-Marc.
I’m hoping due to their location (a pretty nice recording studio) that the intent is to fully record there during this next week or two. But we’ll see how it goes.
BTW are you Marc P of YouTube?
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MP pretty much confirmed on Twitter. He retweeted the TA post and added 'Yes it is' and added #TA5.
Seems we'll get a new album next year.
I wonder if they'll be doing all the writing there, and perhaps tracking the drums, or if this is just a first-writing-session sort of thing. I only say that because each of them will still be in Europe by mid-December when all their respective tours end, so if they needed to reconvene to write or track anything, they'd be pretty close to each other. It's oddly coincidental that The Flower Kings' tour ends in Stockholm, Sweden on December 14th, Flying Colors' last stop is December 14th in London, and Marillion's tour ends on December 16th in Germany. They could all meet back up to do some more writing, but knowing how quickly these guys piece together an album, it wouldn't surprise me if everything was done during this initial stay. I'd like to see them sit on the material for a couple months, though, and perhaps, after spending the next 2-3 months on the road, they might develop those ideas more on their own, or create new ones.
Either way, getting a Transatlantic album next year is the most exciting music news I've heard in a long while, so I cannot wait!
-Marc.
I’m hoping due to their location (a pretty nice recording studio) that the intent is to fully record there during this next week or two. But we’ll see how it goes.
That would be interesting, but as previously stated above, I'm pretty sure they only ever track the drums (and maybe some keys) during their initial sessions, where they figure out the song structures and album format (though even that can change during the post-drums period). Most of the guitars, keys, and vocals are all recorded at their own respective studios (or hotel rooms in the case of Mike), and done over the course of the next few months. This is why I said I'd hope they do the initial writing now, then work on it themselves over the next two months, trade files and ideas, then come back in December to properly record everything together, then off to mixing and mastering to Rich, aim for a late Spring 2020 date, and tour in the Summer. But that's just my wishful thinking!
BTW are you Marc P of YouTube?
Oh, you mean Marc Papeghin? Heavens no, I am nowhere near as talented as that man, but I do really enjoy his work, both with prog rock covers, and his Final Fantasy medleys! Every Dream Theater/Neal Morse fan should definitely check his work out!!!
-Marc.
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I'll definitely check it out if the band has new material coming our way. Weird to think that the last one came out about 5 years ago. I thought Kaleidoscope was just ok, probably their weakest album so far in all honesty, but had some great moments nonetheless.
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Oh, you mean Marc Papeghin? Heavens no, I am nowhere near as talented as that man, but I do really enjoy his work, both with prog rock covers, and his Final Fantasy medleys! Every Dream Theater/Neal Morse fan should definitely check his work out!!!
-Marc.
Ah! But it's funny that you knew who I was talking about. I've seen him wearing Haken shirts, so I know he's into the scene. I had to ask to be sure. ;)
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Oh, you mean Marc Papeghin? Heavens no, I am nowhere near as talented as that man, but I do really enjoy his work, both with prog rock covers, and his Final Fantasy medleys! Every Dream Theater/Neal Morse fan should definitely check his work out!!!
-Marc.
Ah! But it's funny that you knew who I was talking about. I've seen him wearing Haken shirts, so I know he's into the scene. I had to ask to be sure. ;)
I've been following Papeghin's work for over 5 years now. He has actually posted here at DTF a few times, sharing his video of DT songs with samples in it, identifying the samples and putting video clips to them! If you haven't seen those, they're REALLY well done. Seems like Marc Papeghin has really similar tastes to me, in that he enjoys Dream Theater, Transatlantic, Neal Morse, Haken, and other similar bands. However, I am just a drummer, and he can drum, play keys, play guitars, and all matter of horn instruments, as well as organize and arrange giant medleys! The man is SUPER talented, and I'm surprised he hasn't broken out of the YouTube scene and signed a record contract to release some original music! He's practically a one-man-band akin to Neal Morse or Eric Gillette, and possibly MORE so with his orchestral background!
-Marc.
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From Transatlantic's FB page:
Happy 50th Birthday ABBEY ROAD!!
In celebration of this, as well as the fact that Transatlantic are currently reunited in the studio recording album #5, here’s a #TBT of our Suite Charlotte Pike/Abbey Road Medley from 2001...enjoy!
https://youtu.be/uCKJf2kFOiU
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What's "#TBT" mean?
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What's "#TBT" mean?
ThrowBack Time
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What's "#TBT" mean?
ThrowBack Time
I generally equate it to Throwback Thursday.
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What's "#TBT" mean?
ThrowBack Time
I generally equate it to Throwback Thursday.
^This is correct^
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I am so pumped for this. Watching that video has really put me in the mood!
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For anyone on Instagram, Mike has put up a studio tour story, where he accidentally shows the TA5 ideas chart, and Pete listening to some of the musical ideas on his phone while sitting at a piano.
It's a nice studio, and it sounds lile things are going well!
-Marc.
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When do you reckon as far as a potential release month, then? Earlier in the thread, we had December down as a potential time for them to get together and write/record, but that's been pre-empted by this meeting now. March or April, perhaps?
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When do you reckon as far as a potential release month, then? Earlier in the thread, we had December down as a potential time for them to get together and write/record, but that's been pre-empted by this meeting now. March or April, perhaps?
I would say late february or early march as they will be on CTTE 2020 and I think that having the record out would make sense
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When do you reckon as far as a potential release month, then? Earlier in the thread, we had December down as a potential time for them to get together and write/record, but that's been pre-empted by this meeting now. March or April, perhaps?
I would say late february or early march as they will be on CTTE 2020 and I think that having the record out would make sense
and that in turn may mean that the first piece from the album may be released around December or January? (assuming the standard IO release plan of beginning 2 months in advance, roughly anyway)
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Mike has said Late 2020, so to me, that means AT LEAST September of next year.
This may be to accommodate a longer recording time, and to let the individual members (mostly Mike) fulfill their currently scheduled commitments for 2020 so they can tour on TA5.
I think Neal will release another Life And Times type album and tour in Spring. Roine will probably tour TFK more, and Pete always seems to be on the road with Marillion (who are probably working on a new album next year anyway). And Mike has SOA2, and that new metal band he just announced, so he seems pretty busy for the first half of 2020.
My expectation, TA5 will drop in October 2020.
-Marc.
-
I think Neal will release another Life And Times type album and tour in Spring. Roine will probably tour TFK more, and Pete always seems to be on the road with Marillion (who are probably working on a new album next year anyway). And Mike has SOA2, and that new metal band he just announced, so he seems pretty busy for the first half of 2020.
My expectation, TA5 will drop in October 2020.
-Marc.
Yes, please.
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For anyone on Instagram, Mike has put up a studio tour story, where he accidentally shows the TA5 ideas chart, and Pete listening to some of the musical ideas on his phone while sitting at a piano.
It's a nice studio, and it sounds lile things are going well!
-Marc.
Did he take the post down? I don't see it now, but I'm not logged in. Do you have to be logged in to see videos?
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For anyone on Instagram, Mike has put up a studio tour story, where he accidentally shows the TA5 ideas chart, and Pete listening to some of the musical ideas on his phone while sitting at a piano.
It's a nice studio, and it sounds lile things are going well!
-Marc.
Did he take the post down? I don't see it now, but I'm not logged in. Do you have to be logged in to see videos?
It's not a post, it's part of his story, and I just check and it's still there. Stories usually stay up for 24 hours unless deleted by the user.
-Marc.
-
Got it, I see it now. Thanks - I’ve never used Instagram so I didn’t understand the story thing.
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If anyone is curious, I managed to screen-cap the TA5 Sessions whiteboard that Mike "accidentally" showed in his Instagram story, and here's what I could pick out:
-At the top, it says "TA5 - Off The Grid", which could be a working title?
-Pete has 3 ideas titled "Sun Comes Up", "Genesis Bit", and "World End"
-On the far right, there's a part that says "Need in Overture", with two items under it: "Big Theme" and "Love? (something)"
-Mike has one idea, simply titled "Mowwww"
-Roine has at least 8 items under his name, two of which have red check marks beside them (possibly because they have already been used). From top to bottom, the ones I can make out are "Hogwarts"(maybe?), "The Samuraij" (?), "Out Again", "Hiking", "Folklore", "Black Swan", "Igorte"(?) and "Escape", with the first and last of those getting aforementioned checks.
-The far left of the whiteboard was a bit too blurry on my screen caps, but I think it's safe to say these are Neal's ideas, even though I cannot read his name anywhere on there, but it appears four of those ideas have red check marks beside them.
-Of these 9 or 10 ideas on the far left, I can make out "Overture", "Bally" or "Rally", "Rainbow ____"?, and "Westward Baby".
I'm sure Neal or Mike will release a full picture of this whiteboard at SOME point. At the very least, one of them will include in the Making Of "TA5" bonus DVD that comes with the Special Edition of the album next year. It seems like they have no shortage of ideas this time, and as usual, I am sure they are writing some new stuff as they jam along. Seeing them in these sessions really makes me want to rewatch the Making Of The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope documentaries!!
-Marc.
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If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
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If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
:lol
I do not disagree. Ever since Snow's two Overture tracks, Neal has released no less than 8 individual tracks with the word "Overture" in them, and the two epics from Kaleidoscope featuring first movements BOTH titled Overture. The last two NMB albums are the most plain.
At least with Testimony, he added "No. X" to them, rather than just numbering them like in TGA. I've liked other synonyms he's used before, like "Introduction". He should also consider "Prologue" or "Prelude" as well.
However, I am sure many of these titles on the TA5 whiteboard are working titles, or just names for basic ideas.
-Marc.
-
Mike has said Late 2020, so to me, that means AT LEAST September of next year.
This may be to accommodate a longer recording time, and to let the individual members (mostly Mike) fulfill their currently scheduled commitments for 2020 so they can tour on TA5.
I think Neal will release another Life And Times type album and tour in Spring. Roine will probably tour TFK more, and Pete always seems to be on the road with Marillion (who are probably working on a new album next year anyway). And Mike has SOA2, and that new metal band he just announced, so he seems pretty busy for the first half of 2020.
My expectation, TA5 will drop in October 2020.
-Marc.
Hoping you are wrong on this, as I was starting to look forward to a TA-themed MorseFest for 2020, but the timelines you lay out make it seem like a later release next year. I can't imagine TA would be a part of it next year if the new album isn't out by then. So I'm hoping for a summer 2020 release and maybe they can kick off a TA tour at MorseFest this time instead of ending tours like they've done with TSoaD and TGA.
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If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
??? I could see being annoyed with his pencheant for writing overtures. But how is that lazy "naming?" If it's an overture, what is the issue with it being labeled as such? It would be confusing to not name it as an overture.
-
If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
??? I could see being annoyed with his pencheant for writing overtures. But how is that lazy "naming?" If it's an overture, what is the issue with it being labeled as such? It would be confusing to not name it as an overture.
Neal could use prelude, introduction, opening...Prelude sounds nice.
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If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
??? I could see being annoyed with his pencheant for writing overtures. But how is that lazy "naming?" If it's an overture, what is the issue with it being labeled as such? It would be confusing to not name it as an overture.
Because the songs are just named Overture instead of unique titles for each new project. How is that not boring from a naming standpoint even if it is an overture? Why not just call the album Transatlantic 5? That’s accurate too but boring as hell. Neal has a whole bunch of overused words in song titles that I’d like to see him avoid. Hopefully Roine or Pete will do the naming.
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Mike has said Late 2020, so to me, that means AT LEAST September of next year.
This may be to accommodate a longer recording time, and to let the individual members (mostly Mike) fulfill their currently scheduled commitments for 2020 so they can tour on TA5.
I think Neal will release another Life And Times type album and tour in Spring. Roine will probably tour TFK more, and Pete always seems to be on the road with Marillion (who are probably working on a new album next year anyway). And Mike has SOA2, and that new metal band he just announced, so he seems pretty busy for the first half of 2020.
My expectation, TA5 will drop in October 2020.
-Marc.
Hoping you are wrong on this, as I was starting to look forward to a TA-themed MorseFest for 2020, but the timelines you lay out make it seem like a later release next year. I can't imagine TA would be a part of it next year if the new album isn't out by then. So I'm hoping for a summer 2020 release and maybe they can kick off a TA tour at MorseFest this time instead of ending tours like they've done with TSoaD and TGA.
I agree with your thinking, but everything's possible. FC just went on tour (and also did Morsefest) and their album isn't out yet. These guys have such a tight schedule that you just never know.
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If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
??? I could see being annoyed with his pencheant for writing overtures. But how is that lazy "naming?" If it's an overture, what is the issue with it being labeled as such? It would be confusing to not name it as an overture.
Because the songs are just named Overture instead of unique titles for each new project. How is that not boring from a naming standpoint even if it is an overture? Why not just call the album Transatlantic 5? That’s accurate too but boring as hell. Neal has a whole bunch of overused words in song titles that I’d like to see him avoid. Hopefully Roine or Pete will do the naming.
Since an overture plays a very specific musical role, I'm not sure why an artist would want to name it something other than "overture" (or at least have the word overture as part of the title). It seems unnecessarily confusing to label an overture as something else.
-
If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
??? I could see being annoyed with his pencheant for writing overtures. But how is that lazy "naming?" If it's an overture, what is the issue with it being labeled as such? It would be confusing to not name it as an overture.
Because the songs are just named Overture instead of unique titles for each new project. How is that not boring from a naming standpoint even if it is an overture? Why not just call the album Transatlantic 5? That’s accurate too but boring as hell. Neal has a whole bunch of overused words in song titles that I’d like to see him avoid. Hopefully Roine or Pete will do the naming.
Since an overture plays a very specific musical role, I'm not sure why an artist would want to name it something other than "overture" (or at least have the word overture as part of the title). It seems unnecessarily confusing to label an overture as something else.
Do you really think NM fans will be confused by a first track that has themes from the album?
-
If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
??? I could see being annoyed with his pencheant for writing overtures. But how is that lazy "naming?" If it's an overture, what is the issue with it being labeled as such? It would be confusing to not name it as an overture.
Because the songs are just named Overture instead of unique titles for each new project. How is that not boring from a naming standpoint even if it is an overture? Why not just call the album Transatlantic 5? That’s accurate too but boring as hell. Neal has a whole bunch of overused words in song titles that I’d like to see him avoid. Hopefully Roine or Pete will do the naming.
Since an overture plays a very specific musical role, I'm not sure why an artist would want to name it something other than "overture" (or at least have the word overture as part of the title). It seems unnecessarily confusing to label an overture as something else.
Whan he's trying to say (I think) is that Neal could put a bit more effort in naming his Overtures instead of just slamming that name tag and moving on. DT, for example, has two concept albums and both have overtures. I know I would be annoyed if the "1928" or the "Dystopian" weren't included in the title because it would seem like they didn't care enough to put a distinctive title for each. It also helps to differenciate each track when you listen to the whole catalog. Just imagine JP writes a new song about somone who regrets past decisions and calls it "Repentance", the title is technically correct, but you wouldn't want two songs by the same artist sharing the same title, would you?
-
If there's a song just called "Overture" then I might lose my mind. Absolutely the laziest naming trend in Neal Morse prog.
??? I could see being annoyed with his pencheant for writing overtures. But how is that lazy "naming?" If it's an overture, what is the issue with it being labeled as such? It would be confusing to not name it as an overture.
Because the songs are just named Overture instead of unique titles for each new project. How is that not boring from a naming standpoint even if it is an overture? Why not just call the album Transatlantic 5? That’s accurate too but boring as hell. Neal has a whole bunch of overused words in song titles that I’d like to see him avoid. Hopefully Roine or Pete will do the naming.
Since an overture plays a very specific musical role, I'm not sure why an artist would want to name it something other than "overture" (or at least have the word overture as part of the title). It seems unnecessarily confusing to label an overture as something else.
Do you really think NM fans will be confused by a first track that has themes from the album?
Your question has little to do with whether misnaming something that has structural specificity is inherently confusing. You seem to have just skipped over the point that there's no good reason to mislabel an overture as something other than an overture. That really just makes no sense.
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Mike has said Late 2020, so to me, that means AT LEAST September of next year.
This may be to accommodate a longer recording time, and to let the individual members (mostly Mike) fulfill their currently scheduled commitments for 2020 so they can tour on TA5.
I think Neal will release another Life And Times type album and tour in Spring. Roine will probably tour TFK more, and Pete always seems to be on the road with Marillion (who are probably working on a new album next year anyway). And Mike has SOA2, and that new metal band he just announced, so he seems pretty busy for the first half of 2020.
My expectation, TA5 will drop in October 2020.
-Marc.
Hoping you are wrong on this, as I was starting to look forward to a TA-themed MorseFest for 2020, but the timelines you lay out make it seem like a later release next year. I can't imagine TA would be a part of it next year if the new album isn't out by then. So I'm hoping for a summer 2020 release and maybe they can kick off a TA tour at MorseFest this time instead of ending tours like they've done with TSoaD and TGA.
I agree with your thinking, but everything's possible. FC just went on tour (and also did Morsefest) and their album isn't out yet. These guys have such a tight schedule that you just never know.
True....and they did the same with the Jesus Christ Exorcist album so there is hope yet!
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-Mike has one idea, simply titled "Mowwww"
A track written specifically for King....
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Just imagine JP writes a new song about somone who regrets past decisions and calls it "Repentance", the title is technically correct, but you wouldn't want two songs by the same artist sharing the same title, would you?
George Michael had 2 songs called Freedom, one with Wham, one solo. Fleetwood Mac had 2 songs called Angel, one by Bob Welch, one by Stevie Nicks.
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Bruce Dickinson has a song "Man Of Sorrows" (from Accident Of Birth) whereas Iron Maiden has a song called "THE Man Of Sorrows" on Book Of Souls.
Bruce also has a song called "Wicker Man" (on his Greatest Hits album) and Iron Maiden's first single from Brave New World was "THE Wicker Man".
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Bruce Dickinson has a song "Man Of Sorrows" (from Accident Of Birth) whereas Iron Maiden has a song called "THE Man Of Sorrows" on Book Of Souls.
Bruce also has a song called "Wicker Man" (on his Greatest Hits album) and Iron Maiden's first single from Brave New World was "THE Wicker Man".
And if we want to be a bit broader, "Tears of a Clown" from The Book of Souls seem a mashup of Tears of the Dragon and Shoot all the Clowns, both from Balls to Picasso :D
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Bruce Dickinson has a song "Man Of Sorrows" (from Accident Of Birth) whereas Iron Maiden has a song called "THE Man Of Sorrows" on Book Of Souls.
Bruce also has a song called "Wicker Man" (on his Greatest Hits album) and Iron Maiden's first single from Brave New World was "THE Wicker Man".
And if we want to be a bit broader, "Tears of a Clown" from The Book of Souls seem a mashup of Tears of the Dragon and Shoot all the Clowns, both from Balls to Picasso :D
I just assumed it was a sequel. ;)
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Back to the name of "Overture", it's not so much a NAME as it is a description. I'm sure there are TONS of symphonies and other similar orchestral pieces with similarly named movements, by the same composer even! It's just a way to describing, to the listener, what this portion of the piece will be about. When I see "Overture" for a piece of music, especially an epic-length piece, I have the expectation of hearing a collection of themes and motifs that will eventually be expanded upon over the following movements. In many case, particularly in Neal's cases, it works very well, and it just seems to fit his writing style.
With Transatlantic, I sort of EXPECT at least one movement to be named Overture, ever since The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope. I guess we'll find out in a year or less.
-Marc.
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Transatlantic announce a new album and DTF, instead of getting excited about it, discusses if they should name a song overture or not :facepalm:
Honestly, they could do "Eat my ass and balls" 1 through 5 for the next album and I would still be excited for the new album.
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:tup
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Transatlantic announce a new album and DTF, instead of getting excited about it, discusses if they should name a song overture or not :facepalm:
Honestly, they could do "Eat my ass and balls" 1 through 5 for the next album and I would still be excited for the new album.
Eat My Ass And Balls by Transatlantic
1. Eat
I. Overture
II. Roine's Fork
III. Pete's Spoon
IV. Neal's Knife
V. Hors d'oeuvre-ture
2. My
I. His
II. Hers
III. Ours
IV. Theirs
V. Nobody's
3. Ass (And)
I. Return Of The Giant Bush
4. Balls
I. Hemispheres Prelude
II. Blowing (Beach) Balls
III. Tea For Two, Two For Tea(bag)
IV. A Hairy Situation
V. Hit The Sack
VI. Just D-serts
VII. Grand Finale (feat. Overture)
-Marc.
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That could be a real Devin Townsend album :lol
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:lol
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I think each and every song should have its own Overture. Including the Overtures.
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It's just overtures all the way down. What's the collective noun for overtures again?
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So is "Balls" one song, or is it seven different songs? ;)
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So is "Balls" one song, or is it seven different songs? ;)
The song is 69 minutes long and takes up Disc 2. Mike wanted it to be one track but Neal urged him to let them index it into seven for easier listening. The Fuzz Bass solo in "A Hairy Situation" is one to skip to!
-Marc.
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Seems like "Balls" should only be 2 songs.
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I hate it when they just play "Tea For Two, Two For Tea(bag)" and "Hit The Sack" without the rest of the piece.
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Seems like "Balls" should only be 2 songs.
This is what I was going to say. They could do a John Kruk radio edit and have it be shortened to 1 song.
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I personally can't help but feel like they castrated the album by leaving "I'd Give My Left Nut" on the cutting room floor.
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Are you saying they dropped the ball on that one?
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I'm just saying it feels like they emasculated the album by chopping that.
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It's always a shame when one of the more energetic, fun songs doesn't make the cut. It really sounds like they were having a ball with that one.
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Don't worry, they'll release a deluxe version of it titled "Balls To The Walls" Edition, featuring all the snipped material!
-Marc.
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Don't worry, they'll release a deluxe version of it titled "Balls To The Walls" Edition, featuring all the snipped material!
-Marc.
Complete with a PROG cover of Accept's Balls To The Wall.
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Let's just all look forward to the Hugh Syme Clip-Art cover of "Eat My Ass And Balls".
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Let's just all look forward to the Hugh Syme Clip-Art cover of "Eat My Ass And Balls".
Spoiler Alert - it's a Donkey balancing on a circus ball, all on a giant platter.
-Marc.
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(https://i.imgur.com/SviWOBT.jpg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/SviWOBT.jpg)
What a huge contrast. You could say it makes a vas deferens.
-Marc.
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You could.
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(https://i.ibb.co/SPgwY0c/77587-D64-7-AAD-412-F-897-D-C678-E9499-C74.png)
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Interesting. I wonder what Roine was saying. I didn’t see anything on his Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. But I didn’t look that hard.
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Interesting. I wonder what Roine was saying. I didn’t see anything on his Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. But I didn’t look that hard.
You have to read the interview MR shared on the flower kings thread :tup
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Thanks, I see that now.
Some really good info in that interview.
- The album is written, and is now in the recording phase, where they'll record their individual parts while also fleshing out things like layering of additional sounds, synth, choirs, etc.
- Roine thinks that maybe 30% of his guitars are already done based on what he recorded in the studio
- They talked a lot of politics while writing
- He expects the recording process to be done by the end of the year, and early next year will be mixing
- He thinks it could be released by the end of the summer
The bit about politics worries me. Hopefully it doesn't make its way into the music too much. That's just my opinion though.
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If they do offer any political lyrics, I think it won't be as obvious and blatant as the stuff that TFK and Marillion have put out. I don't think they'd all agree to lyrics like that on a Transatlantic album. If they do, it might be veiled with analogies and euphemisms, which I would be OK with, especially if it fits the music.
Whatever the end results are, I think they'll have something special. This is their first time writing in Europe, so the new setting might have inspired them to do something new and different for themselves, and for the band. But sadly, it'll be nearly a year or so until we might have it in our hands. I hope they take their time on this one and give us something spectacular!
-Marc.
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I can't see Neal Morse being heavily involved in a project with lyrics that are overtly political, so I have no worries in that regard.
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The Tangent did a political album and it became their worst by a huge margin.
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The Tangent did a political album and it became their worst by a huge margin.
I mean, Galahad's Empires Never Last is a political album and I think it's their best by far. Not sure if they're up your alley, I'd say the album is kinda progressive metal in places, but Wikipedia says they're English progressive rock band so they must be progressive rock.
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The Tangent did a political album and it became their worst by a huge margin.
Are you referring to TSROFM? I happen to enjoy that one, personally speaking, and it seemed that a lot of others did too. Looking at Progarchives for average scores, it's tied (with their debut) for their 3rd highest rated studio album, falling slightly behind LSDT and Proxy. I'd say that makes it fairly popular, and at very least, far from their "worst by a huge margin", which, if you go by the PA scores, would be DAOIPAL (which is probably my least favorite Tangent album).
Either way, I think it just matters what the topics are, how its sung, and how the music fits the lyrics (or vice versa). Like I said before, I doubt the band, as a whole, would agree to overtly political lyrics, even if Roine and/or Pete felt strongly about the subject matter (considering their issues with getting into the US and work visas, etc. etc.). Neal and Mike don't seem the types to put out music of that nature unless it was vague and metaphorical.
-Marc.
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Politics or no, I’m just super happy to have a new TA album.
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Mike just posted an update on his schedule a couple hours ago. Yesterday, he finished a photo shoot for SOA's second album, now he's flying out to get ready for the Chicago FC show this Thursday, and then he's going to Neal's in Nashville to begin tracking drums for Transatlantic 5!!!
So we can finally confirm that Mike hasn't YET officially recorded his drums, but he will be doing them within the next week or so. For these albums, it always seems that the drums are first, and then once they're done, the others will begin tracking their parts as well, then finally the lyrics and vocals are completed. Given how long this process has taken in the past for The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope, I'm willing to be they'll be recording between now and December, especially since that's when Neal and Mike will be back on the road for Flying Colors, and Roine will be on the road with Kayak for the TFK Tour. Pete, on the other hand, will be touring with Marillion through all of November and the first half of December, so hopefully he'll get his tracks done before November 1st!
Either way, if they all get their parts recorded by year's end, I suspect the mixing and mastering process will begin in the late winter months, around February and March. Optimistically, the album could come out in the summer, but Mike seems to insist that it'll be a "Late 2020" release, so who knows. I think if Mike will be busy with SOA through most of next year, he'll want a later release for TA so his schedule would allow him to tour with them.
-Marc.
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I know many are assuming Morsefest next year will feature Transatlantic, but something to consider is the visa situation. IIRC, both Roine Stolt and Pete Trewavas have had issues in recent years securing visas in order to tour here in the States, and it might be hard to plan and count on TA for a Morsefest if there is any doubt about them securing the visas, no? I am sure others know more about this than I do, but it's something that occurred to me.
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I know many are assuming Morsefest next year will feature Transatlantic, but something to consider is the visa situation. IIRC, both Roine Stolt and Pete Trewavas have had issues in recent years securing visas in order to tour here in the States, and it might be hard to plan and count on TA for a Morsefest if there is any doubt about them securing the visas, no? I am sure others know more about this than I do, but it's something that occurred to me.
That's a good point. If they manage to do come to the US for ANYTHING, it might be Morsefest, but I'm sure we can count out any US shows for a TA5-Tour. If anything, it'll be a good opportunity for them to tour other places around the world, like Canada, Mexico, South America, and Japan. Actually, a live album from Japan or South America would be pretty sweet, and I'm sure the fans in non-US/European countries would love it.
Would a 2021 Cruise To The Edge appearance be possible? Is the Cruise technically *in* the US?
-Marc.
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Mike just posted earlier that he is heading to Nashville for a few days to record his drum tracks, but also for ANOTHER surprise album as well! Maybe Neal has a secret album in the works with Mike?
-Marc.
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It's probably Cover II cover three. :biggrin:
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It's probably Cover II cover three. :biggrin:
:lol
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It's probably Cover II cover three. :biggrin:
:lol
Maybe it'll be called Cover To Cover To Cover? :lol Or maybe COV3R TO COV3R?
-Marc.
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It's probably Cover II cover three. :biggrin:
:lol
Maybe it'll be called Cover To Cover To Cover? :lol Or maybe COV3R TO COV3R?
-Marc.
I’ll go with Cover III Cover :P
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It's probably Cover II cover three. :biggrin:
:lol
Maybe it'll be called Cover To Cover To Cover? :lol Or maybe COV3R TO COV3R?
-Marc.
I’ll go with Cover III Cover :P
Third Cover
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I'd buy "Cov3r To Cov3r" tomorrow. I love those disks.
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Neal just wrote:
Super excited to be diving into the new TRANSATLANTIC album starting today! What a great way to kick off 2020!
:metal
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I can think of two appropriate responses: :caffeine:
And also: :caffeine:
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If they're still recording, probably best to not expect it until late summer/early autumn at the earliest.
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I think I saw Mike mention September for Transatlantic in a Cameo he posted publicly. Sure does line up well with Morsefest :justjen
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I can think of two appropriate responses: :caffeine:
And also: :caffeine:
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I can think of two appropriate responses: :caffeine:
And also: :caffeine:
that's bosk to the absolute T I guess (haven't been around here long enough to judge, but thanks again for that one bosk)
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I think I saw Mike mention September for Transatlantic in a Cameo he posted publicly. Sure does line up well with Morsefest :justjen
Well, last year NM said that probably they will need to do MorseFest somewhere else because if what they are cooking turns out to be, they won't be able to held the event on the same venue.
I am trying to get an US Visa to attend as a friend of mine invited me. Let's see.
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I hope Daniel Gildenlöw is involved.
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If Morsefest ends up being Transatlantic this year, I sure hope that the record is out before the event. For one, I personally would rather be at least a little familiar with the material rather than hearing it for the first time in a live environment, and for two, I fear the Morsefest crowd will get the short shrift with regards to new material like this past year with Flying Colors, where the crowds at later shows inexplicably got more newer songs than the Morsefest one.
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If Morsefest ends up being Transatlantic this year, I sure hope that the record is out before the event. For one, I personally would rather be at least a little familiar with the material rather than hearing it for the first time in a live environment, and for two, I fear the Morsefest crowd will get the short shrift with regards to new material like this past year with Flying Colors, where the crowds at later shows inexplicably got more newer songs than the Morsefest one.
It does suck that the Morsefest 2019 crowd got less new songs, but it was also the band's first live show together in awhile, IIRC< and they probably didn't have much time to rehearse the new material quickly enough to play it up to speed for a Morsefest release. I suspect that we may see Flying Colors at Morsefest again before their next studio album, and in that case, perhaps we'll get a more balanced setlist of songs from all three albums.
As for debuting new TA material at Morsefest, I think if they play their cards right, the album might come out just before Morsefest. Neal and co. are usually pretty good about sorting that kind of thing out, and since Mike has already finished his drum tracks, it's just up to the others to record their finished parts, which probably will be done by early Spring. Then it's off to Rich for mixing and then it'll get mastered by Summer for a late-summer/early-fall release. I doubt we'll see a full-on TA Tour this year, though, given how busy Mike seems to be, but I think he'd make time for Morsefest if it was for Transatlantic. If he can fit in TA shows by the end of the year, we will probably see them do exactly what Flying Colors did in 2019 - play at Morsefest as a warm-up to the tour, then play the tour through the fall months.
My question is - would fans rather see TA play one or two albums in their entirety, and play a couple of new songs, or attempt to play most or all of their new material, even if it ends up sounding a bit rough? Given Neal's penchant for wanting to perform whole albums at Morsefest, I would be willing to be he'd do one of each TA's first two albums both nights, then do a couple of newer songs as the 2nd half of each night, and maybe pepper in some Kaleidoscope or Whirlwind pieces. That way, we get some new material but also the "full album performed live" experience that was absent with Flying Colors last year.
-Marc.
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If Morsefest ends up being Transatlantic this year, I sure hope that the record is out before the event. For one, I personally would rather be at least a little familiar with the material rather than hearing it for the first time in a live environment, and for two, I fear the Morsefest crowd will get the short shrift with regards to new material like this past year with Flying Colors, where the crowds at later shows inexplicably got more newer songs than the Morsefest one.
Honest question: why "inexplicably"? When I saw FC in NY, I got I think two more songs than Morsefest, but the people that went to Morsefest got..., well, MORSEFEST. I don't think it's a fair comparison, and it's certainly not an uncommon circumstance (similar to casino/festival shows; the free shows at Mohegan here in CT are typical 90 minutes, hard stop. I know both Slash and UFO dropped at least two songs to fit the time frame).
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If Morsefest is Transatlantic and a 2-night affair as usual, I'd be shocked if The Whirlwind wasn't played in full one of the nights. That is the one concept record Neal has been involved with that hasn't been played in full at a Morsefest, so it would make sense. Snow, Testimony, One, ?, Sola Scriptura, Similitude, The Great Adventure and The Exorcist have all been played in full at Morsefest (as well as Disc 1 of T2 if we want to cheat and count Disc 1 of that as a concept album on its own).
Honest question: why "inexplicably"? When I saw FC in NY, I got I think two more songs than Morsefest, but the people that went to Morsefest got..., well, MORSEFEST. I don't think it's a fair comparison, and it's certainly not an uncommon circumstance (similar to casino/festival shows; the free shows at Mohegan here in CT are typical 90 minutes, hard stop. I know both Slash and UFO dropped at least two songs to fit the time frame).
Because Morsefest is supposed to be special, where you get a little extra instead of just a normal set list, and the later shows getting more new songs was odd. Same thing happened in '17 where Night 2 was just Similitude and the encore that had been played for most of the tour. I will admit that as awesome as that night was, there was a slight letdown feeling during the encore when The Call (the final encore) began and I realized we weren't getting anything extra song-wise at Morsefest. Night 1 was actually slightly more enjoyable, and one of my top 5 shows ever, as it was a killer set list (Lifeline, So Many Roads, Supernatural, Seeds of Gold and then all of Disc 1 of T2) and there were no expectations in my head that caused an overthinker like me to feel let down for a split second. ;)
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...it'll get mastered by Summer for a late-summer/early-fall release. I doubt we'll see a full-on TA Tour this year...
Pete Trewavas is only available for a TA tour this year - Marillion are back on the album/tour cycle in 2021.
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...it'll get mastered by Summer for a late-summer/early-fall release. I doubt we'll see a full-on TA Tour this year...
Pete Trewavas is only available for a TA tour this year - Marillion are back on the album/tour cycle in 2021.
That's news to me, and if true, then I suspect they will try to do a small Fall/Winter tour later this year, similar to what Flying Colors did last year. They could do a dozen dates and be done with it, to be honest, and that might be enough - I'm not sure they'll do any US tour dates, though, considering Pete and Roine might not be able to get work visas to tour here, since that was their concern with writing sessions being at Neal's this time around, so if there are any North American dates, they may be in Canada and Mexico only.
Either way, I'm sure between the four of them (and maybe Daniel Gildenlow and/or Ted Leonard), they'll work something out, especially if they feel strongly about the new material enough to want to play it live for the fans!
-Marc.
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Yep, the visa issues may make it difficult to plan for Transatlantic at Morsefest this year. I'd be bummed if Morsefest was done in another country as a result. That aside, I cannot imagine Transatlantic releasing a new album and then not touring on it, even if it's just a dozen shows or so.
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...it'll get mastered by Summer for a late-summer/early-fall release. I doubt we'll see a full-on TA Tour this year...
Pete Trewavas is only available for a TA tour this year - Marillion are back on the album/tour cycle in 2021.
That's news to me, and if true, then I suspect they will try to do a small Fall/Winter tour later this year, similar to what Flying Colors did last year. They could do a dozen dates and be done with it, to be honest, and that might be enough - I'm not sure they'll do any US tour dates, though, considering Pete and Roine might not be able to get work visas to tour here, since that was their concern with writing sessions being at Neal's this time around, so if there are any North American dates, they may be in Canada and Mexico only.
Either way, I'm sure between the four of them (and maybe Daniel Gildenlow and/or Ted Leonard), they'll work something out, especially if they feel strongly about the new material enough to want to play it live for the fans!
-Marc.
I suppose it's possible we could get screwed out of US dates. Hope not. It would be pretty sad if there has to be a US Transatlantic and a Euro one.
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Looks like the new album will be out in September. That is straight from Neal's mouth (via his monthly Inner Circle newsletter).
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Looks like the new album will be out in September. That is straight from Neal's mouth (via his monthly Inner Circle newsletter).
I read that earlier this morning, meant to post about it here, but got caught up in the new Kansas album news and forgot about Transatlantic. Oops.
But yes, good to have a (tentative) release month. I'm sure it'll be late September, just to make sure they've got all of the mixes and overdubs and lyrics right before Rich finishes the mix (because as recent documentaries have shown, Neal is prone to sending Rich new files even during the mastering process). I wonder if this means that Neal and Mike plan to tour Europe in the fall after the album comes out?
-Marc.
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I'm not sure they'll do any US tour dates, though, considering Pete and Roine might not be able to get work visas to tour here, since that was their concern with writing sessions being at Neal's this time around, so if there are any North American dates, they may be in Canada and Mexico only.
I've spent the last few years sharing your frustrations that the US government makes it so hard for overseas artists to tour the US, but the UK seems to be following suit - Priti Patel is highly unlikely to let any foreigners in to the UK (especially Euro-Traitor Swedes,) so I suspect UK dates will be off the table too!
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I'm not sure they'll do any US tour dates, though, considering Pete and Roine might not be able to get work visas to tour here, since that was their concern with writing sessions being at Neal's this time around, so if there are any North American dates, they may be in Canada and Mexico only.
I've spent the last few years sharing your frustrations that the US government makes it so hard for overseas artists to tour the US, but the UK seems to be following suit - Priti Patel is highly unlikely to let any foreigners in to the UK (especially Euro-Traitor Swedes,) so I suspect UK dates will be off the table too!
Looks like mainland Europe might be the only tour options for Transatlantic, then. And perhaps Canada and Mexico, but who knows how international travel will be in the next 7-8 months.
Honestly, I am just excited to hear ANY news about TA5, so knowing we will get it in September excites me! Might be my 2020 album of the year!
-Marc.
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I'm not sure they'll do any US tour dates, though, considering Pete and Roine might not be able to get work visas to tour here, since that was their concern with writing sessions being at Neal's this time around, so if there are any North American dates, they may be in Canada and Mexico only.
I've spent the last few years sharing your frustrations that the US government makes it so hard for overseas artists to tour the US, but the UK seems to be following suit - Priti Patel is highly unlikely to let any foreigners in to the UK (especially Euro-Traitor Swedes,) so I suspect UK dates will be off the table too!
Looks like mainland Europe might be the only tour options for Transatlantic, then. And perhaps Canada and Mexico, but who knows how international travel will be in the next 7-8 months.
Honestly, I am just excited to hear ANY news about TA5, so knowing we will get it in September excites me! Might be my 2020 album of the year!
-Marc.
We should know what we're dealing with tourwise within the next few months.
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Happy twentieth birthday to SMPTe!
https://progreport.com/transatlantic-debut-album-smpte-released-20-years-ago/
An album that really did kind of change my perspective on music and opened me up to the broader world of prog (beyond DT and prog metal).
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I laughed when I saw the album title because I grew up with Frank Zappa's album Sheik Yerbouti, which has a song on it called "Baby Snakes", which has a verse that rhymes the word "empty" with "SMPTE", which stands for Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and I knew that Portnoy was a big Zappa fan, so when I saw that the title of the album was SMPTe, I had to assume that it was Portnoy's idea, although since Stolt is also a Zappa fan (and possibly the others), he may not have had to push too hard, and this is probably the longest sentence that I will write today.
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Happy twentieth birthday to SMPTe!
https://progreport.com/transatlantic-debut-album-smpte-released-20-years-ago/
An album that really did kind of change my perspective on music and opened me up to the broader world of prog (beyond DT and prog metal).
You and me both. Before this album, DT was really the only modern prog I was listening to, but Transatlantic opened the door for me to the Flower Kings and Spock's Beard, both of whom became two of my favorites, and of course eventually the solo career of Neal Morse and later the Neal Morse Band. So yeah, SMPTe is not only an awesome album when judging it in a vacuum, but it's one of the most influential albums in my growth as a music listener. :coolio :hat
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Yep. Not only did TA serve as an entry point to Spock’s Beard, Marillion, and the Flower Kong’s, but it also encourage me to explore early Genesis, and eventually all manner of different prog acts.
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I was pretty late into Transatlantic. The Whirlwind was my entry to them, so I had two previous albums to check out as well. It was also my first exposure to Neal Morse.
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I have to reiterate HOF and KevSchmev's experience. A vital band in terms of opening wide the floodgates of modern progressive rock.
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All of the Above is one of my favorite TA songs, and I think it's better than the epics on Bridge Across Forever.
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Just finished listening to All of the Above, and while all three epics (plus I’d add My New World) are neck and neck for me, All of the Above is incredibly special. Roine’s guitar solo at the end just got me.
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We All Need Some Light might be my favorite song from that album. Killer live tune too.
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We All Need Some Light might be my favorite song from that album. Killer live tune too.
It’s certainly a song I come back to often.
Another story, I first got SMPTe on Labor Day 2001, about a week before 9/11. We All Need Some Light was certainly appropriate for those times, as it is again right now.
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I'll chime in as well, also echoing sentiments that Transatlantic helped me widen the scope of my modern prog collection. Transatlantic were key in getting me to discover Neal Morse/Spock's Beard, as well as Roine Stolt/The Flower Kings (and every other TFK member's output and side-projects). Without Transatlantic, I might not have discovered those bands as early as I did (around 2004-2005), right around when Neal and Roine were hitting a stride with their output!
SMPTe, to me, was the harder of their first two albums for me to get into. I liked AOTA well enough, but the epics on Bridge Across Forever just hit me harder and faster. I did eventually grow to love SMPTe about as much as BAF, and the opening epic just floors me everytime I hear it.
I rarely listen to the original mix anymore, though, as I have grown accustomed to the Roine Stolt Mixes version of the album, which punches up the bass a bit and includes some extra guitar work that was cut from the final mix, which really helps give the album a more well-rounded sound that matches their later output. Taking out some of the guitars and vocal bits kind of made the album Neal-heavy IMO, so the Stolt Mixes really even that out for me.
-Marc.
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For quite a while after the second album came out, I preferred Stranger in Your Soul, but I have now gone back to All of the Above being not only my favorite TA song, but probably my 2nd favorite song by anyone (2112 is still number 1).
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I will note that I have always and still do dislike the cover of In Held ('Twas in I). I just never got anything out of it and it doesn’t live up to the standard of the rest of the album. I wish they had saved it for a bonus disc like with their other covers. At any rate, since there is almost an hour of original music otherwise, I’ve always just mentally disregarded it when thinking about SMPTe.
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I will note that I have always and still do dislike the cover of In Held ('Twas in I). I just never got anything out of it and it doesn’t live up to the standard of the rest of the album. I wish they had saved it for a bonus disc like with their other covers. At any rate, since there is almost an hour of original music otherwise, I’ve always just mentally disregarded it when thinking about SMPTe.
It's been a while since I've listened to that first studio album. It's probably my least listened to studio album behind Kaleidoscope.
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As much as I love BAF and The Whirlwind (Kaleidoscope was a letdown unfortunately), SMPTe still has that early 00's new MP side-project appeal and is an absolute blast to listen to 20 years later. The formula they used to make epics hadn't been established yet so All of the Above sounds fresh and My New World has those grandiose Roine melodies that he seems to have lost the ability/desire to create after 2002. The other songs are great too but nothing can touch those longer tracks.
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The only thing I dislike about SMPTe (that I recall) is that super long and, imo, unnecesary cover song. Other than that, It's my 2nd favorite TA album right after The Whirlwind.
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MP posted on FB:
Work continues on the next Transatlantic album...the 4 of us just spent an hour on a Skype call (Roine’s camera was off) making a bunch of creative decisions...
In true TA fashion we just have TOO MUCH music and too many ideas!! 😂😂
(I guess that’s a good problem to have)
Although we wrote & arranged the album together in Sweden and I then tracked my drums in Nashville last Oct, we still have been making adjustments to a lot of things (tweaks to the arrangements, who is going to sing what, etc...) so it’s still very much a work in PROGress! 😎
Hopefully the end result is not too far away as I know “We All Need Some Light” now 🙏
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As much as I love BAF and The Whirlwind (Kaleidoscope was a letdown unfortunately), SMPTe still has that early 00's new MP side-project appeal and is an absolute blast to listen to 20 years later. The formula they used to make epics hadn't been established yet so All of the Above sounds fresh and My New World has those grandiose Roine melodies that he seems to have lost the ability/desire to create after 2002. The other songs are great too but nothing can touch those longer tracks.
Kaleidoscope always sounds somewhat fresh to me because other than a few hooks I can't remember it. It's the only Transatlantic album that I have that problem with. I guess it just doesn't resonate.
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MP posted on FB:
Work continues on the next Transatlantic album...the 4 of us just spent an hour on a Skype call (Roine’s camera was off) making a bunch of creative decisions...
In true TA fashion we just have TOO MUCH music and too many ideas!! 😂😂
(I guess that’s a good problem to have)
Although we wrote & arranged the album together in Sweden and I then tracked my drums in Nashville last Oct, we still have been making adjustments to a lot of things (tweaks to the arrangements, who is going to sing what, etc...) so it’s still very much a work in PROGress! 😎
Hopefully the end result is not too far away as I know “We All Need Some Light” now 🙏
I'd rather they take their time with it and get it right rather than be in a hurry to meet a deadline. It's not like people won't want to see them if the new album isn't ready yet.
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Cool pic I saw on the Transatlantic Twitter page (from Portnoy's Twitter page) today:
(https://i.ibb.co/Vj5tN7d/TA.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Qbtfc2Z)
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I saw that, too. The sixth anniversary of the six-piece version of Transatlantic. :tup
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Yep. I knew Trewavas was not a tall guy, but seeing that really highlighted how short he is. He looks like a dwarf standing in between Neal and Portnoy, neither of whom are particularly tall either. Just an observation.
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Yep. I knew Trewavas was not a tall guy, but seeing that really highlighted how short he is. He looks like a dwarf standing in between Neal and Portnoy, neither of whom are particularly tall either. Just an observation.
He's a hobbit.
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Yep. I knew Trewavas was not a tall guy, but seeing that really highlighted how short he is. He looks like a dwarf standing in between Neal and Portnoy, neither of whom are particularly tall either. Just an observation.
Dunno how tall Roine is, but I was surprised how tall Daniel is - can only imagine how tiny Pete would look standing right next to him!
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https://youtu.be/6RrzoXjL4_A
Near the end of the interview, Neal says TA5 won't come out til early 2021.
Kind of a bummer as I was hoping for a holiday release, but ah well, what can ya do. I guess having Sola Gratia finished first pushed back TA5 since Rich is mixing both, and Neal wanted Sola Gratia out before Morsefest.
-Marc.
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Blame the pandemic. I am sure they would have liked to have gotten the album out and toured this year as a 20th anniversary-type deal, but I guess 2021 will have to suffice.
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Blame the pandemic. I am sure they would have liked to have gotten the album out and toured this year as a 20th anniversary-type deal, but I guess 2021 will have to suffice.
Well, the pandemic DID lead to Neal writing Sola Gratia, so yeah, I blame the pandemic too!
In a non-pandemic alternate timeline, TA5 would've been out by September and would have headlined Morsefest 2020, but we get a Morse solo album in between. I guess that gives Pete and Roine more time to sort out their work visas to tour in the US whenever Transatlantic takes flight again.
Maybe Morsefest 2021 will feature Transatlantic if Mike's, Roine's, and Pete's schedules all line up?
-Marc.
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Blame the pandemic. I am sure they would have liked to have gotten the album out and toured this year as a 20th anniversary-type deal, but I guess 2021 will have to suffice.
Well, the pandemic DID lead to Neal writing Sola Gratia, so yeah, I blame the pandemic too!
In a non-pandemic alternate timeline, TA5 would've been out by September and would have headlined Morsefest 2020, but we get a Morse solo album in between. I guess that gives Pete and Roine more time to sort out their work visas to tour in the US whenever Transatlantic takes flight again.
Maybe Morsefest 2021 will feature Transatlantic if Mike's, Roine's, and Pete's schedules all line up?
-Marc.
Hard to say. I can't see them wanting to release the new album early in the year and then waiting till later in the year to tour, if touring is possible early in 2021, and I also don't see Neal moving Morsefest up till early in the year, so I guess it all depends.
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I guess I really should change the thread title.
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I'm OK with it. I'd rather they get it right.
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So I've recently watched just about every TA video in the last couple of weeks (documentaries and live concert), but I couldn't recall where I once saw Mike exclaim to Roine that he ended up using a possible TA-Fdemo on a TFK album (I think if was "Monster Within" from Space Revolver). I thought it would've been in either Building The Bridge or the Live In Europe Tour Documentary, but I don't remember running across it.
Am I going crazy and making this moment up, or did it really happen?
Edit- I found an interview where Roine says he used some demos he brought to the SMPTe sessions in Space Revolver.
...I write songs and then I bring a demo tape to Transatlantic and I bring a demo tape to Flower Kings sessions. On "Space Revolver" I think it was "Monster Within" and maybe "Slave To Money" and maybe something more that was intended for Transatlantic but I used it for Flower Kings. On "The Rainmaker" I used some stuff that was on my demo for Transatlantic, but I don't remember exactly. I know that things like "City Of Anges", or rather parts of it, were on my demo for Transatlantic and "Serious Dreamers" was on my demo for Transatlantic. Maybe parts of "Last Minute On Earth" were also on my demo, and "Elaine" was there for sure.
http://metalkings.com/reviews/flowerkings/flowerkings.htm
I still swear I remember seeing a video clip of Mike hearing Space Revolver, which came out around the time of the first Transatlantic US tour in the summer of 2000, and heard a song and said something to Roine like "hey! I thought you/we we're going to save this for Transatlantic!"
-Marc.
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It's probably Cover II cover three. :biggrin:
:lol
Maybe it'll be called Cover To Cover To Cover? :lol Or maybe COV3R TO COV3R?
-Marc.
Went back through the thread and noticed I totally called the title of the new Morse Portnoy George cover album. :rollin
-Marc.
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To be honest, I also don't mind the band taking more time to work on TA5. I think one of Mike Portnoys major flaws of the past decade (and thats criticizing him on a very high level, so please don't get me wrong) is this weird concept of getting together, writing, recording, tracking and mastering an album IN THE STUDIO in a couple days and then just moving on to the next project. Thats how Sons Of Apollo do it (which you can totally hear in their first two albums) and it's also what he likes to do with other projects. Maybe, for all the shit that it caused, the pandemic did some good here, slamming the breaks on TA5.
Neal Morse is such an endless source of ideas and MP has proven over his entire career that he knows how to make a great album. But in order to be mature, round and somewhat memorable, you have to lay the material to rest, give it time to develop and pick it up again at another point to continue forging it into the final result. That's why IQ - Resistance was 5 years in the making for example. Why MP always rushes to get everything out there as quickly as possible and then continues to jump to the next and the next and so on is beyond me. I doubt that he needs the money and it does not exactly further his reputation either.
Anyway I am really excited for TA5. I hope it's just one or two giant epics...
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To be honest, I also don't mind the band taking more time to work on TA5. I think one of Mike Portnoys major flaws of the past decade (and thats criticizing him on a very high level, so please don't get me wrong) is this weird concept of getting together, writing, recording, tracking and mastering an album IN THE STUDIO in a couple days and then just moving on to the next project. Thats how Sons Of Apollo do it (which you can totally hear in their first two albums) and it's also what he likes to do with other projects. Maybe, for all the shit that it caused, the pandemic did some good here, slamming the breaks on TA5.
Neal Morse is such an endless source of ideas and MP has proven over his entire career that he knows how to make a great album. But in order to be mature, round and somewhat memorable, you have to lay the material to rest, give it time to develop and pick it up again at another point to continue forging it into the final result. That's why IQ - Resistance was 5 years in the making for example. Why MP always rushes to get everything out there as quickly as possible and then continues to jump to the next and the next and so on is beyond me. I doubt that he needs the money and it does not exactly further his reputation either.
Anyway I am really excited for TA5. I hope it's just one or two giant epics...
Not to play therapist, but I noticed the trait came out more once Portnoy stopped drinking. You can hear it starting from 6DOIT. It was his way of coping and dealing with Alcoholism, his venture to stay away from it. Neal also could've been his inspiration and someone he could lean on, as they began working on Transatlantic around this time.
It doesn't bother me, one bit either, as we got some amazing side-projects. Do I wish he would've taken the time on some albums? YES. But it's how he works and it's who he is. It's a part of the Mike Portnoy package, you get when you work with him on projects HE helped form.
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To be honest, I also don't mind the band taking more time to work on TA5. I think one of Mike Portnoys major flaws of the past decade (and thats criticizing him on a very high level, so please don't get me wrong) is this weird concept of getting together, writing, recording, tracking and mastering an album IN THE STUDIO in a couple days and then just moving on to the next project. Thats how Sons Of Apollo do it (which you can totally hear in their first two albums) and it's also what he likes to do with other projects.
Regarding the bolded part, no, that's NOT how SoA do it. I don't know the full story behind the debut album, but I know that's not how MMXX happened. While the basic songs may have been written out within a short period of time, and MP laid down his drum tracks, that doesn't mean that all the other guys banged everything out at the same rapid pace. In fact, I had heard that the other guys worked on their respective parts, building on to what was written during the initial writing session. Also, the fact that JSS and Billy were not involved in the initial writing session certainly gives credence to this (which was also the case with SoA's debut) - each needed time to work on their parts - especially JSS in writing lyrics and coming up with vocal melodies. So unlike LTE where everything was banged out within a matter of a week or two as you posted, this was not the case with MMXX and probably wasn't with the debut, either. And I'm pretty sure this is similar to how Flying Colors and TA both work.
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To be honest, I also don't mind the band taking more time to work on TA5. I think one of Mike Portnoys major flaws of the past decade (and thats criticizing him on a very high level, so please don't get me wrong) is this weird concept of getting together, writing, recording, tracking and mastering an album IN THE STUDIO in a couple days and then just moving on to the next project. Thats how Sons Of Apollo do it (which you can totally hear in their first two albums) and it's also what he likes to do with other projects.
Regarding the bolded part, no, that's NOT how SoA do it. I don't know the full story behind the debut album, but I know that's not how MMXX happened. While the basic songs may have been written out within a short period of time, and MP laid down his drum tracks, that doesn't mean that all the other guys banged everything out at the same rapid pace. In fact, I had heard that the other guys worked on their respective parts, building on to what was written during the initial writing session. Also, the fact that JSS and Billy were not involved in the initial writing session certainly gives credence to this (which was also the case with SoA's debut) - each needed time to work on their parts - especially JSS in writing lyrics and coming up with vocal melodies. So unlike LTE where everything was banged out within a matter of a week or two as you posted, this was not the case with MMXX and probably wasn't with the debut, either. And I'm pretty sure this is similar to how Flying Colors and TA both work.
Having recently re-watched a lot of the Making Of documentaries for Transatlantic and Neal Morse albums in the last few weeks, I can say that, while the writing sessions may take a week or two, the songs written are usually based on demos by the band members, some of which may be YEARS old by the time they get into the studio. Transatlantic's studio time isn't JUST writing, but also arranging and crafting songs from various demos by Roine, Pete and Neal. Even when they are done arranging the music, and Mike tracks his drums (sometimes during or right after the writing/arranging sessions, though in the case of TA 5, Mike tracked his drums weeks/months after the initial sessions), the others take their time to refine and record their parts and overdubs. The lyrics and vocals may not even happen until months after the initial sessions, and the albums don't even get MIXED (let alone mastered) until several months, or over half a year, after their initial sessions.
The idea that they do all of their "writing, recording, tracking and mastering an album IN THE STUDIO in a couple days" is really hyperbolic and really downplays how well Mike works with his fellow band mates in his various projects. If all of the music sucked, then yeah, it could be a problem, but bands like Transatlantic, Flying Colors, and even Sons Of Apollo and The Winery Dogs, all have wide fanbases and many of them love the music they all put out, so if it ain't broken, why fix it? Mike's working formula works, so until he gets a HUGE bomb on his hands, I doubt he'll change his methods. But as Scotty said, it's not just Mike that makes these albums possible, and his band mates do continue to work on the music months after their initial sessions in the studio.
-Marc.
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To be honest, I also don't mind the band taking more time to work on TA5. I think one of Mike Portnoys major flaws of the past decade (and thats criticizing him on a very high level, so please don't get me wrong) is this weird concept of getting together, writing, recording, tracking and mastering an album IN THE STUDIO in a couple days and then just moving on to the next project. Thats how Sons Of Apollo do it (which you can totally hear in their first two albums) and it's also what he likes to do with other projects.
Regarding the bolded part, no, that's NOT how SoA do it. I don't know the full story behind the debut album, but I know that's not how MMXX happened. While the basic songs may have been written out within a short period of time, and MP laid down his drum tracks, that doesn't mean that all the other guys banged everything out at the same rapid pace. In fact, I had heard that the other guys worked on their respective parts, building on to what was written during the initial writing session. Also, the fact that JSS and Billy were not involved in the initial writing session certainly gives credence to this (which was also the case with SoA's debut) - each needed time to work on their parts - especially JSS in writing lyrics and coming up with vocal melodies. So unlike LTE where everything was banged out within a matter of a week or two as you posted, this was not the case with MMXX and probably wasn't with the debut, either. And I'm pretty sure this is similar to how Flying Colors and TA both work.
SoA debut felt more like a mix between the Jam style writing (LTE) and the song writing (Flying Colors). Coming together to jam and finding the right style/styles to start writing songs in. For MMXX, they know the bands sound and where they can take it, so Derek, Bumblefoot, and MP each would already have ideas specific for SoA. These are what they brought in to turn into songs.
I think of it as homework. The main band songwriter or the one who is the final say decider like Steven Wilson, Mikael Akerfeldt, or Daniel Gildenlow, could ask the others they want to convene and start writing an album. From there, the others gather ideas already in mind that may fit the band style. Unless said Head Member says otherwise. ;D
MP is a good drummer and has an ear for song arranging, which really helps when creating a song, cause he then can stop the band and switch it up to form a basic arrangement. That alone can tremendously speed up the writing process.
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Having recently re-watched a lot of the Making Of documentaries for Transatlantic and Neal Morse albums in the last few weeks, I can say that, while the writing sessions may take a week or two, the songs written are usually based on demos by the band members, some of which may be YEARS old by the time they get into the studio. Transatlantic's studio time isn't JUST writing, but also arranging and crafting songs from various demos by Roine, Pete and Neal. Even when they are done arranging the music, and Mike tracks his drums (sometimes during or right after the writing/arranging sessions, though in the case of TA 5, Mike tracked his drums weeks/months after the initial sessions), the others take their time to refine and record their parts and overdubs. The lyrics and vocals may not even happen until months after the initial sessions, and the albums don't even get MIXED (let alone mastered) until several months, or over half a year, after their initial sessions.
The idea that they do all of their "writing, recording, tracking and mastering an album IN THE STUDIO in a couple days" is really hyperbolic and really downplays how well Mike works with his fellow band mates in his various projects. If all of the music sucked, then yeah, it could be a problem, but bands like Transatlantic, Flying Colors, and even Sons Of Apollo and The Winery Dogs, all have wide fanbases and many of them love the music they all put out, so if it ain't broken, why fix it? Mike's working formula works, so until he gets a HUGE bomb on his hands, I doubt he'll change his methods. But as Scotty said, it's not just Mike that makes these albums possible, and his band mates do continue to work on the music months after their initial sessions in the studio.
I am not arguing against his methods working well for the most part, but to push back on this a little, I think most would agree that Adrenaline Mob was a major bomb, and while not a bomb, Sons of Apollo appears to be pretty underwhelming thus far by most accounts (not talking reviews, since many prog reviewers will always give certain artists good reviews no matter what, for fear of becoming an outcast in that tiny part of the industry). As we have said before, Portnoy's methods work best when he is with a really good/great songwriter in the same band, which he has/had with Transatlantic, Neal Morse Band, Flying Colors and Dream Theater, but didn't really have with A-Mob or doesn't have with SoA. In other words, take away John Petrucci and Neal Morse, and the massive drop in music quality in Portnoy's collaborations, generally speaking, is more than obvious, IMO.
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Yeah, agree with this. These bands do not have a wide fan base and some have pretty much bombed. Sons Of Apollo just about limped to a second album and I would be very surprised if we see a third. AMob was similar. Even bands that are a little more well thought of like Flying Colors and Winery Dogs, I’m not sure they’re pulling up any trees in terms of album or ticket sales.
Mike had some decent success with JP in Dream Theater and has had success (albeit on a smaller scale) with Neal Morse in Transatlantic and Neal Morse Band. Take those two mega talents away and he has struggled to replicate that success. I’m not sure it’s anything to do with how those bands write and record, I think it’s a combination of those bands not being filled with songwriting talent and also that they are mostly side projects for most of the people concerned. Winery Dogs is not Richie Kotzen’s primary focus, Sons Of Apollo is not Soto or Sheehan or Thal’s primary focus and Flying Colors is not anyone’s primary focus. They aren’t going to give their best stuff to those bands and many of them don’t have too much success even with their best stuff. You could say the same about Transatlantic of course but Neal just seems to have an endless well of great music. I don’t think he needs to hold stuff back and I’m not sure how similar TA is to Flower Kings so maybe it’s a bit of an outlet for a different side of Roine. It certainly seems to be that for Pete Trewavas. They just seem to be the exception to the rule for side projects and magic happens when they come together.
I do agree however that Transatlantic albums are not written in a weekend. They all (Neal and Roine in particular as they are the main writers) come prepared to those sessions with lots of ideas that are then expanded upon during the sessions.
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After listening to Bridge Across Forever in full again, I honestly could call it a 100% perfect album; every song is a 10/10. That would actually be the first album I'd ever say that about. Now, that doesn't mean BAF is my favorite album of all time, or that any one song would rank in my all-time favorite songs (there is a particular flaw in Stranger in Your Soul that I may or may not get over, that being the very long echo of "time" when it transitions into the ambient section), but it's easily the most consistently amazing album I've ever heard.
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I am not arguing against his methods working well for the most part, but to push back on this a little, I think most would agree that Adrenaline Mob was a major bomb, and while not a bomb, Sons of Apollo appears to be pretty underwhelming thus far by most accounts (not talking reviews, since many prog reviewers will always give certain artists good reviews no matter what, for fear of becoming an outcast in that tiny part of the industry). As we have said before, Portnoy's methods work best when he is with a really good/great songwriter in the same band, which he has/had with Transatlantic, Neal Morse Band, Flying Colors and Dream Theater, but didn't really have with A-Mob or doesn't have with SoA. In other words, take away John Petrucci and Neal Morse, and the massive drop in music quality in Portnoy's collaborations, generally speaking, is more than obvious, IMO.
Totally agree with everything you wrote.
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After listening to Bridge Across Forever in full again, I honestly could call it a 100% perfect album; every song is a 10/10. That would actually be the first album I'd ever say that about. Now, that doesn't mean BAF is my favorite album of all time, or that any one song would rank in my all-time favorite songs (there is a particular flaw in Stranger in Your Soul that I may or may not get over, that being the very long echo of "time" when it transitions into the ambient section), but it's easily the most consistently amazing album I've ever heard.
It’s been one of my favorite albums from the time it was released. I agree, there are no major weak points on the album.
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After listening to Bridge Across Forever in full again, I honestly could call it a 100% perfect album; every song is a 10/10. That would actually be the first album I'd ever say that about. Now, that doesn't mean BAF is my favorite album of all time, or that any one song would rank in my all-time favorite songs (there is a particular flaw in Stranger in Your Soul that I may or may not get over, that being the very long echo of "time" when it transitions into the ambient section), but it's easily the most consistently amazing album I've ever heard.
Honestly I don't like it that much, but it's really good anyway. The only song I can't stand is Suite Charlotte Pike.
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I am never a fan of that hidden track nonsense, which is tacked on to the end of Stranger in Your Soul (that I deleted from my version of it a long time ago), but otherwise Bridge Across Forever is a perfect album, as is SMPTe. The Whirlwind is nearly perfect; I still wish the first track wasn't so underwhelming.
I finally watched the KaLIVEoscope DVD at a friend's last night and was pretty underwhelmed by it. I won't go so far as to say the band was going through the motions, but the excitement and energy seen on previous tours didn't seem to be there, IMO. I don't think the lackluster crowd helped either. I guess I see now why the guys film so many live concerts in Tilburg, as the crowd there is always full of energy and loud.
Anyway, if we can assume for the sake of argument that the forthcoming 5th album is around 70-75 minutes and that all or most of it played on the subsequent tour (whenever that is), it will be interesting to see what songs from the first four albums make up the rest of the set list. I fear that all of the 20 minute plus epics will all be lumped into several medleys, that way they can play some of all of them, and I would imagine a chunk of The Whirlwind would get played again. Would be cool to see the return of Mystery Train.
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I always loved the first 2 albums but the Whirlwind took a little time, possibly even years. I think I played it on a train journey once and suddenly I was like “I love all of this album”. The last one is another absolutely brilliant album but (and this is nitpicking) there are some moments where stuff is repeated too much. Where they literally repeat a few bars of generic dull riffing over and over again one after the other and I’m wishing they would move on to the next part of the song. This is probably a minute out of 20 min songs so it is not the end of the world. The amazing stuff massively outweighs the little nitpicks. They’re 4 for 4 with me so can’t wait for the next one.
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So I’ve still never heard The Whirlwind. By the time the band reformed I had drifted away from prog and had mostly given up on Neal Morse’s post-SB style, and I was also out on DT by that time as well so my confidence in half the band was low. I think I probably also heard some samples that scared me away from it.
Basically I had such fond memories of the first two albums and held them in such high regard that I was afraid the band doing something substandard would sort of tarnish the first two albums.
After I started getting more into prog again after several years, I eventually did get Kaleidoscope because Radiant was selling it for like $3 or something. And I felt pretty much like I expected to feel when I decided to avoid The Whirlwind.
So I’m only very cautiously optimistic about the 5th TA offering. I’ve recently become a bigger Flower Kings fan, so I really want to see them return to form somehow. That said, recent TFK stuff hasn’t grabbed me either. So who knows!
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You should give it a whirl (groan!), it’s a really good record. Some people complained that Neal’s more religious themed lyrics began to appear but it’s not really in your face. It’s also different in that it’s shorter more manageable songs rather than huge 20 min epics.
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Yeah, the Whirlwind is fantastic and easily on par with the first two albums (in my opinion, it surpasses both of them). I would not judge it by Kaleidoscope, as I think most people view that as a step down. I still enjoy it, but not nearly as much as the first three.
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I am never a fan of that hidden track nonsense, which is tacked on to the end of Stranger in Your Soul (that I deleted from my version of it a long time ago), but otherwise Bridge Across Forever is a perfect album, as is SMPTe.
A very long time ago, I took the end-jam of SCP from the end of SIYS and re-inserted it at the end of the track proper (undoing the fade-out and fade-in as well). Getting them to line-up perfectly took a bit of work, but now the song is an epic 17:06 long, and the sound effects at the end of it blend perfectly into the intro of the title track. To me, it's the complete way to listen to the album and I haven't heard it any other way in well over a decade.
Anyway, if we can assume for the sake of argument that the forthcoming 5th album is around 70-75 minutes and that all or most of it played on the subsequent tour (whenever that is), it will be interesting to see what songs from the first four albums make up the rest of the set list. I fear that all of the 20 minute plus epics will all be lumped into several medleys, that way they can play some of all of them, and I would imagine a chunk of The Whirlwind would get played again. Would be cool to see the return of Mystery Train.
I've thought about this as well, and I'm sure they'll play the whole new album (because why not?). I'd REALLY love to see them bust out one of the Whirlwind bonus tracks (particularly Spinning), and like you, bring back Mystery Train as well. I'm sure there will be the typical Whirlwind Medley during the main set, but I can see them doing a new encore medley, which I would like to see them do a condensed version of the BAF album, since there are repeated themes and motifs between all 3 of the longer songs, they could easily mash them all up and make a solid 25-30 minute medley of the three songs (DWTD, SCP, and SIYS). So 75 minutes of new material, 60 minutes of medleys, and another 15-25 minutes of other material from SMPTe, The Whirlwind bonus disc, and Kaleidoscope (Shine and Black As The Sky). I don't see them bringing out any part of Into The Blue or Kaleidoscope (the song), unless it was another condensed medley of the two of them, but even without that, this is already reaching 160 minutes, and that's a lot of material for a tour already, but they have played 3 hour shows before, so who knows.
On the topic of weighing Whirlwind against SMPTe and BAF, for me, I discovered Transatlantic in 2005/2006, and fell hard in love with their first two albums, and so my wait for a third one wasn't as long as any fan who had known them from the start (almost half as long of a wait, really). When news broke of the third albums' sessions beginning, I was ecstatic, and I think my excitement carried through that long wait because when it came out, I could not stop listening to it. For about a year from its release, it was played in heavy rotation, despite all the other great new music I picked up in 2009/2010. To this day, I still really enjoy it, but still not as much as BAF, but as a whole, The Whirlwind is probably one of my favorite albums of all time, and a very close second to BAF.
As for Kaleidoscope, while I don't love it as much as the other three, it's still a great album, and I often myself going to it when I feel like listening to TA. Maybe because it's their latest album, or perhaps I kind of burned myself out on TW for the better parts of the 2010s? Who knows, but I still really enjoy listening to it.
I've been spinning TA music a LOT in the last month or so, and even re-watched all of the making-of documentaries, and the concert videos, tour documentaries, and every other piece of video by the band, and it always reminds me why I love them and their music so much. To me, they're like the Avengers of prog rock. Individually, they've had some great music with their respective bands and solo projects, but when they come together, it's an EVENT, a spectacle that can't be missed, and they bring some of their best music and playing. If I had just known Pete Trewavas as the bassist for Marillion, he probably would not have stood out to me, but as the bassist in Transatlantic, his playing is some of the best I've heard in the genre (especially on The Whirlwind, which, thankfully, pumped up the bass). And compared to their best work in SB and TFK, Neal and Roine's stuff in The Whirlwind is on par with all of that IMO. And of course, there's Mike, but as a drummer (who really enjoys most of his work), I can't help but be impressed by the stuff he does in TA.
I'm very hopeful about how well TA5 will turn out. It's their second longest gap between albums, and both Neal and Roine have been fairly prolific in recent years (as has Pete as well, with Edison's Children and reuniting Kino), so I hope they saved some of their proggier material for Transatlantic! I'm hoping Neal's July IC Newsletter gives an update about the album!
-Marc.
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The Whirlwind is still my favorite TA album, I think everything about it is perfect (the main album, not the bonus tracks). I'm also the odd case where I don't like BAF that much and think SMPT:e is better (mostly because of AOTA and WANSL).
Kaleidoscope is weird because on paper it should work really well, but it doesn't when you listen to it. It's not like there's anything wrong with it, but it isn't as good as some of their previous stuff. Also, the two slower songs sound like they tried to recreate/rewrite We All Need Some Light and Bridge Across Forever.
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If I had just known Pete Trewavas as the bassist for Marillion, he probably would not have stood out to me, but as the bassist in Transatlantic, his playing is some of the best I've heard in the genre (especially on The Whirlwind, which, thankfully, pumped up the bass).
Pete Trewavas is probably my favorite bass player, so that’s a good militating factor for checking out The Whirlwind. While he is outstanding in TA for sure, almost everything he does in Marillion is amazing too. He mentioned in a recent YouTube video that he was trying to channel Squire and McCartney on a particular Marillion track (I think it was either Gazpacho or Alone Again in the Lap of Luxury), and that’s very much a description of a lot of his playing. In TA he probably leans more towards Squire while he’s more McCartney in Marillion, but he pretty much never takes a song off. I also here a good bit of Rutherford in both, but I’m just continually impressed by his playing.
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I am never a fan of that hidden track nonsense, which is tacked on to the end of Stranger in Your Soul (that I deleted from my version of it a long time ago), but otherwise Bridge Across Forever is a perfect album, as is SMPTe.
A very long time ago, I took the end-jam of SCP from the end of SIYS and re-inserted it at the end of the track proper (undoing the fade-out and fade-in as well). Getting them to line-up perfectly took a bit of work, but now the song is an epic 17:06 long, and the sound effects at the end of it blend perfectly into the intro of the title track. To me, it's the complete way to listen to the album and I haven't heard it any other way in well over a decade.
I used to do stuff like that, back in the days when you recorded LPs onto C-90 cassettes for listening in the car. I got really good with the Pause button on my tape deck, since that was the only way to do it back then, short of recording and then physically splicing the tape. I actually had a tape splicer, but I never ended up using it for serious projects. By then I was good enough with the Pause button. Good times.
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The Whirlwind is still my favorite TA album, I think everything about it is perfect (the main album, not the bonus tracks). I'm also the odd case where I don't like BAF that much and think SMPT:e is better (mostly because of AOTA and WANSL).
Kaleidoscope is weird because on paper it should work really well, but it doesn't when you listen to it. It's not like there's anything wrong with it, but it isn't as good as some of their previous stuff. Also, the two slower songs sound like they tried to recreate/rewrite We All Need Some Light and Bridge Across Forever.
I think what's funny is that, I believe, Mike even said on the Making Of DVD that including Beyond The Sun would lead to comparisons to Bridge Across Forever, and Shine is definitely like a new version of WANSL. Heck, you might even say BATS is another MT, so really, Kaleidoscope was just copying the band's three shortest songs from their first two albums, while sandwiching them between two giant epics like on BAF. Whether it was intentional or not, the comparisons are there, so I'm hoping they were a bit more aware of trying to avoid repeating themselves on the new album, although when it comes to prog, there aren't that many options LOL. I'd like to see an album of 6 or 7 songs, to be honest, with lengths of between 10-20 minutes, more My New Worlds and less AOTA/DWTD/SIYS songs. More like Fragile and less like Close To The Edge in terms of scope and number of tracks. More shorter songs, which might make making setlists in future tours a bit easier, so they won't have to truncate the epics just to fit them in for representation.
If I had just known Pete Trewavas as the bassist for Marillion, he probably would not have stood out to me, but as the bassist in Transatlantic, his playing is some of the best I've heard in the genre (especially on The Whirlwind, which, thankfully, pumped up the bass).
Pete Trewavas is probably my favorite bass player, so that’s a good militating factor for checking out The Whirlwind. While he is outstanding in TA for sure, almost everything he does in Marillion is amazing too. He mentioned in a recent YouTube video that he was trying to channel Squire and McCartney on a particular Marillion track (I think it was either Gazpacho or Alone Again in the Lap of Luxury), and that’s very much a description of a lot of his playing. In TA he probably leans more towards Squire while he’s more McCartney in Marillion, but he pretty much never takes a song off. I also here a good bit of Rutherford in both, but I’m just continually impressed by his playing.
Of the four "parent bands" of Transatlantic's members, Marillion was the one that didn't stick with me as much, though I do own all of their studio albums, most of their live albums, and a fair amount of Racket Records stuff (I went through a phase of collecting as much as I could in an effort to really dive deep into the band). I still listen to them every now and then, but it's not anywhere near as much as DT, SB or TFK, so I can't be too sure of his place in the band in terms of his play style, but I'll take your word for it. I think the McCartney comparison is pretty apt, from what I can recall of Pete's playing in Marillion, but he definitely goes all out in Transatlantic.
The story of how Mike picked Pete was that he heard Pete playing a Squire bass line during a soundcheck on one of the tours DT opened for Marillion in the 80s, and he knew then that there was a Chris Squire waiting to be unleashed inside of Pete, and Transatlantic has been that outlet for him. Pete's a bit more subdued on SMPTe (the Rich Mouser mix doesn't do him any favors, which is why I champion Roine's Mix personally), but he got a better place in the mix on BAF. It was in The Whirlwind where he REALLY takes off, though, and you've really gotta listen to it with headphones on because he's got some amazing bass grooves and runs in there that can't be missed!
I am never a fan of that hidden track nonsense, which is tacked on to the end of Stranger in Your Soul (that I deleted from my version of it a long time ago), but otherwise Bridge Across Forever is a perfect album, as is SMPTe.
A very long time ago, I took the end-jam of SCP from the end of SIYS and re-inserted it at the end of the track proper (undoing the fade-out and fade-in as well). Getting them to line-up perfectly took a bit of work, but now the song is an epic 17:06 long, and the sound effects at the end of it blend perfectly into the intro of the title track. To me, it's the complete way to listen to the album and I haven't heard it any other way in well over a decade.
I used to do stuff like that, back in the days when you recorded LPs onto C-90 cassettes for listening in the car. I got really good with the Pause button on my tape deck, since that was the only way to do it back then, short of recording and then physically splicing the tape. I actually had a tape splicer, but I never ended up using it for serious projects. By then I was good enough with the Pause button. Good times.
Nice! It took me some tricky editing to do in Audacity, but there were effects and tools for un-fading tracks, which really helped bring the song together. I never really understood what led them to chopping off the closing jam (when the song opened with a jam), and then tacking it on to the end of the album as a "hidden track". For years, I'd hope that someone in the band would've released the full track as originally recorded, but it hasn't happened and I doubt it ever will, so my personal mix is the best I'll get!
-Marc.
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Yeah, Trewavas' playing and tone are both sick as hell on The Whirlwind. Not sure what lit a fire under his ass on that one, but he crushes it on that one.
I know I have said it before, but Kaleidoscope just feels a bit too "been there, done that." Both epics are similar to Spock's Beard's Falling for Forever in that they are good and have some great moments, but overall just don't kill it like so many other epics by TA and the various prog bands of which the members are a part. I like both Shine and Beyond the Sun, but both definitely feel like they went for newer versions of We All Need Some Light and Bridge Across Forever (the song), respectively, and to lesser success, IMO. Black as the Sky is a fun song, but I can't listen to the live version. Roine struggles with singing the verses too much live (and I am normally a fan of his singing).
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I think what's funny is that, I believe, Mike even said on the Making Of DVD that including Beyond The Sun would lead to comparisons to Bridge Across Forever, and Shine is definitely like a new version of WANSL. Heck, you might even say BATS is another MT, so really, Kaleidoscope was just copying the band's three shortest songs from their first two albums, while sandwiching them between two giant epics like on BAF. Whether it was intentional or not, the comparisons are there, so I'm hoping they were a bit more aware of trying to avoid repeating themselves on the new album, although when it comes to prog, there aren't that many options LOL. I'd like to see an album of 6 or 7 songs, to be honest, with lengths of between 10-20 minutes, more My New Worlds and less AOTA/DWTD/SIYS songs. More like Fragile and less like Close To The Edge in terms of scope and number of tracks. More shorter songs, which might make making setlists in future tours a bit easier, so they won't have to truncate the epics just to fit them in for representation.
Actually, an album with short songs (that isn't a concept album, though TW technically is a super long epic) is something they haven't done, ever. I'd like to see that, but with TA it's all about long epics :lol
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Nothing but fucking epics!
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Of the four "parent bands" of Transatlantic's members, Marillion was the one that didn't stick with me as much, though I do own all of their studio albums, most of their live albums, and a fair amount of Racket Records stuff (I went through a phase of collecting as much as I could in an effort to really dive deep into the band). I still listen to them every now and then, but it's not anywhere near as much as DT, SB or TFK, so I can't be too sure of his place in the band in terms of his play style, but I'll take your word for it. I think the McCartney comparison is pretty apt, from what I can recall of Pete's playing in Marillion, but he definitely goes all out in Transatlantic.
The story of how Mike picked Pete was that he heard Pete playing a Squire bass line during a soundcheck on one of the tours DT opened for Marillion in the 80s, and he knew then that there was a Chris Squire waiting to be unleashed inside of Pete, and Transatlantic has been that outlet for him. Pete's a bit more subdued on SMPTe (the Rich Mouser mix doesn't do him any favors, which is why I champion Roine's Mix personally), but he got a better place in the mix on BAF. It was in The Whirlwind where he REALLY takes off, though, and you've really gotta listen to it with headphones on because he's got some amazing bass grooves and runs in there that can't be missed!
Marillion is probably my favorite band overall actually (the closest competition these days is Big Big Train, who I first heard of because of Pete’s involvement with the band). They aren’t as flashy or overly prog as bands like DT, SB, or TFK, but there’s something more universal about them that I love. They scratch more than just the Prog itch for me, though they do that too. Marillion doesn’t really call for the Chris Squire style, but Pete’s playing is always melodic and creative even in their more pop or straight rock moments. It might come across better in a live setting, but he really is a master of the instrument.
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I personally am a Kaleidoscope fan. I'd rank it third in their discography, which sounds bad except that I think BAF and TW are both basically untouchable albums. The first two tracks are somewhat weaker than their counterparts in the rest of the discography, yes, but I don't really think it's a major slight to be a weaker epic than AotA, DwtD and SiYS, or a weaker ballad than WANSL. The last three tracks are all superb. Beyond the Sun is a powerful song, and it doesn't need to be quite as powerful as Bridge Across Forever to be worthy of its place. Black as the Sky is distinct within their discography, and far better than the only somewhat comparable song, Mystery Train. Kaleidoscope is one of my favorite epics, and I think it's every bit the equal of the holy trinity from SMPTe and BAF.
I wouldn't want them to come out with Kaleidoscope 2 for a fifth album, but Kaleidoscope itself sums up all that TA does best, even while admittedly failing to equal their two top shelf works.
The question of setlist is an interesting one. I agree with the assumption that 75 minutes or so will go to new music. There will also likely be another 20-30 minute Whirlwind medley, hopefully with some different cuts. I'd hope to see Kaleidoscope get something, probably Black as the Sky. Pulling the Black Gold section from the title track could also be interesting. I think We All Need Some Light is pretty obligatory at this point. That would really leave room for just one of the big three epics, and my prediction, knowing MP, would actually be Duel with the Devil. Above and Stranger got cut together last time, and Stranger has been played a few times by Neal Morse. Duel hasn't come out at all since 2010 and it's every bit as popular as the other two (arguably the most popular), so I think it comes out.
What this prediction doesn't leave room for is the one that tops my wishlist: Suite Charlotte Pike. This one has never been played on its own in full. I think it's a ton of fun and would kill live, so I really hope they bring it out, although I find it hard to see where.
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Guess I'm in the minority, since Kaleidoscope is probably my favourite. I've sometimes wondered if that could be party because I got in to the band quite late and I've not listened to much of the members other bands.
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Kaleidoscope just sounds too much like a Neal Morse solo album. All the usual tropes are present and the epics and songwriting are pretty predictable. It's not bad or anything, just "been there, done that" whereas BAF and SMPT:e sound fresh and exciting because the style had not been overdone when they were created. I hope TA5 throws in some curveballs and has more Roine/Pete influence.
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I am never a fan of that hidden track nonsense, which is tacked on to the end of Stranger in Your Soul (that I deleted from my version of it a long time ago), but otherwise Bridge Across Forever is a perfect album, as is SMPTe.
A very long time ago, I took the end-jam of SCP from the end of SIYS and re-inserted it at the end of the track proper (undoing the fade-out and fade-in as well). Getting them to line-up perfectly took a bit of work, but now the song is an epic 17:06 long, and the sound effects at the end of it blend perfectly into the intro of the title track. To me, it's the complete way to listen to the album and I haven't heard it any other way in well over a decade.
I used to do stuff like that, back in the days when you recorded LPs onto C-90 cassettes for listening in the car. I got really good with the Pause button on my tape deck, since that was the only way to do it back then, short of recording and then physically splicing the tape. I actually had a tape splicer, but I never ended up using it for serious projects. By then I was good enough with the Pause button. Good times.
I still do that all the time. I've put together the Genesis suites, I almost always edit out the "disk swap" on double and triple disk live sets. I have an instrumental version of "Tonight" by Ozzy and an instrumental version of "War Pigs" that I made (not that I don't like Ozzy's voice - and I kept in the final chorus on Tonight - but I wanted just those guitar tones). Right now I'm piecing together a "Somewhere In London" from the DVD and the "Songs We Played Earlier" (Never understood that title, since it's just the other songs from the two-night stand in London that didn't make the main cut). It's so easy on Garageband to do.
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I'd assumed the title was a reference to classic British kids show Blue Peter, where the presenter would show children how to make something, make a complete pig's ear out of it because it was live TV, then pull a perfect version out from under the counter with a cry of 'and here's one I made earlier...'
Trust me, if you were British, you'd know it.
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I almost never listen to Kaleidoscope. Like others have indicated, it kind of felt a bit phoned-in to me, I guess. I, too, would like Roine Stolt's influence to be more prominent in the writing and style otherwise it will sound like another Neal Morse solo album. Not that there's anything wrong with that I guess it's to be expected when Neal's writing most of the music.
I'd love to hear a more song-oriented album like the first album. Yeah, it had epics, but it wasn't a concept album. We already get enough concept albums from the bands these guys are in.
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Maybe it's just me, but I feel like Kaleidoscope had MORE Roine on it than the previous albums, just in terms of his demos and style and sound over-all. Going from memory (since I re-watched the Making Of doc a couple of weeks ago), in Into The Blue, I'm pretty sure the riff used for "III. A New Beginning" came from Roine, and he also sings that part as well. The guitar solo in Shine is pretty much Roine's idea, and it really adds a lot to the song IMO. Roine's vocals start Black As The Sky, which is a welcome change-up. And in the title track, I think the "III. Black Gold" and "VI. Lemon Looking Glass" sections were mostly Roine as well.
All in all, I feel like that's a hefty chunk of the album rooted in Roine's material and ideas. I enjoy it more when they mix up their ideas into single songs, rather than the SMPTe route of "This is a Neal song" and "This is a Roine song" format. I think, because of that, Kaleidoscope sounds more like a TA album than a Neal or SB album. After The Whirlwind, I feel like they really nailed their style, which was really nearly perfected with BAF anyway (which also features a great mix of each band members' themes).
My biggest hope is that, since they convened in Sweden, that Roine had a sort of "homefield advantage" when it came to offering up good ideas for the new album, and perhaps Neal didn't bring an album's worth of demos as he typically does. I also hope that Pete had some good stuff to bring, too, but like I said earlier in the thread, all 3 of the main songwriters have been fairly busy with other projects in recent years, so who knows how much saved-up material they had set aside for Transatlantic.
-Marc.
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I think all the TA albums are not a million miles away from sounding like Neal Morse/Spock’s Beard albums. I do agree though that the last one felt more that way and less like a melting pot of ideas like the others did. It missed more of the laid back 70’s style Roine moments. That being said, I still loved it but then I love Neal’s stuff in general.
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Maybe it's just me, but I feel like Kaleidoscope had MORE Roine on it than the previous albums, just in terms of his demos and style and sound over-all. Going from memory (since I re-watched the Making Of doc a couple of weeks ago), in Into The Blue, I'm pretty sure the riff used for "III. A New Beginning" came from Roine, and he also sings that part as well. The guitar solo in Shine as pretty much Roine's idea, and it really adds a lot to the song IMO. Roine's vocals start Black At The Sky, which is a welcome change-up. And in the title track, I think the "III. Black Gold" and "VI. Lemon Looking Glass" sections were mostly Roine as well.
It is also my sense that Kaleidoscope had at least as much Roine, if not more, than the others.
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Oddly, I'd never played the Whirlwind till yesterday. Had it on went i went for an evening walk. Great!
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From Neal's latest IC Newsletter-
Now, I can't say much because it's very hush-hush. I would get in trouble with the guys. But I have been doing some additional work on the album and changed it a little bit. I've been making some lyrical changes and there have been some times I've wanted to say a little bit more, so I would double a verse, and things like that. Hopefully not shocking the band too much!
But I spent quite a bit of time – a good solid week – during this last month working on the new Transatlantic and adding things and taking some of my bits away, as well. Rich is already mixing it, so it's quite a timely thing for me to do. I was definitely under the gun, which was even more difficult when I got sick.
But, Rich is now mixing the new Transatlantic and things are coming along really well.
At this pace, I definitely don't think we will see a release before November or December, and if I was being realistic, a January date would probably be more likely. I'd say definitely out by March.
-Marc.
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Maybe it's just me, but I feel like Kaleidoscope had MORE Roine on it than the previous albums, just in terms of his demos and style and sound over-all.
-Marc.
Maybe that's why it doesn't resonate with me as much as the others. Roine is my least favorite member of the band though I do like some of his work. Still have a few Flower Kings albums and a couple solo albums. Also really like The Sea Within but that might be because of the others involved with the project.
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Re: Kaleidoscope
I don’t think I’ve revisited it since it came out. And Shine is probably the biggest reason.
I really love NM and SB, but... it’s like, you know those things where a “bot” gets fed every AC/DC song ever made and then writes an AC/DC song? If you did that with Neal Morse, Shine would come out.
So I basically thought that song had gotten to the point of self-parody, and none of the other stuff kept me hanging on. But maybe I should at least give the epic another go.
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Yes, Shine is not a classic, it’s a song I don’t really listen to. The two epics have some great stuff though and Beyond The Sun (whilst clearly derivative of earlier ballads) is nice. Black As The Sky is pretty great too.
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I really like the Black Gold section, but other than that Kaleidoscope (the song) feels pretty forgettable.
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Black As The Sky is the best song on Kaleidoscope. The epics have sections I enjoy, but not enough for me to want to listen to the entire length of the track. I still listen to them, but not as much as I find myself wanting to listen to Black As The Sky.
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Black As The Sky is the best song on Kaleidoscope. The epics have sections I enjoy, but not enough for me to want to listen to the entire length of the track. I still listen to them, but not as much as I find myself wanting to listen to Black As The Sky.
I agree. My favourite on that album is Black As The Sky too.
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Just giving Kaleidoscope a quick blast this morning. I think Into The Blue is definitely the better of the two epics. It is almost indistinguishable from a Neal Morse/SB song but, despite some slightly uninspired instrumental sections, the main song and melody is great. Especially love the Gildenlow section.
The title track is not bad by any means, it’s perfectly listenable but just not as good as any of their other epics. Sounds like a bit of a tired Spock’s Beard throwback to me in that I feel like I’ve heard the chorus a million times before. I still enjoy it though.
Black As The Sky is a really great shorter track and the one that really sounds uniquely Transatlantic to me, not like a Neal Morse/SB song.
Shine is playing now and I’m enjoying it more than I remembered. Some nice guitar moments and a nice little Into The Blue reprise at the end. It’s never going to be a favourite but it’s not terrible.
Beyond The Sun is not as good as WANSL or BAF but still a really nice song and has an emotional meaning for me as my Nan died shortly before it came out and it really connected with me at that time.
It is a step down from earlier albums but I still enjoy it a lot.
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The thing I'm finding for myself with the 2 bands MP and NM are a part of is...The long epics end up sounding the same as a Neal Morse bands epic style. I think I'm just tired of that epic sound and it's probably why I enjoy Flying Colors more than Transatlantic. Also, I prefer the sound Transatlantic has over Flying Colors. So you can see why I consider Black As The Sky my favorite Transatlantic song.
My favorite Epic is The Whirlwind.
Stranger In Your Soul is next, mainly for the awesome lyrical trade-off section between them all.
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I agree about shorter songs in general. I think it's hard to write lyrics about something that justifies a very long track.
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Giving The Whirlwind its first listen. So far not so bad, but it is pretty Neal Morse-ish in sound.
Edit: very Camel-ish moment around 1:50 in On The Prowl that leads to a nice little instrumental jam. I like.
Edit: A Man Can Feel has a nice underlying groove, sounds more Flower Kings-ish. Guessing it’s a Roine contribution.
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Edit: A Man Can Feel has a nice underlying groove, sounds more Flower Kings-ish. Guessing it’s a Roine contribution.
You would be correct. In a DPRP interview with Roine in 2010, he says "Yes, [A Man Can Feel]'s mine. Basically if I'm singing then it's my lyrics, except for the beginning where I'm singing and that's actually Pete's."
The interviewer then states that "Evermore", "Pieces Of Heaven" and "On The Prowl" have "a strong Roine feel".
Roine replies - "'One The Prowl' is partly Pete's and mine, but the main part is actually Neal's, 'Piece Of Heaven', 'Lay Down Your Life' - the jam bit - and 'Evermore' is all mine. 'Is It Really Happening?', that's Pete, 'The Overture' and the main themes is a mix of everyone's ideas."
The beauty of The Whirlwind is that a good chunk of the album was written in the studio. Of Neal's original 43 minute "Whirlwind Demo", only about about half of it was used in the final album, or probably a little over a quarter of the final album was originally part of Neal's demos. Pete also contributes more on TW than he has on any other album, I believe, which is why he's got such a strong presence on the Whirlwind overall.
If you ever get the chance, watch the Making Of documentary. It's easily one of my favorite in-the-studio docs featuring Neal and Mike (and this is across ALL of their albums and projects).
-Marc.
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Edit: A Man Can Feel has a nice underlying groove, sounds more Flower Kings-ish. Guessing it’s a Roine contribution.
You would be correct. In a DPRP interview with Roine in 2010, he says "Yes, [A Man Can Feel]'s mine. Basically if I'm singing then it's my lyrics, except for the beginning where I'm singing and that's actually Pete's."
The interviewer then states that "Evermore", "Pieces Of Heaven" and "On The Prowl" have "a strong Roine feel".
Roine replies - "'One The Prowl' is partly Pete's and mine, but the main part is actually Neal's, 'Piece Of Heaven', 'Lay Down Your Life' - the jam bit - and 'Evermore' is all mine. 'Is It Really Happening?', that's Pete, 'The Overture' and the main themes is a mix of everyone's ideas."
The beauty of The Whirlwind is that a good chunk of the album was written in the studio. Of Neal's original 43 minute "Whirlwind Demo", only about about half of it was used in the final album, or probably a little over a quarter of the final album was originally part of Neal's demos. Pete also contributes more on TW than he has on any other album, I believe, which is why he's got such a strong presence on the Whirlwind overall.
If you ever get the chance, watch the Making Of documentary. It's easily one of my favorite in-the-studio docs featuring Neal and Mike (and this is across ALL of their albums and projects).
-Marc.
Still their best album IMO.
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Edit: A Man Can Feel has a nice underlying groove, sounds more Flower Kings-ish. Guessing it’s a Roine contribution.
You would be correct. In a DPRP interview with Roine in 2010, he says "Yes, [A Man Can Feel]'s mine. Basically if I'm singing then it's my lyrics, except for the beginning where I'm singing and that's actually Pete's."
The interviewer then states that "Evermore", "Pieces Of Heaven" and "On The Prowl" have "a strong Roine feel".
Roine replies - "'One The Prowl' is partly Pete's and mine, but the main part is actually Neal's, 'Piece Of Heaven', 'Lay Down Your Life' - the jam bit - and 'Evermore' is all mine. 'Is It Really Happening?', that's Pete, 'The Overture' and the main themes is a mix of everyone's ideas."
The beauty of The Whirlwind is that a good chunk of the album was written in the studio. Of Neal's original 43 minute "Whirlwind Demo", only about about half of it was used in the final album, or probably a little over a quarter of the final album was originally part of Neal's demos. Pete also contributes more on TW than he has on any other album, I believe, which is why he's got such a strong presence on the Whirlwind overall.
If you ever get the chance, watch the Making Of documentary. It's easily one of my favorite in-the-studio docs featuring Neal and Mike (and this is across ALL of their albums and projects).
-Marc.
Still their best album IMO.
Hard to disagree. I always find myself going back and forth between TW and BAF as their best album. I came upon the band in 2005, only a few years after BAF, and so I listened to that one to death and back, and loved it so much that when news of a third album broke in 2009, I wasn't sure it could top it, but I fell in love with it too, so it's hard for me to really choose.
-Marc.
-
Edit: A Man Can Feel has a nice underlying groove, sounds more Flower Kings-ish. Guessing it’s a Roine contribution.
You would be correct. In a DPRP interview with Roine in 2010, he says "Yes, [A Man Can Feel]'s mine. Basically if I'm singing then it's my lyrics, except for the beginning where I'm singing and that's actually Pete's."
The interviewer then states that "Evermore", "Pieces Of Heaven" and "On The Prowl" have "a strong Roine feel".
Roine replies - "'One The Prowl' is partly Pete's and mine, but the main part is actually Neal's, 'Piece Of Heaven', 'Lay Down Your Life' - the jam bit - and 'Evermore' is all mine. 'Is It Really Happening?', that's Pete, 'The Overture' and the main themes is a mix of everyone's ideas."
The beauty of The Whirlwind is that a good chunk of the album was written in the studio. Of Neal's original 43 minute "Whirlwind Demo", only about about half of it was used in the final album, or probably a little over a quarter of the final album was originally part of Neal's demos. Pete also contributes more on TW than he has on any other album, I believe, which is why he's got such a strong presence on the Whirlwind overall.
If you ever get the chance, watch the Making Of documentary. It's easily one of my favorite in-the-studio docs featuring Neal and Mike (and this is across ALL of their albums and projects).
-Marc.
So maybe you know this: that first guitar solo/lead section around 2:40 on Overture sounds more like Neal Morse than Roine’s work. Any idea if that’s the case?
-
So maybe you know this: that first guitar solo/lead section around 2:40 on Overture sounds more like Neal Morse than Roine’s work. Any idea if that’s the case?
So I went to play it and listen first, and my first thought was "Oh, it's definitely Roine" but just to be sure, I checked the Making Of Documentary to see if it showed who played that part, but no luck. They didn't show who played it during the sessions or even the overdub phase.
Then I checked the actual liner notes and Neal is credited with "Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, and Vocals", which, to me, says all electric guitars were strictly Roine, rhythm and solo.
-Marc.
-
So maybe you know this: that first guitar solo/lead section around 2:40 on Overture sounds more like Neal Morse than Roine’s work. Any idea if that’s the case?
So I went to play it and listen first, and my first thought was "Oh, it's definitely Roine" but just to be sure, I checked the Making Of Documentary to see if it showed who played that part, but no luck. They didn't show who played it during the sessions or even the jverdub phase.
Then I checked the actual liner notes and Neal is credited with "Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, and Vocals", which, to me, says all electric guitars were strictly Roine, rhythm and solo.
-Marc.
Thanks for looking app that up. I suppose if Neal demo’d that track, it’s possible Roine more or less copied whatever Neal had on the demo. Don’t know why it just struck me as sounding like Neal.
-
Edit: A Man Can Feel has a nice underlying groove, sounds more Flower Kings-ish. Guessing it’s a Roine contribution.
You would be correct. In a DPRP interview with Roine in 2010, he says "Yes, [A Man Can Feel]'s mine. Basically if I'm singing then it's my lyrics, except for the beginning where I'm singing and that's actually Pete's."
The interviewer then states that "Evermore", "Pieces Of Heaven" and "On The Prowl" have "a strong Roine feel".
Roine replies - "'One The Prowl' is partly Pete's and mine, but the main part is actually Neal's, 'Piece Of Heaven', 'Lay Down Your Life' - the jam bit - and 'Evermore' is all mine. 'Is It Really Happening?', that's Pete, 'The Overture' and the main themes is a mix of everyone's ideas."
The beauty of The Whirlwind is that a good chunk of the album was written in the studio. Of Neal's original 43 minute "Whirlwind Demo", only about about half of it was used in the final album, or probably a little over a quarter of the final album was originally part of Neal's demos. Pete also contributes more on TW than he has on any other album, I believe, which is why he's got such a strong presence on the Whirlwind overall.
If you ever get the chance, watch the Making Of documentary. It's easily one of my favorite in-the-studio docs featuring Neal and Mike (and this is across ALL of their albums and projects).
-Marc.
Still their best album IMO.
Hard to disagree. I always find myself going back and forth between TW and BAF as their best album. I came upon the band in 2005, only a few years after BAF, and so I listened to that one to death and back, and loved it so much that when news of a third album broke in 2009, I wasn't sure it could top it, but I fell in love with it too, so it's hard for me to really choose.
-Marc.
I really like The Whirlwind quite a bit but to me it feels much, much more like a Neal Morse solo album that never got made as a Neal Morse solo album. I think they should have left off the final track. Too religious. Everything that comes before that final track, though, is absolutely brilliant.
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That first album has a special place in my heart. Love BAF too though and TW is also incredible. I think it's time I pulled all 3 off the shelf.
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Reading through this thread is giving me the itch to relisten to their catalog as well. TA were one of the first prog bands whose discography I took a bite into when I first got turned on to the genre. Have a lot of great memories listening through BAF and TW in particular.
-
Me too.
-
Edit: A Man Can Feel has a nice underlying groove, sounds more Flower Kings-ish. Guessing it’s a Roine contribution.
You would be correct. In a DPRP interview with Roine in 2010, he says "Yes, [A Man Can Feel]'s mine. Basically if I'm singing then it's my lyrics, except for the beginning where I'm singing and that's actually Pete's."
The interviewer then states that "Evermore", "Pieces Of Heaven" and "On The Prowl" have "a strong Roine feel".
Roine replies - "'One The Prowl' is partly Pete's and mine, but the main part is actually Neal's, 'Piece Of Heaven', 'Lay Down Your Life' - the jam bit - and 'Evermore' is all mine. 'Is It Really Happening?', that's Pete, 'The Overture' and the main themes is a mix of everyone's ideas."
The beauty of The Whirlwind is that a good chunk of the album was written in the studio. Of Neal's original 43 minute "Whirlwind Demo", only about about half of it was used in the final album, or probably a little over a quarter of the final album was originally part of Neal's demos. Pete also contributes more on TW than he has on any other album, I believe, which is why he's got such a strong presence on the Whirlwind overall.
If you ever get the chance, watch the Making Of documentary. It's easily one of my favorite in-the-studio docs featuring Neal and Mike (and this is across ALL of their albums and projects).
-Marc.
Still their best album IMO.
Hard to disagree. I always find myself going back and forth between TW and BAF as their best album. I came upon the band in 2005, only a few years after BAF, and so I listened to that one to death and back, and loved it so much that when news of a third album broke in 2009, I wasn't sure it could top it, but I fell in love with it too, so it's hard for me to really choose.
-Marc.
I really like The Whirlwind quite a bit but to me it feels much, much more like a Neal Morse solo album that never got made as a Neal Morse solo album. I think they should have left off the final track. Too religious. Everything that comes before that final track, though, is absolutely brilliant.
I remember when I first heard The Whirlwind, I was a bit thrown for a loop with the lyrical content of "Dancing With Eternal Glory", but going back and listening to pre-2002 Neal stuff, I felt like it wasn't anymore "religious" than anything he had done before with SB and TA.
I think what helps me with that is that, sure, because it's Neal's music and/or words, we know he's talking about God and Christianity most of the time, but (as far as I remember) DWEG doesn't even mention God or Jesus or Heaven explicitly, so it can be taken in many different religious/spiritual contexts.
Now, in Kaleidoscope, he does out-right mention God, so I could see how that might be a bit of a turn-off for some, especially for Neal Morse fans who jumped ship once Testimony rolled around.
But even so, as a fan of both Neal and Roine, it's always felt inevitable that the lyrics would skew towards religious and spiritual topics every now and then. While Roine's lyrics aren't as explicit and clear-cut as Neal's, he does write some Christian-based lyrics every now and then, but his approach can seem more broadly spiritual and less Christian Rock like Neal.
Looking ahead, it'll be interesting to see what lyrics they come up with for the new album, given all that's been going on in the world in the last year or so, and both Neal and Roine will have new albums out before TA5 drops, so fans of both will have a lot to look forward to in the coming months!
-Marc.
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I think what helps me with that is that, sure, because it's Neal's music and/or words, we know he's talking about God and Christianity most of the time, but (as far as I remember) DWEG doesn't even mention God or Jesus or Heaven explicitly, so it can be taken in many different religious/spiritual contexts.
Now, in Kaleidoscope, he does out-right mention God, so I could see how that might be a bit of a turn-off for some, especially for Neal Morse fans who jumped ship once Testimony rolled around.
I agree, and I think it's important that actually neither one of these references is explicitly Christian. In DWEG, we get "the giver of life," and in Kaleidoscope we get "God." Both of those are definitely monotheistic references, but there are monotheistic religions other than Christianity, and there's no mention of Jesus and no direct reference to any exclusively Christian doctrine.
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I think what helps me with that is that, sure, because it's Neal's music and/or words, we know he's talking about God and Christianity most of the time, but (as far as I remember) DWEG doesn't even mention God or Jesus or Heaven explicitly, so it can be taken in many different religious/spiritual contexts.
Now, in Kaleidoscope, he does out-right mention God, so I could see how that might be a bit of a turn-off for some, especially for Neal Morse fans who jumped ship once Testimony rolled around.
I agree, and I think it's important that actually neither one of these references is explicitly Christian. In DWEG, we get "the giver of life," and in Kaleidoscope we get "God." Both of those are definitely monotheistic references, but there are monotheistic religions other than Christianity, and there's no mention of Jesus and no direct reference to any exclusively Christian doctrine.
Right! Thank you for that insight. As a former Catholic, I knew that "giver of life" was definitely meant to be God, but looking at the music objectively, it definitely could mean anything the listener wants to interpret it as, given how vague the lyrics are. I think Neal even forced himself, on The Whirlwind, to dial back the overtly Christian lyrics, though he did sneak them in on "For Such A Time", but even then, it's not as preachy as anything he's done on Testimony or One.
Honestly, I think if Neal's solo prog career had begun with ? or Sola Scriptura, his Christian lyrics might have been better received, since those two albums are less directly influenced by his own life and based on historical/biblical events in time, and can be viewed as narrative concept albums in the same way as The Lamb or Tommy, just with a Christian-tinge. But I think Neal needed to make his Testimony first to really lay out what he was going through at the time, and I'm sure that turned off a lot of fans, though I hope many of them would have come back by now.
As someone who slowly became agnostic, I never felt particularly offended or turned-off by Neal's lyrics, and I've always told friends that, if anything could ever get me to believe in God and the Christian faith, it would probably be Neal Morse and his music! :lol His music is just so powerful and uplifting that sometimes, I just can help but feel the power in the air!
-Marc.
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Yeah. I love his sincerity.
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What sells it is the fact that you know he means it. I love the music that's passionate and honest, which is what gets to me even when I disagree with something. Knowing that the performer stands behind the words makes it powerful and emotional, you're listening to someone singing their heart out about something that means so much to them.
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That's me with Neal; his lyrics are just so POSITIVE, that I don't really need to literally buy in to every word to find something meaninful. For me, a song like "Supernatural" or "Weathering Sky" have multiple layers of meaning, and I can take what I need in that moment.
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That's another great point. Whether or not you agree with the religious aspects of the lyrics, you cannot deny that Neal is putting out something extremely positive and noble out there.
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I love that there are so many different perspectives on this band and its output.
For example, Bridge Across Forever is one of my favorite albums by anyone ever. Then I have SMPTe and The Whirlwind roughly equal, with Kaleidoscope coming in fourth place.
I like the short songs on Kaleidoscope a hell of a lot more than the two epics.
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I think The Whirlwind is their best followed by Bridge and then SMPTe. Kaleidoscope is pretty mediocre to me, or better yet, is a bit underwhelming and just doesn't sound as inspired as much as what came before, both in TA and in each member's individual bands. I feel the general fan base more or less agrees, so I'm hoping the band is motivated by that, and they really go for it and try to make the best album they can and it winds up being one of their best among the fan base. It might be tough, but we'll see. Would a double album + bonus disc be too much?
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What makes Kaleidoscope mediocre? Would SMPTE or BAF be mediocre if they came more recently and Kaleidoscope came first? Are you sure it's not just because of the order they came in that they come across as mediocre?
For me, all the albums are magnificent in their own way. If I wanted to listen to Kaleidoscope or Into the Blue, I wouldn't listen to Duel With the Devil or All Of The Above.
If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
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What makes Kaleidoscope mediocre? Would SMPTE or BAF be mediocre if they came more recently and Kaleidoscope came first? Are you sure it's not just because of the order they came in that they come across as mediocre?
For me, all the albums are magnificent in their own way. If I wanted to listen to Kaleidoscope or Into the Blue, I wouldn't listen to Duel With the Devil or All Of The Above.
If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
Wow, that escalated quickly.
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I think Kaleidoscope and Into the blue are pretty much just as fine as Duel with the devil, All of the above and Stranger in your soul. The middle tracks are kind of just there and drag the album down a tiny bit. It's still a good release, though.
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Well, I followed up 'mediocre' with 'underwhelming', which might be more accurate. I also mean mediocre compared to what these guys have created before. I've listened to every Neal Morse, Dream Theater, and Flower Kings album* and while I don't think Kaleidoscope would be at the bottom of my list if I ranked all the the albums they've done with their main projects + TA, it definitely wouldn't come close to being top 10. I think it's mainly because the bar was set so high for me with their first 2 albums, and then The Whirlwind was even better imo. Of course, I'm not one of those old prog heads that think the music is bad just because it has some resemblance to the big prog acts of the 70s, because I think they bring elements to the music you would not have found back in those days. I do, however, kind of see where they might be coming from, you've heard all that kind of music so much and after a while you realize it doesn't venture out beyond a certain range of sounds and styles, and perhaps you find it 'dated' because you grew up at that time, perhaps. I do seek out music that is "progressive" more than I do 'Prog" or "Progressive". I have no problem calling an album that clearly showcases great musical ability, chops, sense of melody, long song lengths, etc... 'mediocre', if I feel like I've heard it all before in other albums, and done many times better (all IMO of course.) At the same time, TA4 came out at a time when I wasn't listening to much of any prog rock related music. I actually haven't been diggin' much of anything from the 4 main members of Transatlantic this past decade. I loved Banks of Eden, but have been underwhelmed with everything else Roine Stolt has released since 2007, sans The Whirlwind. Not sure what's been going on but it seems like some of that Roine magic has faded away. Portnoy hasn't done much I'm interested in outside Neal's stuff, and with Neal I think I just got burnt out on his sound so I haven't listened to him much in a while. Since Testimony 2 I haven't been crazy over his albums solo or with the Neal Morse Band since, but they seem just fine/standard fare for Neal's music and I'd probably enjoy it more if the Morse mood strikes again.
*I actually haven't gotten around to checking out the newest Flower Kings or the last 2 Neal Morse projects. Not really into Marillion based on what I've heard.
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If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
This is satire, right?
-
What makes Kaleidoscope mediocre? Would SMPTE or BAF be mediocre if they came more recently and Kaleidoscope came first? Are you sure it's not just because of the order they came in that they come across as mediocre?
For me, all the albums are magnificent in their own way. If I wanted to listen to Kaleidoscope or Into the Blue, I wouldn't listen to Duel With the Devil or All Of The Above.
If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
You're criticizing my post, my piece, though. Do you think my criticism shouldn't exist or I shouldn't exist because I.... have a different opinion than yours? :o
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My feelings on Kaleidoscope is that unlike the others in their catalog, it seems forced, as if they had nothing and just went into the studio and created what a Transatlantic album should sound like. There are parts where I say yes this is great but then it'll go into some extended section or riffage to pad out the tracks, at least the 2 epics. I do like Black As The Sky but Beyond The Sun to me just sounds like Neal trying to write Bridge Across Forever again.
It also didn't help that when I saw them on that tour, they seemed kind of uninspired. Roine in particular seemed to be reading lyrics off a teleprompter and was late in playing some of his leads. I think that gave me a bad feeling about the album and remember saying to myself this might be the last TA album at least in a while.
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My feelings on Kaleidoscope is that unlike the others in their catalog, it seems forced, as if they had nothing and just went into the studio and created what a Transatlantic album should sound like. There are parts where I say yes this is great but then it'll go into some extended section or riffage to pad out the tracks, at least the 2 epics. I do like Black As The Sky but Beyond The Sun to me just sounds like Neal trying to write Bridge Across Forever again.
It also didn't help that when I saw them on that tour, they seemed kind of uninspired. Roine in particular seemed to be reading lyrics off a teleprompter and was late in playing some of his leads. I think that gave me a bad feeling about the album and remember saying to myself this might be the last TA album at least in a while.
You think that tour was bad, you should have seen Roine the last time he played some TA during a special Portnoy set on one of the cruises. Had lyrics on the back of his guitar, still struggled with those, and was we'll say loose with his already free style on guitar. Love Roine, but it was disheartening to see how much better prepared everyone else seemed to be for the song.
I agree that Kaleidoscope can feel a bit forced, but I still really enjoy it, as I thoroughly enjoy all TA music. I also agree with those who have said the shorter tracks shine on the album compared to the epics.
Any complaints aside though, I can't begin to say how important Transatlantic was do my musical development. I went from Dream Theater to them, and started down branches of Flower Kings, Neal Morse / Spock's Beard, and to some extent Marillion (tho I had started on them from another source) which all led to so much more. Bridge Across Forever is a top 5 album for me, and Duel With the Devil is one of my 3 favorite songs (Xanadu and Octavarium being the others).
If I rank it's Bridge, followed close behind by SMPTe, then a small gap and the other two albums regularly battling for third, tho gun to my head I'd likely pick Whirlwind.
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If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
WTF
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If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
WTF
If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
This is satire, right?
Yeah, this was a very odd thing to say, Roe. If you criticize something, like music, you're not invalidating others' opinions. You can like something just as much as someone can dislike something. Does this mean that when movie critics give their reviews that automatically, they invalidate everyone else's opinions and feelings? Of course not! Critics and criticisms exist as a means of people giving their own feelings and opinions on something.
Conversely, would you say that if a fan praises something that it automatically invalidates any criticism just because their feelings are so strong that they must be right?
For me, I personally quite enjoy Kaleidoscope, but of the four TA albums, I do like it about as least as their debut, and not nearly as much as BAF or TW. That doesn't mean I dislike or hate it, but I do understand where other fan's criticisms come from. I don't agree with all of them (like it was forced or phoned-in, especially after watching the Making Of documentary several times), but if people feel that way, who am I to try and change that? People's feelings on music are hard to change, and usually if they do change, they have to do it themselves.
And I don't think anyone here believes that other's opinions don't matter just because they don't agree with them. We're all entitled to our own thoughts and feelings on music, but from what I've seen of Transatlantic fans, many would agree that Kaleidoscope is their least favorite of the four, but many of them would also say that it's still good music for prog and rock in general, just not as well-liked as their previous three albums. And honestly, at four albums, ONE of them has to be someone's least favorite.
-Marc.
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I understand thinking that much of Kaleidoscope is more by-numbers than the other three albums. Specifically Into the Blue, Shine and Beyond the Sun. I don't think that criticism applies very well to Black as the Sky (and, to be fair, I don't see a lot of people saying it about that one). I also think Kaleidoscope, the song, feels rather different from the other Transatlantic epics, and I find the parts that feel familiar (Desolation Days, the acoustic Neal-fronted section, being the main one) rank quite high on the scale of TA/NM music.
However, if you don't agree with this, I don't think that means you think my feelings are invalid or that I don't deserve to exist.
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I wouldn't say Kaleidoscope is "by the numbers." It is easily my least favorite TA album, but it is still pretty good. I can't point to specific, objective reasons why. It just doesn't feel as good to me as the previous three albums.
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It feels like Kaleidoscope has a few more of the longer 'jammy' instrumental sections than the other TA albums. Which is actually fine for me because that's an aspect of the band that I enjoy.
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I wouldn't say Kaleidoscope is "by the numbers." It is easily my least favorite TA album, but it is still pretty good. I can't point to specific, objective reasons why. It just doesn't feel as good to me as the previous three albums.
I would agree with that. Sure, there are moments that are definitely TA-esque, but to me, the album felt quite fresh in many places, and different from most of what they had done before, even in the big the epics. The smaller songs felt more like re-treads of WANSL and BAF, with BATS being a stand-out of those three.
I think some folks don't like it because it ISN'T TA-by-the-numbers, because those fans would've liked something more akin to SMPTe and BAF, but instead, they got something different than what they were expecting.
-Marc.
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So I’ve had about three full listens and a few other partial listens to The Whirlwind, and I think it’s starting to click with me. Definitely has more of the magic of the first two than Kaleidoscope does at least. My one issue with it is that it doesn’t quite feel cohesive as a single piece of music, but the individual tracks also don’t seem to form discreet songs either. It’s making it hard to really commit the album to memory. But when I listen through I do like what I hear.
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So I’ve had about three full listens and a few other partial listens to The Whirlwind, and I think it’s starting to click with me. Definitely has more of the magic of the first two than Kaleidoscope does at least. My one issue with it is that it doesn’t quite feel cohesive as a single piece of music, but the individual tracks also don’t seem to form discreet songs either. It’s making it hard to really commit the album to memory. But when I listen through I do like what I hear.
For me, the more I listened and had the album's various themes engrained into my mind, I could pick them up across the album and feel the cohesion start to develop for me. There are some individual tracks that could be taken out as single songs (Rose Colored Glasses being one good example, and maybe the only good one, but given its origin, that makes sense).
It will take you some time, though, as it is a hefty piece over all, but definitely rewarding once it begins to fully click with you. It's certainly a different way to put together ran album than their previous two, despite having the idea of shared/spread-out themes that BAF also had, I think TW took that idea and ran with it at full speed.
-Marc.
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So now I’m listening to Black as the Sky, and I could swear it’s exactly the same as a passage on The Whirlwind.
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So now I’m listening to Black as the Sky, and I could swear it’s exactly the same as a passage on The Whirlwind.
Which passage, "On The Prowl"? I only guess that because of the 6/8 groove that song has could feel somewhat similar to the one in "Black As The Sky", though the latter definitely has a faster tempo.
-Marc.
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If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
WTF
If you criticize anything, you are saying that the people who think otherwise, their feelings about a piece are invalid, that they are wrong. That they don't deserve to exist.
This is satire, right?
:corn
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So now I’m listening to Black as the Sky, and I could swear it’s exactly the same as a passage on The Whirlwind.
Which passage, "On The Prowl"? I only guess that because of the 6/8 groove that song has could feel somewhat similar to the one in "Black As The Sky", though the latter definitely has a faster tempo.
-Marc.
I don't see any similarities with TW, but I think they copied part of the BATS instrumental section on The Ways of a Fool.
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So now I’m listening to Black as the Sky, and I could swear it’s exactly the same as a passage on The Whirlwind.
Which passage, "On The Prowl"? I only guess that because of the 6/8 groove that song has could feel somewhat similar to the one in "Black As The Sky", though the latter definitely has a faster tempo.
-Marc.
I went back to try to find a specific section, and there’s not one that’s exactly the same. More the way the bass drives the song that made it sound like a few of the more intense sections of TW.
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So now I’m listening to Black as the Sky, and I could swear it’s exactly the same as a passage on The Whirlwind.
Which passage, "On The Prowl"? I only guess that because of the 6/8 groove that song has could feel somewhat similar to the one in "Black As The Sky", though the latter definitely has a faster tempo.
-Marc.
I don't see any similarities with TW, but I think they copied part of the BATS instrumental section on The Ways of a Fool.
I mean, maybe? Again, if only because BATS has that driving triplet/6/8 feel, and parts of TWOAF have that as well, but the instrumental section gives me different vibes. TWOAF's bridge has a different overall feel to me, it's not as punctuated and abrupt as some of those synth-run solos in BATS, outside of one small section where they turn the triplets into four-note phrases, but that was just one or two measures (unlike in BATS, where they do it every few phrases in the bridge).
So now I’m listening to Black as the Sky, and I could swear it’s exactly the same as a passage on The Whirlwind.
Which passage, "On The Prowl"? I only guess that because of the 6/8 groove that song has could feel somewhat similar to the one in "Black As The Sky", though the latter definitely has a faster tempo.
-Marc.
I went back to try to find a specific section, and there’s not one that’s exactly the same. More the way the bass drives the song that made it sound like a few of the more intense sections of TW.
Gotcha, I just thought it would've reminded you got OTP since they both had that driving 6/8 bass groove, although the phrasing of the bass melody is quite different between the two of them (with OTP being more accented on the downbeat, while BATS is a more rhythmically driving, constant bass line, especially in the bridge, where having the faster tempo definitely pushes it along more than the bass groove in OTP.
-Marc.
-
Now playing SMPTe.
It was Labor Day 2001 when I picked this one up for the first time. Almost twenty years ago. Still view it as sort of a life changing thing.
-
On the Marillion Q&A this weekend, Pete mentioned the album is being mixed now. Not sure if this is new info or not.
-
On the Marillion Q&A this weekend, Pete mentioned the album is being mixed now. Not sure if this is new info or not.
Not entirely new, as Neal has mentioned that Rich was mixing it recently, but it's good to get confirmation from other band members. With it mixing at this point, I suspect a January 2021 release, but hopefully not too close to the release of SW's next album. I'd like to have their releases spaced apart so I can give each a fair amount of listening time!
If they manage to squeeze it out for release before the end of the year, I'd be VERY surprised, but InsideOut may want to release it at least a couple months after the next TFK album, which comes out at the end of October.
-Marc.
-
Not sure if this interview was posted in the NM thread, but Neal mentions hoping to get mixes back soon and then pretty much confirms their shooting for an early 2021 release.
https://progarchy.com/2020/09/04/by-grace-alone-a-conversation-with-neal-morse/
Bryan: And then you guys recorded – or started recording for a Transatlantic album this year right?
Neal: We actually started recording it last year.
Bryan: Oh it was last year? Everything’s running together for me.
Neal: Yeah, I don’t blame you. It can for me too. Yeah that’s really coming to a head now. We’re honing in on like the closing things. I haven’t heard any mixes yet, but I think I will very soon. Then the artwork and all that stuff, so we’re getting closer to the finish line on that thing. You’ll have that to look forward to.
Bryan: Is that probably going to be next year sometime?
Neal: I think so. Should be – hopefully in the early part of next year.
-
Rich Mouser just shared a Facebook memory from 2010 on the Whirlwind Tour and said this:
Wow!! What a great tour with fantastic friends. Lots of good memories. Just so happens that I'm today I'm mixing Transatlantic's 5th album. Almost completed ! More mind and heart bending music coming in the new year from these gifted artists!
So straight from his mouth - mixing of TA5 is nearly done!
I wonder if we will get a release date reveal next month?
-Marc.
-
Rich Mouser just shared a Facebook memory from 2010 on the Whirlwind Tour and said this:
Wow!! What a great tour with fantastic friends. Lots of good memories. Just so happens that I'm today I'm mixing Transatlantic's 5th album. Almost completed ! More mind and heart bending music coming in the new year from these gifted artists!
So straight from his mouth - mixing of TA5 is nearly done!
I wonder if we will get a release date reveal next month?
-Marc.
That would be exciting. I'm definitely anticipating this new album more than I was for Kaleidoscope.
-
From Mike on FB earlier....
https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/4937893232894946/
“It Ain’t Over ‘Til The Fat Drummer Sings”
This pic was taken this evening while adding some new last minute vocals to the ever-evolving upcoming Transatlantic album!! Yes indeed, over *A YEAR* since I did my drum tracks, we are still tweaking & adding stuff to this mammoth epic...
Rest assured, we are only a few days from finally wrapping and delivering...
There will be news about the release coming VERY soon...and *you will soon know why* this album has taken so much time to complete as we’re doing something extremely unique and unprecedented! It will be worth the wait... #TA5
SOON!
-Marc.
-
oh hells yeah!
-
"Unique and unprecedented"? That's a... significant promise. Hopefully it's not a case of MP bluster!
-
"Unique and unprecedented"? That's a... significant promise. Hopefully it's not a case of MP bluster!
A filabuster!!!
These are unprecedented times!
-
"Unique and unprecedented"? That's a... significant promise. Hopefully it's not a case of MP bluster!
Yeah, I'll believe that when I hear it. But the fact they're still tweaking things a year later instead of just banging the whole thing out in a couple of weeks and calling it done definitely instills a little more confidence than usual.
-
Yeah I know MP always writes stuff like this before any release he's involved in, but this still has me excited. I like that they still keep TA a special thing and don't pump out album after album.
-
So... double album confirmed?
Seriously though, I haven't been this enthusiastic about an upcoming album in a long while.
I'm genuinely excited.
-
"Unique and unprecedented"? I'm thinking they're going to play it in my backyard. That would be cool. I'll get chips and beer.
-
From Pete, less than 15 minutes ago on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/100003550398095/posts/3229745903820391/?substory_index=0
Adding a few vocal touches to TA5 the Transatlantic album that is still on going.
As Mike mentioned yesterday, you find out why soon and it’ll be worth the wait.
@transatlanticofficial
@mikeportnoy
@neal_morse_official
@roinestolt8112
@insideoutmusic
Looks like everyone is tossing in last minute vocals! Haven't seen a post by Roine yet though I'm sure he's doing some too.
-Marc.
-
Unprecedented because they had 6 tracks originally, but decided to make each one a full CD length. 6 disc set baby!
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Unprecedented because they had 6 tracks originally, but decided to make each one a full CD length. 6 disc set baby!
Tales from Transatlantic Topographic Oceans? :omg:
-
Triple album
(plus bonus disc)
-
You guys gotta think outside the box! Clearly it's gonna be an album consisting of 10-12 songs that are only 3-5 minutes in length.
-
Hmmm......I wonder what it could be? It's gotta be more than just a double album if Mike is claiming "unique and unprecedented". A double album is certainly neither "unique" or "unprecedented". I'm interested to hear what they have up their sleeves.
-
It’s a two disc set, but the second disc is the first disc played backwards so you can hear the subliminal messages. The extra “vocal” tracks being recorded are the subliminal messages.
-
I took it as him saying it would be "unique and unprecedented" for the band specifically.
-
I recall similar descriptors used for The Astonishing.
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I recall similar descriptors used for The Astonishing.
TA is doing their own version of TA?!?!?! :omg:
-
I think unique and unprecedented it's referring as the way they did tha album, it took thme a year+ to complete when in the past it was al done in 2-3 weeks or less
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correct me if I'm wrong but while yes they usually wrote and recorded basic tracks in a few weeks, it always took months to do all the overdubs and I expect the songs sometimes changed as well as that process went along.
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correct me if I'm wrong but while yes they usually wrote and recorded basic tracks in few weeks, it always took months to to do all the overdubs and I expect the songs sometimes changed as well as that process went along.
Yeah, on the making of Bridge Across Forever there’s all this footage of Neal doing vocals and keyboard overdubs after everyone had gone back home. He even calls Roine up at one point to ask him how a certain part was supposed to go.
-
I think unique and unprecedented it's referring as the way they did tha album, it took thme a year+ to complete when in the past it was al done in 2-3 weeks or less
I disagree with this; both Mike and Pete are clearly implying that there's something special about this album itself, besides the manner in which it was produced. They're both saying that there's some special reason why it's taken so long, and Mike is saying that reason is the unique and unprecedented thing. I think that strongly points to something other than "it took so long because of our schedules/because of COVID."
-
I don't want my expectations to get out of control but I hope this winds up being one of the band's strongest albums, if they're taking more time than usual to construct it.
-
I plan to check it out.
-
I may have missed a couple but counting live and studio releases, this TA album will be #87 for Mike. That's beyond prolific. Portnoyific.
I'm excited for this one.
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I may have missed a couple but counting live and studio releases, this TA album will be #87 for Mike. That's beyond prolific. Portnoyific.
I'm excited for this one.
In 2020 alone? I'd believe it!
-Marc.
-
:lol
-
I sometimes think about how massive the music of the Transatlantic family tree is, and the fact that it's all mostly pretty good if not amazing music. Talking TA, DT/LTE, NM/SB, RS/TFK, Marillion, and PoS, and Portnoy is on a good chunk of all that music. I admit, my knowledge of Marillion is limited, really only know a couple of albums from the 80s.
-
I sometimes think about how massive the music of the Transatlantic family tree is, and the fact that it's all mostly pretty good if not amazing music. Talking TA, DT/LTE, NM/SB, RS/TFK, Marillion, and PoS, and Portnoy is on a good chunk of all that music. I admit, my knowledge of Marillion is limited, really only know a couple of albums from the 80s.
It is immensely large, and discovering Transatlantic (by way of Dream Theater and Mike Portnoy) really opened up my eyes to a huge world of neo and 90's prog. After getting into Rush, and then being recommended early Dream Theater, I found out about Mike's side-projects like Liquid Tension Experiment and OSI, but Transatlantic really hit me differently, and knowing their supergroup status, I then sought out each member's respective home bands and THEIR side projects:
-Discovering Neal Morse and early Spock's Beard was like a revelation, and when I got around to hearing more Neal Morse, he was about to release ?, so I jumped in at an amazing time in his career. Even without Neal, Spock's Beard still delivered amazing music with NDV fronting the band, and now with Ted. From SB, I, of course, sought out solo albums by Ryo Okumoto, Alan Morse, and NDV. With Ted, I eventually discovered Enchant as well (which brings me back to my love for Rush as their sound is a b it simiiar).
-Discovering Roine Stolt and The Flower Kings is probably the BIGGEST branch in the Transatlantic Tree. Not only is the TFK Discography HUGE (even at the time of my discovery around 2005, just before Paradox Hotel came out), almost every main member has a pretty good discography as well. Tomas Bodin has a good few solo albums with various TFK members participating, Hasse Froberg has his solo band, Jonas Reingold has Karmakanic, and of course, Roine Stolt has released a few solo albums and particpated in many other projects like The Tangent (which has become one of my favorite bands of all time in the last 15 years), as well as others like Agents Of Mercy and Kaipa. The TFK family is huge and ever expanding.
-Pete Trewavas was probably the one that was my least loved of the three, not because of his playing, but because I didn't really connect with his main band Marillion rigth away like I did with SB and TFK. I did buy a TON of Marillion stuff in the mid-to-late 2000's in an attempt to try and "get into" them, and I eventually grew to love a lot of their material, especially albums like Marbles and Happiness Is The Road, but between Transatlantic's four members' home bands, Marillion is probably my least listened to.
-Despite being featured on the European tour for Bridge Across Forever, I never really dipped into Daniel Gildenlow's band Pain Of Salvation when I was discovering a lot of prog around 2004/2005. Even now, I've only really heard about half of the POS albums, but I've enjoyed what I've heard. I think I was more familiar with Daniel's work with The Flower Kings when he was a member for a short stint.
If it wasn't for Transatlantic, I might not have found out about a lot of the music I've come to know and love over the last 15 years, which is why I'll always hold TA up in high regard. Their music definitely is greater than the sum of their parts, and I always believe they bring their A-Game to every album, so reading the hype from Neal, Mike, and Pete over the last few weeks has gotten me SUPER excited for TA5, more so than I've been excited for any other album or project over the last few years.
-Marc.
-
Similarly, Dream Theater/Mike Portnoy was the gateway to so much great music across many genres for me. I discovered Neal and Roine's music the summer after graduating high school, after downloading the first Transatlantic album and TFK's Stardust We Are (only disc 1 though, which I didn't realize at the time...) I had been familiar with most of Dream Theater's music for the previous couple of years. That was pretty much it for a while. I didn't check out Neal's solo stuff right away because reviews online made it sound like it was Christian rock and with no prog rock to be found, so I avoided it. I also didn't know much Spock's either. I had checked out Space Revolver and some of Unfold the Future at some point, but it wasn't until The Whirlwind came out that I began to explore Neal's work outside TA/SB, as well as start diving into TFK. That album had a profound effect on me, I consider it the best album any of the members of the band have made.
I never let the sound of the music influence my liking of the music. I discovered Roine and Neal around the same time I discovered Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, Camel, Pink Floyd other than the hits, etc... so I never heard what older prog heads may have heard ("this sounds too much like Yes or Genesis", etc...) To me, while I do hear those influences in Neal and Roine's music, they do things differently than what those prog dinosaurs do/did.
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"Unique and unprecedented"? That's a... significant promise. Hopefully it's not a case of MP bluster!
Yeah, I'll believe that when I hear it. But the fact they're still tweaking things a year later instead of just banging the whole thing out in a couple of weeks and calling it done definitely instills a little more confidence than usual.
It sure does. As the legendary Lou Lamoriello always says, "If you have time, you use it." I'm getting more optimistic about this one.
-
I recall similar descriptors used for The Astonishing.
I'd have to figure the lyrics will be better...If there are any.
-
I recall similar descriptors used for The Astonishing.
TA is doing their own version of TA?!?!?! :omg:
I'd have to figure the lyrics would be better. If there are any.
-
I sometimes think about how massive the music of the Transatlantic family tree is, and the fact that it's all mostly pretty good if not amazing music. Talking TA, DT/LTE, NM/SB, RS/TFK, Marillion, and PoS, and Portnoy is on a good chunk of all that music. I admit, my knowledge of Marillion is limited, really only know a couple of albums from the 80s.
It is immensely large, and discovering Transatlantic (by way of Dream Theater and Mike Portnoy) really opened up my eyes to a huge world of neo and 90's prog. After getting into Rush, and then being recommended early Dream Theater, I found out about Mike's side-projects like Liquid Tension Experiment and OSI, but Transatlantic really hit me differently, and knowing their supergroup status, I then sought out each member's respective home bands and THEIR side projects:
-Discovering Neal Morse and early Spock's Beard was like a revelation, and when I got around to hearing more Neal Morse, he was about to release ?, so I jumped in at an amazing time in his career. Even without Neal, Spock's Beard still delivered amazing music with NDV fronting the band, and now with Ted. From SB, I, of course, sought out solo albums by Ryo Okumoto, Alan Morse, and NDV. With Ted, I eventually discovered Enchant as well (which brings me back to my love for Rush as their sound is a b it simiiar).
-Discovering Roine Stolt and The Flower Kings is probably the BIGGEST branch in the Transatlantic Tree. Not only is the TFK Discography HUGE (even at the time of my discovery around 2005, just before Paradox Hotel came out), almost every main member has a pretty good discography as well. Tomas Bodin has a good few solo albums with various TFK members participating, Hasse Froberg has his solo band, Jonas Reingold has Karmakanic, and of course, Roine Stolt has released a few solo albums and particpated in many other projects like The Tangent (which has become one of my favorite bands of all time in the last 15 years), as well as others like Agents Of Mercy and Kaipa. The TFK family is huge and ever expanding.
-Pete Trewavas was probably the one that was my least loved of the three, not because of his playing, but because I didn't really connect with his main band Marillion rigth away like I did with SB and TFK. I did buy a TON of Marillion stuff in the mid-to-late 2000's in an attempt to try and "get into" them, and I eventually grew to love a lot of their material, especially albums like Marbles and Happiness Is The Road, but between Transatlantic's four members' home bands, Marillion is probably my least listened to.
-Despite being featured on the European tour for Bridge Across Forever, I never really dipped into Daniel Gildenlow's band Pain Of Salvation when I was discovering a lot of prog around 2004/2005. Even now, I've only really heard about half of the POS albums, but I've enjoyed what I've heard. I think I was more familiar with Daniel's work with The Flower Kings when he was a member for a short stint.
If it wasn't for Transatlantic, I might not have found out about a lot of the music I've come to know and love over the last 15 years, which is why I'll always hold TA up in high regard. Their music definitely is greater than the sum of their parts, and I always believe they bring their A-Game to every album, so reading the hype from Neal, Mike, and Pete over the last few weeks has gotten me SUPER excited for TA5, more so than I've been excited for any other album or project over the last few years.
-Marc.
Transatlantic is definitely the gateway drug to all things prog for me (moreso than DT even). Pete’s involvement in Big Big Train on The Difference Machine for instance is one of the first things that brought that band to my attention (along with Nick and Dave Meros who are also TA connected through Neal). But more than that TA introduced me to prog outside of the DT/prog metal sphere, so bands like Genesis were something I got into because I knew they were a direct influence on TA.
-
-Discovering Roine Stolt and The Flower Kings is probably the BIGGEST branch in the Transatlantic Tree. Not only is the TFK Discography HUGE (even at the time of my discovery around 2005, just before Paradox Hotel came out), almost every main member has a pretty good discography as well. Tomas Bodin has a good few solo albums with various TFK members participating, Hasse Froberg has his solo band, Jonas Reingold has Karmakanic, and of course, Roine Stolt has released a few solo albums and particpated in many other projects like The Tangent (which has become one of my favorite bands of all time in the last 15 years), as well as others like Agents Of Mercy and Kaipa. The TFK family is huge and ever expanding.
Yes, the Roine Stolt/TFK branch is probably the largest. The Flower Kings, Kaipa, Roine solo, Tomas Bodin solo, Karmakanic, The Tangent, Agents of Mercy, Hasse Fröberg and the Musical Companion, The Sea Within, and other projects like Kaipa da Capo, 3rd World Electric, Anderson/Stolt, etc... I'm sure I'm missing some stuff, but all that, including Transatlantic, has to be somewhere around 80+ hours of original music, maybe more.
-
-Discovering Roine Stolt and The Flower Kings is probably the BIGGEST branch in the Transatlantic Tree. Not only is the TFK Discography HUGE (even at the time of my discovery around 2005, just before Paradox Hotel came out), almost every main member has a pretty good discography as well. Tomas Bodin has a good few solo albums with various TFK members participating, Hasse Froberg has his solo band, Jonas Reingold has Karmakanic, and of course, Roine Stolt has released a few solo albums and particpated in many other projects like The Tangent (which has become one of my favorite bands of all time in the last 15 years), as well as others like Agents Of Mercy and Kaipa. The TFK family is huge and ever expanding.
Yes, the Roine Stolt/TFK branch is probably the largest. The Flower Kings, Kaipa, Roine solo, Tomas Bodin solo, Karmakanic, The Tangent, Agents of Mercy, Hasse Fröberg and the Musical Companion, The Sea Within, and other projects like Kaipa da Capo, 3rd World Electric, Anderson/Stolt, etc... I'm sure I'm missing some stuff, but all that, including Transatlantic, has to be somewhere around 80+ hours of original music, maybe more.
You could include Moon Safari in that tree since Bodin has produced and played with them.
-
-Discovering Roine Stolt and The Flower Kings is probably the BIGGEST branch in the Transatlantic Tree. Not only is the TFK Discography HUGE (even at the time of my discovery around 2005, just before Paradox Hotel came out), almost every main member has a pretty good discography as well. Tomas Bodin has a good few solo albums with various TFK members participating, Hasse Froberg has his solo band, Jonas Reingold has Karmakanic, and of course, Roine Stolt has released a few solo albums and particpated in many other projects like The Tangent (which has become one of my favorite bands of all time in the last 15 years), as well as others like Agents Of Mercy and Kaipa. The TFK family is huge and ever expanding.
Yes, the Roine Stolt/TFK branch is probably the largest. The Flower Kings, Kaipa, Roine solo, Tomas Bodin solo, Karmakanic, The Tangent, Agents of Mercy, Hasse Fröberg and the Musical Companion, The Sea Within, and other projects like Kaipa da Capo, 3rd World Electric, Anderson/Stolt, etc... I'm sure I'm missing some stuff, but all that, including Transatlantic, has to be somewhere around 80+ hours of original music, maybe more.
You could include Moon Safari in that tree since Bodin has produced and played with them.
I could have included Pain of Salvation as well, but that is more along the lines of close association rather than overlapping personnel. Moon Safari is their own band from their own musical circle, Bodin definitely helped in bringing attention to them, helping them get their career going.
-
-Discovering Roine Stolt and The Flower Kings is probably the BIGGEST branch in the Transatlantic Tree. Not only is the TFK Discography HUGE (even at the time of my discovery around 2005, just before Paradox Hotel came out), almost every main member has a pretty good discography as well. Tomas Bodin has a good few solo albums with various TFK members participating, Hasse Froberg has his solo band, Jonas Reingold has Karmakanic, and of course, Roine Stolt has released a few solo albums and particpated in many other projects like The Tangent (which has become one of my favorite bands of all time in the last 15 years), as well as others like Agents Of Mercy and Kaipa. The TFK family is huge and ever expanding.
Yes, the Roine Stolt/TFK branch is probably the largest. The Flower Kings, Kaipa, Roine solo, Tomas Bodin solo, Karmakanic, The Tangent, Agents of Mercy, Hasse Fröberg and the Musical Companion, The Sea Within, and other projects like Kaipa da Capo, 3rd World Electric, Anderson/Stolt, etc... I'm sure I'm missing some stuff, but all that, including Transatlantic, has to be somewhere around 80+ hours of original music, maybe more.
You could include Moon Safari in that tree since Bodin has produced and played with them.
I could have included Pain of Salvation as well, but that is more along the lines of close association rather than overlapping personnel. Moon Safari is their own band from their own musical circle, Bodin definitely helped in bringing attention to them, helping them get their career going.
Well, given that Daniel has toured with Transatlantic twice, and appeared on Kaleidoscope, as well a having been a member of The Flower Kings for a few years, I'd say he definitely fits in the Transatlantic Tree, at least more so than Moon Safari, who are pretty amazing in their own right.
I'll also add that for Pete, if it wasn't for him, I would not have checked out Kino when I did, and while I can't remember if I listened to Kino or Frost* first, I do remember enjoying both around the same time, and they have led me to John Mitchell as well.
Prog is just an ever expanding fractal of music, and it seems once you start climbing that tree, the branches will just continues to grow and cross each other forever.
-Marc.
-
Oh I would include PoS in the Transatlantic tree, I was referring to the TFK branch; I'd say PoS is a branch of Transatlantic, while PoS's smaller branches brush against the TFK branch of Transatlantic in the wind, if that makes sense. Moon Safari is part of another tree who's branches brush against Bodin's own branch every so often.
-
I recall similar descriptors used for The Astonishing.
TA is doing their own version of TA?!?!?! :omg:
We need to go deeper...
-
You heard it here first, 5 disc choose your own adventure concept album
-
I'd say PoS is a branch of Transatlantic
Why? They weren't born out of TA. They are really wholly unrelated, aren't they, except for Daniel performing live with TA?
-
I'd say PoS is a branch of Transatlantic
Why? They weren't born out of TA. They are really wholly unrelated, aren't they, except for Daniel performing live with TA?
They are a branch of The Flower Kings, not TA.
-
You heard it here first, 5 disc choose your own adventure concept album
Ha! I would love that. Or at least I would love to see them or preferably DT come up with a single disc concept album, and create alternate versions of it, including different tracks (not all released on each version of the album) that reveal different parts of the story to others, or maybe even a completely different direction in the story, different versions of some songs (acoustic/super heavy, epic/short, etc.) with altered lyrics. Have 3-5 different versions of the album to collect (or get in the super ultra-deluxe uber box set) and when they tour behind it, perform different versions of the album each night so fans don't know which one they'll get. It will never happen, but I honestly think it would be a cool idea.
-
You heard it here first, 5 disc choose your own adventure concept album
Ha! I would love that. Or at least I would love to see them or preferably DT come up with a single disc concept album, and create alternate versions of it, including different tracks (not all released on each version of the album) that reveal different parts of the story to others, or maybe even a completely different direction in the story, different versions of some songs (acoustic/super heavy, epic/short, etc.) with altered lyrics. Have 3-5 different versions of the album to collect (or get in the super ultra-deluxe uber box set) and when they tour behind it, perform different versions of the album each night so fans don't know which one they'll get. It will never happen, but I honestly think it would be a cool idea.
The fans would complain about having to buy 3-5 different cd's, since the Super-Ultra-Deluxe-Combo-Breaker Box Set would be limited.
I would buy it right away though, and end up putting those different songs into one super uber song. :biggrin:
-
Oh my God... :omg: :hefdaddy :metal
-
Could they top The Whirlwind with TA5? I feel like they're going to try.
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Could they top The Whirlwind with TA5? I feel like they're going to try.
Oh my God... :omg: :hefdaddy :metal
If this is any indicator, then I think they're definitely trying :lol
-
I'm excited for this in a way I don't often get excited about albums. I feel fairly confident I'll love this even if it's Kaleidoscope 2. And it doesn't seem like it's going to be Kaleidoscope 2.
-
There are only so many types of album that can be done, and in their respective bands these guys have done them all, so whatever TA have done with their fifth album will be seen as, for example, "pulling a Flying Colors" if it's mainly shorter songs, or typical TA if it's the usual couple of epics with a few shorter songs in the middle, etc.
-
You heard it here first, 5 disc choose your own adventure concept album
Ha! I would love that. Or at least I would love to see them or preferably DT come up with a single disc concept album, and create alternate versions of it, including different tracks (not all released on each version of the album) that reveal different parts of the story to others, or maybe even a completely different direction in the story, different versions of some songs (acoustic/super heavy, epic/short, etc.) with altered lyrics. Have 3-5 different versions of the album to collect (or get in the super ultra-deluxe uber box set) and when they tour behind it, perform different versions of the album each night so fans don't know which one they'll get. It will never happen, but I honestly think it would be a cool idea.
The fans would complain about having to buy 3-5 different cd's, since the Super-Ultra-Deluxe-Combo-Breaker Box Set would be limited.
I would buy it right away though, and end up putting those different songs into one super uber song. :biggrin:
As long as they don't force me to buy vinyl in order to get the 5.1 mix! :) :) :)
-
Possible announcement tomorrow? Something coming from MP tomorrow at least.
https://twitter.com/mikeportnoy/status/1324203851201814528?s=21
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From Mike on Facebook
It has been an insane couple of days...don’t worry, there’s some good news coming tomorrow that should make EVERYBODY happy...
.
(NOT POLITICAL RELATED!)
*crosses fingers for a TA5 announcement*
-Marc.
-
From Mike on Facebook
It has been an insane couple of days...don’t worry, there’s some good news coming tomorrow that should make EVERYBODY happy...
.
(NOT POLITICAL RELATED!)
*crosses fingers for a TA5 announcement*
-Marc.
My first thought exactly. Very excited for this release :omg:
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TA to re-record SOA's MMXX, but every song is 30 minutes long.
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Or maybe, based on the picture, he is about to announce that he bought Big Big Train's Merchants Of Light album and that he loves it.
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Or maybe, based on the picture, he is about to announce that he bought Big Big Train's Merchants Of Light album and that he loves it.
Heh, that was my first thought!
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TA 5:
https://www.facebook.com/TransatlanticMusic/videos/2768202930115787
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AHHHHHHHH FEBRUARY 5TH!
That's so soon. Given Inside Out's typical pre-release plans, pre-orders will probably go up by the end of November with the first single and press release.
-Marc.
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Nice!
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Sending a spade theme. Fingers crossed that they’ve finally fulfilled my wish of hearing MP do a proggy cover of Starship’s We Built This City.
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Sending a spade theme. Fingers crossed that they’ve finally fulfilled my wish of hearing MP do a proggy cover of Starship’s We Built This City.
A what?
-Marc.
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12 different versions of Ace Of Spades.
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Sending a spade theme. Fingers crossed that they’ve finally fulfilled my wish of hearing MP do a proggy cover of Starship’s We Built This City.
A what?
-Marc.
Just calling a space a spade!
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12 different versions of Ace Of Spades.
Unprecedented amounts of digging on this album.
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Exciting! 😁
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covering Styx''s Queen of Spades :tup
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Got up this morning, and it just felt like a Bridge Across Forever type of fall day (the album was released around this time of year, so I have some pretty strong fall associations with it). Just wrapping up Duel With The Devil. Album still sounds great almost 20 years later. What a classic.
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Bridge Across Forever my #2 for best Neal Morse-related album. Just kicks ass all the way through. Where the debut felt more like a Neal Morse project. Though that album is still another one of his and the band's best, BAF felt more like a band effort, Roine's input is a lot stronger than it was one SMPTe. Portnoy also came along way from the first album to the second, he sounds less like a prog metal drummer playing with prog rock dudes, and more like a prog drummer who can play heavier. Duel With The Devil and Stranger In Your Soul are phenomenal epics, and they have such a positive vibe to them, especially Duel. I can't help but air drum and air keyboard the whole time. I enjoy the call backs in Suite Charlotte Pike, and the song itself has a cool Beatles vibe, and a nice contrast to the previous epic opener. Title track is fine. One of my favorite melodies in all of TA/NM/DT/TFK land is the main theme for SIYS, as can be heard in the beautiful lone piano outro, for example.
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Bridge Across Forever my #2 for best Neal Morse-related album. Just kicks ass all the way through. Where the debut felt more like a Neal Morse project. Though that album is still another one of his and the band's best, BAF felt more like a band effort, Roine's input is a lot stronger than it was one SMPTe. Portnoy also came along way from the first album to the second, he sounds less like a prog metal drummer playing with prog rock dudes, and more like a prog drummer who can play heavier. Duel With The Devil and Stranger In Your Soul are phenomenal epics, and they have such a positive vibe to them, especially Duel. I can't help but air drum and air keyboard the whole time. I enjoy the call backs in Suite Charlotte Pike, and the song itself has a cool Beatles vibe, and a nice contrast to the previous epic opener. Title track is fine. One of my favorite melodies in all of TA/NM/DT/TFK land is the main theme for SIYS, as can be heard in the beautiful lone piano outro, for example.
This is an interesting take, because I was thinking how much heavier the drums seem from a sound/mixing standpoint on BAF, whereas SMPTe always stood out to me as one his more unique albums in the way he drums. Like he’s more focused on groove and isn’t as out in front as usual. If I had to say which one seems more like a heavy metal drummer playing prog I’d say BAF (not that it’s a bad thing - I think his drums were really intentionally placed in the forefront on this album and it’s one of his finer moments of his career).
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I often struggle between picking BAF and The Whirlwind, but for the 5 years I was a TA fan leading up to the release of The Whirlwind, BAF was my choice over the debut. Like you said, darkshade, the debut felt a bit less like a group effort, and more like "Here's a Neal song, here's a Roine song, here's a Neal song with a Roine bit stuck in the middle...", where as BAF had all of their ideas mixed up together, carefully crafted to make epics that blend all of their styles, and showcase their musical prowess together as a band. And the musical motifs and themes that are shared between the three epics really creates an interesting album as a whole (where every epic is connected to another in some way).
... but then The Whirlwind came out and took a lot of those ideas and performances and cranked them up, but The Whirlwind is better when taken in as a whole, its sum is greater than its parts, but BAF has stand-out individual songs, especially my favorite BAF epic "Stranger In Your Soul". So really, picking a favorite between the two is a coin-flip some days, but I think BAF gets it 51/49 most of the time, but DAMN do I love The Whirlwind.
-Marc.
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I've got it. The lead vocals on TA5 is mostly or entirely sung by Daniel.
I never listen to The Whirlwind's individual sections. It is one piece of music to me.
BAF can be picked apart, and to be honest, I don't really listen to the title song or even SCP unless I'm listening to the whole thing. But the 2 epics are so good I still think it's top 3, and the middle songs are pleasant enough, I do like the funky beginning to SCP. Hell, if TA5 was funky groovy prog with Daniel singing THAT would be something different.
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Oh, please no Gildenlow on this album!
To me all 4 tracks on BAF are just perfect. I get why SCP is a little dodgy for some people, but I just think it’s a ton of fun the whole way through. I love the Abby Road/Supper’s Ready style of smashing a bunch of shorter sections together.
As far as SMPTe being less of a full band effort, I think you can definitely identify one Roine track (My New World) and one Neal track (We All Need Some Light), but I’d say the other two tracks (All of the Above and Mystery Train) have less of a clear “this guy wrote that” vibe. Even though (I think) All of the Above was primarily a Neal piece, the extended instrumental passages have a pretty full band vibe.
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Oh, please no Gildenlow on this album!
To me all 4 tracks on BAF are just perfect. I get why SCP is a little dodgy for some people, but I just think it’s a ton of fun the whole way through. I love the Abby Road/Supper’s Ready style of smashing a bunch of shorter sections together.
As far as SMPTe being less of a full band effort, I think you can definitely identify one Roine track (My New World) and one Neal track (We All Need Some Light), but I’d say the other two tracks (All of the Above and Mystery Train) have less of a clear “this guy wrote that” vibe. Even though (I think) All of the Above was primarily a Neal piece, the extended instrumental passages have a pretty full band vibe.
I recall an interview with Neal where he said that when Transatlantic was formed, he felt he had to take control and came in with near-finished material. All Of the Above definitely sounds like a Neal epic with the lineup that it is having some input. My New World is a Roine epic, but it's Nealed up. If you listen to the early demo version it sounds like something you could have been on one of those first 2 albums by The Tangent. Mystery Train does sound like a collaboration, though it's still Neal dominated.
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TA goes Space Rock!
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I made a “best of” TA cd once. But it was just BAF with We All Need Some Light substituted for the title track. That would have been in the top 5 albums in history if it had been released that way.
Oh, and SCP is amazing, and the live version with the Abbey Road Medley mixed in might be the most amazing thing they ever did.
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I made a “best of” TA cd once. But it was just BAF with We All Need Some Light substituted for the title track. That would have been in the top 5 albums in history if it had been released that way.
Oh, and SCP is amazing, and the live version with the Abbey Road Medley mixed in might be the most amazing thing they ever did.
Happy to see some love for SCP. I really enjoy it, especially after I edited the ending back into the song (un-fading the end of SCP and the beginning of the hidden track and carefully matching them up so the song becomes whole again, then crossfading the sound from the end of that into the beginning of "Bridge Across Forever").
The medley is a lot of fun to watch on Live In Europe, especially the end where Pete gets a sweet bass solo spot before they finish the whole thing.
Back to TA5, I am wondering how soon we will get more information - album title, album artwork, song names and track list/lengths. The album drops in 89 days, so going by how Inside Out typically promotes new albums, I'd say we're almost due for the initial pre-release and a full single, although depending on how the album is structured, who knows how many singles we'll get (IO typically gives us 3, at least that's been the case lately, but I think Kaleidoscope only had two - "Shine" and "Black As The Sky").
I'm still willing to bet we get at LEAST one side-length epic that fills a side of vinyl, but I wouldn't be opposite to a vinyl-length epic that is 35-40 minutes long, and then maybe 3 or 4 shorter pieces to fill the 2nd vinyl (of a double album). Guess we'll find out in the coming weeks!
-Marc.
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Oh, and SCP is amazing, and the live version with the Abbey Road Medley mixed in might be the most amazing thing they ever did.
I listened to that today three times while working on my deck.
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I made a “best of” TA cd once. But it was just BAF with We All Need Some Light substituted for the title track. That would have been in the top 5 albums in history if it had been released that way.
Oh, and SCP is amazing, and the live version with the Abbey Road Medley mixed in might be the most amazing thing they ever did.
Happy to see some love for SCP. I really enjoy it, especially after I edited the ending back into the song (un-fading the end of SCP and the beginning of the hidden track and carefully matching them up so the song becomes whole again, then crossfading the sound from the end of that into the beginning of "Bridge Across Forever").
The medley is a lot of fun to watch on Live In Europe, especially the end where Pete gets a sweet bass solo spot before they finish the whole thing.
Back to TA5, I am wondering how soon we will get more information - album title, album artwork, song names and track list/lengths. The album drops in 89 days, so going by how Inside Out typically promotes new albums, I'd say we're almost due for the initial pre-release and a full single, although depending on how the album is structured, who knows how many singles we'll get (IO typically gives us 3, at least that's been the case lately, but I think Kaleidoscope only had two - "Shine" and "Black As The Sky").
I'm still willing to bet we get at LEAST one side-length epic that fills a side of vinyl, but I wouldn't be opposite to a vinyl-length epic that is 35-40 minutes long, and then maybe 3 or 4 shorter pieces to fill the 2nd vinyl (of a double album). Guess we'll find out in the coming weeks!
-Marc.
I hate that InsideOut always has to release half the album before the actual release date. So I hope that the band could structure the album completely as they wanted to, and that the label didn't intervene ("we need some more short songs for singles" or so).
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I hate that InsideOut always has to release half the album before the actual release date. So I hope that the band could structure the album completely as they wanted to, and that the label didn't intervene ("we need some more short songs for singles" or so).
Yeah, I remember this was bothering me a little when Haken released Virus. While I ended up really enjoying the album, in a way it kind of felt like there wasn't much that was new to discover with the full album (even if two of the songs were 10+ minutes) because there were only 7 songs in total and 3 of them were available pre-release as singles.
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I hate that InsideOut always has to release half the album before the actual release date. So I hope that the band could structure the album completely as they wanted to, and that the label didn't intervene ("we need some more short songs for singles" or so).
Yeah, I remember this was bothering me a little when Haken released Virus. While I ended up really enjoying the album, in a way it kind of felt like there wasn't much that was new to discover with the full album (even if two of the songs were 10+ minutes) because there were only 7 songs in total and 3 of them were available pre-release as singles.
Funny you mention Haken, I thought about mentioning Vector as an example. Like Virus, it also only has 7 songs (and one of them is an intro, just like Virus has an outro). Over 16 minutes of Vector's 44 minutes were released as singles, so there was only 28 minutes that haven't been heard on release day. Off of Virus, 17 minutes were released before the actual album release.
It's the same with the new Steven Wilson album. Actually, it's worse: the album is 42 minutes long and 18 minutes have already been released as singles. And there are still two and a half months until the album's release.
I haven't been listening to any pre-released singles by any of my favourite bands for over 5 years now. And the experience of hearing a new album and not knowing ANYTHING off of it is just great. Being surprised by each and every song, by the sound, production etc. is something that singles take away. I wish bands like Haken, Transatlantic or Steven Wilson had the luxury to just pull a Radiohead and release their new album without having to put out 600 singles.
Ok, my singles-rant is over, sorry ;D
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Here are the details. “The Absolute Universe” with two separate versions of the album:
https://m.facebook.com/#!/story.php?story_fbid=10158386710601293&id=11963481292
The main version is a 2 disc concept album and the alternate is a single disc with alternate arrangements essentially. This has the capacity to be really cool or really corny. We’ll see I guess!
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Dammit. What did I say above? WHAT DID I SAY? DON'T MAKE ME BUY VINYL!
And in that press release, the three formats listed include BOTH CD and vinyl in each one. WTF.
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TRANSATLANTIC - the Prog Supergroup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas – are pleased to announce their fifth studio album ‘The Absolute Universe’, set for release on the 5th February 2021. Representing the band’s first new music since 2014’s ‘Kaleidoscope’, with ‘The Absolute Universe’ the band have done something unique and created two versions of the record: ‘The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)’ & ‘The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)’.
As Mike Portnoy explains: “We've got two versions of this album. There is a two CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one - that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you'll hear has been altered. You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different.” Pete Trewavas adds: “We did write some new music for the single CD,” adds Trewavas. “What's more, there are also differences in the instruments used on some of the tracks across the two records.”
Each album will be available on CD, LP & Digitally. But there will also be what has been called ‘The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition’, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LP’s, 3CD’s & a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with visuals & a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard. The full list of formats is below, and pre-orders start on November 20th:
The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)
Special Edition CD Digipak
Gatefold 2LP+CD
Digital Album
The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)
Special Edition 2CD Digipak
3LP+2CD Boxset
Digital Album
The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition
Limited Deluxe Clear 5LP+3CD+Blu-Ray Box-set – contained within a foil-finished lift-off box with extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster
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The Absolute Universe :lol
Yeah, this could be really cool. Releasing two different versions of the album is certainly something new. I'm still kinda confused by that :lol But I'm also excited to hear the differences between the versions and to find out which version I like better.
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So basically, double dip for Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue because despite being very similar, they're slightly different? Songs and sections exclusive to each one? This is already tiring me out. :lol
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Honestly, I think this seems like a pretty cool idea for an album! I'm definitely interested in checking out both versions of the album.
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I hate that InsideOut always has to release half the album before the actual release date. So I hope that the band could structure the album completely as they wanted to, and that the label didn't intervene ("we need some more short songs for singles" or so).
Yeah, I remember this was bothering me a little when Haken released Virus. While I ended up really enjoying the album, in a way it kind of felt like there wasn't much that was new to discover with the full album (even if two of the songs were 10+ minutes) because there were only 7 songs in total and 3 of them were available pre-release as singles.
Funny you mention Haken, I thought about mentioning Vector as an example. Like Virus, it also only has 7 songs (and one of them is an intro, just like Virus has an outro). Over 16 minutes of Vector's 44 minutes were released as singles, so there was only 28 minutes that haven't been heard on release day. Off of Virus, 17 minutes were released before the actual album release.
It's the same with the new Steven Wilson album. Actually, it's worse: the album is 42 minutes long and 18 minutes have already been released as singles. And there are still two and a half months until the album's release.
I haven't been listening to any pre-released singles by any of my favourite bands for over 5 years now. And the experience of hearing a new album and not knowing ANYTHING off of it is just great. Being surprised by each and every song, by the sound, production etc. is something that singles take away. I wish bands like Haken, Transatlantic or Steven Wilson had the luxury to just pull a Radiohead and release their new album without having to put out 600 singles.
Ok, my singles-rant is over, sorry ;D
I've pretty much done that as well, though hard not to with Dream Theater, and I felt similarly that I already heard half the album when DoT came out. A lot of labels have been doing that now, bands and artists across the spectrum of genres have 3-4 singles out before release date.
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Interesting that neither (or perhaps both?) is the default/original version of the album, that's what I think makes this so unique. The shorter one is abridged and the longer one is extended.
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This is a really cool idea.
I've always wanted something like a concept album where there were multiple possible endings, and you didn't know which one you were going to get each time you listened to it.
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Could be a completely necessary effort, or an absolutely original and great idea that will give endless delight in spotting all the differences.
Imagine DT doing something like this for The Astonishing, "we wrote a 2 CD rock opera but hey, if that's too much for you, here's the abridged version on one CD, with reworked music, and a different and more compact storyline".
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So basically, double dip for Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue because despite being very similar, they're slightly different? Songs and sections exclusive to each one? This is already tiring me out. :lol
I think it's like that, but each go in a different direction as each album progresses?
The real question is.... Which one do you listen to first? ??? :o
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TRANSATLANTIC - the Prog Supergroup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas – are pleased to announce their fifth studio album ‘The Absolute Universe’, set for release on the 5th February 2021. Representing the band’s first new music since 2014’s ‘Kaleidoscope’, with ‘The Absolute Universe’ the band have done something unique and created two versions of the record: ‘The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)’ & ‘The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)’.
As Mike Portnoy explains: “We've got two versions of this album. There is a two CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one - that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you'll hear has been altered. You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different.” Pete Trewavas adds: “We did write some new music for the single CD,” adds Trewavas. “What's more, there are also differences in the instruments used on some of the tracks across the two records.”
Each album will be available on CD, LP & Digitally. But there will also be what has been called ‘The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition’, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LP’s, 3CD’s & a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with visuals & a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard. The full list of formats is below, and pre-orders start on November 20th:
The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)
Special Edition CD Digipak
Gatefold 2LP+CD
Digital Album
The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)
Special Edition 2CD Digipak
3LP+2CD Boxset
Digital Album
The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition
Limited Deluxe Clear 5LP+3CD+Blu-Ray Box-set – contained within a foil-finished lift-off box with extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster
It would have been even crazier if there was original material that was unique to The Ultimate Edition.
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Very cool! Kinda funny that I had already talked about them or DT doing something like this earlier in this thread:
You heard it here first, 5 disc choose your own adventure concept album
Ha! I would love that. Or at least I would love to see them or preferably DT come up with a single disc concept album, and create alternate versions of it, including different tracks (not all released on each version of the album) that reveal different parts of the story to others, or maybe even a completely different direction in the story, different versions of some songs (acoustic/super heavy, epic/short, etc.) with altered lyrics. Have 3-5 different versions of the album to collect (or get in the super ultra-deluxe uber box set) and when they tour behind it, perform different versions of the album each night so fans don't know which one they'll get. It will never happen, but I honestly think it would be a cool idea.
I swear I had no idea that TA would end up doing this, but I'm looking forward to it! Will be interesting to know what the differences are, and no doubt there will be the debates over which version is better. When they finally do live shows in support of it, I wonder if the guys will vary the setlist and do a mix'n'match or if they'll stick with performing only one version of the songs that are different.
Dammit. What did I say above? WHAT DID I SAY? DON'T MAKE ME BUY VINYL!
And in that press release, the three formats listed include BOTH CD and vinyl in each one. WTF.
I'm not in to vinyl in the least either, but there are options to purchase CD only digipaks for both! It's just that you won't be able to get the super duper ultra deluxe version without the vinyl. I'll be fine with getting both digipaks.
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Interesting that neither (or perhaps both?) is the default/original version of the album, that's what I think makes this so unique. The shorter one is abridged and the longer one is extended.
Yeah, I read it to be that the 2 disc was the way they initially intended the album (with some protest from Neal and Pete), and then they decided to do the alternate 1 disc version as well. But they aren’t necessarily calling one the official version and one the alternate.
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I've always enjoyed the TA documentaries. Sucks that the documentary will be limited to the huge boxset.
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I've always enjoyed the TA documentaries. Sucks that the documentary will be limited to the huge boxset.
I totally read over the behind the scenes documentary! I actually though about buying the two LPs separately because I don't need the CDs and the BluRay with a 5.1 Mix. But if the BluRay includes the documentary, I guess I'll have to buy the box set :biggrin:
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I hate that InsideOut always has to release half the album before the actual release date. So I hope that the band could structure the album completely as they wanted to, and that the label didn't intervene ("we need some more short songs for singles" or so).
Yeah, I remember this was bothering me a little when Haken released Virus. While I ended up really enjoying the album, in a way it kind of felt like there wasn't much that was new to discover with the full album (even if two of the songs were 10+ minutes) because there were only 7 songs in total and 3 of them were available pre-release as singles.
Well, that's your own fault. You can not listen to them at all and wait for the album to be released.
It's about will not to take the piece of meat dangling, and be patient for the entire animal to come.
So we can buy the Abridged version as a single CD.
The Expanded version with both versions.
Or a deluxe super bundle with them all and bonus Blu-ray.
Dammit Transatlantic, Now will I end up joining these versions into one song. It can be possible as they are 5ye same song with different sections.
Now I'm wondering, how they will choose the Setlist and which version to play live.
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This is a pretty cool idea, color me excited :tup
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Oh man I did NOT expect to wake up to read a TA5 press release this morning, but it sure did start my day off right!
The concept is surely interesting, though of course I'll order the deluxe version, despite not really needing the 5LP vinyl set, but I want that BD. DAMN IT, why couldn't there just be a 4 disc 3CD/1BD pack? Ah well, the shipping on that 5LP/3CD/1BD box set is gonna be crazy, on top of its likely $80-100 price tag. I guess I have 11 days to sort out the money for it. Interesting that no real tracklist was provided yet, but knowing that the abridged version is 2/3rds the length of the extended one sure is interesting, especially with different lyrics, performances and arrangements too. I'm sure there will be plenty of discussion about which version is better, so I can see this being a divisive album for years to come!
-Marc.
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Now that the excitement has tapered down, I don't know what to think about the new Transatlantic album. Is it overkill or is it original? Kaleidoscope was underwhelming to say the least and followed the previous TA formula (epic, epic, short song ballad, epic). I'm a bit afraid that these two albums will follow the same formula except one is twice as long as the other.
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Dammit. What did I say above? WHAT DID I SAY? DON'T MAKE ME BUY VINYL!
And in that press release, the three formats listed include BOTH CD and vinyl in each one. WTF.
This and this:
DAMN IT, why couldn't there just be a 4 disc 3CD/1BD pack?
Other than that, excited for the album!
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I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
It just seems like a gimmick. Yeah, I read the whole press release, the way they explained it makes a certain amount of sense. It still seems like a way to sell more than one copy of the same album. Maybe after we find how how much overlap there really is, and how different the songs are that are in both versions, it will make more sense. But right now it just seems a muddled mess, and I'm actually turned off of getting either one. That would make this the first Transatlantic album I don't have in at least one format.
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Now that the excitement has tapered down, I don't know what to think about the new Transatlantic album. Is it overkill or is it original? Kaleidoscope was underwhelming to say the least and followed the previous TA formula (epic, epic, short song ballad, epic). I'm a bit afraid that these two albums will follow the same formula except one is twice as long as the other.
It will be interesting to see what the track listings look like. I find myself fully expecting the one-disc version to be preferable for me (60 minutes is pretty much the sweet spot for an album length (though 45-50 can be really nice too). But I do sort of look forward to digesting and comparing both versions.
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(https://i.ibb.co/n1d80JY/unnamed.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kDb6yCw)
Initial tracking began in September 2019 when the band met up in Sweden to write and arrange the new material. As Portnoy explains: “Over a period of 10-14 days, we mapped out the songs. Then we all went back to our home studios and did the recording. That's the way we always do it. At one point, though, it was suggested that instead of doing what was by that time going to be a double album, we should just be content to do a single CD.”
“What happened was that everything kept expanding and expanding,” recalls Stolt. “Therefore we decided it made sense to make it a double album. It was Pete and Neal who then came out and said they felt this would be too long, and we should reduce it to one…But we were already recording, and it didn't seem feasible to cut it back. There were so many pieces that each of us loved in what we were planning and didn't want to lose. That's when we ended up in discussions over the best way forward.”
This album also marks a return to the concept album for Transatlantic. “Well, the idea of Transatlantic deciding to do a concept record this time around won't shock anyone, right?” laughs Portnoy. “What we have is essentially one giant composition, split into chapters. The storyline is about the struggles facing everyone in society today.” “We didn't start out with the idea of this being conceptual,” admits Stolt. “The way things work with us is that we have a load of ideas, and these are developed spontaneously when we meet up. Everything happens in the moment.”
So, how does this new ground-breaking album compare to Transatlantic's previous four albums?
“I always try not to compare albums as much as possible,” insists Morse. “It’s very difficult when you’re trying to be creative, because your natural instinct is to constantly compare. But in order to create you have to kind of step away from that. Having said that, I would say this would have more in common with 'The Whirlwind' album (the band's third, from 2009) than others that we’ve created.” For Trewavas, 'The Absolute Universe' is a momentous project.
“I think it is right up there with the very finest albums we've done. As the others have said, it compares very well to 'The Whirlwind', which I believe represents Transatlantic at our best. As on that album, we took our time to write and arrange everything, and that shines through. I am very excited for people to hear it.”
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I don't mind getting 2 versions of the album but I don't think I'll be buying the LPs for the bluray set.
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Interesting that neither (or perhaps both?) is the default/original version of the album, that's what I think makes this so unique. The shorter one is abridged and the longer one is extended.
Yeah, I read it to be that the 2 disc was the way they initially intended the album (with some protest from Neal and Pete), and then they decided to do the alternate 1 disc version as well. But they aren’t necessarily calling one the official version and one the alternate.
The way I read/see it was that the 2 disc album IS the main/original version of the album, and the shorter version is the "extra", so to speak, as they say in the press release they had to write/record more music for that one, as well as doing different versions of some existing songs.
What'll most likely end up happening for me, is that I'll get voth versions, remove the unaltered tracks from the second version, and maybe make a playlist including my favorite tracks from both, to create my own "ultimate edition".
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The Expanded version with both versions.
That's not how I understand it. The expanded version is separate. So if you buy the expanded version, you only get one version, although it is the longer of the two.
I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
So once you have both and are familiar with them, go ahead and create your own Ultimate Orbert version. I'm sure that's what a lot of fans will end up doing. just like the old "choose your own adventure" books. ;)
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The Expanded version with both versions.
That's not how I understand it. The expanded version is separate. So if you buy the expanded version, you only get one version, although it is the longer of the two.
I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
So once you have both and are familiar with them, go ahead and create your own Ultimate Orbert version. I'm sure that's what a lot of fans will end up doing. just like the old "choose your own adventure" books. ;)
That will be a little difficult for the vinyl fans among us :lol
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Personally speaking, I think Forevermore will be the canonical version of TAU, while the Breath Of Life (the final lyrics to The Whirlwind) will be a sort of bonus track version. Besides, I'm here for epic lengths, so 90 minutes for me please!
-Marc.
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Love the covers, especially the purple one. Lots of possible choices. Maybe too many. I think I'll wait and listen to what is available for free via the official site and depending on how it sounds, make my decision from there.
I honestly don't see myself wanting to listen to multiple versions.
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I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
It just seems like a gimmick. Yeah, I read the whole press release, the way they explained it makes a certain amount of sense. It still seems like a way to sell more than one copy of the same album. Maybe after we find how how much overlap there really is, and how different the songs are that are in both versions, it will make more sense. But right now it just seems a muddled mess, and I'm actually turned off of getting either one. That would make this the first Transatlantic album I don't have in at least one format.
Glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's not that hot. And why isn't there a 3cd version without vinyl and blueray and shit?
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Marillion did something similar with Marbles when they had 1 CD version and a 2 CD version. I initially got the 1 CD version and discovered the 2 CD version later which I scooped up and prefer that to the 1 CD version..
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Marillion did something similar with Marbles when they had 1 CD version and a 2 CD version. I initially got the 1 CD version and discovered the 2 CD version later which I scooped up and prefer that to the 1 CD version..
Oh yeah, that's true! But I think Transatlantic have taken it a step further with changing vocalists, lyrics, instruments, and arrangements for the single CD version. I hope they show how this process was handled in the BD documentary.
One thing that has got me wondering, especially since we don't have a track list yet, is how the transfer of the album from CD to vinyl will go, since moving 90 minutes off 2 CDs into 3 vinyls will offer different split points between songs. On average, there would be 6 chunks of 13-17 minutes in length to fit on 3 LPs/6 sides of vinyl, with 3 of those chunks on each CD. But the single disc version will also feature different splits between songs (depending on how they're arranged) with 4 different chunks of music to fit on 2 LPs. It'll be interesting to A/B each version, both between the CDs and the LPs, though I'll likely listen to the whole album in a 150 minute playlist anyway.
Also, given that the short version is titled "The Breath Of Life", I wonder if the lyrics will reference "The Whirlwind" at all. The concept is about the struggles of life, and "The Whirlwind" sort of dealt with similar themes, so I'm curious to see if they do any musical or lyrical callbacks to, even what THEY affirm is, their best album.
-Marc.
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Album trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Ln98PtgZI
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Could they top The Whirlwind with TA5? I feel like they're going to try.
Oh my God... :omg: :hefdaddy :metal
If this is any indicator, then I think they're definitely trying :lol
:tup
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Marillion did something similar with Marbles when they had 1 CD version and a 2 CD version. I initially got the 1 CD version and discovered the 2 CD version later which I scooped up and prefer that to the 1 CD version..
Oh yeah, that's true! But I think Transatlantic have taken it a step further with changing vocalists, lyrics, instruments, and arrangements for the single CD version. I hope they show how this process was handled in the BD documentary.
One thing that has got me wondering, especially since we don't have a track list yet, is how the transfer of the album from CD to vinyl will go, since moving 90 minutes off 2 CDs into 3 vinyls will offer different split points between songs. On average, there would be 6 chunks of 13-17 minutes in length to fit on 3 LPs/6 sides of vinyl, with 3 of those chunks on each CD. But the single disc version will also feature different splits between songs (depending on how they're arranged) with 4 different chunks of music to fit on 2 LPs. It'll be interesting to A/B each version, both between the CDs and the LPs, though I'll likely listen to the whole album in a 150 minute playlist anyway.
Also, given that the short version is titled "The Breath Of Life", I wonder if the lyrics will reference "The Whirlwind" at all. The concept is about the struggles of life, and "The Whirlwind" sort of dealt with similar themes, so I'm curious to see if they do any musical or lyrical callbacks to, even what THEY affirm is, their best album.
-Marc.
Yeah, the big difference in what Marillion did was they had a distribution deal to sell the 1 disc version in retail stores, and then had the 2-disc edition as the pre-order campaign edition. So there was enticement to join the campaign up front (and later to buy direct from Racket) and no real reason to buy both versions if you got the 2-disc set. The 1 disc version almost functioned more like a promotional single just to have the album in stores and maybe attract the odd casual fan or whatever.
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https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/5047349568615978/
Mike shared some higher resolution versions of the album covers, if anyone wants them. I love the colors but I wish the Ultimate edition one had a bit more going on.
-Marc.
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Very interesting this format... I wonder if this thing crossed the mind of the guys in Neal Morse Band when they converted The Great Adventure original single album on the double album.
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https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/5047349568615978/
Mike shared some higher resolution versions of the album covers, if anyone wants them. I love the colors but I wish the Ultimate edition one had a bit more going on.
-Marc.
Personally, I like the Ultimate Edition one the best. The other two versions are great as well, but I think they have a little too much stuff going on.
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Something I find interesting is that the spaceship/blimp has finally changed in appearance - at least much more dramatically than on any of the previous covers. Looks more steampunk than before. Can't help but think of some of the imagery from Rush's Clockwork Angels.
Also kinda interesting that they're using the same font that NASA uses for their logo.
Also, given that the short version is titled "The Breath Of Life", I wonder if the lyrics will reference "The Whirlwind" at all.
I wouldn't be surprised. Look at the cover art - there's a hurricane type swirl in the background of The Breath of Life version, not unlike what is on the cover of The Whirlwind.
Very interesting this format... I wonder if this thing crossed the mind of the guys in Neal Morse Band when they converted The Great Adventure original single album on the double album.
I thought the same thing! In fact, judging by how successful this is, I wouldn't put it past them to revisit the original version of what became TGA, finish it off and then release it.
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This sounds interesting and original, and I can't wait to explore both versions.
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I would love to see a tracklist. I know they said it's one continuous piece of music, but there should be sections like on The Whirlwind. There is nothing online anywhere yet, is there?
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I love all three album covers. Hopefully the content can match it.
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The fire on the ultimate edition cover is different than the one on the other 2.
Nuggetz?
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Any of the vinyl fans want to sell their Blu-ray, hit me up. ;) :) :) :)
(If it means I get banned or reprimanded, I'm kidding. If it means I get a blu-ray out of it, I'm still kidding, but PM me. :))
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I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
So once you have both and are familiar with them, go ahead and create your own Ultimate Orbert version. I'm sure that's what a lot of fans will end up doing. just like the old "choose your own adventure" books. ;)
Yeah, that's always an option, or it will be eventually. If they haven't done a lot of segueing between tracks, it can work. If they segue directly from one track to another, which is pretty common with concept albums, that can make it messy.
The way they're doing it is novel, and kinda cool; I'll give them that. But ultimately, I think a "regular" and "expanded" version, where the regular version is a proper subset of the expanded version, would have been preferable. But as I said, we'll see what we eventually get. This could all be a bunch of fuss over nothing.
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I really, really like this idea, actually. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
One of the things I really like about live albums is getting somewhat different takes on familiar songs. It creates a nice variety. It'll be interesting to see that concept brought into the context of a studio album, especially since the variations seem to be potentially even more significant. Having both versions will probably keep the music fresher for me, causing me to listen to the album (in one version or the other) more frequently and causing me to get more enjoyment out of it.
I imagine, like most people, I will end up with a preferred version (probably Forevermore, the two-disc version, just because of quantity). But I think there's a good chance I'll regularly listen to both, especially if there are some aspects of The Breath of Life that I like better, as I imagine there will be. I'll absolutely be buying both digipacks (I'd be curious about the documentary, but not enough to pay the vinyl price).
Also: people have commented on "The Breath of Life" being a Whirlwind reference. "Forevermore" isn't quite one, but doesn't it come close to Evermore? In The Whirlwind, both those terms have a clear religious significance. Which, in the context of the title of this album, The Absolute Universe, and the space theme, makes me wonder what sort of lyrical content we'll be getting in that area. Obviously we can expect it to be Christian-friendly, but it doesn't seem to be straightforwardly Christian.
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Smells a little like profiteering to me which is a bit of a turn off to be honest. >:(
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Smells a little like profiteering to me which is a bit of a turn off to be honest. >:(
I understand this reaction, and the way they are packaging it sort of supports that. However, I bet if they had just released one version and then 6 months later surprised everyone with the second version, people would be pretty excited about it.
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The Expanded version with both versions.
That's not how I understand it. The expanded version is separate. So if you buy the expanded version, you only get one version, although it is the longer of the two.
I think Ben was referring to the Ultimate version, which includes both the Extended version and the Abridged version.
This is confusing. :lol
Anyway, for my part I'll be listening on streaming first before I buy anything. Then assuming I like it enough, I'll decide which version I prefer and if I really like both and they're sufficiently distinct, I'll consider getting the Ultimate edition although only if it comes in a CD-only version.
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I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
It just seems like a gimmick. Yeah, I read the whole press release, the way they explained it makes a certain amount of sense. It still seems like a way to sell more than one copy of the same album. Maybe after we find how how much overlap there really is, and how different the songs are that are in both versions, it will make more sense. But right now it just seems a muddled mess, and I'm actually turned off of getting either one. That would make this the first Transatlantic album I don't have in at least one format.
I see it as an experimental way to justify doing a double cd release.
I kind of agree with you here about it being kind of dumb. What you said, about one version being you favorite, is what i'm concerned about live. Fans will be upset that their favorite of version of the song isn't played, and you get the other one instead.
But then, it's sounding like They are the same songs, but not really the same song. It's the same song, in key, but there could be Chord Progression and Structure differences...
(https://i.ibb.co/8YY7z1v/AP-crosseyed.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://imgbb.com/)
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Smells a little like profiteering to me which is a bit of a turn off to be honest. >:(
I understand this reaction, and the way they are packaging it sort of supports that. However, I bet if they had just released on version and then 6 months later surprised everyone with the second version, people would be pretty excited about it.
No, that would smell the same as this. Profiteering. I get it. But I find it kind of...sleazy - IF it's going to be released the way I've seen it described here, where I will have to buy 3 separate releases to get all the songs? Yeah, no. I'll stream it if available, otherwise I'm probably gonna pass on this unless they release a single unit in which I can get all of the songs they're releasing. I am not going to pay for the same fucking song 3 times.
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Smells a little like profiteering to me which is a bit of a turn off to be honest. >:(
I understand this reaction, and the way they are packaging it sort of supports that. However, I bet if they had just released on version and then 6 months later surprised everyone with the second version, people would be pretty excited about it.
No, that would smell the same as this. Profiteering. I get it. But I find it kind of...sleazy - IF it's going to be released the way I've seen it described here, where I will have to buy 3 separate releases to get all the songs? Yeah, no. I'll stream it if available, otherwise I'm probably gonna pass on this unless they release a single unit in which I can get all of the songs they're releasing. I am not going to pay for the same fucking song 3 times.
Since when do you need to buy 3 versions? :huh: There's only 2 versions of the album. It's just the super duper deluxe version bundles them together and includes a blu-ray.
I think putting out one version and then releasing a "touring edition" version later, which many bands have done in recent years smacks of profiteering. While some argument could be said that this is profiteering, considering who's behind it, I'd chalk it up to honest creativity.
As I said in an earlier post, I wouldn't mind it there were even more versions with different variations on the story, songs, lyrics, etc. If I purchase the stock CD versions of each (in this case, 2 versions), I'm not gonna be breaking the bank.
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Smells a little like profiteering to me which is a bit of a turn off to be honest. >:(
I understand this reaction, and the way they are packaging it sort of supports that. However, I bet if they had just released on version and then 6 months later surprised everyone with the second version, people would be pretty excited about it.
This is not exactly the first time TA could be accused of trying to sell fans on two releases that are very similar to one another. *looks at copies of Whirld Tour and More Never is Enough*
However, I'm pro-profit and I think this is a cool idea that will work out to the benefit of both band and fans. The 2CD version exists for those who don't care to buy two versions.
Also, let's be clear: I'm pretty sure there are only TWO versions. There's the 60-minute version and the 90-minute version, each of which can be bought individually. The ultimate edition is just a box set that includes both of those versions in every format plus the documentary.
Now that we know that the new album is a unified, 90-minute piece, what do you think that means for any tour that may or may not happen, depending on virus things? I imagine they will want to play the whole thing, which leaves about 90 minutes left in an evening-with set.
My best prediction for what they'd do with the remaining 90 minutes is:
- Do a 30-minute Whirlwind medley, probably with different stuff than the one on the Kaleidoscope tour.
- Bring back Duel with the Devil, since the last tour featured a mashup of All and Stranger, and Neal and Mike also played Stranger in 2014 at Morsefest.
- Play Black as the Sky, to represent Kaleidoscope, and We All Need Some Light, both to represent SMPTe and because it's probably the inevitable song in their set.
- I would love if they could sneak in Suite Charlotte Pike, which I think the set I've described gives them just enough time to do.
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I kind of agree with you here about it being kind of dumb. What you said, about one version being you favorite, is what i'm concerned about live. Fans will be upset that their favorite of version of the song isn't played, and you get the other one instead.
It's Transatlantic. It is more than likely that they will release 2 shows of the same tour :biggrin:
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Having both versions will probably keep the music fresher for me, causing me to listen to the album (in one version or the other) more frequently and causing me to get more enjoyment out of it.
Unless the music sucks... :lol (I'm obviously joking, but there's some TA songs I don't really like much, so it could be that some tracks aren't that good)
Also: people have commented on "The Breath of Life" being a Whirlwind reference. "Forevermore" isn't quite one, but doesn't it come close to Evermore? In The Whirlwind, both those terms have a clear religious significance. Which, in the context of the title of this album, The Absolute Universe, and the space theme, makes me wonder what sort of lyrical content we'll be getting in that area. Obviously we can expect it to be Christian-friendly, but it doesn't seem to be straightforwardly Christian.
I didn't catch the Breath of Life connection at first, but "Forevermore" definitely made me think of Evermore. And they kept refering to The Whirlwind in the press release, so, could there be more connections between the albums? Not implying this is a sequel to TW or anything like that, but both albums could be related somehow.
I see it as an experimental way to justify doing a double cd release.
I kind of agree with you here about it being kind of dumb. What you said, about one version being you favorite, is what i'm concerned about live. Fans will be upset that their favorite of version of the song isn't played, and you get the other one instead.
But then, it's sounding like They are the same songs, but not really the same song. It's the same song, in key, but there could be Chord Progression and Structure differences...
I can totally see Morsefest 2021 being TA playing the shorter album and a second set consisting of other TA songs one night, and then doing the 2 disc album the second night + a couple other extras; and then releasing the whole thing as a live album, so fans can get live versions of everything. Mark this post :lol
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The Expanded version with both versions.
That's not how I understand it. The expanded version is separate. So if you buy the expanded version, you only get one version, although it is the longer of the two.
I think Ben was referring to the Ultimate version, which includes both the Extended version and the Abridged version.
This is confusing. :lol
Anyway, for my part I'll be listening on streaming first before I buy anything. Then assuming I like it enough, I'll decide which version I prefer and if I really like both and they're sufficiently distinct, I'll consider getting the Ultimate edition although only if it comes in a CD-only version.
I was referring to the Forevermore version having 2 discs, while the Abridged version only has 1 disc. I didn't read where MP said the Forevermore was 2-disc 90 minutes.
Now that means I have to buy 2...albums just to get to hear the entirety of their new album, since I don't want the boxset. This is just a way to get you to buy the boxset. They easily could've made the Forevermore version a 3-disc set, with the Abridged disc included.
Basically what we got is the result of their compromise agreement for the album.... :lol
I'll still buy it, but that is after I hear it on Spotify....
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I think if I was only a casual fan of the band, I would just get the 2CD version. But I'm a TA die-hard (again, I actually own both Whirld Tour and More Never is Enough), so I'm very happy to be able to buy both.
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Now that we know that the new album is a unified, 90-minute piece, what do you think that means for any tour that may or may not happen, depending on virus things? I imagine they will want to play the whole thing, which leaves about 90 minutes left in an evening-with set.
My best prediction for what they'd do with the remaining 90 minutes is:
- Do a 30-minute Whirlwind medley, probably with different stuff than the one on the Kaleidoscope tour.
- Bring back Duel with the Devil, since the last tour featured a mashup of All and Stranger, and Neal and Mike also played Stranger in 2014 at Morsefest.
- Play Black as the Sky, to represent Kaleidoscope, and We All Need Some Light, both to represent SMPTe and because it's probably the inevitable song in their set.
- I would love if they could sneak in Suite Charlotte Pike, which I think the set I've described gives them just enough time to do.
Then they'll play the abridged version, and end with a 30 minute Medley of all their previous epics. :biggrin:
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I can totally see Morsefest 2021 being TA playing the shorter album and a second set consisting of other TA songs one night, and then doing the 2 disc album the second night + a couple other extras; and then releasing the whole thing as a live album, so fans can get live versions of everything. Mark this post :lol
:rollin :rollin
That is the more likely thing that will happen. I will mark this post down...
It's more truer when you factor in, all the discussion about what NM can do for the next Morsefest.
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I can totally see Morsefest 2021 being TA playing the shorter album and a second set consisting of other TA songs one night, and then doing the 2 disc album the second night + a couple other extras; and then releasing the whole thing as a live album, so fans can get live versions of everything. Mark this post :lol
Unironically, I would be absolutely thrilled if this happened. Now I'm imagining something like this:
Night 1:
- The Absolute Universe: The Breath of Life
- We All Need Some Light
- Suite Charlotte Pike
- The Whirlwind
- All of the Above
Night 2:
- The Absolute Universe: Forevermore
- Duel with the Devil
- Bridge Across Forever
- Kaleidoscope
- Stranger in Your Soul
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Yeah, they put out a 9 paragraph Facebook post trying to rationalize this confusing mess. A lot of pretty angry people complaining about this
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A lot of pretty angry people complaining about this
Ugh, why are people so damn entitled these days?
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From the Facebook post I'm referring to:
Each album will be available on CD, LP & Digitally. But there will also be what has been called ‘The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition’, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LP’s, 3CD’s & a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with visuals & a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard
I'm not buying a "5LP's 3CDs, & Blue-ray" mega package for some ridiculous price just so I can get both versions of the album without buying both?
Nope. Pass
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A lot of pretty angry people complaining about this
Ugh, why are people so damn entitled these days?
"Entitled" = not wanting to buy the same song twice?
This is a stupid marketing ploy.
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I don't see a lot of angry comments about there being two versions of the album. Most of the angry comments I'm seeing are specifically about the Blu-Ray being locked to the ultimate edition set. Which I think is a reasonable complaint.
I don't really get the other complaint. If you don't want to buy two editions... just buy one? No one is preventing anyone from just buying the 2CD version and nothing else. The other version is there for those who want it. Those who don't want it can just... not buy it.
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A lot of pretty angry people complaining about this
Ugh, why are people so damn entitled these days?
"Entitled" = not wanting to buy the same song twice?
This is a stupid marketing ploy.
Yeah for sure, I was referring to people being angry.
If the two versions together only come in the epic boxset, then yeah I won't be getting it either. I'll just choose the one I prefer and go with that. Might be slightly annoying if I prefer some songs on the version I like less overall, but that's hardly a big deal. It's happened with the bonus discs that have been on their previous albums.
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From the Facebook post I'm referring to:
Each album will be available on CD, LP & Digitally. But there will also be what has been called ‘The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition’, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LP’s, 3CD’s & a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with visuals & a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard
Link to where you are reading this?
I'm not buying a "5LP's 3CDs, & Blue-ray" mega package for some ridiculous price just so I can get both versions of the album without buying both?
Nope. Pass
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I don't see a lot of angry comments about there being two versions of the album. Most of the angry comments I'm seeing are specifically about the Blu-Ray being locked to the ultimate edition set. Which I think is a reasonable complaint.
I don't really get the other complaint. If you don't want to buy two editions... just buy one? No one is preventing anyone from just buying the 2CD version and nothing else. The other version is there for those who want it. Those who don't want it can just... not buy it.
This. I think Mike was pretty clear that a significant part of the music is different across the two sets. I'm definitely buying both, and I have no problem doing so. My complaint is more general (and not exclusive to Transatlantic): I'm not certain why they mix formats. If I want vinyl, I'll get it (I don't). I just want the blu-ray. Ozzy did this with his box set, and Rush has been doing it with the 40th Anniversary versions. It's not even the money, really; I just feel bad wasting the vinyl. I don't even have a player.
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I don't see a lot of angry comments about there being two versions of the album. Most of the angry comments I'm seeing are specifically about the Blu-Ray being locked to the ultimate edition set. Which I think is a reasonable complaint.
I don't really get the other complaint. If you don't want to buy two editions... just buy one? No one is preventing anyone from just buying the 2CD version and nothing else. The other version is there for those who want it. Those who don't want it can just... not buy it.
This. I think Mike was pretty clear that a significant part of the music is different across the two sets. I'm definitely buying both, and I have no problem doing so. My complaint is more general (and not exclusive to Transatlantic): I'm not certain why they mix formats. If I want vinyl, I'll get it (I don't). I just want the blu-ray. Ozzy did this with his box set, and Rush has been doing it with the 40th Anniversary versions. It's not even the money, really; I just feel bad wasting the vinyl. I don't even have a player.
Completely agree. It's very wasteful when it's the only option, so people end up buying stuff when they don't want half of it.
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I don't see a lot of angry comments about there being two versions of the album. Most of the angry comments I'm seeing are specifically about the Blu-Ray being locked to the ultimate edition set. Which I think is a reasonable complaint.
I don't really get the other complaint. If you don't want to buy two editions... just buy one? No one is preventing anyone from just buying the 2CD version and nothing else. The other version is there for those who want it. Those who don't want it can just... not buy it.
This. I think Mike was pretty clear that a significant part of the music is different across the two sets. I'm definitely buying both, and I have no problem doing so. My complaint is more general (and not exclusive to Transatlantic): I'm not certain why they mix formats. If I want vinyl, I'll get it (I don't). I just want the blu-ray. Ozzy did this with his box set, and Rush has been doing it with the 40th Anniversary versions. It's not even the money, really; I just feel bad wasting the vinyl. I don't even have a player.
Completely agree. It's very wasteful when it's the only option, so people end up buying stuff when they don't want half of it.
Sadly, it's one of the only ways they have of getting more income out of a new release in the age of music streaming and digital download, so they (mostly the labels, though) make sure that fans that DO buy physical versions spend as much as they can if they want some of the fancy extras they're offering (didn't know how to say this in a "nicer way ha).
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Yeah, I have to say, I'm not a fan of the bizarre approaches to bundling at all, but I get it. It's a really tough industry to make money in right now, and it's becoming even more so with touring out of the question. If they think getting the $100 out of a smaller number of people that doesn't include me is better than getting $30 (hypothetical number for 3CD/Blu-Ray) out of a larger number of people including me is the more profitable decision... Well, I'll be disappointed not to be getting that documentary, but I'll accept it because I want them to make money so they can keep putting out the core product that I most enjoy. Matters more to me that I'll be able to buy TA 6 on CD in 2026 than that I get this Blu-Ray documentary.
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Wait, so...some people are complaining about the fact that the band is giving us more creative options to hear different versions of songs? :lolpalm: If you don't want multiple versions, just pick one and buy that one.
I have to say, this is a pretty cool idea. Not sure what buying option I will go with. I definitely want both version of the album. I would like the BR so I can get the documentary. But if the complete set is significantly more expensive than just buying the albums individually, I'll pass on the set. Besides, I'm sure Radiant will have it for $5 in a year or so. :lol
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I don't mind the idea of getting each version separately, but it would be nice to just buy the CD of the complete version instead of getting all this other stuff I'm not particularly interested in. If I had the money to spare, I'd totally get the big vinyl/CD/Blu-ray package, though.
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I don't see a lot of angry comments about there being two versions of the album. Most of the angry comments I'm seeing are specifically about the Blu-Ray being locked to the ultimate edition set. Which I think is a reasonable complaint.
I don't really get the other complaint. If you don't want to buy two editions... just buy one? No one is preventing anyone from just buying the 2CD version and nothing else. The other version is there for those who want it. Those who don't want it can just... not buy it.
Yeah. They are two different albums. You can buy either or both. I suppose it would be nice if there were just a 3-disc option, but would that really be priced that much differently than whatever it will cost to buy a separate 2-disc and 1-disc release? You’re also presumably getting different artwork with each release.
The only reason to buy the “ultimate” package that I see is if you a) want it on vinyl and/or b) want the bonus disc. It does sort of annoy me that they are cramming the vinyl into that package, but I don’t care about the bonus disc really anyway. So I’ll just pick up the separate album releases as if the band released two albums at once (which is mostly what this is).
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I don't see a lot of angry comments about there being two versions of the album. Most of the angry comments I'm seeing are specifically about the Blu-Ray being locked to the ultimate edition set. Which I think is a reasonable complaint.
I don't really get the other complaint. If you don't want to buy two editions... just buy one? No one is preventing anyone from just buying the 2CD version and nothing else. The other version is there for those who want it. Those who don't want it can just... not buy it.
This. I think Mike was pretty clear that a significant part of the music is different across the two sets. I'm definitely buying both, and I have no problem doing so. My complaint is more general (and not exclusive to Transatlantic): I'm not certain why they mix formats. If I want vinyl, I'll get it (I don't). I just want the blu-ray. Ozzy did this with his box set, and Rush has been doing it with the 40th Anniversary versions. It's not even the money, really; I just feel bad wasting the vinyl. I don't even have a player.
Forcing vinyl into releases like these type of releases seems like it’s a gamble by the vinyl industry that 1) old people with money and nostalgia will buy anything even if they don’t have a record player, 2) people who don’t have a record player will buy enough of these releases that they’ll finally say to themselves “I really ought to pick up a record player since I’ve got all this vinyl lying around.”
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I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
It just seems like a gimmick. Yeah, I read the whole press release, the way they explained it makes a certain amount of sense. It still seems like a way to sell more than one copy of the same album. Maybe after we find how how much overlap there really is, and how different the songs are that are in both versions, it will make more sense. But right now it just seems a muddled mess, and I'm actually turned off of getting either one. That would make this the first Transatlantic album I don't have in at least one format.
I think we can blame downloading music, or at least, the shift in people going from buying music, to feeling entitled to 'free' music whenever they want, wherever they are.
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Hats off to the band for trying something new.
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I'm confused by this. Two versions of an album because they couldn't agree on what was best - short or long. They should have called it The Indecision Universe.
Looking forward to hearing new music but I don't know which to get. Two and a half hours of new TA with a lot of the same songs... Part of creating something is knowing where to finish. Feels like they just couldn't manage that process.
It's different, we can all agree on that, but I'm not confident this will delight me, given my feeling on long/double albums.
On the other hand, this is TA - if anyone can manage it, it's them.
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I'm confused by this. Two versions of an album because they couldn't agree on what was best - short or long. They should have called it The Indecision Universe.
:rollin
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2 separate, independent albums? it couldn't have been that simple.
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Like I said earlier, my millennial brain immediately made the comparison to Pokemon always getting two versions of the same game. Mostly the same but with exclusives to each version. A slightly different take on the story in each one, with different bits and pieces here and there.
As unnecessary as it seems to me, I'll still probably end up getting both versions. I really like both album artworks, for what it's worth.
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This is amazingly awesome. I have no need for the vinyl so I'll go with the separate cd releases. In a perfect world I'd open the short version first, and listen to it many times and get to know it and love it. And then open up the 2 disc version and be blown away all over again. Just don't think I'll have the self control to actually do that.
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This is amazingly awesome. I have no need for the vinyl so I'll go with the separate cd releases. In a perfect world I'd open the short version first, and listen to it many times and get to know it and love it. And then open up the 2 disc version and be blown away all over again. Just don't think I'll have the self control to actually do that.
Honestly, this sounds like a fantastic idea. I was originally thinking I'd start with the 2CD version to get the full experience and then see how they changed it in the 1CD version, treating it more as a curiosity. But this plan sounds really appealing.
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This is amazingly awesome. I have no need for the vinyl so I'll go with the separate cd releases. In a perfect world I'd open the short version first, and listen to it many times and get to know it and love it. And then open up the 2 disc version and be blown away all over again. Just don't think I'll have the self control to actually do that.
Honestly, this sounds like a fantastic idea. I was originally thinking I'd start with the 2CD version to get the full experience and then see how they changed it in the 1CD version, treating it more as a curiosity. But this plan sounds really appealing.
After reading this idea, I wanna do that, too!
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I'm confused by this. Two versions of an album because they couldn't agree on what was best - short or long. They should have called it The Indecision Universe.
Looking forward to hearing new music but I don't know which to get. Two and a half hours of new TA with a lot of the same songs... Part of creating something is knowing where to finish. Feels like they just couldn't manage that process.
It's different, we can all agree on that, but I'm not confident this will delight me, given my feeling on long/double albums.
On the other hand, this is TA - if anyone can manage it, it's them.
I think you can chalk a lot of this up to the guys are all sitting around stuck at home all year with no touring. I at least applaud them for being productive with the time. Rather than choosing one disc or two, they said “why not both?” and got it done!
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I hate to be the downer here, but I think it's kinda dumb. To get "all" the music, you have to get both versions. I will inevitably end up preferring one over the other; which one that is remains to be seen/heard. That means that I'll sit and listen to an album I like, knowing that I'm not getting all the music. So I put on the other one, but it doesn't just have the remaining songs, it has different versions of other songs. The versions I don't like as much, because there's a reason I ended up preferring the other version of the album. But I sit through them because of the few other songs, including the one I really like but which is on the version of the album I don't like as much.
It just seems like a gimmick. Yeah, I read the whole press release, the way they explained it makes a certain amount of sense. It still seems like a way to sell more than one copy of the same album. Maybe after we find how how much overlap there really is, and how different the songs are that are in both versions, it will make more sense. But right now it just seems a muddled mess, and I'm actually turned off of getting either one. That would make this the first Transatlantic album I don't have in at least one format.
I think we can blame downloading music, or at least, the shift in people going from buying music, to feeling entitled to 'free' music whenever they want, wherever they are.
I never mentioned being entitled to free music, and Transatlantic is one of the bands I always buy physical copies of, just to support them. Mike said that a lot of the music is different between the two versions, which implies that some of it is the same. Therefore I have to buy at least some of the same material twice in order to get everything they created for this album, and that annoys me. If that makes me entitled, then I've misunderstood that word all this time.
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I think we can blame downloading music, or at least, the shift in people going from buying music, to feeling entitled to 'free' music whenever they want, wherever they are.
I never mentioned being entitled to free music, and Transatlantic is one of the bands I always buy physical copies of, just to support them. Mike said that a lot of the music is different between the two versions, which implies that some of it is the same. Therefore I have to buy at least some of the same material twice in order to get everything they created for this album, and that annoys me. If that makes me entitled, then I've misunderstood that word all this time.
I don't think he's saying you are acting entitled - he's talking about the public in general. The majority of people today don't even both purchasing MP3s anymore, let alone physical product. They're satisfied just streaming it, which has caused further harm to musicians in general. To counteract that, musicians are coming up with different packages to give fans more incentive to spend money rather than just stream. I have no problem with that - better for the fans! Plus, it's not as if there aren't multiple options for which package(s) to get. And again, I doubt buying both versions on CD is gonna break the bank.
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Sure does make sense Scotty.
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Okay, then I misunderstood. I'm still not convinced that people downloading music is what has led to bands coming up with ridiculous super-deluxe packages and multiple versions of the same music, but I guess it makes sense.
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Okay, then I misunderstood. I'm still not convinced that people downloading music is what has led to bands coming up with ridiculous super-deluxe packages and multiple versions of the same music, but I guess it makes sense.
Well, if not that, then what? It's a reality that bands are continuing to have to rely more and more on touring income because music sales have dried up. Why are music sales drying up? Some of it is because of illegal downloading, sure. But that's been going on for 20 years, and within a few years, the iTunes Store, Amazon, etc. started selling MP3s so artists still got a cut and they were still able to make a living. Then Spotify came on the scene (with numerous other streaming services not far behind) and started "paying" artists pennies for their music. How else is an artist to offer something to encourage fans to do more than simply stream their music? Give them something extra that they can't get with streaming or illegal downloading. Hence the bigger, fancier packages with tangible items.
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MP just responded to a question on Twitter about possibly releasing a special edition without the vinyl due to the apparent demand:
https://twitter.com/mikeportnoy/status/1326000852964962304?s=21
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Wait, so...some people are complaining about the fact that the band is giving us more creative options to hear different versions of songs? :lolpalm: If you don't want multiple versions, just pick one and buy that one.
I have to say, this is a pretty cool idea. Not sure what buying option I will go with. I definitely want both version of the album. I would like the BR so I can get the documentary. But if the complete set is significantly more expensive than just buying the albums individually, I'll pass on the set. Besides, I'm sure Radiant will have it for $5 in a year or so. :lol
The thing that sucks, is if you like just a certain section of one song, but love the other one more, and wish they would've just put that version on the full song...
It seems, The Abridged version is the one that is "the album". The Forevermore edition, is the "bonus cd with extras" meaning extras in the songs themselves, alternate vocals, and more music.
Haha, I wonder if it's like the Abridged edition is the Pete/Neal version, and Forevermore is the Portnoy/Stolt version. :lol
Okay, then I misunderstood. I'm still not convinced that people downloading music is what has led to bands coming up with ridiculous super-deluxe packages and multiple versions of the same music, but I guess it makes sense.
Well, if not that, then what? It's a reality that bands are continuing to have to rely more and more on touring income because music sales have dried up. Why are music sales drying up? Some of it is because of illegal downloading, sure. But that's been going on for 20 years, and within a few years, the iTunes Store, Amazon, etc. started selling MP3s so artists still got a cut and they were still able to make a living. Then Spotify came on the scene (with numerous other streaming services not far behind) and started "paying" artists pennies for their music. How else is an artist to offer something to encourage fans to do more than simply stream their music? Give them something extra that they can't get with streaming or illegal downloading. Hence the bigger, fancier packages with tangible items.
It's a two way street though. The band needs the fans to support them, somehow, or else they can't produce the music. The fans need to step up on their end a bit. Maybe, we fans need to be the ones to start the uprising of the high ticket prices, and Tickemaster Monolopy, that is screwing us fans over, It's mainly the "Fees" that make it unfathomable sometimes.
The bands are doing everything possible and yet the fans aren't doing their end to try and balance it out. It's to the point where the band has to put out these Deluxe packages and offer Meet and Greets, just so us entitled fans, can feel like we get our moneys worth with things like Behind the Scenes, Extra items, a "Kiss" on a postcard..."And eat our food and drink our drinks..." :biggrin:
The bands shouldn't have to do all this just for people to listen to their music. It's what Steven Wilson bitched about, and he said, why not then just go with what sells, and wrote music in the style that best sells, which to me explains his whole concept of The Future Bites and why the live touring is a big part of the album concept. These are lyrics in Personal Shopper "Buy the box set and the kind of stuff you've bought before a million times. / Buy in green, buy in blue. Buy in patterns 'cause I tell you to"
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LOL. I was just looking at this and wondering why the T A and V were highlighted, and then I realized it’s for Transatlantic 5.
https://m.facebook.com/#!/TransatlanticMusic/photos/a.10150754688581293/10158386945731293/?type=3&source=48
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It is really a new idea. Remember the alternative versions on the bonus disc of the last Flying Colors.
Seems interesting. :tup
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It's a two way street though. The band needs the fans to support them, somehow, or else they can't produce the music. The fans need to step up on their end a bit. Maybe, we fans need to be the ones to start the uprising of the high ticket prices, and Tickemaster Monolopy, that is screwing us fans over, It's mainly the "Fees" that make it unfathomable sometimes.
Can't speak for other countries, but Ticketblaster/JiveNation and these legalized scalping websites (AKA ticket resellers) are definitely a big part of the problem. But fans and most bands/artists can only do so much. If you're a band like Maiden, you have some control, but even they experienced problems with long lines with fans trying to enter because of what they instituted to ensure there was no scalping involved, resulting in some missing part of the show. Fans trying to fight it is a useless prospect unless *everyone* starts boycotting all live shows, and that will never happen. Even Pearl Jam, when they were at the height of the popularity in 1994-1995 tried to fight Ticketblaster but ultimately failed. They have too much control, and the government doesn't care and/or turns a blind eye to it because there's enough lobbying and greasing of palms to make it go away.
But really, that's a whole other discussion. The reality is that bands - especially those at this level - need to come up with new/better ways to generate money so that they can continue to support themselves and continue with their bands and in the music industry. And given that the norm now permits for their product to be (in essence) stolen by these streaming services, they are doing deluxe packages and the like to continue making physical sales.
MP just responded to a question on Twitter about possibly releasing a special edition without the vinyl due to the apparent demand:
https://twitter.com/mikeportnoy/status/1326000852964962304?s=21
Back on topic - glad to see MP's post. If they make a special edition without the vinyl I would give serious consideration to picking it up.
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I am super psyched about new TA and will absolutely get the super deluxe edition if need be. That said for this and any super deluxe the bazillion vinyl included are always made obsolete by a 5.1 blu-ray, which sounds better, is more compact, and easier to play. I know this is kind of a side rant for me, but the vinyl revival should have been stopped dead in its tracks by a modern much better alternative. So I'd prefer a version without the vinyl.
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MP just responded to a question on Twitter about possibly releasing a special edition without the vinyl due to the apparent demand:
https://twitter.com/mikeportnoy/status/1326000852964962304?s=21
Back on topic - glad to see MP's post. If they make a special edition without the vinyl I would give serious consideration to picking it up.
I would definitely buy this version if they came out with it. Otherwise, I'll be buying both CD versions.
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Knowing the kind of album it is, would you all have liked this approach from DT to The Astonishing? having the album as we know it being the "super special extended full story edition" and there being also a single album with a reworked storyline and arrangements to make it fit in 80 minutes?
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MP just responded to a question on Twitter about possibly releasing a special edition without the vinyl due to the apparent demand:
https://twitter.com/mikeportnoy/status/1326000852964962304?s=21
That would be great. Hope it happens.
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Knowing the kind of album it is, would you all have liked this approach from DT to The Astonishing? having the album as we know it being the "super special extended full story edition" and there being also a single album with a reworked storyline and arrangements to make it fit in 80 minutes?
Hard to say. The whole two-edition album thing seems like it could work for The Astonishing as well, but I love The Astonishing as it is so I wouldn't necessarily be wishing there was an abridged version of it.
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I am super psyched about new TA and will absolutely get the super deluxe edition if need be. That said for this and any super deluxe the bazillion vinyl included are always made obsolete by a 5.1 blu-ray, which sounds better, is more compact, and easier to play. I know this is kind of a side rant for me, but the vinyl revival should have been stopped dead in its tracks by a modern much better alternative. So I'd prefer a version without the vinyl.
Yeah there are so many deluxe bundles that have the bluray that I want but are bundled with the Vinyl that I just pass over those.
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For all my confusion about this, I'm still very excited for it. I'll get the single disc and, best scenario, a little down the line get to enjoy a super extended version of an album I really like.
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I am super psyched about new TA and will absolutely get the super deluxe edition if need be. That said for this and any super deluxe the bazillion vinyl included are always made obsolete by a 5.1 blu-ray, which sounds better, is more compact, and easier to play. I know this is kind of a side rant for me, but the vinyl revival should have been stopped dead in its tracks by a modern much better alternative. So I'd prefer a version without the vinyl.
I'm in agreement with you Nick. There are many like myself that moved away from the record player. CD's and 5.1 Blu Ray is all I want.
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It's a two way street though. The band needs the fans to support them, somehow, or else they can't produce the music. The fans need to step up on their end a bit. Maybe, we fans need to be the ones to start the uprising of the high ticket prices, and Tickemaster Monolopy, that is screwing us fans over, It's mainly the "Fees" that make it unfathomable sometimes.
Can't speak for other countries, but Ticketblaster/JiveNation and these legalized scalping websites (AKA ticket resellers) are definitely a big part of the problem. But fans and most bands/artists can only do so much. If you're a band like Maiden, you have some control, but even they experienced problems with long lines with fans trying to enter because of what they instituted to ensure there was no scalping involved, resulting in some missing part of the show. Fans trying to fight it is a useless prospect unless *everyone* starts boycotting all live shows, and that will never happen. Even Pearl Jam, when they were at the height of the popularity in 1994-1995 tried to fight Ticketblaster but ultimately failed. They have too much control, and the government doesn't care and/or turns a blind eye to it because there's enough lobbying and greasing of palms to make it go away.
But really, that's a whole other discussion. The reality is that bands - especially those at this level - need to come up with new/better ways to generate money so that they can continue to support themselves and continue with their bands and in the music industry. And given that the norm now permits for their product to be (in essence) stolen by these streaming services, they are doing deluxe packages and the like to continue making physical sales.
But guys, this is a pure economics problem. It's probably the best "supply and demand" example you can name that isn't called "iPhone". If people weren't paying scalping prices (either legit or not), there wouldn't be a market. Prices - for all the complaints about "fees" and whatever, are undervalued. UNDER valued. Not overpriced.
What SHOULD happen, if we care about the artists, is let them get a piece of that. For now, if you buy the ticket from the box office, they get, say, 60% of the price. If the ticket is $100, they get $60. If that ticket gets funnelled into the scalping market, that ticket may go for $200, or $250; the artist STILL only got $60, so that extra $100 or $150 is going to a middle man. I don't know how to do that effectively, and few artists have figured out a way. The best they've done is to sort of weed out the casual fans. But when I saw Bruce on Broadway, I was third row, from standing in the walk-up line for almost six hours. I paid face value, which was... shall we say, more than I've spent on even the TWO most expensive tickets I've ever bought (probably three). I was escorted into the theater upon purchase. The guys next to me paid $6000 for their two seats. You're never going to stop that, if someone wants to see a show that badly.
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Knowing the kind of album it is, would you all have liked this approach from DT to The Astonishing? having the album as we know it being the "super special extended full story edition" and there being also a single album with a reworked storyline and arrangements to make it fit in 80 minutes?
As that is what I did for myself, using someone's list posted somewhere on this board with slight tweaking, an abridged version may have helped me enjoy the album if it cut out the fat (or I'd hate it more because of the chance of keeping the stronger tracks off the abridged version)
Throw me into the group that would buy the ultimate version WITHOUT the vinyl records.
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For all my confusion about this, I'm still very excited for it. I'll get the single disc and, best scenario, a little down the line get to enjoy a super extended version of an album I really like.
I'm thinking about doing the same, listen to the single disc first.. But I'm going to get both versions right away, if not the ultimate edition w/o vinyl if that happens.
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Yeah, the only issue for me is the vinyls. It will at least double the price of the set and I have zero use for it.
Also, a ten sided vinyl collection isn't very practical to listen to a concept album.
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Forcing vinyl into releases like these type of releases seems like it’s a gamble by the vinyl industry that 1) old people with money and nostalgia will buy anything even if they don’t have a record player, 2) people who don’t have a record player will buy enough of these releases that they’ll finally say to themselves “I really ought to pick up a record player since I’ve got all this vinyl lying around.”
I don't think it's "forcing vinyl into releases", but rather the opposite. Vinyl is the only physical medium that has seen growing sales over the last 15 years. So, I think they're adding the relatively low-cost digital extras to the box to further entice vinyl fans.
(https://cdn.statcdn.com/Infographic/images/normal/7699.jpeg)
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But guys, this is a pure economics problem. It's probably the best "supply and demand" example you can name that isn't called "iPhone". If people weren't paying scalping prices (either legit or not), there wouldn't be a market. Prices - for all the complaints about "fees" and whatever, are undervalued. UNDER valued. Not overpriced.
What SHOULD happen, if we care about the artists, is let them get a piece of that. For now, if you buy the ticket from the box office, they get, say, 60% of the price. If the ticket is $100, they get $60. If that ticket gets funnelled into the scalping market, that ticket may go for $200, or $250; the artist STILL only got $60, so that extra $100 or $150 is going to a middle man. I don't know how to do that effectively, and few artists have figured out a way. The best they've done is to sort of weed out the casual fans. But when I saw Bruce on Broadway, I was third row, from standing in the walk-up line for almost six hours. I paid face value, which was... shall we say, more than I've spent on even the TWO most expensive tickets I've ever bought (probably three). I was escorted into the theater upon purchase. The guys next to me paid $6000 for their two seats. You're never going to stop that, if someone wants to see a show that badly.
You can argue this all you want, but when you have a MONOPOLY (in other words, no other realistic choices) that is literally feeding into the practice of scalping despite putting on a public face that every individual has a FAIR chance at purchasing tickets for themselves at face value, there is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Whether there are some who are willing blow huge sums of money for certain tickets is beside the point. This article sums things up the disgusting hypocritical way Ticketblaster/JiveNation handles things pretty well:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/ticketmaster-resellers-las-vegas-1.4828535
Regarding bands actually getting a cut of those higher ticket prices, these days we are seeing many of them doing that now with the silver, gold, platinum, diamond, etc. packages that offer all sorts of extras - it's something DT's been doing to at least some degree since 2004.
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King Crimson negotiates or buys the 1st 3-4 rows and sells the Royal Package. Same with DT. I do think the venue or ticket agency gets a cut out of that but DT/KC get a higher margin of the profits on those packages.
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But guys, this is a pure economics problem. It's probably the best "supply and demand" example you can name that isn't called "iPhone". If people weren't paying scalping prices (either legit or not), there wouldn't be a market. Prices - for all the complaints about "fees" and whatever, are undervalued. UNDER valued. Not overpriced.
What SHOULD happen, if we care about the artists, is let them get a piece of that. For now, if you buy the ticket from the box office, they get, say, 60% of the price. If the ticket is $100, they get $60. If that ticket gets funnelled into the scalping market, that ticket may go for $200, or $250; the artist STILL only got $60, so that extra $100 or $150 is going to a middle man. I don't know how to do that effectively, and few artists have figured out a way. The best they've done is to sort of weed out the casual fans. But when I saw Bruce on Broadway, I was third row, from standing in the walk-up line for almost six hours. I paid face value, which was... shall we say, more than I've spent on even the TWO most expensive tickets I've ever bought (probably three). I was escorted into the theater upon purchase. The guys next to me paid $6000 for their two seats. You're never going to stop that, if someone wants to see a show that badly.
You can argue this all you want, but when you have a MONOPOLY (in other words, no other realistic choices) that is literally feeding into the practice of scalping despite putting on a public face that every individual has a FAIR chance at purchasing tickets for themselves at face value, there is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Whether there are some who are willing blow huge sums of money for certain tickets is beside the point. This article sums things up the disgusting hypocritical way Ticketblaster/JiveNation handles things pretty well:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/ticketmaster-resellers-las-vegas-1.4828535
Regarding bands actually getting a cut of those higher ticket prices, these days we are seeing many of them doing that now with the silver, gold, platinum, diamond, etc. packages that offer all sorts of extras - it's something DT's been doing to at least some degree since 2004.
But this is a blurring of terms and issues. Being a monopoly is not de facto bad. It's just not. We have and accept monopolies all the time. What is bad about a monopoly is when it gets abused. If a ticket costs $100 from Ticketmaster and is going for $250 on a local scalping site, there is no argument in the WORLD that can say that Ticketmaster is a bad monopoly. You may not like that it costs $100 for a ticket, but that's not a variable in the equation, any more than it's your say what songs a band plays or who runs for President. Ticketmaster SHOULD be charging $250, and they're not (again, though, the secondary market thing is a problem).
I do agree with you, though, on the fact that it seems as if the initial sellers are also increasingly in the secondary market. I don't know how that works (I have to read your cite still). But that smacks of collusion (not the "Trump" collusion, but real collusion). But removing that link doesn't change any of the other variables in our discussion though. Stubhub, for example. For me here in the Northeast, it's venue driven. I haven't bought a ticket day of sale for a show at Mohegan Sun Casino in years. My wife loves Keith Urban and we try to go see him every time he plays. We get "pit" tickets and get as close as we can, because she drools over him for an hour and a half and has dreams he'll call her on stage, forget Nicole Kidman and live happily ever after. I get those tickets from his fanclub or Stubhub. Blocks of tickets seem to go right from the initial box office to the secondary market within hours. For Maiden, at the local pavillion, it was different; I just did Stubhub and waited until people panicked and dumped tickets day of show. I got third row behind the the pit for face value two hours before the show. Most of Mike's shows - smaller, club environments - I get from the box office directly (most of Mike's shows now are GA, and that helps). I see a lot of shows at a theater near me, and I'm a 'member' of the theater, so I get presales. I've gotten to know the women in the box office, and they will hold the ticket for me (and sometimes even upgrade them if closer, better seats come back in).
I know for a fact that when Bruce (and Jimmy Buffett) played Mohegan, the artist took a flat fee for playing - for them and their band and crew - and had the arena cover everything else, but they also set prices by contract. So that $150 Bruce ticket in CT was at his direction. When Prince played, he rented the hall - literally - and printed and sold his own tickets at his prices (he also gave a CD out to each ticket holder). Neither of those are the problem of "Ticketmaster" or a monopoly.
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I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
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I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Nah, the press release says they did the one-disc version because Neal and Pete thought the two-disc version was too much.
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I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Nah, the press release says they did the one-disc version because Neal and Pete thought the two-disc version was too much.
It also says that they "wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you'll hear has been altered."
Seems like they really tried to do something different with the abridged version, which probably explains why Mike and Pete did some last-minute vocal sessions just a couple of weeks ago, while I don't think Neal or Roine mentioned anything about doing more vocals, so perhaps Mike and Pete have more of a vocal presence on the Abridged version, perhaps even singing the new lyrics.
Given that both versions of the album will likely retain the same over-arching concept, I can't see that they'd change a LOT of the lyrics, but I'd be surprised if the difference was one being more or less religious than the other. All of TA's music, particularly the parts written/sung by Neal, have always had that spirutual/religious tinge to them, but they were rarely, if ever, outright Christian like his solo stuff, so I don't think they'd start that now with The Absolute Universe, but who knows, I could be wrong. Roine is pretty religious in some of his music as well, so I don't think he'd have any issues with them, and I'm sure Mike wouldn't either given his long history and friendship with Neal, and Pete seems like a pretty laid-back kind of guy that wouldn't mind or care about how religious the lyrics ended up becoming.
I think, more than the music, the lyrical differences will be what I'm more interested in, mostly because of how it might affect the perception of the concept between both versions, but I will listen to Forevermore first, since it seems like that is the original/intended version of the album, and I'll listen to The Breath Of Life second, since it is more or less an afterthought to the original.
-Marc.
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This thread prompted me to pull the TA albums off the shelf, minus Kaleidoscope which I didn't buy. We're talking about 3 unbelievably amazing albums. They are sonically superior as well. Mike's drums on The Whirlwind are as good as recorded drums can sound. Their harmonies are sublime. This is one supergroup that surpassed expectations. I would give all 3 albums 5/5 star ratings. Can't wait for the new one.
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The whole "tired of religious lyrics" thing seems to be an affliction of a loud minority of the fanbase. There's no reason to think either that Neal is aggressively pushing explicitly religious lyrics that the others are uncomfortable with or that the others are upset about the religious references that have been there since at least the second album (who do you think the stranger in your soul is? where do you think the bridge across forever leads?).
I was thinking earlier today: I understand that some people are wary about the two-versions concept. But I think it's wonderful that they're trying something and that we shouldn't take it for granted. A lot of the discontent around Kaleidoscope seems to be about it being fairly safe, but I think they could very easily have churned out another 75-minute album with two 25-35 minute epics and a couple of ballads and called it a day. Instead we're getting a double concept album plus an experiment in versioning.
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So in a post in the Transatlantic Facebook group, I was arguing the fact that TAU should have it's BD available separately from the box set, and everyone is pretty much saying "Shut up and just be happy we're getting new TA material at all!" and "Stop complaining! You must be a socialist!" and "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".
But... is it too much to ask for a format that is similar to what their last 2 albums had? The Whirlwind had a 3-disc 2CD/1DVD set with the main album, the bonus disc, and the DVD with the Documentary - no need to buy the vinyl. Kaleidoscope had a 4-disc art book, including the main album, the bonus disc, a DVD with the 5.1 surround sound mix, and another DVD with the Documentary - again, no need to buy the vinyl.
So why would the band/Inside Out think it would be OK to lock the 5.1 mix and/or the Making-Of Documentary into the 5LP/3CD box set that will undoubtedly cost an arm and a leg, especially when we're in a pandemic and, at least in the US, millions of folks are unemployed or working less than normal. If you want to increase sales, I feel like more options for ALL of the materials would be smart.
Yeah, sure, each version of the album has a CD and Vinyl set, as well as digital, but you'd think they would've included that BD in the 1CD or 2CD sets as well, which sounds very standard for most Inside Out CD releases (make a mediabook or digibook with the bonus BD - dozens of IO bands do this). But no, it's only available in a set that will cost a lot to buy, and probably half as much to ship (5 LPs cannot be cheap to ship, that's a LOT of weight). One person in the Facebook group called the BD a "luxury item" for a "lurxury" box set, and honestly, it feels that way, but it hasn't always been that way. Big box sets are luxuries, yes, but for a band like Transatlantic, they've always made sure that we were able to get those documentaries fairly easily (and they're some of my favorite behind-the-scenes videos from ANY band).
Is it just complaining? Or do I (and many others) have a right to voice our opinion on this? I know Mike has seen the outcry about it, but it feels like a lot of other fans are trying to force everyone else to just get along with it and buy the deluxe set if we really want the BD, or just not buy it at all. I mean, I really want to support the band and buy it, but if I can't afford it, I'd really like an option that includes just the CDs and the BD. If not, you know many fans will resort to finding the BD video material online, and I'm sure it will end up on YouTube eventually, if not nearly immediately after release (as the Whirlwind documentary is still on YouTube to watch for free).
When it gets down to it, I want to be able to support the band and get the album(s), but I wish they didn't have to make the BD *only* available in a set that will be expensive to buy and ship, and half of which will never get used, and would be impossible to sell (since the vinyls for both TBOL and Forevermore are available separately anyway).
-Marc.
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The whole "tired of religious lyrics" thing seems to be an affliction of a loud minority of the fanbase. There's no reason to think either that Neal is aggressively pushing explicitly religious lyrics that the others are uncomfortable with or that the others are upset about the religious references that have been there since at least the second album (who do you think the stranger in your soul is? where do you think the bridge across forever leads?).
I don't mind the religious lyrics at all. I remember seeing some people complain about The Whirlwind being too in-your-face about it prior to me listening to it, but the first time I listened to the song, I didn't even find any religious symbolism except for the "giver of life" part in Dancing With Eternal Glory. I have found more references since my first listen, but they're rather vague and in some cases I feel it isn't even referencing anything specifically religious.
Also, if I'm being honest, I don't actually know what the "stranger in your soul" is supposed to represent.
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So in a post in the Transatlantic Facebook group, I was arguing the fact that TAU should have it's BD available separately from the box set, and everyone is pretty much saying "Shut up and just be happy we're getting new TA material at all!" and "Stop complaining! You must be a socialist!" and "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".
But... is it too much to ask for a format that is similar to what their last 2 albums had? The Whirlwind had a 3-disc 2CD/1DVD set with the main album, the bonus disc, and the DVD with the Documentary - no need to buy the vinyl. Kaleidoscope had a 4-disc art book, including the main album, the bonus disc, a DVD with the 5.1 surround sound mix, and another DVD with the Documentary - again, no need to buy the vinyl.
So why would the band/Inside Out think it would be OK to lock the 5.1 mix and/or the Making-Of Documentary into the 5LP/3CD box set that will undoubtedly cost an arm and a leg, especially when we're in a pandemic and, at least in the US, millions of folks are unemployed or working less than normal. If you want to increase sales, I feel like more options for ALL of the materials would be smart.
Yeah, sure, each version of the album has a CD and Vinyl set, as well as digital, but you'd think they would've included that BD in the 1CD or 2CD sets as well, which sounds very standard for most Inside Out CD releases (make a mediabook or digibook with the bonus BD - dozens of IO bands do this). But no, it's only available in a set that will cost a lot to buy, and probably half as much to ship (5 LPs cannot be cheap to ship, that's a LOT of weight). One person in the Facebook group called the BD a "luxury item" for a "lurxury" box set, and honestly, it feels that way, but it hasn't always been that way. Big box sets are luxuries, yes, but for a band like Transatlantic, they've always made sure that we were able to get those documentaries fairly easily (and they're some of my favorite behind-the-scenes videos from ANY band).
Is it just complaining? Or do I (and many others) have a right to voice our opinion on this? I know Mike has seen the outcry about it, but it feels like a lot of other fans are trying to force everyone else to just get along with it and buy the deluxe set if we really want the BD, or just not buy it at all. I mean, I really want to support the band and buy it, but if I can't afford it, I'd really like an option that includes just the CDs and the BD. If not, you know many fans will resort to finding the BD video material online, and I'm sure it will end up on YouTube eventually, if not nearly immediately after release (as the Whirlwind documentary is still on YouTube to watch for free).
When it gets down to it, I want to be able to support the band and get the album(s), but I wish they didn't have to make the BD *only* available in a set that will be expensive to buy and ship, and half of which will never get used, and would be impossible to sell (since the vinyls for both TBOL and Forevermore are available separately anyway).
-Marc.
I think its a fair complaint. I've already mentally prepared myself for NOT getting the deluxe version this time around, to the point where if they do add a version without vinyl I'll probably just stick with just the cd's at this point if it saves money. Looking back at the last couple of TA albums, I bought the deluxe versions but only ever watched the DVD's once, so I really don't "need" that. What I do know, is that I NEED both cd's and with that I'll be happy as a clam. I'd like to think though that they are missing out on a lot of people who would buy deluxe but won't pay for the vinyl version.
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Is it just complaining? Or do I (and many others) have a right to voice our opinion on this? I know Mike has seen the outcry about it, but it feels like a lot of other fans are trying to force everyone else to just get along with it and buy the deluxe set if we really want the BD, or just not buy it at all. I mean, I really want to support the band and buy it, but if I can't afford it, I'd really like an option that includes just the CDs and the BD.
I think you're within your rights to voice your displeasure about this. I think the problem comes in when people start acting like the band or the label owes them a certain product or that they're morally obligated to sell things a certain way. So long as you're not acting that way, which I don't find likely, I think you're fully within your rights to say you're disappointed that they're not selling that type of set.
Also, if I'm being honest, I don't actually know what the "stranger in your soul" is supposed to represent.
The stranger in your soul is the presence of God. It's vague enough that if you want to take it another way, you can, but knowing that the person who wrote the lyrics is Christian, it's pretty clear that's what he had in mind.
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Is it just complaining? Or do I (and many others) have a right to voice our opinion on this? I know Mike has seen the outcry about it, but it feels like a lot of other fans are trying to force everyone else to just get along with it and buy the deluxe set if we really want the BD, or just not buy it at all. I mean, I really want to support the band and buy it, but if I can't afford it, I'd really like an option that includes just the CDs and the BD.
I think you're within your rights to voice your displeasure about this. I think the problem comes in when people start acting like the band or the label owes them a certain product or that they're morally obligated to sell things a certain way. So long as you're not acting that way, which I don't find likely, I think you're fully within your rights to say you're disappointed that they're not selling that type of set.
I'm definitely not demanding anything from the band, just voicing my displeasure, as you put it, and hoping they can offer a 3CD/1BD option, and in my replies to various posts on FB/Twitter, many other fans have agreed with me. Like I said, it's been a real turn-off that I've seen other fans trying to convince others that everyone should just accept things as they are and feel like those of us who want the BD are whining and complaining, and that there's been a lot of negativity around the the new album because of it.
-Marc.
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I do agree with you, though, on the fact that it seems as if the initial sellers are also increasingly in the secondary market. I don't know how that works (I have to read your cite still).
Read the article and then reply. ;)
Is it just complaining? Or do I (and many others) have a right to voice our opinion on this? I know Mike has seen the outcry about it, but it feels like a lot of other fans are trying to force everyone else to just get along with it and buy the deluxe set if we really want the BD, or just not buy it at all.
Listen here you ungrateful entitled communist scum you have every right to express your feelings. I'm in the same boat as you. I cannot justify getting the box set with all that vinyl. And yeah, thankfully MP has seen people like you and others speak up and is now looking into a non-vinyl version of the set. If some fans get their panties in a bunch because of that, let them. There will always be someone to argue against you, even tho they're still (essentially) on the same side as you, both being fans of TA. It is what it is. Let's just hope MP manages to pull off the non-vinyl box set package. :)
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Also, if I'm being honest, I don't actually know what the "stranger in your soul" is supposed to represent.
The stranger in your soul is the presence of God. It's vague enough that if you want to take it another way, you can, but knowing that the person who wrote the lyrics is Christian, it's pretty clear that's what he had in mind.
But didn't Neal become a Christian after BAF? At least that's how I always thought it was.
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Also, if I'm being honest, I don't actually know what the "stranger in your soul" is supposed to represent.
The stranger in your soul is the presence of God. It's vague enough that if you want to take it another way, you can, but knowing that the person who wrote the lyrics is Christian, it's pretty clear that's what he had in mind.
But didn't Neal become a Christian after BAF? At least that's how I always thought it was.
I always got the impression he was always Christian, but became born-again in 2001 or 2002 and took his religion more seriously. Looking at some of his Spock's Beard lyrics, there are times where it seems like he was influenced by Christianity, especially on Snow.
-Marc.
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Also, if I'm being honest, I don't actually know what the "stranger in your soul" is supposed to represent.
The stranger in your soul is the presence of God. It's vague enough that if you want to take it another way, you can, but knowing that the person who wrote the lyrics is Christian, it's pretty clear that's what he had in mind.
But didn't Neal become a Christian after BAF? At least that's how I always thought it was.
I always got the impression he was always Christian, but became born-again in 2001 or 2002 and took his religion more seriously. Looking at some of his Spock's Beard lyrics, there are times where it seems like he was influenced by Christianity, especially on Snow.
-Marc.
I think Neal became a Christian somewhere between Day For Night and V. And then it was a couple years of trying to stay in SB and TA before he ultimately decided to leave them and do his solo thing. This is from his autobiography, I've listened to it many times (the audiobook version is really great and narrated by the man himself). In the book, he references some lines from V that are vague references to Christianity but yet kept pretty vague. Goodbye to Yesterday was about letting go of his old self during this change too. I think he was "somewhat Christian" for a bit before converting, but most of his life was agnostic (this last sentence I'm not 100% on, don't remember if there were specifics on that in the book).
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But didn't Neal become a Christian after BAF? At least that's how I always thought it was.
I always got the impression he was always Christian, but became born-again in 2001 or 2002 and took his religion more seriously. Looking at some of his Spock's Beard lyrics, there are times where it seems like he was influenced by Christianity, especially on Snow.
-Marc.
My impression from the lyrics to Testimony and Testimony 2 is that his conversion to Christianity came in stages, but definitely started while he was still in Spock's Beard, and there was definitely a period where he was still touring with Spock's when he was a Christian believer but was unsure if he wanted to leave the band and make Christianity a more central part in his life. See especially Jesus' Blood, Chance of a Lifetime and Jesus Bring Me Home on T2, and Moving in My Heart on T1.
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Been listening to TA a lot since the teaser for TAU was posted and just realized how hard it is, for me, to rank their albums.
The Whirlwind is absolutely #1 for me, and it's definitely their best album. It's fantastic all the way through and there's no bad tracks at all (not really a fan of a couple of the bonus original songs in disc 2, though, but they're not part of the concept album).
Here's where it gets messy for me, as both SMPTe and BAF have tracks I don't like or care about. I don't care about the cover song on the debut (or any cover song they've released in the special editions of the last two albums), and BAF has Suite Charlotte Pike, which I don't like at all. That way, both albums are about 60 minutes long for me, but it's hard to choose between a more varied album (SMPTe) or one that's more of a band effort (BAF), and can't decide which one I like more.
Kaleidoscope is the weird one, where on paper it works really well, but in reality it just feels like they tried to re-write a mix of songs from the first two albums. I enjoy all the tracks, but ranking the album higher than the other two just doesn't feel quite right.
Now, the new one seems like it's going to be hard to rank as well. Do we consider both parts as one album or do we count each one as its own thing? :huh:
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It's confusing. We have the Abridged Version and the Extended Version, but not The Version. Albums are one form, one body of work. You don't have multiple versions of the Mona Lisa or The Scream. Mona Lisa is Mona Lisa, The Scream is The Scream. I'm obviously going towards Forevermore as the definitive, proper version of the album.
Also, Pete just tweeted that the BD will be available as a limited standalone release from Radiant, InsideOut and Racket.
https://twitter.com/PeteTrewavas/status/1326906853993967616 (https://twitter.com/PeteTrewavas/status/1326906853993967616)
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From Pete on Facebook:
Hey Transatlantic fans!With all the excitement over the announcement of The Absolute Universe, there seems to have been a little confusion regarding formats. Yes, we do understand it’s a lot to take in, as it really is a massive and unprecedented undertaking! Let us try and clear things up:
*The album comes in two unique versions, the Abridged version and Extended version. Both versions are available separately as either CD only, a Vinyl/CD package, or as a digital download.
*The Ultimate Edition includes both the Abridged and Extended versions over 5LPs (Clear exclusive colour) and 3CDs. The Blu-ray in the package comes with a special mix that combines both versions into a third unique version in 5.1 surround sound with visuals and a behind the scenes documentary. It also includes an extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster all contained within a foil-finished lift-off box. This is the version that includes everything and more!
*Regarding the Blu-ray, we listened to your concerns and have been able to come up with this option. We will be offering the Blu-ray as a limited standalone item that will be exclusively available via Radiant Records, InsideOut Europe & Racket Records.
We are so excited about this groundbreaking release and know this will be something you guys will love and will want to experience in as many ways as possible, as each version provides a completely different and unique experience. After all, we know with Transatlantic that More Never Is Enough! Thanks for the support and understanding.
Pete.
So, there is already a combined 3rd version of the album. I wonder how that'll work since it seems the 2 versions sound fairly different with unique recordings of vocals and instruments, as well as unique lyrics to each. Hmmm 🤔
-Marc.
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From Pete on Facebook:
Hey Transatlantic fans!With all the excitement over the announcement of The Absolute Universe, there seems to have been a little confusion regarding formats. Yes, we do understand it’s a lot to take in, as it really is a massive and unprecedented undertaking! Let us try and clear things up:
*The album comes in two unique versions, the Abridged version and Extended version. Both versions are available separately as either CD only, a Vinyl/CD package, or as a digital download.
*The Ultimate Edition includes both the Abridged and Extended versions over 5LPs (Clear exclusive colour) and 3CDs. The Blu-ray in the package comes with a special mix that combines both versions into a third unique version in 5.1 surround sound with visuals and a behind the scenes documentary. It also includes an extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster all contained within a foil-finished lift-off box. This is the version that includes everything and more!
*Regarding the Blu-ray, we listened to your concerns and have been able to come up with this option. We will be offering the Blu-ray as a limited standalone item that will be exclusively available via Radiant Records, InsideOut Europe & Racket Records.
We are so excited about this groundbreaking release and know this will be something you guys will love and will want to experience in as many ways as possible, as each version provides a completely different and unique experience. After all, we know with Transatlantic that More Never Is Enough! Thanks for the support and understanding.
Pete.
So, there is already a combined 3rd version of the album. I wonder how that'll work since it seems the 2 versions sound fairly different with unique recordings of vocals and instruments, as well as unique lyrics to each. Hmmm 🤔
-Marc.
Awesome, but a 5.1 mix is as useless to me as vinyl. I suppose I can still play it off my blue ray player even if I don’t have the surround set up.
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It's confusing. We have the Abridged Version and the Extended Version, but not The Version. Albums are one form, one body of work. You don't have multiple versions of the Mona Lisa or The Scream. Mona Lisa is Mona Lisa, The Scream is The Scream. I'm obviously going towards Forevermore as the definitive, proper version of the album.
I think they're calling one the Abridged version and the other the Extended version to make you want both. If they made "the" version and also released a shorter one, most people would focus on the main version and, most likely, neglect the other one. Here, you have two supposedly different enough versions to make you want both.
So, there is already a combined 3rd version of the album. I wonder how that'll work since it seems the 2 versions sound fairly different with unique recordings of vocals and instruments, as well as unique lyrics to each. Hmmm 🤔
-Marc.
I don't think there's a "combined" version, though Pete's statement sure sounds like there is, as they just posted this:
(https://scontent.flim13-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/125183553_10158394873806293_7494486006046676331_o.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=2&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_eui2=AeHUlJubSvOgORxrNdVi5IZtHGMk1GEeNM4cYyTUYR40zvr9EdaZo0R5oCk6wDZUJxk&_nc_ohc=7Dc9YyL2UbUAX_zDOCb&_nc_ht=scontent.flim13-1.fna&oh=ca67333de642f7fb6eb9d8846ad0b2a1&oe=5FD3E8C4)
The Ultimate Edition contains both versions, not a combination of them.
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It's confusing. We have the Abridged Version and the Extended Version, but not The Version. Albums are one form, one body of work. You don't have multiple versions of the Mona Lisa or The Scream. Mona Lisa is Mona Lisa, The Scream is The Scream. I'm obviously going towards Forevermore as the definitive, proper version of the album.
I think they're calling one the Abridged version and the other the Extended version to make you want both. If they made "the" version and also released a shorter one, most people would focus on the main version and, most likely, neglect the other one. Here, you have two supposedly different enough versions to make you want both.
So, there is already a combined 3rd version of the album. I wonder how that'll work since it seems the 2 versions sound fairly different with unique recordings of vocals and instruments, as well as unique lyrics to each. Hmmm 🤔
-Marc.
I don't think there's a "combined" version, though Pete's statement sure sounds like there is, as they just posted this:
(https://scontent.flim13-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/125183553_10158394873806293_7494486006046676331_o.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=2&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_eui2=AeHUlJubSvOgORxrNdVi5IZtHGMk1GEeNM4cYyTUYR40zvr9EdaZo0R5oCk6wDZUJxk&_nc_ohc=7Dc9YyL2UbUAX_zDOCb&_nc_ht=scontent.flim13-1.fna&oh=ca67333de642f7fb6eb9d8846ad0b2a1&oe=5FD3E8C4)
The Ultimate Edition contains both versions, not a combination of them.
I'm not so sure. His statement comes from the main Transatlantic accounts (on Facebook and Twitter), and they say "*𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 over 5LPs (Clear exclusive colour) and 3CDs. The Blu-ray included comes with a special mix that combines both into a 3rd unique version in 5.1 surround sound with visuals and a behind the scenes documentary. It also includes an extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster all contained within a foil-finished lift-off box. This is the version that includes everything and more!"
...so I think we ARE getting an ULTIMATE edition of The album that possibly combines both versions into one album. Essentially we might be getting 4 hours of unique music between the 3 versions. Why else would they say the 5.1 mix is "special" and that it "combines both into a 3rd unique version"?
-Marc.
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I need a doctorate in albumology to unravel this multi-headed beast.
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Without making this epic release even more confusing and since the blu-ray will be avaible alone, the BD will have also the original versions of the album, in its original stereo mix?
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Without making this epic release even more confusing and since the blu-ray will be avaible alone, the BD will have also the original versions of the album, in its original stereo mix?
From what has been stated by the band members, it seems the BD will include the Making Of Documentary, and a third unique version of the album in 5.1 surround sound, a mix that'll supposedly a combination of both the Abridged and Extended versions. No other specifics have been given, but I doubt the BD will contain the 2 individual versions of the album in stereo.
-Marc.
-
I'm not so sure. His statement comes from the main Transatlantic accounts (on Facebook and Twitter), and they say "*𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 over 5LPs (Clear exclusive colour) and 3CDs. The Blu-ray included comes with a special mix that combines both into a 3rd unique version in 5.1 surround sound with visuals and a behind the scenes documentary. It also includes an extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster all contained within a foil-finished lift-off box. This is the version that includes everything and more!"
...so I think we ARE getting an ULTIMATE edition of The album that possibly combines both versions into one album. Essentially we might be getting 4 hours of unique music between the 3 versions. Why else would they say the 5.1 mix is "special" and that it "combines both into a 3rd unique version"?
-Marc.
I think you might be right! If there's, indeed, a combined version of both, that's what I'll listen to after I get both versions of the album (I won't be getting the blu-ray).
Can't wait to get the first single release, tracklist and preorder links.
-
Without making this epic release even more confusing and since the blu-ray will be avaible alone, the BD will have also the original versions of the album, in its original stereo mix?
From what has been stated by the band members, it seems the BD will include the Making Of Documentary, and a third unique version of the album in 5.1 surround sound, a mix that'll supposedly a combination of both the Abridged and Extended versions. No other specifics have been given, but I doubt the BD will contain the 2 individual versions of the album in stereo.
-Marc.
Thanks! Although I have the BD player, it's not always I'm able to listen in 5.1. I hear mostly in stereo, on my headphone.
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I'm not so sure. His statement comes from the main Transatlantic accounts (on Facebook and Twitter), and they say "*𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 over 5LPs (Clear exclusive colour) and 3CDs. The Blu-ray included comes with a special mix that combines both into a 3rd unique version in 5.1 surround sound with visuals and a behind the scenes documentary. It also includes an extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster all contained within a foil-finished lift-off box. This is the version that includes everything and more!"
...so I think we ARE getting an ULTIMATE edition of The album that possibly combines both versions into one album. Essentially we might be getting 4 hours of unique music between the 3 versions. Why else would they say the 5.1 mix is "special" and that it "combines both into a 3rd unique version"?
-Marc.
I think you might be right! If there's, indeed, a combined version of both, that's what I'll listen to after I get both versions of the album (I won't be getting the blu-ray).
Can't wait to get the first single release, tracklist and preorder links.
But the combined version is ONLY on the BD, since it's a special 5.1 surround mix, and won't be on CD, vinyl, or digital/streaming.
If you're getting the Ultimate Edition box set for the 5LPs and 3 CDs, you're getting the 1BD anyway.
-Marc.
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YES! I love it. I'm buying both versions, and the Blu-ray. Can't wait.
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I'm not so sure. His statement comes from the main Transatlantic accounts (on Facebook and Twitter), and they say "*𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 over 5LPs (Clear exclusive colour) and 3CDs. The Blu-ray included comes with a special mix that combines both into a 3rd unique version in 5.1 surround sound with visuals and a behind the scenes documentary. It also includes an extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster all contained within a foil-finished lift-off box. This is the version that includes everything and more!"
...so I think we ARE getting an ULTIMATE edition of The album that possibly combines both versions into one album. Essentially we might be getting 4 hours of unique music between the 3 versions. Why else would they say the 5.1 mix is "special" and that it "combines both into a 3rd unique version"?
-Marc.
I think you might be right! If there's, indeed, a combined version of both, that's what I'll listen to after I get both versions of the album (I won't be getting the blu-ray).
Can't wait to get the first single release, tracklist and preorder links.
But the combined version is ONLY on the BD, since it's a special 5.1 surround mix, and won't be on CD, vinyl, or digital/streaming.
If you're getting the Ultimate Edition box set for the 5LPs and 3 CDs, you're getting the 1BD anyway.
-Marc.
But I was assuming the BD will have a combined version of both and not even MORE music? :eek ???
I need a doctorate in albumology to unravel this multi-headed beast.
This sounds about right.
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Mike just posted about it (https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/5061369080547360/) and I asked: "Mike - how different is the 5.1 mix compared to the Extended and Abridged versions? Is it longer or shorter than 90 minutes?
So we're essentially getting THREE versions of TAU?"
Mike responded with "That is correct, the 5.1 mix is essentially a 3rd different version and clocks in at almost 100 Mins 🚀"
So there we have it, a third combined version that is nearly 100 minutes long. All in all, between the three versions, we will have nearly 250 minutes of music.
-Marc.
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Awesome. 2 CD and blu-ray for meeeee.
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The Blu-ray won’t be worth a separate purchase for me as I don’t have a surround sound system. I may watch the making of but, based on past experience, that would be something I watch once and then never again. If they had a box set of the two versions of the album with the Blu-ray thrown in, I would probably go for that if it was in a nice box and reasonably priced. I have no need of the vinyl though and that will probably be in the £100 or more range so that’s a hard no.
As it stands I will probably just go for the extended album as I don’t think I would ever listen to an abridged version unless it was very different and it doesn’t sound like it is.
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Okay, I thought I had a handle on this, but the Blu-Ray being a third different version is an interesting new twist. I'm glad it will be available as a separate purchase. I will probably be buying both CD versions and the Blu-Ray. I don't think I would buy this much for most other bands (and as such I get why some people might be frustrated with the uncertainty here), but I am an absolute die-hard for Transatlantic.
I do have a question for folks here. I think I know the answer, but will it be possible for me to play the music on the Blu-Ray even if I don't have a surround sound system?
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Mike just posted about it (https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/5061369080547360/) and I asked: "Mike - how different is the 5.1 mix compared to the Extended and Abridged versions? Is it longer or shorter than 90 minutes?
So we're essentially getting THREE versions of TAU?"
Mike responded with "That is correct, the 5.1 mix is essentially a 3rd different version and clocks in at almost 100 Mins 🚀"
So there we have it, a third combined version that is nearly 100 minutes long. All in all, between the three versions, we will have nearly 250 minutes of music.
-Marc.
This is just crazy. Very interesting, and definitely not something you see everyday, but it's crazy. I'll just stick to the two versions and most likely make my own playlist out of them.
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So I was looking at recent pricings for other Inside Out releases this year, and my best guess for the Ultimate Edition box set's price will be somewhere around $140-150.
The Flowet King's 3LP/2CD Islands sold for $45, and $Haken's 2LP/1CD was about $35, so both together go for $80. Throw in a BD for about $20, plus the exclusive LP-sized book and the poster, as well as the lavish box, and we're definitely looking at at least $125 if not over it.
Not to mention the cost for shipping all that weight of 5 vinyls, it'll probably cost you at least $160-170 to shop it, if not more depending on where you're at in the world.
Okay, I thought I had a handle on this, but the Blu-Ray being a third different version is an interesting new twist. I'm glad it will be available as a separate purchase. I will probably be buying both CD versions and the Blu-Ray. I don't think I would buy this much for most other bands (and as such I get why some people might be frustrated with the uncertainty here), but I am an absolute die-hard for Transatlantic.
I do have a question for folks here. I think I know the answer, but will it be possible for me to play the music on the Blu-Ray even if I don't have a surround sound system?
I've listened to 5.1 audio on films on my BD player and it plays fine through my stereo speaking of my TV. The audio just sort of sorts itself out into 2 channels down from 5. It'll sound a bit weird for sure, but it's playable.
-Marc.
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So in a post in the Transatlantic Facebook group, I was arguing the fact that TAU should have it's BD available separately from the box set, and everyone is pretty much saying "Shut up and just be happy we're getting new TA material at all!" and "Stop complaining! You must be a socialist!" and "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".
But... is it too much to ask for a format that is similar to what their last 2 albums had? The Whirlwind had a 3-disc 2CD/1DVD set with the main album, the bonus disc, and the DVD with the Documentary - no need to buy the vinyl. Kaleidoscope had a 4-disc art book, including the main album, the bonus disc, a DVD with the 5.1 surround sound mix, and another DVD with the Documentary - again, no need to buy the vinyl.
So why would the band/Inside Out think it would be OK to lock the 5.1 mix and/or the Making-Of Documentary into the 5LP/3CD box set that will undoubtedly cost an arm and a leg, especially when we're in a pandemic and, at least in the US, millions of folks are unemployed or working less than normal. If you want to increase sales, I feel like more options for ALL of the materials would be smart.
Yeah, sure, each version of the album has a CD and Vinyl set, as well as digital, but you'd think they would've included that BD in the 1CD or 2CD sets as well, which sounds very standard for most Inside Out CD releases (make a mediabook or digibook with the bonus BD - dozens of IO bands do this). But no, it's only available in a set that will cost a lot to buy, and probably half as much to ship (5 LPs cannot be cheap to ship, that's a LOT of weight). One person in the Facebook group called the BD a "luxury item" for a "lurxury" box set, and honestly, it feels that way, but it hasn't always been that way. Big box sets are luxuries, yes, but for a band like Transatlantic, they've always made sure that we were able to get those documentaries fairly easily (and they're some of my favorite behind-the-scenes videos from ANY band).
Is it just complaining? Or do I (and many others) have a right to voice our opinion on this? I know Mike has seen the outcry about it, but it feels like a lot of other fans are trying to force everyone else to just get along with it and buy the deluxe set if we really want the BD, or just not buy it at all. I mean, I really want to support the band and buy it, but if I can't afford it, I'd really like an option that includes just the CDs and the BD. If not, you know many fans will resort to finding the BD video material online, and I'm sure it will end up on YouTube eventually, if not nearly immediately after release (as the Whirlwind documentary is still on YouTube to watch for free).
When it gets down to it, I want to be able to support the band and get the album(s), but I wish they didn't have to make the BD *only* available in a set that will be expensive to buy and ship, and half of which will never get used, and would be impossible to sell (since the vinyls for both TBOL and Forevermore are available separately anyway).
-Marc.
I'm honestly kind of surprised they haven't fixed this problem yet. They are getting fucking hammered over this on social media and I can't say I blame the people who are pissed off. I'm not buying any of this stuff until they make a package available that doesn't force me to get products I have no interest in just so I can get everything they're offering. At this point it's beginning to come across a little bit like "take or leave it" and if that's how it's gonna be well, I'm gonna leave it.
-
So in a post in the Transatlantic Facebook group, I was arguing the fact that TAU should have it's BD available separately from the box set, and everyone is pretty much saying "Shut up and just be happy we're getting new TA material at all!" and "Stop complaining! You must be a socialist!" and "If you don't like it, don't buy it!".
But... is it too much to ask for a format that is similar to what their last 2 albums had? The Whirlwind had a 3-disc 2CD/1DVD set with the main album, the bonus disc, and the DVD with the Documentary - no need to buy the vinyl. Kaleidoscope had a 4-disc art book, including the main album, the bonus disc, a DVD with the 5.1 surround sound mix, and another DVD with the Documentary - again, no need to buy the vinyl.
So why would the band/Inside Out think it would be OK to lock the 5.1 mix and/or the Making-Of Documentary into the 5LP/3CD box set that will undoubtedly cost an arm and a leg, especially when we're in a pandemic and, at least in the US, millions of folks are unemployed or working less than normal. If you want to increase sales, I feel like more options for ALL of the materials would be smart.
Yeah, sure, each version of the album has a CD and Vinyl set, as well as digital, but you'd think they would've included that BD in the 1CD or 2CD sets as well, which sounds very standard for most Inside Out CD releases (make a mediabook or digibook with the bonus BD - dozens of IO bands do this). But no, it's only available in a set that will cost a lot to buy, and probably half as much to ship (5 LPs cannot be cheap to ship, that's a LOT of weight). One person in the Facebook group called the BD a "luxury item" for a "lurxury" box set, and honestly, it feels that way, but it hasn't always been that way. Big box sets are luxuries, yes, but for a band like Transatlantic, they've always made sure that we were able to get those documentaries fairly easily (and they're some of my favorite behind-the-scenes videos from ANY band).
Is it just complaining? Or do I (and many others) have a right to voice our opinion on this? I know Mike has seen the outcry about it, but it feels like a lot of other fans are trying to force everyone else to just get along with it and buy the deluxe set if we really want the BD, or just not buy it at all. I mean, I really want to support the band and buy it, but if I can't afford it, I'd really like an option that includes just the CDs and the BD. If not, you know many fans will resort to finding the BD video material online, and I'm sure it will end up on YouTube eventually, if not nearly immediately after release (as the Whirlwind documentary is still on YouTube to watch for free).
When it gets down to it, I want to be able to support the band and get the album(s), but I wish they didn't have to make the BD *only* available in a set that will be expensive to buy and ship, and half of which will never get used, and would be impossible to sell (since the vinyls for both TBOL and Forevermore are available separately anyway).
-Marc.
I'm honestly kind of surprised they haven't fixed this problem yet. They are getting fucking hammered over this on social media and I can't say I blame the people who are pissed off. I'm not buying any of this stuff until they make a package available that doesn't force me to get products I have no interest in just so I can get everything they're offering. At this point it's beginning to come across a little bit like "take or leave it" and if that's how it's gonna be well, I'm gonna leave it.
Keep reading! They’ve announced you can get everything individually now.
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I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
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I do have a question for folks here. I think I know the answer, but will it be possible for me to play the music on the Blu-Ray even if I don't have a surround sound system?
Yes if you have a Blu-ray player, it will play the disc whether or not you have a surround setup. Typically a 5.1 stream will downmix to a stereo output and you should be able to listen to it just fine. Most players do a decent job of downmixing it.
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I'm waiting for a fourth version, on cassette tape :lol
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(https://i.ibb.co/DKFR6r0/124533706-10102613950549321-7155889671736863409-o.jpg) (https://ibb.co/F71DfHR)
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I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
My guess is there won’t be any music that is original to the third version (other than it being mixed in 5.1), so you could probably create your own playlist with that version if you have the 1-disc and 2-disc versions.
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I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
My guess is there won’t be any music that is original to the third version (other than it being mixed in 5.1), so you could probably create your own playlist with that version if you have the 1-disc and 2-disc versions.
But the 1-disc and 2-disc versions make up to 90 minutes of music, vs the BD which is almost 100 according to Mike, so there's around 10 extra minutes of something (even more if you count some songs might be the same on both of these versions). It's just very confusing :lol
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I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
My guess is there won’t be any music that is original to the third version (other than it being mixed in 5.1), so you could probably create your own playlist with that version if you have the 1-disc and 2-disc versions.
But the 1-disc and 2-disc versions make up to 90 minutes of music, vs the BD which is almost 100 according to Mike, so there's around 10 extra minutes of something (even more if you count some songs might be the same on both of these versions). It's just very confusing :lol
It’s a combination of the two, so it probably has something from each but not everything from both.
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Yeah, Mike specifically said that the version on the BD is different from either of the other two. It's a third, even-longer version.
I do have a question for folks here. I think I know the answer, but will it be possible for me to play the music on the Blu-Ray even if I don't have a surround sound system?
Yes if you have a Blu-ray player, it will play the disc whether or not you have a surround setup. Typically a 5.1 stream will downmix to a stereo output and you should be able to listen to it just fine. Most players do a decent job of downmixing it.
Also, most Blu-rays have the option of playing back in stereo. That is, the disc itself has both a 5.1 and 2.0 option, so you can listen to the amazing 100-minute version in stereo (if the disc has that option available, that is).
That said, as others have pointed out, most BD players can downmix it to 2.0 for you, or your receiver might be able to do it. I can feed 5.1 to my receiver but tell it to output it in 2.0 anyway.
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Great to hear, thanks everyone!
I suspect that the 100-minute version takes some of the unique sections from the 60-minute version and adds them into the 90-minute version.
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I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
My guess is there won’t be any music that is original to the third version (other than it being mixed in 5.1), so you could probably create your own playlist with that version if you have the 1-disc and 2-disc versions.
But the 1-disc and 2-disc versions make up to 90 minutes of music, vs the BD which is almost 100 according to Mike, so there's around 10 extra minutes of something (even more if you count some songs might be the same on both of these versions). It's just very confusing :lol
I had a brain fart and totally messed up my math here :facepalm:
One version is 90 minutes and the other is 60, for a minute I thought both combined made 90 minutes :lol
Great to hear, thanks everyone!
I suspect that the 100-minute version takes some of the unique sections from the 60-minute version and adds them into the 90-minute version.
This is most likely the case. I'll stick to getting both versions.
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I'll skip the blu-ray and get both the cd's. Not worth the purchase of 3 separate items to me. Not complaining though, just sayin.
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It would have been even crazier if there was original material that was unique to The Ultimate Edition.
I knew it!
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I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
My guess is there won’t be any music that is original to the third version (other than it being mixed in 5.1), so you could probably create your own playlist with that version if you have the 1-disc and 2-disc versions.
But the 1-disc and 2-disc versions make up to 90 minutes of music, vs the BD which is almost 100 according to Mike, so there's around 10 extra minutes of something (even more if you count some songs might be the same on both of these versions). It's just very confusing :lol
It's 100 min. Because The Abridged version has stuff the 90min. Version doesn't. In the Blu-ray, it seems they did what I was planning to do and combine both versions of those songs and in turn it made those songs longer and the album longer by 10 min.
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I'm gonna call it here. The Bluray contains a hidden 4th album of all new material.
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(https://i.ibb.co/DKFR6r0/124533706-10102613950549321-7155889671736863409-o.jpg) (https://ibb.co/F71DfHR)
That is me, and exactly what I posted earlier in the thread. :rollin
-Marc.
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I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
YEAAAAH, like, it was never said that the 5.1 mix was a COMPILATION/COMBINATION of the two versions, just that it was a "Special 5.1" mix. How convenient that the updated press release from this morning mentions that the 5.1 mix is different, now that it can be bought separately from the Ultimate Edition box set. I'm glad that they were able to get the BD to be available separately from that box set, but I wonder how much outrage there would have been if it didn't? Also, now I want the 5.1 mix as a down-mixed digital audio file album so I can listen to it on my phone along with the other two versions.
I thought that 2 versions was a neat idea, but 3 versions, with one originally only available in a super duper package, is kind of a dick move.
My guess is there won’t be any music that is original to the third version (other than it being mixed in 5.1), so you could probably create your own playlist with that version if you have the 1-disc and 2-disc versions.
But the 1-disc and 2-disc versions make up to 90 minutes of music, vs the BD which is almost 100 according to Mike, so there's around 10 extra minutes of something (even more if you count some songs might be the same on both of these versions). It's just very confusing :lol
It's 100 min. Because The Abridged version has stuff the 90min. Version doesn't. In the Blu-ray, it seems they did what I was planning to do and combine both versions of those songs and in turn it made those songs longer and the album longer by 10 min.
This is correct. As said earlier in the thread, I'm sure the 5.1 mix will take bits from both version that are unique to both of them and mash them together into one version, which means we may need to get particularly intimate with the Abridged AND Extended versions just to tell how the Ultimate version is composed in terms of which albuum each part/song/lyric/instrument comes from! I may need a roadmap of the album(s) just to follow along!
-Marc.
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I am not interesting in this release, or even the band, at all. But I find this discussion fascinating.
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What I'm interested in is, will this generate more revenue or less?
Unless I misunderstand, I can't just buy a standalone CD of the penultimate 100 minute version. I can buy the 60 and 90 standalone but not the 100. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Unless I misunderstand, I can't just buy a standalone CD of the penultimate 100 minute version. I can buy the 60 and 90 standalone but not the 100. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
You're kinda right and kinda wrong. :biggrin:
Now, you *can* buy the penultimate 100 minute version by itself. BUT it is on Blu-ray, and appears to only be a 5.1 mix.
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Got it. That's the way I understood it. So I guess It's the 90 minute version for me.
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Unless I misunderstand, I can't just buy a standalone CD of the penultimate 100 minute version. I can buy the 60 and 90 standalone but not the 100. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
You're kinda right and kinda wrong. :biggrin:
Now, you *can* buy the penultimate 100 minute version by itself. BUT it is on Blu-ray, and appears to only be a 5.1 mix.
I’ve personally never done it, but I have a buddy who has software to rip Blu-ray/DVD audio to a FLAC file.
It’s always sounded a bit over my head technologically speaking, but I’m sure that if I dove in and I could probably wrap my head around it. I have several DVDs that I would like to have decent audio files of. Live in Tokyo being one of them.
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Unless I misunderstand, I can't just buy a standalone CD of the penultimate 100 minute version. I can buy the 60 and 90 standalone but not the 100. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
You're kinda right and kinda wrong. :biggrin:
Now, you *can* buy the penultimate 100 minute version by itself. BUT it is on Blu-ray, and appears to only be a 5.1 mix.
I’ve personally never done it, but I have a buddy who has software to rip Blu-ray/DVD audio to a FLAC file.
It’s always sounded a bit over my head technologically speaking, but I’m sure that if I dove in and I could probably wrap my head around it. I have several DVDs that I would like to have decent audio files of. Live in Tokyo being one of them.
I've done it, it does take a little bit of learning and patience to do it but I found it worth it. I did it for DT's D/T bluray that had the stereo 24 bit 96 kHz version. IMO it's the best sounding version of the album. If you have a decent gear to enjoy high quality audio it's worth the rip.
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Ripping audio from DVD or BD isn't that different from ripping a CD. Basically, it's data encoded on a disc, so the right software will be able to grab it and save it to a file, converting it along the way. CD ripping software is just a lot more common than DVD or BD ripping software. BD is the rarest of all because it's the newest, plus having a BD drive on your PC is rare. Heck, having any disc drive on a PC is getting rarer these days.
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If I am understanding what has been said about the BR, it isn't really a "different" version of the "album." It is just a 5.1 mix of the "abridged" and "extended" versions together, so it is basically an "ultimate" version of the entire thing that you could simply just create by combining the entire thing (minus the 5.1 mix aspect of it, of course).
In any case, I still don't get the complaints. The band is giving fans more music. That's never a bad thing. If you don't want to buy the different versions, then don't. But complaining about getting more from a band is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
For me, as I said above, I will have to check out the pricing on the different versions and see how it shakes out. If the complete package is significantly more than just the two album versions separately, I will likely pass on it and just get the two separate versions. That seems like the most likely outcome. I don't think I will spring for the separate BR if I do that. I don't care about 5.1 mix, so the only thing I would be buying it for would be the behind-the-scenes, and I don't see paying an extra $15-$25 (guessing) just for that. And, as I said above, I think it is highly likely that Radiant will have leftover box sets significantly reduced in price at some point in the future, and I can just pick it up then. I'll still have the album proper when it first comes out. I don't need to have the extras right away and am fine waiting.
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...plus having a BD drive on your PC is rare. Heck, having any disc drive on a PC is getting rarer these days.
Someone who has ripped audio from BR's can correct me if I am mistaken, but I would guess that you don't have to have a drive on your PC, since most PC's have HDMI ports. I believe you can likely just interface with your BR player through the HDMI port.
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...plus having a BD drive on your PC is rare. Heck, having any disc drive on a PC is getting rarer these days.
Someone who has ripped audio from BR's can correct me if I am mistaken, but I would guess that you don't have to have a drive on your PC, since most PC's have HDMI ports. I believe you can likely just interface with your BR player through the HDMI port.
I have never tried connecting a standalone BR player to my PC. While HDMI connectivity is there on the PC they are typically on the video cards, don't know if you can tap but I imagine it can be done at some level these days.
I just use the BR drive already installed on my PC.
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...plus having a BD drive on your PC is rare. Heck, having any disc drive on a PC is getting rarer these days.
Someone who has ripped audio from BR's can correct me if I am mistaken, but I would guess that you don't have to have a drive on your PC, since most PC's have HDMI ports. I believe you can likely just interface with your BR player through the HDMI port.
Huh, I've never thought about connecting my BD player to my laptop via the HDMI port. I always thought a laptop's HDMI port was strictly for screen output (to hook up to a TV or projector) and that it wouldn't register input from another source, like a BD player.
And yes, it's BD, not BR. Just a nitpick of mine, but that's the industry standard abbreviation for blu-ray disc.
EDIT - after a quick Google search, it seems a large majority of laptops and computers only have HDMI output ports, and that HDMI-in ports are very rare.
-Marc.
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If I am understanding what has been said about the BR, it isn't really a "different" version of the "album." It is just a 5.1 mix of the "abridged" and "extended" versions together, so it is basically an "ultimate" version of the entire thing that you could simply just create by combining the entire thing (minus the 5.1 mix aspect of it, of course).
In any case, I still don't get the complaints. The band is giving fans more music. That's never a bad thing. If you don't want to buy the different versions, then don't. But complaining about getting more from a band is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
For me, as I said above, I will have to check out the pricing on the different versions and see how it shakes out. If the complete package is significantly more than just the two album versions separately, I will likely pass on it and just get the two separate versions. That seems like the most likely outcome. I don't think I will spring for the separate BR if I do that. I don't care about 5.1 mix, so the only thing I would be buying it for would be the behind-the-scenes, and I don't see paying an extra $15-$25 (guessing) just for that. And, as I said above, I think it is highly likely that Radiant will have leftover box sets significantly reduced in price at some point in the future, and I can just pick it up then. I'll still have the album proper when it first comes out. I don't need to have the extras right away and am fine waiting.
I'm with you, Bosk. The band is giving us FOUR HOURS AND TEN MINUTES of new material, and modified their distribution program mid-stream to respond to customers questions and concerns, and yet there are still complaints.
As for ripping Blu-rays; I've been doing that regularly for the last couple months for my own personal use (on my iPod). There's a program called "MakeMKV" that will rip your blu-ray to an 'mkv' file (it's just an alternative video format). From there, I use a program called "VLC"to convert it to lossless audio (but you can convert it to any audio format you'd like). There is a program - DVD Audio Extractor - that will rip it directly, but it depends on the format of the original encoding, and I've found it sometimes misses menu audio and hidden or bonus material. I only use the former combination since it's more likely to get me the Easter eggs, and it's easier to take a two-hour live show and break down the songs like I want to (i.e. with the intro to the song on the end of the previous track), as well as to edit full shows together when the songs are missing/out of order/on different sources.
EDIT: I just read the other posts; yes, not every HDMI port is two-directional; most of the PC ones are uni-directional. That's not to say you can't port in the data. I use an ASUS external CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive on my mac, but I have also connected my A/V players to my computer directly via USB (you need a converter though; I have one it begins with "E", but I forget the name. If you're just ripping audio there are other ways of doing it.
If someone's really interested, it should take all of about 20 minutes to rip that blu-ray to audio and save it into/onto your favorite player.
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If I am understanding what has been said about the BR, it isn't really a "different" version of the "album." It is just a 5.1 mix of the "abridged" and "extended" versions together, so it is basically an "ultimate" version of the entire thing that you could simply just create by combining the entire thing (minus the 5.1 mix aspect of it, of course).
I understood MPs description as meaning that it’s a bit more of a “mash up“. Taking parts of each and blending them together to make an even longer third version. Which would be difficult to recreate properly on your own.
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As for ripping Blu-rays; I've been doing that regularly for the last couple months for my own personal use (on my iPod). There's a program called "MakeMKV" that will rip your blu-ray to an 'mkv' file (it's just an alternative video format). From there, I use a program called "VLC"to convert it to lossless audio (but you can convert it to any audio format you'd like). There is a program - DVD Audio Extractor - that will rip it directly, but it depends on the format of the original encoding, and I've found it sometimes misses menu audio and hidden or bonus material. I only use the former combination since it's more likely to get me the Easter eggs, and it's easier to take a two-hour live show and break down the songs like I want to (i.e. with the intro to the song on the end of the previous track), as well as to edit full shows together when the songs are missing/out of order/on different sources.
EDIT: I just read the other posts; yes, not every HDMI port is two-directional; most of the PC ones are uni-directional. That's not to say you can't port in the data. I use an ASUS external CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive on my mac, but I have also connected my A/V players to my computer directly via USB (you need a converter though; I have one it begins with "E", but I forget the name. If you're just ripping audio there are other ways of doing it.
If someone's really interested, it should take all of about 20 minutes to rip that blu-ray to audio and save it into/onto your favorite player.
Dang, didn't know you were hardcore into MakeMKV and shit.. Yeah I do something similar though after MakeMKV I use a demux program to separate the audio from the video mkv file. Foobar with the FLAC plugin is what I use to convert that audio to FLAC.
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If I am understanding what has been said about the BR, it isn't really a "different" version of the "album." It is just a 5.1 mix of the "abridged" and "extended" versions together, so it is basically an "ultimate" version of the entire thing that you could simply just create by combining the entire thing (minus the 5.1 mix aspect of it, of course).
In any case, I still don't get the complaints. The band is giving fans more music. That's never a bad thing. If you don't want to buy the different versions, then don't. But complaining about getting more from a band is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
For me, as I said above, I will have to check out the pricing on the different versions and see how it shakes out. If the complete package is significantly more than just the two album versions separately, I will likely pass on it and just get the two separate versions. That seems like the most likely outcome. I don't think I will spring for the separate BR if I do that. I don't care about 5.1 mix, so the only thing I would be buying it for would be the behind-the-scenes, and I don't see paying an extra $15-$25 (guessing) just for that. And, as I said above, I think it is highly likely that Radiant will have leftover box sets significantly reduced in price at some point in the future, and I can just pick it up then. I'll still have the album proper when it first comes out. I don't need to have the extras right away and am fine waiting.
I don't like being forced to buy vinyl I don't want or need in order to get all of the versions of the album. It appears that problem has now been solved by making the Blu Ray disc available individually but the whole thing has been extremely confusing and I *still* don't know for certain that the Blu-ray actually contains all versions of the album or not. Again, it's just all kind of confusing. Plus, I got sand in my vagina, so
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If I am understanding what has been said about the BR, it isn't really a "different" version of the "album." It is just a 5.1 mix of the "abridged" and "extended" versions together, so it is basically an "ultimate" version of the entire thing that you could simply just create by combining the entire thing (minus the 5.1 mix aspect of it, of course).
In any case, I still don't get the complaints. The band is giving fans more music. That's never a bad thing. If you don't want to buy the different versions, then don't. But complaining about getting more from a band is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
For me, as I said above, I will have to check out the pricing on the different versions and see how it shakes out. If the complete package is significantly more than just the two album versions separately, I will likely pass on it and just get the two separate versions. That seems like the most likely outcome. I don't think I will spring for the separate BR if I do that. I don't care about 5.1 mix, so the only thing I would be buying it for would be the behind-the-scenes, and I don't see paying an extra $15-$25 (guessing) just for that. And, as I said above, I think it is highly likely that Radiant will have leftover box sets significantly reduced in price at some point in the future, and I can just pick it up then. I'll still have the album proper when it first comes out. I don't need to have the extras right away and am fine waiting.
I don't like being forced to buy vinyl I don't want or need in order to get all of the versions of the album. It appears that problem has now been solved by making the Blu Ray disc available individually but the whole thing has been extremely confusing and I *still* don't know for certain that the Blu-ray actually contains all versions of the album or not. Again, it's just all kind of confusing. Plus, I got sand in my vagina, so
:rollin
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I used to make fun of my parents confusion but this shit ain't funny now. LOL
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As for ripping Blu-rays; I've been doing that regularly for the last couple months for my own personal use (on my iPod). There's a program called "MakeMKV" that will rip your blu-ray to an 'mkv' file (it's just an alternative video format). From there, I use a program called "VLC"to convert it to lossless audio (but you can convert it to any audio format you'd like). There is a program - DVD Audio Extractor - that will rip it directly, but it depends on the format of the original encoding, and I've found it sometimes misses menu audio and hidden or bonus material. I only use the former combination since it's more likely to get me the Easter eggs, and it's easier to take a two-hour live show and break down the songs like I want to (i.e. with the intro to the song on the end of the previous track), as well as to edit full shows together when the songs are missing/out of order/on different sources.
EDIT: I just read the other posts; yes, not every HDMI port is two-directional; most of the PC ones are uni-directional. That's not to say you can't port in the data. I use an ASUS external CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive on my mac, but I have also connected my A/V players to my computer directly via USB (you need a converter though; I have one it begins with "E", but I forget the name. If you're just ripping audio there are other ways of doing it.
If someone's really interested, it should take all of about 20 minutes to rip that blu-ray to audio and save it into/onto your favorite player.
Dang, didn't know you were hardcore into MakeMKV and shit.. Yeah I do something similar though after MakeMKV I use a demux program to separate the audio from the video mkv file. Foobar with the FLAC plugin is what I use to convert that audio to FLAC.
Yeah; I started about a year ago to upload my entire collection, lossless, to a server, and as part of that, I decided to rip all the DVDs I had that had alternate versions. So I have all the Kissology DVDs on hardrive as audio concerts. I have Maiden's Live After Death in two versions (the video is different audio than the CD/vinyl). Same with Genesis Three Sides Live.
I'll rip CDs in Apple lossless, and I'll rip DVDs using MakeMKV, and will use that to get the time stamps for the individual songs, then convert everything when I'm done to Apple lossless. It's a lot of work but I do a couple CDs/DVDs a night while watching TV and it goes. I'm at "R" (Rainbow) now.
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Does MakeMKV convert 5.1 to two channel stereo?
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Does MakeMKV convert 5.1 to two channel stereo?
Not really, MakeMKV is a free program and all it does is rip the video file and its audio streams as-is from your disc to drive. You then use other programs to do the downmix etc.
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I used to make fun of my parents confusion but this shit ain't funny now. LOL
I am cracking up at this :lol :lol
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If I am understanding what has been said about the BR, it isn't really a "different" version of the "album." It is just a 5.1 mix of the "abridged" and "extended" versions together, so it is basically an "ultimate" version of the entire thing that you could simply just create by combining the entire thing (minus the 5.1 mix aspect of it, of course).
I understood MPs description as meaning that it’s a bit more of a “mash up“. Taking parts of each and blending them together to make an even longer third version. Which would be difficult to recreate properly on your own.
This is what I understood as well. I will try to make my own "definitive" version of the album, but I don't think I'll actually go that far, as I'm not too skilled with audio editing :lol
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Dang, didn't know you were hardcore into MakeMKV and shit.. Yeah I do something similar though after MakeMKV I use a demux program to separate the audio from the video mkv file. Foobar with the FLAC plugin is what I use to convert that audio to FLAC.
Yeah; I started about a year ago to upload my entire collection, lossless, to a server, and as part of that, I decided to rip all the DVDs I had that had alternate versions. So I have all the Kissology DVDs on hardrive as audio concerts. I have Maiden's Live After Death in two versions (the video is different audio than the CD/vinyl). Same with Genesis Three Sides Live.
I'll rip CDs in Apple lossless, and I'll rip DVDs using MakeMKV, and will use that to get the time stamps for the individual songs, then convert everything when I'm done to Apple lossless. It's a lot of work but I do a couple CDs/DVDs a night while watching TV and it goes. I'm at "R" (Rainbow) now.
Cool! and yeah that is a lot of work but I have gone through the same grind with ripping all my blurays with MakeMKV and then transcoding using Handbrake. Lot of work and needs a fast multi core CPU to not go crazy. CDs are straight ripped to FLAC using EAC. I do rip audio from DVS and Blu-rays but not a lot.
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If I am understanding what has been said about the BR, it isn't really a "different" version of the "album." It is just a 5.1 mix of the "abridged" and "extended" versions together, so it is basically an "ultimate" version of the entire thing that you could simply just create by combining the entire thing (minus the 5.1 mix aspect of it, of course).
I understood MPs description as meaning that it’s a bit more of a “mash up“. Taking parts of each and blending them together to make an even longer third version. Which would be difficult to recreate properly on your own.
This is what I understood as well.
Yeah, I think that's pretty clear really.
Anyway I have no intention of buying multiple versions, so I'm going to stream both the regular versions to decide my feelings on them. If I have a clear preference I'll get that one. If I love both and can't decide, I'll probably get the Bluray and trying and figure out how to rip the audio so I can also listen casually.
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Dang, didn't know you were hardcore into MakeMKV and shit.. Yeah I do something similar though after MakeMKV I use a demux program to separate the audio from the video mkv file. Foobar with the FLAC plugin is what I use to convert that audio to FLAC.
Yeah; I started about a year ago to upload my entire collection, lossless, to a server, and as part of that, I decided to rip all the DVDs I had that had alternate versions. So I have all the Kissology DVDs on hardrive as audio concerts. I have Maiden's Live After Death in two versions (the video is different audio than the CD/vinyl). Same with Genesis Three Sides Live.
I'll rip CDs in Apple lossless, and I'll rip DVDs using MakeMKV, and will use that to get the time stamps for the individual songs, then convert everything when I'm done to Apple lossless. It's a lot of work but I do a couple CDs/DVDs a night while watching TV and it goes. I'm at "R" (Rainbow) now.
Cool! and yeah that is a lot of work but I have gone through the same grind with ripping all my blurays with MakeMKV and then transcoding using Handbrake. Lot of work and needs a fast multi core CPU to not go crazy. CDs are straight ripped to FLAC using EAC. I do rip audio from DVS and Blu-rays but not a lot.
That's one thing I wasn't clear on: DVDs and Blu-ray I'm ripping AUDIO only. I don't bother making a video copy as well.
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So, I just played the snippet we got on the album trailer and tried using Shazam with it, and... it's from the track titled... wair for it... Overture (thanks, Neal! :lol).
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:lol
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So, I just played the snippet we got on the album trailer and tried using Shazam with it, and... it's from the track titled... wair for it... Overture (thanks, Neal! :lol).
:rollin
I mean, what else was it going to be, especially after The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope.
-Marc.
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So now that there are 10 new albums coming out at once, I guess that beefs up their discography a little bit. :o
I'm excited for this release regardless. I try to take the hype with a grain of salt but they've been describing it like being in the same spirit as The Whirlwind, which is great because I think it's the best album the 4 men have made.
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Unless I misunderstand, I can't just buy a standalone CD of the penultimate 100 minute version. I can buy the 60 and 90 standalone but not the 100. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
You're kinda right and kinda wrong. :biggrin:
Now, you *can* buy the penultimate 100 minute version by itself. BUT it is on Blu-ray, and appears to only be a 5.1 mix.
I’ve personally never done it, but I have a buddy who has software to rip Blu-ray/DVD audio to a FLAC file.
It’s always sounded a bit over my head technologically speaking, but I’m sure that if I dove in and I could probably wrap my head around it. I have several DVDs that I would like to have decent audio files of. Live in Tokyo being one of them.
I have done that with DVD's, but haven't looked into trying it with Blu-Rays, or where to look for software that will do that.
Although, I am upset I forgot how to extract Pre-Gaps...
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I don't like being forced to buy vinyl I don't want or need in order to get all of the versions of the album.
Anyway I have no intention of buying multiple versions, so I'm going to stream both the regular versions to decide my feelings on them. If I have a clear preference I'll get that one. If I love both and can't decide, I'll probably get the Bluray and trying and figure out how to rip the audio so I can also listen casually.
Ditto to both of these. This vinyl renaissance is great and all, but I don't wanna be forced to buy a bundle at an outrageous price because of the element I have zero need, desire, or ability to consume. I want both versions of the album. Period. Don't need a BR 5.1 mix, or vinyl. If the only option for that is to pay full price for each individual album, I'm going to be slightly miffed - it's not like these are completely separate writing/recording/producing efforts.
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Unless I misunderstand, I can't just buy a standalone CD of the penultimate 100 minute version. I can buy the 60 and 90 standalone but not the 100. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
You're kinda right and kinda wrong. :biggrin:
Now, you *can* buy the penultimate 100 minute version by itself. BUT it is on Blu-ray, and appears to only be a 5.1 mix.
I’ve personally never done it, but I have a buddy who has software to rip Blu-ray/DVD audio to a FLAC file.
It’s always sounded a bit over my head technologically speaking, but I’m sure that if I dove in and I could probably wrap my head around it. I have several DVDs that I would like to have decent audio files of. Live in Tokyo being one of them.
I have done that with DVD's, but haven't looked into trying it with Blu-Rays, or where to look for software that will do that.
Although, I am upset I forgot how to extract Pre-Gaps...
(A software called XLD...)
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I don't like being forced to buy vinyl I don't want or need in order to get all of the versions of the album.
Anyway I have no intention of buying multiple versions, so I'm going to stream both the regular versions to decide my feelings on them. If I have a clear preference I'll get that one. If I love both and can't decide, I'll probably get the Bluray and trying and figure out how to rip the audio so I can also listen casually.
Ditto to both of these. This vinyl renaissance is great and all, but I don't wanna be forced to buy a bundle at an outrageous price because of the element I have zero need, desire, or ability to consume. I want both versions of the album. Period. Don't need a BR 5.1 mix, or vinyl. If the only option for that is to pay full price for each individual album, I'm going to be slightly miffed - it's not like these are completely separate writing/recording/producing efforts.
I'll get both versions, and I'll buy the 5.1 mix (I have a good system for that) but I'm with you on the vinyl. I suppose I could always sell it aftermarket (there's got to be someone opposite to me who wants the vinyl and doesn't want anything else) but it's not like I don't have 100 other things to deal with day-to-day.
It's the trend though; AC/DC, Ozzy, Rush all have deluxe sets that force you to buy vinyl to get the full digital package. Other than AC/Dc, they all lost a sale. :tdwn
(A'course, if anyone has the Rush 5.1 mixes from the 40th anniversary sets and they don't want them, I know a guy..... :) :) :))
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Props to the band for making an adjustment on the fly after the initial announcement (someone dropped the ball on that big time), but once we get past all of the chatter about the 33 versions we are getting of the new album, the fact remains that we are getting a new Transatlantic album in less than three months!! :hat :hat
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That's one thing I wasn't clear on: DVDs and Blu-ray I'm ripping AUDIO only. I don't bother making a video copy as well.
No I got that. MakeMKV is primarily used/known for extracting the video. I do both but mostly for the video.
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Maybe I missed it, but will the BD-only release have the Ultimate Edition artwork?
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I don't like being forced to buy vinyl I don't want or need in order to get all of the versions of the album.
Anyway I have no intention of buying multiple versions, so I'm going to stream both the regular versions to decide my feelings on them. If I have a clear preference I'll get that one. If I love both and can't decide, I'll probably get the Bluray and trying and figure out how to rip the audio so I can also listen casually.
Ditto to both of these. This vinyl renaissance is great and all, but I don't wanna be forced to buy a bundle at an outrageous price because of the element I have zero need, desire, or ability to consume. I want both versions of the album. Period. Don't need a BR 5.1 mix, or vinyl. If the only option for that is to pay full price for each individual album, I'm going to be slightly miffed - it's not like these are completely separate writing/recording/producing efforts.
I want both versions as well (without vinyl and blue-ray) but I'm not going to buy two individual albums at full prices. Will probably order the extended version and listen to the other one on spotify, if it's on there.
And just so you all know, there will be a fourth version somewhere down the line, when they are able to play live again. And Neal will probably release the demos as a fifth version for his inner circle. ;)
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The 4th version will be the live version, which will be 2 1/2 hours taking up the entirety of 2 CDs, and would be the expanded, enhanced, quadruple mega version with a dozen or so more songs that either didn't make it to the original albums or were written specifically for the live version.
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The 4th version will be the live version, which will be 2 1/2 hours taking up the entirety of 2 CDs, and would be the expanded, enhanced, quadruple mega version with a dozen or so more songs that either didn't make it to the original albums or were written specifically for the live version.
:lol :lol :lol
That's funny because deep down we all know that it is something they might do.
One thing is for sure: this format is going to cause havoc when it comes to fans ranking the TA albums, as fans will be ranking the different versions of this 5th album. If it approaches the greatness of the first three albums, I will be one happy fan. :hat
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The 4th version will be the live version, which will be 2 1/2 hours taking up the entirety of 2 CDs, and would be the expanded, enhanced, quadruple mega version with a dozen or so more songs that either didn't make it to the original albums or were written specifically for the live version.
:lol :lol :lol
That's funny because deep down we all know that it is something they might do.
One thing is for sure: this format is going to cause havoc when it comes to fans ranking the TA albums, as fans will be ranking the different versions of this 5th album. If it approaches the greatness of the first three albums, I will be one happy fan. :hat
My hope is they're different enough to feel more like more their own album, with their own identities, instead of at least two or three versions of the same album.
I would be all over the live 2 1/2 hour mega version.
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Now I'm actually a little bummed there won't be a vinyl of the "monster"-version :lol I don't have a bluray player, nor do I even have a TV that would be attached to a sound system on which I'd listen to that 5.1 mix. In my apartment, the only way to listen to music is my turntable...
Anyway, I'm sure the 90 mins version will be awesome.
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I will most likely think of the versions as two different albums. That's the way I will rank them as well. At the moment, I think I'll dig into the long version first, and then once I am fully familiar with it, I'll get the short one.
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I just rewatched The Whirlwind: Live In London, and it just confirmed for me that The Whirlwind is the best TA album.
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I just rewatched The Whirlwind: Live In London, and it just confirmed for me that The Whirlwind is the best TA album.
And that's their best live album too! They played all their best stuff there, their 4 mega epics (at the time) + two other songs :hefdaddy
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That's almost certainly my favorite setlist of any band ever. It's all the most superb content from three absolutely superb albums. It's so absolutely amazing that I'm actually glad to have three performances of it (the London one and the two from More Never is Enough, Manchester and Tilburg), which is not something I would normally care much about.
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Yeah that setlist was perfect. I remember rocking out for over 3 hours in the first row in Berlin in 2010, when I was 17.
This will become harder for the band as their catalogue gets bigger... eliminating or including one song sometimes means changing half an hour of the setlist :lol
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They'll have to play 2 shows a day or 2 shows per venue, and play two different sets to be able to play half of their discography live without half the show being made up of medleys, which I'm not a fan of.
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They'll have to play 2 shows a day or 2 shows per venue, and play two different sets to be able to play half of their discography live without half the show being made up of medleys, which I'm not a fan of.
Hey that's actually an awesome idea. I would definitely go to both concerts!
Not sure if this would be lucrative though.
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They'll have to play 2 shows a day or 2 shows per venue, and play two different sets to be able to play half of their discography live without half the show being made up of medleys, which I'm not a fan of.
Hey that's actually an awesome idea. I would definitely go to both concerts!
Not sure if this would be lucrative though.
Maybe something where they play two different shows at separate venues that are still in the market area (like Philly/NYC) It could get fans to go to more than one show. Of course, who knows what's going on with touring next year.
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That's almost certainly my favorite setlist of any band ever. It's all the most superb content from three absolutely superb albums.
I agree! I'm not the biggest fan of BAF (the song), but other than that, the setlist was perfect.They'll have to play 2 shows a day or 2 shows per venue, and play two different sets to be able to play half of their discography live without half the show being made up of medleys, which I'm not a fan of.
Hey that's actually an awesome idea. I would definitely go to both concerts!
Not sure if this would be lucrative though.
I think Morsefest 2021 (assuming it's going to be TA) will be them playing as much stuff from their catalog as they can possibly fit after playing both versions of their new album.
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I fear it will be mostly medleys when it comes to covering material from the first four albums live on the next tour, except when playing the short tunes.
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FROM RADIANT RECORDS – Pre-sales for Transatlantic’s "The Absolute Universe" begin this Friday from www.radiantrecords.com! Neal will sign the first 300 copies of The Ultimate Edition box set so get in early to secure your copy! And remember, pre-ordering the box set qualifies you for The Ultimate Raffle!
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Neal revealed an image of the Ultimate Edition box set on social media today, along with the news that the first 300 box sets ordered will be signed by Neal.
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/126131387_10159215842271416_998470927492924158_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=2&_nc_sid=da1649&_nc_ohc=WoaDCPbK5jEAX-dZ--n&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=3f6214eeed68bd5139dbdd9073f7186e&oe=5FDB7A80)
No word on the price just yet. Pre-orders will go live at 9:00am EST on November 20th. West coast fans will have to get up extra early if they want to be one of the first 300!
-Marc.
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I hope InsideOut will have this in store. I do not want to pay 60 bucks or so for shipping.
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That is one of the most visually stunning box sets I've ever seen. Amazing artwork!
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MP posted:
We’re in FULL-ON TA5 mode at the moment, overseeing the finishing touches on the upcoming music videos, webisodes, 5.1 mix and Visualizer, promo ideas etc and let me tell you: the best has yet to come!! 😉 TA has always been about “More Never Is Enough” and I think we’ve pretty much taken it all as far as it can possibly go with The Absolute uniVerse albums! Prepare for a journey of ABSOLUTE EPIC proportions on Feb 5th! (and your first real taste VERY soon!) 😉
.
@transatlanticofficial @mikeportnoy @neal_morse_official @roinestolt8112 @thepetetrewavas @insideoutmusic
.
#Repost @portnoypageofficial
・・・
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MP posted:
We’re in FULL-ON TA5 mode at the moment, overseeing the finishing touches on the upcoming music videos, webisodes, 5.1 mix and Visualizer, promo ideas etc and let me tell you: the best has yet to come!! 😉 TA has always been about “More Never Is Enough” and I think we’ve pretty much taken it all as far as it can possibly go with The Absolute uniVerse albums! Prepare for a journey of ABSOLUTE EPIC proportions on Feb 5th! (and your first real taste VERY soon!) 😉
I'm hoping the first single drops this friday along iwh the pre-orders and, hopefully, the tracklist too. I'm excited about this album :metal
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I'm definitely anticipating The Absolute Universe a lot more than I was anticipating Kaleidoscope.
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I anticipated Kaleidoscope muchly, coming off The Whirlwind and IMO a steady upward trajectory. Kaleidscope is good, though I wasn't as completely blown away as I was with each of the first three albums.
Because I've come to accept that these guys are mere mortals after all, plus the way they seem to be "overhyping" The Absolute Universe, I'm cautious. I'll buy it in some form, of course, but I'm trying to keep expectations in check.
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From Roine about half an hour ago on FB (https://www.facebook.com/100000224097006/posts/4100474679969961/):
Yes - tomorrow my shop www.roinestolt.com will be open with yet another NEW item: - You've guessed it ; seen it. We - TRANSATLANTIC announce the fifth studio album TA5 - ‘The Absolute Universe’, Set for release on February 5th, 2021.
Pre_order start in my shop tomorrow: The first 300 will be signed by me (Roine) and comes with a 'Forevermore' art card.
Comes as two versions of the CD record: ‘The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)’ 1 CD - PLUS ‘The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)’ 2CD.
(And a big pac 'Ultimate edition' with Vinyls & CD's and 5.1 etc. However from my shop - NO vinyls - no box set !!) 'The Absolute Universe Album Trailer' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Ln98PtgZI
Initial tracking began in September 2019 - the band met up in Sweden to write and arrange the new material and was finished this summer 2020 - Universal travel takes time.
Pre-order tomorrow - get it first days of February next year.)
This is probably the best bet for fans in Europe. You won't get Neal's signature, but you could get Roine's instead, PLUS an art card!
-Marc.
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First single to be released tomorrow:
https://open.spotify.com/album/7MB6phnSBj1c7Bh1CIay2K?highlight=spotify:track:3qtdGRlnee4fQPXsiFz0Nk
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Bold of them to cover a section from the Spock's Beard song The Water for the lead single. :biggrin:
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My new wallpapers
(https://i.ibb.co/fpHYpDV/125353542-379643169945497-8019433683982717653-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/G2Rv2Hf)
(https://i.ibb.co/5sWV2Gp/126079016-220557836090480-8235161638054521791-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GCvjFnY)
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Truly excited to hear the new music. Any distraction from life in 2020 is needed.
Also, I clicked that link for the single...that purple album cover might be my favorite album art ever.
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Bold of them to cover a section from the Spock's Beard song The Water for the lead single. :biggrin:
Can you elaborate?
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That was not the section of The Water that I was hoping for. :biggrin: Song is solid.
Excited for the album, and while I definitely appreciate them making the Blu-ray available separately, I still wish there was a 3CD+BD package. Seems like picking up 3 different releases would be more expensive, not to mention oddly cumbersome.
I purchased the Earbook of Transitus for the DVD and the comic (but have also really enjoyed the instrumental CD). I'd do the same here if possible, but the way things look now I'll just pick up the albums and wait for someone to upload the Making-Of online.
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Bold of them to cover a section from the Spock's Beard song The Water for the lead single. :biggrin:
Can you elaborate?
Reach for the sky
After we've gone
After the moon rises
And the red flags fly
Gonna reach for the sky
Gonna hold my head up high
Gonna reach for the sky
Storm ragin'
That'll be alright
If we reach for the sky
Yeah we reach for the sky
Guess there never was
A winner
Just a race against time
I was mean, I was kind
Even though I was blind
I still reach for the sky
Storm ragin'
That'll be alright
If we reach for the sky
Yeah we reach for the sky
Come on people
Reach for the sky
That's an extract from SB song
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And that movement is called "Reach for the Sky." So it's pretty close.
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https://youtu.be/fQVkHuEkOHQ
Whenever it's past midnight in your time zone/country.
-Marc.
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I didn't think to save the link, but Roine did an interview last week, and while the new TFK was the bulk of the discussion, he did touch on the new TA a little. He said he couldn't say much, but did say that the lyrics won't be of the Christian nature (a hint of spirituality, but the way he worded made me think it will be pretty subtle), and also that the sound and mix is more to his liking, making me think it will be more European than American in that regard, if you catch my drift. Not that I don't love the sound of the Neal-related albums since 2000, but a mix more like the Flower Kings material would be killer.
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Absolute-Universe-Forevermore-Extended-Version/dp/B08MVCWBD5/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=transatlantic+universe&qid=1605837833&sr=8-1
Song titles.. yes, there's another Overture ;D
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Absolute-Universe-Forevermore-Extended-Version/dp/B08MVCWBD5/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=transatlantic+universe&qid=1605837833&sr=8-1
Song titles.. yes, there's another Overture ;D
Official tracklists for both versions:
Forevermore:
1 Overture
2 Heart Like a Whirlwind
3 Higher Than the Morning
4 The Darkness in the Light
5 Swing High, Swing Low
6 Bully
7 Rainbow Sky
8 Looking for the Light
9 The World We Used to Know
10 The Sun Comes Up Today
11 Love Made a Way (Prelude)
12 Owl Howl
13 Solitude
14 Belong
15 Lonesome Rebel
16 Looking for the Light (Reprise)
17 The Greatest Story Never Ends
18 Love Made a Way
The Breath of Life:
1 Overture
2 Reaching for the Sky
3 Higher Than the Morning
4 The Darkness in the Light
5 Take Now My Soul
6 Looking for the Light
7 Love Made a Way (Prelude)
8 Owl Howl
9 Solitude
10 Belong
11 Can You Feel It
12 Looking for the Light (Reprise)
13 The Greatest Story Never Ends
14 Love Made a Way
Interesting that the first single is only in the abridged version (unless it's there with a different name). Also, "Heart Like a Whirlwind" hmmm...
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So it looks like 11 of the track titles are the same between the two versions, with three exclusive to The Breath of Life and seven to Forevermore.
The titles in common:
Overture
Higher Than the Morning
The Darkness in the Light
Looking for the Light
Love Made a Way (Prelude)
Owl Howl
Solitude
Belong
Looking for the Light (Reprise)
The Greatest Story Never Ends
Love Made a Way
Exclusive to The Breath of Life:
Reaching for the Sky
Take Now My Soul
Can You Feel It
Exclusive to Forevermore:
Heart Like a Whirlwind
Swing High, Swing Low
Bully
Rainbow Sky
The World We Used to Know
The Sun Comes Up Today
Lonesome Rebel
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Swing it high, swing it low, swing it everywhere you go!
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With a couple titles being similar to stuff in The Whirlwind (The Breath of Life and Heart Like a Whirlwind), I'm starting to wonder if they're gonna do something similar to what Haken did with Virus (well, more specifically Messiah Complex/Only Stars) and reference their older material throughout this album.
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Song titles seem like your typical Morse-brand spiritual prog schlock, but I'll try to reserve judgement until I actually hear the album. Looking forward to the single drop tonight either way.
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First impressions of the new single: I like it, it's very upbeat, it definitely fills the post-Overture song slot very well. Interesting that the title for the 2nd track on Forevermore is part of the chorus lyrics, so I wonder how different RFTS is from HLAW.
One of the things that stand out to me are the vocals. I'm excited.to hear just how varied the vocal duties will be on this one and if they got any guests again, i.e. Gildenlow.
-Marc.
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I believe Heart Like A Whirlwind and Reach For The Sky are alternate versions of the same song. I don't see them releasing a tune as first single that won't even be available on one of the two versions of the album. The guys are always stressing that they are doing something new, but I think that would be too uncommon ;)
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New song is okay. I'm sure it will be better in the flow of the whole album. As a standalone intro to the album it doesn't move the needle too much. Nothing extraordinary or magnificent about it. Just a solid TA song.
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Pre-orders are ALREADY up on:
https://justforkicks.de/detail/index/sArticle/9440
https://www.insideoutshop.de/Artist/Transatlantic/20894?Page=1&PageSize=25&Sort=13
https://www.jpc.de/s/transatlantic
https://www.hhv.de/shop/en/search-transatlantic/p:vcqgKR
I think prices are reasonable! I just pre-ordered TWO Ultimate Versions for 83€ each on Just For Kicks and orders over 90€ they ship for free (at least in Germany). One is for me, the other one is for a buddy of mine.
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By the way, Burning Shed can once again be counted on when it comes to track lengths:
A
1 Overture 00:08:11
2 Heart Like A Whirlwind 00:05:11
3 Higher Than The Morning 00:05:29
B
1 The Darkness In The Light 00:05:43
2 Swing High, Swing Low 00:03:48
3 Bully 00:02:11
C
1 Rainbow Sky 00:03:19
2 Looking For The Light 00:03:59
3 The World We Used To Know 00:09:21
D
1 The Sun Comes Up Today 00:05:38
2 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 00:01:25
3 Owl Howl 00:07:05
E
1 Solitude 00:05:41
2 Belong 00:02:49
3 Lonesome Rebel 00:02:53
F
1 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 00:05:12
2 The Greatest Story Never Ends 00:04:17
3 Love Made A Way 00:08:02
G
1 Overture 00:05:53
2 Reaching For The Sky 00:05:40
3 Higher Than The Morning 00:04:32
H
1 The Darkness In The Light 00:05:43
2 Take Now My Soul 00:03:31
3 Looking For The Light 00:04:04
I
1 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 00:02:13
2 Owl Howl 00:05:26
3 Solitude 00:04:24
J
1 Belong 00:02:22
2 Can You Feel It 00:03:17
3 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 00:04:57
4 The Greatest Story Never Ends 00:02:57
5 Love Made A Way 00:09:02
CD1
1 Overture 00:08:11
2 Heart Like A Whirlwind 00:05:11
3 Higher Than The Morning 00:05:29
4 The Darkness In The Light 00:05:43
5 Swing High, Swing Low 00:03:48
6 Bully 00:02:11
7 Rainbow Sky 00:03:19
8 Looking For The Light 00:03:59
9 The World We Used To Know 00:09:21
CD2
1 The Sun Comes Up Today 00:05:38
2 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 00:01:25
3 Owl Howl 00:07:05
4 Solitude 00:05:41
5 Belong 00:02:49
6 Lonesome Rebel 00:02:53
7 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 00:05:12
8 The Greatest Story Never Ends 00:04:17
9 Love Made A Way 00:08:02
CD3
1 Overture 00:05:53
2 Reaching For The Sky 00:05:40
3 Higher Than The Morning 00:04:32
4 The Darkness In The Light 00:05:43
5 Take Now My Soul 00:03:31
6 Looking For The Light 00:04:04
7 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 00:02:13
8 Owl Howl 00:05:26
9 Solitude 00:04:24
10 Belong 00:02:22
11 Can You Feel It 00:03:17
12 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 00:04:57
13 The Greatest Story Never Ends 00:02:57
14 Love Made A Way 00:09:02
Blu-ray
1 Overture 5.1 Surround Mix 00:08:11
2 Reaching For The Sky 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:40
3 Higher Than The Morning 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:29
4 The Darkness In The Light 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:43
5 Take Now My Soul 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:31
6 Bully 5.1 Surround Mix 00:02:11
7 Rainbow Sky 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:19
8 Looking For The Light 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:59
9 The World We Used To Know 5.1 Surround Mix 00:09:21
10 The Sun Comes Up Today 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:38
11 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 5.1 Surround Mix 00:01:25
12 Owl Howl 5.1 Surround Mix 00:07:05
13 Solitude 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:41
14 Belong 5.1 Surround Mix 00:02:49
15 Lonesome Rebel 5.1 Surround Mix 00:02:53
16 Can You Feel It 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:17
17 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:12
18 The Greatest Story Never Ends 5.1 Surround Mix 00:04:17
19 Love Made A Way 5.1 Surround Mix 00:08:02
20 The Making of the The Absolute Universe Documentary 01:02:27
Here's some things I observed:
- The Blu-ray Version contains a song that is on the Abridged version but not on the Expanded, Can You Feel It.
- The Love Made A Way finale is longer on the Abridged version, by around one minute.
- The Overture is more than two minutes longer on the Expanded version.
- The Expanded version has Heart Like A Whirlwind, the Abridged and 5.1 versions have Reaching For The Sky. The latter is 30 seconds longer. But I still believe that these are two versions of the same song.
- The Expanded version has Swing High, Swing Low, while the Abridged and 5.1 versions have Take Now My Soul. The latter is 17 seconds shorter.
- Belong is 27 seconds shorter on the Abridged version.
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Song titles seem like your typical Morse-brand spiritual prog schlock, but I'll try to reserve judgement until I actually hear the album. Looking forward to the single drop tonight either way.
Seriously, I actually laughed when I saw the song titles. Could they be any more generic sounding for this group of musicians? Owl Howl, Bully, Rainbow Sky, and Lonesome Rebel are the only ones that have some sort of individuality and character about them. I realize this is a minor gripe if the music is good, but it just leads to the homogeneous nature of all projects involving Neal. Fuck it, throw another song called The Glory Of The Lord on there just for old times sake.
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Does anyone know how many copies of the ultimate edition exist?
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Does anyone know how many copies of the ultimate edition exist?
It says is LIMITED no exact numbers have been given
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I got the Bluray from Radiant and the both CD versions from Laser's Edge. CDs are a lot cheaper at Laser's ($10 and $15) than Radiant ($18 and $23).
https://www.lasercd.com/search_results?fulltext=Transatlantic%20the%20absolute%20universe
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Sales Open in Radiant Records : https://www.nealmorse.com/product/the-absolute-universe-transatlantic/ (https://www.nealmorse.com/product/the-absolute-universe-transatlantic/)
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MP shares the following:
TRANSATLANTIC LAUNCH FIRST NEW MUSIC / VIDEO IN 6 YEARS! 🚀🚀🚀
Watch the new video for “Overture / Reaching For The Sky” taken from ‘The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)’. here: https://youtu.be/SP5HwWbCQvg
The 5th Transatlantic studio album ‘The Absolute Universe’ is set for release on February 5th, 2021 and comes in two versions of the record: ‘The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)’ & ‘The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)’.
You can 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://transatlantic.lnk.to/TheAbsoluteUniverse
Mike Portnoy comments: “’Reaching For The Sky’ is the first single off Transatlantic’s latest Magnum opus ‘The Absolute Universe’. It’s a great introduction to this epic album as it sets the tone in traditional TA style: proceeded on the album by an extended Instrumental Overture and then launching into this upbeat first song.
"I love that it features one of my favorite qualities of the band in the sharing of the lead vocals...in this case: Neal singing lead on Verse 1, myself singing lead on Verse 2, Pete & Neal sharing the Chorus with myself and Roine on backups and Neal taking the glorious Bridge...all leading to Roine’s distinctive guitar solo.
Also interesting is that this version exclusively appears on the Abridged 1CD Version of TA5 (“The Breath Of Life”) while the Extended 2CD Version of TA5 (“Forevermore”) opens with the alternate version ‘Heart Like A Whirlwind’ which has different lead vocals and lyrics .”
Each album will be available on CD, LP & Digitally. But there will also be what has been called ‘The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition’, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LP’s, 3CD’s & a Blu-ray that includes a special mix that combines both versions into a third unique version in 5.1 surround sound with visuals and a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard featuring the airship by Pavel Zhovba.
As Mike Portnoy explains: “We've got two versions of this album. There is a two CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one - that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you'll hear has been altered. You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different.” Pete Trewavas adds: “We did write some new music for the single CD, what's more, there are also differences in the instruments used on some of the tracks across the two records.”
The full list of formats is below:
‘The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version)’
Available as:
Single CD Edition, Gatefold 2LP+CD, or Digital Album
Track-listing:
1. Overture
2. Reaching For The Sky
3. Higher Than The Morning
4. The Darkness In The Light
5. Take Now My Soul
6. Looking For The Light
7. Love Made A Way (Prelude)
8. Owl Howl
9. Solitude
10. Belong
11. Can You Feel It
12. Looking For The Light (Reprise)
13. The Greatest Story Never Ends
14. Love Made A Way
‘The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version)’
Available as:
2CD Edition, 3LP+2CD Boxset, or Digital Album
Track-listing:
Disc 1:
1. Overture
2. Heart Like A Whirlwind
3. Higher Than The Morning
4. The Darkness In The Light
5. Swing High, Swing Low
6. Bully
7. Rainbow Sky
8. Looking For The Light
9. The World We Used To Know
Disc 2:
1. The Sun Comes Up Today
2. Love Made A Way (Prelude)
3. Owl Howl
4. Solitude
5. Belong
6. Lonesome Rebel
7. Looking For The Light (Reprise)
8. The Greatest Story Never Ends
9. Love Made A Way
‘The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition’
Limited Deluxe Clear 5LP+3CD+Blu-Ray Box-set – contained within a foil-finished lift-off box with extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster. Includes both versions of the album over 5LP’s and 3CD’s, plus a Blu-Ray with 5.1 mix & documentary.
Blu-Ray Track-listing:
1. Overture (5.1 Surround Mix)
2. Reaching For The Sky (5.1 Surround Mix)
3. Higher Than The Morning (5.1 Surround Mix)
4. The Darkness In The Light (5.1 Surround Mix)
5. Take Now My Soul (5.1 Surround Mix)
6. Bully (5.1 Surround Mix)
7. Rainbow Sky (5.1 Surround Mix)
8. Looking For The Light (5.1 Surround Mix)
9. The World We Used To Know (5.1 Surround Mix)
10. The Sun Comes Up Today (5.1 Surround Mix)
11. Love Made A Way (Prelude) (5.1 Surround Mix)
12. Owl Howl (5.1 Surround Mix)
13. Solitude (5.1 Surround Mix)
14. Belong (5.1 Surround Mix)
15. Lonesome Rebel (5.1 Surround Mix)
16. Can You Feel It (5.1 Surround Mix)
17. Looking For The Light (Reprise) (5.1 Surround Mix)
18. The Greatest Story Never Ends (5.1 Surround Mix)
19. Love Made A Way (5.1 Surround Mix)
20. The Making of The Absolute Universe (Documentary)
#TA5 #TheAbsoluteuniVerse
Watch the video for “Overture / Reaching For The Sky” here:
https://youtu.be/SP5HwWbCQvg
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CD, LP, Blu-ray and The Ultimate Edition box set all available! Check out the Radiant Records exclusives:
- Magenta and Turquoise exclusive vinyls
- First 300 copies of The Ultimate Edition signed by Neal Morse
- Album cover t-shirt only available from Radiant
- Entry into The Ultimate Raffle for a VIP Q&A with Neal with every $50 pre-ordered
- Get the Kaliveoscope Deluxe Box set (3 CD/ 2 DVD/ Blu-ray) for $9.99
- PLUS… Exclusive handwritten lyric sheet and session photos download with every purchase!
-
Watch the video for “Overture / Reaching For The Sky” here:
https://youtu.be/SP5HwWbCQvg
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The first 3 minutes of the song, you can clearly hear that Mike and Neal have run over Roine and Pete in the songwriting process. This reminds me more of the standard Neal Morse Band intro, not good old Translantic! hope this is NOT standard of rest of the album
-
W
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Radiant's website is choked out. Either doesn't load or barely works. Seems to be high demand, I guess. Just trying to score the Blu. Will get the others from Laser CD.
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Radiant's website is choked out. Either doesn't load or barely works. Seems to be high demand, I guess. Just trying to score the Blu. Will get the others from Laser CD.
Site is up again.
https://www.nealmorse.com/product/the-absolute-universe-transatlantic/
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Well, in making this an obvious money grab, they're going to lose money from me. $23 for the Extended version, and $18 for the abridged version?? And I'm gonna assume this is USD. this is 2x the market rate for an album - and these are not even separate albums.
If they had offered a package for the BR, and both albums on CD for like $30-$35, I'd be in. Now, I'm not sure I'm in at all (for the physical copies). This single is on Spotify this morning, suggesting the albums will be available there upon release.
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Radiant's website is choked out. Either doesn't load or barely works. Seems to be high demand, I guess. Just trying to score the Blu. Will get the others from Laser CD.
Site is up again.
https://www.nealmorse.com/product/the-absolute-universe-transatlantic/
I just kept having to refresh multiple times every step of the way but finally got my Blu order in. Followed your lead and bought the CD's from Laser CD. I'm all set now.
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My first thought with the single was “this sounds like a rewrite of the Whirlwind.” It grew on me when I watched the YouTube video that includes the overture. Don’t have any more deep thoughts about it. It sounds like Neal Morse/Transatlantic.
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I ordered the Ultimate package even without listening to the release. My thought is I'd purchase the most expensive one just to contribute some $$$ to these guys given their livelihoods have been put on hold due to Covid.
I'm hopeful that the music itself will be worth it.
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Funny how they released only 1 song on Spotify, but 2 songs on Youtube with the Official Video. Whomever is in charge of their marketing is one smart person.
And boo ads.
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By the way guys, the Blu-ray is also available on InsideOut, for 18€!
https://www.insideoutshop.de/Item/Transatlantic_-_The_Absolute_Universe-_5-1_Mix_-The_Ultimate_Version--Ltd-_Blu-ray-/16736
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Ordered the separate cd editions from LaserCD, and after shipping it only came to $29.10!
A friend had wondered what to get me for Christmas so I told her about the Ultimate Edition box set and sent her the link on LaserCD, which theybhave for $95.00 and after shipping, I think was only a bit under $99.00!
Also, Burning Shed's preorders come with logo stickers while supplies last.
-Marc.
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Raise your hand if you are shocked that the first song released has a prominent Mike Portnoy lead vocal section? :lol :lol
*no one raises their hand*
Exactly.
Song wasn't bad, but I listened last night when half-asleep right before sleepy time. I will crank it today and see how the second listen goes.
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I ordered the Blu-ray from Radiant, I might end up ordering the CDs from there too. I know it's cheaper on lasercd but I only buy like 5-6 CDs if that in a year so might as well make it count for the artist.
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Ordered the ultimate!
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One of the things that stand out to me are the vocals. I'm excited.to hear just how varied the vocal duties will be on this one and if they got any guests again, i.e. Gildenlow.
-Marc.
IIRC, Mike said a while ago that there are no guests here, just the 4 of them.
CD1
1 Overture 00:08:11
2 Heart Like A Whirlwind 00:05:11
3 Higher Than The Morning 00:05:29
4 The Darkness In The Light 00:05:43
5 Swing High, Swing Low 00:03:48
6 Bully 00:02:11
7 Rainbow Sky 00:03:19
8 Looking For The Light 00:03:59
9 The World We Used To Know 00:09:21
CD2
1 The Sun Comes Up Today 00:05:38
2 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 00:01:25
3 Owl Howl 00:07:05
4 Solitude 00:05:41
5 Belong 00:02:49
6 Lonesome Rebel 00:02:53
7 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 00:05:12
8 The Greatest Story Never Ends 00:04:17
9 Love Made A Way 00:08:02
CD3
1 Overture 00:05:53
2 Reaching For The Sky 00:05:40
3 Higher Than The Morning 00:04:32
4 The Darkness In The Light 00:05:43
5 Take Now My Soul 00:03:31
6 Looking For The Light 00:04:04
7 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 00:02:13
8 Owl Howl 00:05:26
9 Solitude 00:04:24
10 Belong 00:02:22
11 Can You Feel It 00:03:17
12 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 00:04:57
13 The Greatest Story Never Ends 00:02:57
14 Love Made A Way 00:09:02
Blu-ray
1 Overture 5.1 Surround Mix 00:08:11
2 Reaching For The Sky 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:40
3 Higher Than The Morning 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:29
4 The Darkness In The Light 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:43
5 Take Now My Soul 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:31
6 Bully 5.1 Surround Mix 00:02:11
7 Rainbow Sky 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:19
8 Looking For The Light 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:59
9 The World We Used To Know 5.1 Surround Mix 00:09:21
10 The Sun Comes Up Today 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:38
11 Love Made A Way (Prelude) 5.1 Surround Mix 00:01:25
12 Owl Howl 5.1 Surround Mix 00:07:05
13 Solitude 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:41
14 Belong 5.1 Surround Mix 00:02:49
15 Lonesome Rebel 5.1 Surround Mix 00:02:53
16 Can You Feel It 5.1 Surround Mix 00:03:17
17 Looking For The Light (Reprise) 5.1 Surround Mix 00:05:12
18 The Greatest Story Never Ends 5.1 Surround Mix 00:04:17
19 Love Made A Way 5.1 Surround Mix 00:08:02
20 The Making of the The Absolute Universe Documentary 01:02:27
Looking at the track lenghts for both CD versions, it seems that the *only* track that is the same for both is The Darkness in the Light.
Also, seems like the "third" version of the album on the Blu-ray is just basically a "best of TAU" playlist, not a more complex/combined version of the album.
EDIT: Comparing track lenghts from the first two tracks on the abridged version with the video we got on YT, it also seems like we're missing a couple minutes, at least, from the album version.
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yeah, after seeing the track list and times, it appears that the bluray is just a compilation of the two discs and contains no exclusive tracks. Will be picking up just the CDs with this info. But I'm excited to get two different versions!
EDIT: I do find it interesting that other than The Darkness In The Light, EVERY song is either longer, shorter, or exclusive to a specific version of the album. I also find it interesting that the Abridged version has three tracks that are longer than their counterparts (and that they're not the versions on the blu-ray). There's a lot to take in here! *phew*
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I’m mostly looking forward to hearing Owl Howl.
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Listening to the new song and that section where Pete sings lead reminds me A LOT of The Great Adventure (song), and it's distracting.
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Not going to listen to a note until I get the album.
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Not going to listen to a note until I get the album.
Same.
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Now that pre-orders are up, maybe it's time to update the thread title? :lol
-Marc.
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Does anyone think the intro melody to Overture sounds identical to Everything Is Wrong from Neal's first solo album? Also the verse/chorus part sounds very similar to All Of The Above. I think the well has finally gone dry with these guys...everything sounds like something they've done already
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Not going to listen to a note until I get the album.
Same.
Same
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Not going to listen to a note until I get the album.
Same.
Same
Same
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Well, in making this an obvious money grab, they're going to lose money from me. $23 for the Extended version, and $18 for the abridged version?? And I'm gonna assume this is USD. this is 2x the market rate for an album - and these are not even separate albums.
If they had offered a package for the BR, and both albums on CD for like $30-$35, I'd be in. Now, I'm not sure I'm in at all (for the physical copies). This single is on Spotify this morning, suggesting the albums will be available there upon release.
Agreed, I think the prices are ridiculous. Definitely going to buy from Amazon or something. Anything but Radiant.
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Well, in making this an obvious money grab, they're going to lose money from me. $23 for the Extended version, and $18 for the abridged version?? And I'm gonna assume this is USD. this is 2x the market rate for an album - and these are not even separate albums.
If they had offered a package for the BR, and both albums on CD for like $30-$35, I'd be in. Now, I'm not sure I'm in at all (for the physical copies). This single is on Spotify this morning, suggesting the albums will be available there upon release.
Agreed, I think the prices are ridiculous. Definitely going to buy from Amazon or something. Anything but Radiant.
www.lasercd.com has the Abridged version for $10 and the Unabridged for $15. The other packages have very competitive pricing as well.
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Well, in making this an obvious money grab, they're going to lose money from me. $23 for the Extended version, and $18 for the abridged version?? And I'm gonna assume this is USD. this is 2x the market rate for an album - and these are not even separate albums.
If they had offered a package for the BR, and both albums on CD for like $30-$35, I'd be in. Now, I'm not sure I'm in at all (for the physical copies). This single is on Spotify this morning, suggesting the albums will be available there upon release.
Agreed, I think the prices are ridiculous. Definitely going to buy from Amazon or something. Anything but Radiant.
www.lasercd.com has the Abridged version for $10 and the Unabridged for $15. The other packages have very competitive pricing as well.
Thanks! I’ll check it out. Definitely buying for sure from somewhere and don’t really care where.
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Well, in making this an obvious money grab, they're going to lose money from me. $23 for the Extended version, and $18 for the abridged version?? And I'm gonna assume this is USD. this is 2x the market rate for an album - and these are not even separate albums.
If they had offered a package for the BR, and both albums on CD for like $30-$35, I'd be in. Now, I'm not sure I'm in at all (for the physical copies). This single is on Spotify this morning, suggesting the albums will be available there upon release.
Agreed, I think the prices are ridiculous. Definitely going to buy from Amazon or something. Anything but Radiant.
www.lasercd.com has the Abridged version for $10 and the Unabridged for $15. The other packages have very competitive pricing as well.
Thanks! I’ll check it out. Definitely buying for sure from somewhere and don’t really care where.
Go to Radiant LOLoh you said anywhere but there
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Eh; I went on and intended to buy the Blu-ray, thinking I would buy the CDs from Amazon or somewhere else. Then I thought, the hell with it, and bought the blu-ray, and the two versions of the CDs. Yeah, it's more expensive, but it's not like I haven't gotten value for money from these guys so far.
Also, I have it, but it seemed I saw that the Kaleidoscope deluxe version was on sale for $9.99 at Radiant. That's a steal.
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When I was younger and had more money to play with I would always buy from Radiant just to throw more money their way. Nowadays, I tend to have to look for the better deal. At least when you buy from Laser CD you are buying from the official US Inside Out shop. Plus, Ken runs a great site and I have never had one issue with any purchase there ever. Don't expect to get it on release day. They always ship before, but new releases usually show up on the following Monday or Tuesday.
Also, not listening to a note before it is in my hands as well.
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When I was younger and had more money to play with I would always buy from Radiant just to throw more money their way. Nowadays, I tend to have to look for the better deal. At least when you buy from Laser CD you are buying from the official US Inside Out shop. Plus, Ken runs a great site and I have never had one issue with any purchase there ever. Don't expect to get it on release day. They always ship before, but new releases usually show up on the following Monday or Tuesday.
Also, not listening to a note before it is in my hands as well.
Yeah, Laser CD is my go to for prog releases most of the time (unless it’s just drastically cheaper on Amazon which often it’s not).
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Well, I'm in a better mood today than I was earlier in the week. Fuck it, I bought it all including a tee-shirt :rollin Not only did I get the box set, but I got a tee-shirt and I got 1 each of the other versions of the album because Christmas is coming and this will cross 3 people off my list. So I went from "fuck you I'll stream it" to "let me buy it 3 times" :lol
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I think Owl Howl is an extremely silly song title.
Also I pre-ordered both versions (CD) and won't listen to the single.
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Nothing like a good mood to blow a man's budget all to hell:)
Hope you enjoy!
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When I was younger and had more money to play with I would always buy from Radiant just to throw more money their way. Nowadays, I tend to have to look for the better deal. At least when you buy from Laser CD you are buying from the official US Inside Out shop. Plus, Ken runs a great site and I have never had one issue with any purchase there ever. Don't expect to get it on release day. They always ship before, but new releases usually show up on the following Monday or Tuesday.
Also, not listening to a note before it is in my hands as well.
Interesting; I didn't know that.
I'm generally with you; I can't afford to consistently overpay for the releases I buy. I honestly can't tell you why I pulled the trigger here (perhaps because it's a pre-order; I don't usually pre-order generally. The UFO live and Petrucci's solo album were exceptions because I worried about availability.)
I'm also not listening to this until I can absorb all of it.
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Well, it looks like something might have changed recently. The Inside Out page used to redirect to Laser for North America and Laser had a section dedicated to Inside Out pre-orders. Now Inside redirects to the Century Media store. Seems they are not official anymore.
Oh well, buy from Laser anyway. Can't go wrong with them.
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Oh, knowing how Ken operates I have a pretty good idea of what went on :rollin
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Well, it looks like something might have changed recently. The Inside Out page used to redirect to Laser for North America and Laser had a section dedicated to Inside Out pre-orders. Now Inside redirects to the Century Media store. Seems they are not official anymore.
Oh well, buy from Laser anyway. Can't go wrong with them.
Yeah, great service. Have never really had a problem ordering from there.
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Well, it looks like something might have changed recently. The Inside Out page used to redirect to Laser for North America and Laser had a section dedicated to Inside Out pre-orders. Now Inside redirects to the Century Media store. Seems they are not official anymore.
Oh well, buy from Laser anyway. Can't go wrong with them.
Yeah, great service. Have never really had a problem ordering from there.
How long does shipping usually take from this site? For reference, I'm in the US.
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Well, it looks like something might have changed recently. The Inside Out page used to redirect to Laser for North America and Laser had a section dedicated to Inside Out pre-orders. Now Inside redirects to the Century Media store. Seems they are not official anymore.
Oh well, buy from Laser anyway. Can't go wrong with them.
Yeah, great service. Have never really had a problem ordering from there.
How long does shipping usually take from this site? For reference, I'm in the US.
Usually ships by the next day after you order and then it’s up to the mail, but I usually get stuff within a week from them. That’s with the standard shipping. Well packaged too.
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Yeah, in stock orders are usually next business day that they go out. Pre-orders tend to be shipped anywhere from Monday - Wednesday on release week based on my experience.
For instance, I pre-ordered the latest Katatonia CD and vinyl sets from them and they shipped 2 days before release and I got them the following Tuesday. This is with basic shipping. And, yes, they package things with extreme care.
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No complaints from me either with Laser's Edge. Top notch service.
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On seeing that the Blu-Ray version is evidently just a best-of collection of the two CD versions, and seeing the price of it, I'm thinking I'll just stick with the two CD packages. I don't have a 5.1 system, and the documentary isn't really worth $23 to me.
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I’m mostly looking forward to hearing Owl Howl.
Agreed.
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From the song titles alone, I'm excited to hear "Heart Like a Whirlwind" and "Rainbow Sky".
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Finally out of work and listening to the new song and reading the song titles. So damn excited! Nothing really beats a Neal related release for me, and Transatlantic is at the top of the list of awesomeness on Neal related releases.
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Now I'm not sure which disc of The Absolute Universe to listen to first. I originally thought the abridged Breath of Life, but now I'm leaning on the expanded Forevermore.
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Finally out of work and listening to the new song and reading the song titles. So damn excited! Nothing really beats a Neal related release for me, and Transatlantic is at the top of the list of awesomeness on Neal related releases.
I feel the same way, and more for those release. I think it is going to please everybody.
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I'll just wait until it's on Spotify, or Youtube, to listen to both versions, and then decide.
But, that song sound like Transatlantic. It's funny because they have a sound that hasn't really changed. All their epics, tend to blend to me. I think it's their tone. Their tone hasn't changed at all. The only instance I can hear that change is in Black As The Sky, and The Whirlwind. To me, Transatlantic is a band where I enjoy parts of their songs, but I can't listen to it as a whole. Their songs are overly long for me to listen, just for that part. But, I still do listen to the song, and will when I feel like it.
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I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised by the £89.00 price for the Ultimate Edition, I expected it to be way in excess of £100 so I am now a little tempted.
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It’s interesting that this is available on Spotify and Amazon Music. None of the other TA has ever been. I wonder if Neal is coming around on streaming. Would be nice to be able to stream the other TA albums (and early SB).
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<Yoda voice> Confusing this release is <Yoda voice >
I don't know which frickin one to buy. I know myself too well. If I buy both, I'll never listen to one of them. So it only makes sense for me to buy 1.
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I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised by the £89.00 price for the Ultimate Edition, I expected it to be way in excess of £100 so I am now a little tempted.
It was 86 at IO.
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If I was going to only buy one (and I may yet do that), it would probably by the double cd version. I really can’t see me ever listening to the abridged version if there is an extended 90 min option. I know they’re supposed to be a bit different but I can’t see them being all that different. What I’d really like to know is what the actual artist considers to be the definitive version and I find it strange that they wouldn’t want people to listen to their “best” version of the album.
It’s like Peter Jackson said with LOTR (and I disagree vehemently with him!) that the best version of the movies are the theatrical versions. The Extended Cuts were just fun for fans to see some extra scenes they shot and decided weren’t necessary. I’d love to know what the members of TA consider to be the true realised version of this album. Is it the 90 min version or is that a bit of a bloated self-indulgent version and the abridged one is actually a better record?
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Question: as someone who doesn't really buy physical CD's anymore, I was thinking of getting this one, but do any of these purchases come with a digital download? My new computer doesn't have a CD drive, so I would have no way to get digital files from my CD's, and since I do most of my listening now with digital files, I am not buying the CD's without a digital download coming with it.
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So I gave the new single + the Overture a listen, and, yup, it's definitely Transatlantic. Someone mentioned earlier how apparent Neal and Mike's songwriting DNA is all over this, and to me, the result is pleasant but kinda forgettable. I really hope Roine's influence is seen more on the rest of this project. It's not a bad single, but nothing they haven't already done better before.
Seeing the single drop on Spotify is promising though. If King Crimson can do it for their whole discography, then I feel there's really no excuse. Maybe we'll see the other TA albums drop there soon, along with the new albums.
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All the TA albums are on Apple Music, are they not on other streaming services. I know Neal likes his own stuff kept off streaming services but Transatlantic albums are on Apple including live albums.
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Neal allows a select few songs on Spotify, and the specific set seems to rotate sometimes. Recent singles seem to be included. I would not take the presence of this single as any indication that the whole album will be on Spotify or that the rest of the NM catalog will be making its way there.
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Listened to the single and ehh, this is going to be a try before you buy one. The actual song did absolutely nothing for me. I liked Overture though.
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Neal allows a select few songs on Spotify, and the specific set seems to rotate sometimes. Recent singles seem to be included. I would not take the presence of this single as any indication that the whole album will be on Spotify or that the rest of the NM catalog will be making its way there.
Must be a regional thing, on spotify in Germany you get all Transatlantic records, the only one missing is the first live release.
Neal solo is another thing, I think he keeps it off streaming services because he wants people to subscribe to his own waterfall thing.
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Definitely... the new single is the only TA on Spotify Canada
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Neal allows a select few songs on Spotify, and the specific set seems to rotate sometimes. Recent singles seem to be included. I would not take the presence of this single as any indication that the whole album will be on Spotify or that the rest of the NM catalog will be making its way there.
Must be a regional thing, on spotify in Germany you get all Transatlantic records, the only one missing is the first live release.
Neal solo is another thing, I think he keeps it off streaming services because he wants people to subscribe to his own waterfall thing.
His two newest albums are on Spotify, JC Exorcist and Sola Gratia, plus a few cuts from various other albums.
I'm more inclined to get on the bandwagon for streaming if it's something like Neal's Waterfall app, where the artist has control and I assume proceeds go directly to him. Plus there's all kinds of albums I don't have on the app, many out of print, that you wouldn't find on mainstream services.
Spotify is convenient, but sound quality is standard mp3 at best, and the artists get basically nothing.
TA's new single is on Spotify in the US.
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I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised by the £89.00 price for the Ultimate Edition, I expected it to be way in excess of £100 so I am now a little tempted.
It was 86 at IO.
83 Euros (which are with less than pounds) at Just For Kicks!
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Does anyone think the intro melody to Overture sounds identical to Everything Is Wrong from Neal's first solo album? Also the verse/chorus part sounds very similar to All Of The Above. I think the well has finally gone dry with these guys...everything sounds like something they've done already
People have been saying the well's dried up for Neal and Roine for 20 years now.
I don't hear it, these guys have a sound and style. My experience is if you're not in the mood for their music you're going to nitpick certain parts as sounding the same. Those moments are scattered throughout both men's discographies, even their earlier stuff.
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Does anyone think the intro melody to Overture sounds identical to Everything Is Wrong from Neal's first solo album? Also the verse/chorus part sounds very similar to All Of The Above. I think the well has finally gone dry with these guys...everything sounds like something they've done already
People have been saying the well's dried up for Neal and Roine for 20 years now.
I don't hear it, these guys have a sound and style. My experience is if you're not in the mood for their music you're going to nitpick certain parts as sounding the same. Those moments are scattered throughout both men's discographies, even their earlier stuff.
Yeah, it bothers me much less with Roine, but I’m also not as familiar with his catalog. I just wish Neal Morse would copy the parts of his catalog I really like (Spock’s Beard, early TA). :-)
I was trying to think of the what makes early Neal Morse and post-SB Neal Morse so different to me. I think it’s just the level of earnestness in his music. With Spock’s there was a silliness, or whimsy, behind the music and lyrics. Even when he tried to be somewhat deep, you still got these kind of goofball lyrics. More like how Jon Anderson just throws words that sound good together.
Stuff like:
Hearing the call with your back to the wall in a wordless conundrum
Half of your life 'tween a rose and a knife ain't it time?
You're sure to find
Innocence and undying love will reign
Or
The Venus slowly rises in the night
The people softly lit by restless moonlight
And as the Jackal preys upon the Netherworld
You can hear as she surprises and sings... RISE!
I dunno, it just doesn’t work the same when the lyrics deal with more real life themes of you’re trying to be more serious (as Neal is about his faith, something I do appreciate about him for the record). There was just something about the way he wrote and sang back then that was different, and this is the best explanation I can come up with.
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Does anyone think the intro melody to Overture sounds identical to Everything Is Wrong from Neal's first solo album? Also the verse/chorus part sounds very similar to All Of The Above. I think the well has finally gone dry with these guys...everything sounds like something they've done already
People have been saying the well's dried up for Neal and Roine for 20 years now.
I don't hear it, these guys have a sound and style. My experience is if you're not in the mood for their music you're going to nitpick certain parts as sounding the same. Those moments are scattered throughout both men's discographies, even their earlier stuff.
There was just something about the way he wrote and sang back then that was different, and this is the best explanation I can come up with.
He was an entirely different person back then as well. You have to take that into consideration. Neals religious revelation, also changed how he writes and sings, even his lyrics. Things like this can change a person entirely, making them almost seem like a brand new person. It happened with Kevin Moore.
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Does anyone think the intro melody to Overture sounds identical to Everything Is Wrong from Neal's first solo album? Also the verse/chorus part sounds very similar to All Of The Above. I think the well has finally gone dry with these guys...everything sounds like something they've done already
People have been saying the well's dried up for Neal and Roine for 20 years now.
I don't hear it, these guys have a sound and style. My experience is if you're not in the mood for their music you're going to nitpick certain parts as sounding the same. Those moments are scattered throughout both men's discographies, even their earlier stuff.
There was just something about the way he wrote and sang back then that was different, and this is the best explanation I can come up with.
He was an entirely different person back then as well. You have to take that into consideration. Neals religious revelation, also changed how he writes and sings, even his lyrics. Things like this can change a person entirely, making them almost seem like a brand new person. It happened with Kevin Moore.
Yeah, there’s no doubt about that. And I certainly don’t begrudge him for any of it. Purely as a music listener, I just don’t enjoy it as much.
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Does anyone think the intro melody to Overture sounds identical to Everything Is Wrong from Neal's first solo album? Also the verse/chorus part sounds very similar to All Of The Above. I think the well has finally gone dry with these guys...everything sounds like something they've done already
That's one of the dumbest criticisms I think I have ever heard. If you don't like them anymore, you don't like them anymore. That isn't the band's problem.
Anyhow, after checking out the prices on a few sites, I think I'm right where I thought I would be:
-Probably buying bother versions of the CD and leaving it at that. I would like the documentary, but the BD is overpriced given that I don't care about the higher quality audio, so I am basically paying just for the doc. I can do without. The entire package is a bit cheaper than I thought it would be. But still, close to $70 extra just for a BD, cool packaging, and vinyl that I have no use for, so I doubt I'll pull the trigger on that.
-Highly doubtful that I will order from Radiant. The combined factors of higher prices and less reliability makes it a no-brainer to order from somewhere where I can save money and count on my product arriving in a timely manner. This has been my default position for years, so not surprising that there was nothing to change my mind this time around.
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I am super psyched about new TA and will absolutely get the super deluxe edition if need be. That said for this and any super deluxe the bazillion vinyl included are always made obsolete by a 5.1 blu-ray, which sounds better, is more compact, and easier to play. I know this is kind of a side rant for me, but the vinyl revival should have been stopped dead in its tracks by a modern much better alternative. So I'd prefer a version without the vinyl.
Amen.
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Not going to listen to a note until I get the album.
Same.
That's been my plan for years. Much more rewarding for whatever pace I set although it sometimes creates a backlog.
Just enjoyed the first couple listens of Terminal Velocity and John's "happy" guitar.
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My choice is either both CDs and the Bluray or the Ultimate edition. Depending where it is ordered is a $40 to $50 difference between the two. Save the money or get a stunning package, eat the vinyl and support the artist.....
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About the documentary at BD .... seeing the tracklist provided by IO, the "time" is listed:
(...)
Disc 1
01. The Making of The Absolute Universe (Documentary) (02:27)
(...)
Is it just that ??? ???
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Not going to listen to a note until I get the album.
Same.
That's been my plan for years. Much more rewarding for whatever pace I set although it sometimes creates a backlog.
Just enjoyed the first couple listens of Terminal Velocity and John's "happy" guitar.
I'm pretty good about it with just about any band or artist. One exception is anything Dream Theater or strongly DT related like Terminal Velocity. I just can't help it. ;D
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About the documentary at BD .... seeing the tracklist provided by IO, the "time" is listed:
(...)
Disc 1
01. The Making of The Absolute Universe (Documentary) (02:27)
(...)
Is it just that ??? ???
I'm just shamelessly gonna quote myself ;)
By the way, Burning Shed can once again be counted on when it comes to track lengths:
20 The Making of the The Absolute Universe Documentary 01:02:27
I think that was a typo.
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About the documentary at BD .... seeing the tracklist provided by IO, the "time" is listed:
(...)
Disc 1
01. The Making of The Absolute Universe (Documentary) (02:27)
(...)
Is it just that ??? ???
I'm just shamelessly gonna quote myself ;)
By the way, Burning Shed can once again be counted on when it comes to track lengths:
20 The Making of the The Absolute Universe Documentary 01:02:27
I think that was a typo.
Great!!! Tks!!! :) I think it was more of a "ball out" of Inside Out. They report this same fulfillment in the 2 editions (BD and Ultimate)
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I dunno, it just doesn’t work the same when the lyrics deal with more real life themes of you’re trying to be more serious (as Neal is about his faith, something I do appreciate about him for the record). There was just something about the way he wrote and sang back then that was different, and this is the best explanation I can come up with.
To touch on this, I was talking about this with a friend the other day who is also a big Neal fan and we agreed that Neal's voice has definitely lost something the last few years. Now, he is not a Steve Walsh who belts it out where his voice is going to fall of a cliff, but his voice isn't as full and hearty as it was years ago. Not really a criticism, as the guy is now is 60 and his voice is aging. It's similar to David Gilmour in that as it ages it still sounds really good, but just a little more hoarse and a touch raspy at times. I remember him joking at Morsefest 2018 that his voice was hoarse that weekend cause he had overdone in rehearsals that week and blown it out, and you could tell when he sang both nights that he had wrecked it a bit. Not sure if that was the "his voice will never be the same now as a result" moment that some have, like Stevie Nicks on the Bella Donna tour allegedly, but I just accept at this point that the full and hearty Neal Morse from a singing standpoint is now in the past, and that is okay. His natural voice is still more than great enough for me to enjoy. :coolio
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It's OK, when you consider Neal is older than a certain Canadian with batty angry grandma voice, Neal's vocals are just fine. I like old man sounding vocals in prog, I like 70s King Crimson.
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I don't have any problems with Neal's voice on his later albums or concert films. For me, Neal was never a pure singer, or let me phrase it another way, when I listen to Neal, I don't do it primarily because of his singing, but because of his compositions and playing (too). He's not a voice acrobat, that's why I don't have a problem with his voice ageing.
It's different with with singers like JLB, Gildenlöw, Russell Allen, Jon Anderson, Peter Gabriel. To a big part, I listen to those guys because of their voices.
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I wasn’t really talking about Neal’s vocal abilities (age related decline is totally understandable) as much as the sort of melodies he chooses and affect that he has. It’s hard to explain though.
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So it looks like 11 of the track titles are the same between the two versions, with three exclusive to The Breath of Life and seven to Forevermore.
The titles in common:
Overture
Higher Than the Morning
The Darkness in the Light
Looking for the Light
Love Made a Way (Prelude)
Owl Howl
Solitude
Belong
Looking for the Light (Reprise)
The Greatest Story Never Ends
Love Made a Way
Exclusive to The Breath of Life:
Reaching for the Sky
Take Now My Soul
Can You Feel It
Exclusive to Forevermore:
Heart Like a Whirlwind
Swing High, Swing Low
Bully
Rainbow Sky
The World We Used to Know
The Sun Comes Up Today
Lonesome Rebel
So I am about to start up my Neal Morse Survivor once again, and I am planning to do Transatlantic as well once it is over (probably sometime next Spring/Summer), a couple months after we've had TAU under our belts, but looking at this, I'm wondering how to run the album survivor for TAU. Do I run one for each version of the album, or do one for the 11 similar songs, and a separate one for the 10 unique songs between the two versions (even though some of the TBOL songs might just be slightly different/alternate versions of Forevermore songs, like "Heart Like A Whirlwind" is probably just a slightly altered "Reaching For The Sky" given the lyrical connection).
Either way, I've got at least half a year to think about it, but it's just another interesting aspect to the whole dual-albums release that has come up for me. I think, obviously, many of us will gravitate towards Forevermore, but I am interested in knowing just how different the shared songs will be on TBOL, or how different the 3 exclusive songs will be compared to the material on Forevermore.
-Marc.
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So I am about to start up my Neal Morse Survivor once again, and I am planning to do Transatlantic as well once it is over (probably sometime next Spring/Summer), a couple months after we've had TAU under our belts, but looking at this, I'm wondering how to run the album survivor for TAU. Do I run one for each version of the album, or do one for the 11 similar songs, and a separate one for the 10 unique songs between the two versions (even though some of the TBOL songs might just be slightly different/alternate versions of Forevermore songs, like "Heart Like A Whirlwind" is probably just a slightly altered "Reaching For The Sky" given the lyrical connection).
Either way, I've got at least half a year to think about it, but it's just another interesting aspect to the whole dual-albums release that has come up for me. I think, obviously, many of us will gravitate towards Forevermore, but I am interested in knowing just how different the shared songs will be on TBOL, or how different the 3 exclusive songs will be compared to the material on Forevermore.
-Marc.
This probably isn't the best solution, but personally, I think I'd have it so that both versions of the album appear, but when it comes to the 11 common songs, they're only listed once but both versions of the common song are taken into consideration.
So to try to give an example, let's say hypothetically that Owl Howl and Rainbow Sky are the last two songs remaining in the TAU album survivor. With Owl Howl, it's only listed once (so it'd be Owl Howl VS Rainbow Sky, as opposed to Owl Howl TBoL VS Owl Howl Forevermore VS Rainbow Sky), but you'd be able to take both versions into consideration. So hypothetically, one person might like Owl Howl TBoL less than Rainbow Sky, but they also think Owl Howl Forevermore is a lot better than Rainbow Sky, so after considering that they enjoy one version of Owl Howl significantly more than Rainbow Sky, they might ultimately vote in Owl Howl's favor.
I hope that made some sense, and I imagine there might be some flaws with this solution, but I don't think it's a terrible idea.
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I wasn’t really talking about Neal’s vocal abilities (age related decline is totally understandable) as much as the sort of melodies he chooses and affect that he has. It’s hard to explain though.
Could be the way he likes to compose music now. I guess he's comfortable with his sound and doesn't feel the need to write vocal parts the way he used to.
That sound is what I hear in his solo output and I heard it when I first listened to Sola Scriptura. Then only after that, is when my friend told me about Transatlantic with Bridge Across Forever and SMPT:e. I got into The Flower Kings because of Roines involvement, mainly during The Whirlwind, as I liked his vocals there. That turned me onto the Roine Stolt sound.
Transatlantic is mainly a blend of the Roine and Neal sound, mixed with Trewavas Seasonings, and Topped with the Portnoy Arrangements. That is the Transatlantic sound, and they have had this since SPMT:e, and I hear it in the new single.
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new tune sounds saccharine to me.
1999-2001 lightning-in-a-bottle theory.
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You know what I am really liking about this release though. Is the fact that it is like The Whirlwind, in terms of track length structure. Oddly, I instantly enjoyed Black As The Sky, the short rocker on Kaleidoscope, but had a hard time with the album as a whole due to the track lengths. With this album having the short track structure, and the tracks likely crossfading into one another, I'll likely digest it better and easier than Kaleidoscope.
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Transatlantic is mainly a blend of the Roine and Neal sound, mixed with Trewavas Seasonings, and Topped with the Portnoy Arrangements. That is the Transatlantic sound, and they have had this since SPMT:e, and I hear it in the new single.
Neal's prog output after leaving Spock's Beard may as well be called Beard Theater, with Portnoy's involvement on every album.
Transatlantic being The Flower Beard Theater Kings, feat. Pete Trewavas.
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Transatlantic is mainly a blend of the Roine and Neal sound, mixed with Trewavas Seasonings, and Topped with the Portnoy Arrangements. That is the Transatlantic sound, and they have had this since SPMT:e, and I hear it in the new single.
Neal's prog output after leaving Spock's Beard may as well be called Beard Theater, with Portnoy's involvement on every album.
Transatlantic being The Flower Beard Theater Kings, feat. Pete Trewavas.
:lol
I rarely hear Dream Theater influences in Transatlantic. Well, other than the drumming (duh). Compositional, it hasn't got much to do with DT in my opinion.
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Can't agree with the Beard Theater assessment. Mike certainly is a personality to reckon with, but unless it's pointed out, or I'm specifically listening for it, I rarely listen to prog and go "That's <...> on drums". Nothing against drummers, but I'm listening to the chords, the voicings, the arrangements, then as I "zoom in" I'm listening to keyboards, guitars, vocals, bass, and finally... drums. When I listen to Neal's solo output post-Beard, I hear Neal. I hear his voice and his music. Yeah, that's Mike on drums if I'm really listening for it, but as far as I'm concerned, any capable drummer could fill that role. When I listen to Transatlantic, I hear a blend of Neal's solo sound and Roine's sound that I essentially know from The Flower Kings. Bass and drum work is important, sure, but again, unless I'm listening for it, they don't generally stand out.
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There isn't so much a DT-influence on TA as there is a Portnoy-influence. Mike's drumming, especially by the time TA came and went the first time by 2002, had also been a part of LTE and OSI, and of course, many more projects and bands as the years went on, so I don't really associate his drumming sound, grooves, fills, and techniques as solely Dream Theater, not in the same way that Neal's and Roine's sounds are more SB/TFK, especially since they were/are the key composers of those band's music.
If anything, Mike's skill of arranging musical ideas is the most musical influence he has on TA, as well as his vocals, but even that, that is more geared towards the traditional prog feel than the prog metal that DT has been known for.
Transatlantic is definitely a Flower Beard band, with seasonings of Portnoy and Trewavas, who doesn't bring much Marillion influence to the band since I don't really hear his parts as sounding very Marillion-y. If anything, his TA music is more in line with Kino, another supergroup, where he gets to shine a bit more than he does in Marillion.
Either way, I've always felt that in Transatlantic, each of the four members get to show off and shine in ways that they may not get to on their other works apart from TA, and that TA has always been greater than the sum of its parts.
-Marc.
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I always kind of views TA as Spock’s Beard with different musicians backing Neal. Mike’s drumming is distinct from Nick’s, Roine’s guitar playing and tone are pretty different from Al Morse’s, and Pete is maybe doing his best Meros impression but ultimately he’s his own guy too. Having more recently gotten into The Flower Kings more, I can spot a lot more of Roine’s influence on the overall sound and direction of the band. But I’d agree Neal and Roine are the two main ingredients in the stew.
The one thing that I think sets TA apart a little as well is all the different lead vocals. That wasn’t really a thing on SMPTe so much, but since then they’ve all taken their turns on lead and that seems to really shape the sound.
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I always kind of views TA as Spock’s Beard with different musicians backing Neal. Mike’s drumming is distinct from Nick’s, Roine’s guitar playing and tone are pretty different from Al Morse’s, and Pete is maybe doing his best Meros impression but ultimately he’s his own guy too. Having more recently gotten into The Flower Kings more, I can spot a lot more of Roine’s influence on the overall sound and direction of the band. But I’d agree Neal and Roine are the two main ingredients in the stew.
The one thing that I think sets TA apart a little as well is all the different lead vocals. That wasn’t really a thing on SMPTe so much, but since then they’ve all taken their turns on lead and that seems to really shape the sound.
The back and forth vocals from all members is one of the things I like about Transatlantic, especially in Stranger In Your Soul. I watched Black As The Sky live on youtube, and It was great they included Ted in his own verse.
The thing though that prevents me from getting the live albums, are Neals vocal interjections he tends to do live.
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Can't agree with the Beard Theater assessment. Mike certainly is a personality to reckon with, but unless it's pointed out, or I'm specifically listening for it, I rarely listen to prog and go "That's <...> on drums".
Really? Two of the biggest prog drummers stick out like a sore thumb that I recognize immediately are Bill Bruford and Mike Portnoy. The drummers who replaced them (in Yes, King Crimson, and Dream Theater respectively) do not stick out at all among other drummers.
Also, Portnoy affects the sound greatly, just listen to the difference between Neal-era SB and Neal's first handful of solo albums with MP, or Transatlantic.
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Can't agree with the Beard Theater assessment. Mike certainly is a personality to reckon with, but unless it's pointed out, or I'm specifically listening for it, I rarely listen to prog and go "That's <...> on drums".
Really? Two of the biggest prog drummers stick out like a sore thumb that I recognize immediately are Bill Bruford and Mike Portnoy. The drummers who replaced them (in Yes, King Crimson, and Dream Theater respectively) do not stick out at all among other drummers.
Also, Portnoy affects the sound greatly, just listen to the difference between Neal-era SB and Neal's first handful of solo albums with MP, or Transatlantic.
I wouldn't quite say it like that... I think Mangini is recognizable. Maybe not as much as Portnoy or Bru, but I'd recognize him among a bunch of drummers (and not only because the fastest and most complicated shit haha). Bruford was replaced by Pat Mastelotto in the 90s, who was later joined by Gavin Harrison, Bill Rieflin and Jeremy Stacey. At least Pat Mastelotto and especially Gavin Harrison, I would recognize as themselves, the latter within just a few moments.
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Can't agree with the Beard Theater assessment. Mike certainly is a personality to reckon with, but unless it's pointed out, or I'm specifically listening for it, I rarely listen to prog and go "That's <...> on drums".
Really? Two of the biggest prog drummers stick out like a sore thumb that I recognize immediately are Bill Bruford and Mike Portnoy. The drummers who replaced them (in Yes, King Crimson, and Dream Theater respectively) do not stick out at all among other drummers.
Also, Portnoy affects the sound greatly, just listen to the difference between Neal-era SB and Neal's first handful of solo albums with MP, or Transatlantic.
Drummers just don't stand out for me, I guess. I certainly don't listen to Transtlantic and say "They sound like Dream Theater because of Portnoy on the drums."
Bill Bruford is instantly recognizable, because his style comes from jazz and top-kit playing. I suppose Portnoy's sound is pretty distinctive, but I don't listen to much prog metal at all. If anything, Mike's sound tends to spoil things for me. I get tired of the bass-drum rolls and constant slamming the skins to death. I don't want the drums to stand out. If any part of the ensemble stands out, the player is not doing their primary job, which is to play within the ensemble.
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I don't know... Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one here who gets that the Dream Theater 'core sound' was equal parts Portnoy as much as Petrucci and Myung and MP's absence in the last 4 albums makes it glaringly obvious. As technically gifted as Mike Mangini is, his role comes off more as a hired gun for the Petrucci/Rudess/LaBrie/Myung Band than someone incorporated into band and affects the general direction of the band, like when Rudess joined... Listen to all the Neal era Spock's then jump into early Transatlantic and it's like Spock's Beard got Dream Theaterified with lots of input from Roine, same with those 00's Neal albums. The Whirlwind showed a great fusion of all band member's contributions and less Neal dominated, but Mike being there in a prog setting, there's going to be some DTisms scattered about. Having said that, it's still Neal and Roine (and Pete) coming up with the notes, so I'm not saying the music sounds like Dream Theater, like bands that actually do.
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I somewhat agree with that. I think the most important part of the DT sound has always been Petrucci, but I do think that Portnoy-Mangini has had the most significant impact on the band's sound out of all the lineup changes. Especially on the post-ADTOE albums.
And I think the addition of Portnoy definitely changed Neal Morse's typical songwriting approach in a noticeable way.
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I don't know... Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one here who gets that the Dream Theater 'core sound' was equal parts Portnoy as much as Petrucci and Myung and MP's absence in the last 4 albums makes it glaringly obvious. As technically gifted as Mike Mangini is, his role comes off more as a hired gun for the Petrucci/Rudess/LaBrie/Myung Band than someone incorporated into band and affects the general direction of the band, like when Rudess joined... Listen to all the Neal era Spock's then jump into early Transatlantic and it's like Spock's Beard got Dream Theaterified with lots of input from Roine, same with those 00's Neal albums. The Whirlwind showed a great fusion of all band member's contributions and less Neal dominated, but Mike being there in a prog setting, there's going to be some DTisms scattered about. Having said that, it's still Neal and Roine (and Pete) coming up with the notes, so I'm not saying the music sounds like Dream Theater, like bands that actually do.
You're not the only one.
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I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised by the £89.00 price for the Ultimate Edition, I expected it to be way in excess of £100 so I am now a little tempted.
It was 86 at IO.
You’re right, it is a little cheaper at IO but am concerned with Brexit coming about customs charges and stuff that I’ve been screwed on before when ordering from US/Canada. Have gone with Burning Shed for £89 plus shipping which brings it to just under £100. Pity it’s not on Amazon.
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I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised by the £89.00 price for the Ultimate Edition, I expected it to be way in excess of £100 so I am now a little tempted.
It was 86 at IO.
You’re right, it is a little cheaper at IO but am concerned with Brexit coming about customs charges and stuff that I’ve been screwed on before when ordering from US/Canada. Have gone with Burning Shed for £89 plus shipping which brings it to just under £100. Pity it’s not on Amazon.
It's always a good deed to buy something from a smaller seller instead of Amazon, even when it costs a few bucks more ;)
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I don't know... Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one here who gets that the Dream Theater 'core sound' was equal parts Portnoy as much as Petrucci and Myung and MP's absence in the last 4 albums makes it glaringly obvious. As technically gifted as Mike Mangini is, his role comes off more as a hired gun for the Petrucci/Rudess/LaBrie/Myung Band than someone incorporated into band and affects the general direction of the band, like when Rudess joined... Listen to all the Neal era Spock's then jump into early Transatlantic and it's like Spock's Beard got Dream Theaterified with lots of input from Roine, same with those 00's Neal albums.
I'm not saying you are wrong. I don't really hear it, but I think we listen for different things. I think that, like most (but not all) people, the compositional instruments get most of my attention. And even though I listen MUCH more to drums than I did as a kid, and even focus entirely on drums at times, I don't hear nearly the influence that you seem to, even when I try to actively listen for it. It is there to an extent, but I feel like you are way overstating it. Using DT as an example, I hear much more drastic changes in song composition and sound for each of the keyboard player changes than from the change from Portnoy to Mangini. And it isn't really even close. Yes, the drumming is different, and it does have some impact on the song composition and overall sound. But it doesn't have nearly as big an overall impact as the changes in compositional instruments have had.
Your examples of Neal's writing comparing Spock's to NM or Spock's to TA don't really hold up for me either. I mean, yeah, I hear some big changes in Neal's writing. But it isn't only the drummer that is different--it's the entire band, with Neal being the only common denominator in all of those projects. Of course the sound is going to have changed from Spock's to either of those other projects.
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I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised by the £89.00 price for the Ultimate Edition, I expected it to be way in excess of £100 so I am now a little tempted.
It was 86 at IO.
You’re right, it is a little cheaper at IO but am concerned with Brexit coming about customs charges and stuff that I’ve been screwed on before when ordering from US/Canada. Have gone with Burning Shed for £89 plus shipping which brings it to just under £100. Pity it’s not on Amazon.
It's always a good deed to buy something from a smaller seller instead of Amazon, even when it costs a few bucks more ;)
I know you’re right but it still stings a bit paying £9ish for shipping! Still it all helps I suppose.
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I have to be honest, I’m pleasantly surprised by the £89.00 price for the Ultimate Edition, I expected it to be way in excess of £100 so I am now a little tempted.
It was 86 at IO.
You’re right, it is a little cheaper at IO but am concerned with Brexit coming about customs charges and stuff that I’ve been screwed on before when ordering from US/Canada. Have gone with Burning Shed for £89 plus shipping which brings it to just under £100. Pity it’s not on Amazon.
It's always a good deed to buy something from a smaller seller instead of Amazon, even when it costs a few bucks more ;)
I know you’re right but it still stings a bit paying £9ish for shipping! Still it all helps I suppose.
Ewwwww. I hadn’t thought of that potential ripple. Hope there’s no issue. I don’t feel like going through the hassle of canceling and reordering from BS. So I’ll probably just ride it out and see what happens. :-\
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I only started listening to The Whirlwind a couple of months back but just a couple of thoughts:
Superb hour or so of music. I'm easily bored and there's loads going on. Great stuff. Great sound. I think I prefer it to Smpte and BAF.
It's more religious than I was expecting. The whole thing is basically ungodly world bad, godly world good. But it doesn't bother me. The first part of Eternal Glory is one of those amazing Neal tear-jerking moments. Just beautiful.
The only tiny speck in the soup for me is the ending past the eternal glory part goes on a little long and reduces the impact v slightly. But that's all i can think of.
Great record.
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I only started listening to The Whirlwind a couple of months back but just a couple of thoughts:
Superb hour or so of music. I'm easily bored and there's loads going on. Great stuff. Great sound. I think I prefer it to Smpte and BAF.
It's more religious than I was expecting. The whole thing is basically ungodly world bad, godly world good. But it doesn't bother me. The first part of Eternal Glory is one of those amazing Neal tear-jerking moments. Just beautiful.
The only tiny speck in the soup for me is the ending past the eternal glory part goes on a little long and reduces the impact v slightly. But that's all i can think of.
Great record.
I got The Whirlwind for the first time this summer as well. While I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve listened to it, I have to say it didn’t really hook me the way the first two did, and I honestly don’t have much memory of the songs on it just sitting here thinking about it. As much as I didn’t really care for Kaleidoscope, I can at least bring to mind most of the tracks on it. I think the whole “one epic song split across numerous tracks” makes it a little harder for me to identify with the different parts of The Whirlwind. I’m a little worried about the new album consisting of a bunch of tracks. Hopefully they stand apart as individual songs.
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Took years for me to see it as on a similar level to albums 1 and 2. It was on a train trip weirdly as I don’t use the train much. I just had a long train journey and I just thought “I didn’t really listen to this loads when I got it so I’m going to give it a go while I’m sat here with nothing to do for 2 hours but look out of the window” I just found that every song that came on, I really enjoyed and, as the album went on, I began to realise it was much better than I remembered. By the end of it, I decided it was up there with the first 2, perhaps even better.
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I only started listening to The Whirlwind a couple of months back but just a couple of thoughts:
Superb hour or so of music. I'm easily bored and there's loads going on. Great stuff. Great sound. I think I prefer it to Smpte and BAF.
It's more religious than I was expecting. The whole thing is basically ungodly world bad, godly world good. But it doesn't bother me. The first part of Eternal Glory is one of those amazing Neal tear-jerking moments. Just beautiful.
The only tiny speck in the soup for me is the ending past the eternal glory part goes on a little long and reduces the impact v slightly. But that's all i can think of.
Great record.
I got The Whirlwind for the first time this summer as well. While I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve listened to it, I have to say it didn’t really hook me the way the first two did, and I honestly don’t have much memory of the songs on it just sitting here thinking about it. As much as I didn’t really care for Kaleidoscope, I can at least bring to mind most of the tracks on it. I think the whole “one epic song split across numerous tracks” makes it a little harder for me to identify with the different parts of The Whirlwind. I’m a little worried about the new album consisting of a bunch of tracks. Hopefully they stand apart as individual songs.
I actually hope they don't! I hope this is a continuous piece of music.
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I got The Whirlwind for the first time this summer as well. While I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve listened to it, I have to say it didn’t really hook me the way the first two did, and I honestly don’t have much memory of the songs on it just sitting here thinking about it. As much as I didn’t really care for Kaleidoscope, I can at least bring to mind most of the tracks on it. I think the whole “one epic song split across numerous tracks” makes it a little harder for me to identify with the different parts of The Whirlwind. I’m a little worried about the new album consisting of a bunch of tracks. Hopefully they stand apart as individual songs.
I suspect it will be similar to The Whirlwind in that many of the songs will stand apart on their own, while still flowing well enough to where those who love to insist that any prog album where there are no breaks in between songs is really one giant song will feel they have a leg on which to stand. :lol :lol
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I got The Whirlwind for the first time this summer as well. While I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve listened to it, I have to say it didn’t really hook me the way the first two did, and I honestly don’t have much memory of the songs on it just sitting here thinking about it. As much as I didn’t really care for Kaleidoscope, I can at least bring to mind most of the tracks on it. I think the whole “one epic song split across numerous tracks” makes it a little harder for me to identify with the different parts of The Whirlwind. I’m a little worried about the new album consisting of a bunch of tracks. Hopefully they stand apart as individual songs.
I suspect it will be similar to The Whirlwind in that many of the songs will stand apart on their own, while still flowing well enough to where those who love to insist that any prog album where there are no breaks in between songs is really one giant song will feel they have a leg on which to stand. :lol :lol
For me, that depends on what we're talking about. If we're talking about The Whirlwind (Disc 1), that's one song. Something like BTBAM's Colors, on the other hand, is absolutely not one song. Regarding The Absolute Universe, I'm not sure what to think since I obviously haven't heard it, but for now I'd assume that it isn't one huge song because the band hasn't said anything about it being one single song (to my knowledge).
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I got The Whirlwind for the first time this summer as well. While I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve listened to it, I have to say it didn’t really hook me the way the first two did, and I honestly don’t have much memory of the songs on it just sitting here thinking about it. As much as I didn’t really care for Kaleidoscope, I can at least bring to mind most of the tracks on it. I think the whole “one epic song split across numerous tracks” makes it a little harder for me to identify with the different parts of The Whirlwind. I’m a little worried about the new album consisting of a bunch of tracks. Hopefully they stand apart as individual songs.
I suspect it will be similar to The Whirlwind in that many of the songs will stand apart on their own, while still flowing well enough to where those who love to insist that any prog album where there are no breaks in between songs is really one giant song will feel they have a leg on which to stand. :lol :lol
For me, that depends on what we're talking about. If we're talking about The Whirlwind (Disc 1), that's one song. Something like BTBAM's Colors, on the other hand, is absolutely not one song. Regarding The Absolute Universe, I'm not sure what to think since I obviously haven't heard it, but for now I'd assume that it isn't one huge song because the band hasn't said anything about it being one single song (to my knowledge).
This is my take as well! It's very common in prog concept albums to have songs flowing into each other, yet they're not considered one long song. On the other hand, TW was conceived as a super long song and the band presented it as such. I don't expect this to be the case with TAU, though.
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Some artists are vague about their intentions in this area, too, but Mike Portnoy is not. If he thinks of it as a single song, Mike won't shy away from telling us. The fact that he hasn't tells me it's probably not something one can think of that way.
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Well, Neal Morse's album ? isn't really referred to that way (I think?), but in my opinion, this is one big song with various parts flowing into each other, just like The Whirlwind.
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From Inside Out Music:
We are launching a 4-part interview series in which each member of Transatlantic speaks with a special guest about The Absolute Universe. In this first episode, premiering tomorrow, Dec 2nd at 10am EST/4pm CET, Mike Portnoy speaks with Haken's Ross Jennings about the new album. This is your chance to find out some more details about the new record, the formats, and more.
Tune into the InsideOutMusic Youtube page to watch.
https://youtu.be/bDKtonx8jlQ
Neat! Can't wait to see what each member has to say!
-Marc.
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From Inside Out Music:
We are launching a 4-part interview series in which each member of Transatlantic speaks with a special guest about The Absolute Universe. In this first episode, premiering tomorrow, Dec 2nd at 10am EST/4pm CET, Mike Portnoy speaks with Haken's Ross Jennings about the new album. This is your chance to find out some more details about the new record, the formats, and more.
Tune into the InsideOutMusic Youtube page to watch.
https://youtu.be/bDKtonx8jlQ
Neat! Can't wait to see what each member has to say!
-Marc.
Me too! So cool that MP is interviewed by another one of my favourite musicians, Ross Jennings :metal
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(https://i.ibb.co/KLM9wYJ/128961603-3655689804474480-8866641110827279559-o.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pRt3ygS)
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Live now on Youtube. Mike Portnoy interviewed by Ross Jennings about the new album The Absolute Universe.
https://youtu.be/bDKtonx8jlQ
:metal
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That was a fun interview! I won't spoil the details, but the one thing I will say, whoever up-thread said they hope TAU won't be considered "one song/piece" like The Whirlwind.... I got bad news for you. :lol
I really hope they find a way to downmix the 5.1 into stereo so I can listen to the non-stop 100 minute Ultimate mix, which really seems like the "best" way to listen to the album, especially since it has no stops (like the 2 CD set will have).
Cannot wait to see who is in the next interview!
-Marc.
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That was a fun interview! I won't spoil the details, but the one thing I will say, whoever up-thread said they hope TAU won't be considered "one song/piece" like The Whirlwind.... I got bad news for you. :lol
I really hope they find a way to downmix the 5.1 into stereo so I can listen to the non-stop 100 minute Ultimate mix, which really seems like the "best" way to listen to the album, especially since it has no stops (like the 2 CD set will have).
Cannot wait to see who is in the next interview!
-Marc.
Hmmm. Well, if it works I’m fine with it. We’ll just see!
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So... now my impression is that the Blu-Ray version is in some way different from just a combination of tracks from the two CD versions?
I'm just going to get it. I'll regret it more if I miss out on it than I will if I get it and it's nothing special, seeing as Transatlantic is... probably my favorite band?
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So... now my impression is that the Blu-Ray version is in some way different from just a combination of tracks from the two CD versions?
I'm just going to get it. I'll regret it more if I miss out on it than I will if I get it and it's nothing special, seeing as Transatlantic is... probably my favorite band?
From everything that I've read and heard, the 5.1 Mix in the BD is:
-A "special mix" that combines parts of both albums
-Is roughly 100 minutes long, compared to 60 (The Breath Of Life) and 90 (Forevermore)
-This 5.1 mix was kind of spearheaded by Mike, working with Rich to create a unique version of the album
Forevermore has music that does not appear at all on TBOL, and vice versa (such as the track "Can You Feel It?" not appearing at all on Forevermore), so there is a chance that bits, if not all of the music exclusive to each version appears on the Ultimate Mix, accounting for the 10 extra minutes compared to Forevermore.
-Marc.
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From MP FB page:
Just added on my YouTube channel: my Drum & Vox Cam for Transatlantic’s Overture / Reaching For The Sky. Just from watching this video, you can see how this album was constantly growing and evolving as it contains footage from at least two different drum and vocal sessions! Enjoy... 🚀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEoEPMEsztY&feature=youtu.be
:metal
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Just finished watching the interview with MP, interesting information and I'm now more excited for this release than I already was.
I guess I gotta get the blu ray, I just wish it was possible to rip the music to digital.
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Just finished watching the interview with MP, interesting information and I'm now more excited for this release than I already was.
I guess I gotta get the blu ray, I just wish it was possible to rip the music to digital.
Why wouldn't it be?
-
Just finished watching the interview with MP, interesting information and I'm now more excited for this release than I already was.
I guess I gotta get the blu ray, I just wish it was possible to rip the music to digital.
Why wouldn't it be?
Is it easy to downmix a BD's 5.1 mix into digital stereo files?
-Marc
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Just finished watching the interview with MP, interesting information and I'm now more excited for this release than I already was.
I guess I gotta get the blu ray, I just wish it was possible to rip the music to digital.
Why wouldn't it be?
Is it easy to downmix a BD's 5.1 mix into digital stereo files?
-Marc
"Easy" is probably relative. I'll be using MakeMKV to rip the Blu-Ray, then ffmpeg to separate out the audio, then Adobe Premiere Pro to mix it all down to stereo. Although Audacity, which is free like MakeMKV and ffmpeg, could probably do the trick.
-
Just finished watching the interview with MP, interesting information and I'm now more excited for this release than I already was.
I guess I gotta get the blu ray, I just wish it was possible to rip the music to digital.
Why wouldn't it be?
Is it easy to downmix a BD's 5.1 mix into digital stereo files?
-Marc
"Easy" is probably relative. I'll be using MakeMKV to rip the Blu-Ray, then ffmpeg to separate out the audio, then Adobe Premiere Pro to mix it all down to stereo. Although Audacity, which is free like MakeMKV and ffmpeg, could probably do the trick.
Ah wow, I wish I had the equipment to do all of that when the BD comes out. I would love to have the Ultimate Mix to listen to on-the-go, i.e. not tied down to a blu-ray at home. Maybe if enough fans "complain enough" to Mike and the others, they'll release a down-mixed version of the Ultimate mix and release it digitally! :lol
-Marc.
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Just finished watching the interview with MP, interesting information and I'm now more excited for this release than I already was.
I guess I gotta get the blu ray, I just wish it was possible to rip the music to digital.
Why wouldn't it be?
Is it easy to downmix a BD's 5.1 mix into digital stereo files?
-Marc
"Easy" is probably relative. I'll be using MakeMKV to rip the Blu-Ray, then ffmpeg to separate out the audio, then Adobe Premiere Pro to mix it all down to stereo. Although Audacity, which is free like MakeMKV and ffmpeg, could probably do the trick.
Is it okay/legal if you send this to me? :biggrin:
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Well, I've been ripping all my DVDs and Blu-rays to my harddrive (you'd be surprised how many times the audio from the DVD/Blu-ray is different from the CD version, whether it's edits from the songs, chopped out banter between songs, or simply different versions/nights). 98% of the shows I've done have the stereo mix provided. It's my understanding (I got this from a Steven Wilson interview about... one of the Yes re-releases I think, though maybe it was Marillion) that you need a stereo mix to start from for a 5.1 mix. I think you might find a stereo mix already there for you; if so, Cocopjojo's process just got shorter: rip the song from the blu-ray with MakeMKV, then convert it to your file type of choice, and viola!
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or they could just release another product (the CD of Ultimate Edition) then everyone's happy.
I get having the bluray but that is something that should have come with the Ultimate Edition CD in the first place, especially if you have to down mix it anyway for listening outside of home or if you don't have a proper setup for BD listening.
I'm also OK with all these alternate versions, otherwise, I think it's cool and you can pick your favorite and each listen will be a different experience.
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https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/5186494524701481/
Tomorrow... #TA5 #TheAbsoluteuniVerse
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/130826848_5186494488034818_285453452360433671_o.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=2&_nc_sid=110474&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=gMgr4FwEqKUAX9x3fGw&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=97ac8d680917e266400041bb650fb8a9&oe=5FF665E3)
New single from the end of Disc 1 from Forevermore, apparently dropping tomorrow!
-Marc.
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I'm not going to listen to any of it until I can hear it all. I've never listened to any of the singles from these guys.
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https://youtu.be/iDmbl-MGOjI
A 9-minute single!
-Marc.
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I don't dislike the song. It's pleasant and enjoyable but I kept waiting for something next-level to kick in and it never did. Album context could make a difference.
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Sounded pretty good. I am sure it will be better within the flow of the rest of the record, whichever one of the 33 it's on. :lol
Great to hear Roine take the vast majority of lead vocals on this one as well, since his lead vocals were MIA on the first single.
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https://youtu.be/iDmbl-MGOjI
A 9-minute single!
-Marc.
I liked.
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Song was alright. Not a massive departure for TA, but one thing that did strike me was hearing Roine dominate a song in the context of TA and how rare that is. Usually we hear him in a section of an epic, but perhaps My New World aside, by and large those are usually Neal's thing.
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I enjoyed that but I’d rather Roine didn’t sing to be honest.
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Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
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Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
Did having the sessions for TAU in Sweden mean he had a more dominant role in the writing, or were his contributions about the same as always?
Did he have any leftover material from TAU that ended up on his TFK album Islands?
How strongly did he feel about releasing TAU as a double, especially considering many of his TFK albums have been doubles of considerable length?
-Marc.
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https://youtu.be/iDmbl-MGOjI
A 9-minute single!
-Marc.
Just had a chance to listen to the whole thing for the first time. I thought the intro sounded fresh and interesting. Then the first part after that sounds like The Flower Kings and then the last part sounds like Neal Morse. It was fine really, just not something that raises my expectations for the album.
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I enjoyed that but I’d rather Roine didn’t sing to be honest.
Roine singing is integral to the Transatlantic sound. If Neal did almost all of the lead singing, it would likely sound too much like some of his other bands (solo, NMB). Roine's voice gives it a different flavor and throws a different and significant color into the mix. And let's face it, while Portnoy and Trewavas do mostly fine with the occasional lead vocal and on the harmonies, neither is a good enough singer to be the primary secondary lead vocalist, so like it or not, that is Roine's spot.
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Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
As someone with more of a progressive rock background, does he feel much of Mike's metal influence in the writing or performance with Transatlantic? Is it a challenge adapting to that, or adapting that to TA's music?
How much input does he usually like to give into the live TA sets, including different arrangements of songs, doing medleys, and incorporating little tributes to classic songs within the TA material?
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I listened to the song twice. The problem is, there is always too much going on in a particular song for me to take it all in and form much of an opinion after a listen or two. And their songs typically fit a context within the album that can make them "click" more in the album context. So I find it hard to "get it" by just doing an advance listen to a single.
That said, after two listens, I can say I definitely like it. How much remains to be seen. I will probably hold off and not listen much more if at all until the album drops. But it definitely sounds promising. More music to like from a band I really like, so that's a good thing. :tup
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After a few listens, I thought it was ok. Seeing as it's a concept album, it will probably make more sense in context. Definitely liked it more than the first single that dropped. The opening instrumental was nice, if nothing new from these guys.
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Roine, like Neal, are good singers, but I wouldn't call them the best ever. Roine accentuates words in an exaggerated manner sometimes, it could be his Swedish accent, but to me they both have lots of character in their voices, which is big for me. Like, say, Eric Gillette in Neal's solo band, who is a competent singer, but his voice in the NMB albums is my least favorite aspect of the band, his voice sounds overly-processed, kind of a modern-corporate pop/"pop-country?" sound, and it sounds like he needs to clear his throat. I like him backing up Neal, but not lead. He does, however, have character in his voice, even if it isn't exactly to my taste.
Roine's vocals have evolved over time, as well, his voice sounds a lot different on the 70s Kaipa albums as he was obviously a lot younger, but even on the 90s TFK albums, and the first 2 TA albums, compared to pretty much anything he's been on since the mid-2000s, there's a change, likely age, but I think his best vocals are found in those 90s albums IMO.
-
Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
This is not Transatlantic-related, but I'd really like to know why he cut out 6 minutes from The Devil's Playground for the Unfold The Future re-release!
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Roine, like Neal, are good singers, but I wouldn't call them the best ever. Roine accentuates words in an exaggerated manner sometimes, it could be his Swedish accent, but to me they both have lots of character in their voices, which is big for me. Like, say, Eric Gillette in Neal's solo band, who is a competent singer, but his voice in the NMB albums is my least favorite aspect of the band, his voice sounds overly-processed, kind of a modern-corporate pop/"pop-country?" sound, and it sounds like he needs to clear his throat. I like him backing up Neal, but not lead. He does, however, have character in his voice, even if it isn't exactly to my taste.
Roine's vocals have evolved over time, as well, his voice sounds a lot different on the 70s Kaipa albums as he was obviously a lot younger, but even on the 90s TFK albums, and the first 2 TA albums, compared to pretty much anything he's been on since the mid-2000s, there's a change, likely age, but I think his best vocals are found in those 90s albums IMO.
I hardly know anything about/by Kaipa, could you name a few songs by them where I can hear him sing?
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Roine, like Neal, are good singers, but I wouldn't call them the best ever. Roine accentuates words in an exaggerated manner sometimes, it could be his Swedish accent, but to me they both have lots of character in their voices, which is big for me. Like, say, Eric Gillette in Neal's solo band, who is a competent singer, but his voice in the NMB albums is my least favorite aspect of the band, his voice sounds overly-processed, kind of a modern-corporate pop/"pop-country?" sound, and it sounds like he needs to clear his throat. I like him backing up Neal, but not lead. He does, however, have character in his voice, even if it isn't exactly to my taste.
Roine's vocals have evolved over time, as well, his voice sounds a lot different on the 70s Kaipa albums as he was obviously a lot younger, but even on the 90s TFK albums, and the first 2 TA albums, compared to pretty much anything he's been on since the mid-2000s, there's a change, likely age, but I think his best vocals are found in those 90s albums IMO.
I hardly know anything about/by Kaipa, could you name a few songs by them where I can hear him sing?
Honestly, I can't. They're all in Swedish. I just put the album(s) on and let the music flow. I don't think he sings lead on the self-titled first Kaipa album, as the keyboardist is the lead singer and sort of the front man of the group, but the follow up and third albums (Inget Nytt Under Solen, and Solo respectively) he does sing lead. Those albums are pretty short since they came out almost 50 years ago pre-CD era, so much shorter, more easily digestible than any of Roine's work in the last thirty years. I recommend all 3 albums. I even checked out their two 80s albums without Roine on Spotify recently, and I surprisingly liked one of them, Händer. The other one Nattdjurstid not as much. Oddly, it's difficult to find any of Roine's 80s work without spending a ton of money. I'd like to hear what he sounded like then.
-
Roine, like Neal, are good singers, but I wouldn't call them the best ever. Roine accentuates words in an exaggerated manner sometimes, it could be his Swedish accent, but to me they both have lots of character in their voices, which is big for me. Like, say, Eric Gillette in Neal's solo band, who is a competent singer, but his voice in the NMB albums is my least favorite aspect of the band, his voice sounds overly-processed, kind of a modern-corporate pop/"pop-country?" sound, and it sounds like he needs to clear his throat. I like him backing up Neal, but not lead. He does, however, have character in his voice, even if it isn't exactly to my taste.
Roine's vocals have evolved over time, as well, his voice sounds a lot different on the 70s Kaipa albums as he was obviously a lot younger, but even on the 90s TFK albums, and the first 2 TA albums, compared to pretty much anything he's been on since the mid-2000s, there's a change, likely age, but I think his best vocals are found in those 90s albums IMO.
I hardly know anything about/by Kaipa, could you name a few songs by them where I can hear him sing?
Honestly, I can't. They're all in Swedish. I just put the album(s) on and let the music flow. I don't think he sings lead on the self-titled first Kaipa album, as the keyboardist is the lead singer and sort of the front man of the group, but the follow up and third albums (Inget Nytt Under Solen, and Solo respectively) he does sing lead. Those albums are pretty short since they came out almost 50 years ago pre-CD era, so much shorter, more easily digestible than any of Roine's work in the last thirty years. I recommend all 3 albums. I even checked out their two 80s albums without Roine on Spotify recently, and I surprisingly liked one of them, Händer. The other one Nattdjurstid not as much. Oddly, it's difficult to find any of Roine's 80s work without spending a ton of money. I'd like to hear what he sounded like then.
Did Roine sing with Kaipa? I have Solo which is great (kind of Camel meets Yes) and have also heard the first one but I don’t think Roine sang on either of them.
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How much input does he usually like to give into the live TA sets, including different arrangements of songs, doing medleys, and incorporating little tributes to classic songs within the TA material?
Ahhh, I like that one a lot. I'd love to hear Roine's answer to that one.
Roine, like Neal, are good singers, but I wouldn't call them the best ever. Roine accentuates words in an exaggerated manner sometimes, it could be his Swedish accent, but to me they both have lots of character in their voices, which is big for me. Like, say, Eric Gillette in Neal's solo band, who is a competent singer, but his voice in the NMB albums is my least favorite aspect of the band, his voice sounds overly-processed, kind of a modern-corporate pop/"pop-country?" sound, and it sounds like he needs to clear his throat. I like him backing up Neal, but not lead. He does, however, have character in his voice, even if it isn't exactly to my taste.
Roine's vocals have evolved over time, as well, his voice sounds a lot different on the 70s Kaipa albums as he was obviously a lot younger, but even on the 90s TFK albums, and the first 2 TA albums, compared to pretty much anything he's been on since the mid-2000s, there's a change, likely age, but I think his best vocals are found in those 90s albums IMO.
Maybe it is my ears playing tricks on me, but it felt like Roine's voice was aging, yet it sounds the old days again on the two newest TFK albums and this new Transatlantic song. It's like there was this certain quality that I rarely heard in his voice anymore that has come back in the last year or so. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is; it's just a specific quality that I hear at certain times. Vague, I know. :lol :lol
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Roine, like Neal, are good singers, but I wouldn't call them the best ever. Roine accentuates words in an exaggerated manner sometimes, it could be his Swedish accent, but to me they both have lots of character in their voices, which is big for me. Like, say, Eric Gillette in Neal's solo band, who is a competent singer, but his voice in the NMB albums is my least favorite aspect of the band, his voice sounds overly-processed, kind of a modern-corporate pop/"pop-country?" sound, and it sounds like he needs to clear his throat. I like him backing up Neal, but not lead. He does, however, have character in his voice, even if it isn't exactly to my taste.
Roine's vocals have evolved over time, as well, his voice sounds a lot different on the 70s Kaipa albums as he was obviously a lot younger, but even on the 90s TFK albums, and the first 2 TA albums, compared to pretty much anything he's been on since the mid-2000s, there's a change, likely age, but I think his best vocals are found in those 90s albums IMO.
I hardly know anything about/by Kaipa, could you name a few songs by them where I can hear him sing?
Honestly, I can't. They're all in Swedish. I just put the album(s) on and let the music flow. I don't think he sings lead on the self-titled first Kaipa album, as the keyboardist is the lead singer and sort of the front man of the group, but the follow up and third albums (Inget Nytt Under Solen, and Solo respectively) he does sing lead. Those albums are pretty short since they came out almost 50 years ago pre-CD era, so much shorter, more easily digestible than any of Roine's work in the last thirty years. I recommend all 3 albums. I even checked out their two 80s albums without Roine on Spotify recently, and I surprisingly liked one of them, Händer. The other one Nattdjurstid not as much. Oddly, it's difficult to find any of Roine's 80s work without spending a ton of money. I'd like to hear what he sounded like then.
Did Roine sing with Kaipa? I have Solo which is great (kind of Camel meets Yes) and have also heard the first one but I don’t think Roine sang on either of them.
I could have sworn he sang somewhere on those first 3 albums, but not the debut.
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If anyone is curious, I managed to screen-cap the TA5 Sessions whiteboard that Mike "accidentally" showed in his Instagram story, and here's what I could pick out:
-At the top, it says "TA5 - Off The Grid", which could be a working title?
-Pete has 3 ideas titled "Sun Comes Up", "Genesis Bit", and "World End"
-On the far right, there's a part that says "Need in Overture", with two items under it: "Big Theme" and "Love? (something)"
-Mike has one idea, simply titled "Mowwww"
-Roine has at least 8 items under his name, two of which have red check marks beside them (possibly because they have already been used). From top to bottom, the ones I can make out are "Hogwarts"(maybe?), "The Samuraij" (?), "Out Again", "Hiking", "Folklore", "Black Swan", "Igorte"(?) and "Escape", with the first and last of those getting aforementioned checks.
-The far left of the whiteboard was a bit too blurry on my screen caps, but I think it's safe to say these are Neal's ideas, even though I cannot read his name anywhere on there, but it appears four of those ideas have red check marks beside them.
-Of these 9 or 10 ideas on the far left, I can make out "Overture", "Bally" or "Rally", "Rainbow ____"?, and "Westward Baby".
I'm sure Neal or Mike will release a full picture of this whiteboard at SOME point. At the very least, one of them will include in the Making Of "TA5" bonus DVD that comes with the Special Edition of the album next year. It seems like they have no shortage of ideas this time, and as usual, I am sure they are writing some new stuff as they jam along. Seeing them in these sessions really makes me want to rewatch the Making Of The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope documentaries!!
-Marc.
I can't believe I haven't gone back and looked at this since the press release a few weeks ago, but let's finally look at what song titles made it over to the final track list!
From Pete's ideas, we've got 'The Sun Comes Up Today" opening the 2nd CD of Forevermore. "Genesis Bit" was obviously a placeholder, and both "World" and "End" feature in separate song titles, so it's hard to say which song this idea might have become.
"Love Made A Way" seems like the idea that was just listed as "Love".
Roine's ideas all have names that don't seem to translate well to any of the finalized track names, but "Black Swan" must have been passed on because the latest Flower Kings album has a song with that title, so it's possible he saved it and reworked it for TFK.
Of Neal's ideas, of course we get another Overture, but it looks like "Bully" was the word I could barely make out, as well as "Rainbow Sky", both of which are back-to-back on Forevermore. Not sure where "Westward Baby" ended up though.
Can't wait to watch the Making Of Documentary for this one just to see how they eventually pieced together the initial double album!
-Marc.
-
If anyone is curious, I managed to screen-cap the TA5 Sessions whiteboard that Mike "accidentally" showed in his Instagram story, and here's what I could pick out:
-At the top, it says "TA5 - Off The Grid", which could be a working title?
-Pete has 3 ideas titled "Sun Comes Up", "Genesis Bit", and "World End"
-On the far right, there's a part that says "Need in Overture", with two items under it: "Big Theme" and "Love? (something)"
-Mike has one idea, simply titled "Mowwww"
-Roine has at least 8 items under his name, two of which have red check marks beside them (possibly because they have already been used). From top to bottom, the ones I can make out are "Hogwarts"(maybe?), "The Samuraij" (?), "Out Again", "Hiking", "Folklore", "Black Swan", "Igorte"(?) and "Escape", with the first and last of those getting aforementioned checks.
-The far left of the whiteboard was a bit too blurry on my screen caps, but I think it's safe to say these are Neal's ideas, even though I cannot read his name anywhere on there, but it appears four of those ideas have red check marks beside them.
-Of these 9 or 10 ideas on the far left, I can make out "Overture", "Bally" or "Rally", "Rainbow ____"?, and "Westward Baby".
I'm sure Neal or Mike will release a full picture of this whiteboard at SOME point. At the very least, one of them will include in the Making Of "TA5" bonus DVD that comes with the Special Edition of the album next year. It seems like they have no shortage of ideas this time, and as usual, I am sure they are writing some new stuff as they jam along. Seeing them in these sessions really makes me want to rewatch the Making Of The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope documentaries!!
-Marc.
I can't believe I haven't gone back and looked at this since the press release a few weeks ago, but let's finally look at what song titles made it over to the final track list!
From Pete's ideas, we've got 'The Sun Comes Up Today" opening the 2nd CD of Forevermore. "Genesis Bit" was obviously a placeholder, and both "World" and "End" feature in separate song titles, so it's hard to say which song this idea might have become.
"Love Made A Way" seems like the idea that was just listed as "Love".
Roine's ideas all have names that don't seem to translate well to any of the finalized track names, but "Black Swan" must have been passed on because the latest Flower Kings album has a song with that title, so it's possible he saved it and reworked it for TFK.
Of Neal's ideas, of course we get another Overture, but it looks like "Bully" was the word I could barely make out, as well as "Rainbow Sky", both of which are back-to-back on Forevermore. Not sure where "Westward Baby" ended up though.
Can't wait to watch the Making Of Documentary for this one just to see how they eventually pieced together the initial double album!
-Marc.
I totally forgot you did that :o Very interesting to see that Black Swan was proposed to be on TAV!
Will be interesting to see how it all comes together.
-
Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
Thank you for the questions submitted so far.
Please keep 'em coming!
-
Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
Thank you for the questions submitted so far.
Please keep 'em coming!
I'd love to know more about the decision to make 2 (or 3 or as many as there are) versions of the album. How were the band conversations? Was there any tensions between the band members before they decided what to do? Which version is his favorite? Are the differences subtle or big?
-
Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
Thank you for the questions submitted so far.
Please keep 'em coming!
Something I’m curious about is his take on The Flower Kings and Transatlantic’s role in the 90s/00s prog revival as someone who had been active in the genre since the 70s. What was it like to be a part of both the original heyday as well as the dry spell in the 80s and the revival in the 90s? Does he attribute the genre’s rebirth to the nostalgia, the internet sort of democratizing music, or other factors? Or was it perhaps something that never totally fell out of popularity in Europe?
-
Guys, we will be interviewing Roine next Thursday. Do you have questions for him?
:corn
Thank you for the questions submitted so far.
Please keep 'em coming!
Mines not too important, but I’m curious if there’s any obscure or unpopular Flower Kings songs he’s really fond of.
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Nice Q's guys!!
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Nice Q's guys!!
I'm also curious about the frequent drummer changes. Especially Zoltan Csörsz and Felix Lehrmann. Why did Zoltan leave the band (twice even) and how did he get to know Felix?
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Nice Q's guys!!
I'm also curious about the frequent drummer changes. Especially Zoltan Csörsz and Felix Lehrmann. Why did Zoltan leave the band (twice even) and how did he get to know Felix?
I thought I had heard that Zoltan and Tomas Bodin did not get along at all, which is why he exited both times. And supposedly it's what started the friction between Bodin and Roine that eventually resulted in the reformation of the Flower Kings last year sans Bodin.
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https://youtu.be/wDOG6fGZaEs
The next Absolute Interview features Ted Leonard talking with Neal Morse!
Edit - What a fun and funny interview. They took a bit of time getting to the meat of the matter, but here are a couple things they discussed if you don't want to have to hear them talk about Rich Mouser's intricate mixing habits:
-Pete's big theme ("Love Made A Way") that closes the album wasn't originally in the overture, but I believe Neal said he wrote it in with other stuff as well.
-There was a lot involved in having to rework the album for TBOL version, since they took out some parts - Neal's first draft of the single-disc version even included his own songs being cut ("Bully" and "Rainbow Sky" as I found out when earlier in my post about the TA5 whiteboard)
-Ted said there is a LOT of Roine on this album, and that Pete continues to be a beast as well
-Ted also said that "Owl Howl" was a highlight of the album, and Neal agreed.
-Neal mentioned that "Solitude" was a Pete piece.
-Neal brought up that he sometimes has two versions of lyrics for songs he writes and he often has to struggle picking which version he likes more, but in the case of TAU, since some songs were changing, he realized he didn't have to choose and opted to have both sets of lyrics, one on each album.
-The song "Swing High, Swing Low" on Forevermore had its lyrics re-written by Neal and became "Take Now My Soul", with new words penned during the summer, at the height of the pandemic (which influenced his new lyrics in this song, and maybe other places too)
Over-all, I guess because of the insane amount of material, that probably means there's a lot of music from each band member. I'm happy to hear how much Roine is all over this album, and that the big final theme/piece is by Pete (who wrote one of the best parts of "Stranger In Your Soul"), so that excites me a lot.
I wonder who will interview Roine...maybe Daniel Gildenlow? That would make sense. As for Pete's interviewer? I dunno, John Mitchell?
-Marc.
-
Nice Q's guys!!
I'm also curious about the frequent drummer changes. Especially Zoltan Csörsz and Felix Lehrmann. Why did Zoltan leave the band (twice even) and how did he get to know Felix?
I thought I had heard that Zoltan and Tomas Bodin did not get along at all, which is why he exited both times. And supposedly it's what started the friction between Bodin and Roine that eventually resulted in the reformation of the Flower Kings last year sans Bodin.
That's a shame, I think Zoltan was the best drummer TFK had, followed by Felix.
-
Oh, wow. Ted apparently lives very near me.
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Cool interview. Neal confirms it's all his fault, and that there's 5 other versions of the album.
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You're kidding, right?
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That was such a cool interview, those guys are amazing!
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That was such a cool interview, those guys are amazing!
I liked this one better than the one with Portnoy, IMO, Ross was not a good interviewer.
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I thought this one was waaay too waffly. Neal seems like he's off in his own little world, somehow. Nice to hear him speak though. Never have before. He's not what I expected.
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I was just sitting there watching and reflecting on the fact that the current singer of Spock's Beard was interviewing the original singer (and founder) of Spock's Beard :lol
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You can actually tell they are kind of pals. Ted also admires Neal quite a bit.
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I thought this one was waaay too waffly. Neal seems like he's off in his own little world, somehow. Nice to hear him speak though. Never have before. He's not what I expected.
These aren't traditional interviews, they're being interviewed by peers, colleagues, friends, so there's a lot of joking, side chat, etc.. going on plus the interviewers aren't asking any real profound questions.
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I'm really loving these more relaxed interviews, in fact, more like a conversation between friends. Also plenty of interesting information before the release of the album. :tup
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You're kidding, right?
I think the 5 other versions was referring to the different ways Neal tried to cut the original version down to the shorter version that we're ultimately getting. Don't worry, not five more versions to buy (yet ;))
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You're kidding, right?
I think the 5 other versions was referring to the different ways Neal tried to cut the original version down to the shorter version that we're ultimately getting. Don't worry, not five more versions to buy (yet ;))
We'll have Forevermore, The Breath Of Life, the 5.1 Ultimate Mix, the first live album, the Morsefest 2021 Performance, and the third live album. :rollin
-Marc.
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I suspect Inner Circle members will eventually get at least some of the other drafts at The Breath of Life
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You're kidding, right?
I think the 5 other versions was referring to the different ways Neal tried to cut the original version down to the shorter version that we're ultimately getting. Don't worry, not five more versions to buy (yet ;))
We'll have Forevermore, The Breath Of Life, the 5.1 Ultimate Mix, the first live album, the Morsefest 2021 Performance, and the third live album. :rollin
True. There will be at least a few more official versions coming.
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Just thinking about the sheer volume of music on Forevermore and The Breath of Life alone, and about how I normally digest music, I am a bit overwhelmed at the thought of just trying to soak all of this in. :lol And that's not a bad thing. But, man! This is going to be exhausting for me.
The Whirlwind was long too. But it was easier given that it was really just one full disk of the main content, with the bonus disk being a handful of shorter bonus songs and covers.
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Just thinking about the sheer volume of music on Forevermore and The Breath of Life alone, and about how I normally digest music, I am a bit overwhelmed at the thought of just trying to soak all of this in. :lol And that's not a bad thing. But, man! This is going to be exhausting for me.
The Whirlwind was long too. But it was easier given that it was really just one full disk of the main content, with the bonus disk being a handful of shorter bonus songs and covers.
Having two discs of Islands (TFK) and one of Sola Gratia (NM) to digest has been good practice.
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I thought this one was waaay too waffly. Neal seems like he's off in his own little world, somehow. Nice to hear him speak though. Never have before. He's not what I expected.
Neal is ALWAYS like that. I interviewed him three times, and he always sounds and looks like he just woke up from a looooooong afternoon nap.
The questions that MinistroRaven was asking here were for me to interview Roine, and that happened today. It was a great chat, and most of them were answered. I'm going to transcribe the audio, and MinistroRaven will publish it asap!
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I thought this one was waaay too waffly. Neal seems like he's off in his own little world, somehow. Nice to hear him speak though. Never have before. He's not what I expected.
Neal is ALWAYS like that. I interviewed him three times, and he always sounds and looks like he just woke up from a looooooong afternoon nap.
The questions that MinistroRaven was asking here were for me to interview Roine, and that happened today. It was a great chat, and most of them were answered. I'm going to transcribe the audio, and MinistroRaven will publish it asap!
Looking forward to this Rodrigo. Your interviews are always awesome!
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Thanks, man. I was surprised with Roine today...I asked four or five questions, and he took off with his very long responses. If only all interviewees were like that!!!
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I thought this one was waaay too waffly. Neal seems like he's off in his own little world, somehow. Nice to hear him speak though. Never have before. He's not what I expected.
Neal is ALWAYS like that. I interviewed him three times, and he always sounds and looks like he just woke up from a looooooong afternoon nap.
:lol
Three times? Nice!
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I thought this one was waaay too waffly. Neal seems like he's off in his own little world, somehow. Nice to hear him speak though. Never have before. He's not what I expected.
Neal is ALWAYS like that. I interviewed him three times, and he always sounds and looks like he just woke up from a looooooong afternoon nap.
:lol
Three times? Nice!
Yeah man...including a face to face interview with all members of the NMB here in Toronto, which ended up in the extras of the Live at Brno DVD.
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That's so cool. Congrats, man!
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I thought this one was waaay too waffly. Neal seems like he's off in his own little world, somehow. Nice to hear him speak though. Never have before. He's not what I expected.
Neal is ALWAYS like that. I interviewed him three times, and he always sounds and looks like he just woke up from a looooooong afternoon nap.
The questions that MinistroRaven was asking here were for me to interview Roine, and that happened today. It was a great chat, and most of them were answered. I'm going to transcribe the audio, and MinistroRaven will publish it asap!
Looking forward to this Rodrigo. Your interviews are always awesome!
We will publish the interview next Monday, morning!
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The Neal/Ted interview was a fun little watch. You can tell Ted is hoping to be the 5th touring member again once they are able to hit the road (whenever that is), which makes me wonder if Gildenlow is still their first choice for that spot or if Ted is their go-to guy now. I guess we will eventually find out.
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Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
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Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Looking forward to reading the whole thing, but from what I am seeing so far, certain parts of the interview are duplicated and/or missing. You or whoever else might want to go back and make sure everything is correct before posting! ;)
-
Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Looking forward to reading the whole thing, but from what I am seeing so far, certain parts of the interview are duplicated and/or missing. You or whoever else might want to go back and make sure everything is correct before posting! ;)
weird, I see everything correct on my end! No duplicates, nor missing parts. I have checked everything thrice before posting, I swear! LOL
-
Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Looking forward to reading the whole thing, but from what I am seeing so far, certain parts of the interview are duplicated and/or missing. You or whoever else might want to go back and make sure everything is correct before posting! ;)
weird, I see everything correct on my end! No duplicates, nor missing parts. I have checked everything thrice before posting, I swear! LOL
The issue Scotty posted about was there when I first clicked, the transcription started again from the beginning after the "What kind of commercial considerations or commercial chats did you have with the record company to release something so big?" question. Now everything seems to be in order though. :tup
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Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Looking forward to reading the whole thing, but from what I am seeing so far, certain parts of the interview are duplicated and/or missing. You or whoever else might want to go back and make sure everything is correct before posting! ;)
weird, I see everything correct on my end! No duplicates, nor missing parts. I have checked everything thrice before posting, I swear! LOL
The issue Scotty posted about was there when I first clicked, the transcription started again from the beginning after the "What kind of commercial considerations or commercial chats did you have with the record company to release something so big?" question. Now everything seems to be in order though. :tup
Weird, I didn't see the issue.
Thank you anyways for informing me, I will check the backend of the site.
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Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Thanks for sharing! Interesting to read just hoe MUCH of the Islands material he presented to TA other than "Black Swan"! Also, hyped to hear that they're interested in epic length pieces for the next TFK album! Very exciting for old school TFK fans!
-Marc.
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Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Read this earlier, very nice!
That is great to hear that Roine was so headstrong when it came to this forthcoming TA album instead of letting the others dominate. That can only make the album better. :hat
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Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Read this earlier, very nice!
That is great to hear that Roine was so headstrong when it came to this forthcoming TA album instead of letting the others dominate. That can only make the album better. :hat
It definitely lines up with what Ted said in the interview with Neal with regards to how much Roine is all over the album, so that excites me!
-Marc.
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Here's Rodrigo's interview with Roine (only transcript available)
https://lotsofmuzik.com/our-interview-with-roine-stolt-from-transatlantic/
:metal
Great interview! :metal
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Thanks again, guys. And to be honest, I'm 100% happy with the abridged version of the album.
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https://youtu.be/crlKwQJ8rFE
The band have shared a trailer for THURSDAY making-of documentary.
-Marc.
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This part of the interview cracked me up...
Lotsofmuzik: Yeah. I mean, you probably create a whole new version of it just to be played live. So here’s your fourth or fifth version right there, right?
Roine Stolt: Oh yeah, totally. I shouldn’t listen to it too much, to be honest. When the time comes, I can just edit a version and have that one fresh and just learn that version and forget about all the others. Or it will be totally chaos! [laughs]
I wonder if, they're just going to go with whatever and play whatever part from whatever version, live. In turn, blending it into a new version. :rollin
I think, it'd be best if they just played the 5.1 version of the album live. That way we get, best of both albums, and us whom didn't buy the boxset will get to hear that version as well..
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I think, it'd be best if they just played the 5.1 version of the album live. That way we get, best of both albums, and us whom didn't buy the boxset will get to hear that version as well..
I think Mike said that's his plan for when/if touring is possible again.
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I think, it'd be best if they just played the 5.1 version of the album live. That way we get, best of both albums, and us whom didn't buy the boxset will get to hear that version as well..
I think Mike said that's his plan for when/if touring is possible again.
:tup :tup
Great way, to get people to see them live.
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This part of the interview cracked me up...
Lotsofmuzik: Yeah. I mean, you probably create a whole new version of it just to be played live. So here’s your fourth or fifth version right there, right?
Roine Stolt: Oh yeah, totally. I shouldn’t listen to it too much, to be honest. When the time comes, I can just edit a version and have that one fresh and just learn that version and forget about all the others. Or it will be totally chaos! [laughs]
I wonder if, they're just going to go with whatever and play whatever part from whatever version, live. In turn, blending it into a new version. :rollin
I think, it'd be best if they just played the 5.1 version of the album live. That way we get, best of both albums, and us whom didn't buy the boxset will get to hear that version as well..
Well, the BD *is* available apart from the Ultimate Box Set, so the only really big hurdle to listening to it would be needing a BD player and a 5.1 surround sound audio system.
I do believe Mike did say that, if/when they get around to playing TAU live, they would do the 5.1 mix version, but they would probably put in a break in the album like in Forevermore (since the 5.1 mix runs seamlessly for its entire 100 minutes). Then again, they may just do an extra long 100 minute first set, then a shorter 2nd set of about 20-30 minutes, and then an encore medley of 20 minutes or so. At their age, I don't see them doing a show longer than 180 minutes, especially for an extended tour, so more than half of their show would be TAU, with less than 80 minutes of music from their previous 4 albums (so... 3 or 4 songs lol).
-Marc.
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This part of the interview cracked me up...
Lotsofmuzik: Yeah. I mean, you probably create a whole new version of it just to be played live. So here’s your fourth or fifth version right there, right?
Roine Stolt: Oh yeah, totally. I shouldn’t listen to it too much, to be honest. When the time comes, I can just edit a version and have that one fresh and just learn that version and forget about all the others. Or it will be totally chaos! [laughs]
I wonder if, they're just going to go with whatever and play whatever part from whatever version, live. In turn, blending it into a new version. :rollin
I think, it'd be best if they just played the 5.1 version of the album live. That way we get, best of both albums, and us whom didn't buy the boxset will get to hear that version as well..
Well, the BD *is* available apart from the Ultimate Box Set, so the only really big hurdle to listening to it would be needing a BD player and a 5.1 surround sound audio system.
-Marc.
I forgot about that.
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At their age, I don't see them doing a show longer than 180 minutes, especially for an extended tour, so more than half of their show would be TAU, with less than 80 minutes of music from their previous 4 albums (so... 3 or 4 songs lol).
To the best of my memory, having seen the last two shows in Chicago, they played a solid 3 hours on the Whirlwind tour, and closer to 2 and a half on the Kaleidoscope tour. Given all the new material I'd hope they'd go back to 3 hours, but they aren't getting any younger either.
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Brand new transcribed interview with Neal and Roine!
Want to know more about the upcoming TA5 albums?
Why are there multiple versions of the album and how do they differ? What is its connection to The Whirlwind? Which band members were most involved with which versions? How were different sets of lyrics composed for the same song? What was the timeline on all of this and how did COVID impact the writing and release date? What else do you guys have planned for 2021?
All of this and much more is covered in this transcribed interview with Neal and Roine. Enjoy!
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-neal-morse-roine-stolt/
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I really appreciate a lot of what Roine has to say. Especially about returning to older work. And recording parts that are edited out. Basically, questioning some decisions made about the album.
I can see how Roine would be a bit upset/disappointed because He actually chose to go more Guitar solo/lick crazy, and it's something that seems out of his comfort zone to be more "Aggressive" in the guitar playing. And then you have these 2 guys, putting all that on the backburner. That would upset me as well...
And MP, I feel, understood that. And why he said, let's just release both, because why not. The only one that was holding them back was the record company, and since they are a really big money maker for Inside Out, Of course they wouldn't say no.
"So I think this Forevermore album is most truly to what I'd like a Transatlantic to be, or what my guitar should be in Transatlantic, which is kind of a good solution because you can have both."
So, in a way, The Breathe Of Life, is Neal's vision for the album, and a fitting title. While Forevermore, is Roines vision of the album, also a fitting title. :lol :lol
And this Roine quote about his "Political Lyrics" and how he refers to them as more "Political Observations"
"At least for me personally, it's really difficult to just look away. I can't. And I don't want to try to be some kind of Swedish Roger Waters or anything like that, but I kind of end up in the same spot, I suppose. I know that some people get upset by that. But with music and being an artist, it just comes with it...you've got to have freedom to write any notes you want and to play any rhythm you want or play any notes you want. And at that same time, you have the freedom to write the lyrics you want, and you have the right to sing them any way you want. Because if the audience starts dictating what you're supposed to do, or saying go back to how your third album sounded or go back to write those songs like you did back then, you know, then I think it's it's not worth doing it. I can't really see myself being dictated by fans what to stay away from or what to write. So it's not really about being political. It's just being very honest with telling who I am."
:clap: :clap:
And then what he says after that....
:clap:
In the end, I am glad MP decided to release both versions, making both Neal and Roine happy with the end product. Especially Neal, as basically made The Breathe of Life his....Stuff like this can break bands apart.
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Side bar for the political forum, I guess, but I always hate when people spew their opinions and say "well, I'm just being honest". Eddie Trunk does that all the time, and it drives me crazy. There's nothing "honest" about an opinion, at least in the sense of "truth" (maybe in terms of "authenticity", I suppose).
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Brand new transcribed interview with Neal and Roine!
Want to know more about the upcoming TA5 albums?
Why are there multiple versions of the album and how do they differ? What is its connection to The Whirlwind? Which band members were most involved with which versions? How were different sets of lyrics composed for the same song? What was the timeline on all of this and how did COVID impact the writing and release date? What else do you guys have planned for 2021?
All of this and much more is covered in this transcribed interview with Neal and Roine. Enjoy!
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-neal-morse-roine-stolt/
Great interview, thank you for sharing!
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Side bar for the political forum, I guess, but I always hate when people spew their opinions and say "well, I'm just being honest". Eddie Trunk does that all the time, and it drives me crazy. There's nothing "honest" about an opinion, at least in the sense of "truth" (maybe in terms of "authenticity", I suppose).
All Roine is stating is he is being honest with who he is. His music is a reflection of who he is, and his lyrics are also a part of that music. And I feel that gives his music a unique quality and style, akin to Robert Fripp being unique because his music also reflects who he is. And it's up to the person just how honest they want to be with themselves to put forth their thoughts, views, and observations into the lyrics they create.
Has nothing to do with his opinion on the music business part of it, and that includes the fan aspect.
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MP posted:
With Transatlantic’s Epic album(s) The Absolute Universe being released one month from today, here’s the Drum (& Vox) Cam for our 2nd single ‘The World We Used To Know’...the audio on this video is a Stereo “Headphone” mix which has the Full Band Mix on the Left and my Isolated Drums and Vocals on the right...enjoy! 🚀
https://youtu.be/e1iRryfQbU4
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Brand new transcribed interview with Neal and Roine!
Want to know more about the upcoming TA5 albums?
Why are there multiple versions of the album and how do they differ? What is its connection to The Whirlwind? Which band members were most involved with which versions? How were different sets of lyrics composed for the same song? What was the timeline on all of this and how did COVID impact the writing and release date? What else do you guys have planned for 2021?
All of this and much more is covered in this transcribed interview with Neal and Roine. Enjoy!
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-neal-morse-roine-stolt/
Read it earlier today and, while long, it was an entertaining read. Lots of great new details, and other things that both have said before in other interviews. I'm glad they seem to be happy to be able to all "get their way" with this release, and that Roine was able to get all his parts in in the Forevermore version. Now I am more interested in trying to pick out all the differences between the two main versions!
In other TA news, I finally downloaded the Inner Circle TA releases from November, and they are of less-than-stellar quality, but it's cool to get another show from the first 2000 tour (with the DC and Philly shows having previously been released on CD and video respectively). The NYC show includes some extra bits during the Genesis medley. There may be more to it but I haven't given the show a whole listen yet.
The other download is video from the Sweden Rock Festival from 2014 during the Kaleidoscope tour, which features Daniel Gildenlow joining the band from the end of "Into The Blue" through the rest of the (truncated) show, which features the Whirlwind Medley, and the AOTA/SIYS encore. As far as I know, this is the only show where all six members performed, which is a neat thing ti watch, but the audio quality of the video is pretty sub-par IMO, but the video is taken from multiple cameras, so it definitely feels like it was recorded for TV broadcast or something (as I think many of these kinds of European rock festivals are).
Not a bad release from Neal's Inner Circle, where even just ONE of these might have been a cool release, but given out both is a treat. Now I wonder why we've never gotten more shows from the BAF Tour released? It still astounds me that Live In Europe was from their FOURTH show of the tour and that they didn't bother to release any shows from near the end of the tour (ya know, when things are usually tightened up and running smoothly). The BAF tour still remains the only Transatlantic Tour to only be represented by ONE show released (with the first tour now having 3 shows released, the Whirld Tour having three shows released, and now the Kaleidoscope tour having three shows released, albeit one of them is a festival show). I'd kill to see another BAF tour show released, either as audio or video, because for the longest time, Live In Europe was my favorite live concert of ANY band that I love, and even after two more albums and tours from Transatlantic, I still really enjoy it. At least the Official Bootleg DVD gives glimpses into the other shows on that European tour.
-Marc.
-
Brand new transcribed interview with Neal and Roine!
Want to know more about the upcoming TA5 albums?
Why are there multiple versions of the album and how do they differ? What is its connection to The Whirlwind? Which band members were most involved with which versions? How were different sets of lyrics composed for the same song? What was the timeline on all of this and how did COVID impact the writing and release date? What else do you guys have planned for 2021?
All of this and much more is covered in this transcribed interview with Neal and Roine. Enjoy!
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-neal-morse-roine-stolt/
Well done. Good interview(s).
I suspect I will love the short version (Neal's) and the long version (Roine's), so in the end, we, the fans, win. Less than a month! :hat :hat
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Review:
https://www.velvetthunder.co.uk/transatlantic-the-absolute-universe-forevermore-insideout
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Nad Sylvan interviewing Roine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjxHJ-j_3Ak&feature=youtu.be
:metal
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The Ultimate Edition packaging:
https://www.facebook.com/TransatlanticMusic/photos/pcb.10158532391076293/10158532390516293/
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I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
-
I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
The single disc is really satisfying...go with that one, man!!!!
-
I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
The single disc is really satisfying...go with that one, man!!!!
Definitely leaning that way.
-
I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
The single disc is really satisfying...go with that one, man!!!!
I agree. ...but so is the double-disk version!
-
I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
The single disc is really satisfying...go with that one, man!!!!
I agree. ...but so is the double-disk version!
I agree, I have come to love BOTH versions. And I would say Inam loving the longest one even more.
-
I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
You should change that immediately. ;)
-
I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
The single disc is really satisfying...go with that one, man!!!!
I agree. ...but so is the double-disk version!
I agree, I have come to love BOTH versions. And I would say Inam loving the longest one even more.
While the rest of us, mere mortals, have to wait another month for it :lol
-
I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
You should change that immediately. ;)
It’s weird because I think it is fine. Definitely impressed me more than Kaleidoscope. But I think the lyrics in particular are pretty bland, and the 77 minute run time without any definite songs is a real tough sell for me when I have so much else to listen to these days. I didn’t hate it or anything, just don’t feel a need to go back to it.
-
I think for fans who discovered the band before 2009 were probably more likely to love The Whirlwind than those who discovered the hand after the fact, mostly because TW came after nearly a decade long wait after BAF. I became a fan around 2005, so my wait for a new album was only 4-5 years, but even with high expectations, they still managed to release an album that blew me away.
-Marc.
-
I think for fans who discovered the band before 2009 were probably more likely to love The Whirlwind than those who discovered the hand after the fact, mostly because TW came after nearly a decade long wait after BAF. I became a fan around 2005, so my wait for a new album was only 4-5 years, but even with high expectations, they still managed to release an album that blew me away.
-Marc.
Well, I’m a fan since Bridge Across Forever came out (picked up the first two around the same time). For me The Whirlwind just doesn’t have the same magic as the first two. But I do think a lot of that is just life situation/age/stage of life. The first two were my introduction to Neal and Roine and that style of prog. I got hugely into Spock’s Beard after that and when Neal left and started doing solo prog stuff I just didn’t feel like his music had the same spark. I stopped buying Neal’s music altogether after being really disappointed by One. I also stopped buying DT’s albums around that time after being disappointed by Octavarium. And I never really got into The Flower Kings despite buying a couple of their albums around that time.
So by the time Transatlantic reunited, I had stopped buying anything new by Neal or Mike, and was really only following Marillion of the 4 members’ bands (who had pretty much become my favorite band in the interim). I just didn’t have a lot of faith that they’d recapture the magic. I still felt very fondly about the first two TA albums, and I just decided I didn’t want to be let down so I never got The Whirlwind. The only reason I eventually picked up Kaleidoscope was Radiant had a deal and I got it for like $3 a few years after it came out. That album did nothing to make me think I had missed anything with The Whirlwind unfortunately.
Fast forward a few years later, and I started exploring The Flower Kings more, and that got me more interested in a new Transatlantic album when they announced they were working on one. I had also had some better experiences with Mike and Neal recently (Flying Colors, The Winery Dogs, but not so much Neal Morse Band). So then I decided I really ought to hear The Whirlwind. And like I said, I do think it is pretty good. But it’s still missing something of the magic from those first two albums. It’s *probably* missing my youth more than anything (back then, a new album was an event, and I probably would have been able to spend a lot more time focusing on it), but that’s where I’m coming from on that album.
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To each his own. ;) I think the magic is there on The Whirlwind. Sure, none of the individual songs are as awesome as the long epics like All of the Above, Stranger in Your Soul or My New World, but tracks like The Wind Blew Them All Away, On the Prowl, A Man Can Feel, Rose Covered Glasses and Is It Really Happening? are all pretty much all kinds of awesome. IMO, of course. :)
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I think for fans who discovered the band before 2009 were probably more likely to love The Whirlwind than those who discovered the hand after the fact, mostly because TW came after nearly a decade long wait after BAF. I became a fan around 2005, so my wait for a new album was only 4-5 years, but even with high expectations, they still managed to release an album that blew me away.
-Marc.
Well, I’m a fan since Bridge Across Forever came out (picked up the first two around the same time). For me The Whirlwind just doesn’t have the same magic as the first two. But I do think a lot of that is just life situation/age/stage of life. The first two were my introduction to Neal and Roine and that style of prog. I got hugely into Spock’s Beard after that and when Neal left and started doing solo prog stuff I just didn’t feel like his music had the same spark. I stopped buying Neal’s music altogether after being really disappointed by One. I also stopped buying DT’s albums around that time after being disappointed by Octavarium. And I never really got into The Flower Kings despite buying a couple of their albums around that time.
So by the time Transatlantic reunited, I had stopped buying anything new by Neal or Mike, and was really only following Marillion of the 4 members’ bands (who had pretty much become my favorite band in the interim). I just didn’t have a lot of faith that they’d recapture the magic. I still felt very fondly about the first two TA albums, and I just decided I didn’t want to be let down so I never got The Whirlwind. The only reason I eventually picked up Kaleidoscope was Radiant had a deal and I got it for like $3 a few years after it came out. That album did nothing to make me think I had missed anything with The Whirlwind unfortunately.
Fast forward a few years later, and I started exploring The Flower Kings more, and that got me more interested in a new Transatlantic album when they announced they were working on one. I had also had some better experiences with Mike and Neal recently (Flying Colors, The Winery Dogs, but not so much Neal Morse Band). So then I decided I really ought to hear The Whirlwind. And like I said, I do think it is pretty good. But it’s still missing something of the magic from those first two albums. It’s *probably* missing my youth more than anything (back then, a new album was an event, and I probably would have been able to spend a lot more time focusing on it), but that’s where I’m coming from on that album.
That's interesting, and I'm not sure if there is any sort of correlation or coincidence, but after discovering Transatlantic (by way of DT/MP), I found and fell in love with Spock's Beard and The Flower Kings, and have been a fan of all of their releases since 2005. But Marillion... they were the one parent band of the four that I had a harder time getting into. I enjoyed the Fish era well enough, but as I went along through the H era, I had a harder time really diving into them. I enjoyed some of their albums, like This Strange Engine, Anoraknophobia, and Marbles, but I never really got into them the same way as I did SB and TFK (and DT of course).
Maybe because I was deeper in the SB/TFK side of Transatlantic's music that I was able to fall in love with The Whirlwind when it came out, and even to this day, still love it as much as ever. I always juggle that and BAF for my favorite TA album, that's how much I enjoy The Whirlwind as a whole. Kaleidoscope was good, and I still revisit it because, of their four albums, I still find it fresh (despite being over 6 years old now) mostly because I haven't over-listened to it, which I almost had done with TW in the time between it and Kaleidoscope.
To each his own. ;) I think the magic is there on The Whirlwind. Sure, none of the individual songs are as awesome as the long epics like All of the Above, Stranger in Your Soul or My New World, but tracks like The Wind Blew Them All Away, On the Prowl, A Man Can Feel, Rose Covered Glasses and Is It Really Happening? are all pretty much all kinds of awesome. IMO, of course. :)
Those are all great tracks, but for me, I find it much better to enjoy the whole thing, and I rarely find myself listening to just bits of it, but if I do, the first track is always a good snack if I don't have time for the whole meal, as well as "Is It Really Happening?" and "Dancing With Eternal Glory", which is as good of a 20-minute-chunk of TA as any other IMO.
Nad Sylvan interviewing Roine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjxHJ-j_3Ak&feature=youtu.be
:metal
Not a bad interview, per se, but I got the distinct impression that Nad hadn't really listened to the album yet, or hadn't really listened to it a lot, because there weren't a lot of TAU-specific questions from what I recall. It was definitely neat to hear some of Roine's perspectives on Transatlantic as a whole, but you can also tell he doesn't remember much about his time with the band (saying things like "The Whirlwind" was only like 65 minutes long, or that it was only 6 or 7 years ago), either because his mind doesn't really retain that kind of encyclopedic knowledge (like Mike does), or maybe he just doesn't care to remember specifics - it definitely reminds me of how loose his guitar palying tends to be when compared to his studio takes (which can both be a good thing and a bad thing). Still, a very interesting interview!
I suppose we will get Pete's interview sometime in the next couple of weeks before the album comes out, and hopefully with one more pre-release single. Any bets on who will interview Pete? I'm gonna say John Mitchell, mostly because he is also another Inside Out artist, and they've worked together in Kino, so there is some familiarity there already (like Nad has with Roine from Agents Of Mercy, and I believe the Steve Hackett band as well). Also, any bets on which track might be the next single?
-Marc.
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Maybe because I was deeper in the SB/TFK side of Transatlantic's music that I was able to fall in love with The Whirlwind when it came out, and even to this day, still love it as much as ever. I always juggle that and BAF for my favorite TA album, that's how much I enjoy The Whirlwind as a whole. Kaleidoscope was good, and I still revisit it because, of their four albums, I still find it fresh (despite being over 6 years old now) mostly because I haven't over-listened to it, which I almost had done with TW in the time between it and Kaleidoscope.
I’m not sure exactly why Marillion connected with me so deeply then, but I think a lot of the lyrical content of the H era felt meaningful at that point in my life. I was somewhat less concerned with long, complex instrumental passages and more into the kind of soundscapes and emotive type of music that Marillion specializes in. I do think they were sort of a welcomed contrast for me from stuff like DT and Neal Morse at the time.
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So this is an interesting review and makes me more inclined to pick up both versions.
https://spiritofcecilia.com/2021/01/10/a-deluge-of-music-from-transatlantic/
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Two solid reviews so far. However, I'm still torn about choosing which album. The reviews add to my consternation. Sounds like the longer version is slightly better but since they have different songs, I'm torn. I know myself too well...I will gravitate towards only one.
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To those who haven't gotten into The Whirlwind yet, go back and listen, and pay close attention to the bass. Not just the notes, but the BIG SOUND that the bass has on that album. Be sure to listen on good solid speakers... Loudly.
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To those who haven't gotten into The Whirlwind yet, go back and listen, and pay close attention to the bass. Not just the notes, but the BIG SOUND that the bass has on that album. Be sure to listen on good solid speakers... Loudly.
The Whirlwind is definitely the best sounding Transatlantic album and one of the two best sounding albums with Neal Morse on them (the other one being Sola Gratia) in my opinion. The bass sounds phenomenal on The Whirlwind.
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Saw a new interview with Neal published today:
https://progarchy.com/2021/01/12/neal-morse-on-transatlantics-the-absolute-universe-the-progarchy-interview/
-Marc.
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I'm sure it's buried in this thread somewhere, but if someone could give me a quick yes or no I'd appreciate it.
I know there's an abridged version and an extended version. Is the Ultimate version just those two albums packaged together or does it contain a 3rd version that has even more variation?
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I'm sure it's buried in this thread somewhere, but if someone could give me a quick yes or no I'd appreciate it.
I know there's an abridged version and an extended version. Is the Ultimate version just those two albums packaged together or does it contain a 3rd version that has even more variation?
The Ultimate Version BD contains a 5.1 surround sound audio mix, which contains 1 more song than Forevermore, and is a combination of both The Breath Of Life and Forevermore, but to what capacity (other than the tracklist), no one yet knows. I assume it'll borrow musical and lyrical elements from both versions, but considering how different some of the songs are between the abridged and extended versions of the album, it might not be as integrated as one might think.
TL:DR - Yes, there is a third version of the album, and it runs about 100 minutes long.
-Marc.
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I'm sure it's buried in this thread somewhere, but if someone could give me a quick yes or no I'd appreciate it.
I know there's an abridged version and an extended version. Is the Ultimate version just those two albums packaged together or does it contain a 3rd version that has even more variation?
The Ultimate Version BD contains a 5.1 surround sound audio mix, which contains 1 more song than Forevermore, and is a combination of both The Breath Of Life and Forevermore, but to what capacity (other than the tracklist), no one yet knows. I assume it'll borrow musical and lyrical elements from both versions, but considering how different some of the songs are between the abridged and extended versions of the album, it might not be as integrated as one might think.
TL:DR - Yes, there is a third version of the album, and it runs about 100 minutes long.
-Marc.
We should also mention that a THIRD mix, the 5.1 mix on Blu Ray (available in the Ultimate Box Set, or separately as a standalone via RadiantRecords.com), was not available to reviewers ahead of time but reportedly combines many elements of the two version together. However, in many cases this version will still have to choose between two sets of lyrics, melodies, singers, etc…, so it’s not like you can cram “Breath” and “Forevermore” completely together. Therefore, this will provide a third listening option!
That piece was taken from this review: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/transatlantic-the-absolute-universe/
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I'd still like to know if any site will give you the digital files if you buy the physical CD(s). I am not buying the CD's if I don't have any way to rip them digitally (my computer, like many nowadays, does not have a CD-rom drive or whatever you call it, and I am not buying one just for this).
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I'd still like to know if any site will give you the digital files if you buy the physical CD(s). I am not buying the CD's if I don't have any way to rip them digitally (my computer, like many nowadays, does not have a CD-rom drive or whatever you call it, and I am not buying one just for this).
I would think Amazon would do the auto-rip feature for these, but it doesn’t appear to say so right now.
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I'd still like to know if any site will give you the digital files if you buy the physical CD(s). I am not buying the CD's if I don't have any way to rip them digitally (my computer, like many nowadays, does not have a CD-rom drive or whatever you call it, and I am not buying one just for this).
Buy the CDs and I will send you the digital files.
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I'd still like to know if any site will give you the digital files if you buy the physical CD(s). I am not buying the CD's if I don't have any way to rip them digitally (my computer, like many nowadays, does not have a CD-rom drive or whatever you call it, and I am not buying one just for this).
Also, you can get an external CD drive that will play/rip/burn CDs (hooks up through the USB). I’ve used one for years. They are only around $30.
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Haven't listened to TA in ages, so starting my full listen of the studio albums. Being transported back in time with the first album now. So much has changed since I first listened to TA back in early 2000s. 20 years later still gives a warm comforting feeling.
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In other TA news, I finally downloaded the Inner Circle TA releases from November, and they are of less-than-stellar quality, but it's cool to get another show from the first 2000 tour (with the DC and Philly shows having previously been released on CD and video respectively). The NYC show includes some extra bits during the Genesis medley. There may be more to it but I haven't given the show a whole listen yet.
Today I learned... that Live In America is different on CD and VHS/DVD. I guess I gotta pick up that DVD finally.
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In other TA news, I finally downloaded the Inner Circle TA releases from November, and they are of less-than-stellar quality, but it's cool to get another show from the first 2000 tour (with the DC and Philly shows having previously been released on CD and video respectively). The NYC show includes some extra bits during the Genesis medley. There may be more to it but I haven't given the show a whole listen yet.
Today I learned... that Live In America is different on CD and VHS/DVD. I guess I gotta pick up that DVD finally.
I was surprised by this when I gotbthe VHS and DVD of Live In America about 15 years ago. I noticed that "Honky Tonk Woman" was in the tracklist for the video concert, but not on the CDs, so it was definitely a different show. Thankfully setlist.fm helped me clarify which show it was! Unfortunately, the DVD version doesn't have the behind the scenes tour stuff the VHS does (which I've never seen because I haven't had a working VHS player in forever, and my VHS copy of LIA is still sealed anyway).
But yeah, in short, Live In Europe/the BAF tour is the only Transatlantic tour that's only had 1 show released. You would've thought that at some point during their 7 year hiatus that Neal or Mike would've dug out another show to sell from that European tour, but perhaps they just didn't record any. It would have been neat to get one of the shows where Neal actually played some of "Bridge Across Forever".
-Marc.
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Doesn't the legend say that MP has a recording of every one of his concerts somewhere? Or was that just Dream Theater?
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In other TA news, I finally downloaded the Inner Circle TA releases from November, and they are of less-than-stellar quality, but it's cool to get another show from the first 2000 tour (with the DC and Philly shows having previously been released on CD and video respectively). The NYC show includes some extra bits during the Genesis medley. There may be more to it but I haven't given the show a whole listen yet.
Today I learned... that Live In America is different on CD and VHS/DVD. I guess I gotta pick up that DVD finally.
Dammit. <Stadler runs off to Amazon....>
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Doesn't the legend say that MP has a recording of every one of his concerts somewhere? Or was that just Dream Theater?
If he has recorded every DT show it's hard to imagine that he didn't record anything else.
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https://www.amazon.com/Live-America-Transatlantic/dp/B002QAQ9VG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=transatlantic+live+in+america&qid=1610566746&sr=8-1
Someone want to confirm that price for me? I have it, thank goodness, but I'm thinking of selling if that's the current demand for this! :)
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I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
You should change that immediately. ;)
It’s weird because I think it is fine. Definitely impressed me more than Kaleidoscope. But I think the lyrics in particular are pretty bland, and the 77 minute run time without any definite songs is a real tough sell for me when I have so much else to listen to these days. I didn’t hate it or anything, just don’t feel a need to go back to it.
Kaleidoscope, to me, is the weakest of their albums. The Whirlwind is great if you delete the final track.
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https://www.amazon.com/Live-America-Transatlantic/dp/B002QAQ9VG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=transatlantic+live+in+america&qid=1610566746&sr=8-1
Someone want to confirm that price for me? I have it, thank goodness, but I'm thinking of selling if that's the current demand for this! :)
LOL I should sell mine then. I think I got it for $5 a long time back.
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https://www.amazon.com/Live-America-Transatlantic/dp/B002QAQ9VG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=transatlantic+live+in+america&qid=1610566746&sr=8-1
Someone want to confirm that price for me? I have it, thank goodness, but I'm thinking of selling if that's the current demand for this! :)
LOL I should sell mine then. I think I got it for $5 a long time back.
What are you guys seeing? I go to amazon from that link and it says it's unavailable.
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https://www.amazon.com/Live-America-Transatlantic/dp/B002QAQ9VG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=transatlantic+live+in+america&qid=1610566746&sr=8-1
Someone want to confirm that price for me? I have it, thank goodness, but I'm thinking of selling if that's the current demand for this! :)
I don't see *any* price, it's just listed as "currently unavailable" to me.
Doesn't the legend say that MP has a recording of every one of his concerts somewhere? Or was that just Dream Theater?
If he has recorded every DT show it's hard to imagine that he didn't record anything else.
It's quite possible Mike might have other 2001 tours recorded for his records, probably just 2-channel mixes, but we're talking a tour that's nearly two decades ago, so who knows if he still has all that archived somewhere.
-Marc.
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It's listed as unavailable, but somehow you can get it new for about 900$ and used for about 40$. ???
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https://www.amazon.com/Live-America-Transatlantic/dp/B002QAQ9VG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=transatlantic+live+in+america&qid=1610566746&sr=8-1
Someone want to confirm that price for me? I have it, thank goodness, but I'm thinking of selling if that's the current demand for this! :)
LOL I should sell mine then. I think I got it for $5 a long time back.
What are you guys seeing? I go to amazon from that link and it says it's unavailable.
This what I see: available through a 3r party used for 40 USD and new for 902 USD
(https://i.ibb.co/1mT10wx/Captura-de-pantalla-2021-01-13-153653.png)
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That's it. On the main page when you search for "Transatlantic Live In America" it's more clear. $902 dollars. Hell, I'll sell you mine for $500; what a bargain! ;)
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Wow, that's nuts. I'm glad I became a fan when I did, before everything became hard to find or super expensive on the secondary market! I can't even imagine how expensive the Roine Stolt Mixes for SMPT:e go for these days!
-Marc.
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I'd still like to know if any site will give you the digital files if you buy the physical CD(s). I am not buying the CD's if I don't have any way to rip them digitally (my computer, like many nowadays, does not have a CD-rom drive or whatever you call it, and I am not buying one just for this).
Buy the CDs and I will send you the digital files.
Thanks, I appreciate it. I will let you know. :)
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I'm sure it's buried in this thread somewhere, but if someone could give me a quick yes or no I'd appreciate it.
I know there's an abridged version and an extended version. Is the Ultimate version just those two albums packaged together or does it contain a 3rd version that has even more variation?
The Ultimate Version BD contains a 5.1 surround sound audio mix, which contains 1 more song than Forevermore, and is a combination of both The Breath Of Life and Forevermore, but to what capacity (other than the tracklist), no one yet knows. I assume it'll borrow musical and lyrical elements from both versions, but considering how different some of the songs are between the abridged and extended versions of the album, it might not be as integrated as one might think.
TL:DR - Yes, there is a third version of the album, and it runs about 100 minutes long.
-Marc.
Good to know. I think I'll get Forevermore first and then go back and check out the Abridged version so I can really notice all the changes. Plus, I'm a much bigger fan of Stolt's SMPT:e than the original, so I think a production highlighting his parts is more up my alley. The Ultimate version just sounds excessive so I'll leave that one out.
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Wow, that's nuts. I'm glad I became a fan when I did, before everything became hard to find or super expensive on the secondary market! I can't even imagine how expensive the Roine Stolt Mixes for SMPT:e go for these days!
-Marc.
I bought my copy of that on ebay for $60 in 2015, which I thought was a steal. And I agree with DTA, it sounds better than the original IMO.
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Wow, that's nuts. I'm glad I became a fan when I did, before everything became hard to find or super expensive on the secondary market! I can't even imagine how expensive the Roine Stolt Mixes for SMPT:e go for these days!
-Marc.
I bought my copy of that on ebay for $60 in 2015, which I thought was a steal. And I agree with DTA, it sounds better than the original IMO.
That's not a bad price! I got mine in 2006 for $14.49 +shipping, and like DTA said, I am also a bigger fan of Stolt's mixes of SMPT:e. If they ever re-release the first two albums, I kind of hope that Roine remixes both albums. That's not a slight against Rich Mouser, but I think Roine could breath a bit more life into those classics. Maybe a mixing collaboration would be good?
-Marc.
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As much as I love Bridge Across Forever, I'd love to hear it get the Roine Stolt mix treatment. That album is a bit more hard-hitting and less warm sonically than the other TA albums, as well as many of Neal's (except for Sola Scriptura, which is not a warm album either), which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it's not my preferred sound when listening to those guys. Fortunately, the songwriting on BAF is ridiculously awesome, so the album still slays despite not being one of my favorites of theirs from a sound standpoint.
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My review of The Absolute Universe was sent out earlier today and will be published any time now.
So now I can finally say, I love this album. As far as where I'd rank it, it doesn't touch The Whirlwind, which is my top (and very high on my "all time" list from any band). I definitely rank it above Kaleidoscope, which is my least favorite TA album. And I'm not sure where I rank it relative to the first two albums. In many respects, I think it is better and more cohesive. In others, I think it is really hard for anything to reach that magic that the first two albums had. But it is right there with them, IMO. (but at the same time, very different from those two albums)
EDIT: Another tidbit that did not make the review: Pete is the absolute MVP of this album. Everything about his playing, his tone, and pretty much everything else, is SO good. And both version of Solitude, on which he takes lead vocals for the first half of the song, are contenders for my top song on their respective albums.
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Discogs has the CD for 8€ and the VHS for 14$... or am I missing something?
https://www.discogs.com/de/sell/release/4298205?ev=rb
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bosk1 album review has been published today:
https://lotsofmuzik.com/transatlantic-does-it-again-with-the-absolute-universe/
:metal
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:rollin I wasn't expecting you to copy/paste the text of my rating email and put that into the end of the review.
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bosk1 album review has been published today:
https://lotsofmuzik.com/transatlantic-does-it-again-with-the-absolute-universe/
:metal
The Bosk has spoken :metal
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:rollin I wasn't expecting you to copy/paste the text of my rating email and put that into the end of the review.
hahaha me neither, but I thought it was good, so I kept it!!!
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bosk1 album review has been published today:
https://lotsofmuzik.com/transatlantic-does-it-again-with-the-absolute-universe/
:metal
The Bosk has spoken :metal
MinistroRaven loves quoting people out of the blue without asking, man... :D
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Damn Feb 5th feels so long away. I'm having so much fun listening to all TA past albums. I personally LOVE all the albums. All of them are at least 9.5/10 and only small things make one album rank over the other.
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bosk1 album review has been published today:
https://lotsofmuzik.com/transatlantic-does-it-again-with-the-absolute-universe/
:metal
The Bosk has spoken :metal
MinistroRaven loves quoting people out of the blue without asking, man... :D
I already gave you credit AND COPYRIGHT OWNERSHIPT for the comments!
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(https://i.postimg.cc/W32W1ZRr/finally-took-you.jpg)
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bosk1 album review has been published today:
https://lotsofmuzik.com/transatlantic-does-it-again-with-the-absolute-universe/
:metal
The Bosk has spoken :metal
MinistroRaven loves quoting people out of the blue without asking, man... :D
:lol
Hey, I do want to go slightly off topic for a second. I was thinking about this the other day. The job you guys have done in building up a reputation and putting out quality content in the form of interviews, album reviews, etc. is phenomenal. That jumped out at me when I went back and was reading through the Neal/Roine interview for information in writing my review. I know a lot of the great information they put out there was just them spewing rather than you asking pointed questions to draw things out. But that usually only happens when you have already built up a trust and rapport with the artist where he/she already knows you, and you guys have done that through the years with lots of artists out there. You ask great questions, you listen and ask appropriate follow up, you are respectful, you do your research, and you don't hide your fandom, but still remain unbiased. And that seems to produce great results when you talk to artists. You guys should be proud of that. I am thankful to be able to contribute in even a small fashion by occasionally doing a review like this.
Damn Feb 5th feels so long away. I'm having so much fun listening to all TA past albums. I personally LOVE all the albums. All of them are at least 9.5/10 and only small things make one album rank over the other.
If I were rating this album on a */10 scale, I think 9.5 is where it would land. on a 5 point scale, I didn't want to give it a 4, because that is too low. But I think it sits solidly at a 9.5. And if my interest eventually cools down after many more listens, I still can't see it falling below a 9. Good songs. It's just odd for TA that they are all short, with no mega-epics, and fewer crazy instrumental diversions. But in the grand scheme of their discography, I think that works to their benefit to have dialed that aspect back a bit.
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Damn Feb 5th feels so long away. I'm having so much fun listening to all TA past albums. I personally LOVE all the albums. All of them are at least 9.5/10 and only small things make one album rank over the other.
If I were rating this album on a */10 scale, I think 9.5 is where it would land. on a 5 point scale, I didn't want to give it a 4, because that is too low. But I think it sits solidly at a 9.5. And if my interest eventually cools down after many more listens, I still can't see it falling below a 9. Good songs. It's just odd for TA that they are all short, with no mega-epics, and fewer crazy instrumental diversions. But in the grand scheme of their discography, I think that works to their benefit to have dialed that aspect back a bit.
I don't mind that at all. It will be very interesting to listen to just short focussed songs.
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Nor do I. It works. I'm just saying that it runs contrary to expectations based on the band's history, that's all.
Honestly, the album feels a lot like The Whirlwind. Even though that is a single song, it is a very different kind of epic where the individual movements are different from one another, and most of them feel like they could function as standalone songs (which many people consider them to be). TAU feels a lot like that, where the individual song lengths are comparable to the movement lengths of The Whirlwind, and they feel like standalone entities that are related to a greater whole, if that makes sense.
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bosk1 album review has been published today:
https://lotsofmuzik.com/transatlantic-does-it-again-with-the-absolute-universe/
:metal
The Bosk has spoken :metal
MinistroRaven loves quoting people out of the blue without asking, man... :D
:lol
Hey, I do want to go slightly off topic for a second. I was thinking about this the other day. The job you guys have done in building up a reputation and putting out quality content in the form of interviews, album reviews, etc. is phenomenal. That jumped out at me when I went back and was reading through the Neal/Roine interview for information in writing my review. I know a lot of the great information they put out there was just them spewing rather than you asking pointed questions to draw things out. But that usually only happens when you have already built up a trust and rapport with the artist where he/she already knows you, and you guys have done that through the years with lots of artists out there. You ask great questions, you listen and ask appropriate follow up, you are respectful, you do your research, and you don't hide your fandom, but still remain unbiased. And that seems to produce great results when you talk to artists. You guys should be proud of that. I am thankful to be able to contribute in even a small fashion by occasionally doing a review like this.
Damn Feb 5th feels so long away. I'm having so much fun listening to all TA past albums. I personally LOVE all the albums. All of them are at least 9.5/10 and only small things make one album rank over the other.
If I were rating this album on a */10 scale, I think 9.5 is where it would land. on a 5 point scale, I didn't want to give it a 4, because that is too low. But I think it sits solidly at a 9.5. And if my interest eventually cools down after many more listens, I still can't see it falling below a 9. Good songs. It's just odd for TA that they are all short, with no mega-epics, and fewer crazy instrumental diversions. But in the grand scheme of their discography, I think that works to their benefit to have dialed that aspect back a bit.
That really means a lot, man...and yes, artists can tell almost straight away when an interviewer has done his research or when he's just winging it. I've done interviews where the artists start up being defensive, but then slowly opens up when they realize I know what I'm talking about. I can't say that for sure, but I think Petrucci realized at the end of the interview I did with him that I knew my DT facts. And I was respectful enough to ask about him and MP in a way that it didn't seem like I was forcing him to belt out a Blabbermouth headline.
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https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/5332574343426831/
Tomorrow... #TA5 #TheAbsoluteuniVerse Transatlantic
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/138243569_5332574306760168_2876636647340922396_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=2&_nc_sid=110474&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=0S5VT2IEin4AX_FX1Ge&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=0e81844ce5e206ab81f102c1aca99906&oe=602559E3)
New single tomorrow!
-Marc.
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Bosk1, from your comments here, letting apart the differences of style of TNB and Transatlantic, but, in terms of album and songs structures, apparently Transatlantic did their "The Similitude of a Dream" (which is my favorite album under Neal Morse name). Is that your impression about the album?
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I've been on a mini-TA kick lately, and actually just finished Kaleidoscope a little bit ago. The Whirlwind is probably my favorite at this point. So good.
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Bosk1, from your comments here, letting apart the differences of style of TNB and Transatlantic, but, in terms of album and songs structures, apparently Transatlantic did their "The Similitude of a Dream" (which is my favorite album under Neal Morse name). Is that your impression about the album?
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that. Can you clarify?
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Even though that is a single song, it is a very different kind of epic where the individual movements are different from one another, and most of them feel like they could function as standalone songs (which many people consider them to be).
And "...Good songs. It's just odd for TA that they are all short, with no mega-epics, and fewer crazy instrumental diversions"
Those descriptions you made would describe very well Similitude to me.
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Yeah, I mean, very generally, in terms of song structures, they are similar. But beyond that, and the fact that they are prog rock, I wouldn't really call them similar albums.
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TA5 is NOT Similitude. But it does have its share of shorter songs, and Neil has a way of bending songs to his will and make them sound instantly Neal Morse-y. The only project he's involved with where I don't see that happening in such a pronounced way is Flying Colors.
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Cool, it's interesting to know that, bosk1 and RodrigoAltaf, thanks!
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Honestly, if they had meant The Whirlwind to be separate songs instead of separate movements of a single song, I would say it is VERY similar to that album.
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Nice review, bosk! Can't wait to hear the multiple versions next month. :hat :hat
I ended up on a mini-TA kick the last few days, and it's still just astonishing how awesome those first three albums all are. Kaleidoscope is very good as well, but the first three are all-timers. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Honestly, if they had meant The Whirlwind to be separate songs instead of separate movements of a single song, I would say it is VERY similar to that album.
That's interesting! I get a very different feel than from The Whirlwind ;) To me, The Absolute Universe is more melody/vocal-focused, which is great, because finally it feels like the four are (almost) equal singers in the band. The Whirlwind has a quite a few technical proggy instrumental parts (Is It Really Happening, Pieces Of Heaven), where the whole band gets to show what a powerhouse it is. I personally miss that a little on The Absolute Universe.
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I have to be honest, from the reviews I am reading here I'm becoming less and less excited about this release. I don't listen to Transatlantic for short songs and vocal melodies, I listen to them for the epics and crazy instrumental sections. I hope I am going to like it and I will listen with an open mind, but from the descriptions I'm reading here, my expectations are very low.
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NEW OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR LOOKING FOR THE LIGHT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvhvY-vUkLI&feature=emb_logo
Mike Portnoy comments: “Looking For The Light is one of the heavier tracks on The Absolute Universe. In the tradition of Transatlantic sharing all lead vocals, this track gave me my showcase to deliver the lead vocals as it called for a bit more of an aggressive approach.
This is one of the few tracks that remains primarily the same and appears on both versions of the album. However not content to keep it simple, the version included on the music video is actually a unique version which combines both "Looking For The Light" and its "Reprise" from later in the album into one combined version available only here in this video.”
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This video version is really better!
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NEW OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR LOOKING FOR THE LIGHT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvhvY-vUkLI&feature=emb_logo
Mike Portnoy comments: “Looking For The Light is one of the heavier tracks on The Absolute Universe. In the tradition of Transatlantic sharing all lead vocals, this track gave me my showcase to deliver the lead vocals as it called for a bit more of an aggressive approach.
This is one of the few tracks that remains primarily the same and appears on both versions of the album. However not content to keep it simple, the version included on the music video is actually a unique version which combines both "Looking For The Light" and its "Reprise" from later in the album into one combined version available only here in this video.”
Oh wow, I didn't expect the video to be longer than the album track, both of which were also uploaded to YouTube (one being 4:00, the other 4:05). I listened to those album track versions earlier this morning, and one of the things that stood out to me was Mike's drum part that sounds almost exactly like a part from Yes' "Hold On" (from 90125).
As for the video itself, it's definitely in line with the others so far. I wonder if the visuals for the 5.1 mix will be something similar for each song, or if they're completely different from the style of the music videos shown so far? I really liked the black hole imagery, and the nod to the Kaleidoscope album cover was a nice touch!
Also, go figure - they took what was a 4-minute song on the album and decided to release it as a near-10-minute video single... how very Transatlantic of them! :lol
Out of curiosity, I loaded up the music video and the TBOL version of the song at the same time, just to hear how/when they split in terms of each version. Seems like the reprise started at about 3:20 in the music video as the last 40 seconds of the album track don't appear in the video, so if you wanna hear those, just search YouTube for "Transatlantic Looking For The Light". I guess you could say we got a double-single today?
-Marc.
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Honestly, if they had meant The Whirlwind to be separate songs instead of separate movements of a single song, I would say it is VERY similar to that album.
That's interesting! I get a very different feel than from The Whirlwind ;) To me, The Absolute Universe is more melody/vocal-focused, which is great, because finally it feels like the four are (almost) equal singers in the band. The Whirlwind has a quite a few technical proggy instrumental parts (Is It Really Happening, Pieces Of Heaven), where the whole band gets to show what a powerhouse it is. I personally miss that a little on The Absolute Universe.
Well, it's not like those moments aren't there. I mean, the video that was just released definitely gives a healthy dose of some of the instrumental madness. They definitely bring it.
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Honestly, if they had meant The Whirlwind to be separate songs instead of separate movements of a single song, I would say it is VERY similar to that album.
That's interesting! I get a very different feel than from The Whirlwind ;) To me, The Absolute Universe is more melody/vocal-focused, which is great, because finally it feels like the four are (almost) equal singers in the band. The Whirlwind has a quite a few technical proggy instrumental parts (Is It Really Happening, Pieces Of Heaven), where the whole band gets to show what a powerhouse it is. I personally miss that a little on The Absolute Universe.
Well, it's not like those moments aren't there. I mean, the video that was just released definitely gives a healthy dose of some of the instrumental madness. They definitely bring it.
This! After hearing the album versions of the single, I kind of felt like it lacked a bit of that instrumental madness, but hearing it in the reprise for this music video really assured me that they've still got it what it takes! Between the three singles, I have no worry that this album will be a great one. Everyday we get closer to the release date, and I grow more and more eager to listen to the whole thing!
-Marc.
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I will listen again later, but pretty underwhelmed by the song, and I hate to be "that guy" again, but it's the vocals. Mike Portnoy has actually improved as a vocalist over the years, but his voice still isn't strong enough to carry a song like that. He actually sounds better singing lead on the softer more melodic stuff, as his non-strong voice can give it a weary feel that can sound nice, like on the A Salty Dog cover or the Fool in My Heart verses (Flying Colors), but the aggressive stuff he tries rarely works well at all.
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As usual, I will check the video out after getting and listening to whole the album. The trailers and promo stuff I've found really hampers my enjoyment of the album.
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Happy Birthday to Pete Trewavas, or as H calls him, Trousers!
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With all the videos released so far, we already have 28:33 minutes of music from the album! :o
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I will listen again later, but pretty underwhelmed by the song, and I hate to be "that guy" again, but it's the vocals. Mike Portnoy has actually improved as a vocalist over the years, but his voice still isn't strong enough to carry a song like that. He actually sounds better singing lead on the softer more melodic stuff, as his non-strong voice can give it a weary feel that can sound nice, like on the A Salty Dog cover or the Fool in My Heart verses (Flying Colors), but the aggressive stuff he tries rarely works well at all.
I hear you. And you aren't the only one, so it's a pretty bold move to release a single where the first half very prominently features Mike on lead vocals. For my own tastes, I disagree though. I think his vocals suit the song nicely.
I have always loved that "Fleetwood Mac" approach to vocals where you have a couple of lead vocalists that trade off primarily handling leads, and have a couple of other members who will step up and take a lead every now and then as well. There's just something about that that REALLY works for me. It makes the albums really varied and...I dunno. It just WORKS for me. In the context of the album, I really think it adds a lot. But, again, even as a standalone song, I like it. And I think it's cool that Neal took the lead vocals on the reprise. It's a cool contrast having the two parts back to back presented as a single piece.
As far as "soft" lead vocals go, I still think the MVP trophy goes to Pete for his vocals on Solitude. His vocals and lyrics are so introspective and vulnerable. He was perfect for that song, and I'm really glad nobody else took that vocal spot.
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I will listen again later, but pretty underwhelmed by the song, and I hate to be "that guy" again, but it's the vocals. Mike Portnoy has actually improved as a vocalist over the years, but his voice still isn't strong enough to carry a song like that. He actually sounds better singing lead on the softer more melodic stuff, as his non-strong voice can give it a weary feel that can sound nice, like on the A Salty Dog cover or the Fool in My Heart verses (Flying Colors), but the aggressive stuff he tries rarely works well at all.
I hear you. And you aren't the only one, so it's a pretty bold move to release a single where the first half very prominently features Mike on lead vocals. For my own tastes, I disagree though. I think his vocals suit the song nicely.
I'm usually not a fan of Mike's vocals and I think he definitely needs a producer to tell him to "shut up and let the real vocalists do their thing" sometimes (couldn't find better words to say it, sorry), but I completely agree with Bosk here, his voice suits this track really well. I'd take this approach 10000% over some of the vocal stuff he did with DT :facepalm:
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Just listened to the new song, and I have to disagree about Mike not being able to carry it vocally. I thought he sounded great. He’s really come a long way. Wonder if he’s been taking lessons during lock down or something. Voice has more power and a bit of a snarl that I don’t recall hearing before.
As for the song, I’m kind of disappointed to learn that is a special edit because I really like the extended instrumental passage and it all seemed to flow really well together. It kept my interest more than the first single, and seemed pretty dramatic. Soulful in a way. I’m no longer on the fence about picking both versions up I don’t think.
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I will listen again later, but pretty underwhelmed by the song, and I hate to be "that guy" again, but it's the vocals. Mike Portnoy has actually improved as a vocalist over the years, but his voice still isn't strong enough to carry a song like that. He actually sounds better singing lead on the softer more melodic stuff, as his non-strong voice can give it a weary feel that can sound nice, like on the A Salty Dog cover or the Fool in My Heart verses (Flying Colors), but the aggressive stuff he tries rarely works well at all.
I'm 100% behind you on this. Mike's good for some spots here and there but this felt out of place.
With all the videos released so far, we already have 28:33 minutes of music from the album! :o
Which for me.....hasn't exactly pumped me up and made me super excited to hear the full product. I'm sure there will be moments of greatness but from what I've heard thus far it's moved the needle the wrong direction. I'll buy it to support them....I'll listen.....but yeah.......I don't have the 'feels' yet.
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Kind of agreeing. No great connection to any of the new songs. They're good but no chills. Hmm...
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I suspect the chills will come once I listen to the album in full (or albums, I should say :lol). I wasn't feeling it big time with the early Similitude singles, and that has become one of my 5-10 favorite albums ever.
bosk1, I hear what you are saying regarding the different vocalists, and in large part I agree. Portnoy and Trewavas taking the occasional lead vocal on TA songs definitely gives the song a different flavor which often adds to the overall sound. I just wasn't feeling this one on the first listen, but I will definitely give it another spin later today when I have time and access to better speakers. :biggrin:
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I'm looking forward to this/these album(s) so damn much. I was trying to only listen to the singles once or twice but I am becoming addicted. Oh well on Feb 5 there will still be plenty of new music I suppose lol.
I normally strongly prefer the more "Neal-y" stuff, and at first was like "meh" on "The World We used to Know" but now that I've heard that a few times I absolutely love it. Wasn't hugely impressed with today's new song, but I'm letting that roll off as it's 4 or so minutes of a 90 minute album so I'm sure it will be better in context. I had to make a conscious decision to quit listening to "Reaching For the Sky" so I don't overlisten to it before release. What an amazing song!
As far as the whole albums, I still plan on (or at least trying to) only listening to the abridged album for a while and getting pretty accustomed to that. And then some time later introducing myself to the extended one. Even though I pre-ordered both. I already requested a couple days off the week after the release date so I can really get into it. I think I always take a vacation day to listen to new Neal related albums haha.
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Love the 2 singles so far... this is going to be sooo good :metal
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Love the 2 singles so far... this is going to be sooo good :metal
Which two? There are three... ;)
-Marc.
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Love the 2 singles so far... this is going to be sooo good :metal
Which two? There are three... ;)
-Marc.
Somehow I missed the second one too!
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This last one was great, I thought, and Mike's vocal totally worked for me.
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I will listen again later, but pretty underwhelmed by the song, and I hate to be "that guy" again, but it's the vocals. Mike Portnoy has actually improved as a vocalist over the years, but his voice still isn't strong enough to carry a song like that. He actually sounds better singing lead on the softer more melodic stuff, as his non-strong voice can give it a weary feel that can sound nice, like on the A Salty Dog cover or the Fool in My Heart verses (Flying Colors), but the aggressive stuff he tries rarely works well at all.
Agreed in all accounts. I have never liked the MP as a singer, and I probably never will. It's not that he is not doing his best, it's just that I don't like his singing voice - his timbre if you will. As my good friend KevShmev says, I'll take his more "mellow" side (like Repentance on the live Flying Colors release) over his "ballsy" metal voice any day of the week which I've always found to be very forced. I remember quite vividly that he once said that singing is not always about the "range" but the emotion one prints into song, and even though I kinda get his point it's a really limiting perspective. If the only chord I learn to play in guitar is Em and I find ways to play it very "emotionally" (whatever that means, given something might be emotional to me and not to someone else), that doesn't make me a good guitarist. Emotion and interpretation usually come hand in hand with technique and craft, so there's that.
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I think the albums as a whole work really well, and I am still debating if these are my favs among their discography or not, I love them from start to finish. And I just can't wait until I have them in my hands!
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I've decided on the Forevermore version first, having heard the birthing process. Then will be interesting to hear what Neal did with it to create the single disc.
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I will listen again later, but pretty underwhelmed by the song, and I hate to be "that guy" again, but it's the vocals. Mike Portnoy has actually improved as a vocalist over the years, but his voice still isn't strong enough to carry a song like that. He actually sounds better singing lead on the softer more melodic stuff, as his non-strong voice can give it a weary feel that can sound nice, like on the A Salty Dog cover or the Fool in My Heart verses (Flying Colors), but the aggressive stuff he tries rarely works well at all.
Agreed in all accounts. I have never liked the MP as a singer, and I probably never will. It's not that he is not doing his best, it's just that I don't like his singing voice - his timbre if you will. As my good friend KevShmev says, I'll take his more "mellow" side (like Repentance on the live Flying Colors release) over his "ballsy" metal voice any day of the week which I've always found to be very forced. I remember quite vividly that he once said that singing is not always about the "range" but the emotion one prints into song, and even though I kinda get his point it's a really limiting perspective. If the only chord I learn to play in guitar is Em and I find ways to play it very "emotionally" (whatever that means, given something might be emotional to me and not to someone else), that doesn't make me a good guitarist. Emotion and interpretation usually come hand in hand with technique and craft, so there's that.
I think Mike's voice is a spice, to be added to complement the other singers in his bands. I view him like I do Chris Squire or Pete Trewavas or Keith Richards, not a voice to carry a band, but a little break from the main event. I too prefer his mellow voice over the "ballsy metal voice" (the former is cumin, or saffron, a little pinch goes a long way, the latter is ghost peppers; if that's your thing so be it, but if I never eat a ghost pepper for the rest of my life, I'll have no complaints).
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So I listened to/watched all three singles on YouTube this morning, and I'm already picking up on some recurring themes, and that gets me more excited for the album.
I've decided on the Forevermore version first, having heard the birthing process. Then will be interesting to hear what Neal did with it to create the single disc.
This is the approach I will be taking as well. I'll probably listen to Forevermore almost exclusively at first, maybe for a week or two or three, and get really into the meat of it. Once I feel like I've got a bit of a handle on that, I'll begin listening to The Breath Of Life. I think I might save the BD 5.1 mix until a little later, or maybe I'll watch it in-between both versions, since it'll have most of Forevermore on it anyway it seems.
-Marc.
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At their age, I don't see them doing a show longer than 180 minutes, especially for an extended tour, so more than half of their show would be TAU, with less than 80 minutes of music from their previous 4 albums (so... 3 or 4 songs lol).
To the best of my memory, having seen the last two shows in Chicago, they played a solid 3 hours on the Whirlwind tour, and closer to 2 and a half on the Kaleidoscope tour. Given all the new material I'd hope they'd go back to 3 hours, but they aren't getting any younger either.
Having seen all of them I still think the Whirlwind Tour was the best they ever did.
Hard to say if something like THAT would ever happen again. Might be approaching medley territory.
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I need to decide which (if any) of these to pre-order. Since it was announced, I find my interest in sifting through 3 CDs worth of music waning. I want to support the band, but I’ve hardly gone back to The Whirlwind since I finally got it this summer. I might just start with the one-disc and see how I feel about it.
Finally sucked it up and ordered The Ultimate Edition a few days ago. My other option was the 2 CDs and the Bluray. I figured there wasn't going to be a tour for this anytime soon so I went for it in a moment of weakness.
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I think for fans who discovered the band before 2009 were probably more likely to love The Whirlwind than those who discovered the hand after the fact, mostly because TW came after nearly a decade long wait after BAF. I became a fan around 2005, so my wait for a new album was only 4-5 years, but even with high expectations, they still managed to release an album that blew me away.
-Marc.
I wasn't all that thrilled with it until I saw it live but it definitely grew on me after that. The two live albums from the tour are top notch.
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I will listen again later, but pretty underwhelmed by the song, and I hate to be "that guy" again, but it's the vocals. Mike Portnoy has actually improved as a vocalist over the years, but his voice still isn't strong enough to carry a song like that. He actually sounds better singing lead on the softer more melodic stuff, as his non-strong voice can give it a weary feel that can sound nice, like on the A Salty Dog cover or the Fool in My Heart verses (Flying Colors), but the aggressive stuff he tries rarely works well at all.
Agreed in all accounts. I have never liked the MP as a singer, and I probably never will. It's not that he is not doing his best, it's just that I don't like his singing voice - his timbre if you will. As my good friend KevShmev says, I'll take his more "mellow" side (like Repentance on the live Flying Colors release) over his "ballsy" metal voice any day of the week which I've always found to be very forced. I remember quite vividly that he once said that singing is not always about the "range" but the emotion one prints into song, and even though I kinda get his point it's a really limiting perspective. If the only chord I learn to play in guitar is Em and I find ways to play it very "emotionally" (whatever that means, given something might be emotional to me and not to someone else), that doesn't make me a good guitarist. Emotion and interpretation usually come hand in hand with technique and craft, so there's that.
I get what you mean. And to reiterate, I do think Portnoy has improved as a singer, but like you alluded to, his natural singing voice and timbre aren't great, so he is doing the best with what he was given. Not all of us are born with the pipes to belt it out (I sure wasn't :lol). Like all art, you put it out there and some of sticks to landing and some of it does not, and that is definitely the case with his vocals. Sometimes, they work, and other times, they do not. I would cite albums like The Whirlwind and The Similitude of a Dream as good examples of albums where his lead vocals were kept to a minimum, but both times were very effective and worked well (the bridge in Out of the Night, the chorus in Set Us Free and the verses in Draw the Line).
And to be even more fair and be a little more positive, the choruses in the "Walk Away" section of Duel with the Devil are some of my favorite parts of the Bridge Across Forever album, where he does the call and response with both Neal (first chorus) and Roine (second chorus). His voice is very effective when doing simple and more mellow stuff like that.
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That's it. On the main page when you search for "Transatlantic Live In America" it's more clear. $902 dollars. Hell, I'll sell you mine for $500; what a bargain! ;)
Some oligarch is going to think that's a steal!
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Got to say that I’m not in love with any of the songs released thus far. If I wasn’t already a fan, I would probably have no interest in buying it based on the singles alone. I’m still fairly confident I’ll like the album as a whole as I like all the others but am a little concerned with an earlier comment where it’s suggested that vocals are shared fairly equally amongst the four of them. That would be a big concern for me if it’s true. I’m not a fan of Mike as a lead vocalist at all. He can hold a tune just about but is utterly unremarkable as a vocalist. Pete has a pleasant voice and is ok in small doses if they pick the right moments to suit his voice but I really want to hear Neal and Roine taking most of the lead vocals and am hoping I misunderstood what the earlier poster is saying.
I’m still excited for this as it’s new TA but, if the singles were supposed to hype me up further, they’ve failed in that regard as they have done the opposite.
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Got to say that I’m not in love with any of the songs released thus far. If I wasn’t already a fan, I would probably have no interest in buying it based on the singles alone. I’m still fairly confident I’ll like the album as a whole as I like all the others but am a little concerned with an earlier comment where it’s suggested that vocals are shared fairly equally amongst the four of them. That would be a big concern for me if it’s true. I’m not a fan of Mike as a lead vocalist at all. He can hold a tune just about but is utterly unremarkable as a vocalist. Pete has a pleasant voice and is ok in small doses if they pick the right moments to suit his voice but I really want to hear Neal and Roine taking most of the lead vocals and am hoping I misunderstood what the earlier poster is saying.
I’m still excited for this as it’s new TA but, if the singles were supposed to hype me up further, they’ve failed in that regard as they have done the opposite.
I cannot recall what the exact breakdown is on the lead vocals, but I would suspect that Neal still does the most, Roine does the second most by a wide distance, and then the other two do just the occasional lead vocal. That was the balance on the last three TA albums and I can't imagine they would stray too far from that formula.
I get what you are saying about the singles not getting you excited about the album, and honestly if this was a new band I doubt I'd be wanting to buy the album on the strength of the three released songs so far, but TA has enough equity (woah, second time I am using that word in a post today :lol) built up to where they are an auto-buy for me. I have faith that the album will deliver once I hear the various versions in full.
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Not bagging on Mike at all...he bas earned his place in drumming history and can do as he pleases at this point. Having said that, as a listener and long time fan, I've not heard a single new fill or approach in any of the 3 songs. Almost everything is a left to right, roll type of fill, or his signature feet/ hand combination fills-- also mostly left to right. Does he serve the songs well? Yep. Is he dead on the click? Yep. He does everything he should and yet it doesn't draw me in like it used to. My problem not his. I miss the days when he blew my mind with every new album.
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Not bagging on Mike at all...he bas earned his place in drumming history and can do as he pleases at this point. Having said that, as a listener and long time fan, I've not heard a single new fill or approach in any of the 3 songs. Almost everything is a left to right, roll type of fill, or his signature feet/ hand combination fills-- also mostly left to right. Does he serve the songs well? Yep. Is he dead on the click? Yep. He does everything he should and yet it doesn't draw me in like it used to. My problem not his. I miss the days when he blew my mind with every new album.
I’d like to hear him bring back auxiliary percussion (octobans, tambourine, cowbell, timbales) and incorporate them into grooves. He did it on FII and it gave the drumming on that album a unique and exotic flavor. But I don’t think he’s interested in breaking new ground and just wants to do his thing to get done recording as quick as possible.
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I think he's more interested into the overall product than proving himself with his playing.
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I quite enjoyed the instrumental for the new single. I think what's not doing it for me are some of the vocal melodies, most of them are just not quite memorable. Portnoy's vocal section also could have gone down wayyyy worse, though it does overstay its welcome a tad. I think his voice is more appreciable in doses, or when they're meant to accent the songs he appears on.
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Got to say that I’m not in love with any of the songs released thus far. If I wasn’t already a fan, I would probably have no interest in buying it based on the singles alone. I’m still fairly confident I’ll like the album as a whole as I like all the others but am a little concerned with an earlier comment where it’s suggested that vocals are shared fairly equally amongst the four of them. That would be a big concern for me if it’s true. I’m not a fan of Mike as a lead vocalist at all. He can hold a tune just about but is utterly unremarkable as a vocalist. Pete has a pleasant voice and is ok in small doses if they pick the right moments to suit his voice but I really want to hear Neal and Roine taking most of the lead vocals and am hoping I misunderstood what the earlier poster is saying.
I’m still excited for this as it’s new TA but, if the singles were supposed to hype me up further, they’ve failed in that regard as they have done the opposite.
I cannot recall what the exact breakdown is on the lead vocals, but I would suspect that Neal still does the most, Roine does the second most by a wide distance, and then the other two do just the occasional lead vocal. That was the balance on the last three TA albums and I can't imagine they would stray too far from that formula.
Yeah, that's basically right, I think. I kind of "feel" like Neal and Roine are close, but Neal probably has more than I realize. But, yeah, Mike and Pete are far distant to the other two. I mean, there are still heavily present in the harmonies and the call/response parts, but so are Neal and Roine. Not sure who said the vocals are divided "equally." I don't recall reading that, but if somebody did say that, it isn't accurate.
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I quite enjoyed the instrumental for the new single. I think what's not doing it for me are some of the vocal melodies, most of them are just not quite memorable. Portnoy's vocal section also could have gone down wayyyy worse, though it does overstay its welcome a tad. I think his voice is more appreciable in doses, or when they're meant to accent the songs he appears on.
It's not like they've been around for 50 years but I'm not expecting super-fresh "songs" (i mean the singing parts rather than the jams) from this release, given how much material they've already done, and how largely similar it all is. They're not remotely progressive afaic, but I'm just hoping for another quality release. (Or two in this case)
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Not bagging on Mike at all...he bas earned his place in drumming history and can do as he pleases at this point. Having said that, as a listener and long time fan, I've not heard a single new fill or approach in any of the 3 songs. Almost everything is a left to right, roll type of fill, or his signature feet/ hand combination fills-- also mostly left to right. Does he serve the songs well? Yep. Is he dead on the click? Yep. He does everything he should and yet it doesn't draw me in like it used to. My problem not his. I miss the days when he blew my mind with every new album.
I think this is probably inevitable with just about any artist. I mean, no musician is going to be able to blow your mind on every album. After the very mediocre Kaleidoscope my expectations for this album are very, VERY low.
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Oh, and I absolutely love Mike Portnoy's drumming, but his voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
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Got to say that I’m not in love with any of the songs released thus far. If I wasn’t already a fan, I would probably have no interest in buying it based on the singles alone. I’m still fairly confident I’ll like the album as a whole as I like all the others but am a little concerned with an earlier comment where it’s suggested that vocals are shared fairly equally amongst the four of them. That would be a big concern for me if it’s true. I’m not a fan of Mike as a lead vocalist at all. He can hold a tune just about but is utterly unremarkable as a vocalist. Pete has a pleasant voice and is ok in small doses if they pick the right moments to suit his voice but I really want to hear Neal and Roine taking most of the lead vocals and am hoping I misunderstood what the earlier poster is saying.
I’m still excited for this as it’s new TA but, if the singles were supposed to hype me up further, they’ve failed in that regard as they have done the opposite.
I cannot recall what the exact breakdown is on the lead vocals, but I would suspect that Neal still does the most, Roine does the second most by a wide distance, and then the other two do just the occasional lead vocal. That was the balance on the last three TA albums and I can't imagine they would stray too far from that formula.
Yeah, that's basically right, I think. I kind of "feel" like Neal and Roine are close, but Neal probably has more than I realize. But, yeah, Mike and Pete are far distant to the other two. I mean, there are still heavily present in the harmonies and the call/response parts, but so are Neal and Roine. Not sure who said the vocals are divided "equally." I don't recall reading that, but if somebody did say that, it isn't accurate.
That’s good to hear. The post didn’t say exactly that they were divided equally which is why I said that I was hoping that I was misinterpreting it. What Fritzinger said at the top of the previous page was “finally it feels like the four are (almost) equal singers in the band”.
I’m totally down for them being in harmonies and having moments (particularly Pete) like they always have done.
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TheProg Report reviews:
Their look at Transatlantic's The Absolute Universe, a release so big it required two reviews. Find them here:
The Breath of Life: https://progreport.com/transatlantic-the-absolute-universe-the-breath-of-life-album-review/
Forevermore: https://progreport.com/transatlantic-the-absolute-universe-forevermore-album-review/
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More great reviews!
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BTW I have an audio BOOTLEG of the show of TA in Mexico City, Feb 11th, 2014. If anyone wants it let me know. It's not from the console but it sounds pretty decent.
(https://i.ibb.co/3Nz9c12/TA.png)
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Yes please.
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I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Looks like I was heading in the right direction with this...
Anyway, I'll buy the complete edition anyway. I just hope this really was because they wanted to try something new and not because there's a rift between the band and Neal that could have only been overcome with something like this.
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Didn’t I see an interview with Mike where he said that the longer version is more Roine’s baby and Neal is more about the shorter one?
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Didn’t I see an interview with Mike where he said that the longer version is more Roine’s baby and Neal is more about the shorter one?
Pretty much confirmed by the prog report reviews as well.
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Didn’t I see an interview with Mike where he said that the longer version is more Roine’s baby and Neal is more about the shorter one?
Pretty much confirmed by the prog report reviews as well.
But that's the exact opposite of what you just posted above
I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Looks like I was heading in the right direction with this...
Anyway, I'll buy the complete edition anyway. I just hope this really was because they wanted to try something new and not because there's a rift between the band and Neal that could have only been overcome with something like this.
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From MP FB page:
Transatlantic fans! Here’s something to breathe some life into your Zoom chats. Pre-save ’The Absolute Universe: The Breath of Life” on Spotify and get 2 Zoom virtual backgrounds to download featuring ’The Breath of Life’ and ‘Forevermore' album covers. Get them here: https://forms.sonymusicfans.com/campaign/transatlantic_theabsoluteuniverse_presave/
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So, apparently Zoom backgrounds are the 2021 version of the "mousepad". :) :)
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I’m just sitting here wondering what it means to “pre-save” something on Spotify. Like, I can conceptualize it, but what is the value to either to the band or Spotify?
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Didn’t I see an interview with Mike where he said that the longer version is more Roine’s baby and Neal is more about the shorter one?
Pretty much confirmed by the prog report reviews as well.
But that's the exact opposite of what you just posted above
I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Looks like I was heading in the right direction with this...
Anyway, I'll buy the complete edition anyway. I just hope this really was because they wanted to try something new and not because there's a rift between the band and Neal that could have only been overcome with something like this.
Right - The Breath Of Life is, more or less, Neal's version of the album, with Forevermore (the originally conceived version) having more of Roine's touch, and the 5.1 Ultimate Mix being spearheaded by Mike. I think the Abridged version might have MORE Neal, especially since he wrote a new song for it, and the lyrics and vocalists were changed around on some songs, so if you want a less-Neal-focused version of the album, definitely go for Forevermore or the Ultimate Edition 5.1 mix.
I’m just sitting here wondering what it means to “pre-save” something on Spotify. Like, I can conceptualize it, but what is the value to either to the band or Spotify?
I'm not sure. I guess it's like a digital pre-order? I don't do Spotify myself, so I'm not sure what the benefit really is, other than free Zoom backgrounds (but I don't do Zoom either, so I'm definitely not the target audience at all here).
BTW I have an audio BOOTLEG of the show of TA in Mexico City, Feb 11th, 2014. If anyone wants it let me know. It's not from the console but it sounds pretty decent.
(https://i.ibb.co/3Nz9c12/TA.png)
Sure! I'd be interested, I didn't realize they played BAF on the tour, and this show had Gildenlow too?! Very nice!
-Marc.
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Didn’t I see an interview with Mike where he said that the longer version is more Roine’s baby and Neal is more about the shorter one?
Pretty much confirmed by the prog report reviews as well.
But that's the exact opposite of what you just posted above
I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Looks like I was heading in the right direction with this...
Anyway, I'll buy the complete edition anyway. I just hope this really was because they wanted to try something new and not because there's a rift between the band and Neal that could have only been overcome with something like this.
Right - The Breath Of Life is, more or less, Neal's version of the album, with Forevermore (the originally conceived version) having more of Roine's touch, and the 5.1 Ultimate Mix being spearheaded by Mike. I think the Abridged version might have MORE Neal, especially since he wrote a new song for it, and the lyrics and vocalists were changed around on some songs, so if you want a less-Neal-focused version of the album, definitely go for Forevermore or the Ultimate Edition 5.1 mix.
I’m just sitting here wondering what it means to “pre-save” something on Spotify. Like, I can conceptualize it, but what is the value to either to the band or Spotify?
I'm not sure. I guess it's like a digital pre-order? I don't do Spotify myself, so I'm not sure what the benefit really is, other than free Zoom backgrounds (but I don't do Zoom either, so I'm definitely not the target audience at all here).
BTW I have an audio BOOTLEG of the show of TA in Mexico City, Feb 11th, 2014. If anyone wants it let me know. It's not from the console but it sounds pretty decent.
(https://i.ibb.co/3Nz9c12/TA.png)
Sure! I'd be interested, I didn't realize they played BAF on the tour, and this show had Gildenlow too?! Very nice!
-Marc.
Yes. They played BAF.
DG was not on the tour. The image was taken from the official poster, by that time it was still unknown if Daniel would recover or not on time to tour with the band.
Check your PMs. I just sent you the file.
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Yes. They played BAF.
DG was not on the tour. The image was taken from the official poster, by that time it was still unknown if Daniel would recover or not on time to tour with the band.
Check your PMs. I just sent you the file.
Ahh okay, a bit of accidental false-advertising. Looking at Setlist.fm, it seems that they played BAF only twice out of the whole tour! Guess they got an extra special show in Mexico.
Also, now I'm looking at the NY show at the Highline Ballroom, and I had no idea they played all those Beatles covers!! Would love to see some of that!
-Marc.
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Yes. They played BAF.
DG was not on the tour. The image was taken from the official poster, by that time it was still unknown if Daniel would recover or not on time to tour with the band.
Check your PMs. I just sent you the file.
Ahh okay, a bit of accidental false-advertising. Looking at Setlist.fm, it seems that they played BAF only twice out of the whole tour! Guess they got an extra special show in Mexico.
Also, now I'm looking at the NY show at the Highline Ballroom, and I had no idea they played all those Beatles covers!! Would love to see some of that!
-Marc.
Yeah! I think that was due to being the first time the band playing in there. I was fortunate to witness it!
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Yes. They played BAF.
DG was not on the tour. The image was taken from the official poster, by that time it was still unknown if Daniel would recover or not on time to tour with the band.
Check your PMs. I just sent you the file.
Ahh okay, a bit of accidental false-advertising. Looking at Setlist.fm, it seems that they played BAF only twice out of the whole tour! Guess they got an extra special show in Mexico.
Also, now I'm looking at the NY show at the Highline Ballroom, and I had no idea they played all those Beatles covers!! Would love to see some of that!
-Marc.
Yeah! I think that was due to being the first time the band playing in there. I was fortunate to witness it!
Looking at the Setlist.fm page for the show, and listening to a bit of the bootleg, it sounds like Neal had some keyboard malfunctions when they started playing "Black As The Sky" and so to buy some time, he picked up an acoustic guitar and played "Bridge Across Forever".
A similar issue happened in NYC when Pete's bass broke during the beginning of "All Of The Above" and they bust out a few extra Beatles covers before resuming the rest of the encore.
I guess I just never paid much attention to the night-to-night details of the Kaleidoscope tour, but it seems like they definitely had their work cut out for them!
-Marc.
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I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Looks like I was heading in the right direction with this...
:lol Um...no, not at all.
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Just posted: Mike Portnoy Drum & Vox Cam for Transatlantic's Looking For The Light (Video Edit) (Headphone Mix)
Left Speaker: Full Band Mix
Right Speaker: Isolated MP Drums & Vox
From the upcoming Transatlantic Album(s) The Absolute Universe
https://youtu.be/ulRXGYDcKsY
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I really enjoy that song now that I've heard it a few times. Mike does a very good job on vocals.
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I liked it more on the second listen, but like the other early "singles," I won't go back to it until the album is out, all 33 versions. :lol I don't want to overplay any of the songs prior to getting the whole thing, and it's not much longer... :hat :hat
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These just in at Radiant!! Order now at http://ow.ly/SqrK30rtuju
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/139639300_10159378065161416_4334773609239498886_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=2&_nc_sid=da1649&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=jJJSLz6CJ1sAX8O5Xod&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=087911fa77c32ca897610193df489798&oe=602D6BD0)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKQ563dHB7E/
Roine got his in as well!
It's so close!!!
-Marc.
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:caffeine: Even though I have heard it many times now, I want to own it. And even after a pretty sizable Christmas music haul, I am still "behind" and have a number of items I am looking forward to as part of a late-February haul when Evergrey's new album comes out, including both versions of TAU.
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I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Looks like I was heading in the right direction with this...
:lol Um...no, not at all.
Care to elaborate?
I'm not seeing much that can convince me that one of these albums is deliberately less "Christian rock" than the other.
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Going to be a fun listen when all 3 versions of the album arrive. I'm already in the TA listening mode and this should be a fun listen either way.
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I'm calling it right now - someone in the band got tired of Neal's born-again lyrics and themes. I'm guessing that the shorter album cuts out or changes a good deal of Neal's religious content, and then the longer album is the Christian Rock Director's Cut. Time will tell...
Looks like I was heading in the right direction with this...
:lol Um...no, not at all.
Care to elaborate?
I'm not seeing much that can convince me that one of these albums is deliberately less "Christian rock" than the other.
Given that Neal was the one who suggested cutting down the original album and was eventually in charge of the shorter album, I doubt that the shorter album was put together to cut out a bunch of Neal's religious content :lol
Whether the shorter album is "more Christian" the the longer version, I don't know.
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Depends, if the stuff cut from his version was all this stuff that detracted from the same message that every other Neal album has.
TA are less Christian Rock than Neal solo because of the other voices at the table, even though the Neal contributions are still the same as they've always been. It is dillusion by addition, which would be lost if you started to cut out all the non-Neal stuff.
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I think Neal said in one of the interviews that his lyrics here are more about the concept selfishness and also re-wrote some of his stuff for The Breath of Life with the pandemic lockdown in mind.
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Exactly what Bill said. As other pointed out directly following your post, the information that has been released pretty much says the exact opposite of what you posted. The extended version, which was written pretty much the way they have always written, was written first between all members. The abridged version, which came from Neal, was written afterward. Besides, the actual lyrics don't bear out your theory at all. It's just not what happened here. (not to mention that nobody in the band has ever said they had even the slightest problem with Neal's lyrics)
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So one album (the Neal one) is NOT more spiritual and explicitly Christian themed than the other one?
I mean, just look at the title.
If I'm wrong then I'll eat my words when my copy arrives, but it seems to me like people are rejecting the way I framed things in my initial observation, rather than whether there was any truth to it.
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People are rejecting what you said based on the fact that what the band has said is almost exactly 180 degrees from what you said. There is zero indication that there is any truth to what you said.
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All I want to know is if one of these albums is explicitly more Christian themed than the other. From what I have read, that seems exactly to be the case. And when I mentioned that my previous post was going in the right direction, I just meant my initial observation from months ago that one of these albums would be heavier on the Christian themes. As to what I said about it being because of some disagreement in the band, I have never said that was anything other than my speculation. But I really can't imagine why anybody would do an album like this if they had been able to come to some kind of compromise instead. For what it's worth, I think it's a novel concept to let two different people produce the same album and release it at once. But I am also pretty confident that it's an experiment not worth repeating - though I hope I'm wrong.
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If anything, TBOL might be LESS spiritual because I believe Neal edited out at least 2 of his compositions from the Forevermore version. He's stated in interviews that when he went to edit the album, he did so pretty fairly, taking out bits from each member's contributions, which I believe include at least two songs by Neal. Those with the album already can probably confirm this.
-Marc.
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All I want to know is if one of these albums is explicitly more Christian themed than the other. From what I have read, that seems exactly to be the case.
"Explicitly?" I wouldn't say that. Granted, I haven't sat down and gone through the lyrics with a fine-toothed comb. But I don't really get a sense of that being the case from the listens I did (and I had to listen quite a few times to be able to review the albums). But there also aren't really that many lyrics that were changed either. I'm curious what you read that is giving you that impression.
But I really can't imagine why anybody would do an album like this if they had been able to come to some kind of compromise instead.
Well, they pretty much explained what happened. They ALL wrote this as a double album, and even Neal was completely on board and advocating that during the initial writing sessions. It wasn't until several months later after he had done Morsefest, some other gigs, and a vacation, and turned back to the album that he felt the music wasn't working for him. So he cut it down. As he was messing around with a late cutting, he also felt that with the new arrangement, the build-up to the end felt off, so he wrote another short piece the bridge that gap. Then he presented it, and somebody else (we don't know who, other than the fact that it wasn't Roine--I can't decide whether I think Pete or Mike is more likely) also liked the shorter version better. They debated it, and decided to do both after Portnoy suggested it. Then they got label approval. THEN Neal rewrote some lyrics. But, in short, the reason was that Neal began to feel that the music didn't flow as well when it was a double album, and he thought that something more concise worked better. It kind of makes sense when you think about the fact that three of his most recent works, Similitude, JCTE, and The Great Adventure, were monster double albums, and then he went and did Sola Gratia, which was much more concise (by his standards, anyway) right before turning back to the TA album and feeling it was too long.
For what it's worth, I think it's a novel concept to let two different people produce the same album and release it at once.
For sure, except that you can't really say it was "two different people producing the same album." The entire band wrote the first one and was on board with it initially. Then Roine and either Pete or Mike advocated heavily for keeping it a double after the alternative cut was presented. And, as I understand it, it was a 2/2 split as to which was preferred.
If anything, TBOL might be LESS spiritual because I believe Neal edited out at least 2 of his compositions from the Forevermore version. He's stated in interviews that when he went to edit the album, he did so pretty fairly, taking out bits from each member's contributions, which I believe include at least two songs by Neal. Those with the album already can probably confirm this.
-Marc.
Yeah, the two that jump out at me are Bully and Rainbow Sky. Bully is a Neal lead vocal song, but as far as the musical contribution, I'm not sure. Rainbow Sky was primarily Neal on the music side, according to Roine (although the two of them share the lead vocal). I remember Roine saying he thought it was one of the best songs on the album, and was bummed that Neal cut it from the Breath of Life version of the album, whereas Neal thought it was one of the weaker songs (or maybe Neal said that, actually--I don't remember for sure).
An interesting song for this particular discussion is Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore version)/Take Now My Soul (Breath of Life version). What is interesting to me is that both are pretty religious in terms of the lyrics. But yet, they are completely different, lyrically. I wouldn't say that either is blatantly more religious than the other.
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Roine thought Rainbow Sky is one of the best songs on the album? That's weird. I think this song is by far the least interesting on the record. And it (and Bully) actually intervenes with the flow a little for me, I think it would have been better if Sing High would have flown into Looking For The Light directly.
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What Bosk1 has described it certainly more interesting than what I had been thinking, and I'm glad to hear that the shorter album is still somewhat of a collaborative effort. Neal is, I'm sure, a good guy, but his way of evangelizing it's pretty much the opposite of how I respond to my own faith, and generally leaves me feeling pretty cold.
I don't remember exactly, but I believe it was the Prog Report which gave me the impression that the shorter album was more like a Neal album.
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I don't remember exactly, but I believe it was the Prog Report which gave me the impression that the shorter album was more like a Neal album.
It is a "Neal album" in the sense of him being the one who took everybody's contributions and cutting it all into the basic version of the album he thought it should be (similar in some respects to how he took the music NMB wrote together for what would become TGE, but at the time was something else, and he had a change of heart and recut it into something different on his own and presented it to the band--although that was the opposite direction in terms of length, being originally a single album that he extended into a double). But, at least to me, it doesn't really come across as a "Neal album" in terms of being dominated by the lyrical themes from his solo albums.
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Yeah, the two that jump out at me are Bully and Rainbow Sky. Bully is a Neal lead vocal song, but as far as the musical contribution, I'm not sure. Rainbow Sky was primarily Neal on the music side, according to Roine (although the two of them share the lead vocal). I remember Roine saying he thought it was one of the best songs on the album, and was bummed that Neal cut it from the Breath of Life version of the album, whereas Neal thought it was one of the weaker songs (or maybe Neal said that, actually--I don't remember for sure).
An interesting song for this particular discussion is Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore version)/Take Now My Soul (Breath of Life version). What is interesting to me is that both are pretty religious in terms of the lyrics. But yet, they are completely different, lyrically. I wouldn't say that either is blatantly more religious than the other.
If anyone is curious, I managed to screen-cap the TA5 Sessions whiteboard that Mike "accidentally" showed in his Instagram story, and here's what I could pick out:
-At the top, it says "TA5 - Off The Grid", which could be a working title?
-Pete has 3 ideas titled "Sun Comes Up", "Genesis Bit", and "World End"
-On the far right, there's a part that says "Need in Overture", with two items under it: "Big Theme" and "Love? (something)"
-Mike has one idea, simply titled "Mowwww"
-Roine has at least 8 items under his name, two of which have red check marks beside them (possibly because they have already been used). From top to bottom, the ones I can make out are "Hogwarts"(maybe?), "The Samuraij" (?), "Out Again", "Hiking", "Folklore", "Black Swan", "Igorte"(?) and "Escape", with the first and last of those getting aforementioned checks.
-The far left of the whiteboard was a bit too blurry on my screen caps, but I think it's safe to say these are Neal's ideas, even though I cannot read his name anywhere on there, but it appears four of those ideas have red check marks beside them.
-Of these 9 or 10 ideas on the far left, I can make out "Overture", "Bally" or "Rally", "Rainbow ____"?, and "Westward Baby".
I'm sure Neal or Mike will release a full picture of this whiteboard at SOME point. At the very least, one of them will include in the Making Of "TA5" bonus DVD that comes with the Special Edition of the album next year. It seems like they have no shortage of ideas this time, and as usual, I am sure they are writing some new stuff as they jam along. Seeing them in these sessions really makes me want to rewatch the Making Of The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope documentaries!!
-Marc.
I can't believe I haven't gone back and looked at this since the press release a few weeks ago, but let's finally look at what song titles made it over to the final track list!
From Pete's ideas, we've got 'The Sun Comes Up Today" opening the 2nd CD of Forevermore. "Genesis Bit" was obviously a placeholder, and both "World" and "End" feature in separate song titles, so it's hard to say which song this idea might have become.
"Love Made A Way" seems like the idea that was just listed as "Love".
Roine's ideas all have names that don't seem to translate well to any of the finalized track names, but "Black Swan" must have been passed on because the latest Flower Kings album has a song with that title, so it's possible he saved it and reworked it for TFK.
Of Neal's ideas, of course we get another Overture, but it looks like "Bully" was the word I could barely make out, as well as "Rainbow Sky", both of which are back-to-back on Forevermore. Not sure where "Westward Baby" ended up though.
Can't wait to watch the Making Of Documentary for this one just to see how they eventually pieced together the initial double album!
-Marc.
Looking back at this post from earlier in the thread, it seems that both "Bully" and "Rainbow Sky" were originally Neal ideas, and in fact, the titles weren't even changed from the demoing stage.
-Marc.
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IDK if this one was posted.
Interview with Pete:
https://youtu.be/wxhRQZTmm9o
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Getting pretty excited about TAU, less than 2 weeks til release date.
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From Pete on Facebook earlier:
(https://www.facebook.com/100003550398095/posts/3495140193947626/)
Absolute Universe stand alone Blu-ray’s are in. Our stock is starting to arrive at Racket.
Most things are still available.
Transatlantic
http://www.marillion.com/shop/
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/140306226_3495140177280961_1168513967322008339_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8024bb&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=W1VOYOsSv7YAX9C6A0s&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=0af936e92fc25da5f91fa66d8b4140ad&oe=6033A4E8)
In case anyone wanted to see what the standalone BD looked like!
-Marc.
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IDK if this one was posted.
Interview with Pete:
https://youtu.be/wxhRQZTmm9o
It's AN interview with Pete, but I don't think it's THE interview with Pete that's part of the official IO series with the other members. Unless it is, in which case it's strange that this got posted not on the official IO channel.
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Nice! I still wish they would have just done a simple digipack bundle that has both versions of the album on CD, and then the BD as a bonus disk. But I'm not complaining.
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Nice! I still wish they would have just done a simple digipack bundle that has both versions of the album on CD, and then the BD as a bonus disk. But I'm not complaining.
Maybe they couldn't agree on the artwork either. Personally, without having heard any of the music yet, I think the Ultimate Edition cover is THE album cover, since the theme seems to be outer space. The other 2 are cool, I think they look more like what could have been found inside this hypothetical 4-disc digipak to represent each version.
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Gotta say, happy to see proper packaging. I don't know, for some reason my expectation is that I would get the blu-ray in a paper sleeve from Radiant and that's it. I honestly didn't expect packaging as this was a last second, fan demanded thing.
Now, of course, I'll complain just a little. I wish it was CD sized so it could sit on my shelf next to the other versions, but that's a small thing.
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Holy shit! I just watched the "Looking for the Light" video. I am psyched.
I do not pre-order, so I still have time to decide some things, and of course more options may present themselves. But I am psyched.
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From Mike on FB: (https://www.facebook.com/100044540401846/posts/257286939099318/)
I know everybody is still buzzing from the new LTE video and it’s upcoming release at the end of March, but let’s not forget we have this EPIC release coming in less than 2 weeks! ABSOLUTEly one of the greatest musical achievements of my career! Physical copies have just arrived at the Portnoy House... Transatlantic #TA5 #TheAbsoluteuniVerse
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/140578675_257286909099321_250823361602574860_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=2&_nc_sid=110474&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=2SKdGUQC6hEAX_nFwxj&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=41cfd5dfeae4dbae165dfe83c29acfb6&oe=60321C19)
Less than two weeks and I'm getting antsy waiting for it!
Interesting to note that it looks like Mike's copies of TBOL are digipaks whereas Neal had his in jewel cases. I'm assuming Mike got his order from Inside Out Europe as they typically release in digipaks compared to the North American releases that will sometimes release in jewel cases.
-Marc.
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Here's the InsideOut interview with Pete:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPYdWgJiryY
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https://youtu.be/wDOG6fGZaEs
As for Pete's interviewer? I dunno, John Mitchell?
-Marc.
Here's the InsideOut interview with Pete:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPYdWgJiryY
Oooh, I called it! Very nice. I'm listening to it now. It's been good so far, a bit of "The History of TA through Pete's eyes", which is quite interesting because i feel like he's the least spoken-up about the band's history.
-Marc.
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So now we know: Pete was the other guy who was leaning toward a shorter album.
So putting the pieces together: They wrote and arranged it as the full, double album version that became Forevermore. Neal, Mike, and Roine wanted the longer version. Pete thought it best to cut it down, but was willing to go along with the crowd. Neal came back to the album after a few months of his gigging and vacation, and had a change of heart. He recut and rewrote it as a single album, and sent it to the rest of the band with the "Am I crazy?" email. Mike then made the suggestion of releasing both versions, so they ran it by the label and got the green light, and did both. And since it involved a lot of rewriting, they spent a few months re-recording and exchanging files, rewriting and re-singing lyrics, etc.
The timing also explains why more of the lyrics on the Breath of Life version tie into more of the events of 2020.
Also confirmed that the 5.1 "version" came from Mike sitting down with Rich Mouser and splicing together his favorites from each of the two albums. It does not have any additional content that doesn't appear on the two "official" versions.
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So now we know: Pete was the other guy who was leaning toward a shorter album.
So putting the pieces together: They wrote and arranged it as the full, double album version that became Forevermore. Neal, Mike, and Roine wanted the longer version. Pete thought it best to cut it down, but was willing to go along with the crowd. Neal came back to the album after a few months of his gigging and vacation, and had a change of heart. He recut and rewrote it as a single album, and sent it to the rest of the band with the "Am I crazy?" email. Mike then made the suggestion of releasing both versions, so they ran it by the label and got the green light, and did both. And since it involved a lot of rewriting, they spent a few months re-recording and exchanging files, rewriting and re-singing lyrics, etc.
The timing also explains why more of the lyrics on the Breath of Life version tie into more of the events of 2020.
Also confirmed that the 5.1 "version" came from Mike sitting down with Rich Mouser and splicing together his favorites from each of the two albums. It does not have any additional content that doesn't appear on the two "official" versions.
That's what I thought about the Blu-ray version. That it was just a splicing of both together, like what I would've done for both albums if they didn't do a Blu-Ray only release.
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Yeah, that is what it had initially sounded like. But the way Mike described it, it was just a bit vague as to whether there still might be some new bits sprinkled in as well.
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So now we know: Pete was the other guy who was leaning toward a shorter album.
So putting the pieces together: They wrote and arranged it as the full, double album version that became Forevermore. Neal, Mike, and Roine wanted the longer version. Pete thought it best to cut it down, but was willing to go along with the crowd. Neal came back to the album after a few months of his gigging and vacation, and had a change of heart. He recut and rewrote it as a single album, and sent it to the rest of the band with the "Am I crazy?" email. Mike then made the suggestion of releasing both versions, so they ran it by the label and got the green light, and did both. And since it involved a lot of rewriting, they spent a few months re-recording and exchanging files, rewriting and re-singing lyrics, etc.
The timing also explains why more of the lyrics on the Breath of Life version tie into more of the events of 2020.
Also confirmed that the 5.1 "version" came from Mike sitting down with Rich Mouser and splicing together his favorites from each of the two albums. It does not have any additional content that doesn't appear on the two "official" versions.
That's what I thought about the Blu-ray version. That it was just a splicing of both together, like what I would've done for both albums if they didn't do a Blu-Ray only release.
You probably could make your own "complete" version with all 19 tracks, but until someone has the BD in hand to listen to the 5.1 mix, we can't be too sure as to exactly HOW that version will sound. Based on song lengths, it does seem like the majority of the 5.1 mix is from Forevermore, but Mike may have mixed in bits from the TBOL versions into the Forevermore songs, like swapping around some of the vocals and lyrics. If that's the case, then it might be kind of difficult for anyone to make their own ultimate version from the stereo CDs that mimics the 5.1 mix. I would love to just get a stereo version of the 5.1 mix to listen to, but reading more and more interviews and reviews about TBOL, it seems like that the whole tone and attitude of the album is a bit different given that it was arranged in a mid-lockdown/COVID world.
The next ten days are going to be an excruciatingly long wait. I keep telling myself not to overplay the singles, but I watched all three on YouTube again last night after work, mostly because while I was at work, I found myself humming chorus to "Reaching For The Sky" and bits of "Looking For The Light". I'm excited to get all of these new melodies and rhythms stuck in my head for weeks, months, and years to come.
-Marc.
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Anyone else's copy of SMPTe look like this?
(https://img.discogs.com/IM9p48hQ34jlAyW0zkfLgrlCUoc=/fit-in/600x591/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1137177-1195041063.jpeg.jpg)
Yet everywhere I look, the one with the pink sky that Mike had in his new vinyl episode, is what seems like is the official art? I know it's not the Roine remix cover.
The next ten days are going to be an excruciatingly long wait. I keep telling myself not to overplay the singles, but I watched all three on YouTube again last night after work, mostly because while I was at work, I found myself humming chorus to "Reaching For The Sky" and bits of "Looking For The Light". I'm excited to get all of these new melodies and rhythms stuck in my head for weeks, months, and years to come.
-Marc.
I've done a pretty good job of not checking out the singles. I tend to over-listen to them and then get sick of them early on after the album comes out. It seems like everyone puts out 3-4 singles before album release now, it's annoying.
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Anyone else's copy of SMPTe look like this?
(https://img.discogs.com/IM9p48hQ34jlAyW0zkfLgrlCUoc=/fit-in/600x591/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1137177-1195041063.jpeg.jpg)
Yet everywhere I look, the one with the pink sky that Mike had in his new vinyl episode, is what seems like is the official art? I know it's not the Roine remix cover.
The pink cover was a response to Inside Out, who asked the band to release the album with a non-blue cover in Europe as IO had recently released a ton of albums with blue covers, so Europe got the pink cover instead, which I like more as it differentiates itself from BAF and gives.it it's own character. The NA release of the debut kept the blue cover though, but AFAIK, all subsequent versions of the album featured the pink cover (limited edition, vinyls). I assume the eventual vinyl reissue will also feature the pink cover.
-Marc.
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Mine has the blue cover.
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Mine is blue as well.
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Well, if you bought your SMPT:e from a North American seller, you were most likely to get the blue cover. I've got that version as well, but I also have the limited edition 2CD mediabook, which uses the pink cover.
(https://img.discogs.com/1vH57QdHEP1-41LVbNeBYcAJB_8=/fit-in/590x555/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2546439-1289828237.jpeg.jpg)
Image from Discogs - https://www.discogs.com/TransAtlantic-SMPTe/release/2546439
And of course, the Roine Stolt Mixes features a different cover with mostly red hues.
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ESlDETZU0yQ/WqA97LCGM7I/AAAAAAAAA4k/H4ekHtpddHEHQkNIisj3lHe_bNDSRl5NwCLcBGAs/s1600/2003%2B-%2BSMPTe%2B-%2BThe%2BRoine%2BStolt%2BMixes%2B%2528Compilacion%2529%2B02.jpg)
Leave it to Transatlantic to release an album with multiple covers with their debut, only to do it again 21 years later with actual different music behind the covers.
And speaking of TA albums, happy 7th anniversary to their last album Kaleidoscope!!! I'm gonna give it a spin tonight in honor of it's release seven years ago today!
-Marc.
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The pink cover was a response to Inside Out, who asked the bans to release the album with a non-blue cover in Europe as IO had recently released a ton of albums with blue covers, so Europe got the pink cover instead, which I like more as it differentiates itself from BAF and gives.it it's own character. The NA release of the debut kept the blue cover though, but AFAIK, all subsequent versions of the album featured the pink cover (limited edition, vinyls). I assume the eventual vinyl reissue will also feature the pink cover.
-Marc.
That is just nuts :lol
And a year later the label released two albums by two prog bands that featured almost the same cover AND the same name within two months :lol
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/SpocksBeardValbumcover.jpg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/SymphonyXV.jpg)
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The pink cover was a response to Inside Out, who asked the bans to release the album with a non-blue cover in Europe as IO had recently released a ton of albums with blue covers, so Europe got the pink cover instead, which I like more as it differentiates itself from BAF and gives.it it's own character. The NA release of the debut kept the blue cover though, but AFAIK, all subsequent versions of the album featured the pink cover (limited edition, vinyls). I assume the eventual vinyl reissue will also feature the pink cover.
-Marc.
That is just nuts :lol
And a year later the label released two albums by two prog bands that featured almost the same cover AND the same name within two months :lol
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/SpocksBeardValbumcover.jpg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/SymphonyXV.jpg)
Yeah the two V albums was awfully weird to be a coincidence.
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Apparently some folks, at least in Europe, are already receiving their copies of TAU from Roine's store, and some orders from Radiant have started shipping/getting their labels for shipment made.
Anyone here get shipment notification yet? I ordered from Laser CD, but nothing received yet. Seeing posts on FB of people with their albums is making me super jealous! The next 8 or so days are going to be tough to wait through!
-Marc.
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I ordered from both lasercd and radiant, no one has shipped so far.
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^same here
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I ordered from Roine and I haven't got either of my versions yet.
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My copy has shipped from Racket.
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Both of the versions arrived signed by Roine today
Damn all these meetings at work
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Lucky you getting a week early!
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Apparently some folks, at least in Europe, are already receiving their copies of TAU from Roine's store, and some orders from Radiant have started shipping/getting their labels for shipment made.
Anyone here get shipment notification yet? I ordered from Laser CD, but nothing received yet. Seeing posts on FB of people with their albums is making me super jealous! The next 8 or so days are going to be tough to wait through!
-Marc.
Ordered two of the special extra deluxe limited lavish extra quintuple vinyl box sets at Just For Kicks (one for me, one for a buddy), they haven't been shipped yet...
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Apparently some folks, at least in Europe, are already receiving their copies of TAU from Roine's store, and some orders from Radiant have started shipping/getting their labels for shipment made.
Anyone here get shipment notification yet? I ordered from Laser CD, but nothing received yet. Seeing posts on FB of people with their albums is making me super jealous! The next 8 or so days are going to be tough to wait through!
-Marc.
Ordered two of the special extra deluxe limited lavish extra quintuple vinyl box sets at Just For Kicks (one for me, one for a buddy), they haven't been shipped yet...
Good, but is it the prime golden magic super ultra megablaster with lasers and cherry on top edition?
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Apparently some folks, at least in Europe, are already receiving their copies of TAU from Roine's store, and some orders from Radiant have started shipping/getting their labels for shipment made.
Anyone here get shipment notification yet? I ordered from Laser CD, but nothing received yet. Seeing posts on FB of people with their albums is making me super jealous! The next 8 or so days are going to be tough to wait through!
-Marc.
Ordered two of the special extra deluxe limited lavish extra quintuple vinyl box sets at Just For Kicks (one for me, one for a buddy), they haven't been shipped yet...
Good, but is it the prime golden magic super ultra megablaster with lasers and cherry on top edition?
You know me Rodrigo, what do you think???
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Apparently some folks, at least in Europe, are already receiving their copies of TAU from Roine's store, and some orders from Radiant have started shipping/getting their labels for shipment made.
Anyone here get shipment notification yet? I ordered from Laser CD, but nothing received yet. Seeing posts on FB of people with their albums is making me super jealous! The next 8 or so days are going to be tough to wait through!
-Marc.
Ordered two of the special extra deluxe limited lavish extra quintuple vinyl box sets at Just For Kicks (one for me, one for a buddy), they haven't been shipped yet...
Good, but is it the prime golden magic super ultra megablaster with lasers and cherry on top edition?
You know me Rodrigo, what do you think???
I think you bought the on eI mentioned, autographed even by the janitor of the studio where they recorded the album.
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I think, IIRC, I ordered this from Radiant, so I should have it sometime in June
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HAHA.
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It won't be so funny when he gets it in June 2022.
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Oddly enough the past few orders from Radiant I've gotten them on time. I preordered Live in BRNO and got that on time
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Got my Ultimate Edition yesterday!
I like the abridged version better so far.
It´s funny how much the Looking For the Light soundl like Final Fantasy VII . Anyone else picked up that? The chord progression.
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Got my Ultimate Edition yesterday!
I like the abridged version better so far.
It´s funny how much the Looking For the Light soundl like Final Fantasy VII . Anyone else picked up that? The chord progression.
I never play that kind of stuff, could you please post a link to compare?
I think you bought the on eI mentioned, autographed even by the janitor of the studio where they recorded the album.
You know it :biggrin:
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I never play that kind of stuff, could you please post a link to compare?
Here! :)
https://youtu.be/l2_peI8GrOM?t=9
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Got my Ultimate Edition yesterday!
I like the abridged version better so far.
Which version did you listen to first?
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I never play that kind of stuff, could you please post a link to compare?
Here! :)
https://youtu.be/l2_peI8GrOM?t=9
You're right :rollin
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Got my Ultimate Edition yesterday!
I like the abridged version better so far.
Which version did you listen to first?
I started with abridged, Then went to the 90min version and now listening/ watching the Ultimate version on Blu-ray.
In this Ultimate version, there is so much stuff to listen! Propably takes me over a year to fully digest.
It´s cool that they added visuals for the whole ultimate edition.
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Is the Ultimate Edition just a sum of both versions?
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Notes Reviews did a review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msTg8KdrhJ0
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Got my Ultimate Edition yesterday!
I like the abridged version better so far.
Which version did you listen to first?
I started with abridged, Then went to the 90min version and now listening/ watching the Ultimate version on Blu-ray.
In this Ultimate version, there is so much stuff to listen! Propably takes me over a year to fully digest.
It´s cool that they added visuals for the whole ultimate edition.
Hi adastra! Did you notice if the BluRay has also a stereo version? Thanks!
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Hi adastra! Did you notice if the BluRay has also a stereo version? Thanks!
There is 48/24 STEREO LPCM, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 48/24 5.1 LPCM
Is the Ultimate Edition just a sum of both versions?
Im not sure yet. It has about 5mins more content. Propably is!
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Very happy about a stereo mix on the Blu. I have a Blu-ray drive in my PC and plan on ripping the audio for the Ultimate. Very glad to know that I will get a proper stereo mix.
My CD sets are coming from Laser CD and my Blu from Radiant. Honestly don't expect either until the week after release.
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Hi adastra! Did you notice if the BluRay has also a stereo version? Thanks!
There is 48/24 STEREO LPCM, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 48/24 5.1 LPCM
That's awesome to hear. I figured it would be there but nice to get a confirmation.
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Very happy about a stereo mix on the Blu. I have a Blu-ray drive in my PC and plan on ripping the audio for the Ultimate. Very glad to know that I will get a proper stereo mix.
My CD sets are coming from Laser CD and my Blu from Radiant. Honestly don't expect either until the week after release.
I could gave written this post word for word.
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Hi adastra! Did you notice if the BluRay has also a stereo version? Thanks!
There is 48/24 STEREO LPCM, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 48/24 5.1 LPCM
Is the Ultimate Edition just a sum of both versions?
Im not sure yet. It has about 5mins more content. Propably is!
From what I can tell, most of the Ultimate Mix is from Forevermore, but it has "Can You Feel It" from TBOL, as well as "Reaching For The Sky" and "Take Now My Soul" from TBOL instead of "Heart Like A Whirlwind" and "Swing High, Swing Low" from Forevermore.
It also probably contains a mixture of mixes of both versions of songs that are mostly the same on both versions, but not having heard either of the 3 versions yet, I can't be too sure, but it probably has a more unique mix than the other two.
-Marc.
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Hi adastra! Did you notice if the BluRay has also a stereo version? Thanks!
There is 48/24 STEREO LPCM, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 48/24 5.1
Really cool to know, thanks again!
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Semantics, but I find it funny that there is an "abridged" version, Breath of Life, since the original, Forevermore, was longer, but the extended version is extended from... what? Wasn't the original version the "extended" version? It sounds like the Ultimate version is the "extended" version, since it is longer than Forevermore.
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Semantics, but I find it funny that there is an "abridged" version, Breath of Life, since the original, Forevermore, was longer, but the extended version is extended from... what? Wasn't the original version the "extended" version? It sounds like the Ultimate version is the "extended" version, since it is longer than Forevermore.
MP kind of cleared it up, at least for me, in his latest MP Vinyl video. He did mention that Forevermore was the original. He then said that when Neal started making the Abridged version that they ended up writing new music in places, inserted different lyrics and/or had different vocals on certain things.
My guess is that maybe the Ultimate combines everything, Forevermore plus the extra/altered material that was done for the Abridged. Guess we'll find out soon.
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Okay, I´ve listened the Ultimate version and watched the visuals couple of times now.
I have to say that this album is something special. There is so much great melodies and passages and the visuals make them sound even better.
I particularly like the Owl Howl - Solitude - Belong - Lonesome Rebel -combo.
This is the first Transatlantic album released after I started to listen to the them and honestly I can´t say how it could be any better.
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Okay, I´ve listened the Ultimate version and watched the visuals couple of times now.
I have to say that this album is something special. There is so much great melodies and passages and the visuals make them sound even better.
I particularly like the Owl Howl - Solitude - Belong - Lonesome Rebel -combo.
This is the first Transatlantic album released after I started to listen to the them and honestly I can´t say how it could be any better.
:metal Nice! I cannot wait to hear this album! I really wish I had a BD player for my laptop so I could rip the audio from the Ultimate mix (which apparently also has a stereo mix). The next few days are going to be ROUGH waiting for the album here. I keep seeing folks getting their albums in the Transatlantic FB group, and I still haven't even gotten a shipping notification email from Laser CD for my two CD sets from them.
EDIT - I just checked my email and saw I got a shipping notification from Laser CD a bit ago! Hopefully my package arrives by the weekend!
Also, I've noticed that the version of TBOL from Radiant (at least) is a jewel case, but the copies coming from Roine/Foxtrot Records (and maybe Pete/Racket Records) seem to come as a digipak. I'm hoping my copy of TBOL is a digipak so it matches Forevermore. Maybe Radiant is the only store selling in as a jewel case? Can anyone confirm that?
-Marc.
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Just got my Laser CD shipping notice as well. Fingers crossed for Friday or Saturday delivery.
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Semantics, but I find it funny that there is an "abridged" version, Breath of Life, since the original, Forevermore, was longer, but the extended version is extended from... what? Wasn't the original version the "extended" version? It sounds like the Ultimate version is the "extended" version, since it is longer than Forevermore.
I agree. But it kinda makes sense to call them "abridged" and "extended" so that casual fans know what to look for. I would be okay with the original version not having a descriptor, but since they were putting "abridged" on one version, they kinda had to put something on the original as well.
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Semantics, but I find it funny that there is an "abridged" version, Breath of Life, since the original, Forevermore, was longer, but the extended version is extended from... what? Wasn't the original version the "extended" version? It sounds like the Ultimate version is the "extended" version, since it is longer than Forevermore.
I agree. But it kinda makes sense to call them "abridged" and "extended" so that casual fans know what to look for. I would be okay with the original version not having a descriptor, but since they were putting "abridged" on one version, they kinda had to put something on the original as well.
I get it, but it's sort of false advertising, as there's no "regular" version. Like at a hypothetical food establishment, no large as a drink size, only medium and extra large, even though one looks small, and the other looks medium, and not very large.
I just don't think they needed to even highlight "abridged" or "extended" as they're apparently two different takes on the same general album and feature music unique to each album. "Abridged" signifies shorter, edited down, which it was, but it was also altered; "extended" signifies "longer than the original".
Anyway, not a big deal, I need those albums in my ears so I can focus on the music.
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Semantics, but I find it funny that there is an "abridged" version, Breath of Life, since the original, Forevermore, was longer, but the extended version is extended from... what? Wasn't the original version the "extended" version? It sounds like the Ultimate version is the "extended" version, since it is longer than Forevermore.
I agree. But it kinda makes sense to call them "abridged" and "extended" so that casual fans know what to look for. I would be okay with the original version not having a descriptor, but since they were putting "abridged" on one version, they kinda had to put something on the original as well.
I get it, but it's sort of false advertising, as there's no "regular" version. Like at a hypothetical food establishment, no large as a drink size, only medium and extra large, even though one looks small, and the other looks medium, and not very large.
I just don't think they needed to even highlight "abridged" or "extended" as they're apparently two different takes on the same general album and feature music unique to each album. "Abridged" signifies shorter, edited down, which it was, but it was also altered; "extended" signifies "longer than the original".
Anyway, not a big deal, I need those albums in my ears so I can focus on the music.
I think they did that to avoid people seeing the long one as "the" version and the other as an extra thing, they're presenting two albums (or two versions of their 5th album) and want to promote both as equally important.
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Just got my Laser CD shipping notice as well. Fingers crossed for Friday or Saturday delivery.
Same here. I haven't received a shipping notification from Radiant for the blu ray :(
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Same here, just got an email from laser CD, though for just the Extended version, not the abridged version. Nothing from Radiant yet.
I'm almost done with my full TA listen, on the 2nd CD of KaLIVEoscope now will have just the one disc after that.. All studio albums plus bonus discs, all live albums. I think it's over 20 CDs. Phew.
I haven't included any of the concerts or making of documentaries. That's a whole another adventure.
Edit: looks like laser CD shipped the abridged version too. C'mon Radiant ship that blu-ray!
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Does Radiant do shipping notices? It's been so long since I ordered from them that I can't remember. I don't recall them doing that.
Either way, I'm like everyone else lately. Laser shipped my CD's this morning and in the dark about the Blu.
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Does Radiant do shipping notices? It's been so long since I ordered from them that I can't remember. I don't recall them doing that.
Either way, I'm like everyone else lately. Laser shipped my CD's this morning and in the dark about the Blu.
Since they upgraded the site last year I've placed two pre-orders. First one was the Live in BRNO blu-ray and that arrived a week early and I looked I did get a shipping email.
2nd pre-order would be the new TA record. I'm assuming there will be an email when it ships.
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Ah. This is my first order in a long time and, obviously, my first one on the new site.
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Semantics, but I find it funny that there is an "abridged" version, Breath of Life, since the original, Forevermore, was longer, but the extended version is extended from... what? Wasn't the original version the "extended" version? It sounds like the Ultimate version is the "extended" version, since it is longer than Forevermore.
I agree. But it kinda makes sense to call them "abridged" and "extended" so that casual fans know what to look for. I would be okay with the original version not having a descriptor, but since they were putting "abridged" on one version, they kinda had to put something on the original as well.
I get it, but it's sort of false advertising, as there's no "regular" version. Like at a hypothetical food establishment, no large as a drink size, only medium and extra large, even though one looks small, and the other looks medium, and not very large.
I just don't think they needed to even highlight "abridged" or "extended" as they're apparently two different takes on the same general album and feature music unique to each album. "Abridged" signifies shorter, edited down, which it was, but it was also altered; "extended" signifies "longer than the original".
Anyway, not a big deal, I need those albums in my ears so I can focus on the music.
I think they did that to avoid people seeing the long one as "the" version and the other as an extra thing, they're presenting two albums (or two versions of their 5th album) and want to promote both as equally important.
This, for sure. There is no MAIN version. There are 2 (well, 3) versions. To not title the long one "extended" could give the impression that it was the "real" version, and that's not really true. They are both (all three) real.
This is the Schrodinger's Cat of prog albums.
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I would've been okay with one completely unmodified, one with "Abridged" on it, and one with "Ultimate", but people who picked up the "original" version would never be 100% sure if it's the original unmodified one, or if it said "Abridged" or "Ultimate" somewhere (remember, these people can't tell the difference between a CD and BD) and they just didn't see it. That's what I meant when I said they kinda had to put something there. You get positive confirmation of which version you're buying.
They should've gone with Original, Extra Crispy, and Honey Barbeque Flavored.
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I'll take a stab at this:
Original - Forevermore
Honey Barbecue - Abridged
Extra Crispy - Ultimate
Something tells me we wouldn't be able to agree on this either. :biggrin:
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I'll take a stab at this:
Original - Forevermore
Honey Barbecue - Abridged
Extra Crispy - Ultimate
Something tells me we wouldn't be able to agree on this either. :biggrin:
Exactly, I think Forevermore should be Honey BBQ and Abridged should be original. Wait, that doesn't make any sense either...
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They should've gone with Original, Extra Crispy, and Honey Barbeque Flavored.
Hell yeah
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I think they did that to avoid people seeing the long one as "the" version and the other as an extra thing, they're presenting two albums (or two versions of their 5th album) and want to promote both as equally important.
This, for sure. There is no MAIN version. There are 2 (well, 3) versions. To not title the long one "extended" could give the impression that it was the "real" version, and that's not really true. They are both (all three) real.
This is the Schrodinger's Cat of prog albums.
This makes the most sense.
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Just got my shipping notice from Radiant for my Blu-ray, so all my stuff is on the way. With the current state of the USPS, I hope to have everything by Christmas.
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Just got my shipping notice from Radiant for my Blu-ray, so all my stuff is on the way. With the current state of the USPS, I hope to have everything by Christmas.
I got the email too!
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Also got my Radiant email today for the Blu Ray. Whenever it gets here is fine because it'll be a while before I can give it a proper 5.1 spin anyway, and I've got both other versions pre-ordered on iTunes so I'll have those on Friday.
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Got both The Breath of Life and Forevermore in the mail today.
Will listen to both soon. I'm excited to hear this one, because I hope to hear some cool jams. I find that lately too much prog is through-composed bullshit and that doesn't always interest me anymore. I always find Transatlantic's stuff really enjoyable.
DTF, help me out; with which one should I start?
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I think I'm going to listen to the 2 CD version first. Then the abridged and lastly the Ultimate.
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Got both The Breath of Life and Forevermore in the mail today.
Will listen to both soon. I'm excited to hear this one, because I hope to hear some cool jams. I find that lately too much prog is through-composed bullshit and that doesn't always interest me anymore. I always find Transatlantic's stuff really enjoyable.
DTF, help me out; with which one should I start?
I think the Forevermore version is the better one. And since it is also the "original" one, I'd recommend starting with that one :)
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For those that got an email from Radiant - did you only order the Blu-Ray from them? I ordered both CD versions and the Blu-Ray as well, all from Radiant, and I haven't gotten any email yet about items being shipped. Wondering if they are late with getting the CDs out. Just trying to figure out why I haven't gotten a shipping notice yet when others have, and obviously the disappointment is setting in that I'm not going to have the albums to listen to on release day.
I guess I've been one of the more lucky ones on this board in that I've never really had an order issue with Radiant before, but looks like my time has come.
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For those that got an email from Radiant - did you only order the Blu-Ray from them? I ordered both CD versions and the Blu-Ray as well, all from Radiant, and I haven't gotten any email yet about items being shipped. Wondering if they are late with getting the CDs out. Just trying to figure out why I haven't gotten a shipping notice yet when others have, and obviously the disappointment is setting in that I'm not going to have the albums to listen to on release day.
I guess I've been one of the more lucky ones on this board in that I've never really had an order issue with Radiant before, but looks like my time has come.
Same for me. I ordered both CD's and the Blu Ray and have not received an email at all.
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Honestly I don't know, they might be sending out the orders in categories. Who knows, plus even though my bluray from Radiant has shipped, I'm resigned to the fact that it's not going to arrive until sometime next week.
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Just the BR from Radiant for me.
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I did not order from Radiant but I have seen posts on FB of folks receiving their CD sets from them already, but not anyone who ordered the BD. I believe they had some shipments held up in customs, which probably included their stock of BDs and Ultimate Edition box sets, so those may be delayed.
-Marc.
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My deluxe gazillion premium edition arrived, but it arrived at my parent's house, which is in Germany while I live in Austria (I usually order InsideOut or Just For Kicks orders to their house because it costs far less shipping). So I'll have to wait a few more weeks until I can spin this album on my turntable :'(
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I ordered both CDs, the Blu Ray, and the T shirt. No email for me.
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I bought both cds from Amazon (US). Breath of Life delivering tomorrow but no estimate on Forevermore, like they don’t even have them yet... well at least I’ll have one of them.
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For those interested, it looks like Amazon will continue its trend of offering mp3s for download.
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjacobbenton.com%2Ffiles%2Fimg%2Fta-mp3.png&hash=257122a9f0564d30be6885c5cb52d2bc5b5c7dee)
I've gotten a ton of albums this way recently.
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For those interested, it looks like Amazon will continue its trend of offering mp3s for download.
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjacobbenton.com%2Ffiles%2Fimg%2Fta-mp3.png&hash=257122a9f0564d30be6885c5cb52d2bc5b5c7dee)
I've gotten a ton of albums this way recently.
My super duper box set still showing as unshipped at Burning Shed. I’m assuming the albums will be on Apple Music for me to listen to though while I wait to receive it.
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got the shipping notification yesterday from century media, expecting it sometime next week. still planning to listen tonight once its up on apple music :hefdaddy
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Ugh, only bought from amazon b/c I wanted a "predictable" ship date. Now the abridged one that was slated for arrival tomorrow is going to be Sunday or later (assuming b/c a stupid snow storm that isn't going away anytime soon). And the other doesn't even sound like it's in stock and shippable.
Deep breaths.... I've waited 7 years for this, I'm sure I'll survive a bit longer. I absolutely refuse to listen on spotify because I want to break windows every commercial and will not pay for a streaming service (I'd rather spend that money buying actual albums).
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Oh, I still buy albums but £9.99 a month for access to pretty much any album you want is ridiculous value. It’s way more convenient than having to rip cds to my laptop and then transfer to my phone. It takes seconds to just download from Apple Music, just way more convenient. I still like to own the albums that I like though. Cds are for home and Apple Music for portability.
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I never did end up pre-ordering any of this, so I will likely just buy both versions from iTunes first thing tomorrow before I head to work. And if I like both enough, I can always order the vinyl later, as I don't mind paying for the same record twice when it's a great album AND one of my favorite bands/artists.
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I ordered the two albums from Amazon and they're saying they're arriving Sunday. The record store a half hour away from me apparently has Forevermore in stock, but not Breath of Life.. I think I can wait two more days.
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Haven't gotten my CDs or Bluray yet, I do see the albums streaming on youtube music, so I might give it a listen there.
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Mine started off in Denmark last Friday, immediately went to Cologne and just recently arrived in Belgium.
Who knows when it will arrive stateside.
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Oh, I still buy albums but £9.99 a month for access to pretty much any album you want is ridiculous value. It’s way more convenient than having to rip cds to my laptop and then transfer to my phone. It takes seconds to just download from Apple Music, just way more convenient. I still like to own the albums that I like though. Cds are for home and Apple Music for portability.
I do the same. I actually don't like streaming services because they suck for the artist (I guess), so I felt a bit guilty when I signed up for Apple Music. But I comforted myself by knowing that every album I like I want (and eventually will) own on vinyl, so I'll still support the artist.
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My own crisis solved. It turns out the cd's bought from amazon come with free download of the MP3's, so I'm downloading now even though I don't know when they'll arrive by mail.
I'm not "opposed" to streaming services necessarily, they just don't make sense for me. I listen to such a short list of artists that it's cheaper for me to just buy their albums than to pay a monthly fee somewhere.
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I listened to the first disc of Forevermore in the car this morning for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised. It's a very easy listen and the band does absolutely nothing new, shocking or groundbreaking and that's a good thing here. It's Transatlantic and you get what you expect. I very much enjoyed the upbeat-feel in basically al the songs. It sounds as they had fun recording this one and nothing so far felt forced or unnecessary. This is a winner for me so far.
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Those who ordered from Burning might be getting an email from them
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Mine started its journey in Denmark last Friday. It made a brief stop in France earlier this week, and currently resides in Belgium. :-[
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Just got this email from Radiant:
"Hey, everyone!
I’m excited that release day for The Absolute Universe is here and that people are starting to hear the new Transatlantic album! We also really appreciate every single one of you who have purchased the album from Radiant Records. Thank you so much!
As you may have seen on social media, our shipment of vinyl, the Ultimate Box set and the Blu-rays have not yet arrived at our office because they have been held up by customs coming from the manufacturer in Europe. I know how disappointed many of you will be, and believe me when I say we have done everything we can to resolve this situation, which happened outside of our control. We expect the delivery to arrive this weekend and will start packaging and mailing them to you.
Given what has happened I wanted to thank you and make it possible for as many of you as possible to hear the album today so...
Listen to The Absolute Universe on Waterfall (for free)!
To apologize for this situation I want to offer everyone who ordered The Absolute Universe from us 30 days of free access to Waterfall, so you can enjoy the albums (and everything else Waterfall has to offer) immediately!
How you can redeem this offer depends on your current relationship with Waterfall.
• If you are an active Waterfall subscriber: your next month's subscription fee will automatically be credited.
• If you are a former Waterfall subscriber: your account will be reactivated at no charge for the next 30 days
• If you have never subscribed to Waterfall: You can access Waterfall at no cost for the next 30 days! Click the button below to claim your trial account. After 30 days, you can continue with Waterfall by creating a subscription.
In addition you can also click the button below to download the booklets for The Breath of Life and Forevermore."
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If Radiant had been offering that type of customer service from the get go, I would not have anything bad to say about them. Hopefully, this marks a sustained turnaround. Stuff happens sometimes. A little communication like that goes a long way.
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Yeah definitely appreciate the feedback. I guess the shipped email was just them creating the shipping label? In any case I'll have to listen to the streaming versions until I get the physical discs.
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I got that email today as well. Oh well; not thrilled, but I agree with Bosk: rather have the bad news than be kept guessing.
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Today I've listened two times both versions. As a fan of their lengthier and proggier stuff, surprisingly, I'm enjoying more The Breath of Life.
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Just finished the Abridged Version and I'm going through the Extended version right now. I feel I like the Abridged version more than the extended and I'm not even half way through the extended.
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So my copies of both albums are supposedly coming today after all. Very excited. Nice to see all the streaming offers and free Waterfall access for a month.
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Forgot to add that Looking for the Light sounds like John Mitchell (Kino, Lonely Robot) singing.
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Those who ordered from Burning might be getting an email from them
You had me panicking then. Had the email to confirm mine has shipped today.
Listening to extended version in work and my fears about too much singing from the non-singers is coming to fruition a bit. I have no problem with Mike and Pete singing harmonies and having solo vocal spots in songs but I really don’t want them as the lead vocalist in a song. For example Pete singing all of The Sun Comes Up just makes that song sound a bit amateurish to me as he is not a strong enough singer. Just an early observation though, not been fully concentrating on it by any means.
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Weird, I just got a tracking number from Laser CD, have never gotten one from them before. As of 7:00 last night it was in New Jersey (even though I got a shipping notice on the 2nd), so I guess I’m not getting it today and probably not tomorrow. Oh well.
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Listening to extended version in work and my fears about too much singing from the non-singers is coming to fruition a bit. I have no problem with Mike and Pete singing harmonies and having solo vocal spots in songs but I really don’t want them as the lead vocalist in a song. For example Pete singing all of The Sun Comes Up just makes that song sound a bit amateurish to me as he is not a strong enough singer. Just an early observation though, not been fully concentrating on it by any means.
I agree with your take on Pete's lead vocals. They're sticking out like a sore thumb here. I'm okay with Mike's though, that bit of variety was welcome.
The Breath of Life seems to have a better flow and, dare I say, more life to it than Forevermore and at 64 minutes it's still plenty long. With its lyrical relevance for the times we're living through it feels like this particular project has some real gravitas, a reason for being.
All in all there's a lot to like here, some really strong themes and things. First impressions are that these are more my speed than The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope ever were.
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just created my waterfall account, I appreciate this workaround, well done for Neal and Radiant. I'm listening to The Great Nothing from Morsefest 2018 right now.
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Had a random thought as I've gone through both versions a couple of times... I'm glad there are two versions of the album because now we won't get the inane debate of "disc 1 vs disc 2" for Forevermore. An album is an album, regardless of its physical formats limitations. One version is 18 tracks and the other is 14, not 9+9 and 14. :lol
Anyways, I'm liking both fairly equally. There are things I like a bit more about TBOL over Forevermore, and vice versa. Hearing "Heart Like A Whirlwind" was a bit jarring after hearing "Reaching For The Sky" for a few weeks now, but the verses' melodic lines in HLAW make sense when you hear them again in "The Sun Comes Up Today".
My initial feelings are quite positive overall, and I cannot wait for these albums and songs to grow on me. Many of the recurring melodies and themes are already working their way into my head, as I'm sure they will for the next few months!
-Marc.
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Today I've listened two times both versions. As a fan of their lengthier and proggier stuff, surprisingly, I'm enjoying more The Breath of Life.
I agree. I've only listened through both once, but my initial somewhat mixed impressions were that the "Extended" is just... a lot of music, not much of interest that I picked up on for the first listen. The "Abridged" version listen went similarly, but I felt what was there felt more varied and diverse, and overall felt much less "samey" to me.
Will keep listening, though - way too soon to make a call on an album from a band like TA.
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Eh, I can stream it so I really don't care how long it takes for my order to ship from Radiant.
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I am going to tackle the shorter version first (Breath of Life). Looking forward to digging into this tonight! :hat :hat
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Going to stick to my original plan on just listening to the short album many times and learning that before introducing myself to the longer one.
On my second listen. It has exceeded my expectations. I overlistened to the pre-release songs so much and loved them so much that I was really worried about the actual album being a let down. But that didn't happen.
It's a short song, but "Take Now My Soul" is one of my initial favorites on The Breath of Life.
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Going to stick to my original plan on just listening to the short album many times and learning that before introducing myself to the longer one.
I was just about to post this exact same thing! Only I haven't listened to either version yet, but I'm going to be listening to The Breath of Life in just a few moments. Very excited to see how this album will turn out!
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this may be the last Transatlantic Album I listen to.
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Interesting that folks are planning to go into TBOL first. Personally, I started with Forevermore since that is what the band had originally conceived for TAU first, more or less. It also provided context for the changes they made in crafting TBOL, especially the more 2020-relevant lyrics.
I am eager to hear how the Ultimate mix tackles melding songs from both into a single version, especially since TBOL seems to have a tighter lyrical theme than Forevermore does, at least after my initial listens.
-Marc.
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Yeah, I'm listening to Forevermore first. I'll give it 10 full spins before I try the shorter one
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this may be the last Transatlantic Album I listen to.
That's what I would say about the longer version. The shorter version sounds very original while the longer version showcases everything I have disliked from TW and Kaleidoscope. The only song I sort of dislike on the shorter version would be the last track since it sounds like a Neal track.
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From MP forum page:
Today is the day!! Well, you know of the 2 different versions of The Absolute Universe available on CD and Vinyl...and you probably know of the 3rd different version on the Blu-ray...but also OUT TODAY is a 4th (!!) version of this mammoth new epic album with the release of my new Drum Cam on both DVD and Digital Download!
Yes indeed, this utilizes “The Ultimate Version” (only available elsewhere on the Transatlantic Blu-ray) into a new arrangement with all of my drum and vocal cam footage, and offers 3 different audio options: Full Band Mix, Isolated Drum & MP Vox Mix and a Stereo “Headphone Mix” which combines them both! 🚀
Available now exclusively from the MP Online Store!
DVD: https://shop.mikeportnoy.com/collections/dvds/products/mike-portnoy-the-absolute-universe-transatlantics-the-absolute-universe-drum-vox-cam-dvd
Digital download: https://shop.mikeportnoy.com/collections/digital-downloads/products/mike-portnoy-the-absolute-universe-drum-cam-video-digital-download
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...I have no problem with Mike and Pete singing harmonies and having solo vocal spots in songs but I really don’t want them as the lead vocalist in a song. For example Pete singing all of The Sun Comes Up just makes that song sound a bit amateurish to me as he is not a strong enough singer...
I agree with your take on Pete's lead vocals. They're sticking out like a sore thumb here.
I seriously want to fight both of you right now.
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Well i have played both versions a lot already and i really like both more than i did Kaleidoscope.....that was a dud for me.
I don't think think they should have called The Breath of Live Abridged. really different experience entirely.
I started with Extended and i have to say i enjoyed all of disc 1. With Darkness in the Light, Swing High, Swing Low, Rainbow Sky and The world We Used To know being highlights.
Disc 2 i found......as with most doubles for me......is weighted down with filler though i do love Solitude.
Abridged is much tighter and also more Morse like i found but i prefer it simply for the better flow and some of the re-arrangements are cool. like the End to Owl Howl.
I really like this album. both versions having pluses and minuses.
but god it's a major step up from Kaleidoscope
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From MP forum page:
Today is the day!! Well, you know of the 2 different versions of The Absolute Universe available on CD and Vinyl...and you probably know of the 3rd different version on the Blu-ray...but also OUT TODAY is a 4th (!!) version of this mammoth new epic album with the release of my new Drum Cam on both DVD and Digital Download!
Yes indeed, this utilizes “The Ultimate Version” (only available elsewhere on the Transatlantic Blu-ray) into a new arrangement with all of my drum and vocal cam footage, and offers 3 different audio options: Full Band Mix, Isolated Drum & MP Vox Mix and a Stereo “Headphone Mix” which combines them both! 🚀
Available now exclusively from the MP Online Store!
DVD: https://shop.mikeportnoy.com/collections/dvds/products/mike-portnoy-the-absolute-universe-transatlantics-the-absolute-universe-drum-vox-cam-dvd
Digital download: https://shop.mikeportnoy.com/collections/digital-downloads/products/mike-portnoy-the-absolute-universe-drum-cam-video-digital-download
Ya beat me to it! I was just about to share this here! Well, I just ordered it, and it's no surprise he's offering it as the Ultimate Mix since that was his baby more than anything. I'm excited to see this one!
-Marc.
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Interesting that folks are planning to go into TBOL first. Personally, I started with Forevermore since that is what the band had originally conceived for TAU first, more or less. It also provided context for the changes they made in crafting TBOL, especially the more 2020-relevant lyrics.
I am eager to hear how the Ultimate mix tackles melding songs from both into a single version, especially since TBOL seems to have a tighter lyrical theme than Forevermore does, at least after my initial listens.
I don't worry about stuff like that. My logic is, I will get used to the shorter version first and then the longer version will feel more expanded, rather than getting used to the longer version first and then going to the shorter version where it might then feel like something is missing (initially). That is my plan anyway, but I am sure that will go to shit quickly and I will be dipping my toes in the pools of both by tomorrow. :lol :lol
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So far I've listened through Forevermore once. It's about what I expected out of the band at this point: competent and pleasant prog, but a little lacking as far as originality and memotability goes. Too soon to say for certain how I would rate it against the rest of their discog, but I think I marginally prefer it to Kaleidoscope.
I agree with Skeever. Forevermore is a lot of material, but a lot of it is very homogenous sounding to my ears. Maybe with more listens, I could pick out the finer details more easily.
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Interesting that folks are planning to go into TBOL first. Personally, I started with Forevermore since that is what the band had originally conceived for TAU first, more or less. .
My only reasoning for this is that my first album I really get into is all fresh. And then when I go to the other album eventually, it's all just more sprinkled with different (as opposed to less, with a few differences). Also, I'm a sucker for long drawn out double concept albums so the chances of me feeling like the Forevermore is "too long" is really very low.
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I started with forevermore and i kinda wish i hadn't, lol
as i noted above disc 2 is kinda filler heavy to me. the run from Looking for the Light(reprise) to Love made A Way is kinda agonizing.
BOL cuts that in about half. i was very thankful, lol
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I'm surprised no one has said anything about this, so here I go:
...
BELONG BELONG, READY TO BELONG :metal :metal :metal
One of my favorite parts of the album(s), as you might notice :lol
I was amazed at how many times that melody appears throughout the album, specially on Forevermore, yet none of the singles they released have it.
As for the TBOL vs Forevermore debate, I've listened to both versions a few times already and agree with some of you that the abridged one has a better flow and kind of highlights the best stuff from the long one. BUT some of the extra stuff on Forevermore is quite good too. I even went the lenght and started comparing song structures between both versions of the same songs to see where the differences are :biggrin:
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I'm surprised no one has said anything about this, so here I go:
...
BELONG BELONG, READY TO BELONG :metal :metal :metal
One of my favorite parts of the album(s), as you might notice :lol
I was amazed at how many times that melody appears throughout the album, specially on Forevermore, yet none of the singles they released have it.
As for the TBOL vs Forevermore debate, I've listened to both versions a few times already and agree with some of you that the abridged one has a better flow and kind of highlights the best stuff from the long one. BUT some of the extra stuff on Forevermore is quite good too. I even went the lenght and started comparing song structures between both versions of the same songs to see where the differences are :biggrin:
That Belong hook is such an ear worm.
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My box set was checked in in Belgium at 8o’clock this morning. By 11 AM, it was in Memphis Tennessee. How it got from Belgium to Tennessee in three hours I will never know.
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I'm surprised no one has said anything about this, so here I go:
...
BELONG BELONG, READY TO BELONG :metal :metal :metal
One of my favorite parts of the album(s), as you might notice :lol
I was amazed at how many times that melody appears throughout the album, specially on Forevermore, yet none of the singles they released have it.
As for the TBOL vs Forevermore debate, I've listened to both versions a few times already and agree with some of you that the abridged one has a better flow and kind of highlights the best stuff from the long one. BUT some of the extra stuff on Forevermore is quite good too. I even went the lenght and started comparing song structures between both versions of the same songs to see where the differences are :biggrin:
That Belong hook is such an ear worm.
Yeah it is! But I've seen it as "belong, belong, better to belong" in reviews of the album. I've only listened online so far and don't have my physical discs in from Laser CD yet.(hopefully tomorrow), so I can't be too sure on the lyrics quite yet.
-Marc.
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Well, after one listen, I can say that The Absolute Universe is definitely good, but it doesn't seem to have that magic feel to it that Bridge Across Forever and The Whirlwind have.
An album like this will definitely require a lot of listens, though, so I hope that it will grow on me.
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I'm surprised no one has said anything about this, so here I go:
...
BELONG BELONG, READY TO BELONG :metal :metal :metal
One of my favorite parts of the album(s), as you might notice :lol
I was amazed at how many times that melody appears throughout the album, specially on Forevermore, yet none of the singles they released have it.
As for the TBOL vs Forevermore debate, I've listened to both versions a few times already and agree with some of you that the abridged one has a better flow and kind of highlights the best stuff from the long one. BUT some of the extra stuff on Forevermore is quite good too. I even went the lenght and started comparing song structures between both versions of the same songs to see where the differences are :biggrin:
That Belong hook is such an ear worm.
Yeah it is! But I've seen it as "belong, belong, better to belong" in reviews of the album. I've only listened online so far and don't have my physical discs in from Laser CD yet.(hopefully tomorrow), so I can't be too sure on the lyrics quite yet.
-Marc.
what's weird is i hear Better to belong AND then i hear Where do you belong. maybe they sing both?
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The Gentle Gianty variation of the Belong thing in Forevermore was quite nice and a new twist for Transatlantic, but I wasn't too keen on that motif otherwise.
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I'm surprised no one has said anything about this, so here I go:
...
BELONG BELONG, READY TO BELONG :metal :metal :metal
One of my favorite parts of the album(s), as you might notice :lol
I was amazed at how many times that melody appears throughout the album, specially on Forevermore, yet none of the singles they released have it.
As for the TBOL vs Forevermore debate, I've listened to both versions a few times already and agree with some of you that the abridged one has a better flow and kind of highlights the best stuff from the long one. BUT some of the extra stuff on Forevermore is quite good too. I even went the lenght and started comparing song structures between both versions of the same songs to see where the differences are :biggrin:
That Belong hook is such an ear worm.
Yeah it is! But I've seen it as "belong, belong, better to belong" in reviews of the album. I've only listened online so far and don't have my physical discs in from Laser CD yet.(hopefully tomorrow), so I can't be too sure on the lyrics quite yet.
-Marc.
what's weird is i hear Better to belong AND then i hear Where do you belong. maybe they sing both?
I could be wrong, but I think they sing different variations of it through the album(s).
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I'm jumping right in with Forevermore first. If BOL is the better album because of being more concise, I'm more than OK with waiting a little bit til I digest Forevermore first. So far, though, I'm really enjoying this. Still on the first disc, and I already like it more than Kaleidoscope, which felt more like the band going through the motions. I don't think this album touches TW or BAF, or even SMPTe but this album has great energy from what I've heard so far.
One thing I'll note so far that I totally expected, was that the flow of the album was going to be like the most recent Neal Morse and TFK albums, with each song flowing into the next in a more concept album way, unlike The Whirlwind which was one song with each movement given an individual track, similarly to Six Degrees.
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One thing I'll note so far that I totally expected, was that the flow of the album was going to be like the most recent Neal Morse and TFK albums, with each song flowing into the next in a more concept album way, unlike The Whirlwind which was one song with each movement given an individual track, similarly to Six Degrees.
Well, since I said exactly that about the album when I reviewed it, I think everyone here should have expected that. :lol
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I've only listened online so far and don't have my physical discs in from Laser CD yet.(hopefully tomorrow), so I can't be too sure on the lyrics quite yet.
I can check the lyrics in the booklet, but it's downstairs and I'm going to bed soon :lol
Will do so tomorrow!
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Looking forward to a dedicated listen this weekend. What I've heard so far is enjoyable. The sonic quality is A+. Mike's drums sound excellent. Kaleidoscope didn't move the dial for me but this one is pulling me in.
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Too early to say for me yet. I'm tempted to say it feels a little too unsurprising but what do I know at this point?
I do know that belong motif stuck out for me, but not in a good way!
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Gave the abridged version a listen on my walk tonight (decided to take advantage of it being on Amazon Music). I enjoyed it for the most part, a few tracks jumped out as pretty strong, but I have to say the last few tracks I was just waiting for it to end. I feel like one of the problems with recent Neal Morse is he’ll recycle these themes throughout the album but if the theme isn’t very interesting that really hamstrings the album. The main theme here is just kind of tedious and I didn’t want to hear it more than once!
I will say I really liked the song that Pete sang. His voice is unique and breaks up some of the Neal Morse-ness. Honestly, Roine’s voice isn’t all that much better than Pete’s at this point. The highlight on first listen though was Can You Feel It. Thought that was a really strong piece.
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...I have no problem with Mike and Pete singing harmonies and having solo vocal spots in songs but I really don’t want them as the lead vocalist in a song. For example Pete singing all of The Sun Comes Up just makes that song sound a bit amateurish to me as he is not a strong enough singer...
I agree with your take on Pete's lead vocals. They're sticking out like a sore thumb here.
I seriously want to fight both of you right now.
Only thing I would say in regards to this is that after hearing it properly (i.e. not in the background while I’m working) Mike and Pete don’t take lead vocals all that much. I must have just picked up their parts more in the initial listen. It’s not really a major issue. I still think he sounds bad on The Sun Comes Up which would have been a decent song otherwise. As I’ve already said earlier, I’m still not keen on the MP lead Looking For Light. Mike has a stronger voice than Pete and doesn’t sound bad here but there is just nothing interesting or remarkable about his voice so it doesn’t enhance the song in any way for me. I don’t particularly like the song anyway.
Needs a lot more listens and I’m enjoying both versions but, at the moment at least, it doesn’t seem to be on the level of the first 3 albums. I find the closing track (usually the highlight of any Neal Morse related thing) to be a little underwhelming. The song doesn’t feel very cohesive to me, just seems to be a bunch of choruses thrown together but, without anything joining them together, the transition between the different choruses sound jarring a little to me, like they come out of nowhere and don’t fit together. Maybe it will grow on me as I do really like the Love Made a Way melody and was looking forward to hearing it in epic mode at the end.
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...I have no problem with Mike and Pete singing harmonies and having solo vocal spots in songs but I really don’t want them as the lead vocalist in a song. For example Pete singing all of The Sun Comes Up just makes that song sound a bit amateurish to me as he is not a strong enough singer...
I agree with your take on Pete's lead vocals. They're sticking out like a sore thumb here.
I seriously want to fight both of you right now.
That comment made my day. :lol
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Interesting first listen of Forevermore. Kind of different feel from the typical previous albums. Going to require several listens.
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Knee jerk reactions after one listen of The Breath of Life:
-I love the sound of it. Trewavas' playing and how his bass is mixed is very Whirlwind-ish.
-Loved The Darkness in the Light. Very Flower Kings-like.
-I don't know when that theme that is sung at the beginning of Love Made a Way was written ("All along there was..."), but I kept waiting for Neal to break into the "A Love Never Dies" chorus from The Great Adventure. I am going to have a hard time unhearing how extremely similar that is. I sort of noticed in when Reaching for the Sky was released a while back, but it is really obvious here.
-The balance of who sings lead seemed pretty different than before. Neal still did the most, but it felt like Roine sang the least amount of lead vocals. Maybe it just felt that way.
-Trewavas' lead singing can be a bit hit or miss, but while I loved the musical vibe of Solitude, his lead vocals completely took me out of it.
Overall, I can't say it knocked my socks off, and I definitely had that "this sounds like the same old, same old" thought throughout much of it, but I am by no means passing judgment after one listen. More listens are forthcoming ASAP...
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Beeelong Beeelong is one of my favorite themes on the album. Actually, the fact that it's far less present on the Abridged Version is one of the biggest reason why I like it less than the Extended Version. Also, I almost got mad when I realized Neal cut the Gentle-Giant-part out of the Abridged Version... :lol such an awesome part, why cut it???
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I thought the a cappella part was the 'worst' section of the album after my first listen.
I listened to the first disc of Forevermore in the car this morning for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised. It's a very easy listen and the band does absolutely nothing new, shocking or groundbreaking and that's a good thing here. It's Transatlantic and you get what you expect. I very much enjoyed the upbeat-feel in basically al the songs. It sounds as they had fun recording this one and nothing so far felt forced or unnecessary. This is a winner for me so far.
These thoughts still remain. It sounds familiar, with nothing new or groundbreaking, also after checking out the second disc of Forevermore. I found the second disc to be a little weaker overall though. This could also be listening fatigue; I listened to disc 1 in the morning, with fresh ears, and disc 2 in the afternoon after a working day. I'll revisit both as well as check out The Breath of Life.
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Interesting to read all the comments on the extended version. I like The Breath of Life so much that I'm content to just listen to that for a while. Going to hold off as long as possible before going to Forevermore so that every difference is prevalent.
Thank God I was able to download the albums from my amazon music app. I ordered physical copies from there but only received TBOL. It is telling me I might not get Forevermore for another month and a half (???). I ordered in November, have no clue how that is even possible. Oh well, I have it downloaded and ready that way when I am.
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Pete's bass sound and performance is always a highlight for me with Transatlantic, and The Absolute Universe is no exception. I really like the funky playing he does on The Darkness In The Light (after the second chorus, during Roine's solo) for instance.
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I've only listened online so far and don't have my physical discs in from Laser CD yet.(hopefully tomorrow), so I can't be too sure on the lyrics quite yet.
I can check the lyrics in the booklet, but it's downstairs and I'm going to bed soon :lol
Will do so tomorrow!
It's 'better to belong' everywhere that part comes up, according to the lyrics booklet.
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I find i'm liking TBOL way more. it's a more focused listen it reminds me of the Whirlwinds little cousin. I just find Forevermore's 2nd disc far less impressive......mostly. while i've played disc 1 on it's own a ton already.
I actually don't mind Pete's vocals at all. He has probably my fav song in this whole experience. that being Solitude. i just love that song on both versions.
The only thing i don't like is more portnoy lead vocals (sorry sorry sorry, lol) he's great at backing vocals. but my dude shouldn't be anywhere near lead.
but.....all in all very happy with this album. very happy.
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The section in The Darkness in the Light that begins right after 4:20 (equal in both versions) with the bass just giving a hint of the main theme just before it begins, till the end of the song is one of the best musical moments of Transatlantic and in general music for me... Hit home really hard!!
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Listening to The Breath of Life again. I’m genuinely enjoying this in a way I didn’t the last two TA albums. Mike is the vocal stat of this album by the way. His performance on Looking for the Light is awesome. I also really like Darkness in the Light. Owl Howl is great and has a definite King Crimson vibe (thinking Starless but might be off). I’m on Can You Feel it now and thinking it maybe this should be the closing track. The tracks that followed didn’t hit me before, but we’ll see how I feel this time.
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I listen to Transatlantic for Roine Stolts influence, and Pete's Bass tone and groove. Both of their styles make the Transatlantic sound for me that I enjoy. Which when blended with Neals, Prog compositions, it makes for some great musical parts. I do not enjoy them all, but I do like certain sections from their epics. Which is why I like Black As The Sky, as to me, it is the sound of Transatlantic within the short time frame, the melodies, the grooves, the keys, and the drums, and the harmony vocals from all 4 members.
Going to be listeninig to The Breath of Life version first before Forevermore. I would rather listen to the shorter version first, as it has shortened versions, and I don't want to expect something from the Forevermore version that is not there on the Breath of Life version.
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Some stunning virtuoso music, of course, but I'm just not feeling this one. There's no song that's grabbed me in the way Rose Coloured Glasses or Shine did, the whole thing is very derivative of The Whirlwind and doesn't break much in the way of new ground. Some great moments, sure, but I really hope this is a grower, because so far it's left me cold.
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Listening to The Breath of Life again. I’m genuinely enjoying this in a way I didn’t the last two TA albums. Mike is the vocal stat of this album by the way. His performance on Looking for the Light is awesome. I also really like Darkness in the Light. Owl Howl is great and has a definite King Crimson vibe (thinking Starless but might be off). I’m on Can You Feel it now and thinking it maybe this should be the closing track. The tracks that followed didn’t hit me before, but we’ll see how I feel this time.
So the last three tracks, Looking for the Light (Reprise) is really good. The last two I feel wear on a bit too long but have their moments. I found myself liking the very ending a good bit though. Overall, I think they knocked it put of the park with this abridged version, even if I might have trimmed the end a bit. Gonna wait until my hard copies arrive to check out the extended version, and I may live with the abridged version for a little while before I even try the extended. But we’ll see.
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Listening to The Breath of Life again. I’m genuinely enjoying this in a way I didn’t the last two TA albums. Mike is the vocal stat of this album by the way. His performance on Looking for the Light is awesome. I also really like Darkness in the Light. Owl Howl is great and has a definite King Crimson vibe (thinking Starless but might be off). I’m on Can You Feel it now and thinking it maybe this should be the closing track. The tracks that followed didn’t hit me before, but we’ll see how I feel this time.
So the last three tracks, Looking for the Light (Reprise) is really good. The last two I feel wear on a bit too long but have their moments. I found myself liking the very ending a good bit though. Overall, I think they knocked it put of the park with this abridged version, even if I might have trimmed the end a bit. Gonna wait until my hard copies arrive to check out the extended version, and I may live with the abridged version for a little while before I even try the extended. But we’ll see.
the whole last section......the 3 tracks you mentioned. II find agonizing on Forevermore. They just go on and on and on for about 8 years, lol.
With TBOL. i find that whole end section flows much better and it feels like everything wraps up faster.
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Breath of Life really hit hard on the 2nd listen. More to come later but for now, I'm just amazed how badly I misjudged it.
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Listening to The Breath of Life again. I’m genuinely enjoying this in a way I didn’t the last two TA albums. Mike is the vocal stat of this album by the way. His performance on Looking for the Light is awesome. I also really like Darkness in the Light. Owl Howl is great and has a definite King Crimson vibe (thinking Starless but might be off). I’m on Can You Feel it now and thinking it maybe this should be the closing track. The tracks that followed didn’t hit me before, but we’ll see how I feel this time.
So the last three tracks, Looking for the Light (Reprise) is really good. The last two I feel wear on a bit too long but have their moments. I found myself liking the very ending a good bit though. Overall, I think they knocked it put of the park with this abridged version, even if I might have trimmed the end a bit. Gonna wait until my hard copies arrive to check out the extended version, and I may live with the abridged version for a little while before I even try the extended. But we’ll see.
the whole last section......the 3 tracks you mentioned. II find agonizing on Forevermore. They just go on and on and on for about 8 years, lol.
With TBOL. i find that whole end section flows much better and it feels like everything wraps up faster.
What's funny is, on Forevermore the last three tracks are 17:32, but on TBOL it's 17:09, so only 23 seconds shorter, but it has that really oddly extended ending with the timpani and spacey outro.
I find it interesting to see folks saying they prefer TBOL over Forevermore when their primary reason is that the 2nd half of Forevermore isn't as intriguing, but the second half of TBOL all comes from Forevermore and the majority of the cut music comes from the first half of Forevermore, which has some REALLY good music (especially "The World We Used To Know".
I've now heard each version a couple more times and I still can't really decide which one I like more, or if I'll just always like both equally. I do find some of the song transitions on TBOL to be awkward and stilted, where it was noticeable that Neal had cut something out and tried to paste two songs together. The transitions on Forevermore are expectedly more natural sounding.
-Marc.
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Listening to The Breath of Life again. I’m genuinely enjoying this in a way I didn’t the last two TA albums. Mike is the vocal stat of this album by the way. His performance on Looking for the Light is awesome. I also really like Darkness in the Light. Owl Howl is great and has a definite King Crimson vibe (thinking Starless but might be off). I’m on Can You Feel it now and thinking it maybe this should be the closing track. The tracks that followed didn’t hit me before, but we’ll see how I feel this time.
Yea World we used To Know is fantastic!!! in fact Disc 1 is a fav for me in general. so many great tracks not present on TBOL.
Yea TBOL's ending is not much shorter but it flies faster for me. neat Magic trick, lol
So the last three tracks, Looking for the Light (Reprise) is really good. The last two I feel wear on a bit too long but have their moments. I found myself liking the very ending a good bit though. Overall, I think they knocked it put of the park with this abridged version, even if I might have trimmed the end a bit. Gonna wait until my hard copies arrive to check out the extended version, and I may live with the abridged version for a little while before I even try the extended. But we’ll see.
the whole last section......the 3 tracks you mentioned. II find agonizing on Forevermore. They just go on and on and on for about 8 years, lol.
With TBOL. i find that whole end section flows much better and it feels like everything wraps up faster.
What's funny is, on Forevermore the last three tracks are 17:32, but on TBOL it's 17:09, so only 23 seconds shorter, but it has that really oddly extended ending with the timpani and spacey outro.
I fund it interesting to see folks saying they prefer TBOL over Forevermore when their primary reason is that the 2nd half of Forevermore isn't as intriguing, but the second half of TBOL all comes from Forevermore and the majority of the cut music comes from the first half of Forevermore, which has some REALLY good music (especially "The World We Used To Know".
I've now heard each version a couple more times and I still can't really decide which one I like more, or if I'll just always like both equally. I do find some of the song transitions on TBOL to be awkward and stilted, where it was noticeable that Neal had cut something out and tried to paste two songs together. The transitions on Forevermore are expectedly more natural sounding.
-Marc.
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Listening to The Breath of Life again. I’m genuinely enjoying this in a way I didn’t the last two TA albums. Mike is the vocal stat of this album by the way. His performance on Looking for the Light is awesome. I also really like Darkness in the Light. Owl Howl is great and has a definite King Crimson vibe (thinking Starless but might be off). I’m on Can You Feel it now and thinking it maybe this should be the closing track. The tracks that followed didn’t hit me before, but we’ll see how I feel this time.
Yea World we used To Know is fantastic!!! in fact Disc 1 is a fav for me in general. so many great tracks not present on TBOL.
Yea TBOL's ending is not much shorter but it flies faster for me. neat Magic trick, lol
So the last three tracks, Looking for the Light (Reprise) is really good. The last two I feel wear on a bit too long but have their moments. I found myself liking the very ending a good bit though. Overall, I think they knocked it put of the park with this abridged version, even if I might have trimmed the end a bit. Gonna wait until my hard copies arrive to check out the extended version, and I may live with the abridged version for a little while before I even try the extended. But we’ll see.
the whole last section......the 3 tracks you mentioned. II find agonizing on Forevermore. They just go on and on and on for about 8 years, lol.
With TBOL. i find that whole end section flows much better and it feels like everything wraps up faster.
What's funny is, on Forevermore the last three tracks are 17:32, but on TBOL it's 17:09, so only 23 seconds shorter, but it has that really oddly extended ending with the timpani and spacey outro.
I fund it interesting to see folks saying they prefer TBOL over Forevermore when their primary reason is that the 2nd half of Forevermore isn't as intriguing, but the second half of TBOL all comes from Forevermore and the majority of the cut music comes from the first half of Forevermore, which has some REALLY good music (especially "The World We Used To Know".
I've now heard each version a couple more times and I still can't really decide which one I like more, or if I'll just always like both equally. I do find some of the song transitions on TBOL to be awkward and stilted, where it was noticeable that Neal had cut something out and tried to paste two songs together. The transitions on Forevermore are expectedly more natural sounding.
-Marc.
... I had to hunt for your actual reply in there. :rollin
I was more confused than most fans trying to figure out this album's release formats!
-Marc.
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I will say that as I sit here I have bits and pieces of Breath of Life and The Whirlwind running through my head and I’m not sure which are which. Guessing you could splice parts of those albums together and they would sound like they were all from the same album.
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Predictably, I was unable to stick to my original plan of getting used to the short version before diving into the longer version :lol. I was able to run through the entire Forevermore version on a long drive I had to do this morning and came away having enjoyed that one a lot more than the Breath of Life one. I do think Reaching for the Sky (2nd song from BOL) is much better than Heart Like a Whirlwind (2nd song from Forevermore), largely because Neal's verse is a lot better on the former (the lyrics in it sound and flow much more naturally) and the chorus seems a little better as well, but it seems like Roine is featured a lot more on the Forevermore version, with both lead vocals and more tasty guitar work. The World We Used to Know being omitted from the BOL version seems criminal, in fact. That is easily one of the best overall songs from the entire thing, IMO.
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Seeing as it was 6 degrees out with a wind chill of roughly -6, I had no intention of going out to my mailbox today. Then I checked my shipping email from Laser CD and it says both albums are in my mailbox. Did not expect them today.
Thankfully, it has since warmed up. It's now 9 with a wind chill of -5. Heat wave going on here.
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Hmmm....
I want to love it but so far it's just kinda there. No sweeping highs or goosebumps. I'll give it more time.
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Hmmm....
I want to love it but so far it's just kinda there. No sweeping highs or goosebumps. I'll give it more time.
It's way too early for me to make that call, but I do think the ending (on both) seemed a bit anti-climatic. Of course, if it was the typical Neal grandiose ending, we'd be saying how predictable it was :lol, so this could be one of those "no win" situations, haha.
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I opted for starting with Forevermore and moving onto The Breath of life once I'm completely familiar with the long version. My first listen was pretty much a chore. The second listen, however, was magical. I am truly looking forward to spending a week with the album.
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After some good listens of both now, I'm definitely preferring Breath of Life quite a bit. I started with Forevermore, but I honestly just found it quite bloated and some of the vocal lines just weren't doing it for me at all. I thought maybe this just wasn't going to be an album for me, but then my first listen of TBOL was so much better. More engaging, more energetic, better hooks.
My feelings on it currently are:
- All the stuff that's shared between the albums (either exactly, or slightly altenate versions) is as good or a bit better on TBOL. In terms of the notable alternate versions: Reaching for the Sky is so much more engaging than Heart of a Whirlwind thanks to much better vocal lines; and there isn't much between Take Now My Soul and Swing High, Swing Low but I probably have a very slight preference for the former.
- In terms of what's missing from TBOL, none of it feels essential. The only bit I particularly miss is Bully, but that's only 2 minutes long anyway. Rainbow Sky is fine but nothing special, same with The World We Used to Know, same with Lonesome Rebel (I definitely prefer both the melodies and the uplifting energy of Can You Feel It). The Sun Comes Up Today might be my least favourite track in TA's entire catalogue.
- And then the other 10-15 minutes of difference comes from just having much less bloat in the songs-in-common, which I much prefer.
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Hmmm....
I want to love it but so far it's just kinda there. No sweeping highs or goosebumps. I'll give it more time.
It's way too early for me to make that call, but I do think the ending (on both) seemed a bit anti-climatic. Of course, if it was the typical Neal grandiose ending, we'd be saying how predictable it was :lol, so this could be one of those "no win" situations, haha.
Wait, it’s not the typical Neal Morse grandiose ending?
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It pretty much is, it’s just not as good as his others imo.
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I was pleasantly surprised by Forevermore, it was an album that just did not let up until the final track on disc 2, at least that is my recollection from only one listen still. The tempos were higher, didn't notice much slower moments, or am I forgetting a lot of stuff? There's usually some lighter, slower, and/or ballady stuff on TA albums and not til the final track do we get a 'break'. Personally, I really liked that. I agree the ending didn't seem as strong as the endings of The Whirlwind or other big pieces of music in the Neal/Roine worlds, but it may need more listens.
My first listen to Octavarium, I didn't think much of that finale either.
or the finale to Stranger In Your Soul
or the finale to The Whirlwind
or the finale to The Truth Will Set You Free
I'm not saying TAU's finale is on par with the above epics, but I could probably list just about every big Neal/Roine/DT epic with a big finale and say the first time I listened I didn't think too much of it.
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Hmmm....
I want to love it but so far it's just kinda there. No sweeping highs or goosebumps. I'll give it more time.
It's way too early for me to make that call, but I do think the ending (on both) seemed a bit anti-climatic. Of course, if it was the typical Neal grandiose ending, we'd be saying how predictable it was :lol, so this could be one of those "no win" situations, haha.
Wait, it’s not the typical Neal Morse grandiose ending?
I suppose it is along the same lines, yes, with a slowed down and overly dramatic rendition of one of the main themes, but it feels less bombastic and a little more subdued than normal. I really wonder if the reason for the more subdued ending is because of Neal's voice and how it is aging. I hate to use the word decline, because Neal's vocals have always been more about passion, emotion and character than pure technique (although he had a nice vibrato when he used it), but there is a definite loss of power in his overall vocals. I really noticed it on Sola Gratia, and I noticed it right away here as well. But hey, like I said before, he is 60 now, and his still does sound really good. He has just lost some power and kind of has that older, weary element to his vocals now, which can be quite charming more often than not.
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Hmmm....
I want to love it but so far it's just kinda there. No sweeping highs or goosebumps. I'll give it more time.
It's way too early for me to make that call, but I do think the ending (on both) seemed a bit anti-climatic. Of course, if it was the typical Neal grandiose ending, we'd be saying how predictable it was :lol, so this could be one of those "no win" situations, haha.
Wait, it’s not the typical Neal Morse grandiose ending?
I suppose it is along the same lines, yes, with a slowed down and overly dramatic rendition of one of the main themes, but it feels less bombastic and a little more subdued than normal. I really wonder if the reason for the more subdued ending is because of Neal's voice and how it is aging. I hate to use the word decline, because Neal's vocals have always been more about passion, emotion and character than pure technique (although he had a nice vibrato when he used it), but there is a definite loss of power in his overall vocals. I really noticed it on Sola Gratia, and I noticed it right away here as well. But hey, like I said before, he is 60 now, and his still does sound really good. He has just lost some power and kind of has that older, weary element to his vocals now, which can be quite charming more often than not.
I actually thought he handled the last track pretty well vocally, but definitely he’s lost power and range.
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I actually thought he handled the last track pretty well vocally, but definitely he’s lost power and range.
I still wonder if he did permanent damage to it in the rehearsals for the Morsefest shows in 2018 (Voices of the Beard night 1, the Exorcist night 2). He made a joke the first night about how he had blown his voice out doing too much in rehearsals that week and sounded pretty hoarse both nights, and it seems like his voice has not been quite the same since.
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Anyone else catch that Yes quote around 2:20 or so on The World We Used To Know? Sounds like a riff from Tales From Topographic Oceans, I think it's from Ritual.
Is the Ultimate Edition still available? I don't see it on Radiant's website.
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Anyone else catch that Yes quote around 2:20 or so on The World We Used To Know? Sounds like a riff from Tales From Topographic Oceans, I think it's from Ritual.
Is the Ultimate Edition still available? I don't see it on Radiant's website.
It sounds like the "nananana"-theme from Rituals, but I wouldn't say it's a direct quite... But Roine always sounds a little like Yes in my opinion ;)
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Is the Ultimate Edition still available? I don't see it on Radiant's website.
Wow, you're right, it's also sold out on Burning Shed, Just For Kicks and InsideOut :omg:
I'd never have thought that it would sell out, even the D/T boxset is STILL available at InsideOut (although that one was WAY too expensive, while the TA and LTE ones are fine imo).
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Is the Ultimate Edition still available? I don't see it on Radiant's website.
Wow, you're right, it's also sold out on Burning Shed, Just For Kicks and InsideOut :omg:
I'd never have thought that it would sell out, even the D/T boxset is STILL available at InsideOut (although that one was WAY too expensive, while the TA and LTE ones are fine imo).
I never expected it to sell out unless they didn't make that many copies. I wanted to wait and see how much I liked the music on the two "main" albums before I decided to get the Ultimate.
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I will likely make my own ultimate edition here before long anyway.
For example, I think Reaching for the Sky (BOL) is way better than Heart Like a Whirlwind (Forevermore), but I like Swing Low, Swing High (Forevermore) a lot more than Take Now My Soul (BOL), so I will work it to get both of those on my own ultimate edition.
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Is the Ultimate Edition still available? I don't see it on Radiant's website.
Wow, you're right, it's also sold out on Burning Shed, Just For Kicks and InsideOut :omg:
I'd never have thought that it would sell out, even the D/T boxset is STILL available at InsideOut (although that one was WAY too expensive, while the TA and LTE ones are fine imo).
I never expected it to sell out unless they didn't make that many copies. I wanted to wait and see how much I liked the music on the two "main" albums before I decided to get the Ultimate.
If you wanna get it now, it's still available at relatively ok prices at Discogs:
https://www.discogs.com/de/sell/release/17230804?ev=rb
105 bucks plus shipping, that's still like 30 bucks more than the original price, but it's still fine in my opinion.
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Is the Ultimate Edition still available? I don't see it on Radiant's website.
Wow, you're right, it's also sold out on Burning Shed, Just For Kicks and InsideOut :omg:
I'd never have thought that it would sell out, even the D/T boxset is STILL available at InsideOut (although that one was WAY too expensive, while the TA and LTE ones are fine imo).
I never expected it to sell out unless they didn't make that many copies. I wanted to wait and see how much I liked the music on the two "main" albums before I decided to get the Ultimate.
If you wanna get it now, it's still available at relatively ok prices at Discogs:
https://www.discogs.com/de/sell/release/17230804?ev=rb
105 bucks plus shipping, that's still like 30 bucks more than the original price, but it's still fine in my opinion.
I was just talking about the bluray which I believe was going for 20 bucks or so. Not the box set.
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I will likely make my own ultimate edition here before long anyway.
For example, I think Reaching for the Sky (BOL) is way better than Heart Like a Whirlwind (Forevermore), but I like Swing Low, Swing High (Forevermore) a lot more than Take Now My Soul (BOL), so I will work it to get both of those on my own ultimate edition.
I was thinking that myself that fans will mix and match to make their own version of the album. I don’t know them well enough to do that yet but can definitely see me doing my own edition at some point.
Just as an aside, I’m amazed that the “When love lays down” section at the end of The World We Used To Know was not reprised. That definitely felt like something that would have had the epic finale treatment.
As for Neal’s voice, I still think he does a decent job and is by far the most accomplished singer in the band but there are a couple of moments that I think he sounds quite like Mike Portnoy. Bits where I’ve thought, wow this is the best Mike’s ever sounded and then, as it goes on it becomes clear that it’s Neal singing.
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I will likely make my own ultimate edition here before long anyway.
For example, I think Reaching for the Sky (BOL) is way better than Heart Like a Whirlwind (Forevermore), but I like Swing Low, Swing High (Forevermore) a lot more than Take Now My Soul (BOL), so I will work it to get both of those on my own ultimate edition.
I may do this myself some day, but that might be weeks or months from now, once I've familiarized myself with both albums thoroughly enough. Before then, I still need to hear Mike's Ultimate Mix first and hear what they put out officially. It may be just as satisfying as anything I could come up with anyway!
Also, maybe it's time we update the thread title now that the album is officially out? :lol
Also also, my individual CD sets should be on their way tomorrow, and the Ultimate Box Set arriving the next day or so (if not also tomorrow), and Mike's Drum Cam DVD has its shipping label printed, so I'm hoping that arrives within the next week or so as well! I am ready to absorb it ALL, but I've been continuing listening to Forevermore for the most part over the last two days. I think I'm going to try and get into Forevermore as deeply as I can and then switch over to The Breath Of Life to freshen things up a bit. With every spin, I am discovering new things to like, and enjoying things I already like even more so than before, but I will echo the sentiments that the final track doesn't seem as strong as any other closer they've done, but it is slowly growing on me. I continue finding myself humming various melodies from the album as I go through my day, so the earworms are working their way into my head!
-Marc.
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That's the approach I'm adopting as well. Familiarize myself with Forevermore, then give TBOL a go.
In my personal headcanon (just as valid as anyone else's), the album is called The Absolute Universe, but the piece of music that the album contains is called Forevermore or The Breath of Life. In much the same way as The Whirlwind is both the album and the 12-movement piece of music, and Edison's Children's Final Breath Before November has the 63-minute Silhouette, so it is here.
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I've had almost 3 full listens to Forevermore now and I enjoyed each listen although over the last 3 albums now I am noticing that Transatlantic is sounding more and more like Neal Morse solo music and less and less like those first two albums, which seemed more...varied...or something. Now I am probably one of the most forgiving and generous people when it comes to shared vocals in bands where not every vocalist is a "lead vocalist" per se. But with that said, I think it was not the greatest idea to have Pete singing so much lead vocals. As I've seen mentioned here and elsewhere it comes across as very amateurish-sounding and the pitch-correction artifacts are kind of...well...let's just say it's not a highlight of the album. I cringe when I hear it.
Portnoy's lead vocals, on the other hand, are oddly appropriate for the style and feel of the song they used him in. And he's clearly had some vocal coaching in the last few years because if they did any pitch correction at all on his vocal tracks it was very minimal because I cannot hear any artifacts at all. I still find his singing voice kind of grating but here it kind of fits with the mood and vibe of the song.
It's still far, far too soon for me to judge this but I am fairly certain it's going to come in ahead of Kaleidoscope which, to me, is easily their weakest album to date, but I have a hard time believing it will eclipse BAF, SMTP:e or The Whirlwind. But you never know.
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Yeah, I agree about Pete. Most of his lead vocal parts sound like bad karaoke. Portnoy doesn't have a naturally great-sounding singing voice, but he has improved enough to where the occasional lead vocal works fine.
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Since I haven't heard much Marillion, does Pete do any vocals in that band?
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Since I haven't heard much Marillion, does Pete do any vocals in that band?
Nope, though Hogarth is becoming harder to listen to as he mumbles through nearly every song
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Anybody order vinyl from Laser's Edge and know when it's shipping? I can't get any info from them.
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Since I haven't heard much Marillion, does Pete do any vocals in that band?
Very few and they stick out like a sore thumb, IMO.
I'm more or less a Marillion die-hard, and he's become a phenomenal instrumentalist (I don't limit that to bass) but I cringe when he steps anywhere near a microphone.
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Yeah, I agree about Pete. Most of his lead vocal parts sound like bad karaoke. Portnoy doesn't have a naturally great-sounding singing voice, but he has improved enough to where the occasional lead vocal works fine.
Well, I was trying to be nice about it :lol But I have to say I agree about the Karaoke thing. That's two albums in a row where they've used him as a lead vocalist in significant portions of songs where I am kind of surprised they'd do that and actually leave it in there in the official release. It's a curious choice for sure. I guess there is a certain charm to it, perhaps?
I'm not ready to listen to the shorter version just yet, but I've now made it all the way through Forevermore 4 times start to finish. I'm going to have a full listen with the headphones and lyrics in hand if I ever get my pre-order from Radiant Records. :|
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Since I haven't heard much Marillion, does Pete do any vocals in that band?
Very few and they stick out like a sore thumb, IMO.
I'm more or less a Marillion die-hard, and he's become a phenomenal instrumentalist (I don't limit that to bass) but I cringe when he steps anywhere near a microphone.
Now I’m trying to think where Pete sings on any Marillion studio albums. Live he does for sure. I’m just having a hard time coming up with anything off the top of my head.
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I should be getting both CDs today, and the Blu-ray from Radiant has shipped and expected end of the week. I listened to Forevermore twice so far, still not sure what to make of it. Some very good parts and a lot more to get into. This will require quite a bit of time to spend on and digest I feel. In someway it's like Flying Color's third album. Similar reaction on the first few listens, not sure what to make of it in the beginning. But loved it much later on.
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I think there is a certain charm with Pete's vocals. They work well on Forevermore in my opinion. It has that soft, pleasant quality that adds a new dimension to their vocal palate. Especially compared to Roine's rough voice and Mike's sometimes rather agressive bits.
All of the vocals work, though. I've always liked that Transatlantic has four voices that can be utilized in appropriate sections.
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It has been very long since I listened to Transatlantic and most of my listening was when I first got into prog. My impression is good, I really enjoy the music. But, every vocal line that is not Neal or even Mike, ranges from passable to terrible for me in terms of singing.
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I think the vocals from Pete and Roine are fine in a sort of human way. Like not every singer needs to be an amazing vocalist to be interesting. I wouldn’t want to listen to a whole album of Pete singing, but one track here or there is fine and adds a different flavor.
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I got a reply from Lasers Edge. Vinyl arrived late Friday and are shipping today (Monday) in case anyone else is curious. They are coming from Vorhees NJ and I'm in Philly suburbs( only about 50 minutes away)so hopefully only another day or 2.
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I like Roine’s vocals, I think they’re a nice contrast to Neal. In previous albums, I have also enjoyed Pete’s little vocal spots as they seem to have been tailored to his voice and had a certain quiet charm to them. When he’s got to carry a whole song though or at least an extended part of a song, he’s just not a professional singer and it shows. It sounds like me trying to sing!
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I've had almost 3 full listens to Forevermore now and I enjoyed each listen although over the last 3 albums now I am noticing that Transatlantic is sounding more and more like Neal Morse solo music and less and less like those first two albums, which seemed more...varied...or something.
I do agree that it's less varied. But to me, that works in their favor. To me, their first two albums had a lot of peaks and valleys. On SMPT:e, I love All of the Above, We All Need Some Light, and My New World. Those are fantastic. I didn't like Mystery Train much at first, but that one has grown on my, so I can put it in the "like" column now. But I actively dislike the final song. And, yes, I realize it is a cover. But still, it takes up over 17 minutes on the album, so it is hard to ignore. That's about 1/4 of the album that I skip.
On Bridge Across Forever, I love the title song and Stranger. I don't love Duel with the Devil, but it is solid. Suite Charlotte Pike is just "okay." I don't hate it, but I find it uninteresting.
Then there's The Whirlwind... How do you even rate an album that is a single song? Thankfully, I feel that it is their best song, so it isn't hard. Love it. And a lot of the bonus tracks on the deluxe are solid.
But anyway, the first two albums are a bit inconsistent to me. They have some of the band's best material, which rank VERY highly for me in terms of stuff I still want to listen to after all this time and would easily find its way onto an "all time" list. But there is other stuff I would pass on altogether.
TAU is a bit of an oddity in that it has neither of those. I mean, I hate to sound like "one of those fans" who just pines for a band's "classic sound" and doesn't like anything else, but it this were DT, I would kind of be saying that this new album doesn't really have any Metropolis or Learning To Live. Just nothing that quite reaches those peaks. But it also doesn't have anything that approaches the valleys either. To me, it is a very consistent album, and it is consistently very good. Going back to DT, it is very much like the Mangini era of DT for me in that the albums during that time are far more consistently good IMO than anything the band has ever done before. And while it may not reach the peaks that some songs on earlier albums did, that consistency earns big points for me.
That said, it's really hard for me to try to rank it. Do I "reward" it for being more consistent than the band's prior albums? Or do I knock it down a peg for not having the highs that really draw me on on some of those earlier albums? I don't know. Prior to this one, I would rank them like this:
1. TW: Perfection. Hard to imagine them ever beating this.
2. SMPT:e: Really solid classic.
3. Bridge: Also really solid, and I hate that it is #3. But SMPT:e is just a shade better.
4. Kaleidoscope: I don't dislike it, but was really disappointed. This album just kind of came and went.
The new one doesn't reach TW level. It just doesn't. But it is far above Kaleidoscope. It ranks somewhere in among those first two albums, but I'm not sure where. Some days, it is my #2. Others, I have to but it behind both of those. But I do know that I like it a lot, and that's what really matters.
And I'll say again that Pete is the album MVP for me, on both vocals and bass. Take him away, and the album falls considerably for me.
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I really miss the more whimsical nature of the first two albums. I think there was less of a preconceived, “this is what TA is” element to them, though I think Bridge Across Forever set the expectations really high in terms of making sort of a grand musical and lyrical statement. They do seem to have a habit of maybe forcing epic themes and lyrics since then trying to recapture the magic. Go back and listen to All of the Above and see how playful a lot of the music and lyrics are. Mystery Train even more so. Suite Charlotte Pike had a lot of that too. That’s just not where Neal has been musically or lyrically since his solo career started.
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I really miss the more whimsical nature of the first two albums. I think there was less of a preconceived, “this is what TA is” element to them, though I think Bridge Across Forever set the expectations really high in terms of making sort of a grand musical and lyrical statement. They do seem to have a habit of maybe forcing epic themes and lyrics since then trying to recapture the magic. Go back and listen to All of the Above and see how playful a lot of the music and lyrics are. Mystery Train even more so. Suite Charlotte Pike had a lot of that too. That’s just not where Neal has been musically or lyrically since his solo career started.
I don't think any of the epicness is forced. That's just the way Neal's music is by now...
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I think there is a certain charm with Pete's vocals. They work well on Forevermore in my opinion. It has that soft, pleasant quality that adds a new dimension to their vocal palate. Especially compared to Roine's rough voice and Mike's sometimes rather agressive bits.
All of the vocals work, though. I've always liked that Transatlantic has four voices that can be utilized in appropriate sections.
When I was listening to Solitude, I was thinking that there is no other voice that suits that part. Pete's vocals here have that soft, warmness to it, that while not in great pitch it has this tone that suits the song. It's why I like Roine Stolts voice, and The Flower Kings. And why I like Transatlantic.
This album is pretty much the Transatlantic sound I enjoy. It's better than The Whirlwind and is now my favorite. The Upbeat melodies, the vocals and harmonies, the tones of each instrument and vocals, and the groove of the bass and drums. The rhythm of the albums is that good uppity prog sound that I like, and it flows really good.
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I've had almost 3 full listens to Forevermore now and I enjoyed each listen although over the last 3 albums now I am noticing that Transatlantic is sounding more and more like Neal Morse solo music and less and less like those first two albums, which seemed more...varied...or something.
I do agree that it's less varied. But to me, that works in their favor. To me, their first two albums had a lot of peaks and valleys. On SMPT:e, I love All of the Above, We All Need Some Light, and My New World. Those are fantastic. I didn't like Mystery Train much at first, but that one has grown on my, so I can put it in the "like" column now. But I actively dislike the final song. And, yes, I realize it is a cover. But still, it takes up over 17 minutes on the album, so it is hard to ignore. That's about 1/4 of the album that I skip.
On Bridge Across Forever, I love the title song and Stranger. I don't love Duel with the Devil, but it is solid. Suite Charlotte Pike is just "okay." I don't hate it, but I find it uninteresting.
Then there's The Whirlwind... How do you even rate an album that is a single song? Thankfully, I feel that it is their best song, so it isn't hard. Love it. And a lot of the bonus tracks on the deluxe are solid.
But anyway, the first two albums are a bit inconsistent to me. They have some of the band's best material, which rank VERY highly for me in terms of stuff I still want to listen to after all this time and would easily find its way onto an "all time" list. But there is other stuff I would pass on altogether.
TAU is a bit of an oddity in that it has neither of those. I mean, I hate to sound like "one of those fans" who just pines for a band's "classic sound" and doesn't like anything else, but it this were DT, I would kind of be saying that this new album doesn't really have any Metropolis or Learning To Live. Just nothing that quite reaches those peaks. But it also doesn't have anything that approaches the valleys either. To me, it is a very consistent album, and it is consistently very good. Going back to DT, it is very much like the Mangini era of DT for me in that the albums during that time are far more consistently good IMO than anything the band has ever done before. And while it may not reach the peaks that some songs on earlier albums did, that consistency earns big points for me.
That said, it's really hard for me to try to rank it. Do I "reward" it for being more consistent than the band's prior albums? Or do I knock it down a peg for not having the highs that really draw me on on some of those earlier albums? I don't know. Prior to this one, I would rank them like this:
1. TW: Perfection. Hard to imagine them ever beating this.
2. SMPT:e: Really solid classic.
3. Bridge: Also really solid, and I hate that it is #3. But SMPT:e is just a shade better.
4. Kaleidoscope: I don't dislike it, but was really disappointed. This album just kind of came and went.
The new one doesn't reach TW level. It just doesn't. But it is far above Kaleidoscope. It ranks somewhere in among those first two albums, but I'm not sure where. Some days, it is my #2. Others, I have to but it behind both of those. But I do know that I like it a lot, and that's what really matters.
And I'll say again that Pete is the album MVP for me, on both vocals and bass. Take him away, and the album falls considerably for me.
That's fair. I strongly agree about Pete's bass playing but I just can't wrap my head around his vocals. I found it more jarring on Kaleidoscope, though. I think they picked better material for him here because it does tend to suit his voice better. The other thing is, it's one of my favorite tracks on the entire Forevermore version of the album so the vocals don't bother so much as they puzzle me. Personally if any vocalist I was working with ever handed that to me as their finished product, I'd reject it 10 times out of 10.
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I really miss the more whimsical nature of the first two albums. I think there was less of a preconceived, “this is what TA is” element to them, though I think Bridge Across Forever set the expectations really high in terms of making sort of a grand musical and lyrical statement. They do seem to have a habit of maybe forcing epic themes and lyrics since then trying to recapture the magic. Go back and listen to All of the Above and see how playful a lot of the music and lyrics are. Mystery Train even more so. Suite Charlotte Pike had a lot of that too. That’s just not where Neal has been musically or lyrically since his solo career started.
To me, each Transatlantic album is like a checkpoint on Neal and Roine's career (as they are the main songwriters, generally) both of their individual canons have evolved since the late 90s, so I expected The Absolute Universe: Forevermore to be closer to Islands meets Sola Gratia; than to Space Revolver meets V. Then you have Portnoy who's been working with Neal outside of Transatlantic for over 20 years so there is a chemistry there. Roine and Neal were writing different things back in the day, as much as they get criticized for repeating themselves.
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I really miss the more whimsical nature of the first two albums. I think there was less of a preconceived, “this is what TA is” element to them, though I think Bridge Across Forever set the expectations really high in terms of making sort of a grand musical and lyrical statement. They do seem to have a habit of maybe forcing epic themes and lyrics since then trying to recapture the magic. Go back and listen to All of the Above and see how playful a lot of the music and lyrics are. Mystery Train even more so. Suite Charlotte Pike had a lot of that too. That’s just not where Neal has been musically or lyrically since his solo career started.
I don't think any of the epicness is forced. That's just the way Neal's music is by now...
Forced might be the wrong term. Neal does sort of ooze that style of music, and he can and probably does write epics in his sleep (that might be part of the problem!). I guess I’m more saying they seem to feel that TA has to be that way now, but initially it was more playful and had more of a Beatles/pop element in addition to the epic prog ness (also a little bit of jazz as well). And Neal certainly still writes music in that vein from time to time.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying this one so far (and a song like Can You Feel It is a bit more of a light hearted pop thing). Just trying to put my finger on something that seems to be missing from the band’s earlier work.
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So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
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I really miss the more whimsical nature of the first two albums. I think there was less of a preconceived, “this is what TA is” element to them, though I think Bridge Across Forever set the expectations really high in terms of making sort of a grand musical and lyrical statement. They do seem to have a habit of maybe forcing epic themes and lyrics since then trying to recapture the magic. Go back and listen to All of the Above and see how playful a lot of the music and lyrics are. Mystery Train even more so. Suite Charlotte Pike had a lot of that too. That’s just not where Neal has been musically or lyrically since his solo career started.
I don't think any of the epicness is forced. That's just the way Neal's music is by now...
Forced might be the wrong term. Neal does sort of ooze that style of music, and he can and probably does write epics in his sleep (that might be part of the problem!). I guess I’m more saying they seem to feel that TA has to be that way now, but initially it was more playful and had more of a Beatles/pop element in addition to the epic prog ness (also a little bit of jazz as well). And Neal certainly still writes music in that vein from time to time.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying this one so far (and a song like Can You Feel It is a bit more of a light hearted pop thing). Just trying to put my finger on something that seems to be missing from the band’s earlier work.
As someone familiar with where Neal and Roine are at musically these days, I actually find TAU:Forevermore to be a breath of fresh air, the best thing anyone in the band has done recently, but is closer to what I expected based on their own recent works. I was not expecting it to sound like their early albums or NM-era Spock's or early 00s TFK, or even The Whirlwind.
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So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
I've never seen that movie, and I don't know what exactly you're talking about (although I know those yellow things that look like the inside of a Kinder Egg with a face)... And I won't listen to/watch any of it because Beeelong is my favorite theme of the album and I don't wanna ruin it :lol
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So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
It's a Tibetan singer. Picked out by Roine, according to Pete.
-Marc.
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Well since i love ranking stuff. and i'm bored.
1. Bridge Across Forever- this to me is Transatlantic's measuring stick. nothing on here is weak. every track is a winner.
2. The Whirlwind-A VERY close 2nd. Making an album long epic took balls. they hit it out of the park mostly. A few sections i do get bored by. Rose colored glasses mainly. but still a killer album though.
3. The Absolute Universe-I know it's early. but i really love this. the Abridged version more but this album has some of they're best songs/melodies for me. Darkness In the Light, Swing high/Take now My Soul, Looking For the Light, The World We used to Know, Solitude....to name a few. very impressed.
4. SEMPT:e-This is an ok debut. i LOVE All of the Above and My New World. Was never huge on the rest.....even We All Need Some Light. Noble start but they'd iron stuff out on Bridge.
5. Kaleidoscope- Not very good at all. thhis is one where i went...........ummmmmmm.....where's everyone else? This is Neal Morse featuring Transatlantic. Seriously this just could have been one of his albums. the two longer songs are very paint bu numbers. the slower tunes are too fluffy. nothing works for me here.
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I listened to the new album few times and at least I have my ranking:
1 - Bridge Across Forever (Totally a magical masterpiece, every bit of it. Even the often dismissed title track I think it’s amazingly beautiful)
2 - Whirlwind (It’s a perfect album, only a bit below Bridge because that inexplicable “magic” factor. By the way, I also LOVE Spinning)
3 - SMPTe (Incredible first album, I only don’t love the cover song – in fact, I don’t like it)
4 - The Absolute Universe (Although early to judge, I think it won’t surpass the albums above, but it’s a very strong album. I wouldn’t cut any of the songs/bits from the Forevermore version, honestly. The 2 CDs have a great flow, you listen to them without tiring yourself. Really happy to have bought the BluRay version! Another interesting personal perception is that, to me, this album sounds even more like one long song than Whirlwind, really).
5 - Kaleidoscope (It’s truly a good album, the 2 epics have a lot of great passages, Black As the Sky is a very cool/energetic “short” song, but it’s clearly their “worst” album. Its flow is still something that you have to fight a bit to listen to the album at one sitting).
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1. The Whirlwind - I think it's their best album, but also the best thing any member of the band has been a part of (though maybe there's a couple of DT albums that eclipse it) Talking about the main disc of course. Some of their strongest melodies. To me, this is the pinnacle of what Neal and Roine bring to the world of music. This is THE best sounding bass I've ever heard on a prog rock record. Yup, even compared to the greats. Portnoy's work is some of his best as well, possibly the last time he was this good. The bonus disc has a few nice surprises as well.
2. Bridge Across Forever - This is the best album not called The Whirlwind. The two book-ending epics is worth the price of admission and together are longer than most albums. DWTD and SIYS are both some of the best epics to come out of the prog rock world. Just magical moments, and even some heavy moments sprinkled in. SIYS main theme melody is just beautiful. The middle songs I can take or leave depending on my mood, so this drags the album down a tiny bit, whereas TW mostly perfect beginning to end.
3. SMPTe - First album is a very strong prog rock debut, All of the Above is a top 5 Neal composition. WANSL is a classic Neal ballad, Mystery Train is an underrated tune. My New World is lovely. However, the album is very much a Neal Morse side project, everything is 'Nealed up' as I call it, especially My New World (check out the demo version compared to the final version.) I know they're mostly credited to the entire band, but each song sounds more like "this is the Neal epic, this is the Neal ballad, this is the Neal rocker, oh and here is the 'Nealed-up' Roine composition, concluding with a 'Nealed up' cover".
4. The Absolute Universe: Forevermore - Too early for me to rank it higher, and I haven't listened to Breath of Life yet. That will probably get it's own ranking. For now, I definitely enjoy it way more than Kaleidoscope.
5. Kaleidoscope - Didn't care for this when it came out, and wasn't in the prog rock mood at the time. These days, I enjoy it when it's on, it's not bad. There are just other Neal Morse or Roine Stolt works I'd rather listen to over this one. It's there when you want more music from these guys. I agree that this is more of a "Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope: A Neal Morse Production" than a band effort like the 2 albums that preceded this one. I do like Into The Blue, and I really like Daniel Gildenlow's voice on it.
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1. Bridge Across Forever
2. The Whirlwind
3. Kaleidoscope
4. SMPT:e
Can't rank the new one yet.
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Pete's vocals are hit or miss for me. I actually don't have any issues with them on TAU or the bits he sang on Stranger, for example, but his solo spot on Kaleidoscope? :omg: not good. Lending a Hand? Unlistenable (Whirlwind bonus track with Pete on vocals all the way through).
As fo Solitude specifically, I think his vocals fit the song well, I just found myself liking the short version much more than the long one. The one in Forevermore unnecessarily adds a soft bridge section and another chorus before going to the "emotional" Love Made a Way bridge section. The shorter one flows so much better.
As for my ranking, it's still very soon, but I think it might be something like this:
1. The Whirlwind - Their perfect album, not much else to add here. Disc 2 was completely unncecesary, but it has a couple good songs in there (Spinning and For Such a Time).
2. Bridge Across Forever - I LOVE both epics and BAF isn't a bad song at all. I can't stand Suite Charlotte Pike, but I still have a very strong hour-long album without it.
3. The Absolute Universe - As Bosk said, it's the consistency about this album(s) that makes it rank higher, though I don't think anything here reaches the highs of the previous albums. This is also a harder one to rank because there's two versions of the album and I find Forevermore to be a bit long/tiring sometimes, but TBOL feels like it's missing a couple cool things from it. Just weird.
4. SMPTe - I love AOTA and WANSL, but I don't find myself going back to MT or MNW too often. Don't care about the cover song, though.
5. Kaleidoscope - Everybody is ranking this one last, even though it's not bad at all. I just think they tried too hard to make an album similar to the first two that they ended up accidentally re-writing some of their earlier songs into it. It just feels like new versions of All of The Above + We All Need Some Light + a song from TW + BAF + Stranger in Your Soul.
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I always thought SMPTe has a little stronger Roine influence than Bridge Across Forever. I’m glad we are all agreed that In Held (Twas) in I is awful and is the only blemish in an otherwise amazing album. I just skip it and it doesn’t bother me. There’s plenty of original music for a full album without it.
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I always thought SMPTe has a little stronger Roine influence than Bridge Across Forever. I’m glad we all agreed that In Held (Twas) in I is awful and is the only blemish in an otherwise amazing album. I just skip it and it doesn’t bother me. There’s plenty of original music for a full album without it.
I never really got why they did that but I suspect they were a bit short on material and needed a something so they did a long cover tune. I would have preferred something different too. I routinely skip it when I listen to SMTP:e
Prior to the release of this new album I'd rank them as:
1. Bridge Across Forever - as close to flawless an album as I can think of.
2. SMTPe: (minus the last track)
3. The Whirlwind (again, minus the last track)
4. Kaleidoscope - it's...OK
I'm not sure where the new one will fit in, but if I HAD to put it somewhere it would go after The Whirlwind.
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I've never heard the original version of that Procol Harum tune, but I've always loved the Transatlantic version of it. It's filled to the brim with great prog bits. I had no idea it was disliked. :omg:
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So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
It's a Tibetan singer. Picked out by Roine, according to Pete.
-Marc.
OK, I was wondering WTF that was every time I heard it. I wasn't even entirely sure it was part of the album and not something originating somewhere outside of it. :lol All 4 times I've heard it I turned around to see what was behind me, because in the mix it almost sounds like it's behind me. Or panned hard left, IIRC.
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Unfortunately, I think what happens is that bands sometimes fall into the trap of sounding like themselves after they have fully gelled.
For me, Transatlantic "fully gelled" on the Whirlwind. Yes, the first two albums are very special and pioneering, and have a lot of more experimental elements that never show up again in their later discography. They're special to me, but the quality is certainly less homogenous, and probably those albums might have been overlooked by me if I weren't already very big fans of all four players. But the Whirlwind is the first album where it's like, "everything that worked about the first two albums, with very little of what didn't".
Then you have Kaleidoscope, the first one that just kinda sounds like TA sounding a bit like themselves. And this one suffers from that a little bit too.
This isn't a full-time band, and I doubt anyway comes to the project with the mindset of, "let's just let loose in the studio and see what happens" anymore. If anything, I would imagine each guy comes into the studio thinking "let's make a Transatlantic album", which would have been impossible during those earlier days. And, though a subtlety, the results of that thinking speak for themselves when you listen.
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Unfortunately, I think what happens is that bands sometimes fall into the trap of sounding like themselves after they have fully gelled.
For me, Transatlantic "fully gelled" on the Whirlwind. Yes, the first two albums are very special and pioneering, and have a lot of more experimental elements that never show up again in their later discography. They're special to me, but the quality is certainly less homogenous, and probably those albums might have been overlooked by me if I weren't already very big fans of all four players. But the Whirlwind is the first album where it's like, "everything that worked about the first two albums, with very little of what didn't".
Then you have Kaleidoscope, the first one that just kinda sounds like TA sounding a bit like themselves. And this one suffers from that a little bit too.
This isn't a full-time band, and I doubt anyway comes to the project with the mindset of, "let's just let loose in the studio and see what happens" anymore. If anything, I would imagine each guy comes into the studio thinking "let's make a Transatlantic album", which would have been impossible during those earlier days. And, though a subtlety, the results of that thinking speak for themselves when you listen.
Yeah, you’re saying (better than I did) what I was kind of trying to express. Transatlantic has more of an established identity now, so when the members reconvene to make an album they are going to focus on making what they think of as (and probably what the fans expect from) a Transatlantic album.
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Unfortunately, I think what happens is that bands sometimes fall into the trap of sounding like themselves after they have fully gelled.
For me, Transatlantic "fully gelled" on the Whirlwind. Yes, the first two albums are very special and pioneering, and have a lot of more experimental elements that never show up again in their later discography. They're special to me, but the quality is certainly less homogenous, and probably those albums might have been overlooked by me if I weren't already very big fans of all four players. But the Whirlwind is the first album where it's like, "everything that worked about the first two albums, with very little of what didn't".
Then you have Kaleidoscope, the first one that just kinda sounds like TA sounding a bit like themselves. And this one suffers from that a little bit too.
This isn't a full-time band, and I doubt anyway comes to the project with the mindset of, "let's just let loose in the studio and see what happens" anymore. If anything, I would imagine each guy comes into the studio thinking "let's make a Transatlantic album", which would have been impossible during those earlier days. And, though a subtlety, the results of that thinking speak for themselves when you listen.
Yeah, well said. I was going to post similar thoughts earlier.
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5. Kaleidoscope - Everybody is ranking this one last
Literally the post above yours I ranked it 3rd :lol
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5. Kaleidoscope - Everybody is ranking this one last
Literally the post above yours I ranked it 3rd :lol
It's my favourite, but I feel like I'm the only one :lol :'(
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Are people just going to ignore that Bosk said that he wasn’t keen on Duel With The Devil?
I’m joking obviously but I can’t believe that anyone, who likes TA, dislikes that song. I think Duel, All Of The Above and Stranger In Your Soul are their 3 masterpiece epics. I also think Into The Blue off the much maligned Kaleidoscope has a lot of really great stuff in it, just a little too much repetitive noodling let’s it down slightly.
The new one is growing on me quite a bit and it’s something, by and large, I enjoy all the way through, iffy vocals notwithstanding. It’s gets a big tick for consistency then even if the highs don’t hit the heights of previous albums. If the end epic was on a par with other albums, I would maybe end up ranking this right up with the others but that does let it down a bit. Just seems like very little thought went into it.
As far as the Neal influence goes, I’ve always felt they sounded like his stuff miles more than any of the others members projects. It always felt like Neal with a healthy sprinkling of Roine and that’s were the magic was. The new one is no different but I agree that Kaleidoscope maybe was more of a Neal thing with less to differentiate it from his solo stuff.
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Are people just going to ignore that Bosk said that he wasn’t keen on Duel With The Devil?
I’m joking obviously but I can’t believe that anyone, who likes TA, dislikes that song.
No, I don't dislike it at all. I said, "I don't love Duel with the Devil, but it is solid." I "like" it just fine. But it is my least favorite of the epics on the first two albums.
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although IMHO, it works well as an opening piece on the album (and it was on their 2001 tour as well, which I attended)
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song Everything Is Wrong for the Overture's beginning theme?
I really miss the more whimsical nature of the first two albums. I think there was less of a preconceived, “this is what TA is” element to them, though I think Bridge Across Forever set the expectations really high in terms of making sort of a grand musical and lyrical statement. They do seem to have a habit of maybe forcing epic themes and lyrics since then trying to recapture the magic. Go back and listen to All of the Above and see how playful a lot of the music and lyrics are. Mystery Train even more so. Suite Charlotte Pike had a lot of that too. That’s just not where Neal has been musically or lyrically since his solo career started.
I've been listening to The Light at work and I couldn't believe how different his writing was back then. Lots of quirky parts with gaps for the bass/guitar to stand out in front and just an overall feeling of quirkiness and "anything goes". Once Snow came around, I feel like all traces of that sort of went away and his writing became a bit more clinical and restricted to ore familiar prog-tropes. Those first 5 Beard albums are truly unique and brilliant.
My ranking (still digesting TAU but I'm feeling like it will go before or after The Whirlwind)
1. SMPT:e - nothing they've done since captures the magic of AOTA or MNW for me
2. Bridge Across Forever - nearly perfect album though the title track is heavily overshadowed
3. The Whirlwind - I'm not as big on this one as most fans are, it feels a bit too familiar and the last segment is painfully overlong
500. Kaleidoscope - two predictable epics (aside from Pete and Daniel's vocal parts in the title track and ITB), a cheesy singalong song, a decent progger, and a dreary piano ballad
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Warming up to it more after each spin. Too early to rank except to say it's above K-scope.
BAF
Very close 2nd-SMPT:E
Whirlwind
K-scope. Not an engaging record at all.
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Apparently, even though it's 7 years ago this year, I saw Transatlantic at their last ever show that wasn't the CTTE one-off MP thing without Roine Stolt.
That's quite strange to think about and I didn't realise it until I just randomly checked the setlist from that particular show :lol
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5. Kaleidoscope - Everybody is ranking this one last
Literally the post above yours I ranked it 3rd :lol
Yes, but I started writing my post before that one was posted :P
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song Everything Is Wrong for the Overture's beginning theme?
I really miss the more whimsical nature of the first two albums. I think there was less of a preconceived, “this is what TA is” element to them, though I think Bridge Across Forever set the expectations really high in terms of making sort of a grand musical and lyrical statement. They do seem to have a habit of maybe forcing epic themes and lyrics since then trying to recapture the magic. Go back and listen to All of the Above and see how playful a lot of the music and lyrics are. Mystery Train even more so. Suite Charlotte Pike had a lot of that too. That’s just not where Neal has been musically or lyrically since his solo career started.
I've been listening to The Light at work and I couldn't believe how different his writing was back then. Lots of quirky parts with gaps for the bass/guitar to stand out in front and just an overall feeling of quirkiness and "anything goes". Once Snow came around, I feel like all traces of that sort of went away and his writing became a bit more clinical and restricted to ore familiar prog-tropes. Those first 5 Beard albums are truly unique and brilliant.
Yeah, I think there are a lot of people who got into Neal Morse more through his solo stuff who don’t connect so well with SB, but I’m the complete opposite. I just love those early SB albums so much, and there really was a pretty big change in Neal’s writing starting with Snow (which I also really love). It did still have some major quirkiness (stuff like 4th of July and I’m The Guy), but there was definitely a more serious tone that carried over to his solo career. Now, I don’t begrudge Neal going in the direction he did at all. I just really love that early stuff.
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STATEMENT FROM NEAL MORSE
Hey everyone,
So, here’s a little history of what happened with the current Transatlantic release:
We ordered our stuff back at the end of November/beginning of December. January 13th, InsideOut Europe confirmed to us that our shipment was being shipped. (The vinyl, Blu-ray and UE are manufactured there.)
Of course, Amy has been all over it tracking from the beginning. I thought it might be a few days late, due to what's going on with the pandemic, but never dreamed that on Feb. 3rd the shipping company would contact us, asking for additional info.
Anyway, as fast as is humanly possible we followed up, and they said that we were going to get the shipment on Friday, February 5th.
Then Amy told me yesterday, Saturday, Feb. 6, that the shipping company passed it to another shipper and it’s still in Atlanta and we’re supposed to get it beginning of the week.
I am, and we are all, so very, very sorry about this unexpected delay and we are going to be talking to the shipping company and all the people involved to try to figure out what appropriate action to take in the future, so this doesn't happen again.
Anyway, thank you all. TA5 is a wonderful album and you will be blessed… Thank you for your patience!
Neal
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song ...
Um...that isn't really how plagiarism works.
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Neal writes 3,407 songs a year, so a melody from one song is bound to slip it another inadvertently at some point. :P :lol
HOF, I get what you mean. It does seem at this point that the band feels like they have established sound and style and go out of their way to make sure they don't stray too far from it, while the first few albums had that more "free" feeling like they were just writing whatever hit them and boom out it came. Kaleidoscope and the new album(s) definitely feel a bit more calculated, for lack of a better term. And that is not necessarily a bad thing, having focus and a set goal, but there isn't as a single moment on the new albums where I thought, "Woah, I didn't see that coming!" It all felt very safe and predictable. Still quite good so far, but definitely has that "been there, done that" feel.
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song ...
Um...that isn't really how plagiarism works.
I can't imagine how pedantic you must be to have made this post
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So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
🤣🤣🤣
I thought those were Boobahs.
But yeah, it caught me by surprise and was neat to hear in that spot.
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So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
🤣🤣🤣
I thought those were Boobahs.
But yeah, it caught me by surprise and was neat to hear in that spot.
I found a bit creepy that "dark side minions" part, but also very cool!
About Pete singing... I must admit I'm not much fan of his vocals, I think even Mike is a better vocalist, but in Solitude's case, that first half is so beautiful that it would be really nice if the band invited Ted Leonard or Daniel Gildenlow to sing it.
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Anyone else get a bit of a The Tangent vibe from Solitude?
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So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
🤣🤣🤣
I thought those were Boobahs.
But yeah, it caught me by surprise and was neat to hear in that spot.
I found a bit creepy that "dark side minions" part, but also very cool!
About Pete singing... I must admit I'm not much fan of his vocals, I think even Mike is a better vocalist, but in Solitude's case, that first half is so beautiful that it would be really nice if the band invited Ted Leonard or Daniel Gildenlow to sing it.
Ted Leonard would fit that part perfectly for me. I could hear his voice on that part now.
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song Everything Is Wrong for the Overture's beginning theme?
Woah, I hadn't caught that, which is stunning considering Everything Is Wrong is one of my favorite short Neal tunes ever, but it's pretty obvious now. Intentional or not, I like it! It's like he took this simple melody from a laid back tune and transformed it into this epic theme. Very well done.
There's also a guitar part near the end of The Greatest Story Never Ends that is nearly identical to a guitar part near the end of 12 on the Question Mark (the part right before the final crescendo and dive bomb that leads us into Entrance). It's at 2:15 in the Breath of Live version.
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Also, I just made my own ultimate edition that I will try out for a while:
01 Overture (Breath of Life)
02 Reaching for the Sky (Breath of Life)
03 Higher Than the Morning (Forevermore)
04 The Darkness in the Light (Forevermore)
05 Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore)
06 Bully (Forevermore)
07 Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
08 Looking for the Light (Forevermore)
09 The World We Used to Know (Forevermore)
10 The Sun Comes Up Today (Forevermore)
11 Love Made a Way - prelude (Forevermore)
12 Owl Howl (Forevermore)
13 Solitude (Forevermore)
14 Belong (Breath of Life)
15 Can You Feel It (Breath of Life)
16 Looking for the Light - reprise (Breath of Life)
17 The Greatest Story Never Ends (Breath of Life)
18 Love Made a Way (Breath of Life)
18 songs / 88 minutes. That looks about right. I didn't like losing Lonesome Rebel, but it was either that or Can You Feel It for the sake of continuity and maintaining the flow of the record, and Can You Feel It is too good to not have. That is the only reason I kept Solitude, which is a tough lesson due to Pete's vocals, and I can still see myself skipping over it a lot, but at least it's there for the purposes of flow when I want to let it run uninterrupted.
Also, while it is too early to rank it against the band's other albums, I suspect that this will eventually land comfortably ahead of Kaleidoscope, but well behind the first three. Almost everything on my 18-track version above ranges from good to very good, but if you want to call the whole thing one song, it doesn't touch The Whirlwind (as a whole), All of the Above or Stranger in Your Soul, and if you want to call it an album of mostly short songs, I don't see anything on here touching We All Need Some Light, Rose Covered Glasses, A Man Can Feel or Is It Really Happening?
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Listening to Breath of Life after receiving the CD in the mail today. I hadn’t really noticed when I was streaming it, but some of the transitions between tracks are really jarring.
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song ...
Um...that isn't really how plagiarism works.
:rollin
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Listening to Breath of Life after receiving the CD in the mail today. I hadn’t really noticed when I was streaming it, but some of the transitions between tracks are really jarring.
I am glad I'm not the only who feels that way! Maybe I've gotten too used to the flow of Forevermore, but even without that, there are some oddly abrupt transitions between songs on TBOL.
-Marc.
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song Everything Is Wrong for the Overture's beginning theme?
Whoa! I didn't catch that! The melody is pretty much identical. :omg:
I'll give him a pass on it, though. Considering the amount of music he produces, it is unlikely that he will never repeat a melody. Not to mention he probably hardly even remembers the exact melodies to a song he did 22 years ago, given how obscure and underplayed it is.
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Does Neal realize he plagiarized his own song Everything Is Wrong for the Overture's beginning theme?
Woah, I hadn't caught that, which is stunning considering Everything Is Wrong is one of my favorite short Neal tunes ever, but it's pretty obvious now. Intentional or not, I like it! It's like he took this simple melody from a laid back tune and transformed it into this epic theme. Very well done.
There's also a guitar part near the end of The Greatest Story Never Ends that is nearly identical to a guitar part near the end of 12 on the Question Mark (the part right before the final crescendo and dive bomb that leads us into Entrance). It's at 2:15 in the Breath of Live version.
It may be intentional as his first two solo albums seem to go under everyone’s radar including his hardcore fans. Outside Looking In from ? borrows directly from Something Blue on Its Not Too Late. Both are really strong melodies so maybe he wanted to reuse them on something that would be heard by more people. I haven’t dug into TAU enough to recognize other similarities (and only have Forevermore as of now) so I’ll have to wait to check yours out.
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There is a scene in Making of Momentum where Neal mentions he had a riff he wanted to use for Thoughts part V, but Randy told him it sounded way too much like Gibberish by Spock's Beard. Apparently, Neal had forgotten. I know it sounds unbelievable to us, but imagine creating dozens and dozens of riffs and melodies every year for two and a half decades.
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Did anyone else mishear the line "And the turn-key farmers run" in Can You Feel It as turkey farmers? And if so, did anyone else start singing Village of the Sun by Frank Zappa?
Portnoy is a big Zappa fan - was this deliberate?
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Don't know why but the last track on disc 1 of Forevermore 'The World We Used To Know' sounds like a better closer to the album than 'Love Made A Way'
So does anyone else hear minions on Belong?
🤣🤣🤣
I thought those were Boobahs.
But yeah, it caught me by surprise and was neat to hear in that spot.
Yeah that was my first thought as well, Minions. I wished they'd put some credits on the booklet about the singer, I don't see anything listed for that track or any guest vocals.
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The first time I heard those "minions" I immediately thought that it was a typical Roine thing, having just gotten into TFK in the recent months.
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Is It Really Happening?
A song like this (or Pieces Of Heaven) is exactly what I am missing on The Absolute Universe. It's great, but it has a LOT of melodic parts and I actually would have loved more parts where the band members show what they're capable of. More instrumental, proggy stuff. That's why The Whirlwind remains my undisputed #1 in Transatlantic's catalogue.
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There is a scene in Making of Momentum where Neal mentions he had a riff he wanted to use for Thoughts part V, but Randy told him it sounded way too much like Gibberish by Spock's Beard. Apparently, Neal had forgotten. I know it sounds unbelievable to us, but imagine creating dozens and dozens of riffs and melodies every year for two and a half decades.
At this point a lot of Neal stuff sounds familiar but, as long as I enjoy it, I don’t really go back and try to find where he’s used it or something similar before. Not saying anyone else is doing that, could just be something they happen to know very well is being repeated. I would guess, with the sheer volume of albums he’s done in the same style, there will be some things he has repeated probably without even knowing he’s doing it.
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... And I'll say again that Pete is the album MVP for me, on both vocals and bass. Take him away, and the album falls considerably for me.
Pete's playing on Transatlantic is really excellent all the way through their discography and indeed is very very important to their identity. Just an observation, interesting to notice that Kaleidoscope, overall the less liked album, has his bass less prominent in the mix.
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I agree, Peter is fantastic on all the albums. Love his growly tone he gets too.
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Did anyone else mishear the line "And the turn-key farmers run" in Can You Feel It as turkey farmers? And if so, did anyone else start singing Village of the Sun by Frank Zappa?
Portnoy is a big Zappa fan - was this deliberate?
Village of the Sun, son. (Sun Village to you!)
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Obviously I disagree about the vocals but yes, as a bass player, he is phenomenal and a huge part of their sound and this comes from someone who usually doesn’t really notice the bassist too much.
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Is It Really Happening?
A song like this (or Pieces Of Heaven) is exactly what I am missing on The Absolute Universe. It's great, but it has a LOT of melodic parts and I actually would have loved more parts where the band members show what they're capable of. More instrumental, proggy stuff. That's why The Whirlwind remains my undisputed #1 in Transatlantic's catalogue.
To me, Is It Really Happening? Is the defining moment of The Whirlwind. Everything culminates together in this song. And to me, it symbolizes the calm moment, like the eye of the storm, as you witness it all and ask "Is it really happening?". The calmness is the moment of pondering while looking at the devastation The Whirlwind is doing.
The Absolute Universe, culminates at The World We Used To Know for me...at this moment. It will definitely change when I hear it more.
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Listening to Breath of Life after receiving the CD in the mail today. I hadn’t really noticed when I was streaming it, but some of the transitions between tracks are really jarring.
I am glad I'm not the only who feels that way! Maybe I've gotten too used to the flow of Forevermore, but even without that, there are some oddly abrupt transitions between songs on TBOL.
-Marc.
I agree this is the case with some songs on TBOL, but the transition from LMAW (Prelude) to Owl Howl in Forevermore is as abrupt as it gets. Neal made it much better on TBOL, imo.
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I'm Appreciating Forevermore a lot more with Each spin. i think it being a double obviously played a factor in it's slower build.
i also think that yes it does have more of a Flower Kings tinge. Hell i think forevermore makes a better FK's album than the past couple the band actually put out honestly.
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A question: Does anyone think that the second half of Forevermore flows better than the first? Because I think so.
I know that the opposite has been said before, but I think The Darkness In The Light breaks the flow a little. Especially because before and after it there are two 6/8 songs.
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There is a scene in Making of Momentum where Neal mentions he had a riff he wanted to use for Thoughts part V, but Randy told him it sounded way too much like Gibberish by Spock's Beard. Apparently, Neal had forgotten. I know it sounds unbelievable to us, but imagine creating dozens and dozens of riffs and melodies every year for two and a half decades.
At this point a lot of Neal stuff sounds familiar but, as long as I enjoy it, I don’t really go back and try to find where he’s used it or something similar before. Not saying anyone else is doing that, could just be something they happen to know very well is being repeated. I would guess, with the sheer volume of albums he’s done in the same style, there will be some things he has repeated probably without even knowing he’s doing it.
Watching the Kaleidoscope documentary last week, there was a moment when Neal was playing "Beyond The Sun", and he started going into a Testimony theme because of how the progression sounded. He laughed and Jerry, sitting next to him, totally agreed and laughed too. It was pretty funny, but yeah, after 25 years, a melodic mind like Neal's will surely tread similar territory.
Listening to Breath of Life after receiving the CD in the mail today. I hadn’t really noticed when I was streaming it, but some of the transitions between tracks are really jarring.
I am glad I'm not the only who feels that way! Maybe I've gotten too used to the flow of Forevermore, but even without that, there are some oddly abrupt transitions between songs on TBOL.
-Marc.
I agree this is the case with some songs on TBOL, but the transition from LMAW (Prelude) to Owl Howl in Forevermore is as abrupt as it gets. Neal made it much better on TBOL, imo.
Thankfully, on the Ultimate Mix, Mike opted to use the version of LMAW (Prelude) from TBOL, complete with melodica solo and the better transition into OH.
And for the curious, I timed out the track times for the Ultimate Mix from the BD. All tracks are from basically from Forevermore, except the ones marked with an asterisk, though some tracks from Forevermore are extended.
1. Overture (9:19)
2. Reaching For The Sky (5:41)*
3. Higher Than The Morning (5:29)
4. The Darkness In The Light (5:43)
5. Take Now My Soul (3:49)*
6. Bully (2:11)
7. Rainbow Sky (3:19)
8. Looking For The Light (4:00)
9. The World We Used To Know (9:11)
10. The Sun Comes Up Today (5:42)
11. Love Made A Way (Prelude) (2:13)*
12. Owl Howl (7:06)
13. Solitude (5:41)
14. Belong (2:51)
15. Lonesome Rebel (2:54)
16. Can You Feel It (3:17)*
17. Looking For The Light (reprise) (5:13)
18. The Greatest Story Never Ends (4:55)
19. Love Made A Way (9:06) (features the long timpani ending from TBOL, but uses Forevermore's lyrics)
Just a bit short of 98 minutes, but I guess saying it's 100 minutes looks more epic than saying 98. :lol
There are some interesting points given some of the track choices Mike made. For example, using "Reach For The Sky" in the beginning but the Forevermore version of LMAW at the end means the lyrics don't mirror each other (like they do in each individual version). Likewise, using "Take Now My Soul" going into "Bully" means you hear "Swing High Swing Low" in "Bully" but not in the previous song. Also, both the first and last tracks are longer than they are on Forevermore, but I haven't listened to the Ultimate Mix enough to pick out where the additions were.
-Marc.
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Rainbow sky is my jam at the moment. It reminds me of the Mercy for sale section of The Door, or even Love is what I'm waiting for by Flying Colors. I'm a sucker for rhythms and tunes like these.
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Don't know why but the last track on disc 1 of Forevermore 'The World We Used To Know' sounds like a better closer to the album than 'Love Made A Way'
I think I agree with this. While I did comment earlier that Love Made a Way is a bit more subdued and not quite as bombastic as the "typical" ending to a Neal Morse(-related) concept album, it still feels like the obvious ending, while The World We Use to Know has that finality feel to it and in a different way.
Is It Really Happening?
A song like this (or Pieces Of Heaven) is exactly what I am missing on The Absolute Universe. It's great, but it has a LOT of melodic parts and I actually would have loved more parts where the band members show what they're capable of. More instrumental, proggy stuff. That's why The Whirlwind remains my undisputed #1 in Transatlantic's catalogue.
Hmmm, it does feel like there is a lot of instrumental, proggy stuff on the new material, albeit nothing as nutty as the end of Is It Really Happening?
To me, Is It Really Happening? Is the defining moment of The Whirlwind. Everything culminates together in this song. And to me, it symbolizes the calm moment, like the eye of the storm, as you witness it all and ask "Is it really happening?". The calmness is the moment of pondering while looking at the devastation The Whirlwind is doing.
That is a great way to describe that song! :tup :tup
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I think I mentioned earlier that the end of The World We Used To Know “When love lays down” could easily have been reprised as part of the finale and I’m not sure why it wasn’t.
Well obviously I know why it wasn’t, it’s because they decided not to do it. I should say, I’m surprised that it wasn’t and it would have added an extra epic flavour to the final song imo.
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Speaking of cheap packaging, I just cracked the plastic tray getting out the second disc from Forevermore for the first time. Inside Out label, not Radiant.
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I have to say, one listen in, that I'm actually disappointed in an area I didn't really expect to be. I'm not the type of person who is extremely particular about artists expressing their personal views in lyrics—I don't really mind any of Neal's other stuff even though I'm not religious—but I really find what I understand as the overarching message of this album to be pretty off-putting. As I understand it, the idea basically is that it's bad to want to be independent and that you should want to try to "belong," because all you need is love. That message is really antithetical to my worldview on a very fundamental level. And the album is quite confrontational, even mocking, toward those who disagree (much more than Neal's other albums are toward non-Christians).
I'm not going to give up on it, and I'm going to see if I come to like it in spite of the lyrics. But unless I re-read and find that I've really misinterpreted things, I don't think this is ever going to be an album I adore like I do their first four.
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Interesting take, 425. Neal slips in a few religious things, but I figured it was more pro-belong (belong!) rather than being anti-independent per se.
And I just noticed the differences in the intros to Love Made a Way, and I definitely prefer the Breath of Life one. The particular part Neal start to sings from around 1:45-ish ("all along there was a time...") to around 2:15 isn't in the Forevermore version, and I am big fan now of that little section. I have spoken before about how Neal's voice has aged, and you can really hear it in that little section, and it works really well as you can hear a bit of weariness and cracking in his voice that almost sounds like his voice is aching a little, and in a good way! And Roine's weeping guitar in the background just makes that little part that much more awesome. :coolio :coolio
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Speaking of cheap packaging, I just cracked the plastic tray getting out the second disc from Forevermore for the first time. Inside Out label, not Radiant.
That sucks. I've noticed that there are two production runs of the albums. The set of CDs I ordered from Laser CD just have Inside Out and Century Media listed in the fine print on the bottom back side of both cases (digipak for Forevermore, jewel case for The Breath Of Life). On someone else's digipak for The Breath Of Life, I noticed that Sony Music Entertainment is shown as having been the distributor for that version, so it seems that there was one production run (presumably North American-based) that gave us TBOL in a jewel case, and another with the album in a digipak (presumably European based). I haven't double-checked discogs yet to see if its been updated with all the variations, but this is what I've come to find.
If you're hoping for a digipak version of TBOL and you live in the US and ordered from the US, you may or may not get the jewel case version, depending on where the seller got their stock from. In the case of at least Laser CD and Radiant Records, they received the jewel case version of TBOL.
On a whim, I decided to see what I would get by ordered it from Amazon (for less than $12), since a couple of folks in the TA Facebook group said they got a digipak from ordering on Amazon, so we will see! Either way, I only paid $25 for both TBOL and Forevermore by ordering from Laser CD, so I can't be too mad. Ten bucks for TBOL is a steal, regardless of what the package is made of.
I re-watched the Making Of Documentary again a bit earlier (after my first viewing late last night), and it's interesting to see how all of their ideas came together. It still astounds me that Roine brought over 90 minutes of music to the sessions, but looking at the white board, they used less than half of his ideas, but practically all of Pete's (which explains why he's everywhere on the album). Even only using maybe about 40-50 minutes of Roine's music, you can really feel his influences in places across the album, and I love it. "Lonesome Rebel" really brings me back to the Stardust We Are days of TFK, as does parts of "The World We Used To Know". I had wondered if writing the album in Europe would have given them a bit more of a European-members-heavy album, and in the case of Forevermore, I can really feel Pete's and Roine's touch across the whole thing, and I love it.
I haven't given many more spins to TBOL over the last few days as I've just been trying to digest Forevermore, and I'm on my second viewing of the Ultimate Mix visualizer (which is fantastic), but if I had to pick between the two (main) versions, I might give the edge to Forevermore, but I will still say that, lyrically speaking, TBOL has a tighter theme and concept with its "updated" lyrics that Neal wrote last summer. I do wonder if I would still like "Reaching For The Sky" over "Heart Like A Whirlwind" if I hadn't heard the former first (when the video single came out). The "newer" melodies for the verse are far more dynamic, melodically speaking, than the ones used in HLAW, but I like I said up thread, the vocal lines in the verses of HLAW mirror the ones used in "The Sun Comes Up Today", which creates a nice effect.
That said, I'm starting to warm up to the Ultimate Mix more than Forevermore, since it includes some of my favorite parts about TBOL mixed into Forevermore, and given that it's an official mix and release, I don't feel the need to try and Frankenstein a compilation myself, especially since, for the most part, the Ultimate Mix is an improvement over both versions (aside from maybe 1 or 2 odd-sounding edits, like where the Overture was expanded by a minute or so).
-Marc.
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I just don't know why but 'Love Made A Way' just isn't doing it for me. The track IMO feels extremely anti-climactic to the album. Disc 2 has some excellent tracks but the ending just sorta fizzles out.
The Blu-ray from Radiant is out for delivery today, will have to listen to the whole thing while watching the visualizer.
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The 4-minute long ending where they do absolutely nothing doesn't really help either. I really hate these kinds of endings, like some kind of forced attempt at making something sound far more epic than it really is. Just end the damned song, why ring the chord for an extra 3 minutes after you've already hammered it pretty hard for a full minute which felt long already?
That's probably my biggest beef with "Forevermore" - having the space to fill doesn't always mean you should fill it. That was a bad choice, because the song itself is pretty good aside from that ridiculously long ending.
A few of my facebook friends have been complaining that "Love Made a Way" is a religious song, I haven't really concentrated so much on the lyrics but from what I have paid attention to I didn't think they sounded all that religious, which I like. I mean, I prefer it when Neal is more subtle like he seems to be with most of the TA material if you don't count the final track on The Whirlwind which to me comes across as almost a musical version of a Sunday School class.
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I have to admit TA are not a band that I come to for the lyrics. I literally couldn’t tell you what 90% of their songs are about, the lyrics just don’t interest me apart from just knowing them enough to sing along or whatever.
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WHo's going to list all the parallels to The Whirlwind?
I'll start with a few;
- Evermore on TW -> Forevermore
- Heart Like a Whirlwind -> uhh, okay
- the last line of lyric from TW: "From the whirlwind comes the breath of life'
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I'm starting to think I would have liked Forevermore or The Breath Of Life as the name for the whole album better than The Absolute Universe. The Absolute Universe is just so ... epic for the sake of it :lol
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I'm starting to think I would have liked Forevermore or The Breath Of Life as the name for the whole album better than The Absolute Universe. The Absolute Universe is just so ... epic for the sake of it :lol
Remember this comes from one of the guys who released a track called "Opus Maximus" :rollin
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WHo's going to list all the parallels to The Whirlwind?
I'll start with a few;
- Evermore on TW -> Forevermore
- Heart Like a Whirlwind -> uhh, okay
- the last line of lyric from TW: "From the whirlwind comes the breath of life'
"Locked inside a whirlwind I cried out in hope" from Swing High, Swing Low.
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I'm starting to think I would have liked Forevermore or The Breath Of Life as the name for the whole album better than The Absolute Universe. The Absolute Universe is just so ... epic for the sake of it :lol
Yeah, something I’ve been thinking is what does The Absolute Universe have to do with anything on the album (though I haven’t listened to all of Forevermore yet)? Breath of Life is obviously a play on COVID (and probably a reference to the Holy Spirit). Not sure what Forevermore means.
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I think 7 listens is enough for me to move on so I moved on to the "Breath of Life" version and whoa, there are substantial differences like almost immediately :eek
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Got my Blu from Radiant today. Pro-tip, remove the cover insert and flip it around. The default side has got these gaudy logos all over the place. The reverse is nice and clean.
Credit to Discogs for pointing out the reversible insert.
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Interesting take, 425. Neal slips in a few religious things, but I figured it was more pro-belong (belong!) rather than being anti-independent per se.
I'd say the main tracks I take issue with lyrically are Higher Than the Morning and Looking for the Light. Both of them seem to be mocking the idea of the independent individual, especially taken together. The message I take from those songs is basically that anyone who thinks of themselves as an independent creator-type ("Then you convince yourself you're one of them / The true creators; to opinions they have died") is necessarily deluded ("But you're confused / You're not so great / As you once thought you were") and will inevitably become a hypocrite who "rips off even songs that [they] despise."
I've only listened to The Breath of Life so far, so I can't say if there are others on Forevermore that add further context.
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Neal has never been a particularly great lyricist for me, and the new album is no exception to that. I just feel that a majority of his lyrics are far too rife with the same old neo-spiritual vagueries he's been singing about for the last several decades, and he often has little to say despite how wordy he can be.
When they unveiled the album name and art, I was expecting some kind of light sci-fi concept at the very least, but obviously I just don't know Neal enough. :lol If you were to ask me to pick apart some of these lyrics from past TA albums, I might not get high marks.
to be honest i tuned out his lyrics years ago. as a atheist they bounce off me. if people find meaning in them wonderful but means fuck all to me, it's like......yea fine Neal, lol
Big fan musically though. i do wish he knew how to write about more though. that really can't be all he thinks about.
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Neal has never been a particularly great lyricist for me, and the new album is no exception to that. I just feel that a majority of his lyrics are far too rife with the same old neo-spiritual vagueries he's been singing about for the last several decades, and he often has little to say despite how wordy he can be.
When they unveiled the album name and art, I was expecting some kind of light sci-fi concept at the very least, but obviously I just don't know Neal enough. :lol If you were to ask me to pick apart some of these lyrics from past TA albums, I might not get high marks.
to be honest i tuned out his lyrics years ago. as a atheist they bounce off me. if people find meaning in them wonderful but means fuck all to me, it's like......yea fine Neal, lol
Big fan musically though. i do wish he knew how to write about more though. that really can't be all he thinks about.
I've been thinking the same thing since he went solo. I assumed he'd eventually burn out on the religion topic but everything he does pretty much drips with it, even if the lyrics aren't always heavy-handed in terms of religion. I think it's because he's made it central to his entire existence. I mean listen to the lyrics of his first solo album and he tells you that before he found God he had what he considers a "wasted life." And that theme appears everywhere in his catalog of writing credits. He a religious man, he's got the religion gene, something I absolutely do not have. Still, I kind of admire the guy for his commitment, even if I don't believe any of it.
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Neal has never been a particularly great lyricist for me, and the new album is no exception to that. I just feel that a majority of his lyrics are far too rife with the same old neo-spiritual vagueries he's been singing about for the last several decades, and he often has little to say despite how wordy he can be.
When they unveiled the album name and art, I was expecting some kind of light sci-fi concept at the very least, but obviously I just don't know Neal enough. :lol If you were to ask me to pick apart some of these lyrics from past TA albums, I might not get high marks.
And he's kinda implying whether he means to or not that i'm wasting my life, lol
But it's fine. nothing gets to me i just find that funny.
but i'll still listen to whatever he's involved in.
to be honest i tuned out his lyrics years ago. as a atheist they bounce off me. if people find meaning in them wonderful but means fuck all to me, it's like......yea fine Neal, lol
Big fan musically though. i do wish he knew how to write about more though. that really can't be all he thinks about.
I've been thinking the same thing since he went solo. I assumed he'd eventually burn out on the religion topic but everything he does pretty much drips with it, even if the lyrics aren't always heavy-handed in terms of religion. I think it's because he's made it central to his entire existence. I mean listen to the lyrics of his first solo album and he tells you that before he found God he had what he considers a "wasted life." And that theme appears everywhere in his catalog of writing credits. He a religious man, he's got the religion gene, something I absolutely do not have. Still, I kind of admire the guy for his commitment, even if I don't believe any of it.
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Neal has never been a particularly great lyricist for me, and the new album is no exception to that. I just feel that a majority of his lyrics are far too rife with the same old neo-spiritual vagueries he's been singing about for the last several decades, and he often has little to say despite how wordy he can be.
When they unveiled the album name and art, I was expecting some kind of light sci-fi concept at the very least, but obviously I just don't know Neal enough. :lol If you were to ask me to pick apart some of these lyrics from past TA albums, I might not get high marks.
And he's kinda implying whether he means to or not that i'm wasting my life, lol
But it's fine. nothing gets to me i just find that funny.
but i'll still listen to whatever he's involved in.
to be honest i tuned out his lyrics years ago. as a atheist they bounce off me. if people find meaning in them wonderful but means fuck all to me, it's like......yea fine Neal, lol
Big fan musically though. i do wish he knew how to write about more though. that really can't be all he thinks about.
I've been thinking the same thing since he went solo. I assumed he'd eventually burn out on the religion topic but everything he does pretty much drips with it, even if the lyrics aren't always heavy-handed in terms of religion. I think it's because he's made it central to his entire existence. I mean listen to the lyrics of his first solo album and he tells you that before he found God he had what he considers a "wasted life." And that theme appears everywhere in his catalog of writing credits. He a religious man, he's got the religion gene, something I absolutely do not have. Still, I kind of admire the guy for his commitment, even if I don't believe any of it.
When you reply to quoted text, please be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom. It can be difficult to find the "new" text (i.e. your reply) when it's buried in the quote pyramid.
Regarding Neal's lyrics, they've never bothered me much, even as an Atheist. Obviously, I like them a bit more secular, but he sings with such passion that it's hard not to feel uplifted by his music.
With TAU, I haven't been particularly bothered by anything sung on the album. I'm not at all knowledgeable on The Fountainhead, so I don't get all the allusions to Howard Roark, but the other lyrics across the album tend to be a bit simpler in terms of their meaning and metaphors. Even after all the spins I've given it, most of the words still haven't sunk in yet. I may have to sit and listen with the lyric booklet in hand and follow along to try and get some better understanding of the lyrics, especially where they were changed in TBOL.
-Marc.
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I'll admit that part of what irks me here is that The Fountainhead is one of my favorite books.
The defining feature of Howard Roark is that he follows his own creative vision instead of caving to the opinions of others. He is an architect who uncompromisingly designs buildings according to his own judgment of what makes a great building, even though this often excludes him from high-paying jobs where the client wants a building designed in the popular style. He's depicted in contrast to Peter Keating, an architect who quickly climbs the ranks of the profession by following the popular taste and spending much of his time schmoozing high-society people.
When I hear this album disparage people who admire Howard Roark and insist that we should try to "belong," I think of Peter Keating, who does in fact "belong"—by telling people what they want to hear and showing them what they want to see regardless of whether he actually believes in it.
Besides it being completely antithetical to my own worldview, this strikes me as an odd perspective to take for musicians playing in a genre that is sharply at odds with popular taste. The musician version of Howard Roark would write the music he thinks is good, regardless of what the masses what to hear. He might write prog rock (or jazz, or orchestral music, etc.). The musician who thinks Howard Roark is a fool and that we should try to belong... to me, that sounds like an argument to write pop music tailored precisely to the popular taste.
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I'm not trying to argue, just provide an alternate viewpoint, but... the vague-er Neal is, the more I like him (with one exception: Alive Again). I don't follow the religion side (though I do follow the spiritual side; you can believe in God/a god without signing up to the religion aspect) but I love the positivity of his work. His music makes me happy, and sometimes, inspiration. Doesn't mean I'm taking from it exactly what he's laying down.
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Finally got around to Forevermore and thought it was much worse than The Breath of Life, but maybe that's because I'm used to hearing it the one way now.
I think TBOL just has stronger themes and lyrics. There is so music that I wish made its way to TBOL too, but ultimately, I see the benefits of how Neal was able to hone and focus his ideas and better pronounce his themes in a more consistent, shorter work. There's a really prevalent melancholy that pervades through the work, which makes the few moments of hope and uplifting-ness a lot more powerful for me.
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I generally agree with that, Stadler. I would say that another dimension for me, related to another part of your post, is the more he focuses on the positive, the more I like him. In other words, I prefer him singing about how his religion has improved his life to him talking about the pitfalls of not being Christian. The Ways of a Fool, for example, is a song I'm not a fan of lyrically.
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425, I get where you are coming from, but, by and large, I do not give much attention or thought to Neal's lyrics. I will latch on to lines or passages that sound really nice, and I do think he is a good writer most of the time (in his wording, regardless of content), but they are not make or break for me. There are times where I wish he wouldn't lay the spiritual stuff on so thick, but I can usually get past it.
And 99.999% of the time, I don't care if a lyric is one I do not agree with, so long as it is well-written. World Leader Pretend has become one of my favorite R.E.M. songs, and it doesn't bother me in the least that it is a scathing depiction of Ronald Reagan (who I was a fan of). Heck, one day a while back on the way to work, I listened to a Neal song (Hail Jesus!) and then a Ghost song (Hail Satan!), and enjoyed the heck out of both. :metal
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425, I get where you are coming from, but, by and large, I do not give much attention or thought to Neal's lyrics. I will latch on to lines or passages that sound really nice, and I do think he is a good writer most of the time (in his wording, regardless of content), but they are not make or break for me. There are times where I wish he wouldn't lay the spiritual stuff on so thick, but I can usually get past it.
And 99.999% of the time, I don't care if a lyric is one I do not agree with, so long as it is well-written. World Leader Pretend has become one of my favorite R.E.M. songs, and it doesn't bother me in the least that it is a scathing depiction of Ronald Reagan (who I was a fan of). Heck, one day a while back on the way to work, I listened to a Neal song (Hail Jesus!) and then a Ghost song (Hail Satan!), and enjoyed the heck out of both. :metal
I don't know why that made me laugh out loud. :)
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425, I get where you are coming from, but, by and large, I do not give much attention or thought to Neal's lyrics. I will latch on to lines or passages that sound really nice, and I do think he is a good writer most of the time (in his wording, regardless of content), but they are not make or break for me. There are times where I wish he wouldn't lay the spiritual stuff on so thick, but I can usually get past it.
I totally understand this, because this is where I am most of the time with Neal. It's really just that this particular one is pushing on something that's a core issue for me.
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Interesting take, 425. Neal slips in a few religious things, but I figured it was more pro-belong (belong!) rather than being anti-independent per se.
I'd say the main tracks I take issue with lyrically are Higher Than the Morning and Looking for the Light. Both of them seem to be mocking the idea of the independent individual, especially taken together. The message I take from those songs is basically that anyone who thinks of themselves as an independent creator-type ("Then you convince yourself you're one of them / The true creators; to opinions they have died") is necessarily deluded ("But you're confused / You're not so great / As you once thought you were") and will inevitably become a hypocrite who "rips off even songs that [they] despise."
I could be mistaken, but I think you are misinterpreting the lyrics. I don't think that that is what they are saying. And I don't mean to imply that you "just don't get it." I just respectfully think that you are taking something different from them than what they are actually saying.
...that really can't be all he thinks about.
I suspect that is mostly what he thinks about, and that it pervades his whole life. It is certainly what is most important to him. Interesting that you feel that way though. And I say that genuinely. As a Christian myself, I completely identify with Neal writing almost exclusively about his religion. If I were a professional musician, I'm not sure it would occur to me to write about anything else very often, so your post kind of took me by surprise. But it's cool that you made me think about that because, like I said, it wouldn't have otherwise occurred to me that anyone would think that way.
I prefer him singing about how his religion has improved his life to him talking about the pitfalls of not being Christian. The Ways of a Fool, for example, is a song I'm not a fan of lyrically.
To defend that song's lyrics specifically: That is a primary theme of Christianity, and the lyric, "all the ways of a fool, they are right in his own eyes" is quoted directly from the book of Proverbs. And in context of the album, that them is also present in Pilgrim's Progress, so it makes sense to include it on the album.
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Regarding Neal's lyrics, they've never bothered me much, even as an Atheist. Obviously, I like them a bit more secular, but he sings with such passion that it's hard not to feel uplifted by his music.
Same here.
For those that think Neal's only been writing spiritual and religious lyrics over the last 20 years, do yourself a favor and listen to Life and times from 2018. ;)
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Regarding Neal's lyrics, they've never bothered me much, even as an Atheist. Obviously, I like them a bit more secular, but he sings with such passion that it's hard not to feel uplifted by his music.
Same here.
For those that think Neal's only been writing spiritual and religious lyrics over the last 20 years, do yourself a favor and listen to Life and times from 2018. ;)
Songs from November also.
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425, I get where you are coming from, but, by and large, I do not give much attention or thought to Neal's lyrics. I will latch on to lines or passages that sound really nice, and I do think he is a good writer most of the time (in his wording, regardless of content), but they are not make or break for me. There are times where I wish he wouldn't lay the spiritual stuff on so thick, but I can usually get past it.
And 99.999% of the time, I don't care if a lyric is one I do not agree with, so long as it is well-written. World Leader Pretend has become one of my favorite R.E.M. songs, and it doesn't bother me in the least that it is a scathing depiction of Ronald Reagan (who I was a fan of). Heck, one day a while back on the way to work, I listened to a Neal song (Hail Jesus!) and then a Ghost song (Hail Satan!), and enjoyed the heck out of both. :metal
I don't know why that made me laugh out loud. :)
:coolio :coolio :tup :tup
For those that think Neal's only been writing spiritual and religious lyrics over the last 20 years, do yourself a favor and listen to Life and times from 2018. ;)
Songs from November also.
I like both Life & Times and Songs from November, but I rarely revisit them anymore. When I am in the mood for simpler, more laid back Neal material, I still go for his first solo album (the self-titled one) first. Or I turn on The Wind + the Rain, which is hands down one of his best "short" songs ever.
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Just finished my first full listen of the first disc of Forevermore. I think that right there is the strongest thing they’ve done since Bridge Across Forever. Love the expanded/fully developed nature of the tracks from Breath of Life, but the three tracks that weren’t on Breath of Life are all great. There’s that quirky, Beatles-ish/Spock’s Beard-ish Neal Morse I’ve been missing (they might be Roine pieces but it doesn’t matter if they are)! Definitely enjoying there being more Roine on this one (both guitar wise and song idea wise). I think that in particular is what seems to harken back to the first two TA albums whereas Breath of Life seemed to recall The Whirlwind a bit. On to disc 2 though...
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Just finished my first full listen of the first disc of Forevermore. I think that right there is the strongest thing they’ve done since Bridge Across Forever. Love the expanded/fully developed nature of the tracks from Breath of Life, but the three tracks that weren’t on Breath of Life are all great. There’s that quirky, Beatles-ish/Spock’s Beard-ish Neal Morse I’ve been missing (they might be Roine pieces but it doesn’t matter if they are)! Definitely enjoying there being more Roine on this one (both guitar wise and song idea wise). I think that in particular is what seems to harken back to the first two TA albums whereas Breath of Life seemed to recall The Whirlwind a bit. On to disc 2 though...
Nice! I am loving Rainbow Sky more and more every day. Very Beatles-esque for sure.
It feels like this will end up being a record (when thinking of the two as one) where all of the songs I love are spread out all over the place, and in some cases, only on one of the discs. The Darkness in the Light and The World We Used to Know are, IMO, the two best songs by a pretty good margin so far, and I am really loving Can You Feel It, Rainbow Sky and Swing High Swing Low a lot as well. Owl Howl is getting better, and I could see that being one that all of a sudden becomes a favorite.
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Just finished my first full listen of the first disc of Forevermore. I think that right there is the strongest thing they’ve done since Bridge Across Forever. Love the expanded/fully developed nature of the tracks from Breath of Life, but the three tracks that weren’t on Breath of Life are all great. There’s that quirky, Beatles-ish/Spock’s Beard-ish Neal Morse I’ve been missing (they might be Roine pieces but it doesn’t matter if they are)! Definitely enjoying there being more Roine on this one (both guitar wise and song idea wise). I think that in particular is what seems to harken back to the first two TA albums whereas Breath of Life seemed to recall The Whirlwind a bit. On to disc 2 though...
Just finished disc 2, and I really enjoyed it. I will say somehow the transitions from Lonesome Rebel into Looking for the Light (Reprise) and then into The Greatest Story Never Ends are somehow really badly done. Maybe it’s just a delay on my computer (I’m listening to files ripped from my CDs), but it’s hard to imagine why they didn’t clean those up. I’m also not sure about the Gentle Giant section in The Greatest Story Never Ends. I might prefer the Breath of Life version of that one.
But whether it’s nostalgia or what, I am really thoroughly enjoying both versions of TAU and am really happy to see these guys pull this whole thing off. Too soon to say which I prefer but I don’t think it matters. Both are good and it’s cool to have the option of both of them.
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Well, this is actually turning out a lot cooler than I first thought it would. I have listened to "Forevermore" 7 times front to back and I definitely dig it. Not entirely sure how to rate it in relation to the other albums but I can say with certainty that I like it better than Kaleidoscope and it's coming close to pulling even with The Whirlwind.
And yesterday I started listening to "The Breath of Life" version assuming I'd be listening to a condensed version of "Forevermore" but it's actually quite a bit different and even has a decent amount of different music. I'm not sure how I feel about the alternate version of "Swing High, Swing Low" which was one of my favorites from Forevermore. It's kind of weird to hear the exact same melodies with different lyrics, but it's cool. I have listened to TBOL twice now and I think I now understand why Neal decided to do it this way.
And I think I agree with him. The shorter version of this is definitely a better album overall. I wouldn't call anything on any of these discs "filler" but Forevermore gets a tiny bit long in the tooth near the end and by the time that llllloooooooonnnnnnnngggggggg dragged out ending comes along I turn it off with 4 minutes left because the last 4 minutes don't really do anything or go anywhere. This is my biggest and possibly my only complaint (other than Pete's lead vocals which I think are a mistake).
Overall, though, I'm pretty happy with this album. It's a worthy addition to the band's body of work. And while I was annoyed at first with the multiple editions, after hearing how it was done, I'm 100% OK with it.
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LaserCD just received more stock of both CD versions.
https://www.lasercd.com/search_results?f[0]=cp_artist1:266
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LaserCD just received more stock of both CD versions.
https://www.lasercd.com/search_results?f[0]=cp_artist1:266
Nice! That's where I ordered my CD sets. Just so everyone is aware, their stock has the jewel case version of TBOL, not the digipak from the European/Sony Music production.
-Marc.
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Well, this is actually turning out a lot cooler than I first thought it would. I have listened to "Forevermore" 7 times front to back and I definitely dig it. Not entirely sure how to rate it in relation to the other albums but I can say with certainty that I like it better than Kaleidoscope and it's coming close to pulling even with The Whirlwind.
And yesterday I started listening to "The Breath of Life" version assuming I'd be listening to a condensed version of "Forevermore" but it's actually quite a bit different and even has a decent amount of different music. I'm not sure how I feel about the alternate version of "Swing High, Swing Low" which was one of my favorites from Forevermore. It's kind of weird to hear the exact same melodies with different lyrics, but it's cool. I have listened to TBOL twice now and I think I now understand why Neal decided to do it this way.
And I think I agree with him. The shorter version of this is definitely a better album overall. I wouldn't call anything on any of these discs "filler" but Forevermore gets a tiny bit long in the tooth near the end and by the time that llllloooooooonnnnnnnngggggggg dragged out ending comes along I turn it off with 4 minutes left because the last 4 minutes don't really do anything or go anywhere. This is my biggest and possibly my only complaint (other than Pete's lead vocals which I think are a mistake).
Overall, though, I'm pretty happy with this album. It's a worthy addition to the band's body of work. And while I was annoyed at first with the multiple editions, after hearing how it was done, I'm 100% OK with it.
Even if you had ended up liking it, I'm glad you had a change of heart from when you initially posted after the band announced that it was releasing 2 versions that you basically thought it was a stupid cash grab and wouldn't give them a dime. I mean, I obviously have no skin in the game, but as a fan of the band, part of me just feels good that you opened up to what they were doing and gave it a serious chance.
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Finally listened to Forevermore after having listened to The Breath of Life many times. I was pleasantly surprised by how different it was. I like some of the additional songs on Forevermore (The World We Used to Know, The Sun Comes Up Today) but some I can live without (Bully, Rainbow Sky, Lonesome Rebel). This is just my preliminary opinion which may change after more listens.
I'd say overall they're good companion albums. I like that Forevermore has more content, but in general I tend to prefer The Breath of Life's version of songs that vary between the two versions.
Here's my initial personal "ultimate" playlist:
Overture (FM)
Reaching For the Sky (TBOL)
Higher Than the Morning (TBOL)
The Darkness in the Light (either)
Take Now My Soul (TBOL)
Looking for the Light (either)
The World We Used to Know (FM)
The Sun Comes up Today (FM)
Love Made a Way prelude (FM)
Owl Howl (TBOL)
Solitude (TBOL)
Belong (TBOL)
Can You Feel it (TBOL)
Looking for the Light reprise (either)
The Greatest Story Never ends (FM)
Love Made a Way (FM)
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I think 7 listens is enough for me to move on so I moved on to the "Breath of Life" version and whoa, there are substantial differences like almost immediately :eek
I'm currently listening to TBOL for the first time now, after listening to Forevermore a bunch over the last week, and yea, I agree, there's a lot of differences, and I'm not even that far into it yet. I do like it so far. Not just the songs are different, or altered parts and vocals different, but I think the production/mix is different than Forevermore.
I'm probably going to treat these as 2 different albums when referencing them, probably won't always refer to it as The Absolute Universe going forward depending on the context. Even though they contain a lot of similar music, as has been mentioned here and elsewhere, these are two different experiences. I'm fine with that, as I am used to it with certain artists, like Frank Zappa, where there's at least 2 versions of roughly half the albums in his discography. We get more music and more choices, you get to choose your preferences for what you want to hear.
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I also made a playlist with my own version of the album, and I'm quite happy with it so far. My original idea was to make something with a lengh in between TBOL and Forevermore (something around 75-80 mins), but after I finished I realized it ended up being the same exact lenght as Forevermore, so I guess I just made my own extended version :lol
It still feels a bit long, which is why I originally wanted something a bit shorter, but I don't want to remove another song and I already used my favorite versions of the songs that ended up being used in both releases.
Overture (FM)
Reaching for the Sky (TBOL)
Higher than the Morning (FM)
The Darkness in the Light (FM)
Swing High, Swing Low (FM)
Bully (FM)
Rainbow Sky (FM)
Looking for the Light (FM)
The World We Used to Know (FM)
The Sun Comes Up Today (FM)
Love Made a Way (Prelude) (TBOL)
Owl Howl (FM)
Solitude (TBOL)
Belong (TBOL)
Can You Feel It (TBOL)
Looking for the Light (Reprise) (FM)
The Greatest Story Never Ends (TBOL)
Love Made a Way (TBOL)
90 minutes just as Forevermore
It's mostly first half of Forevermore and second half of TBOL, but with a couple changes. I had a rough time choosing between SHSL vs TNMS, but opted for Swing because no MP lead vocals :biggrin:
The only transition that doesn't work too well is from TSCUT to LMAW Prelude, as the latter is the other version, but I couldn't leave out that Melodica intro + it flows better to Owl Howl.
Wanted to include Lonesome Rebel too, but it felt like it AND Can You Feel It don't work that well together without some tricky editing work, so it had to go. It isn't that interesting musically anyway.
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I'm not sure how I feel about the alternate version of "Swing High, Swing Low" which was one of my favorites from Forevermore. It's kind of weird to hear the exact same melodies with different lyrics, but it's cool.
For some reason I really dislike the version of that song on TBOL. "Swing high, swing low" in the chorus sounds organic to me, while "take now my soul" sounds, um, I guess forced? I'm not a native English speaker but for some reason this line sounds all wrong in the song.
This and The World We Used to Know are two reasons why I prefer the longer version, even though it's a bit more of a tedious listen.
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Having only listened to The Breath of Life once, but Forevermore a handful of times, I think I can already state the obvious:
The Breath Of Life is the Neal Morse experience.
I feel like Neal can't just let TA be a full band thing, or let Roine be louder in the mix.
However, the choice to release both instead of not was the right call. Everyone's happy, but it irks me a little...
Forevermore is more like a full band effort. Roine Stolt's presence is felt more, mostly because I can hear him more and he sings much more on Forevermore than TBOL. I will admit, though, so far I feel like that the ending track Love Made A Way seems to work better on TBOL than on Forevermore... Will need to sit with this a bit more.
I understand the Roine Stolt mix of SMPTe. I love Neal and the work he does, but he does spread himself around a little too much sometimes, at the detriment of the others in the band. An example is My New World, the original version sounds a lot different, sounds more like a TFK piece, but still having its own identity in the sound. The version that landed on the album sounds like it could have been ripped off of one of Neal's solo albums, but featuring Roine. This is one of the big reasons I think The Whirlwind is so great, because it's the most collaborative the band has been. Both in writing and production.
I'm glad I chose to listen to Forevermore first.
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Having only listened to The Breath of Life once, but Forevermore a handful of times, I think I can already state the obvious:
The Breath Of Life is the Neal Morse experience.
I feel like Neal can't just let TA be a full band thing, or let Roine be louder in the mix.
However, the choice to release both instead of not was the right call. Everyone's happy, but it irks me a little...
Forevermore is more like a full band effort. Roine Stolt's presence is felt more, mostly because I can hear him more and he sings much more on Forevermore than TBOL.
I understand the Roine Stolt mix of SMPTe. I love Neal and the work he does, but he does spread himself around a little too much sometimes, at the detriment of the others in the band. An example is My New World, the original version sounds a lot different, sounds more like a TFK piece, but still having its own identity in the sound. The version that landed on the album sounds like it could have been ripped off of one of Neal's solo albums, but featuring Roine. This is one of the big reasons I think The Whirlwind is so great, because it's the most collaborative the band has been. Both in writing and production.
I'm glad I chose to listen to Forevermore first.
I’ve never heard the Roine mix of My New World, but that song always seemed like a straight Stolt thing to me. Even the middle section that Neal sings sounds a lot like the middle section of There is More To This World.
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Having only listened to The Breath of Life once, but Forevermore a handful of times, I think I can already state the obvious:
The Breath Of Life is the Neal Morse experience.
I feel like Neal can't just let TA be a full band thing, or let Roine be louder in the mix.
However, the choice to release both instead of not was the right call. Everyone's happy, but it irks me a little...
Forevermore is more like a full band effort. Roine Stolt's presence is felt more, mostly because I can hear him more and he sings much more on Forevermore than TBOL.
I understand the Roine Stolt mix of SMPTe. I love Neal and the work he does, but he does spread himself around a little too much sometimes, at the detriment of the others in the band. An example is My New World, the original version sounds a lot different, sounds more like a TFK piece, but still having its own identity in the sound. The version that landed on the album sounds like it could have been ripped off of one of Neal's solo albums, but featuring Roine. This is one of the big reasons I think The Whirlwind is so great, because it's the most collaborative the band has been. Both in writing and production.
I'm glad I chose to listen to Forevermore first.
I’ve never heard the Roine mix of My New World, but that song always seemed like a straight Stolt thing to me. Even the middle section that Neal sings sounds a lot like the middle section of There is More To This World.
Well, Roine wrote that piece. Actually, I'm referring to the original version, not the Roine Stolt mix version, which is just an alternate mix of the version that is on SMPTe. The original is a lot different, think early 00s TFK or early The Tangent.
It's on the Waterfall app under the original SMPTe album.
I understand the context of me bringing up MNW makes it sound like I was referring to the Stolt mix version.
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Well, this is actually turning out a lot cooler than I first thought it would. I have listened to "Forevermore" 7 times front to back and I definitely dig it. Not entirely sure how to rate it in relation to the other albums but I can say with certainty that I like it better than Kaleidoscope and it's coming close to pulling even with The Whirlwind.
And yesterday I started listening to "The Breath of Life" version assuming I'd be listening to a condensed version of "Forevermore" but it's actually quite a bit different and even has a decent amount of different music. I'm not sure how I feel about the alternate version of "Swing High, Swing Low" which was one of my favorites from Forevermore. It's kind of weird to hear the exact same melodies with different lyrics, but it's cool. I have listened to TBOL twice now and I think I now understand why Neal decided to do it this way.
And I think I agree with him. The shorter version of this is definitely a better album overall. I wouldn't call anything on any of these discs "filler" but Forevermore gets a tiny bit long in the tooth near the end and by the time that llllloooooooonnnnnnnngggggggg dragged out ending comes along I turn it off with 4 minutes left because the last 4 minutes don't really do anything or go anywhere. This is my biggest and possibly my only complaint (other than Pete's lead vocals which I think are a mistake).
Overall, though, I'm pretty happy with this album. It's a worthy addition to the band's body of work. And while I was annoyed at first with the multiple editions, after hearing how it was done, I'm 100% OK with it.
Even if you had ended up liking it, I'm glad you had a change of heart from when you initially posted after the band announced that it was releasing 2 versions that you basically thought it was a stupid cash grab and wouldn't give them a dime. I mean, I obviously have no skin in the game, but as a fan of the band, part of me just feels good that you opened up to what they were doing and gave it a serious chance.
Well, don't give me too much credit. If I'm being 100% honest I still think profits had a LOT to do with it, but I don't really have a problem with it. No one forced me to buy anything.
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Having only listened to The Breath of Life once, but Forevermore a handful of times, I think I can already state the obvious:
The Breath Of Life is the Neal Morse experience.
I feel like Neal can't just let TA be a full band thing, or let Roine be louder in the mix.
However, the choice to release both instead of not was the right call. Everyone's happy, but it irks me a little...
Forevermore is more like a full band effort. Roine Stolt's presence is felt more, mostly because I can hear him more and he sings much more on Forevermore than TBOL.
I understand the Roine Stolt mix of SMPTe. I love Neal and the work he does, but he does spread himself around a little too much sometimes, at the detriment of the others in the band. An example is My New World, the original version sounds a lot different, sounds more like a TFK piece, but still having its own identity in the sound. The version that landed on the album sounds like it could have been ripped off of one of Neal's solo albums, but featuring Roine. This is one of the big reasons I think The Whirlwind is so great, because it's the most collaborative the band has been. Both in writing and production.
I'm glad I chose to listen to Forevermore first.
I’ve never heard the Roine mix of My New World, but that song always seemed like a straight Stolt thing to me. Even the middle section that Neal sings sounds a lot like the middle section of There is More To This World.
Well, Roine wrote that piece. Actually, I'm referring to the original version, not the Roine Stolt mix version, which is just an alternate mix of the version that is on SMPTe. The original is a lot different, think early 00s TFK or early The Tangent.
It's on the Waterfall app under the original SMPTe album.
I understand the context of me bringing up MNW makes it sound like I was referring to the Stolt mix version.
I guess it makes sense though for the band to work on it together and it come out not just sounding like an early TFK track, right? I’m not sure that’s really something that reflects badly on Neal. His vision is a major part of what made TA great.
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Having only listened to The Breath of Life once, but Forevermore a handful of times, I think I can already state the obvious:
The Breath Of Life is the Neal Morse experience.
I feel like Neal can't just let TA be a full band thing, or let Roine be louder in the mix.
However, the choice to release both instead of not was the right call. Everyone's happy, but it irks me a little...
Forevermore is more like a full band effort. Roine Stolt's presence is felt more, mostly because I can hear him more and he sings much more on Forevermore than TBOL.
I understand the Roine Stolt mix of SMPTe. I love Neal and the work he does, but he does spread himself around a little too much sometimes, at the detriment of the others in the band. An example is My New World, the original version sounds a lot different, sounds more like a TFK piece, but still having its own identity in the sound. The version that landed on the album sounds like it could have been ripped off of one of Neal's solo albums, but featuring Roine. This is one of the big reasons I think The Whirlwind is so great, because it's the most collaborative the band has been. Both in writing and production.
I'm glad I chose to listen to Forevermore first.
I’ve never heard the Roine mix of My New World, but that song always seemed like a straight Stolt thing to me. Even the middle section that Neal sings sounds a lot like the middle section of There is More To This World.
Well, Roine wrote that piece. Actually, I'm referring to the original version, not the Roine Stolt mix version, which is just an alternate mix of the version that is on SMPTe. The original is a lot different, think early 00s TFK or early The Tangent.
It's on the Waterfall app under the original SMPTe album.
I understand the context of me bringing up MNW makes it sound like I was referring to the Stolt mix version.
I guess it makes sense though for the band to work on it together and it come out not just sounding like an early TFK track, right? I’m not sure that’s really something that reflects badly on Neal. His vision is a major part of what made TA great.
I get that, but I don't know the history of that song and how it changed. All I know is that the song was Nealed up for the album proper. To me, Transatlantic is all 4 members and their collaborations, not one member taking the reigns in both influence and sound production/mix, which is what most of Transatlantic has been to me, the exception: The Whirlwind. Some even say that album is all Neal, but I hear a more equal sound on that one, and equal contributions to vocals between Neal and Roine. Same can be said for the 2 epics on Bridge Across Forever.
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Yeah, I'm kind of surprised at that observation because to me The Whirlwind is the closest thing to a Neal Morse solo album that TA has released. That and Kaleidoscope both sound like Neal Morse featuring Transatlantic.
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Yeah, I'm kind of surprised at that observation because to me The Whirlwind is the closest thing to a Neal Morse solo album that TA has released. That and Kaleidoscope both sound like Neal Morse featuring Transatlantic.
Kaleidoscope I agree with fully.
With The Whirlwind, the production is definitely in line with Neal's solo albums at the time, and of course the last track overwhelmingly Neal dominated, but writing-wise throughout the album, I hear way more Roine influence compared to the previous 2 albums, and Kaleidoscope, as well as more influence from Pete (and of course we all know MP oversees everything and helps in arrangements.)
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Yeah, I'm kind of surprised at that observation because to me The Whirlwind is the closest thing to a Neal Morse solo album that TA has released. That and Kaleidoscope both sound like Neal Morse featuring Transatlantic.
Yeah, The Whirlwind had a couple obvious Roine tracks but mostly seems to be Neal heavy. I felt like on the first two albums, they blended their styles together more on each track. I also feel that Forevermore has more of a blend of Neal and Roine, whereas Breath of Life is more like The Whirlwind.
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Having only listened to The Breath of Life once, but Forevermore a handful of times, I think I can already state the obvious:
The Breath Of Life is the Neal Morse experience.
I feel like Neal can't just let TA be a full band thing, or let Roine be louder in the mix.
However, the choice to release both instead of not was the right call. Everyone's happy, but it irks me a little...
Forevermore is more like a full band effort. Roine Stolt's presence is felt more, mostly because I can hear him more and he sings much more on Forevermore than TBOL.
I understand the Roine Stolt mix of SMPTe. I love Neal and the work he does, but he does spread himself around a little too much sometimes, at the detriment of the others in the band. An example is My New World, the original version sounds a lot different, sounds more like a TFK piece, but still having its own identity in the sound. The version that landed on the album sounds like it could have been ripped off of one of Neal's solo albums, but featuring Roine. This is one of the big reasons I think The Whirlwind is so great, because it's the most collaborative the band has been. Both in writing and production.
I'm glad I chose to listen to Forevermore first.
I’ve never heard the Roine mix of My New World, but that song always seemed like a straight Stolt thing to me. Even the middle section that Neal sings sounds a lot like the middle section of There is More To This World.
Well, Roine wrote that piece. Actually, I'm referring to the original version, not the Roine Stolt mix version, which is just an alternate mix of the version that is on SMPTe. The original is a lot different, think early 00s TFK or early The Tangent.
It's on the Waterfall app under the original SMPTe album.
I understand the context of me bringing up MNW makes it sound like I was referring to the Stolt mix version.
I guess it makes sense though for the band to work on it together and it come out not just sounding like an early TFK track, right? I’m not sure that’s really something that reflects badly on Neal. His vision is a major part of what made TA great.
I get that, but I don't know the history of that song and how it changed. All I know is that the song was Nealed up for the album proper. To me, Transatlantic is all 4 members and their collaborations, not one member taking the reigns in both influence and sound production/mix, which is what most of Transatlantic has been to me, the exception: The Whirlwind. Some even say that album is all Neal, but I hear a more equal sound on that one, and equal contributions to vocals between Neal and Roine. Same can be said for the 2 epics on Bridge Across Forever.
I’m pretty sure the stuff Neal brings in gets changed as well, it’s not all one way. They all (except Portnoy) come in with ideas and the band then play with them and turn them into TA tunes.
TBOL doesn’t feel any less Transatlantic to me, just shorter and easier to digest in one sitting. I’m still getting to grips with the two different versions but I wouldn’t say one is a NM album and the other is a TA album, they both sound like TA. I will say though that TA have always sounded not entirely dissimilar to Neal Morse solo stuff anyway!
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That's true, TA sounds most like Neal's work more than anyone else's. However, I hear a lot of Roine influence on TW, and BAF similarly. I like how well mixed Roine is on TW, and that is why I feel Roine's contributions are felt more on that album. Same with Forevermore compared to The Breath of Life or Kaleidoscope.
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Just my opinion (but backed up slightly by their relative levels of success outside of TA) but I think Neal Morse is the better songwriter of the two. It’s not really all that much of a surprise to me then that, if you’re going to cut the album down, it will be more of the Roine stuff that gets cut.
Don’t get me wrong though, I think Roine adds a lot to TA with his less earnest more laid back vibe contrasting nicely with Neal’s stuff and I love his vocals along with Neal’s.
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If I had to pick a better songwriter I think I'd agree that Neal is probably better but not by too much. Roine Stolt has created some pretty incredible music himself. And I think he's a bit less predictable than Neal, who has been going back to the same bag of about 2 dozen tricks for the last 25+ years. I hear riffs and melodies he used on Snow on the new TA album, for example.
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Just my opinion (but backed up slightly by their relative levels of success outside of TA) but I think Neal Morse is the better songwriter of the two. It’s not really all that much of a surprise to me then that, if you’re going to cut the album down, it will be more of the Roine stuff that gets cut.
Don’t get me wrong though, I think Roine adds a lot to TA with his less earnest more laid back vibe contrasting nicely with Neal’s stuff and I love his vocals along with Neal’s.
As a singer-songwriter, Neal has the upper hand.
As for who is the better progressive rock composer, that is more up for debate. I think it depends on the song/album though.
I think Neal has been more consistent for the last 25 or so years, but Roine has hit higher highs with The Flower Kings than Neal has between SB and solo/NMB.. I also think Roine's canon is more diverse in sounds and influences than Neal, who tends to stay within certain parameters. In my opinion of course.
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I could be mistaken, but I think you are misinterpreting the lyrics. I don't think that that is what they are saying. And I don't mean to imply that you "just don't get it." I just respectfully think that you are taking something different from them than what they are actually saying.
I'd love to be mistaken, and I don't at all take your comment as dismissive or disrespectful. I'm certainly not giving up on the album based on my initial interpretation alone.
I prefer him singing about how his religion has improved his life to him talking about the pitfalls of not being Christian. The Ways of a Fool, for example, is a song I'm not a fan of lyrically.
To defend that song's lyrics specifically: That is a primary theme of Christianity, and the lyric, "all the ways of a fool, they are right in his own eyes" is quoted directly from the book of Proverbs. And in context of the album, that them is also present in Pilgrim's Progress, so it makes sense to include it on the album.
I don't mean to attack the songs lyrics as in saying they are bad lyrics or out of place. I'm familiar with the reference and I agree that it's a part of Christianity and a fitting part of this particular concept. I mean to say that I personally really disagree with them and find them a bit annoying because they're sort of mocking my own deeply-held beliefs.
In terms of literary art, like novels or poetry, but also including song lyrics, I really try to make a clear separation between three issues: (1) whether think the art is well or poorly done, (2) whether I think the message is true or false, and (3) whether or not I like the art. There's a lot of really well-done literature and song lyrics that I strongly disagree with, and I like some of it despite disagreeing with that message. I think Neal has some beautiful lyrics that convey a message that I don't think is true, but where I nonetheless like the lyrics. For example, from Kaleidoscope:
Out of the cry of every pain
From the realm of doubt and shame
That's where God will lift us higher
There in our desolation days
From the well of wisdom's place
We will drink our true desire
And all will be made right
Just ride the lightning
I think the language of that verse is really well-written, and I like it a whole lot even though I disagree with the message.
With The Ways of a Fool, I think it's also well-written, although not as excellent as that excerpt. I also think it's totally appropriate for the concept album. I disagree with the message, once again. But this time I don't really like the lyrics, because they're rather insulting toward me and my own beliefs. In particular, I don't like these lines, as put in the mouth of the "fool":
Reason is the rule
Logic is a mighty Fortress
And life is nothing more
I don't really fault Neal for writing these lines, any more than I fault him for writing any other set of lines about his own beliefs (and there I fault him only to the extent of saying that I don't think he's got things right, which I could say of a lot of people about one thing or another). I understand that part of him thinking he's right is thinking that I'm wrong. Similarly, I imagine that if I wrote lyrics about my beliefs, Neal or another Christian would probably not be bothered at all by some of them, and would be bothered in a similar way by others, such as ones saying that it is wrong to live by faith.
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I think I’d say Roine is a bit more creative and diverse as a songwriter, although they both have their respective wells they seem to go back to often. For me, both seem to have done their best work before through around 2002-2003. In that time I think Roine maybe produced more filler but maybe some higher highs. Neal’s work on those SB albums was just consistently excellent with only a few low points. Roine’s writing tends to have a little more gravitas and sadness to it while Neal’s is a bit more light hearted and joyful. I love both in their own way so it’s hard to say which I think is better.
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With NM singing instead of Pete, Solitude could have been magnificent.
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With NM singing instead of Pete, Solitude could have been magnificent.
Agreed. Feels like a missed opportunity with that one.
As for Neal vs Roine, they are two of favorite songwriters of the last 25 years, so I can't choose one over the other.
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As to the question of Neal versus Roine as songwriters, I've only dug a little bit into the TFK discography, and have not heard most of the albums regarded as their best ones, so I acknowledge I don't have a fair basis for comparison. But I would choose Neal pretty easily, and actually more on the basis of his solo and NMB work than on Spock's Beard. To make a statement that will likely cause all sorts of confusion when read together with my previous post, I think Neal's adoption of Christianity is at least correlated with an improvement in his songwriting. To use HOF's word, I think there's a lot more joy in his Christian music than in the early SB stuff. And I really like that joy.
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I also don't have a general preference between Roine and Neal (maybe slightly for Roine but not much in it). Both have written and still write some amazing stuff, but personally I've found both fairly inconsistent over the years. And with the new album(s), I'm definitely preferring the way Neal tightened and energised The Breath of Life, despite not being particularly enamoured with his last few solo albums.
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I'm not too familiar with Roine's work outside of TA, as I've only listened to a few TFK songs and The Sea Within, but Neal's work resonates much more with me. I still enjoy most of what I've heard from Roine, but Neal is truly a musical genius in every level, and while some of his stuff might be a bit repetitive, the quality is definitely still there (with a few exceptions like Agenda :P).
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Apart from Transatlantic, I don't really know anything by Roine. I've tried listening to a song or two by The Flower Kings before but never got into it and never gave it much of a chance. Is there a definitive album or two that I should check out?
As far as the song Solitude, I'm probably in the minority but I love Pete's vocals here. And I prefer the Breath of Life version. I think the beginning with just piano and no acoustic guitar sounds much better for that part.
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Apart from Transatlantic, I don't really know anything by Roine. I've tried listening to a song or two by The Flower Kings before but never got into it and never gave it much of a chance. Is there a definitive album or two that I should check out?
Flower Kings have a lot of albums and a lot of them are really long, but I'd recommend starting with the following:
Flower Power - double album, but disc 1 is mostly the 18-track Garden of Dreams suite, which I still think is the best thing they've ever done.
Retropolis - perhaps their best single album from start to finish. A lot of instrumental greatness on this one.
Paradox Hotel - another double album, but this one is more easily digestible thanks to there being a ton of shorter songs. Not as overtly proggy as some of their other albums, but rather a good balance between prog and catchy, accessible tunes.
Stardust We Are and Unfold the Future are both highly regarded albums with the fanbase, but both are super long double albums, and probably not the best place for a newbie to start.
Do not start with The Rainmaker or Desolation Rose (their two least best albums). Neither album is bad, and there are some great moments on each, but both are somewhat choppy and I'd hate for a possible new fan to be turned off right away by either and run the other way. I would also not start with a live album. They have some good ones, but a lot of their quirky, zany moments are not done live, and to me that is a big part of the charm of the band.
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Rainmaker is great and I think if you like TA you should like most of it, but I’d agree start with something like Retropolis (probably my favorite TFK album).
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I think I remember this talk happening around the release of Whirlwind that everyone thought it was Neal who contributed to the album like 90% and everyone was saying how it sounded like a NM solo album back on the MP forum. I vaguely recall MP himself giving a breakdown of all the tracks and how it was a lot less of Neal's ideas that made it to the album.
I'm like Forever a lot and it's starting to get in its groove, still have a lot more to digest. I think I prefer disc 1 over the 2nd disc for now.
I like Pete's vocals for the most part but agree that Neal singing Solitude would've been great.
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For anyone interested in hearing Roine and Neal talk about the album and its lyrical content, here is an interview (https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-neal-morse-roine-stolt/) I saw earlier today from Sonic Perspectives, though it was published over a month ago. I figured seeing it now that many of us have heard the album for about a week and are more familiar with the songs and lyrics, reading Roine's and Neal's thoughts on the album might make more sense.
Regarding the Neal-ish-ness of Transatlantic, I think it's been pretty steady in terms of how he has written for TA since 1999 in that TA has always had Neal's sound. Heck, most of "All Of The Above" and "We All Need Some Light" were straight-up Neal demos. Bridge Across Forever did a lot more to take Neal's demos and twist and change them into a more mixed-influence sound. I've seen the "Building The Bridge" Making-Of Documentary plenty of times over the last 15 years that I feel like I know exactly where each part of that album came from Neal. Sure, most of the two major epics were pre-demoed by Neal, but Roine and Pete definitely added their own touches and parts, and their playing alone definitely sets the songs apart from anything else in Neal's discography up to that point in time, and even since then!
I will say that The Whirlwind definitely leveled the playing field as both Pete and Roine seemed to get more of their material on the album, but of the original 43-minute "Whirlwind" Demo by Neal, only about 50-60% of it made it to the final album (give or take, it's been awhile since I've listened to the demo). Other pieces of The Whirlwind, like "A Man Can Feel", "Evermore", "Pieces Of Heaven", and "Lay Down Your Life" (jam section) were by Roine. Pete also had "On The Prowl", parts of the Overture, and most of "Is It Really Happening?", so I feel like they got more and more of their ideas on that album. Here is a great interview with Roine from 2010 where he talks about the making of The Whirlwind. (http://www.dprp.net/specials/2010_stolt/). A lot of the other non-demoed music was jammed in-the-room and written by the band, though if it was led by Neal's ideas, you cannot really fault them for going along with it.
As far as Kaleidoscope goes, I will say that it does feel like they took a small step back in terms of how much of Neal's music made it into the album, but it was far less a direct cover of Neal's demos. They really did a lot of chopping up of his demos, and if you didn't know it from the Making Of documentary, "Into The Blue" and "Kaleidoscope" actually originated from 3 separate epic demos over an hour in total length. In this interview with Roine (https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2014/02/25/roine-stolt-transatlantic/), he goes a bit more in-depth into how they made the album, and some of his issues with songs being too long, or how he didn't want to put "Beyond The Sun" on the album (which is why Rich Mouser is credited as the slide guitarist and not Roine). Some very revealing stuff, like how the "Dream and Healer" reprise at the end of "Shine" was really Roine's idea! Regardless, if the band didn't think the album wouldn't be better for it, I doubt they'd let Neal's ideas dominate the sound or album. Pete says in the TAU doc that it's not about getting their ideas on the album, it's about making the album strong, and despite Kaleidoscope probably being my least favorite of the five, it's still a fairly strong and good album overall.
With The Absolute Universe, I've watched the documentary thrice now, and I get the sense that, maybe because they recorded in Sweden, that Roine really tried to steer the music in his direction a bit more or push his ideas more, which is why we get a lot more of him on Forevermore. From what I can gather, both Roine and Mike were pro-double-album, and Neal was maybe on the fence about it, but agreed to it initially. Pete definitely seemed to want to tighten the album up, but was more or less out-voted by the others to make it a double album. I guess once Neal had sent his "Am I Crazy?" email out to the others, maybe he felt like he could get Mike and Roine to change their minds since Pete was originally on board with trimming TAU down to a single disc release. I also wonder if Neal had considered that releasing a double album with Transatlantic might draw criticisms for releasing a third double album in four years (after The Similitude Of A Dream and The Great Adventure with the Neal Morse Band).
Regarding the Roine VS Neal aspects of Transatlantic, I think as each album has been made, their input has more or less levelled out, and I feel like The Absolute Universe is as close to an equal input as we may get, at least on Forevermore. Roine has said that he presented over 90 minutes of demos to the band, and it seems like they used around half of them (according to the traditional Mike's Wishlist Whiteboard). Maybe some of them were a bit TOO out there as he said he tried to write and bring demos that weren't typical Roine stuff (i.e. less like The Flower Kings), though some of those demos ended up on Islands anyway (like "Black Swan"). I think they're both amazing singers and songwriters in their own ways. I find things i love and dislike about both, but their strengths far outweigh their weaknesses, and I approach and gravitate to each of their styles for different reasons, but when they come together for Transatlantic, it really hits me in a way that both of them rarely do individually. Transatlantic is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.
Watching the documentary, you can really feel like Roine is more comfortable on his own home turf. He seems more lively and interactive with the others than in the past docs where he kind of just sits in the background and plays along, sometimes nodding along to ideas in the room. I think it was definitely a smart and interesting idea from Mike to have Neal and Roine see their visions of the album come to fruition. It's definitely a "have your cake and eat it too" situation, but I feel like the fans AND the band win on this one. I can't imagine how things would've shaken down had the label not allowed them to release both versions, and I wonder if Neal would have felt slighted if the label was like "No, just release the 90 minutes you have". I guess we may never know, but as a fan of both versions, I don't think I don't ever need to know or wonder.
As it stands, I find myself listening to Forevermore a lot more than The Breath Of Life, but I'm sure I'll swap around a bit more in the coming weeks. I just really love songs like "Rainbow Sky" and "The World We Used To Know" so much that I miss them on TBOL, but the TBOL versions of "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" and "Reaching For The Sky", which is why I've watched the Ultimate Mix BD visualizer three times since Tuesday night already. It just has the best parts of both albums, and at nearly 98 minutes, it's probably the best of both worlds.
As far as TAU sounding like a "Neal Morse album", I think at this point in his career, any album where he is a major writing force will sound like a Neal Morse album, simply by virtue of his involvement. Obviously with Flying Colors, his input is a bit lessened, so it sounds less like a NM album, but with TA and the NMB, of course it'll sound like Neal, but even after 20 years, I think they really solidified their own sound. As Mike has said in the TAU doc, the band really as their own kind of sound, and it's the unique combination of Neal's, Roine's, and Pete's writing, and all four of them playing the music together that kind of sets it apart of a typical Neal Morse album or Flower Kings album. Despite the Flowery nature of Forevermore, it still sounds very Transatlantic to me, and because I love TA just a bit more than TFK, their new music has sunk it far quicker for me than Islands did when it came out a few months ago (not that Islands was bad, it's probably the best TFK album in the last 10 years).
I really hope Neal releases his 90 minutes (according to Pete) of demos he brought to the TAU sessions, just so we can see what was used and what was dropped during the sessions because the documentary doesn't really dive into their demos as much as the last three documentaries did. In fact, it's shorter than any of them, and I kind of wish it was longer than 60-some minutes. The Whirlwind's documentary was well over 100 minutes and had some amazing moments, and I love re-watching it every so often, watching those four create a masterpiece in the studio. The new doc is pretty entertaining regardless, though I do wonder if it was originally longer and they decided to edit it down to 60 minutes? :lol
-Marc.
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Apart from Transatlantic, I don't really know anything by Roine. I've tried listening to a song or two by The Flower Kings before but never got into it and never gave it much of a chance. Is there a definitive album or two that I should check out?
Flower Kings have a lot of albums and a lot of them are really long, but I'd recommend starting with the following:
Flower Power - double album, but disc 1 is mostly the 18-track Garden of Dreams suite, which I still think is the best thing they've ever done.
Retropolis - perhaps their best single album from start to finish. A lot of instrumental greatness on this one.
Paradox Hotel - another double album, but this one is more easily digestible thanks to there being a ton of shorter songs. Not as overtly proggy as some of their other albums, but rather a good balance between prog and catchy, accessible tunes.
Stardust We Are and Unfold the Future are both highly regarded albums with the fanbase, but both are super long double albums, and probably not the best place for a newbie to start.
Do not start with The Rainmaker or Desolation Rose (their two least best albums). Neither album is bad, and there are some great moments on each, but both are somewhat choppy and I'd hate for a possible new fan to be turned off right away by either and run the other way. I would also not start with a live album. They have some good ones, but a lot of their quirky, zany moments are not done live, and to me that is a big part of the charm of the band.
Thanks! (to HOF too who also suggested Retropolis). I may have to consider subscribing to a music service for a month and just start checking out a bunch of their music. Most of the older stuff is all unavailable (or very expensive even used) in physical form. I checked out a couple songs from Retropolis and it was pretty promising, so I know I want to check out more.
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Apart from Transatlantic, I don't really know anything by Roine. I've tried listening to a song or two by The Flower Kings before but never got into it and never gave it much of a chance. Is there a definitive album or two that I should check out?
Flower Kings have a lot of albums and a lot of them are really long, but I'd recommend starting with the following:
Flower Power - double album, but disc 1 is mostly the 18-track Garden of Dreams suite, which I still think is the best thing they've ever done.
Retropolis - perhaps their best single album from start to finish. A lot of instrumental greatness on this one.
Paradox Hotel - another double album, but this one is more easily digestible thanks to there being a ton of shorter songs. Not as overtly proggy as some of their other albums, but rather a good balance between prog and catchy, accessible tunes.
Stardust We Are and Unfold the Future are both highly regarded albums with the fanbase, but both are super long double albums, and probably not the best place for a newbie to start.
Do not start with The Rainmaker or Desolation Rose (their two least best albums). Neither album is bad, and there are some great moments on each, but both are somewhat choppy and I'd hate for a possible new fan to be turned off right away by either and run the other way. I would also not start with a live album. They have some good ones, but a lot of their quirky, zany moments are not done live, and to me that is a big part of the charm of the band.
Thanks! (to HOF too who also suggested Retropolis). I may have to consider subscribing to a music service for a month and just start checking out a bunch of their music. Most of the older stuff is all unavailable (or very expensive even used) in physical form. I checked out a couple songs from Retropolis and it was pretty promising, so I know I want to check out more.
Yeah, it can be hard to find their CDs now. Space Revovler is another single disc effort that would be a good one to check out first.
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My first 3 TFK albums were
Space Revolver
The Sum of No Evil
Stardust We Are
and I think those are the best ones to check out first, but the debut or the Roine Stolt album are also good choices. I actually don't care for Retropolis as much as others, although the title track is classic.
Yeah, it can be hard to find their CDs now. Space Revovler is another single disc effort that would be a good one to check out first.
I scooped up all their studio albums in 2011/2012 and not long after that time it became harder and more expensive to acquire TFK CDs.
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The debut has one of my very favourite TFK tracks in World Of Adventures (maybe even my #1), so it's worth to check out.
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The debut has one of my very favourite TFK tracks in World Of Adventures (maybe even my #1), so it's worth to check out.
Agreed. I actually think it's one of their best albums, and just has a really big sound.
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Laser CD has a few of their albums still. You can still get Retropolis and Roine’s The Flower King album. Those two are a pretty good start IMO:
https://www.lasercd.com/search_results?fulltext=The%20Flower%20kings
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If you'd ask me this back in like mid 2010's would have been neal all the way. Neal's brand of like Melodic hook-y prog grabbed me straight off. and i became obsessed.
Lately.....while i still count myself a fan. i've hit a morse wall. it's a couple of things.
1. Too prolific for his own good. it's like how can i miss you man if you won't go away? lol. an album a year. sometimes multiple!! from DIFFERENT FUCKING BANDS!!!! i guess the problem is really me cause Roine's prolific too i just don't listen to all his projects, lol
2. he never expands or tries anything new. that's all i'll say here.
having said that...he still writes a melody like nobody's business.
Roine and TFK took much longer to grab me. I'm talkibg about 3 years from the time i started listening......it was long. His stuff can be a lot. and Different albums have different vibes. so which albums do you go too? and too many doubles i'll just say it.
While i haven't liked their past few......the earlier stuff and even dipping in the later era iss FANTASTIC.
Stardust We Are
Flower Power (Garden of Dreams Mainly)
Space Revolver
Paradox Hotel
Sum of No Evil
Back in the World
even the later Banks of Eden. that's a great bunch of records.
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As far as the song Solitude, I'm probably in the minority but I love Pete's vocals here. And I prefer the Breath of Life version. I think the beginning with just piano and no acoustic guitar sounds much better for that part.
I am with you 1000%. I love Neal. He is my favorite musician in the band, in terms of following his overall output. (well, maybe Mike) But that song was made for Pete, and it is my favorite on the album because of Pete's singing. And as much as I like Neal, I actually find it disappointing when he comes in to sing the second half of the song.
As far as TAU sounding like a "Neal Morse album", I think at this point in his career, any album where he is a major writing force will sound like a Neal Morse album, simply by virtue of his involvement. Obviously with Flying Colors, his input is a bit lessened, so it sounds less like a NM album, but with TA and the NMB, of course it'll sound like Neal, but even after 20 years, I think they really solidified their own sound. As Mike has said in the TAU doc, the band really as their own kind of sound, and it's the unique combination of Neal's, Roine's, and Pete's writing, and all four of them playing the music together that kind of sets it apart of a typical Neal Morse album or Flower Kings album. Despite the Flowery nature of Forevermore, it still sounds very Transatlantic to me, and because I love TA just a bit more than TFK, their new music has sunk it far quicker for me than Islands did when it came out a few months ago (not that Islands was bad, it's probably the best TFK album in the last 10 years).
Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. I have neve felt like TA sounds like Neal with special guests or something. Yes, you hear and feel his stamp all over the music. But that isn't the same thing. It's like saying Ranch flavored Doritos are just Ranch, with special guest Doritos. No, it's something different than Ranch. But because Ranch is a strong flavor, of course you are going to get that flavor throughout. But you would be really missing the point if you didn't get that the star of the show was the fact that it's a chip, not a salad dressing/condiment.
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If you'd ask me this back in like mid 2010's would have been neal all the way. Neal's brand of like Melodic hook-y prog grabbed me straight off. and i became obsessed.
Lately.....while i still count myself a fan. i've hit a morse wall. it's a couple of things.
1. Too prolific for his own good. it's like how can i miss you man if you won't go away? lol. an album a year. sometimes multiple!! from DIFFERENT FUCKING BANDS!!!! i guess the problem is really me cause Roine's prolific too i just don't listen to all his projects, lol
2. he never expands or tries anything new. that's all i'll say here.
having said that...he still writes a melody like nobody's business.
Roine and TFK took much longer to grab me. I'm talkibg about 3 years from the time i started listening......it was long. His stuff can be a lot. and Different albums have different vibes. so which albums do you go too? and too many doubles i'll just say it.
While i haven't liked their past few......the earlier stuff and even dipping in the later era iss FANTASTIC.
Stardust We Are
Flower Power (Garden of Dreams Mainly)
Space Revolver
Paradox Hotel
Sum of No Evil
Back in the World
even the later Banks of Eden. that's a great bunch of records.
I hit the Neal Morse wall a little after Momentum came out, and before Kaleidoscope came out. While I checked out most of the albums when they were released since, I never gave em more than 1 or 2 listens because "eh it sounds like everything else he does" but I've been in the mood for modern prog lately and his brand of it, and when you're in the mood for it, it's all good. I prefer the Flower Kings just a little more than Neal/Spock's Beard but TFK were a harder nut to crack but the rewards are greater IMO. I never hit a brick wall with TFK specifically, I like Roine's more laid back and varied approach to music, so I can easily throw a song or two on even when I'm not actively listening to that kind of stuff.
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If you'd ask me this back in like mid 2010's would have been neal all the way. Neal's brand of like Melodic hook-y prog grabbed me straight off. and i became obsessed.
Lately.....while i still count myself a fan. i've hit a morse wall. it's a couple of things.
1. Too prolific for his own good. it's like how can i miss you man if you won't go away? lol. an album a year. sometimes multiple!! from DIFFERENT FUCKING BANDS!!!! i guess the problem is really me cause Roine's prolific too i just don't listen to all his projects, lol
2. he never expands or tries anything new. that's all i'll say here.
having said that...he still writes a melody like nobody's business.
Roine and TFK took much longer to grab me. I'm talkibg about 3 years from the time i started listening......it was long. His stuff can be a lot. and Different albums have different vibes. so which albums do you go too? and too many doubles i'll just say it.
While i haven't liked their past few......the earlier stuff and even dipping in the later era iss FANTASTIC.
Stardust We Are
Flower Power (Garden of Dreams Mainly)
Space Revolver
Paradox Hotel
Sum of No Evil
Back in the World
even the later Banks of Eden. that's a great bunch of records.
I hit the Neal Morse wall a little after Momentum came out, and before Kaleidoscope came out. While I checked out most of the albums when they were released since, I never gave em more than 1 or 2 listens because "eh it sounds like everything else he does" but I've been in the mood for modern prog lately and his brand of it, and when you're in the mood for it, it's all good. I prefer the Flower Kings just a little more than Neal/Spock's Beard but TFK were a harder nut to crack but the rewards are greater IMO. I never hit a brick wall with TFK specifically, I like Roine's more laid back and varied approach to music, so I can easily throw a song or two on even when I'm not actively listening to that kind of stuff.
For sure. TFK just throw so much stuff at you even over just the course of an album. that it overwhelmed me. but honestly Roine's guitar hooked me. If i can find even one element i enjoy. i'll never give up, and i'm glad i didn't with TFK.
honestly one of the most rewarding bands ever.
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Pete just tweeted that they are doing another run of the 5.1 version for those who missed it before.
https://twitter.com/petetrewavas/status/1360316915042942980?s=21
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Pete just tweeted that they are doing another run of the 5.1 version for those who missed it before.
https://twitter.com/petetrewavas/status/1360316915042942980?s=21
Racket Records, Radiant Records, and Foxtrot Records will be restocking the BDs, due out March 26th. Apparently the second run is by popular demand! See - aren't they glad they listened to "fan complaints" about the BD being originally locked in the LIMITED box set?
-Marc.
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I've made myself what feels to me the ideal version of this album, clocking in at 79 minutes. Basically just taking the whole of TBOL, but adding Bully/Rainbow Sky and The World We Used to Know in to the relevant places. The track transitions on both versions of the album are really nicely done such that I've been able to add these in and the transitions still work great. I don't know if it was intentional - if so it was damn clever, it not it was damn lucky. But I'm happy to be able to make my own version that keeps the best bits of Forevermore.
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Really enjoying this now. As usual with TA , it's settled in nicely. I think TA brings out the best in Mike. As a complete musician and not just a drummer. He adds a nice element on the harmonies. All in all, This is right up there with their classics, slightly below the first 2 albums but equal to TW. Kudos to the band!
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Really enjoying this now. As usual with TA , it's settled in nicely. I think TA brings out the best in Mike. As a complete musician and not just a drummer. He adds a nice element on the harmonies. All in all, This is right up there with their classics, slightly below the first 2 albums but equal to TW. Kudos to the band!
Speaking of Mike's harmonies, can I just say that I *love* his harmonies with Roine in "The World We Used To Know"? Their voices just meld together so well in that song and now I'm trying to recall if they ever sang together as the only two voices in a TA song before.
-Marc.
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The debut has one of my very favourite TFK tracks in World Of Adventures (maybe even my #1), so it's worth to check out.
The debut does get overlooked sometimes, but it is tremendous. World of Adventures is stellar, and Big Puzzle is a top 5 TFK tune in my book. And everything in between is very good.
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I really, really like Train to Nowhere as a shorter, ballad-type track. It's one that made a really strong impression on me the very first time I heard it.
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Since I haven't heard much Marillion, does Pete do any vocals in that band?
Very few and they stick out like a sore thumb, IMO.
I'm more or less a Marillion die-hard, and he's become a phenomenal instrumentalist (I don't limit that to bass) but I cringe when he steps anywhere near a microphone.
He's better than Steve Howe!
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Sealed Ultimate Edition sits on the table waiting until I come up with a plan of attack.
Thinking about going with Forevermore first for at least 5 times before moving on to The Breath Of Life and then to the Ultimate mix.
Can't say I've ever run into this problem before. Usually know what to do and dig in but I want to really take advantage of this unique listening experience.
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I gave The Breath Of Life another listen today and I totally enjoy the experience. I think I still prefer Forevermore, TBOL feels like it's too short. Forevermore may be 2 discs, but it's only 10 minutes longer than a single CD can hold. I like some of the changes on TBOL though, but I think Forevermore is the full experience. Looking forward to the re-release of the Ultimate version bluray because that may be even better.
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I got my MP Drum & Vox cam DVD in the mail today! Cannot wait to see how it all came together for Mike! Bonus, the DVD uses the Ultimate Mix, so if you don't have a BD player hooked up to your computer, you might be able to rip the audio from this DVD to get an audio version of the Ultimate Mix in stereo!
Edit - apparently Mike's DVD is the Ultimate Mix MINUS "Can You Feel It", so essentially it is a FOURTH version of the album, running at about 94 minutes.
-Marc.
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I got my MP Drum & Vox cam DVD in the mail today! Cannot wait to see how it all came together for Mike! Bknus, the DVD uses the Ultimate Mix, so if you don't have an BD player hooked up to your computer, you might be able to rip the audio from this DVD to get an audio version of the Ultimate Mix in stereo!
Edit - apparently Mike's DVD is the Ultimate Mix MINUS "Can You Feel It", so essentially it is a FOURTH version of the album, running at about 94 minutes.
-Marc.
Got the digital version a few days ago, it's really good!
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I listened to the abridged version for the first time yesterday. Such an odd experience to expect a melody or a lyric and then the song goes off in a completely different direction. :lol
I have to tip my hat to the band once more for pulling this off. We've never experienced anything like this.
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I don't know which of the two I prefer at this point, they both have great songs that is only on that version. I really love the different themes that pop up throughout the songs and over both albums.
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Am I the only one who still hasn't received their order from Radiant?
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Am I the only one who still hasn't received their order from Radiant?
I'm still waiting. I did receive the email that it shipped with the tracking #. Due to me by Friday the 19th.
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How are we going to abbreviate Forevermore? Am I just going to have to type it out every time, like Kaleidoscope?
I don't know which of the two I prefer at this point, they both have great songs that is only on that version. I really love the different themes that pop up throughout the songs and over both albums.
Having heard both albums equal amount of times, I'm leaning more towards Forevermore, but I like The Breath of Life a lot as well. I've only been listening to TBOL this past week, but now I can't wait to return to Forevermore. I think I'm going to like having options when it comes to listening to TAU going forward. I definitely want to hear the Ultimate version soon once I'm a little more familiar with both albums and see how much I like that version.
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I've been just listening to Forevermore, haven't started the other versions yet. Want to get super familiar with it before hearing the others.
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Am I the only one who still hasn't received their order from Radiant?
I'm still waiting. I did receive the email that it shipped with the tracking #. Due to me by Friday the 19th.
Me too, except it says it's been sitting in White House, TN for a couple days now. :)
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Am I the only one who still hasn't received their order from Radiant?
i hear this all the time. i only ordered once from raadiant. took forever. never again.
horrid experience for me
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Am I the only one who still hasn't received their order from Radiant?
I'm still waiting. I did receive the email that it shipped with the tracking #. Due to me by Friday the 19th.
I haven't gotten an email yet. :(
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Not to beat a dead horse, but that is always the issue with Radiant. Delays happen. It's part of the business. But it's bad customer service to not update your customers about delays, and that has been a problem with Radiant for as long as I can remember.
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Not to beat a dead horse, but that is always the issue with Radiant. Delays happen. It's part of the business. But it's bad customer service to not update your customers about delays, and that has been a problem with Radiant for as long as I can remember.
I have gotten emails about the cause of the delay. I just hadn't gotten anything new over the last several days, when I expected to.
Maybe I'll get one today.
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I got my Radiant order a few days ago (maybe Thursday or Friday?). But I only ordered the Blu-Ray from them and got my CDs elsewhere.
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Case in point: I have a relative who subscribes to the Waterfall app, but his log-in is not working now for some reason, and Radiant is not responding to his multiple emails about getting it fixed. Such a clown show.
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FLYYYY HIGHER THAN THE MORRRRNING
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Radiant sent me a shipping confirmation about my Blu-ray last week. ETA is next Monday so I'm looking forward to enjoying it in April.
I ordered TBOL and Forevermore from Radiant and those amazingly arrived on release day.
I got my MP Drum & Vox cam DVD in the mail today! Cannot wait to see how it all came together for Mike! Bonus, the DVD uses the Ultimate Mix, so if you don't have a BD player hooked up to your computer, you might be able to rip the audio from this DVD to get an audio version of the Ultimate Mix in stereo!
I did this to hold me over till the Blu-ray gets here, and I spliced in Can You Feel It at the proper time. I've listened to the other 2 versions multiple times over the last couple weeks and I listened to the whole Ultimate Edition last night and I have to say I prefer TBOL. Forevermore and the UE are just waaaaay too long for me and they both drag at several points in the second half. They don't flow as well as TBOL.
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Honestly, this feels like an album where a little more work could have made it a great single disc. The Breath of Life is not it. It is good, but it removed some of the best stuff, while keeping some unnecessary reprises/preludes, and sounds too much like a Neal and Friends record. Forevermore sounds more like a good mixture, but does feel a bit too long. Overall, I like this quite a bit, and there a few songs of which I am definitely a big fan, but it just feels too messy overall.
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Honestly, this feels like an album where a little more work could have made it a great single disc. The Breath of Life is not it. It is good, but it removed some of the best stuff, while keeping some unnecessary reprises/preludes, and sounds too much like a Neal and Friends record. Forevermore sounds more like a good mixture, but does feel a bit too long. Overall, I like this quite a bit, and there a few songs of which I am definitely a big fan, but it just feels too messy overall.
I think i wanna try and make my own version.
I love the entirity of disc 1 of Forevermore. Disc 2 not as much. I love the breath of Life but it ends TOO fast. i feel like there's a good middle ground there.
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Wow, I totally missed that his was released. Sounds like I should go with the extended version?
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Honestly, this feels like an album where a little more work could have made it a great single disc. The Breath of Life is not it. It is good, but it removed some of the best stuff, while keeping some unnecessary reprises/preludes, and sounds too much like a Neal and Friends record. Forevermore sounds more like a good mixture, but does feel a bit too long. Overall, I like this quite a bit, and there a few songs of which I am definitely a big fan, but it just feels too messy overall.
I think i wanna try and make my own version.
I love the entirity of disc 1 of Forevermore. Disc 2 not as much. I love the breath of Life but it ends TOO fast. i feel like there's a good middle ground there.
I always find this feeling a bit funny since more than half of TBOL comes from the 2nd half of Forevermore. Maybe the edits to songs like "Owl Howl" and "Solitude" make a difference?
I am also of the mind that debates about "disc 1 vs disc 2" are silly because the tracklist is only divided by the media format. If we lived in a world without CDs and the music remained purely on vinyl, would people be debating which of thr 3 LPs was better for Forevermore? Would we be debating which of the two LPs of TBOL is better?
Maybe because I listen to music almost entirely digitally these days, I see albums as a whole work and don't really see them aa "disc 1" and "disc 2" unless they're definitely meant to be separate entities (like a bonus disc, or a second disc of extra songs not associated with the first disc, like Porcupine Tree's The Incident or Neal Morse's Testimony 2).
I do agree that TBOL is over pretty quickly with its 64:12 runtime, but its brevity is what sets it apart from Forevermore, as well as its more focused lyrical concept. I definitely need to spin TBOL a bit more as I have almost exclusively been listening to Forevermore for the past week or so, but I miss songs like "Rainbow Sky", "The World We Used To Know", and the Gentle Giant-esque vocal break in the middle of "The Greatest Story Never Ends".
-Marc.
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FLYYYY HIGHER THAN THE MORRRRNING
This one and "Swing High, Swing Low" ("Take Now My Soul") have been absolutely fucking burrowed into my brain since I first heard them :hefdaddy
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Honestly, this feels like an album where a little more work could have made it a great single disc. The Breath of Life is not it. It is good, but it removed some of the best stuff, while keeping some unnecessary reprises/preludes, and sounds too much like a Neal and Friends record. Forevermore sounds more like a good mixture, but does feel a bit too long. Overall, I like this quite a bit, and there a few songs of which I am definitely a big fan, but it just feels too messy overall.
I think i wanna try and make my own version.
I love the entirity of disc 1 of Forevermore. Disc 2 not as much. I love the breath of Life but it ends TOO fast. i feel like there's a good middle ground there.
I always find this feeling a bit funny since more than half of TBOL comes from the 2nd half of Forevermore. Maybe the edits to songs like "Owl Howl" and "Solitude" make a difference?
I am also of the mind that debates about "disc 1 vs disc 2" are silly because the tracklist is only divided by the media format. If we lived in a world without CDs and the music remained purely on vinyl, would people be debating which of thr 3 LPs was better for Forevermore? Would we be debating which of the two LPs of TBOL is better?
Maybe because I listen to music almost entirely digitally these days, I see albums as a whole work and don't really see them aa "disc 1" and "disc 2" unless they're definitely meant to be separate entities (like a bonus disc, or a second disc of extra songs not associated with the first disc, like Porcupine Tree's The Incident or Neal Morse's Testimony 2).
I do agree that TBOL is over pretty quickly with its 64:12 runtime, but its brevity is what sets it apart from Forevermore, as well as its more focused lyrical concept. I definitely need to spin TBOL a bit more as I have almost exclusively been listening to Forevermore for the past week or so, but I miss songs like "Rainbow Sky", "The World We Used To Know", and the Gentle Giant-esque vocal break in the middle of "The Greatest Story Never Ends".
-Marc.
Honestly i listen almost exclusively digital too but i was born in 85 so CD era guy. so I STILL divide things in my head, lol
as far as disc 1 basically being TBOL your right. but i think it looks lesser coming after disc 1......cause i REALLY love disc 1, lol
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I’m starting to think I’d drop Owl Howl from any one disc mix I’d make. I actually really like it for what it is, but it seems to be a total departure from the overall theme of the album. I also think I’d drop the Forevermore version of The Greatest Story Never Ends. The multi-part vocal section just doesn’t do it for me, and I think the end of the album flows better on Breath of Life.
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Am I the only one still waiting for their pre-order of the Ultimate Box Set from Radiant Records? I mean, I don't care that much since I have Amazon music and both versions of the album are there, I'm just wondering if anyone knows anything about when they're supposed to ship?
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Honestly, this feels like an album where a little more work could have made it a great single disc. The Breath of Life is not it. It is good, but it removed some of the best stuff, while keeping some unnecessary reprises/preludes, and sounds too much like a Neal and Friends record. Forevermore sounds more like a good mixture, but does feel a bit too long. Overall, I like this quite a bit, and there a few songs of which I am definitely a big fan, but it just feels too messy overall.
I think i wanna try and make my own version.
I love the entirity of disc 1 of Forevermore. Disc 2 not as much. I love the breath of Life but it ends TOO fast. i feel like there's a good middle ground there.
I always find this feeling a bit funny since more than half of TBOL comes from the 2nd half of Forevermore. Maybe the edits to songs like "Owl Howl" and "Solitude" make a difference?
I am also of the mind that debates about "disc 1 vs disc 2" are silly because the tracklist is only divided by the media format. If we lived in a world without CDs and the music remained purely on vinyl, would people be debating which of thr 3 LPs was better for Forevermore? Would we be debating which of the two LPs of TBOL is better?
Maybe because I listen to music almost entirely digitally these days, I see albums as a whole work and don't really see them aa "disc 1" and "disc 2" unless they're definitely meant to be separate entities (like a bonus disc, or a second disc of extra songs not associated with the first disc, like Porcupine Tree's The Incident or Neal Morse's Testimony 2).
I do agree that TBOL is over pretty quickly with its 64:12 runtime, but its brevity is what sets it apart from Forevermore, as well as its more focused lyrical concept. I definitely need to spin TBOL a bit more as I have almost exclusively been listening to Forevermore for the past week or so, but I miss songs like "Rainbow Sky", "The World We Used To Know", and the Gentle Giant-esque vocal break in the middle of "The Greatest Story Never Ends".
-Marc.
Honestly i listen almost exclusively digital too but i was born in 85 so CD era guy. so I STILL divide things in my head, lol
as far as disc 1 basically being TBOL your right. but i think it looks lesser coming after disc 1......cause i REALLY love disc 1, lol
Hey, born in 84 here myself, and for most of my teens and 20s, I swore by CDs, made hundreds of CD-r copies and remixes of music, and used a CD Walkman for most of my high-school and college years, but when I got an iPod and later a smart phone, I'd say 99% of my listening had become digital, and so my view on multi-disc albums became one that saw them as complete works, not divided by the constraints of physical media. The digital age has allowed longer works to be absorbed and listened to in single sittings without having to be bothered with changing discs or flipping vinyl sides.
Maybe this is why I love the Ultimate Mix of The Absolute Universe since it runs seamlessly for its 98 minutes of runtime and doesn't fall into the whole "disc 1 vs disc 2" debate that these sorts of albums run into, especially when albums like this are composed as they go along. I always read a lot of opinions saying that "disc 2 runs out of steam" or is "weaker" but honestly, I think it might just be listener fatigue for some fans, and maybe they enjoy disc 1 more because whenever they go to start listening to the album, that's as far as they get, so they enjoy it and understand it more, leaving the less-listened-to 2nd disc to the wayside.
I personally cannot think of any double albums that I like where I thought the back half was significantly weaker than anything in the front half. Maybe the concept albums, particularly those by Neal Morse, suffer a bit for some because he brings back so many themes and songs near the end, so folks feel tired of them by that point, or see that as a lack of creativity or originality, but I *love* when themes return and repeat, it helps give the album a sense of cohesiveness.
Basically, if all music was digital, or fit on a format that allowed them to be on a single piece of media, there wouldn't be these broad, generalized opinions of "disc 2 isn't as good as disc 1" because we wouldn't have those dividers placed upon the album. It would just boil down to which songs on the whole album do you like or don't like, which can really get folks thinking harder about the music they absorb, rather than just putting down half the album because it's simpler to say so.
-Marc.
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Am I the only one still waiting for their pre-order of the Ultimate Box Set from Radiant Records? I mean, I don't care that much since I have Amazon music and both versions of the album are there, I'm just wondering if anyone knows anything about when they're supposed to ship?
I didn't get the Ultimate; I got the two CD versions and the Blu-Ray, and I'm still waiting. Mine is still in Tennessee (though in Memphis now; at least it's been picked up). It says February 22nd, by 9:00pm.
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Thanks for that. At least I know it's not just me :)
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DTF should have an emoticon of the Radiant Records logo for moments like this, like how ": soon :" is Roadrunner Records.
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I have to say that I have never had any problems at all with Radiant Records until this release. And I know this was pretty much out of their control. My critique would be they should have anticipated these delays and pushed the release date out by another 30 or 60 days, the problem would have been solved.
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Here’s a 70 minute edit that I am really liking. All tracks from Forevermore except where noted.
1. Overture
2. Heart Like a Whirlwind
3. Higher Than The Morning
4. The Darkness In The Light
5. Lonesome Rebel (had to find a new spot for this that would work with the transition!)
6. Swing High, Swing Low
7. Bully
8. Rainbow Sky
9. Looking for the Light
10. Solitude
11. Belong (BOL)
12. Can You Feel It (BOL)
13. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
14. The Greatest Story Never Ends (BOL)
15. Love Made A Way (BOL)
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FUCK, I can't get the chorus from "Higher Than the Morning" out of my head.
So far I've tried listening to Opeth and Iron Maiden trying to cleanse my ears :lol
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I actually think it's the first disc of Forevermore that runs out of steam. I'm fine up to Swing High Swing Low, then with the exception of Looking for the Light, it's treading water. The Sun Comes Up Today should have been cut, the album is stronger without it (although the reprise of Higher than the Morning is its sole saving grace), but after that the second disc is spot on solid until the end. Still think the whole thing is too long, mind.
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I think The Sun comes up today is awesome, I really miss it on the abridged version. I'd also love to have Rainbow sky on it, but oh well. That's exactly why we have two albums to choose from. ;D
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I love the entirity of disc 1 of Forevermore. Disc 2 not as much. I love the breath of Life but it ends TOO fast. i feel like there's a good middle ground there.
Agreed. Trying to make my own version that worked was a failure, and I guess I could play in Audacity with fade ins and fades out to take out a few I deem as expendable, but then it would just feel weird when trying to do full listens.
Here’s a 70 minute edit that I am really liking. All tracks from Forevermore except where noted.
1. Overture
2. Heart Like a Whirlwind
3. Higher Than The Morning
4. The Darkness In The Light
5. Lonesome Rebel (had to find a new spot for this that would work with the transition!)
6. Swing High, Swing Low
7. Bully
8. Rainbow Sky
9. Looking for the Light
10. Solitude
11. Belong (BOL)
12. Can You Feel It (BOL)
13. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
14. The Greatest Story Never Ends (BOL)
15. Love Made A Way (BOL)
That doesn't look bad, but I can't get on board with any edit or version that omits The World We Used to Know. :biggrin:
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This one is slightly longer at 79 minutes but I'm finding it flows great and the transitions work (EDIT: To be clear I didn't need to do any editing). It has the more concise versions of everything from TBOL, plus the few "essentials" from Forevermore (i.e. not including The Sun Comes Up Today). Also works if you want to swap out Take Now My Soul and have Swing High, Swing Low instead.
I've made myself what feels to me the ideal version of this album, clocking in at 79 minutes. Basically just taking the whole of TBOL, but adding Bully/Rainbow Sky and The World We Used to Know in to the relevant places. The track transitions on both versions of the album are really nicely done such that I've been able to add these in and the transitions still work great. I don't know if it was intentional - if so it was damn clever, it not it was damn lucky. But I'm happy to be able to make my own version that keeps the best bits of Forevermore.
So the tracklist works out as follows (everything from TBOL unless otherwise stated)
1. Overture
2. Reaching for the Sky
3. Higher Than the Morning
4. The Darkness in the Light
5. Take Now My Soul [or you can use Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore)]
6. Bully (Forevermore)
7. Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
8. Looking for the Light
9. The World We Used to Know (Forevermore)
10 Love Made a Way (Prelude)
11. Owl Howl
12. Solitude
13. Belong
14. Can You Feel It
15. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
16. The Greatest Story Never Ends
17. Love Made a Way
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Honestly, this feels like an album where a little more work could have made it a great single disc. The Breath of Life is not it. It is good, but it removed some of the best stuff, while keeping some unnecessary reprises/preludes, and sounds too much like a Neal and Friends record. Forevermore sounds more like a good mixture, but does feel a bit too long. Overall, I like this quite a bit, and there a few songs of which I am definitely a big fan, but it just feels too messy overall.
That's how I've been feeling about it. To be fair, the Forevermore album is THE album that was originally intended for release. TBOL is the full Neal filter with input from everyone else and some unique music not on the extended version, but I think he cut too much good stuff out of the album. However, Forevermore feels too long, even though it's only 11 minutes longer than The Whirlwind. The first disc alone is great and the last track has a conclusive feel to it. If that was the album it would compete with TW and BAF as the best album for me.
The 2nd disc doesn't feel as good, but I still need more time with it. I do think that the flow of the 2nd disc is missing something, particularly the end of the album. An album doesn't have to have a big grandiose finale but since that is what they were going for, and I just don't feel the build up and payoff is there, like it is on The Whirlwind or the end of BAF. I think that's where a lot of work could have been done. Instead of spending time reworking an entire album, Neal could have insisted on improving what was already put to tape, so to speak, with the rest of the band.
Some songs on the album also suffer from what DT currently suffer from, putting unrelated choruses in the middle of songs that don't sound like they belong together, or have awkward transitions.
Overall, though, I'm pretty happy with what we got, as it's one of the better albums these guys have collectively or individually put out in recent years.
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FLYYYY HIGHER THAN THE MORRRRNING
The part I keep hearing in my head is
HERE.. THERE IS A FIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRREEE
THERE.. DEEEP AS DESIIIIIIIRRRRRRREEE
FARRRRRR AND AWAAAYYY FROM MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
also BELONG BELOOONG
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The 2nd disc doesn't feel as good, but I still need more time with it. I do think that the flow of the 2nd disc is missing something, particularly the end of the album. An album doesn't have to have a big grandiose finale but since that is what they were going for, and I just don't feel the build up and payoff is there, like it is on The Whirlwind or the end of BAF. I think that's where a lot of work could have been done. Instead of spending time reworking an entire album, Neal could have insisted on improving what was already put to tape, so to speak, with the rest of the band.
I think I agree with this. I like Love Made a Way, and really like the part in the BOL version that I mentioned last week, but it's like this long build-up and then the payoff doesn't quite stick to landing. Of course, had they done the huge grandiose ending, some of us would be saying, "OMG, another typical Neal Morse ending!!" :lol, but it still would have been more satisfying, IMO.
Even though I prefer Forevermore, I can see where some feel that it's a bit of a letdown after the first disc. The World We Used to Know has that "great closer" feel and vibe to it, and then it's like they had to bring it back down and never quite reached that finality high again, in a manner of speaking. For as much as I feel that the last song on The Whirlwind is a bit overcooked, there is no doubt that it is epic as all get-out.
With a less grandiose finish, it feels like some of the theme repeating could have been toned down a bit. The reprise of Looking for the Light and the Love Made a Way prelude both feel rather unnecessary.
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I love the entirity of disc 1 of Forevermore. Disc 2 not as much. I love the breath of Life but it ends TOO fast. i feel like there's a good middle ground there.
Agreed. Trying to make my own version that worked was a failure, and I guess I could play in Audacity with fade ins and fades out to take out a few I deem as expendable, but then it would just feel weird when trying to do full listens.
Here’s a 70 minute edit that I am really liking. All tracks from Forevermore except where noted.
1. Overture
2. Heart Like a Whirlwind
3. Higher Than The Morning
4. The Darkness In The Light
5. Lonesome Rebel (had to find a new spot for this that would work with the transition!)
6. Swing High, Swing Low
7. Bully
8. Rainbow Sky
9. Looking for the Light
10. Solitude
11. Belong (BOL)
12. Can You Feel It (BOL)
13. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
14. The Greatest Story Never Ends (BOL)
15. Love Made A Way (BOL)
That doesn't look bad, but I can't get on board with any edit or version that omits The World We Used to Know. :biggrin:
I agree about disc 1 of Forevermore being almost perfect, but disc 2 isn’t quite as strong.
As far as The World We Used to Know, I like it a lot, but it seems very clearly to be a “bring disc one to a close track.” It didn’t really work in the middle of an abridged track list (similarly, The Sun Comes Up Today sounds like a track that was meant to reintroduce themes at the beginning of a second disc and didn’t make sense on a one disc version, though so I think it might be the weakest song on the album). I thought about putting it at the end instead of Love Made A Way but it didn’t quite flow right. So kind of like Owl Howl it’s a track I enjoy but ended up on the cutting room floor anyway.
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As far as The World We Used to Know, I like it a lot, but it seems very clearly to be a “bring disc one to a close track.” It didn’t really work in the middle of an abridged track list (similarly, The Sun Comes Up Today sounds like a track that was meant to reintroduce themes at the beginning of a second disc and didn’t make sense on a one disc version, though so I think it might be the weakest song on the album). I thought about putting it at the end instead of Love Made A Way but it didn’t quite flow right. So kind of like Owl Howl it’s a track I enjoy but ended up on the cutting room floor anyway.
Fair enough. :coolio :coolio
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I finally received my 2 vinyl versions yesterday from Lasers Edge. Quick rant: it takes eight days to travel about 40 miles? The Pony Express would have done it in one day. USPS- you suck.
That being said, the artwork and packaging is really nice as are the colored vinyls ( pink and light blue). I only have a quick listen through 3 sides, but it definitely sounds like Transatlantic! It's going to take a while to digest, but I look forward to the experience. I really wish Inside Out provided download codes with the vinyl. It's not always easy for me to sit in front of my turntable and it would be nice to rip it and listen throughout the day elsewhere. I can convert that vinyl through USB but that's a real time, pain in the ass as my turntable interface sucks.
Having seen 3 of the 4 TA tours, it would be great to see if they are able to play this live at some point. If so, I will be there!
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World-wide shipping is totally fucked up right now. I buy just over $2 million in I.T. gear each year for my job and without exception everything from every vendor is taking anywhere from 2x to 5x longer to get here than it did before the pandemic. "Overnight" shipping is, for all practical purposes, no longer a real, reliable option. If I order 100 items today and have them all shipped overnight I ***MIGHT*** get 10 or 15 of them tomorrow, the rest will dribble in over the course of the next 7 to 10 days.
I'm sure there are some regions where it's not as bad as it is here in the Boston area, but that's what we're dealing with right now for shipping. It's a complete shit show inside a dumpster fire on the titanic.
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Honestly, this feels like an album where a little more work could have made it a great single disc. The Breath of Life is not it. It is good, but it removed some of the best stuff, while keeping some unnecessary reprises/preludes, and sounds too much like a Neal and Friends record. Forevermore sounds more like a good mixture, but does feel a bit too long. Overall, I like this quite a bit, and there a few songs of which I am definitely a big fan, but it just feels too messy overall.
That's how I've been feeling about it. To be fair, the Forevermore album is THE album that was originally intended for release. TBOL is the full Neal filter with input from everyone else and some unique music not on the extended version, but I think he cut too much good stuff out of the album. However, Forevermore feels too long, even though it's only 11 minutes longer than The Whirlwind. The first disc alone is great and the last track has a conclusive feel to it. If that was the album it would compete with TW and BAF as the best album for me.
The 2nd disc doesn't feel as good, but I still need more time with it. I do think that the flow of the 2nd disc is missing something, particularly the end of the album. An album doesn't have to have a big grandiose finale but since that is what they were going for, and I just don't feel the build up and payoff is there, like it is on The Whirlwind or the end of BAF. I think that's where a lot of work could have been done. Instead of spending time reworking an entire album, Neal could have insisted on improving what was already put to tape, so to speak, with the rest of the band.
Some songs on the album also suffer from what DT currently suffer from, putting unrelated choruses in the middle of songs that don't sound like they belong together, or have awkward transitions.
Overall, though, I'm pretty happy with what we got, as it's one of the better albums these guys have collectively or individually put out in recent years.
it's funny you mentioned the end of Disc 2. the end song run on forevermore feels endless to me. and i knows it's not much longer than the ending on TBOL but somehow the ending on TBOL feels much tighter.
i don't not how they did that but....i've played both 3 track finales on their own and it's true.....the one on Forevermore i swear takes about a decade :lol
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I've already done my single CD version of this album (80:01 minutes), The Breath of Forevermore, and the transitions are really nice IMO:
01 - Overture (The Breath of Life)
02 - Reaching for the Sky (The Breath of Life)
The flow of the shorter Overture and melodies of Reaching are really better.
03 - Higher Than the Morning (The Breath of Life)
04 - The Darkness in the Light (The Breath of Life)
05 - Take Now My Soul (The Breath of Life)
06 - Bully (Forevermore)
07 - Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
08 - Looking for the Light (The Breath of Life)
09 - The World We Used to Know (Forevermore). How in the world this song can be out of any version of this album?!
End of "act I"
Start of "act II":
10 - Owl Howl (Forevermore). The Breath of Life version has a weird ending.
11 - Solitude (Forevermore). The Breath of Life version edited and totally ruined this song.
12 - Belong (The Breath of Life)
13 - Can You Feel It (The Breath of Life). Better than Lonesome Rebel
14 - Looking for the Light (Reprise) (The Breath of Life)
15 - The Greatest Story Never Ends (Forevermore). I love the Gentle Giant's acapella part of this version.
16 - Love Made a Way (Forevermore). This version don't have that needless drums at the very end (by the way, because of that, this is the shorter version).
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I've already done my single CD version of this album (80:01 minutes), The Breath of Forevermore, and the transitions are really nice IMO:
01 - Overture (The Breath of Life)
02 - Reaching for the Sky (The Breath of Life)
The flow of the shorter Overture and melodies of Reaching are really better.
03 - Higher Than the Morning (The Breath of Life)
04 - The Darkness in the Light (The Breath of Life)
05 - Take Now My Soul (The Breath of Life)
06 - Bully (Forevermore)
07 - Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
08 - Looking for the Light (The Breath of Life)
09 - The World We Used to Know (Forevermore). How in the world this song can be out of any version of this album?!
End of "act I"
Start of "act II":
10 - Owl Howl (Forevermore). The Breath of Life version has a weird ending.
11 - Solitude (Forevermore). The Breath of Life version edited and totally ruined this song.
12 - Belong (The Breath of Life)
13 - Can You Feel It (The Breath of Life). Better than Lonesome Rebel
14 - Looking for the Light (Reprise) (The Breath of Life)
15 - The Greatest Story Never Ends (Forevermore). I love the Gentle Giant's acapella part of this version.
16 - Love Made a Way (Forevermore). This version don't have that needless drums at the very end (by the way, because of that, this is the shorter version).
that's crazy.......i was gonna post mine......i'd been working on it. you and i have the same!!! just substituting versions here and there, lol
but yes this album really works.
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Really cool to know it! :tup
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I'm behind on this and just getting ready to dig in. Reading through some of the posts here, it seems the consensus is both versions are quite good. I'm thinking of ordering only one version to start with (will probably order the other at a later date). What's everybody's opinion on which makes most sense to go with? I know opinions will vary...
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I'm behind on this and just getting ready to dig in. Reading through some of the posts here, it seems the consensus is both versions are quite good. I'm thinking of ordering only one version to start with (will probably order the other at a later date). What's everybody's opinion on which makes most sense to go with? I know opinions will vary...
I'd suggest starting with Forevermore, as that was the original version of the album, the one the band had intended to release after their initial sessions and tracking.
The Breath Of Life wasn't conceived until almost half a year after Forevermore. I think it's more fun to hear what they wrote first and then see what Neal and the others changed for the "abridged" version.
-Marc.
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Another vote for the Forevermore version. I like the Breath of Life version too, but I prefer Forevermore
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Forevermore. There's some key arrangements on this version that aren't on The Breath of Life version that I really miss. And The World We Used to Know maybe is my fave song from the 2 versions and it's only on Forevermore (and it's 9:20 long!)
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Can someone add the poll to the thread, to see which is the prefered version? That would be fun.
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I finally received my 2 vinyl versions yesterday from Lasers Edge. Quick rant: it takes eight days to travel about 40 miles? The Pony Express would have done it in one day. USPS- you suck.
Aside from the pandemic issues which KNH touched on, the last week for shipping and transit times in the U.S. has been a disaster thanks to the snow storms and power outages all over the country. I'd be happy you got it at all, to be honest. :lol :lol
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With CD deliveries, and especially Laser's Edge, it matters very much what shipping speed you get. If you get Media Mail, as I understand it, your package is basically placed in the back of the queue and only travels to the next destination so long as there is room for it.
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I'm behind on this and just getting ready to dig in. Reading through some of the posts here, it seems the consensus is both versions are quite good. I'm thinking of ordering only one version to start with (will probably order the other at a later date). What's everybody's opinion on which makes most sense to go with? I know opinions will vary...
I'd suggest starting with Forevermore, as that was the original version of the album, the one the band had intended to release after their initial sessions and tracking.
The Breath Of Life wasn't conceived until almost half a year after Forevermore. I think it's more fun to hear what they wrote first and then see what Neal and the others changed for the "abridged" version.
-Marc.
I have that same viewpoint. I listened to Forevermore probably 10 or so times before finally giving Breath of Life a chance and to be honest, I didn't really enjoy it. I've got it so entrenched in my mind that 'Forevermore is how it was originally intended' that I can't really enjoy Breath of Life for what it is. It just feels like a 'radio edit' to me and I've never been a fan of radio edit versions of songs. I want the whole thing!
That said, if there is a song I really like more from Breath of Life than what's offered on Forevermore, it's the back-half of The Greatest Story Never Ends. Probably my favorite instrumental part of either album, although I don't think it really 'fits' in with the flow/atmosphere of the album. Still enjoy that part nonetheless.
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I understand the global shipping problems right now. I even understand the regional ones due to weather etc. What I can't understand is the way that the USPS in Philly area swallows up packages.
I realize that my vinyl purchase is a "luxury" item. But it's still something I'm paying to have shipped. I love my local mail carriers that walk the neighbor around me. 2 really nice guys and a nice gal. I' m not blaming them at all.
However,for a package to get picked up, deposited an hour later in a warehouse that's close to the destination and then just sit there for 6 days with no explanation then to be pulled out and driven the additional 10 miles and delivered makes no sense to me. No weather problems, no holiday rush. Tractor trailers of un-delivered mail...sitting. For days on end. They are not doing their job and I would be fired if I performed to that standard.
I also had 3 Christmas packages that were tracked entering that warehouse 3 times! Before getting shipped to NY and back, Lehigh Valley and back and North Jersey before getting delivered. WTF???!!!
Anyway, sorry for the rant I feel better now! Back to the TA discussion.....
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Another vote for the Forevermore version. I like the Breath of Life version too, but I prefer Forevermore
You know, as this album has begun to really sink in more and more it's giving The Whirlwind a legitimate contest at becoming my #3 TA release. As bosk1 noted earlier in the thread I was extremely cynical about the multiple version release. It was confusing and it came across as straight up greed. But the more I have listened to both versions the more I support the decision to produce a condensed version of the album and I think it's actually very cool that there are pieces and parts on that condensed version that do not appear in the extended version. Sure, if you want to be cynical about it you can see it as a blatant cash grab, forcing hard-core fans like me to buy that second disc because it's got additional content not found on the one I purchased first, which was Forevermore. But I don't really see it that way anymore.
When it comes to viable material for albums, Neal Morse has a kind of perpetual embarrassment of riches. He brought a lot of viable material to these sessions and when combined with stuff from others, Roine in particular, it probably would have filled 3 CDs if they used all of it :P So, they had more than enough viable, solid-quality album-worthy material to work with and the end result from what I understand is "Forevermore" which is the original finished album.
Making "The Breath of Life" was a stroke of fucking genius. Neal had to understand that "Forevermore" is a little bit on the long side and a lot of people prefer more concise albums, so why not give the fans both options with the same concept album? And it's not just some slice and dice CTRL+C / CTRL+V removal of extraneous material, that's the best part. Neal did quite a bit of nipping and tucking and rearranging while also integrating some new elements, riffs, chord progressions and lyrics, i.e. "Take Now My Soul" (abridged) "Swing High, Swing Low" (extended).
Just when I thought these guys were probably never approach the level of the first two albums again, they poke me in the eye with a massive 2-Disc prog extravaganza featuring all of the best elements of the band's style that make them so great and then just for good measure they drop a condensed version with alternate lyrics, additional material and different arrangements.
In all honesty I was expecting something that was going to amount to "Kaleidoscope II" and instead we got something that compares much more closely to The Whirlwind and clearly they know this because "my heart is like a whirlwind"
Anyway, I decided that owning the deluxe 3LP/2CD version of Forevermore and just streaming the rest does not sufficiently recognize the effort that went into creating The Breath of Life so I just went ahead and ordered 2LP/1CD Magenta vinyl version of The Breath of Life and the Blu-ray. And while I was there I decided to pick up the 3 Disc special Edition KaLIVEoscope Ltd. Box Set - it's the only live TA that I didn't own so what the fuck, it's only money :lol
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After only listening to TBOL for the last week, I've gone back to Forevermore and WOW what a change. I prefer this version even more now having gotten used to TBOL and forgot about a lot of stuff that was edited out for TBOL. I kind of think Forevermore should have just been the album, and it feels like it has the strongest Roine Stolt influence as opposed to Neal Morse which is 85% of the time. I can tell Roine seemed a little annoyed that TAU got split into 3 different versions based on recent interviews, and at this point, TBOL comes off a little like Neal has to have more control over the final product. I think everything just works on Forevermore just fine, I even like the 2nd disc a lot more than the first initial listens. Everything feels fleshed out, doesn't feel rushed. The Breath of Life feels like too much was cut out, sure there's some unique music in there, but it's not a lot really, and it sounds like The Ultimate version is going to be right up my alley, whenever it arrives. I think the only improvement on the original was shortening the overture on TBOL, even though I like it on Forevermore, it feels pretty long, it's like 'let's get to the album already.'
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I still find myself playing TBOL more out of the 2.
but Forevermore is rising up i just need more concentration when playing it. Rainbow Sky is now one of my favs. it's bright annd very Beatle-esque so of course i would go towards that.
And The World we Used To Know....very Classic Flower Kings and to me can stand up with most songs from that late 90's/early 00's FK period.
Finally Solitude is maybe.....MAYBE my fav Transatlantic tune of the shorter variety. it's very close.
I love this record. both versions.
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I understand the global shipping problems right now. I even understand the regional ones due to weather etc. What I can't understand is the way that the USPS in Philly area swallows up packages.
I realize that my vinyl purchase is a "luxury" item. But it's still something I'm paying to have shipped. I love my local mail carriers that walk the neighbor around me. 2 really nice guys and a nice gal. I' m not blaming them at all.
However,for a package to get picked up, deposited an hour later in a warehouse that's close to the destination and then just sit there for 6 days with no explanation then to be pulled out and driven the additional 10 miles and delivered makes no sense to me. No weather problems, no holiday rush. Tractor trailers of un-delivered mail...sitting. For days on end. They are not doing their job and I would be fired if I performed to that standard.
I also had 3 Christmas packages that were tracked entering that warehouse 3 times! Before getting shipped to NY and back, Lehigh Valley and back and North Jersey before getting delivered. WTF???!!!
Anyway, sorry for the rant I feel better now! Back to the TA discussion.....
I've mentioned elsewhere that I've had three cases opened against me on eBay for CDs I've sold and all three were stuck for some period of time in the Philly area. Thankfully they all arrived finally, but still.
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Now that I’ve heard both versions many times I think my ultimate mix is simply TBOL with the addition of The World We Used to Know.
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I always find this feeling a bit funny since more than half of TBOL comes from the 2nd half of Forevermore. Maybe the edits to songs like "Owl Howl" and "Solitude" make a difference?
I am also of the mind that debates about "disc 1 vs disc 2" are silly because the tracklist is only divided by the media format. If we lived in a world without CDs and the music remained purely on vinyl, would people be debating which of thr 3 LPs was better for Forevermore? Would we be debating which of the two LPs of TBOL is better?
Maybe because I listen to music almost entirely digitally these days, I see albums as a whole work and don't really see them aa "disc 1" and "disc 2" unless they're definitely meant to be separate entities (like a bonus disc, or a second disc of extra songs not associated with the first disc, like Porcupine Tree's The Incident or Neal Morse's Testimony 2).
I do agree that TBOL is over pretty quickly with its 64:12 runtime, but its brevity is what sets it apart from Forevermore, as well as its more focused lyrical concept. I definitely need to spin TBOL a bit more as I have almost exclusively been listening to Forevermore for the past week or so, but I miss songs like "Rainbow Sky", "The World We Used To Know", and the Gentle Giant-esque vocal break in the middle of "The Greatest Story Never Ends".
-Marc.
I've generally been listening to Forevermore straight through, especially considering it's only 11 minutes longer than The Whirlwind. 2nd disc works better when not isolated as its own disc for me. When albums get into the 2 hour range, depending on circumstances, I do generally like to split them up by disc, but only because I like to keep my ears fresh, even if it's only 5, 10 or 15 minutes in between discs. Gives it more of an Act I/Act II vibe, or for concerts, a Set I/Set II vibe.
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See, I think the media format does influence the flow and songwriting on Forevermore. Maybe I’m being influenced too much by the way I’ve listened to it, but The World I Used to Know really does feel to me like it was written to close disc 1, and The Sun Comes Up Today especially seems like it was written to open disc 2. Kind of like the closing and opening songs in a musical before and after the intermission. I know in the past Mike has talked about writing even single disc albums with a side 1 and side 2 in mind (as in two sides of a record), and that sometimes he sequenced things with that in mind in DT. I also think Neal has done this before on some of his double CDs like Snow and Testimony. So I do suspect the band wrote those songs to serve as closing/opening tracks.
All that to say, when I was considering a single disc length version of the album, those two tracks seemed somewhat expendable because they didn’t make as much sense without a medium-related break in the album.
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HOF, I think that's absolutely somethng both Mike and Neal keep in mind. I think all of Neal's double concept albums have disc openers and disc closers. Maybe nowhere more obviously than on The Great Adventure, which is a 2019 album—hardly in the midst of the CD era. And I'd say SFAM strongly supports the point that Mike thinks about single disc albums this way. It's explicitly divided into two acts, and the division is exactly where there's sort of an emotional finale in the music (Through Her Eyes) and then things slowly build back up (Home).
And ultimately there's a reason those two tracks aren't on TBOL.
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Oh I definitely agree that "The World We Used To Know" feels like a mid-album climax, and definitely the ending of the first chunk of the album. Mike even alludes to this during the making of documentary, saying that when they finished writing/arranging that song, he feels like they completed a portion of the album and that he finally felt like the album was finally finding a direction. I think because of that, they definitely arranged "The Sun Comes Up Today" to feel like a second overture/introduction for the second half of the album, especially considering the vocal melody for the verse is very similar to the one used in "Heart Like A Whirlwind", the first major vocal piece of the album.
But despite having two distinct halves of the album, I still see it as a whole. It's like a three-act movie - most fans and critics will review the film as a whole, but you don't see them saying "Act 3 is way better than Acts 1 and 2" like they should be taken and absorbed as separate entities like music fans tend to do with multi-disc albums. Sure, TAU is a loose concept, but it definitely feels intended to be taken in as a whole and not two parts. The example of DT's SFAM is a good one because I don't really see folks comparing Act I and Act II, in the same way that people would compare SDOIT's first disc and second disc. But hey, that's just me and the hill I'll die on regarding multi-disc albums, particularly concept ones. Interestingly, I saw a post on Instagram that referred to Forevermore as a triple album and TBOL as a double album, because they were vinyl listeners, so in the world of vinyl, folks would be comparing 3 LPs of Forevermore, rather than 2 CDs, so the discussion is probably a little different.
HOF, I think that's absolutely somethng both Mike and Neal keep in mind. I think all of Neal's double concept albums have disc openers and disc closers. Maybe nowhere more obviously than on The Great Adventure, which is a 2019 album—hardly in the midst of the CD era. And I'd say SFAM strongly supports the point that Mike thinks about single disc albums this way. It's explicitly divided into two acts, and the division is exactly where there's sort of an emotional finale in the music (Through Her Eyes) and then things slowly build back up (Home).
And ultimately there's a reason those two tracks aren't on TBOL.
Mike definitely keeps physical media format in mind when structuring albums, and I think that's carried over into his work with Neal, as he has probably had a hand in how Neal has put together some of his albums. I remember Mike was also very adamant about getting his way with the Bridge Across Forever track order that he relinquished his input on other album aspects (artwork, etc) just to ensure that his track order was the final one. Interestingly enough, if Neal had his way, the album would've been "Stranger In Your Soul" -> "Duel With The Devil" -> "Bridge Across Forever" -> "Suite Charlotte Pike" and honestly, I cannot imagine the album having been so front-heavy like that, opening with two epics, so I am glad Mike sorted it out the way it ended up!
-Marc.
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I do agree that you Forevermore is a whole piece and you can’t really disconnect Disc 1 and Disc 2. That said, I do enjoy disc 1 a little more than disc 2.
I also think Mike was right about the track list on BAF. I just don’t think any other arrangement works as well. You could have swapped the two epics maybe, but Stranger in Your Soul has the stronger ending. The way it played out in the end feels perfect.
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Mike definitely keeps physical media format in mind when structuring albums, and I think that's carried over into his work with Neal, as he has probably had a hand in how Neal has put together some of his albums. I remember Mike was also very adamant about getting his way with the Bridge Across Forever track order that he relinquished his input on other album aspects (artwork, etc) just to ensure that his track order was the final one. Interestingly enough, if Neal had his way, the album would've been "Stranger In Your Soul" -> "Duel With The Devil" -> "Bridge Across Forever" -> "Suite Charlotte Pike" and honestly, I cannot imagine the album having been so front-heavy like that, opening with two epics, so I am glad Mike sorted it out the way it ended up!
I definitely agree with Mike on the BAF track listing (how can Stranger in Your Soul be anything but the closer?!), but what's interesting to me is that Neal's version is structurally very similar to Sola Scriptura.
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I do agree that you Forevermore is a whole piece and you can’t really disconnect Disc 1 and Disc 2. That said, I do enjoy disc 1 a little more than disc 2.
I also think Mike was right about the track list on BAF. I just don’t think any other arrangement works as well. You could have swapped the two epics maybe, but Stranger in Your Soul has the stronger ending. The way it played out in the end feels perfect.
Oh definitely, and Neal even eventually came around to Mike's track order after the album was finalized. I think it was also Mike's idea to reprise the opening strings from "Stranger In Your Soul" at the beginning of "Duel With The Devil", which definitely helps with the cohesion of the album's bookending epics. Mike definitely has an ear for how an album should sound as a whole, and I think his love for albums has definitely helped him hone that talent.
Mike definitely keeps physical media format in mind when structuring albums, and I think that's carried over into his work with Neal, as he has probably had a hand in how Neal has put together some of his albums. I remember Mike was also very adamant about getting his way with the Bridge Across Forever track order that he relinquished his input on other album aspects (artwork, etc) just to ensure that his track order was the final one. Interestingly enough, if Neal had his way, the album would've been "Stranger In Your Soul" -> "Duel With The Devil" -> "Bridge Across Forever" -> "Suite Charlotte Pike" and honestly, I cannot imagine the album having been so front-heavy like that, opening with two epics, so I am glad Mike sorted it out the way it ended up!
I definitely agree with Mike on the BAF track listing (how can Stranger in Your Soul be anything but the closer?!), but what's interesting to me is that Neal's version is structurally very similar to Sola Scriptura.
I remember when Sola Scriptura came out, that was something I had noticed, not just because it was another four-song album with two big epics, but that the order was similar to how Neal originally wanted BAF. I guess he got his way after all! :lol
-Marc.
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My own Ultimate Edition has been tweaked:
01 Overture (Breath of Life)
02 Reaching for the Sky (Breath of Life)
03 Higher Than the Morning (Forevermore)
04 The Darkness in the Light (Forevermore)
05 Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore)
06 Bully (Forevermore)
07 Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
08 Looking for the Light (Forevermore)
09 The World We Used to Know (Forevermore)
10 Owl Howl (Forevermore)
11 Solitude (Forevermore)
12 Belong (Forevermore)
13 Lonesome Rebel (Forevermore)
14 Looking for the Light - reprise (Breath of Life)
15 The Greatest Story Never Ends (Breath of Life)
16 Love Made a Way (Breath of Life)
That works just right. And flows great. Owl Howl has a natural start, so going from the fade-out of The World... to that works perfectly. I can deal with Pete's rough vocals in Solitude, but not in The Sun Comes Out Today; those are far worse and sound like me on a bad day (and I can't sing to save my life). :lol :lol Losing The Sun Comes Out Today and the Love Made a Way prequel was easy. And I will treat Can You Feel It as a bonus track, ala Spinning or Lenny Johnson, that I will listen to on its own. Already deleted both of the full versions off my phone and updated it with the above Ultimate Edition, and I don't see any need to tweak it again. :coolio
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I know touring is not on the horizon, but has the band mentioned which version they would play live if/when they do manage to do some live shows? I feel like Forevermore is the obvious choice but 90 minutes is a ton of time to dedicate to one album (though The Whirlwind was only about 10 minutes shorter).
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I know touring is not on the horizon, but has the band mentioned which version they would play live if/when they do manage to do some live shows? I feel like Forevermore is the obvious choice but 90 minutes is a ton of time to dedicate to one album (though The Whirlwind was only about 10 minutes shorter).
I think the gist is that they might sort of pick and choose between versions, so you might get sort of a fourth version (or maybe they’ll just go with what’s on the 5.1 mix). Roine mentioned he’s not going to spend too much time listening to one version in case they decide to play another version so he doesn’t have to relearn it.
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I know touring is not on the horizon, but has the band mentioned which version they would play live if/when they do manage to do some live shows? I feel like Forevermore is the obvious choice but 90 minutes is a ton of time to dedicate to one album (though The Whirlwind was only about 10 minutes shorter).
I believe Mike has said that he would like to see them play the Ultimate Mix version that clocks in around 98 minutes, but I wouldn't be surprised if the final live version stretched a little longer.
I can see them playing the first half of the TAU Ultimate Mix as set 1, the second half as set 2, and then do a a 3rd set + encore that goes for about 40-60 minutes total, probably doing a Whirlwind medley, Shine and BATS from Kaleidoscope, and a medley of BAF movements (probably some Mashup of Duel, SCP, and Stranger).
-Marc.
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I think someone else mentioned this some pages ago, but there are parts of this album where I can't quite tell whether Mike or Neal is singing, which is not a difficulty I've ever had before. Second verse of Take Now My Soul sounds very much like Mike at first, but then mid-line it suddenly becomes recognizable as Neal. Meanwhile I'm pretty sure they actually do trade off mid-verse on Reaching for the Sky.
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It would be cool if it was the Ultimate playlist but with adding even more songs, perhaps unused songs or newly written ones for the live performances, improv and jams, etc.. possibly extending the piece close to 2 hours. Or even insert songs from their back catalog as a unique way to play the piece but also play "the hits" throughout.
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Eh, mark me down as someone who doesn't want to see medleys, but they are inevitable when it comes to the eventual tour and the revisiting of material from the first four albums. Because, hey, it is always fun to take time and special care to craft long, well-flowing epics and then hack them up to pieces in the live environment. :facepalm:
Do something like this:
Set 1:
The Ultimate Version of the new album (or something close to it) - at close to 90 minutes
Set 2:
Black as the Sky
Play 5-6 songs from The Whirlwind (not a medley since I consider them all different songs)
Stranger in Your Soul
Encore:
We All Need Some Light
All of the Above
Major win with that set list.
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I think there's no way to get around having to do The Whirlwind as an abbreviated medley, but I agree that they shouldn't do a medley of anything else. After splicing All and Stranger last time, the obvious choice is to play Duel straight through.
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I think there's no way to get around having to do The Whirlwind as an abbreviated medley, but I agree that they shouldn't do a medley of anything else. After splicing All and Stranger last time, the obvious choice is to play Duel straight through.
I'd be down with that. My New World was brought back on the last tour, so that is probably going bye-bye this time. Would be cool to see the return of Mystery Train, a fun, short rocker. And I would love to hear a proper live version of Suite Charlotte Pike (without all of the Abbey Road stuff).
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Set 1:
The Ultimate Version of the new album (or something close to it) - at close to 90 minutes
Set 2:
Black as the Sky/
On The Prowl
Out Of The Night
A Man Can Feel
Rose Colored Glasses/
Stranger in Your Soul
Encore:
We All Need Some Light
All of the Above
I would add the bolded to this...
It would be neat to hear them going from Black As The Sky into the bass intro part of On The Prowl and play The Whirlwind up until Rose Colored Glasses. And if they are up for another long set, flow right into Stranger In Your Soul from Rose Colored Glasses
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I'd be down with that. My New World was brought back on the last tour, so that is probably going bye-bye this time. Would be cool to see the return of Mystery Train, a fun, short rocker. And I would love to hear a proper live version of Suite Charlotte Pike (without all of the Abbey Road stuff).
I don't have much enthusiasm for Mystery Train, but a proper standalone performance of Suite Charlotte Pike would top my wishlist for a setlist.
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Yeah, I think we're likely to see Duel with the Devil back in the set. One thing I'd almost bet on is Into the Blue. They'll want to have *some* Kaleidoscope material in there and Daniel, who I assume will be touring with them again, has never performed his vocal feature in Into the Blue live (remember, he was in the hospital during the Kaleidoscope tour), so it would make sense for them to revisit it for the occasion.
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Yeah, I think we're likely to see Duel with the Devil back in the set. One thing I'd almost bet on is Into the Blue. They'll want to have *some* Kaleidoscope material in there and Daniel, who I assume will be touring with them again, has never performed his vocal feature in Into the Blue live (remember, he was in the hospital during the Kaleidoscope tour), so it would make sense for them to revisit it for the occasion.
Daniel *did* sing it when he joined the band for their show in 2014 at The Sweden Rock Festival (https://youtu.be/OfQPrmcwXwshttps://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2014/norje-havsbad-norje-sweden-13c02d1d.html):
https://youtu.be/OfQPrmcwXws
But yeah, it would be nice to see that happen for a full tour.
-Marc.
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I know touring is not on the horizon, but has the band mentioned which version they would play live if/when they do manage to do some live shows? I feel like Forevermore is the obvious choice but 90 minutes is a ton of time to dedicate to one album (though The Whirlwind was only about 10 minutes shorter).
I think the gist is that they might sort of pick and choose between versions, so you might get sort of a fourth version (or maybe they’ll just go with what’s on the 5.1 mix). Roine mentioned he’s not going to spend too much time listening to one version in case they decide to play another version so he doesn’t have to relearn it.
That would be cool in that each live show might be a slightly different experience depending on what songs/versions they decide to include. Maybe rotating the back catalog too if the band is up for learning that much material.
I'd be down with that. My New World was brought back on the last tour, so that is probably going bye-bye this time. Would be cool to see the return of Mystery Train, a fun, short rocker. And I would love to hear a proper live version of Suite Charlotte Pike (without all of the Abbey Road stuff).
I don't have much enthusiasm for Mystery Train, but a proper standalone performance of Suite Charlotte Pike would top my wishlist for a setlist.
Oh yeah, Suite Charlotte Pike is definitely due for a comeback. I could do without the "staples" (Stranger/We All Need Some Light) this time around to make room for other stuff but I doubt those songs will ever be totally absent.
Maybe something like this:
The Absolute Universe
---------------
Duel With The Devil
Black As The Sky
Suite Charlotte Pike
---------------
All Of The Above
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I would not like to see Suite Charlotte Pike in the setlist, unless it's the Abbey Road/SCP medley (which I doubt because it's far too long). Along with Mystery Train, it's one of my least favorite songs by the band.
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Suite Charlotte Pike. would please this fan greatly.
But no abbey road. never liked that in there honestly. you're needlessly breaking my buzz for the song with that shit. lol so i never really play that live version.
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I think highly of both Suite Charlotte Pike and Mystery Train. Love that more poppy/oddball side of the band.
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I'm behind on this and just getting ready to dig in. Reading through some of the posts here, it seems the consensus is both versions are quite good. I'm thinking of ordering only one version to start with (will probably order the other at a later date). What's everybody's opinion on which makes most sense to go with? I know opinions will vary...
I'd suggest starting with Forevermore, as that was the original version of the album, the one the band had intended to release after their initial sessions and tracking.
The Breath Of Life wasn't conceived until almost half a year after Forevermore. I think it's more fun to hear what they wrote first and then see what Neal and the others changed for the "abridged" version.
-Marc.
I have that same viewpoint. I listened to Forevermore probably 10 or so times before finally giving Breath of Life a chance and to be honest, I didn't really enjoy it. I've got it so entrenched in my mind that 'Forevermore is how it was originally intended' that I can't really enjoy Breath of Life for what it is. It just feels like a 'radio edit' to me and I've never been a fan of radio edit versions of songs. I want the whole thing!
That said, if there is a song I really like more from Breath of Life than what's offered on Forevermore, it's the back-half of The Greatest Story Never Ends. Probably my favorite instrumental part of either album, although I don't think it really 'fits' in with the flow/atmosphere of the album. Still enjoy that part nonetheless.
Thanks to everyone who shared their opinion. I'm going to go ahead and order Forevermore and maybe pick up TBOL sometime later down the road. Too bad there isn't a CD or download available for the Ultimate Edition, as I would probably just get that.
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I'd be down with that. My New World was brought back on the last tour, so that is probably going bye-bye this time. Would be cool to see the return of Mystery Train, a fun, short rocker. And I would love to hear a proper live version of Suite Charlotte Pike (without all of the Abbey Road stuff).
I don't have much enthusiasm for Mystery Train, but a proper standalone performance of Suite Charlotte Pike would top my wishlist for a setlist.
Oh yeah, Suite Charlotte Pike is definitely due for a comeback. I could do without the "staples" (Stranger/We All Need Some Light) this time around to make room for other stuff but I doubt those songs will ever be totally absent.
Given that I have never seen Transatlantic, I can see it now...I will finally get to see them when they eventually tour on this, and it will be the one tour where none of All of the Above, We All Need Some Light or Stranger in Your Soul get played. :lol :lol
(similar to how I have seen DT 9 times, yet have somehow never seen Learning to Live)
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Stayed away from the thread for a bit while I really got to grips with the two versions of the album and I’ve found that I generally like the longer versions of the songs on Forevermore but, my Ultimate Edition would still cut it down to one cd. Right now my version would be as follows:
Overture (Forevermore)
Heart Like a Whirlwind (Forevermore)
Higher Than The Morning (Forevermore)
The Darkness In The Light (Forevermore)
Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore)
Bully (Forevermore)
Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
The World We Used To Know (Forevermore)
Belong (Forevermore)
Can You Feel It (The Breath Of Life)
Looking For The Light (Reprise) (Forevermore)
The Greatest Story Never Ends (Forevermore)
Love Made a Way (Forevermore)
I actually prefer TBOL version of The Greatest Story Never Ends but it doesn’t line up with the Forevermore version of Love Made a Way as it doesn’t have the big thematic ending. I have had to include the Forevermore version then as I much prefer the Forevermore version of Love Made a Way.
Owl Howl is maybe something that, in time, will make the cut but feels unnecessary at the moment. The others I’m fairly happy to cut although Solitude with another singer may have made it.
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I'd be down with that. My New World was brought back on the last tour, so that is probably going bye-bye this time. Would be cool to see the return of Mystery Train, a fun, short rocker. And I would love to hear a proper live version of Suite Charlotte Pike (without all of the Abbey Road stuff).
I don't have much enthusiasm for Mystery Train, but a proper standalone performance of Suite Charlotte Pike would top my wishlist for a setlist.
Oh yeah, Suite Charlotte Pike is definitely due for a comeback. I could do without the "staples" (Stranger/We All Need Some Light) this time around to make room for other stuff but I doubt those songs will ever be totally absent.
Given that I have never seen Transatlantic, I can see it now...I will finally get to see them when they eventually tour on this, and it will be the one tour where none of All of the Above, We All Need Some Light or Stranger in Your Soul get played. :lol :lol
(similar to how I have seen DT 9 times, yet have somehow never seen Learning to Live)
:lol Hey you might get lucky and get the live debut of a new extended version of In Held Twas In I instead! But those songs are excellent live and the closest thing they have to "staples" so I'm sure they'd work them in somehow. I think the only TA song I haven't seen live is Beyond The Sun so I'm all about them doing as much of TAU as I can get.
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:lol Hey you might get lucky and get the live debut of a new extended version of In Held Twas In I instead! But those songs are excellent live and the closest thing they have to "staples" so I'm sure they'd work them in somehow. I think the only TA song I haven't seen live is Beyond The Sun so I'm all about them doing as much of TAU as I can get.
My guess would be that they will play pretty close to what was combined for the Ultimate Edition Blu-ray, but given that touring is still a ways off, and then who knows how much of a priority these four will make Transatlantic once the option is there again, who knows when that will be? I just hope they do it when they can do a proper tour instead of pulling a Flying Colors and doing only like 9-10 shows total because they don't have time for any more.
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Since touring isn't happening any time soon, what are the chances of a 6th album by year's end or next year? I mean, all 4 got nothing but time on their hands right now. I know MP has said he wants to keep TA releases "special" by not releasing too often, but there's no touring to promote any albums, so this could be an extenuating circumstance.
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I very much doubt it. They all have plenty of other creative outlets for their music, and they'll want to tour behind TAU before releasing another album. Plus, I think it helps the hype around Transatlantic at this point that new material comes out so infrequently. The next album won't have that "special event" feel if it comes out so soon after TAU and without a round of live shows in between.
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Marillion is writing/recording for an album.
Wouldn't be surprised if Roine starts writing/recording more TFK music.
Not sure what Mike is doing but it looks like he has been busy with a lot of Youtube collaborations. Don't know if he is writing for SoA.
Neal is probably writing something.
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Knowing Neal, he probably has 3-4 albums ready for release within a month already :P
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Oh, we'll surely have another TFK album soon, we know a NMB album is in the works.
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Call me crazy, but I actually wouldn't mind at all if they didn't play the entire album, and played more of a varied set. IMO, they really shouldn't feel obligated to play the entire thing. Save it for a "special show," or a few select dates on the tour, or Morsefest, and then film it.
I do think that, because of some of the Whirlwind references, we will likely get a decent dose of movements from TW as well. And personally, I would like to see them spread out in the set rather than lumped together into a medley.
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Call me crazy, but I actually wouldn't mind at all if they didn't play the entire album, and played more of a varied set. IMO, they really shouldn't feel obligated to play the entire thing. Save it for a "special show," or a few select dates on the tour, or Morsefest, and then film it.
I do think that, because of some of the Whirlwind references, we will likely get a decent dose of movements from TW as well. And personally, I would like to see them spread out in the set rather than lumped together into a medley.
Really they should play 2 nights per venue if they want to play the whole thing plus other stuff.
N1 - The Absolute Universe: The Deluxe Ultimate version
encore: The Whirlwind
N2 - All Of The Above, Black As The Sky, Mystery Train, Spinning, Shine, Kaleidoscope, My New World, Bridge Across Forever, Duel With The Devil
encore: Into The Blue (w. Daniel), We All Need Some Light, Stranger In Your Soul
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Call me crazy, but I actually wouldn't mind at all if they didn't play the entire album, and played more of a varied set. IMO, they really shouldn't feel obligated to play the entire thing. Save it for a "special show," or a few select dates on the tour, or Morsefest, and then film it.
I do think that, because of some of the Whirlwind references, we will likely get a decent dose of movements from TW as well. And personally, I would like to see them spread out in the set rather than lumped together into a medley.
Really they should play 2 nights per venue if they want to play the whole thing plus other stuff.
N1 - The Absolute Universe: The Deluxe Ultimate version
encore: The Whirlwind
N2 - All Of The Above, Black As The Sky, Mystery Train, Spinning, Shine, Kaleidoscope, My New World, Bridge Across Forever, Duel With The Devil
encore: Into The Blue (w. Daniel), We All Need Some Light, Stranger In Your Soul
They don't have that big of a fanbase to do this. I would love to see it though.
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Speaking of "Spinning" - do we think there's ANY chance that it, or any of the Whirlwind bonus disc originals, will EVER get played live? I think it would fit well on the TAU tour, but if they don't play it by then, I doubt we will ever see "Spinning" played live.
I had the thought of a 2.5-3 hour show starting with something that WASN'T The Absolute Universe. Open with an epic, either "Into The Blue" or "Duel With The Devil", and THEN launch into the first half of TAU, that way the setlist/CD break would be in the middle of the album and fill the first set/CD with 80 minutes of music (25-30 for the first epic, then about 50 minutes for the first half of TAU). After a short intermission, come back and open with "The Sun Comes Up Today", play the remaining 50 minutes of TAU, then do about 30 minutes of other songs, maybe from The Whirlwind! Then encore with another half hour of music. It would be about 290-300 minutes of a show, which is longer than the average Kaleidoscope Tour show (which was about 160-170 minutes or so, at least looking at the Cologne set).
I think one thing is for sure, they probably won't do any sort of changes to TAU night-to-night. They already have the BD's visualizer to use as video element for the live show, so they will probably stick as close to the Ultimate Mix as possible to sync up to the video. The most I can see them doing is they swap the lyrics around during songs like "Swing High, Swing Low"/"Take Now My Soul", or do the alternate lyrics during "Higher Than The Morning" or "Love Made A Way". Musically speaking, it'll probably be the Ultimate version all the way.
I definitely think they will place an intermission between "The World We Used To Know" and "The Sun Comes Up Today", given how the band wrote the first half as a solid chunk of music, they'll probably want to perform it as such, and there isn't really any other breaking period during the album other than there, so if the first set is going to be longer than 50 minutes, they'll likely open with another song before going into the TAU Overture.
-Marc.
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I would like them to at least play Spinning live, as that is the best song on the Whirlwind bonus disc (imo). Interesting what they plan on doing with TAU, I haven't heard the Ultimate version yet, is there a break in the music on that one? I think I recall MP mentioning that the music was all continuous.
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I would like them to at least play Spinning live, as that is the best song on the Whirlwind bonus disc (imo). Interesting what they plan on doing with TAU, I haven't heard the Ultimate version yet, is there a break in the music on that one? I think I recall MP mentioning that the music was all continuous.
There isn't a solid break, but the segue between TWWUTK and TSCUT is just that the opening a capella vocals come in over the fade-out of the previous track, just for the sake of making the album continuous. There'd be no reason to revisit that live just for the sake of performing 98 minutes of music continuously, and at their age, I'm sure they'll need a break in the set SOMEWHERE, so the spot between those two songs seems the most logical if they plan on playing all of TAU's Ultimate Version. Besides, I think coming back from the intermission with the opening vocals of TSCUT would be a fun way to come back on stage!
-Marc.
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I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
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I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
Given the relationship that TAU has with The Whirlwind, I'm sure they'll play SOME parts of it live, whether it's in a Whirlwind Medley, or if they even try to work in some parts of it into the TAU performance, or if they'll just do a couple stand-alone songs/sections.
Of course, between TAU and TW, there isn't much room left to represent the other three albums, so it'll come down to whether or not they do 1 or 2 songs from those albums, or if they make a medley of sorts. I still think a Bridge Across Forever medley could work, though I understand the want for them to play "Duel With The Devil" in full for the first time since 2010.
-Marc.
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I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
Given the relationship that TAU has with The Whirlwind, I'm sure they'll play SOME parts of it live, whether it's in a Whirlwind Medley, or if they even try to work in some parts of it into the TAU performance, or if they'll just do a couple stand-alone songs/sections.
Of course, between TAU and TW, there isn't much room left to represent the other three albums, so it'll come down to whether or not they do 1 or 2 songs from those albums, or if they make a medley of sorts. I still think a Bridge Across Forever medley could work, though I understand the want for them to play "Duel With The Devil" in full for the first time since 2010.
-Marc.
Bridge is my fav album. so any song they pick is fine by me.
Wouldn't mind them skipping Kaleidoscope though, lol
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I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
Given the relationship that TAU has with The Whirlwind, I'm sure they'll play SOME parts of it live, whether it's in a Whirlwind Medley, or if they even try to work in some parts of it into the TAU performance, or if they'll just do a couple stand-alone songs/sections.
Of course, between TAU and TW, there isn't much room left to represent the other three albums, so it'll come down to whether or not they do 1 or 2 songs from those albums, or if they make a medley of sorts. I still think a Bridge Across Forever medley could work, though I understand the want for them to play "Duel With The Devil" in full for the first time since 2010.
-Marc.
Bridge is my fav album. so any song they pick is fine by me.
Wouldn't mind them skipping Kaleidoscope though, lol
:lol
I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky", or maybe even "Shine". If they don't touch the epics from that album ever again, I'd be fine, but if they have Daniel Gildenlow on the tour, I could see them playing "Into The Blue" as the sole representative of Kaleidoscope, just so Daniel could sing his part live for more than just one performance (from the 2014 Sweden Rock Festival). That's why I suggested they open with "Into The Blue" before going into TAU for the first set of the show.
-Marc.
-
I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
Given the relationship that TAU has with The Whirlwind, I'm sure they'll play SOME parts of it live, whether it's in a Whirlwind Medley, or if they even try to work in some parts of it into the TAU performance, or if they'll just do a couple stand-alone songs/sections.
Of course, between TAU and TW, there isn't much room left to represent the other three albums, so it'll come down to whether or not they do 1 or 2 songs from those albums, or if they make a medley of sorts. I still think a Bridge Across Forever medley could work, though I understand the want for them to play "Duel With The Devil" in full for the first time since 2010.
-Marc.
Bridge is my fav album. so any song they pick is fine by me.
Wouldn't mind them skipping Kaleidoscope though, lol
:lol
I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky", or maybe even "Shine". If they don't touch the epics from that album ever again, I'd be fine, but if they have Daniel Gildenlow on the tour, I could see them playing "Into The Blue" as the sole representative of Kaleidoscope, just so Daniel could sing his part live for more than just one performance (from the 2014 Sweden Rock Festival). That's why I suggested they open with "Into The Blue" before going into TAU for the first set of the show.
-Marc.
OK.....I will admit black as the sky was fun live. and it's fairly quick so i'd allow that., lol
Into the Blue isn't bad either. i always feeling so bad speaking ill of a Transatlantic album but.....Kaleidoscope :lol
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I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky", or maybe even "Shine". If they don't touch the epics from that album ever again, I'd be fine, but if they have Daniel Gildenlow on the tour, I could see them playing "Into The Blue" as the sole representative of Kaleidoscope, just so Daniel could sing his part live for more than just one performance (from the 2014 Sweden Rock Festival). That's why I suggested they open with "Into The Blue" before going into TAU for the first set of the show.
-Marc.
Daniel also sang that part live at CTTE 2017 with TA (sans Roine), and also joined them for WANSL. Here: https://youtu.be/sDdcax-SD2E?t=3308
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I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
Given the relationship that TAU has with The Whirlwind, I'm sure they'll play SOME parts of it live, whether it's in a Whirlwind Medley, or if they even try to work in some parts of it into the TAU performance, or if they'll just do a couple stand-alone songs/sections.
Of course, between TAU and TW, there isn't much room left to represent the other three albums, so it'll come down to whether or not they do 1 or 2 songs from those albums, or if they make a medley of sorts. I still think a Bridge Across Forever medley could work, though I understand the want for them to play "Duel With The Devil" in full for the first time since 2010.
-Marc.
Bridge is my fav album. so any song they pick is fine by me.
Wouldn't mind them skipping Kaleidoscope though, lol
:lol
I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky", or maybe even "Shine". If they don't touch the epics from that album ever again, I'd be fine, but if they have Daniel Gildenlow on the tour, I could see them playing "Into The Blue" as the sole representative of Kaleidoscope, just so Daniel could sing his part live for more than just one performance (from the 2014 Sweden Rock Festival). That's why I suggested they open with "Into The Blue" before going into TAU for the first set of the show.
-Marc.
OK.....I will admit black as the sky was fun live. and it's fairly quick so i'd allow that., lol
Into the Blue isn't bad either. i always feeling so bad speaking ill of a Transatlantic album but.....Kaleidoscope :lol
I think that Into The Blue is a great epic, it just has to compete with everything that's come before in both TA, Neal and Roine's discographies, and it isn't as good as some of their previous work, but it's still solid.
Shine is fine just like other Neal ballads, but shouldn't have been track 2. Black As The Sky is a cool "short" TA song which is refreshing to have, but the song itself isn't necessarily a favorite of mine.
The last 2 tracks are a bit unremarkable, and bring the album down. Beyond The Sun is boring. The title track has cool parts but is a mess of a composition to me. The entire structure of the album itself being similar to BAF doesn't help either.
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I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky", or maybe even "Shine". If they don't touch the epics from that album ever again, I'd be fine, but if they have Daniel Gildenlow on the tour, I could see them playing "Into The Blue" as the sole representative of Kaleidoscope, just so Daniel could sing his part live for more than just one performance (from the 2014 Sweden Rock Festival). That's why I suggested they open with "Into The Blue" before going into TAU for the first set of the show.
-Marc.
Daniel also sang that part live at CTTE 2017 with TA (sans Roine), and also joined them for WANSL. Here: https://youtu.be/sDdcax-SD2E?t=3308
Oh wow, I had no idea. Maybe I did know that Neal, Mike, and Pete played on that cruise, but I guess it slipped my memory. Well, I guess Daniel's sung it twice, so no need for him to do it on a Transatlantic tour now. :lol Just kidding, of course.
I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
Given the relationship that TAU has with The Whirlwind, I'm sure they'll play SOME parts of it live, whether it's in a Whirlwind Medley, or if they even try to work in some parts of it into the TAU performance, or if they'll just do a couple stand-alone songs/sections.
Of course, between TAU and TW, there isn't much room left to represent the other three albums, so it'll come down to whether or not they do 1 or 2 songs from those albums, or if they make a medley of sorts. I still think a Bridge Across Forever medley could work, though I understand the want for them to play "Duel With The Devil" in full for the first time since 2010.
-Marc.
Bridge is my fav album. so any song they pick is fine by me.
Wouldn't mind them skipping Kaleidoscope though, lol
:lol
I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky", or maybe even "Shine". If they don't touch the epics from that album ever again, I'd be fine, but if they have Daniel Gildenlow on the tour, I could see them playing "Into The Blue" as the sole representative of Kaleidoscope, just so Daniel could sing his part live for more than just one performance (from the 2014 Sweden Rock Festival). That's why I suggested they open with "Into The Blue" before going into TAU for the first set of the show.
-Marc.
OK.....I will admit black as the sky was fun live. and it's fairly quick so i'd allow that., lol
Into the Blue isn't bad either. i always feeling so bad speaking ill of a Transatlantic album but.....Kaleidoscope :lol
I think that Into The Blue is a great epic, it just has to compete with everything that's come before in both TA, Neal and Roine's discographies, and it isn't as good as some of their previous work, but it's still solid.
Shine is fine just like other Neal ballads, but shouldn't have been track 2. Black As The Sky is a cool "short" TA song which is refreshing to have, but the song itself isn't necessarily a favorite of mine.
The last 2 tracks are a bit unremarkable, and bring the album down. Beyond The Sun is boring. The title track has cool parts but is a mess of a composition to me. The entire structure of the album itself being similar to BAF doesn't help either.
I always saw Kaleidoscope as a mash-up of SMPTe and BAF. The first three songs reminded me a lot of the first three songs on SMPTe - you've got an opening epic, a slow acoustic guitar ballad, then a 7-minute rocker. But then the back half of Kaleidoscope reminded me of BAF with it's piano ballad and closing epic, just like "Bridge Across Forever" and "Stranger In Your Soul". It was like they just pushed together each half of SMPTe and BAF and made a new album out those structures, but honestly, with the music they wrote for Kaleidoscope, I don't know how else they could've ordered the track list. It just sort of works in a Transatlantic sort of way!
-Marc.
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Call me crazy, but I actually wouldn't mind at all if they didn't play the entire album, and played more of a varied set. IMO, they really shouldn't feel obligated to play the entire thing. Save it for a "special show," or a few select dates on the tour, or Morsefest, and then film it.
I much prefer mixed sets, myself. Playing a shorter album (circa 40 minutes, like most of the LP-era classics) can be a great experience if it's strong enough because it takes up less than half the set, but playing a whole 90 minute album means getting hardly anything else. And I just find that much less surprising and dynamic.
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I really don't see them busting out the ENTIRE whirlwind (i assume if it's all OK we'll get a live album and we already have the Whirlwind in full live......twice.....THAT was overkill, lol)
it's almost certain they will play a full TAU in some form. as far as other songs. i'd love to see All of the Above.......never tire of it. and maybe Suite Charlotte Pike as it's now a deep cut..
I really have no other wishes.
Given the relationship that TAU has with The Whirlwind, I'm sure they'll play SOME parts of it live, whether it's in a Whirlwind Medley, or if they even try to work in some parts of it into the TAU performance, or if they'll just do a couple stand-alone songs/sections.
Of course, between TAU and TW, there isn't much room left to represent the other three albums, so it'll come down to whether or not they do 1 or 2 songs from those albums, or if they make a medley of sorts. I still think a Bridge Across Forever medley could work, though I understand the want for them to play "Duel With The Devil" in full for the first time since 2010.
-Marc.
Bridge is my fav album. so any song they pick is fine by me.
Wouldn't mind them skipping Kaleidoscope though, lol
:lol
I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky"
-Marc.
ugh, I hate that song. :tdwn
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As big a fan as I am of Roine's singing, I think the verses in Black as the Sky needed a bit more oomph, but I still like the song a lot. Probably my favorite from that record. That chorus is money, and it's one of the few all-out rockers the band has done.
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I still put the title track from Kaleidoscope ahead of anything except All of the Above and The Whirlwind. Especially on the strength of the second half.
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Since touring isn't happening any time soon, what are the chances of a 6th album by year's end or next year? I mean, all 4 got nothing but time on their hands right now. I know MP has said he wants to keep TA releases "special" by not releasing too often, but there's no touring to promote any albums, so this could be an extenuating circumstance.
I would think we'd see the next Flying Colors album before another Transatlantic release.
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Did they say they are going to play the whole thing on tour? Unless they have already stated in an interview that they are playing the entire album, I wouldn't assume that they will. I mean, I know that would not be unusual for them, especially with Neal and Mike being in the band. But this being a double album, and it not really being a traditional "concept album" (although it absolutely does have a theme), I don't see it being as likely as if, say, they had only released the single disk version or if it was more of a traditional concept album. I don't think they've done that since the first album tour, aside from the Whirlwind. For the former, it's a lot easier to do when you only have one album of material. And for the latter, not counting the bonus disk, it was one song. I wouldn't have expected them to split it on that tour. And it was a single disk, so less space in the set than a double album. I dunno. I just don't think it is all that likely (unless, again, they have already said that that is the plan, and I am just not remembering).
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They played all of Kaleidoscope (at the show that was recorded, at least). Just not straight through.
I would assume, based primarily on Mike Portnoy being in the band, that they will play at least one Breath of Life's worth of material from TAU, and would be somewhat surprised if they don't play at least one Forevermore's worth.
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They played all of Kaleidoscope (at the show that was recorded, at least). Just not straight through.
I would assume, based primarily on Mike Portnoy being in the band, that they will play at least one Breath of Life's worth of material from TAU, and would be somewhat surprised if they don't play at least one Forevermore's worth.
I believe Mike has already stated in interviews that he would like to see the band play the Ultimate Mix version of the album if/when they get to tour on the album. I'm not sure if the rest of the band would agree, given that it would be nearly 100 minutes of a show that will only likely be about 150-160 minutes, maybe 180 if they're pushing themselves, but they aren't getting any younger. By the time they're able to tour, it'll have been over 7 years since their last tour together, and many of them are in their 60s at this point. I won't be surprised if, after the pandemic subsides a bit and touring is able to happen again, that some (older) musicians are just not up for extensive tours or longer shows anymore, but I would love to be wrong about that.
But you're right, they did play all of the songs from Kaleidoscope, but that was just under half of the show's total length each night, about 80 minutes of a 160 minute show (not counting intermission...wait, did they have an intermission?). So even if they play the Ultimate Mix version of the album, that only leaves them about 60 minutes to cover their four previous albums. Now, being that TAU is their first double, I could see them making that almost the whole show with just under an hour of other songs. I mean, look at shows like Genesis' The Lamb - they toured on the whole album, and did two or three older songs as an encore. Other double-length album tours had similar setlists, I'm sure, so Mike might be inspired to do something similar. Do three sets of about 50-60 minutes each, with the first two being TAU, and then the last one covering 2-5 songs from their first four albums. It also honestly depends on how much material they're willing to re-learn from their back catalog, especially the epics.
-Marc.
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I think if we're talking only 50-60 minutes for the back catalog, which doesn't seem unlikely given all the factors you've named, we can probably count out any big rarities. I think we'd see a Whirlwind medley of some kind take up about a third to a half of that time, and the rest would be big-name songs from the other three albums. If I was making a bet on what they'd do for 60 minutes off the first four albums, I'd bet on Duel with the Devil, We All Need Some Light, Black as the Sky and 20-25 minutes of The Whirlwind.
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I just checked the track list on that, and you are right. I had forgotten that they played Black as the Sky. Anyhow, I'm not saying they won't. I just don't think it is a given, unless they have already decided.
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I just checked the track list on that, and you are right. I had forgotten that they played Black as the Sky. Anyhow, I'm not saying they won't. I just don't think it is a given, unless they have already decided.
Not counting "In Held ('Twas) In I", they played every new songs from each new album on that respective tour. "Bridge Across Forever" wasn't played in its entirety on the BAF European tour, but it was brought out on a couple of shows as a prelude to DWTD, and I think also as an interlude in the middle of SIYS (though I'm pulling from setlist memory here, so I may not be 100% sure). I think the only reason they wouldn't do all of TAU live is because of its sheer length, but given how momentous the album is for the band, they probably will play it all live.
-Marc.
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That BAF tour was absolute perfection for me. They played everything you’d want them to play off both of the first two albums. I’ve not actually seen them since and I’m not totally sure why. It was probably just because I was not initially a huge fan of The Whirlwind or Kaleidoscope and I knew we’d probably get them in full and then be into medley territory for earlier stuff which I am not a fan of. I now wish that I had gone to The Whirlwind tour though.
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I now wish that I had gone to The Whirlwind tour though.
Saw the very first show on that tour, and it was great. The show itself was fantastic. But the entire experience was a blast, from the road trip, to meeting Scotty, to the unauthorized backstage excursion during sound check, to meeting the band afterward. I still affectionately refer to that as "the time Neal Morse tried to beat me up." :lol
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Yeah, the Philly Whirld Tour show is a top five all time concert for me. It was my birthday and Nick and I lined up at like 3pm outside the venue so we could be on the rails. Had a bunch of good conversation with the other people who were lined up and met everybody from the band except MP (including Daniel Gildenlow) at one point as they were coming and going from the venue. I wish I had video of Nick singing Disco Queen with DG outside the venue :lol :lol The show was supposed to be doors at 7 show at 8, but there was a misprint on some of the tickets that said the show started at 9 so by PA law they had to honor the later start time, which meant after four hours of waiting outside we then had to wait another two inside for the show to start. I don't know what it was though, but the band was absolutely on fire that night. Chris/ZeppelinDT met up with us afterwards and said much the same. My only regret is that when we were talking to Neal before the show I asked him if they'd play Spinning and when he asked why I didn't lay on the guilt about spending my birthday waiting outside to see them.
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It's official: The Absolute Universe: Forevermore is now my #3 Transatlantic album and I'm not sure it's done going up in the rankings. I've always ranked Bridge Across Forever 1st and SMPT:e 2nd, and The Whirlwind 3rd. I consider SMPT:e and The Whirlwind a statistical tie. They've both got 1 track that I never listen to - the last track on both albums. However, there are NO tracks on Forevermore than I feel the need to skip. The only flaw to me that produces skippable content is I just get bored with the last like 3 minutes of the last track on Forevermore. So what I'm saying is since there is only a total of about 3 minutes that I skip on this album, and since it's a LOT longer than SMPT:e I may have to move it up into the #2 spot.
I never would have thought they'd drop something this good after the somewhat lackluster "Kaleidoscope" - not a BAD album per se, but it just comes across as "Neal Morse featuring Mike, Roine and Pete" than a TA album. "Black as the Sky" and "Shine" are songs I never listen to, and really, Kaleidoscope is an album I never really felt the need to hear again after about 4 or 5 spins. I really can't remember the last time I heard it. But I still listen to SMPT:e, BAF and TW semi-regularly.
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I think if they play just ONE song from Kaleidoscope, it'll probably be "Black As The Sky", or maybe even "Shine". If they don't touch the epics from that album ever again, I'd be fine, but if they have Daniel Gildenlow on the tour, I could see them playing "Into The Blue" as the sole representative of Kaleidoscope, just so Daniel could sing his part live for more than just one performance (from the 2014 Sweden Rock Festival). That's why I suggested they open with "Into The Blue" before going into TAU for the first set of the show.
-Marc.
Daniel also sang that part live at CTTE 2017 with TA (sans Roine), and also joined them for WANSL. Here: https://youtu.be/sDdcax-SD2E?t=3308
That's me just left of center in front of the stage in the Haken shirt :metal
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Yes, I agree. It's a marvelous album that gets better with every spin. Really loving it!
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I just checked the track list on that, and you are right. I had forgotten that they played Black as the Sky. Anyhow, I'm not saying they won't. I just don't think it is a given, unless they have already decided.
Not counting "In Held ('Twas) In I", they played every new songs from each new album on that respective tour. "Bridge Across Forever" wasn't played in its entirety on the BAF European tour, but it was brought out on a couple of shows as a prelude to DWTD, and I think also as an interlude in the middle of SIYS (though I'm pulling from setlist memory here, so I may not be 100% sure). I think the only reason they wouldn't do all of TAU live is because of its sheer length, but given how momentous the album is for the band, they probably will play it all live.
-Marc.
I don't know about the BAF tour, but I know Neal played SIYS with BAF as an interlude on the European tour for Lifeline.
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I'm actually taking a break from The Absolute Universe, but I can't stop thinking about it, last time that happened was with The Whirlwind. This is likely going to be top 3 TA album for me with BAF and TW taking the number 2 and 1 spot respectively. I love SMPTe, that album was one of the first prog rock albums I ever checked out, but I don't love the final track, and Kaleidoscope is a mixed bag for me at number 5.
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I'm still not where a lot of people are with this album. I've been staying with TBOL for a while, and am going to switch to Forevermore for the first time on my next listen. Maybe that will change my impression. But honestly, I feel like the back end of this one kind of drags and the best song out of the last five is Can You Feel It, so I don't know how I'll feel about a longer album without that song.
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After a while my ranking remains firm.
1. Bridge
2. Whirlwind
3. Absolute Universe (i really love both versions. both have their pluses and minuses. but i stand firm in saying this album has some of their best tunes in years)
4. SMPT:e
5.Kaleidoscope (such little use for this it's comical, lol)
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I'm still not where a lot of people are with this album. I've been staying with TBOL for a while, and am going to switch to Forevermore for the first time on my next listen. Maybe that will change my impression. But honestly, I feel like the back end of this one kind of drags and the best song out of the last five is Can You Feel It, so I don't know how I'll feel about a longer album without that song.
That’s how I felt about TBOL at first, but I came around on both Looking for the Light (Reprise) and The Greatest Story Never Ends. I do think the first disc of Forevermore is the strongest full disc of music of the three discs in the set though.
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Hey, I finally got my email from Radiant that my order shipped lol
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I got some above-average customer support from Radiant this week. I had pre-ordered the TAU Blu-ray release when it was first posted back in November, promptly forgot that I did so, and pre-ordered it again in late January. I received my BR from the original order maybe a week and a half ago, and I guess they're just now getting to fulfilling the orders placed closer to the release date because I got an email from Amy asking if I had meant to order it twice and offering to refund if I had not.
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You know whats funny....I thought I bought the album, and apparently I didn't. It was LTE I bought instead.
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I got some above-average customer support from Radiant this week. I had pre-ordered the TAU Blu-ray release when it was first posted back in November, promptly forgot that I did so, and pre-ordered it again in late January. I received my BR from the original order maybe a week and a half ago, and I guess they're just now getting to fulfilling the orders placed closer to the release date because I got an email from Amy asking if I had meant to order it twice and offering to refund if I had not.
Oh that's nice! Glad you got your BD, though. If they weren't re-pressing more, I'd say keep your 2nd order as it could have become a rarity in the future, but they're already producing a second wave of BDs to sell and release in late March.
-Marc.
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I got some above-average customer support from Radiant this week. I had pre-ordered the TAU Blu-ray release when it was first posted back in November, promptly forgot that I did so, and pre-ordered it again in late January. I received my BR from the original order maybe a week and a half ago, and I guess they're just now getting to fulfilling the orders placed closer to the release date because I got an email from Amy asking if I had meant to order it twice and offering to refund if I had not.
Oh that's nice! Glad you got your BD, though. If they weren't re-pressing more, I'd say keep your 2nd order as it could have become a rarity in the future, but they're already producing a second wave of BDs to sell and release in late March.
-Marc.
I ordered the BD a week or so ago. I think they already produced the 2nd wave as the BD was sold out for a while.
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Hey, I finally got my email from Radiant that my order shipped lol
Turns out that it didn't ship. It "shipped".
Still in TN after 2 days.
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For those geographically closer to the UK, Burning Shed is taking pre-orders for the standalone Blu Ray edition of "The Absolute Universe"
https://buff.ly/3spOUpC
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The Absolute Universe is quickly becoming one of my top TA albums, well, Forevermore is.
I wouldn't put it at number 1, but it's tied for 2nd right now with BAF for me, right below The Whirlwind, and might bump BAF down to 3 as I'm not the biggest fan of the middle songs on that album. On Forevermore, I am thoroughly engaged throughout, even the finale is growing on me.
This contrasts with The Breath Of Life. I have no real desire to revisit this aside from an occasional listen. I can't believe how much good stuff Neal cut for TBOL. Bully and Rainbow Sky, for example, are two of my new favorite songs from the band, and they aren't on TBOL! I get what Neal did, though. I do appreciate how tight the album is on the abridged version, I do like some of the changes, but it feels more like a Neal Morse album with featured guests. Roine is cut out way too much on TBOL as well, imo. I don't know if I would have loved the new Transatlantic album as much as I do if the final version was only The Breath of Life.
Forevermore is the album for me. It feels more like a band album. TBOL is the alternate Neal and friends version, which if it was one of his solo albums, it would be one of his best, so I still like it, and appreciate that we have two versions to pick from. Well, three.. but I'm still waiting on my copy of the Ultimate version to ship, so I can't comment on that version yet.
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I let this album lie for a bit. recently revisited both. i can just say i found myself not geting past disc 1 of Forevermore......which i feel the best of the 3 far and away.
Disc 2 has grown on me.....i've played it isolation. And i'm sorry even on it's own i still weirdly get bored around the last 3 tracks. i dunno what it is but those last 3 songs just seem forever. even without a full listen to both discs.
i also love TBOL but find it's over to quick and is just not enough. it is more Morse heavy but i've come to realize. that much like Kaleidoscope.....more Morse on a band project is not what's best, lol
So i made my own version and when you combine stuff. it really does become POSSIBLY their best album.
Still a great outing by the guys.
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My own Ultimate Edition has been tweaked:
01 Overture (Breath of Life)
02 Reaching for the Sky (Breath of Life)
03 Higher Than the Morning (Forevermore)
04 The Darkness in the Light (Forevermore)
05 Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore)
06 Bully (Forevermore)
07 Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
08 Looking for the Light (Forevermore)
09 The World We Used to Know (Forevermore)
10 Owl Howl (Forevermore)
11 Solitude (Forevermore)
12 Belong (Forevermore)
13 Lonesome Rebel (Forevermore)
14 Looking for the Light - reprise (Breath of Life)
15 The Greatest Story Never Ends (Breath of Life)
16 Love Made a Way (Breath of Life)
That works just right. And flows great. Owl Howl has a natural start, so going from the fade-out of The World... to that works perfectly. I can deal with Pete's rough vocals in Solitude, but not in The Sun Comes Out Today; those are far worse and sound like me on a bad day (and I can't sing to save my life). :lol :lol Losing The Sun Comes Out Today and the Love Made a Way prequel was easy. And I will treat Can You Feel It as a bonus track, ala Spinning or Lenny Johnson, that I will listen to on its own. Already deleted both of the full versions off my phone and updated it with the above Ultimate Edition, and I don't see any need to tweak it again. :coolio
I have been really enjoying my own personal Ultimate Edition (above) and been loving it. It won't break into my TA top 3, but it is ahead of Kaleidoscope pretty comfortably now.
And i'm sorry even on it's own i still weirdly get bored around the last 3 tracks. i dunno what it is but those last 3 songs just seem forever. even without a full listen to both discs.
Those last three songs are worth it just for the transition from Looking for the Light (reprise) into The Greatest Story Never Ends, which is hands down one of the best moments of the entire thing, IMO.
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Got this yesterday, so far I've listened to the 5.1 edition twice and the short version once. Will get in the long version later today. So far really liking it.
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I agree that there isn't enough Roine on The Breath of live. It's still a fine version, but I think I prefer Forevermore.
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I just picked up Forevermore last week and absolutely love it. Probably already tied with TW for #2 on my list (behind BAF). I'm questioning the need to even get TBOL (haven;t heard any of it), as this is such a complete and satisfying listen for me. I wouldn't want TBOL to "ruin" how much I'm enjoying Forevermore - or is it not like that? I'm sure I'll eventually pick it up, but if they had just released Forevemore, I certainly would have been happy.
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I finally listened to Forevermore for the first time today. Like a lot of people, I was struck by how immediate some of the differences are right off the bat.
I'm glad I listened to TBoL five or six times first. I think it was rewarding to get pretty familiar with one version before tackling the other. It made the differences much more noticeable and interesting.
It's obviously way too early for me to pick a definite favorite version. I will say that listening to Forevermore, I definitely missed Can You Feel It, which is one of my favorite songs on the album. I also think that the "Belong, belong, better to belong" theme is used more than I'd like. It's not my favorite melody they've ever written, and I already thought it was at max saturation on TBoL before Forevermore added it in like 2 or 3 additional places. On the other hand, I really like The World We Used to Know and could see it becoming one of my favorites on the album. And the lyrics I disliked on the TBoL version of Higher Than the Morning are absent on Forevermore.
So we'll see how this one settles in for me. I wouldn't be surprised at all if both versions ultimately stay in my rotation due to liking some aspects better on one and others better on the other. Already it's clear to me that each one has at least one banger of an exclusive song, so I'm at least glad to have both for that.
I just picked up Forevermore last week and absolutely love it. Probably already tied with TW for #2 on my list (behind BAF). I'm questioning the need to even get TBOL (haven;t heard any of it), as this is such a complete and satisfying listen for me. I wouldn't want TBOL to "ruin" how much I'm enjoying Forevermore - or is it not like that? I'm sure I'll eventually pick it up, but if they had just released Forevemore, I certainly would have been happy.
I don't see why TBoL would "ruin" Forevermore? Maybe you can say more about what you're afraid of, but I don't get why it would.
I would say that both versions are interesting and worthwhile for people who are into alternate takes—like, what other version of this verse existed? How did this instrumental section almost go differently? It's cool comparing and contrasting them, and you might find some that you prefer on each version. There are several songs that are substantially different—Reaching for the Sky is the same base song as Heart Like a Whirlwind, but many of the vocal melodies are different—while some are virtually the same. Also, if you're a completist, TBoL has one exclusive song, Can You Feel It.
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Maybe "ruin" is way too strong of a word LOL. I guess what I'm trying to say is I enjoy Forevermore so much, I don't see why they ever felt the need to tinker with it in the first place. And if I end up not enjoying TBOL as much, well that will just confirm my suspicions - but I guess I need to give it a shot before I can pass judgement.
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Got it. I'd say at worst you'd dislike every difference and come away thinking, "I'm glad they made they decisions they did for Forevermore." I can't imagine there being anything that would make you regret even listening to it. It's a different question whether you end up wanting to spend money on it.
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I just ordered both copies on Amazon. Great thing that it has Auto Rip so I can make my own playlist of songs, now to go and listen to both albums and choose which ones to add...Gonna be fun.
I also got Terminal Velocity while I was at it.
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Okay, two listens into Forevermore, and seven total to some version of this album, and I'm starting to become a believer. Long way from a final verdict, but... I can see this one working its way into the upper echelon. Which is no small feat considering what absolutely monumental albums Bridge Across Forever and The Whirlwind are.
I still have my complaints (and confusions, to be honest) about some of the lyrics. And I still have concerns about the overuse of some of the themes, particularly the "Better to belong" theme (I think if anything I underestimated earlier how many times it crops up in Forevermore). But I feel comfortable calling this album a triumph in either version. It's at least no worse than Kaleidoscope, an album I, unlike some, love.
Perhaps it's too early for anyone to go there, but anyone want to do something like top five tracks? I'd name (in running order, not ranked):
Reaching for the Sky
The Darkness in the Light
The World We Used to Know
Owl Howl
Solitude
Honorable mention to Can You Feel It, a song that I worry will become somewhat lost in the shuffle if Forevermore ends up as most people's preferred version.
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So after a week of having the Ultimate Edition Mix on my phone for audio listening, I gotta say - this may be my preferred version to listen to. It's got some of the best parts of TBOL on it with almost all of Forevermore, so it's really the best of both worlds for me. There are a couple of jarring edits in the Overture, and the transition from "Lonesome Rebel" into "Can You Feel It" is a bit off, but those minor things are more easily overlooked than some of the weird and more jarring edits and transitions in TBOL.
Regarding the band performing it live, I see two possibilities:
-They find a way to finally do a Transatlantic Weekend for Morsefest 2021, especially since Neal and/or Mike had originally intended for the band to perform at last year's Morsefest, which would have presumably been just the Forevermore-version of TAU. If they do two concerts for Transatlantic, there's a chance they could perform BOTH Forevermore and TBOL live, one each night, with different second sets. Do Forevermore on Night 1, and play about 60-80 minutes of music from their first two albums, then on Night 2, play all of The Breath Of Life, then come back with most of The Whirlwind and a song or two from Kaleidoscope. It'd be a LOT Of music to learn, but given that it'd be the first (and maybe ever ONLY) Morsefest with Transatlantic, why not play as much as possible?
-OR...they gear up to play the Ultimate Mix on the Cruise To The Edge (are they yet listed as being a part of CTTE 2022?), and maybe try to launch a tour following that performance. If they tour on it, I don't think they'll switch up or alternate the versions of the albums. They might do a song-swap from night to night, like doing "Swing High Swing Low" or "Take Now My Soul", since the music is mostly the same, just the lyrics/vocalists need to change, but if they're going for a long tour, they may want consistency on a nightly basis. Doing a one-off two-night weekend like Morsefest might give them a better reason to do both Forevermore and TBOL, but as I said, that is a lot of music to learn for one weekend, especially for Roine and Pete, who probably aren't used to doing that like Neal and Mike have done for the last 7 years (6 for Mike).
Perhaps it's too early for anyone to go there, but anyone want to do something like top five tracks? I'd name (in running order, not ranked):
Reaching for the Sky
The Darkness in the Light
The World We Used to Know
Owl Howl
Solitude
Honorable mention to Can You Feel It, a song that I worry will become somewhat lost in the shuffle if Forevermore ends up as most people's preferred version.
I'll go along with this (in no particular order):
The World We Used To Know
Owl Howl (Ultimate Version)
Reaching For The Sky
The Darkness In The Light
Rainbow Sky
EDIT - Changed my mind after hearing TDITL again, so now "The Greatest Story Never Ends (Ultimate Version)" becomes an honorable mention, along with "Lonesome Rebel" and "Higher Than The Morning".
-Marc.
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I will go with:
The World We Used to Know
The Darkness in the Light
Owl Howl (Forevermore version) - I wasn't totally sold on this one at first, but it has grown on me very nicely, and the synth freak-out part near the end is bad ass
Higher Than the Morning (Forevermore version)
Rainbow Sky
The last spot could have been Lonesome Rebel or Swing High, Swing Low.
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The Darkness in the Light has such awesome verses. The kind of phrasing that you'd only hear from Roine. The silver lining of having less of him on The Breath of Life is that The Darkness in the Light makes for an awesome first lead vocal for him.
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This is the mix of versions I came up with. It will definitely change the more I listen to both versions more.
1. Overture (Breath of Life)
2. Reaching For The Sky (Breath of Life)
3. Higher Than The Morning (Forevermore)
4. The Darkness In The Light (Breath of Life)
5. Swing High, Swing Low (Forevermore)
6. Bully (Forevermore)
7. Rainbow Sky (Forevermore)
8. Looking For The Light (The Breath of Life)
9. The World We Used To Know (Forevermore)
10. The Sun Comes Up Today (Forevermore)
11. Love Made A Way (Prelude) (The Breath of Life)
12. Owl Howl (Forevermore)
13. Soulitude (Forevermore)
14. Belong (Forevermore)
15. Lonesome Rebel (Forevermore)
16. Can You Feel It (The Breath Of Life)
17. Looking For The Light (Reprise) (Forevermore)
18. The Greatest Story Never Ends (Forevermore)
19. Love Made A Way (Forevermore)
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The Darkness in the Light has such awesome verses. The kind of phrasing that you'd only hear from Roine. The silver lining of having less of him on The Breath of Life is that The Darkness in the Light makes for an awesome first lead vocal for him.
I agree that the last part you mentioned there does make for a great dynamic, but the Forevermore version of Higher Than the Morning is like 991 times better than the BOL one. It is an utter travesty what was done to the song on the abridged version. :facepalm: :facepalm:
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I have listened only to the Forevermore version of the album since the release day, maybe listened to the whole thing 15 times. I wanted to be familiar with it before I listened to TBOL. I went for a walk yesterday and started listening to TBOL for the first time and my initial thought was that Neal did everything he could to remove Roine from this album. Not sure if these guys are on unstable terms but if I was Roine I would be pretty pissed. I have to admit that I didn't listen to the whole thing but what I listened to just didn't seem right. Like it was off a bit. I will listen to the rest eventually.
I honestly don't like 2 (or even 3) versions of the same album being released. It makes me feel like all is not OK inside the band and nobody wanted to budge on their vision so they just released it 3 different ways. I think Neal should have released his version as maybe an Inner Circle release.
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I have listened only to the Forevermore version of the album since the release day, maybe listened to the whole thing 15 times. I wanted to be familiar with it before I listened to TBOL. I went for a walk yesterday and started listening to TBOL for the first time and my initial thought was that Neal did everything he could to remove Roine from this album. Not sure if these guys are on unstable terms but if I was Roine I would be pretty pissed. I have to admit that I didn't listen to the whole thing but what I listened to just didn't seem right. Like it was off a bit. I will listen to the rest eventually.
I honestly don't like 2 (or even 3) versions of the same album being released. It makes me feel like all is not OK inside the band and nobody wanted to budge on their vision so they just released it 3 different ways. I think Neal should have released his version as maybe an Inner Circle release.
I haven't gone back and read the interviews since the album's release, but I have seen chatter in a few places online where some think Roine's annoyance was more than obvious in some of the pre-release interviews. I likely didn't pick up on it cause I hadn't heard the album yet (other than a listen or two of each of the three early "singles"), but it doesn't surprise me that that is what some are hearing. Even with the contributions by the others being there in a big way on albums 2,3 and 4, I think each album comes off as still leaning more towards Neal Morse's style than anyone else's, and then with Forevermore, Roine was probably thinking, "hey, finally a Transatlantic album where I got to kind of take the lead and let my style be more of the driving force," and Neal said, "Nope, I am gonna redo it and take out a bunch of your stuff and make it more my style like usual." Now, I doubt Neal actually said or thought that, but it sure does come off that way. And anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Neal Morse fan, and will continue to be one regardless of how this played out, but if Roine does have a bad taste in his mouth because of this, it is 100% justified, IMO.
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They should've done a 4-way release and had each member do a version like Kiss' solo albums.
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Favorites on Forevermore:
Heart like the whirlwind
The Darkness in the light
Rainbow sky
The Sun comes up today
Owl howl
Favorites on The Breath of life:
Reaching for the sky (maybe slightly more interesting than Heart like the whirlwind)
The Darkness in the light
Take now my soul (better than Swing high, swing low)
Owl howl
I also thought Overture was better on Forevermore, so I guess I prefer Forevermore by a hair. Both albums kind of get tiresome after Solitude, though.
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The Darkness in the Light has such awesome verses. The kind of phrasing that you'd only hear from Roine. The silver lining of having less of him on The Breath of Life is that The Darkness in the Light makes for an awesome first lead vocal for him.
I agree that the last part you mentioned there does make for a great dynamic, but the Forevermore version of Higher Than the Morning is like 991 times better than the BOL one. It is an utter travesty what was done to the song on the abridged version. :facepalm: :facepalm:
True, I definitely do prefer the Forevermore version of Higher Than the Morning.
Even with the contributions by the others being there in a big way on albums 2,3 and 4, I think each album comes off as still leaning more towards Neal Morse's style than anyone else's, and then with Forevermore, Roine was probably thinking, "hey, finally a Transatlantic album where I got to kind of take the lead and let my style be more of the driving force," and Neal said, "Nope, I am gonna redo it and take out a bunch of your stuff and make it more my style like usual." Now, I doubt Neal actually said or thought that, but it sure does come off that way. And anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Neal Morse fan, and will continue to be one regardless of how this played out, but if Roine does have a bad taste in his mouth because of this, it is 100% justified, IMO.
I certainly hope there's nothing to this, and I think it's hard to speculate about exactly what went on or even who wrote what parts, but it does seem plausible just looking at what was taken out between the different versions. I think it's also plausible, though, that Neal didn't do it as an intentional slight.
It's kind of surprising to me on one level that this band has gone so well for so long with three members who definitely like to be in charge. I wonder if Roine has ended up being somewhat outvoted in general with Mike and Neal maybe coming to see things eye-to-eye more and more the more they work together. I remember getting the impression from one of the Kaleidoscope interviews that The Letter M shared a few pages ago that Roine wasn't happy with all the choices on that album, but he more or less accepted it as a consequence of collaboration. I recall him saying that he didn't even want Beyond the Sun on the album at all, and didn't play on the song, but got outvoted. Which, hey, maybe he's fine with it. I don't know a lot about what kind of person he is, but maybe he's willing to accept compromises with Neal and Mike in TA, knowing that he can write music where he's more in charge with TFK.
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It certainly wouldn't surprise me if Roine were to get upset. not saying he is........but if it were me and i heard Kaleidoscope in particular i'd been a tad miffed. cause that was the album where i thought this is just NEAL.....and to a lesser extent Mike doing their Mike/Neal twin magic lol. i still hear that to this day. it's of the things that relaxed me about Forevermore.......i heard more than 2 members influences. TBOL is Neal again really.
now i still love this band but interesting point that i could see being true.
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I have listened only to the Forevermore version of the album since the release day, maybe listened to the whole thing 15 times. I wanted to be familiar with it before I listened to TBOL. I went for a walk yesterday and started listening to TBOL for the first time and my initial thought was that Neal did everything he could to remove Roine from this album. Not sure if these guys are on unstable terms but if I was Roine I would be pretty pissed. I have to admit that I didn't listen to the whole thing but what I listened to just didn't seem right. Like it was off a bit. I will listen to the rest eventually.
I honestly don't like 2 (or even 3) versions of the same album being released. It makes me feel like all is not OK inside the band and nobody wanted to budge on their vision so they just released it 3 different ways. I think Neal should have released his version as maybe an Inner Circle release.
I haven't gone back and read the interviews since the album's release, but I have seen chatter in a few places online where some think Roine's annoyance was more than obvious in some of the pre-release interviews. I likely didn't pick up on it cause I hadn't heard the album yet (other than a listen or two of each of the three early "singles"), but it doesn't surprise me that that is what some are hearing. Even with the contributions by the others being there in a big way on albums 2,3 and 4, I think each album comes off as still leaning more towards Neal Morse's style than anyone else's, and then with Forevermore, Roine was probably thinking, "hey, finally a Transatlantic album where I got to kind of take the lead and let my style be more of the driving force," and Neal said, "Nope, I am gonna redo it and take out a bunch of your stuff and make it more my style like usual." Now, I doubt Neal actually said or thought that, but it sure does come off that way. And anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Neal Morse fan, and will continue to be one regardless of how this played out, but if Roine does have a bad taste in his mouth because of this, it is 100% justified, IMO.
I agree with much of what you said. The whole thing comes off as a power struggle between two great prog rock composers. I also think the 3rd, Ultimate, version exists because Neal decided to make his version, so MP came in as referee sort of, and gave us the 3rd version, makes it seem less like a battle of who's version is better. I'm sure they didn't have big fights or long, hard arguments about it, as the decision to cut the music down was also supported by Pete as well, and everyone in the band is generally respectful to one another from what I've seen, so it was really two vs two, not one vs one.
Roine also mentioned that he wanted to have a stronger presence on the new album, put a little more of his touch on the music compared to past releases. I think he did that with Forevermore. It would help explain his (not so) subtle displeasure at the fact that the album got split into multiple versions and that the audience isn't focused on the one release, Forevermore. After digesting both versions, I definitely feel like Neal should have left it alone, or pushed for the original album cut to be trimmed down 10 minutes to fit on one CD, since I feel Neal cut out too much good material out for TBOL, and defintiely cut out much of Roine's contributions to the music, making it more like a Neal and Friends album. At the same time, I can also see how that would make TAU resemble TW too much in album structure and flow perhaps. So yea, Neal should have left it alone or pushed for trimming the original. If there is ever a 6th TA album, I hope they do not do something like this again.
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The Darkness in the Light has such awesome verses. The kind of phrasing that you'd only hear from Roine. The silver lining of having less of him on The Breath of Life is that The Darkness in the Light makes for an awesome first lead vocal for him.
I agree that the last part you mentioned there does make for a great dynamic, but the Forevermore version of Higher Than the Morning is like 991 times better than the BOL one. It is an utter travesty what was done to the song on the abridged version. :facepalm: :facepalm:
I agree with you here, and it's why I put the Forevermore version in my choose your own adventure mix.
It certainly wouldn't surprise me if Roine were to get upset. not saying he is........but if it were me and i heard Kaleidoscope in particular i'd been a tad miffed. cause that was the album where i thought this is just NEAL.....and to a lesser extent Mike doing their Mike/Neal twin magic lol. i still hear that to this day. it's of the things that relaxed me about Forevermore.......i heard more than 2 members influences. TBOL is Neal again really.
now i still love this band but interesting point that i could see being true.
This is my main problem with Kaleidoscope. I don't really enjoy Shine, Beyond The Sun, or much of the album because it sounds too much like a Neal/MP project, more so than a collaboration of all 4 musicians. The best song on that album is Black As The Sky.
Forevermore, is my go to version of the album if I want to listen to it as a whole. There are some parts from both versions I really like.
I could see why Roine would be a bit...agitated. I would be too, if someone just decided to take it upon themselves and make newer versions of the songs. And Roine, being a Swede, isn't one that would do much but be humble about it.
It's even funnier when you get The Ultimate Edition, as that is MP's version of the album because he enjoyed things from both versions, so took it upon himself to make a mix combining both, and releasing it as a Blu-Ray. :lol
I don't think I'd want to by a blu-ray just to hear his mix of the album. I may buy it later, or hear it sometime if it does become available.
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The Darkness in the Light has such awesome verses. The kind of phrasing that you'd only hear from Roine. The silver lining of having less of him on The Breath of Life is that The Darkness in the Light makes for an awesome first lead vocal for him.
I agree that the last part you mentioned there does make for a great dynamic, but the Forevermore version of Higher Than the Morning is like 991 times better than the BOL one. It is an utter travesty what was done to the song on the abridged version. :facepalm: :facepalm:
I agree with you here, and it's why I put the Forevermore version in my choose your own adventure mix.
It certainly wouldn't surprise me if Roine were to get upset. not saying he is........but if it were me and i heard Kaleidoscope in particular i'd been a tad miffed. cause that was the album where i thought this is just NEAL.....and to a lesser extent Mike doing their Mike/Neal twin magic lol. i still hear that to this day. it's of the things that relaxed me about Forevermore.......i heard more than 2 members influences. TBOL is Neal again really.
now i still love this band but interesting point that i could see being true.
This is my main problem with Kaleidoscope. I don't really enjoy Shine, Beyond The Sun, or much of the album because it sounds too much like a Neal/MP project, more so than a collaboration of all 4 musicians. The best song on that album is Black As The Sky.
Forevermore, is my go to version of the album if I want to listen to it as a whole. There are some parts from both versions I really like.
I could see why Roine would be a bit...agitated. I would be too, if someone just decided to take it upon themselves and make newer versions of the songs. And Roine, being a Swede, isn't one that would do much but be humble about it.
It's even funnier when you get The Ultimate Edition, as that is MP's version of the album because he enjoyed things from both versions, so took it upon himself to make a mix combining both, and releasing it as a Blu-Ray. :lol
I don't think I'd want to by a blu-ray just to hear his mix of the album. I may buy it later, or hear it sometime if it does become available.
Yea i'm honestly not going to buy blu ray unless it's a concert. i'll get portnoy's ultimate if it ever get's a CD or an audio download release
i agree there
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I got the Blu-ray but I'm going to try to figure out how to get the audio onto my ipod.
I really wish the Ultimate Version had a regular CD release.
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I got the Blu-ray but I'm going to try to figure out how to get the audio onto my ipod.
I really wish the Ultimate Version had a regular CD release.
me too......me too. i'm a raging completion-ist lol. but i really don't want to pop in a bluray just for an audio file.
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I have listened only to the Forevermore version of the album since the release day, maybe listened to the whole thing 15 times. I wanted to be familiar with it before I listened to TBOL. I went for a walk yesterday and started listening to TBOL for the first time and my initial thought was that Neal did everything he could to remove Roine from this album. Not sure if these guys are on unstable terms but if I was Roine I would be pretty pissed. I have to admit that I didn't listen to the whole thing but what I listened to just didn't seem right. Like it was off a bit. I will listen to the rest eventually.
I honestly don't like 2 (or even 3) versions of the same album being released. It makes me feel like all is not OK inside the band and nobody wanted to budge on their vision so they just released it 3 different ways. I think Neal should have released his version as maybe an Inner Circle release.
I haven't gone back and read the interviews since the album's release, but I have seen chatter in a few places online where some think Roine's annoyance was more than obvious in some of the pre-release interviews. I likely didn't pick up on it cause I hadn't heard the album yet (other than a listen or two of each of the three early "singles"), but it doesn't surprise me that that is what some are hearing. Even with the contributions by the others being there in a big way on albums 2,3 and 4, I think each album comes off as still leaning more towards Neal Morse's style than anyone else's, and then with Forevermore, Roine was probably thinking, "hey, finally a Transatlantic album where I got to kind of take the lead and let my style be more of the driving force," and Neal said, "Nope, I am gonna redo it and take out a bunch of your stuff and make it more my style like usual." Now, I doubt Neal actually said or thought that, but it sure does come off that way. And anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Neal Morse fan, and will continue to be one regardless of how this played out, but if Roine does have a bad taste in his mouth because of this, it is 100% justified, IMO.
I agree with much of what you said. The whole thing comes off as a power struggle between two great prog rock composers. I also think the 3rd, Ultimate, version exists because Neal decided to make his version, so MP came in as referee sort of, and gave us the 3rd version, makes it seem less like a battle of who's version is better. I'm sure they didn't have big fights or long, hard arguments about it, as the decision to cut the music down was also supported by Pete as well, and everyone in the band is generally respectful to one another from what I've seen, so it was really two vs two, not one vs one.
Roine also mentioned that he wanted to have a stronger presence on the new album, put a little more of his touch on the music compared to past releases. I think he did that with Forevermore. It would help explain his (not so) subtle displeasure at the fact that the album got split into multiple versions and that the audience isn't focused on the one release, Forevermore. After digesting both versions, I definitely feel like Neal should have left it alone, or pushed for the original album cut to be trimmed down 10 minutes to fit on one CD, since I feel Neal cut out too much good material out for TBOL, and defintiely cut out much of Roine's contributions to the music, making it more like a Neal and Friends album. At the same time, I can also see how that would make TAU resemble TW too much in album structure and flow perhaps. So yea, Neal should have left it alone or pushed for trimming the original. If there is ever a 6th TA album, I hope they do not do something like this again.
One way would've been to trim that "Better to belong" theme. It's a really catchy melody, but it feels like it's in almost every song. It even has an Acapella section dedicated to it :lol
There are some sections where they could've trimmed it down. I would've relegated Rainbow Sky to a bonus disc, even though I like the song, it's the outlier of the album.
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Even with the contributions by the others being there in a big way on albums 2,3 and 4, I think each album comes off as still leaning more towards Neal Morse's style than anyone else's, and then with Forevermore, Roine was probably thinking, "hey, finally a Transatlantic album where I got to kind of take the lead and let my style be more of the driving force," and Neal said, "Nope, I am gonna redo it and take out a bunch of your stuff and make it more my style like usual." Now, I doubt Neal actually said or thought that, but it sure does come off that way. And anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Neal Morse fan, and will continue to be one regardless of how this played out, but if Roine does have a bad taste in his mouth because of this, it is 100% justified, IMO.
I certainly hope there's nothing to this, and I think it's hard to speculate about exactly what went on or even who wrote what parts, but it does seem plausible just looking at what was taken out between the different versions. I think it's also plausible, though, that Neal didn't do it as an intentional slight.
It's kind of surprising to me on one level that this band has gone so well for so long with three members who definitely like to be in charge. I wonder if Roine has ended up being somewhat outvoted in general with Mike and Neal maybe coming to see things eye-to-eye more and more the more they work together. I remember getting the impression from one of the Kaleidoscope interviews that The Letter M shared a few pages ago that Roine wasn't happy with all the choices on that album, but he more or less accepted it as a consequence of collaboration. I recall him saying that he didn't even want Beyond the Sun on the album at all, and didn't play on the song, but got outvoted. Which, hey, maybe he's fine with it. I don't know a lot about what kind of person he is, but maybe he's willing to accept compromises with Neal and Mike in TA, knowing that he can write music where he's more in charge with TFK.
To clarify, I don't think Neal did anything as an intentional slight at Roine. That doesn't seem like his style. It just feels like that once he started tweaking it on its own, he wanted to put more of his own stamp on it, not because of an ego "it needs more ME" attitude, but because he felt those changes were for the best. It's just unfortunate that some of the changes came at the expense of Roine's contributions, Higher Than the Morning being the most glaring example given that the Neal's version has him singing the song instead of Roine, a lot of Roine's cool guitar work during the 2nd chorus was removed, and the guitar solo was removed altogether (even more bizarrely, for a smaller instrumental section that feel shoehorned in).
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Regarding the band performing it live, I see two possibilities:
-They find a way to finally do a Transatlantic Weekend for Morsefest 2021, especially since Neal and/or Mike had originally intended for the band to perform at last year's Morsefest, which would have presumably been just the Forevermore-version of TAU. If they do two concerts for Transatlantic, there's a chance they could perform BOTH Forevermore and TBOL live, one each night, with different second sets. Do Forevermore on Night 1, and play about 60-80 minutes of music from their first two albums, then on Night 2, play all of The Breath Of Life, then come back with most of The Whirlwind and a song or two from Kaleidoscope. It'd be a LOT Of music to learn, but given that it'd be the first (and maybe ever ONLY) Morsefest with Transatlantic, why not play as much as possible?
-OR...they gear up to play the Ultimate Mix on the Cruise To The Edge (are they yet listed as being a part of CTTE 2022?), and maybe try to launch a tour following that performance. If they tour on it, I don't think they'll switch up or alternate the versions of the albums. They might do a song-swap from night to night, like doing "Swing High Swing Low" or "Take Now My Soul", since the music is mostly the same, just the lyrics/vocalists need to change, but if they're going for a long tour, they may want consistency on a nightly basis. Doing a one-off two-night weekend like Morsefest might give them a better reason to do both Forevermore and TBOL, but as I said, that is a lot of music to learn for one weekend, especially for Roine and Pete, who probably aren't used to doing that like Neal and Mike have done for the last 7 years (6 for Mike).
-Marc.
Sounds reasonable.
I'm still listening To Forevermore and liking it a lot. Haven't pulled out either of the other two yet, but I can see that happening soon as I think I'm getting familiar enough with it now.
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The Darkness in the Light has such awesome verses. The kind of phrasing that you'd only hear from Roine. The silver lining of having less of him on The Breath of Life is that The Darkness in the Light makes for an awesome first lead vocal for him.
That's a favorite of mine too (on Forevermore.)
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I have listened only to the Forevermore version of the album since the release day, maybe listened to the whole thing 15 times. I wanted to be familiar with it before I listened to TBOL. I went for a walk yesterday and started listening to TBOL for the first time and my initial thought was that Neal did everything he could to remove Roine from this album. Not sure if these guys are on unstable terms but if I was Roine I would be pretty pissed. I have to admit that I didn't listen to the whole thing but what I listened to just didn't seem right. Like it was off a bit. I will listen to the rest eventually.
I honestly don't like 2 (or even 3) versions of the same album being released. It makes me feel like all is not OK inside the band and nobody wanted to budge on their vision so they just released it 3 different ways. I think Neal should have released his version as maybe an Inner Circle release.
Wow. Looks like I have an interesting listen ahead of me when I get to it.
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To clarify, I don't think Neal did anything as an intentional slight at Roine. That doesn't seem like his style. It just feels like that once he started tweaking it on its own, he wanted to put more of his own stamp on it, not because of an ego "it needs more ME" attitude, but because he felt those changes were for the best.
I agree with this. I have to imagine that for someone with as many ideas as Neal seems to have, it can be hard to know when to hold back on implementing them to avoid crowding others out. Especially since in this case he seemed to basically be the only one working on this version.
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To clarify, I don't think Neal did anything as an intentional slight at Roine. That doesn't seem like his style. It just feels like that once he started tweaking it on its own, he wanted to put more of his own stamp on it, not because of an ego "it needs more ME" attitude, but because he felt those changes were for the best.
I agree with this. I have to imagine that for someone with as many ideas as Neal seems to have, it can be hard to know when to hold back on implementing them to avoid crowding others out. Especially since in this case he seemed to basically be the only one working on this version.
Yeah. I revisited the below interview (which is presented as one with both Neal and Roine, but they were done separately as they were asked and both answered the same questions), and it looks like once the decision was made to release two albums, Roine was given creative control over the long version and Neal was given creative control over the abridged version. I remember Portnoy saying that Neal was gracious enough to give him the second verse in Take Now My Soul to sing, and I can't help but think Neal was playing the long game with that gesture. :P
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-neal-morse-roine-stolt/
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Neal seems to be getting a lot of stick here but, from all accounts, it was Pete who initially raised an issue with the album being too long and that people wouldn’t want to sit through 90 min of music. Neal agreed and yes, he then took control over of the shorter version. I suppose if you’re going to trim things down, you will trim the guitar noodling of Roine as no one else is taking solos on the album. I know he has cut some of Roine’s vocal moments too but he has also cut some of his own stuff.
As an outsider, I’ve always felt that there was a little bit of tension between Neal and Roine as both are used to being the main writer in their own bands and are probably reluctant to compromise on things. In this case, they obviously said to Roine, you control the longer version and Neal can then control the shorter version as a bit of a compromise.
I’m a bit in the middle in that I much prefer the Forevermore album with the extended guitar solos but I also agree that it’s too long and there is some subpar songs (imo) that don’t need to be there which stops this from being on the level of the first 3 albums. I would therefore have the Forevermore album but it would be more like 70 min and would fit on one disk rather than cutting it right down to 60 min like Neal did. I think maybe an outside producer would have been able to do this and create one single disk great album instead of two different good albums when the band can’t make a decision.
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Finally received my copies :metal
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I might be the only one here who thinks this, but I DO NOT think Forevermore is too long at all. In fact, whenever I listen to it I marvel at how quickly the entire album actually goes by. I usually listen at the gym and I work out for 2 hours in the morning 6 days a week so I get plenty of listening time. I've listened to both albums at least 10 times now. I enjoy both of them quite a bit but I am pretty strongly partial to the longer version. Roine's guitar playing is one of the main attractions for me as a guitar player so I tend to listen to Forevermore when I put this one on. And it has never felt like it was wearing out its welcome.
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I might be the only one here who thinks this, but I DO NOT think Forevermore is too long at all. In fact, whenever I listen to it I marvel at how quickly the entire album actually goes by. I usually listen at the gym and I work out for 2 hours in the morning 6 days a week so I get plenty of listening time. I've listened to both albums at least 10 times now. I enjoy both of them quite a bit but I am pretty strongly partial to the longer version. Roine's guitar playing is one of the main attractions for me as a guitar player so I tend to listen to Forevermore when I put this one on. And it has never felt like it was wearing out its welcome.
No, you're not the only one. I have no issue with the length of Forevermore.
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I might be the only one here who thinks this, but I DO NOT think Forevermore is too long at all. In fact, whenever I listen to it I marvel at how quickly the entire album actually goes by. I usually listen at the gym and I work out for 2 hours in the morning 6 days a week so I get plenty of listening time. I've listened to both albums at least 10 times now. I enjoy both of them quite a bit but I am pretty strongly partial to the longer version. Roine's guitar playing is one of the main attractions for me as a guitar player so I tend to listen to Forevermore when I put this one on. And it has never felt like it was wearing out its welcome.
No, you're not the only one. I have no issue with the length of Forevermore.
Me either. I don't mind the length at all actually. And I like Rainbow Sky...
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I mean, I get why some people may not like a 90 minute album. It's a LOT to digest. But if you're going to make a double album, have strong enough material to pull it off. Some albums, like Forevermore, have the material to pull it off. I really don't skip any songs when I listen to it for me that's very, very rare for a double album. Other albums, (I'm looking at you, Snow) kind kind of drag at times and/or there are tracks that I can take or leave or that don't seem to fit. Snow is a good example of this. Great album, I rarely skip anything when I listen to it, except sometimes when I get to disc 2 I skip "Carrie" and "Looking for Answers" because they feel to me like they were shoehorned in there to fill out an album that was too long to be a single but too short to be a double. Now I have no way of knowing that for sure, but I DO know that NDV wrote "Looking for Answers" quite a while before Snow was ever made.
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I also like all the Roine guitar stuff and I like Rainbow Sky too. I don’t necessarily think it’s too long in terms of it dragging, I just think there’s some songs that are not very good and I understand that’s just my opinion. If those songs were removed, it easily fits onto one disc. My other issue, which I have already mentioned, is that Mike and Pete have too many lead vocals, again just my opinion. A combination then of some slightly weak songs and very weak vocals (often the same song) stops this from hitting the heights of the first 3 albums for me. Not many albums do hit those heights however so it’s no disgrace to be not quite as good as Smpte, BAF and TW. It’s still a very good album.
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I also like all the Roine guitar stuff and I like Rainbow Sky too. I don’t necessarily think it’s too long in terms of it dragging, I just think there’s some songs that are not very good and I understand that’s just my opinion. If those songs were removed, it easily fits onto one disc. My other issue, which I have already mentioned, is that Mike and Pete have too many lead vocals, again just my opinion. A combination then of some slightly weak songs and very weak vocals (often the same song) stops this from hitting the heights of the first 3 albums for me. Not many albums do hit those heights however so it’s no disgrace to be not quite as good as Smpte, BAF and TW. It’s still a very good album.
I may be alone in this, but I think Mike’s vocals sound great. He’s as strong a vocalist as Roine probably (who I love, just saying).
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I may be alone in this, but I think Mike’s vocals sound great. He’s as strong a vocalist as Roine probably (who I love, just saying).
Woah, hot take alert!! :P :P
I do think Portnoy's vocals have improved over the years, but he could never carry an entire album like Roine, who obviously is no Brad Delp or Freddie Mercury, has in the past.
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I’m sure you’re not alone in enjoying Mike’s vocals on the album, I don’t but I’m happy for those who do. Roine is not a powerhouse vocalist but he still sounds like a singer to me, there’s just a whimsical laid back musicality to his voice. Portnoy is in tune but that’s all I can say for his voice, there’s no subtlety or musicality for me. I actually don’t mind him doing more aggressive stuff (I like the call and response stuff between him and JLB in Constant Motion for example). I just don’t find his voice strong enough or interesting enough to carry a whole song (yes, Looking For The Light is one of the songs I would cut) or even a whole verse of a song, I think his verse in Reaching For The Sky brings that song down a notch as well.
I just think you have two full time professional singers in the band so why are you giving so many lead vocals to two amateur singers, especially people with no real talent in that regard? Give them the odd line here and there like they did in Black As The Sky but not entire verses or choruses and certainly not entire songs.
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I also like all the Roine guitar stuff and I like Rainbow Sky too. I don’t necessarily think it’s too long in terms of it dragging, I just think there’s some songs that are not very good and I understand that’s just my opinion. If those songs were removed, it easily fits onto one disc. My other issue, which I have already mentioned, is that Mike and Pete have too many lead vocals, again just my opinion. A combination then of some slightly weak songs and very weak vocals (often the same song) stops this from hitting the heights of the first 3 albums for me. Not many albums do hit those heights however so it’s no disgrace to be not quite as good as Smpte, BAF and TW. It’s still a very good album.
I may be alone in this, but I think Mike’s vocals sound great. He’s as strong a vocalist as Roine probably (who I love, just saying).
I wouldn't go that far LOL ....but it's the best I've ever heard Mike for sure. He has improved a lot from his DT days.
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I may be alone in this, but I think Mike’s vocals sound great. He’s as strong a vocalist as Roine probably (who I love, just saying).
Woah, hot take alert!! :P :P
I do think Portnoy's vocals have improved over the years, but he could never carry an entire album like Roine, who obviously is no Brad Delp or Freddie Mercury, has in the past.
To be clear, I’m more talking about 2020 Roine. I think he has a wonderfully evocative voice in general, and he’s certainly more adept at making his voice an instrument than Mike is. But I’m really impressed with the strength in Mike’s lead parts on this one. Maybe he’s using some effects or multitracking to get it done, but he not only carries his melodies well, he has more emotion and effectation than he used to. I think it people didn’t already think of him as Portnoy they wouldn’t mind his vocals on this so much.
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I’m sure you’re not alone in enjoying Mike’s vocals on the album, I don’t but I’m happy for those who do. Roine is not a powerhouse vocalist but he still sounds like a singer to me, there’s just a whimsical laid back musicality to his voice. Portnoy is in tune but that’s all I can say for his voice, there’s no subtlety or musicality for me. I actually don’t mind him doing more aggressive stuff (I like the call and response stuff between him and JLB in Constant Motion for example). I just don’t find his voice strong enough or interesting enough to carry a whole song (yes, Looking For The Light is one of the songs I would cut) or even a whole verse of a song, I think his verse in Reaching For The Sky brings that song down a notch as well.
I just think you have two full time professional singers in the band so why are you giving so many lead vocals to two amateur singers, especially people with no real talent in that regard? Give them the odd line here and there like they did in Black As The Sky but not entire verses or choruses and certainly not entire songs.
I just think he knocks Looking for the Light out of the park (not sure there are too many other parts. An odd line here or there). Also, Roine hasn’t sung all the vocals on his own albums since early on in TFK (maybe he did on Theory of an Alchemist?). He usually has Hasse or Gildenlowe for the more ambitious vocals in TFK since Retropolis. Again, I agree he makes it work and I think Roine is actually a little underrated as a singer. But he doesn’t have a strong voice these days.
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To be clear, I’m more talking about 2020 Roine. I think he has a wonderfully evocative voice in general, and he’s certainly more adept at making his voice an instrument than Mike is. But I’m really impressed with the strength in Mike’s lead parts on this one. Maybe he’s using some effects or multitracking to get it done, but he not only carries his melodies well, he has more emotion and effectation than he used to. I think it people didn’t already think of him as Portnoy they wouldn’t mind his vocals on this so much.
I haven't seen much criticism of Portnoy's vocals on this record; I have no issues with them. Trewavas' vocals are the ones taking the body blows, and for good reason. It's hard to believe that someone didn't listen to his vocals for The Sun Comes Up Today and think, "maybe he should do another take or maybe someone else should sing that one." I know, I know, "It's the Transatlantic way for everyone to sing"...but this is what happens when you stick with it.
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To be clear, I’m more talking about 2020 Roine. I think he has a wonderfully evocative voice in general, and he’s certainly more adept at making his voice an instrument than Mike is. But I’m really impressed with the strength in Mike’s lead parts on this one. Maybe he’s using some effects or multitracking to get it done, but he not only carries his melodies well, he has more emotion and effectation than he used to. I think it people didn’t already think of him as Portnoy they wouldn’t mind his vocals on this so much.
I haven't seen much criticism of Portnoy's vocals on this record; I have no issues with them. Trewavas' vocals are the ones taking the body blows, and for good reason. It's hard to believe that someone didn't listen to his vocals for The Sun Comes Up Today and think, "maybe he should do another take or maybe someone else should sing that one." I know, I know, "It's the Transatlantic way for everyone to sing"...but this is what happens when you stick with it.
I do get the aversion to Pete’s voice. I don’t hate them, and the frail quality makes some sense on Solitude, but I can’t say I love them either.
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I see the "everybody sings in TA" as a gimmick, more than an actual strenght for the band. It definitely works for harmonies and a couple lines here and there, but something like Pete's section on Kaleidoscope... :eek
I don't know why Portnoy insists on doing leads with a lot of his bands either. I can't believe none of his bandmastes ever told him he isn't too good of a vocalist :facepalm:
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I’m sure you’re not alone in enjoying Mike’s vocals on the album, I don’t but I’m happy for those who do. Roine is not a powerhouse vocalist but he still sounds like a singer to me, there’s just a whimsical laid back musicality to his voice. Portnoy is in tune but that’s all I can say for his voice, there’s no subtlety or musicality for me. I actually don’t mind him doing more aggressive stuff (I like the call and response stuff between him and JLB in Constant Motion for example). I just don’t find his voice strong enough or interesting enough to carry a whole song (yes, Looking For The Light is one of the songs I would cut) or even a whole verse of a song, I think his verse in Reaching For The Sky brings that song down a notch as well.
I just think you have two full time professional singers in the band so why are you giving so many lead vocals to two amateur singers, especially people with no real talent in that regard? Give them the odd line here and there like they did in Black As The Sky but not entire verses or choruses and certainly not entire songs.
I just think he knocks Looking for the Light out of the park (not sure there are too many other parts. An odd line here or there). Also, Roine hasn’t sung all the vocals on his own albums since early on in TFK (maybe he did on Theory of an Alchemist?). He usually has Hasse or Gildenlowe for the more ambitious vocals in TFK since Retropolis. Again, I agree he makes it work and I think Roine is actually a little underrated as a singer. But he doesn’t have a strong voice these days.
According to the discogs page (https://www.discogs.com/Roine-Stolts-The-Flower-King-Manifesto-Of-An-Alchemist/release/12867190), Manifesto Of An Alchemist featured 5 different vocalists.
I don't think Roine has done ALL of the vocals on any album since 1996's Retropolis. Even on his last solo album in 2005, he featured Neal Morse on a few songs on the Wall Street Voodoo album.
IMO, Roine is a fine vocalist, but I like it when he has others to share the vocal duties with, like with Hasse Fröberg and Daniel Gildenlöw. On TAU, I absolutely love the vocal harmonies Roine has with Mike in "The World We Used To Know" - they just blend so well together. I cannot think of any other song or moment where those two were the sole vocalists in a song, but they nailed it in this song.
As far as the rest of TAU goes, Neal and Roine seem as strong as ever, Mike has definitely improved, and Pete's vocals here are quite a few steps up from what he had on Kaleidoscope. Everyone seems to be getting better! I think having more time to work on the album was definitely a big benefit, and of course, Rich is a master.
-Marc.
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I do get the aversion to Pete’s voice. I don’t hate them, and the frail quality makes some sense on Solitude, but I can’t say I love them either.
In general, he is very hit or miss. He is solid enough in the choruses of Reaching for the Sky and in the short vocal part in The Greatest Story Never Ends, and looking back he was fine in the first two choruses of Stranger in Your Soul on Bridge Across Forever, but I simply cannot abide The Sun Comes Up Today. I don't listen to enough Marillion to know for sure, but I thought I read that he almost never sings lead vocal in that band...and there is probably a reason for that. Not trying to pile on the guy, as he seems like a good dude and does his best I am sure, but where is the quality control?
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There's something about the tone of Pete's voice that I like. The quality of his performances is definitely uneven, and he should not be singing as many leads as Neal or Roine, but I think he's generally used well, even on this album where he's used a lot more than on previous releases (I agree that The Sun Comes Up Today is a bit rough).
I also like him a lot on Walking the Road in Kaleidoscope, and I think it was really clever to have him do the uncertain lines at the beginning of Stranger in Your Soul and then have Neal sing the confident version of the same melody at the end of the song.
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I do get the aversion to Pete’s voice. I don’t hate them, and the frail quality makes some sense on Solitude, but I can’t say I love them either.
In general, he is very hit or miss. He is solid enough in the choruses of Reaching for the Sky and in the short vocal part in The Greatest Story Never Ends, and looking back he was fine in the first two choruses of Stranger in Your Soul on Bridge Across Forever, but I simply cannot abide The Sun Comes Up Today. I don't listen to enough Marillion to know for sure, but I thought I read that he almost never sings lead vocal in that band...and there is probably a reason for that. Not trying to pile on the guy, as he seems like a good dude and does his best I am sure, but where is the quality control?
There is one passage on Kaleidoscope that Pete sings that I recall liking, but I can’t recall what it was off the top of my head. He was fine in snippets on the first two TA albums but those were fairly minor. For Marillion he only sings in a live settings, and that’s almost always background vocals (though I believe there was one concert he sung lead vocals after Fish left, can’t recall the reason for that). I can’t think of a prominent vocal part on a Marillion studio album. Maybe he does some BG vocals but nothing obvious.
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Now that I've given each version a few spins I will join what I think is the majority here. Well, sort of. Not going to start digging in on any battles within the band over the versions or anything like that, and at the end of the day I'll still listen to the 5.1 Blu-Ray because it's the best way to enjoy music all else equal, imo, but that said Forevermore is the definitive version of the album to my ears. I don't know why I doubted what is one of my all time great collection of musicians with an amazing catalog, but somehow I assumed going in that the shorter more concise version would be the one I ended up liking. I think that can largely be attributed to too many longer Flower Kings releases in recent years. But at the end of the day I love pretty much every bit of Forevermore and hope that if a tour happens that's what they bring out.
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I may be alone in this, but I think Mike’s vocals sound great. He’s as strong a vocalist as Roine probably (who I love, just saying).
Woah, hot take alert!! :P :P
I do think Portnoy's vocals have improved over the years, but he could never carry an entire album like Roine, who obviously is no Brad Delp or Freddie Mercury, has in the past.
To be clear, I’m more talking about 2020 Roine. I think he has a wonderfully evocative voice in general, and he’s certainly more adept at making his voice an instrument than Mike is. But I’m really impressed with the strength in Mike’s lead parts on this one. Maybe he’s using some effects or multitracking to get it done, but he not only carries his melodies well, he has more emotion and effectation than he used to. I think it people didn’t already think of him as Portnoy they wouldn’t mind his vocals on this so much.
I agree with all this and had the exact same thought. Mike sounds really great on this album, best he ever has.
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I may be alone in this, but I think Mike’s vocals sound great. He’s as strong a vocalist as Roine probably (who I love, just saying).
Woah, hot take alert!! :P :P
I do think Portnoy's vocals have improved over the years, but he could never carry an entire album like Roine, who obviously is no Brad Delp or Freddie Mercury, has in the past.
To be clear, I’m more talking about 2020 Roine. I think he has a wonderfully evocative voice in general, and he’s certainly more adept at making his voice an instrument than Mike is. But I’m really impressed with the strength in Mike’s lead parts on this one. Maybe he’s using some effects or multitracking to get it done, but he not only carries his melodies well, he has more emotion and effectation than he used to. I think it people didn’t already think of him as Portnoy they wouldn’t mind his vocals on this so much.
I agree with all this and had the exact same thought. Mike sounds really great on this album, best he ever has.
In general, I have always liked Mike's vocals, so I agree with this as well.
And that goes for Pete's vocals as well.
I have always liked the "Fleetwood Mac" approach, where you have these varied voices, some stronger than others, who all get their turn to take a lead, and all participating in the harmonies and the call/response parts. I don't recall ever hearing a part and thinking, "[X singer] shouldn't be singing this part."
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i never had a problem with Pete's voice. he even has my fav song on this album in Solitude so there's that.
Mike on the other hand. Get that Mic away from him, lol. sorry but stop. even looking for the Light which people say he's knocking out of there. can't say i hear it.
but than again i though the same with Dream Theater when he started become more present towards the end.
now let me say Harmony he's really great at. but leads......nah.
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i never had a problem with Pete's voice. he even has my fav song on this album in Solitude so there's that.
Mike on the other hand. Get that Mic away from him, lol. sorry but stop. even looking for the Light which people say he's knocking out of there. can't say i hear it.
but than again i though the same with Dream Theater when he started become more present towards the end.
now let me say Harmony he's really great at. but leads......nah.
I'm sort - thought not completely - the opposite. I get nothing from Pete's voice, and have - politely, to be sure - kind of laughed at it since "Fugazi". He's not a singer. Mike, I like his harmonies and what he brings. The more "metal" :metal the less I like it, though, even short of the growls or whatever.
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I'm closer to Stads on this one. I've never had a problem with Mike's vocals - he's a great backing singer and I've been fine with most of his lead vocals if never wowed by them. But I do think on this album especially there's a big step up in both skill and emotional delivery (the latter being something he's not always been convincing with).
Pete I've generally been ok with in the past mainly because of how his vocals have been used in TA, which has suited him. In Solitude, while I don't think his vocals are great, they're ok and work well enough for the song. But in The Sun Comes Up Today, I just really don't think his vocals are good, and they really bring the song down for me. It's the only song on the album I could easily have included in my combined version, but didn't because I simply don't like it.
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i never had a problem with Pete's voice. he even has my fav song on this album in Solitude so there's that.
Mike on the other hand. Get that Mic away from him, lol. sorry but stop. even looking for the Light which people say he's knocking out of there. can't say i hear it.
but than again i though the same with Dream Theater when he started become more present towards the end.
now let me say Harmony he's really great at. but leads......nah.
I'm sort - thought not completely - the opposite. I get nothing from Pete's voice, and have - politely, to be sure - kind of laughed at it since "Fugazi". He's not a singer. Mike, I like his harmonies and what he brings. The more "metal" :metal the less I like it, though, even short of the growls or whatever.
I agree with the more Metal the less i like it. I remember seeing a documentary on Systematic Chaos. and Portnoy's laying down his "metal" vocals. he says "This is what DT NEEDS BRO!!!!!!!!"
i'm like..........nah :lol
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Portnoys vocals on Looking for The Light are great. That part needed that gritty sound that only MP is capable of doing, out of the rest of the guys. This would be perfect for Daniel Gildenlow and is what Roine would've done for The Flower Kings, or just use Hasse as he has a great gritty sound too.
I think they could've gone with Roine at those vocals for The Sun Comes Up Today, and used Pete for some lines, like the verses, but not the Chorus you can really hear it when Pete sings "The Sun Comes Up TODaaaayyy" that would've been a great harmony part.
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Put me in the same camp as the others who think Portnoy has done a pretty decent job with vocals on this album. And really most of his vocals on Neal Morse's solo albums are pretty good as well. I think it's obvious he's had some lessons. I can hear him using some of the techniques I learned when I worked with a vocal coach. On "Looking For The Light" I'd even go so far as to say he sounds like a lead vocalist. Not a lead vocalist I'd pick to sing on my own stuff, but pretty decent and I'm sure they did 67 takes to get what we're hearing on the album and I wouldn't be surprised if they used a bit of pitch correction here and there, but that's pretty typical these days.
Pete's vocals...yeah...no. I still think it was a mistake and it sounds amateurish. Use him for backing vocals and maybe for a line here and there (like the "Hanging In The Balance" section of "Stranger In Your Soul" where they each take a line. That kind of thing sounds fine with Pete, but having him carry an entire verse or most of a song like they've done here and on Kaleidoscope, I just think it sounds kind of unprofessional. Just my opinion. I love, love, love Pete's bass playing on this album. I think it was bosk1 who said before that Pete is the star of this album and I wasn't so sure at first but the more I listen to this the more I agree with that. His bass lines are superb on this album.
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Yup. That was me.
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I do get people saying that this is the best Mike has ever sounded and I totally agree. However, I would also say that “the best Mike’s ever sounded” is not a particularly high bar! I think the reprise of Looking For The Light with Neal on vocals sounds much better (and I’m not even that keen on Neal when he does more rawk type singing). I just don’t get why you’d use guys who can’t really sing when you have two full time singers in the band. No band in the world would hire Mike Portnoy or Pete Trewavas as their singer.
If they ever do another one, I hope they go back to what they used to do with Mike and Pete just doing backing vocals and taking the odd line here and there rather than entire sections or, as in this album, entire songs. Save their dubious singing talents for the odd fun bonus cover song.
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So I’ve gone back to TBOL after sticking with Forevermore for a while. I think I’d say that disc 1 of Forevermore and TBOL are both really pretty flawless. The only real issues I have are a few spots on disc 2 of Forevermore and the closer on each. Actually I’d just chop all the Love Made A Way variations if I could (preludes included). I’d probably just put The World We Used to Know as the closer for both versions.
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Probably heard Forevermore at least 30 times so far. I still can't get into the closer Love Made A Way, there are parts I like but largely the song is a real let down after that entire fantastic album. I like all the tracks on disc 1, iffy on a couple of tracks on disc 2 and that last track just honestly derails my impression of the entire album. It's just so weird.
Though I've really grown to like Pete's vocals on this album. Didn't buy in at first but I actually really like his touch, however it sounds. The vocals are very enjoyable by everyone MP has some great ones in the album, probably the most professional sounding that I recall.
I should really dig into the bluray and TBOL soon.
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So I've held off on listening to this until I could listen to it in it's entirety, and maybe more than a couple times. I'm three times through TBOL, and holy mackerel, this is a monumental piece of work. This is amazing. I like everything about it at this point, including all but one of the vocal choices.
The one thing - literally the ONE thing I don't like: the vocals on Solitude. I guess that's Pete, and it's just a let down. Jarringly out of place for me; it's too much at one bite of someone that isn't up to the level of the rest in terms of carrying an entire song. Though, to be nice and to be fair, I agree with Barry: his bass playing is out of this world on this record (as is Roine's guitar playing).
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Probably heard Forevermore at least 30 times so far. I still can't get into the closer Love Made A Way, there are parts I like but largely the song is a real let down after that entire fantastic album. I like all the tracks on disc 1, iffy on a couple of tracks on disc 2 and that last track just honestly derails my impression of the entire album. It's just so weird.
Though I've really grown to like Pete's vocals on this album. Didn't buy in at first but I actually really like his touch, however it sounds. The vocals are very enjoyable by everyone MP has some great ones in the album, probably the most professional sounding that I recall.
I should really dig into the bluray and TBOL soon.
Love Made A Way just comes across as contrived. It’s slow and tedious and lasts FOREVER(more). It just feels manipulative rather than honest. If it were a third of the length it would probably be ok.
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I don't mind "Love Made a Way" as much as the final track on The Whirlwind, "Dancing With Eternal Glory" comes across a bit more...religious...to me. I usually skip that one when I listen to The Whirlwind.
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So I've held off on listening to this until I could listen to it in it's entirety, and maybe more than a couple times. I'm three times through TBOL, and holy mackerel, this is a monumental piece of work. This is amazing. I like everything about it at this point, including all but one of the vocal choices.
The one thing - literally the ONE thing I don't like: the vocals on Solitude. I guess that's Pete, and it's just a let down. Jarringly out of place for me; it's too much at one bite of someone that isn't up to the level of the rest in terms of carrying an entire song. Though, to be nice and to be fair, I agree with Barry: his bass playing is out of this world on this record (as is Roine's guitar playing).
This is me but with Forevermore (I haven't heard TBOL) - they knocked it out of the park with this one! I've even warmed to Pete's vocals in Solitude (still not great but I guess I've gotten used to it) lol
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I definitely got used to Pete's vocals. They add some color and come off as 'charming'.
I think MP's vocals on Looking For The Light fits the song really well, and there's no "day after day" type vocals anywhere in sight.
Could have been worse, MP and PT could have handled the majority of vocal duties on the album.
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I am not sure why it is, but the vocals do kinda keep bothering me on this album. I can hear on past material that aside from Neal the guys (Pete, Roine, Portnoy) don't exactly have the voice of an angel, but here it does detract from the album for me. Portnoy's vocals work well in Look Into The Light, I agree. Still, detracting from the album does not mean the album isn't quality, I think it is a good record for sure.
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Huh, I listened to Breath Of Life and I was under the impression that it had 3 unique songs (Reaching For The Sky/Take Now My Soul/Can You Feel It) but the first two are just renamed versions of Forevermore songs. I was expecting the abridged version to have a few songs unique only to that, but I guess that's not the case. After listening to Forevermore the past few weeks, Breath Of Life definitely feels like the lesser version of the two.
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Huh, I listened to Breath Of Life and I was under the impression that it had 3 unique songs (Reaching For The Sky/Take Now My Soul/Can You Feel It) but the first two are just renamed versions of Forevermore songs. I was expecting the abridged version to have a few songs unique only to that, but I guess that's not the case. After listening to Forevermore the past few weeks, Breath Of Life definitely feels like the lesser version of the two.
The lyrics are different though and there are some subtle differences in the instrumentation and arranfments.
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Huh, I listened to Breath Of Life and I was under the impression that it had 3 unique songs (Reaching For The Sky/Take Now My Soul/Can You Feel It) but the first two are just renamed versions of Forevermore songs. I was expecting the abridged version to have a few songs unique only to that, but I guess that's not the case. After listening to Forevermore the past few weeks, Breath Of Life definitely feels like the lesser version of the two.
The lyrics are different though and there are some subtle differences in the instrumentation and arranfments.
I’m sure I’ll pick up on the differences with a few more listens but I went in expecting completely different songs just based on the titles. It was probably mentioned that was the case in some interview but I had no idea.
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Huh, I listened to Breath Of Life and I was under the impression that it had 3 unique songs (Reaching For The Sky/Take Now My Soul/Can You Feel It) but the first two are just renamed versions of Forevermore songs. I was expecting the abridged version to have a few songs unique only to that, but I guess that's not the case. After listening to Forevermore the past few weeks, Breath Of Life definitely feels like the lesser version of the two.
The lyrics are different though and there are some subtle differences in the instrumentation and arranfments.
There are also different lyrics for "Higher Than The Morning", "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" (with a new melodica intro), and "Love Made A Way" (which has its track index starting earlier in the album than it does on Forevermore). Also, "The Greatest Story Never Ends" excludes the Gentle Giant vocal bit and has a completely new instrumental section leading up to the closer, though the Ultimate Mix on the BD includes all of the music for TGSNE.
At some point, I want to document all of the differences and similarities between all 3 official versions of the album, citing what was changed between Forevermore and TBOL, and how the Ultimate Mix borrowed from both.
-Marc.
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I don't mind "Love Made a Way" as much as the final track on The Whirlwind, "Dancing With Eternal Glory" comes across a bit more...religious...to me. I usually skip that one when I listen to The Whirlwind.
I really like Dancing with Eternal Glory a lot. But feels like Neal was so happy with that one that he wrote a bunch more tracks in that vein to close various concept albums (Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise, Broken Sky/Long Day Reprise, A Love That Never Dies). And Love Made a Way might be my least favorite of that bunch.
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To be fair, I think he has always done these big grandiose endings going back even to his Spock’s Beard days. I agree though that Love Made a Way is one of his least inspired ones. I don’t dislike it as much as some seem to but it seems like zero thought went into making it an actual song. It’s just basically two completely separate choruses from earlier in the album repeated one after the other with nothing to link them together.
I should just say that despite my nitpicks about the album, I still do think it’s a really good album and am listening to it and enjoying it a lot.
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He's definitely done grandiose endings a lot (which I don't have a problem with), but I think the ones I mentioned are more of a type than some of the earlier ones like Testimony Part 5, Reunion, The Conclusion, etc.
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Now that we've had these albums a couple weeks, I'm curious as to the overall concept of multiple versions. I find myself falling into a groove of one or the other but when I switch, it's really throwing me off. I can't imagine having multiple versions of any of my favorite albums. Not that more isn't better or worse, just that the concept of multiple sort of changes how I digest and memorize. Overall I'm finding it weird.
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I have to admit, I've not made it through either version. That's mainly a case of what I'm in the mood for currently, but the multiple version thing has also put me off when I've considered listening to it.
I can't ever imagine wanting multiple versions of music. In the case of this release, knowing what we know about the disagreements within the band, it's a clear lack of a unified vision, which is a shame, IMO.
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It is a bit odd because I've never experienced this before outside of my own songs as they evolve when I'm in the writing process. I kind of like having that peek under the hood so to speak in that we have a collaborative work (Forevermore) and a more solitary project (Breath of Life) that I think kind of shows how devoted Neal is to his religion and spreading the message in a way that doesn't come across like some kind of ecclesiastical bludgeoning. So it's interesting to have, but I doubt I will listen to TBOL all that much as I tend to gravitate away from shorter stuff and really love the Forevermore version.
In fact, this album now holds #2 spot for me, only eclipsed by Bridge Across Forever and I still may move it up again.
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Hi, everyone!
It’s been great to hear the positive comments and reviews of Transatlantic’s new album, The Absolute Universe, and we thought we’d follow that with The Absolute Blowout Transatlantic Sale!
We have a whole range of Transatlantic merch on special: t-shirts, hoodies, CDs, DVDs and deluxe editions. We even found a small number of copies of the "Live in Europe" 2DVD/2CD set, and the even more rare "Building A Bridge: Live in America" DVD – snap them up while you can! Every item is available “while stocks last” (and we don’t think they'll last long at these prices!)
https://www.nealmorse.com/product/the-absolute-blowout-transatlantic-sale/
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I was just about to post this! Just grabbed Live in Europe and Building the Bridge. Those are not exactly easy to find (at least the CD version for Live in Europe) so it's pretty neat of them to make them available at basically retail price.
Also, the price they have for KaLIVEoscope is insane, so if you're even a little interested and don't have that release yet, I'd definitely recommend getting it.
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I still have my Live in Europe CD/DVD set from eons ago I think it has a slight misprint on the DVD. I must've watched those DVDs every single day for months when they came first got released.
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In fact, this album now holds #2 spot for me, only eclipsed by Bridge Across Forever and I still may move it up again.
Wow. Cool. BAF is my joint favourite with TW. Given your comments I'll hit the Forevermore version when the fancy next takes me.
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Ugh, had Building the Bridge in my cart, got distracted by work, and then it sold out.
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I just got a copy about two weeks ago; I forget where (it wasn't Radiant). Let me check to see if there any left.
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In fact, this album now holds #2 spot for me, only eclipsed by Bridge Across Forever and I still may move it up again.
Wow. Cool. BAF is my joint favourite with TW. Given your comments I'll hit the Forevermore version when the fancy next takes me.
Honestly it took me about 3 or 4 full listens to start kind of getting it. My rankings are very pragmatic. This one gets the #2 spot by virtue of the fact that SMPT:e has about 17 minutes of music that I don't care for (the Procol Harem cover) and on this one it's closer to 7 or 8 minutes that I could do without. The only thing I skip here is sometimes the last track of disc 2 "love made a way" I get that he was going for the grandiose and bombastic but it's so...expected. I really wanted a different kind of ending than what we got with The Whirlwind and this song is not much different from Dancing With Eternal Glory except the title "Love Made a Way" sounds less religious. But it's pretty much the same mid-tempo song with different melodies and different lyrics that convey almost the same message. I was hoping for a departure from that since it's been done many times already, but that's a minor gripe.
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I'm about 2/3 of the way through Forevermore now. Very good. The first few tracks felt more natural and energetic to me than TBOL versions.
I'm on Solitude right now tho. Neal has just come in on vocals. I'm no believer but thanked God for that. Pete's vocal on this one is a wincer... :lol
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
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Now that we've had these albums a couple weeks, I'm curious as to the overall concept of multiple versions. I find myself falling into a groove of one or the other but when I switch, it's really throwing me off. I can't imagine having multiple versions of any of my favorite albums. Not that more isn't better or worse, just that the concept of multiple sort of changes how I digest and memorize. Overall I'm finding it weird.
This is a reason, I knew I was going to end up making a playlist that mixes certain songs from both albums. If I really wanted to, but don't want to take the time, I would've made one that splices the good parts I like from both versions.
I haven't heard the Blu-Ray version. For those that have, is it just the songs placed in a certain order, or does Portnoy actually split sections from both versions into one song, like take a chorus from Forevermore and the verse from The Breath of Life?
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
I remember when I first listened to The Whirlwind and Pete came in as the first lead vocal on the whole album I felt similar bewilderment. I'm used to it now but it still seems like an odd choice. If I recall the making of (it's been a while) he was the one who wrote that part but Pete would be the first to say he's no lead singer right?
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
Fair enough. I'm still baffled that this opinion exists. So I guess we're equally baffled. :lol
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
I remember when I first listened to The Whirlwind and Pete came in as the first lead vocal on the whole album I felt similar bewilderment. I'm used to it now but it still seems like an odd choice. If I recall the making of (it's been a while) he was the one who wrote that part but Pete would be the first to say he's no lead singer right?
If I'm not mistaken, that's Roine singing.
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
I remember when I first listened to The Whirlwind and Pete came in as the first lead vocal on the whole album I felt similar bewilderment. I'm used to it now but it still seems like an odd choice. If I recall the making of (it's been a while) he was the one who wrote that part but Pete would be the first to say he's no lead singer right?
If I'm not mistaken, that's Roine singing.
You're absolutely right, lol. Nevermind, I must've mixed it up with a demo or something.
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
Fair enough. I'm still baffled that this opinion exists. So I guess we're equally baffled. :lol
i'm kinda baffled too i don't find Pete that bad.
but then again. My Fav artist is Tom Waits. Ya can't go by me :lol
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Regarding having two versions of the album, I do think it’s made for an interesting experience and in a lot of ways I’m appreciative of both. However, in terms of connecting with it as an album I do kind of feel not entirely satisfied with either version. Part of it is just the sense that having an alternate version invites you to nitpick about the differing versions rather than just enjoying them for what they are. But that’s not too different from how I experience a lot of albums (I’m frequently making playlists with alternate running orders or track lists for other albums).
That said, I’m mostly just happy that I can say I’ve enjoyed new Transatlantic music 20 years after Bridge Across Forever.
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Is that what they’re aiming for though? Not sounding that bad? “we’ll let Pete/Mike sing this one, it doesn’t sound that bad”. Surely you want it to sound as good as it can rather than settle for an inferior version that doesn’t sound that bad.
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Is that what they’re aiming for though? Not sounding that bad? “we’ll let Pete/Mike sing this one, it doesn’t sound that bad”. Surely you want it to sound as good as it can rather than settle for an inferior version that doesn’t sound that bad.
They want to be like The Beatles, or other bands where everyone sings. I get it, but that only works when each singer is at least decent/competent besides singing backup vocals. The band does at least have enough sense to keep Mike and Pete's vocals to a minimum, even if this album features them more than previous efforts.
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Is that what they’re aiming for though? Not sounding that bad? “we’ll let Pete/Mike sing this one, it doesn’t sound that bad”. Surely you want it to sound as good as it can rather than settle for an inferior version that doesn’t sound that bad.
honostly i don't think they're thinking. oh Pete don't sing it's not good enough. i think they're just doing what they like.....good on them too.
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Now that we've had these albums a couple weeks, I'm curious as to the overall concept of multiple versions. I find myself falling into a groove of one or the other but when I switch, it's really throwing me off. I can't imagine having multiple versions of any of my favorite albums. Not that more isn't better or worse, just that the concept of multiple sort of changes how I digest and memorize. Overall I'm finding it weird.
This is a reason, I knew I was going to end up making a playlist that mixes certain songs from both albums. If I really wanted to, but don't want to take the time, I would've made one that splices the good parts I like from both versions.
I haven't heard the Blu-Ray version. For those that have, is it just the songs placed in a certain order, or does Portnoy actually split sections from both versions into one song, like take a chorus from Forevermore and the verse from The Breath of Life?
Regarding the Ultimate Mix on the BD, as far as I know, each song/track has a single set of lyrics similar to what it is on its respective home album, so no song mixes lyrics up, but there are instrumental changes in at least thr songs that I know of right off the bat - The Overture includes about a minute more of music unique to the version on TBOL that wasn't in the Forevermore version, so it ends up being longer than either version; and "The Greatest Story Never Ends" includes music unique to BOTH versions, making it the longest of the three; and the finale "Love Made A Way" closes with the timpani from the end of TBOL, but the lyrics at the beginning are from the Forevermore version.
The only songs on the Ultimate Mix that come from TBOL are "Reaching For The Sky", "Take Now My Soul", "Love Made A Way (Prelude)", and "Can You Feel It".
Honestly, it's probably the best way to listen to the album, especially if you like RFTS over HLAW, and TNMS over SHSL, which are the two biggest differences between Forevermore and the Ultimate Mix (aside from including the TBOL-only song CYFI). If you get the BD and are able to rip it, it's an optimal choice for portable listening. I even made an edit of my WAVs that includes the ending of "The World We Used To Know" and the opening of "The Sun Comes Up Today" to create a 2CD-r version of the Ultimate Mix if I don't have my phone or iPod, or just want to keep the CDs in a player for awhile.
-Marc.
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
Fair enough. I'm still baffled that this opinion exists. So I guess we're equally baffled. :lol
i'm kinda baffled too i don't find Pete that bad.
but then again. My Fav artist is Tom Waits. Ya can't go by me :lol
HAHAHA. :tup
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
Maybe it was Pete's song so they gave him the honors? He who writes it gets to sing it?
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
Fair enough. I'm still baffled that this opinion exists. So I guess we're equally baffled. :lol
I get people not liking Pete's voice. But I think once it's clear that there are people who do (bosk evidently does, and I do, too), then I think you have to stop being baffled by the decision to use him. There's an obvious explanation for that decision: They like his voice.
Honestly, it's probably the best way to listen to the album, especially if you like RFTS over HLAW, and TNMS over SHSL, which are the two biggest differences between Forevermore and the Ultimate Mix (aside from including the TBOL-only song CYFI). If you get the BD and are able to rip it, it's an optimal choice for portable listening. I even made an edit of my WAVs that includes the ending of "The World We Used To Know" and the opening of "The Sun Comes Up Today" to create a 2CD-r version of the Ultimate Mix if I don't have my phone or iPod, or just want to keep the CDs in a player for awhile.
-Marc.
Alright, I'm completely sold. I need to make ripping this Blu-Ray a priority. I very specifically prefer RFTS and TNMS over their Forevermore equivalents, really like Can You Feel It, and otherwise want all the Forevermore content. And it's a great bonus to hear that there's stuff from TBOL on the Overture and The Greatest Story.
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
Fair enough. I'm still baffled that this opinion exists. So I guess we're equally baffled. :lol
I get people not liking Pete's voice. But I think once it's clear that there are people who do (bosk evidently does, and I do, too), then I think you have to stop being baffled by the decision to use him. There's an obvious explanation for that decision: They like his voice.
Also, it’s his voice. There’s something about an artist just being who he is, and if he wants to sing with the sound of his own voice, more power to him. He’s limited as a singer, but what he sings he doesn’t sing badly so much as he just sounds funny (he sounds funny when he talks too). I’m generally ok with singers who aren’t really technically proficient, especially in prog. It adds a human element that this type of music kind of needs.
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Is that what they’re aiming for though? Not sounding that bad? “we’ll let Pete/Mike sing this one, it doesn’t sound that bad”. Surely you want it to sound as good as it can rather than settle for an inferior version that doesn’t sound that bad.
They want to be like The Beatles, or other bands where everyone sings. I get it, but that only works when each singer is at least decent/competent besides singing backup vocals. The band does at least have enough sense to keep Mike and Pete's vocals to a minimum, even if this album features them more than previous efforts.
I don't lump Mike in there; I LIKE his singing on this record, and I think it's the best of his career. I'm assuming that's him sharing with Neal on Take Now My Soul (the second verse); I think that's excellent. He sounds strong there, without some of the affectations that he sometimes uses. That may be my favorite song on the record so far (though Can You Feel It is pretty strong). I like Looking For The Light as well.
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I think there are points on this album where Mike and Neal are a little hard to tell apart. And I think that's partly Neal's voice getting weaker and partly Mike's technique improving.
I'm primed to dislike the vocal sections of Looking for the Light; that's the song whose lyrics I take strongest umbrage at. But it absolutely is a strong performance by Mike.
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I stopped paying attention to Neal Morse's lyrics about a decade ago, it's done wonders for my enjoyment of his solo music and the last couple of TA albums to a lesser extent.
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Neal's lyrics mean zero to me so it never bothered me. i'm not one of those guys who are like you can't talk your religion around me. you can absolutely......it's just not gonna affect me either way. So Neal's lyrics zip by me.
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I'm on Solitude right now tho. Neal has just come in on vocals. I'm no believer but thanked God for that. Pete's vocal on this one is a wincer... :lol
:rollin
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Pete singing on this album reminds me of Tarantino acting in some of his films. Many say Tarantino's acting is terrible and dings the overall quality of the film, just like many (not just here) are saying that Pete's vocals on this are the one hair in the soup, but, hey, that's art for ya. You throw stuff against a wall, some of which sticks, and some of which does not, right? Five albums in, I am really not gonna quibble too much (anymore) about the band finally having a couple of tracks that are skippable because of some bad vocals. Their track record is still pretty damn strong overall.
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Honestly, it's probably the best way to listen to the album, especially if you like RFTS over HLAW, and TNMS over SHSL, which are the two biggest differences between Forevermore and the Ultimate Mix (aside from including the TBOL-only song CYFI). If you get the BD and are able to rip it, it's an optimal choice for portable listening. I even made an edit of my WAVs that includes the ending of "The World We Used To Know" and the opening of "The Sun Comes Up Today" to create a 2CD-r version of the Ultimate Mix if I don't have my phone or iPod, or just want to keep the CDs in a player for awhile.
-Marc.
Alright, I'm completely sold. I need to make ripping this Blu-Ray a priority. I very specifically prefer RFTS and TNMS over their Forevermore equivalents, really like Can You Feel It, and otherwise want all the Forevermore content. And it's a great bonus to hear that there's stuff from TBOL on the Overture and The Greatest Story.
Interesting that you pick "Take Now My Soul" over "Swing High, Swing Low" - do you like Mike's vocals on that second verse? I feel like that verse will age poorly as we move away from the pandemic in the years to come (which is how I feel about some of the "new" lyrics on TBOL). At least the slightly political lyrics by Roine on Forevermore are vague enough that they may be about any number of political figures and situations in the years and decades to come. Going back to Roine's Wall Street Voodoo, released in 2005, and most of those lyrics are still (frighteningly) relevant over 15 years later.
I guess you could view Mike's verse in TNMS as a more metaphorical isolation and loneliness, but as we live in the pandemic, it definitely feels like Neal is writing about lockdown and quarantine specifically (which is a thing I've noticed about a lot of Neal's lyrics - you can read them any number of ways, but you definitely know what he actually means by them).
-Marc.
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I'll admit I could still come around on Swing High, Swing Low. But I do think I like the lyrics better on Take Now My Soul. It's kind of a poignant look at a more concrete, real-life scenario, while Swing High, Swing Low feels a little vague (which isn't inherently bad, but here the more specific lyrics are good). And I like the flow of some of the lines in TNMS better, including the title line and "all the bootstrap people fled in tears."
I'll add that while topical lyrics often tend to age poorly (e.g. DT's The Great Debate), I sort of doubt that's as likely to be the case with songs about COVID-19. This is such a major and often traumatic event in the lives of everyone living through this period that it's not just going to fade into hazy memory within a few years the way a song criticizing a particular public figure or discussing a specific political controversy from the early 2000s might. Now, if someone did a song talking in weirdly specific terms about COVID-19, like with specific references to Anthony Fauci and New York nursing homes and AstraZeneca vaccines or something, then those could age poorly because people are going to forget the specific references. But a song like Take Now My Soul, which is devoid of overly specific references and focused instead on the experience of living through this time, is going to age just fine, in my opinion.
I compare it to songs about 9/11. That was a traumatic event in the lives of most people who were alive and old enough to be aware of it. A lot of songs came out of it, and I guess some of them may not have aged so well (probably any that made very specific references to concrete events that happened in the months right after it), but I think most of them did. To take the one we all know, I think Sacrificed Sons aged just fine. It focuses on the experience of witnessing that event and the big-picture soul-searching a lot of people probably did in the aftermath. It's even to the point where I can connect with that song in a very serious way even though (and I'm revealing my youth here and probably making a lot of people feel old) I was too young to really get what was going when 9/11 happened (I was aware of it in the sense that I was loosely aware that "some bad guys flew airplanes into buildings" and that a lot of people were killed and a lot of people were scared, but I was way too young—and fortunately not directly enough affected—to really feel the significance and impact of it).
Edit: To be clear, I'm not trying to make a direct comparison between these two events in terms of the level of badness. Don't want to debate that. Just that both caused significant trauma to a lot of people, probably the majority of people in certain countries, and had major impacts on the lives of most people in those countries over a long period of time.
(By the way, Marc, thanks for the PM you sent me. I couldn't respond directly because your inbox is full.)
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I agree with all of that 425. The lyrics are not going to lose their relevance.
I also prefer Take Now My Soul. I like Mike's verse, plus I just prefer the phrasing of the chorus - it feels more poetic and engaging to me, whereas "swing high swing low" feels kind of corny and awkward. Not saying it is objectively the case, just how they sound to me.
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Poetic and engaging versus corny and awkward is a good way of putting how I feel about it, too. I'd also say the flow of ideas is more logical. If he's asking God get him through to tomorrow, it makes sense to also ask Him to take now his soul. Asking Him to swing high, swing low doesn't make as much sense to me. I listened to Breath of Life first, so when I first listened to Swing High, Swing Low, I expected the second line of the chorus to be different.
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I also like Take now my soul better than Swing high, swing low. The lyrics do feel a bit generic at this point in time, though, but five years from now, they will have depth.
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I also prefer Take Now My Soul. I like Mike's verse, plus I just prefer the phrasing of the chorus - it feels more poetic and engaging to me, whereas "swing high swing low" feels kind of corny and awkward. Not saying it is objectively the case, just how they sound to me.
I'm the opposite of this, and I would use describe the chorus of Take Now My Soul using exactly the same words, corny and awkward. It's really a good thing they released two versions of this. :)
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I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
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I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
Yeah, I find the COVID-centered lyrics a bit too on the nose. I’m a little worried we’re going to be inundated with these sorts of references in new music for the next year or so. I do think “Take now my soul” is a little bit better line than “swing high, swing low” though. Not sure what is swinging high or low (the reference seems to be to “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” I guess).
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I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
Yeah, I find the COVID-centered lyrics a bit too on the nose. I’m a little worried we’re going to be inundated with these sorts of references in new music for the next year or so. I do think “Take now my soul” is a little bit better line than “swing high, swing low” though. Not sure what is swinging high or low (the reference seems to be to “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” I guess).
I don't mind that at all. Because they're artists and the music reflects the artists. Many were affected in different ways and this will inspire a lot of interesting music.
It'll remind me of the music of the 60's after WWII ended. Or the rise of Hip-Hop, due to the struggles in the streets.
I prefer Swing High, Swing Low and those lyrics better. I feel they describe this desperation better here. And it's better with the lyrics of "Where were you when I was losing everything?" and whether you swing high or low at the ball, the hope is it'll at least just get you through the day and onto tomorrow so you can go safely home.
I think it could be about their European tour and how they were there when the pandemic became world-wide and they were hoping to get home safely, and Neal being the lyricist chose to use "please help me lord I'm coming home" to represent how he was in prayer so he can get home to his family.
That 3 run section of Swing High, Swing Low - Rainbow Sky have some great lyrics. Actually this album has great lyrics, that is the Forevermore version does to me.
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So the one spot that I really love on Forevermore that Neal axed on TBOL is the part in Heart Like a Whirlwind where they hit that vocal harmony on “like a window to another woooorld.” That’s one of the best vocal moments on the whole album.
Just listened to the first disc of Forevermore again. It’s such an easy and rewarding listen. I kind of just wish they had stopped there and then if Neal still wanted to do his thing with TBOL, pretty much everything good that’s on disc 2 is covered and/or improved on TBOL (maybe throw Lonesome Rebel onto disc 1).
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I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
Yeah, I find the COVID-centered lyrics a bit too on the nose. I’m a little worried we’re going to be inundated with these sorts of references in new music for the next year or so. I do think “Take now my soul” is a little bit better line than “swing high, swing low” though. Not sure what is swinging high or low (the reference seems to be to “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” I guess).
I don't mean the lyrics themselves are not good (not sure, haven't paid enough attention to them), I just mean, the wording of them do not seem to flow well in Take Now My Soul. Same deal with the verses in Heart Like a Whirlwind. The lyrics in the verses of Reaching for the Sky simply flow a lot better melodically, IMO.
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Every album's lyrics are a snapshot in time.
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I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
Yeah, I find the COVID-centered lyrics a bit too on the nose. I’m a little worried we’re going to be inundated with these sorts of references in new music for the next year or so. I do think “Take now my soul” is a little bit better line than “swing high, swing low” though. Not sure what is swinging high or low (the reference seems to be to “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” I guess).
I don't mean the lyrics themselves are not good (not sure, haven't paid enough attention to them), I just mean, the wording of them do not seem to flow well in Take Now My Soul. Same deal with the verses in Heart Like a Whirlwind. The lyrics in the verses of Reaching for the Sky simply flow a lot better melodically, IMO.
What if he just sings this live...
"Swing high, swing low
Just get me through to tomorrow
Take now my soul
Carry me through, lord I'm coming home"
I actually prefer the word flow of "Swing High, Swing Low" but I like the words used of "Take Now My Soul" and I wouldn't have minded if they did this instead. And now I wish they did this instead. :lol
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Every album's lyrics are a snapshot in time.
I get that, and I don’t necessarily think Neal does a bad job writing about it. It’s more if I have a choice between listening to the Forevermore version of the song that is about something else, I’d rather hear that than hear someone sing about COVID lockdown. Maybe in a few years I’ll feel differently but while we’re still in it it just kind of feels a little weird. I also think the “moistened heat could not subside our fears” is a little bit awkward, but I suppose it’s up there I guess with classic Neal lines like “bathe in the smell of the buzz’s perfume” and “I ate mustard today.” :-)
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I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
Yeah, I find the COVID-centered lyrics a bit too on the nose. I’m a little worried we’re going to be inundated with these sorts of references in new music for the next year or so. I do think “Take now my soul” is a little bit better line than “swing high, swing low” though. Not sure what is swinging high or low (the reference seems to be to “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” I guess).
I'm sure it's got a lot to do with my general life point of view, and the fact that I'm more likely than many others' here to politically disagree with the artists I like, but if that's an "on the nose" reference to "COVID", then I don't know what to tell you. I only got one line that really triggered "COVID" ("Now here we are in isolated dissonance...") and that's only after reading what you wrote and going back to the lyrics.
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I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
Yeah, I find the COVID-centered lyrics a bit too on the nose. I’m a little worried we’re going to be inundated with these sorts of references in new music for the next year or so. I do think “Take now my soul” is a little bit better line than “swing high, swing low” though. Not sure what is swinging high or low (the reference seems to be to “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” I guess).
I'm sure it's got a lot to do with my general life point of view, and the fact that I'm more likely than many others' here to politically disagree with the artists I like, but if that's an "on the nose" reference to "COVID", then I don't know what to tell you. I only got one line that really triggered "COVID" ("Now here we are in isolated dissonance...") and that's only after reading what you wrote and going back to the lyrics.
I think Neal even said this, but I interpreted TBOL to be explicitly about COVID and the shutdown situation (breath of life, get it?). It’s most obvious probably on the first verse of Take Now My Soul:
I watched as the lights went down on Main Street (businesses shutting down)
And all the bootstrap people fled in tears
When summer comes we'll dance again, oh yes we will (people thought summer would slow the virus)
But the moistened heat could not subside our fears (didn’t happen!)
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Every album's lyrics are a snapshot in time.
I get that, and I don’t necessarily think Neal does a bad job writing about it. It’s more if I have a choice between listening to the Forevermore version of the song that is about something else, I’d rather hear that than hear someone sing about COVID lockdown. Maybe in a few years I’ll feel differently but while we’re still in it it just kind of feels a little weird. I also think the “moistened heat could not subside our fears” is a little bit awkward, but I suppose it’s up there I guess with classic Neal lines like “bathe in the smell of the buzz’s perfume” and “I ate mustard today.” :-)
:lol There are some unusual Neal lyrics on this album. I'm still trying to figure out what "turnkey farmers" are in "Can You Feel It"...and just where are they running?
But yeah, I agree with HOF here, Neal's TBOL lyrics are very COVID-y, and you can tell from his interviews about it that he used real life experiences for his lyrics, like the first couple of lines in "Take Now My Soul" were inspired by events that happened in Nashville, I believe.
Here are a few other key lyrics and phrases that are very COVID-y that I've noticed are:
"Another mask, a day, a night" (RFTS)
"Now we're all locked away inside" (RFTS)
"Now here we are in isolated dissonance, with some among us longing for the end" (TNMS)
While I do appreciate a slightly more cohesive lyrical content on TBOL, I miss the diversity of lyrics presented in the songs that were cut from the album to shorten it.
I hadn't listened to Take Now My Soul since I first got the album (since my ultimate edition I made has Swing High, Swing Low), so I gave it a fresh whirl and was shocked at how awkward it sounded. Neal's verse (the first one) sounds clunky and odd, and Portnoy's isn't much better; the lyrics just don't flow well melodically. Crazy how Neal made Heart Like a Whirlwind significantly better with Reaching for the Sky, and then did the exact opposite for that one.
Yeah, I find the COVID-centered lyrics a bit too on the nose. I’m a little worried we’re going to be inundated with these sorts of references in new music for the next year or so. I do think “Take now my soul” is a little bit better line than “swing high, swing low” though. Not sure what is swinging high or low (the reference seems to be to “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” I guess).
I don't mean the lyrics themselves are not good (not sure, haven't paid enough attention to them), I just mean, the wording of them do not seem to flow well in Take Now My Soul. Same deal with the verses in Heart Like a Whirlwind. The lyrics in the verses of Reaching for the Sky simply flow a lot better melodically, IMO.
I think hearing the RFTS single first before the album came out kind of left an impression on me, and so when I first heard HLAW, the vocal melody in the verses felt extremely flat by comparison. But I like that the vocal lines in HLAW are similar to those of Pete's in TSCUT, which created a sort of parallel between the first vocals of each half of the album. I'm not sure if this was on purpose or by coincidence, but it creates a nice mirroring effect at the beginning of each CD.
-Marc.
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I’m pretty sure they did say that Forevermore was about our current times in general and TBOL was more specifically covid related. I’ve never paid too much attention to the lyrics on either version though.
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Now that we've had these albums a couple weeks, I'm curious as to the overall concept of multiple versions. I find myself falling into a groove of one or the other but when I switch, it's really throwing me off. I can't imagine having multiple versions of any of my favorite albums. Not that more isn't better or worse, just that the concept of multiple sort of changes how I digest and memorize. Overall I'm finding it weird.
Only have listened to Forevermore about 20 times or so and I like it a lot. I think I'd ready to listen to The Breath Of Life version this week and see what happens.
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I am still utterly baffled by that decision. Portnoy doing the odd song here and there I can take, but they need to leave Pete on backing vocals only, in my opinion.
Fair enough. I'm still baffled that this opinion exists. So I guess we're equally baffled. :lol
I get people not liking Pete's voice. But I think once it's clear that there are people who do (bosk evidently does, and I do, too), then I think you have to stop being baffled by the decision to use him. There's an obvious explanation for that decision: They like his voice.
Also, it’s his voice. There’s something about an artist just being who he is, and if he wants to sing with the sound of his own voice, more power to him. He’s limited as a singer, but what he sings he doesn’t sing badly so much as he just sounds funny (he sounds funny when he talks too). I’m generally ok with singers who aren’t really technically proficient, especially in prog. It adds a human element that this type of music kind of needs.
It they are passionate and committed to the task at hand I don't usually see it as a problem either.
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For the record, I'm not suggesting it's NOT about COVID, I'm just saying that the "directness" is subjective. Compared to some of Pearl Jam's songs, or Neil Young's songs, these might as well be in code. :) :) :)
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I don't know, I think it's great that there's current, topical content in the lyrics. As I said earlier in the thread every album is a snapshot in time. 5 years from now when I listen to these albums it will take me back to this time and what things were like and I'm OK with that. In fact, I kind of like it. :)
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A longtime friend, who has been a fan of Neal and Roine and TA for about as long as I have, finally got around to listening to the new album last night. He gave The Breath of Life a whirl first and his first text to me about it was, "Sounds like a Neal Morse solo album." :lol :lol
Suffice it to say, I have strongly advised him to move on right away to Forevermore. :coolio :coolio
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Still have not heard TBOL - but Forevermore is awesome!
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A longtime friend, who has been a fan of Neal and Roine and TA for about as long as I have, finally got around to listening to the new album last night. He gave The Breath of Life a whirl first and his first text to me about it was, "Sounds like a Neal Morse solo album." :lol :lol
Suffice it to say, I have strongly advised him to move on right away to Forevermore. :coolio :coolio
:lol
This seems to be the consensus in most forums and reviews, and it makes sense given that Neal was the one at the helm of TBOL. With less Roine, and more Neal, the balance of TA's sound was going to go favor Neal on TBOL no matter what, even if he did cut out "Bully" and "Rainbow Sky" (only 5:30 of the whole album), he still cut out eleven minutes of Roine's music in TWWUTK and LR, five minutes of Pete's music in TSCUT, and got rid of Roine's vocals in HTTM. Granted, he did give Pete and Mike more vocal spots in TBOL in the songs he did change, but the album as a whole favors Neal over-all.
I think it's great if you like Neal's work a lot, and don't mind his sound dominating Transatlantic, but for me, the band has always been about finding a balance between their influences, inspirations, and ideas, which is why I don't rank SMPT:e very highly since the album is heavily Neal/Spock's-sounding. I think The Whirlwind hit a fairly good balance overall, with a bit more Roine and Pete than their first two albums, but I feel like Forevermore is right up there with The Whirlwind in terms of giving each of the four members a chance to shine without taking more spotlight than anyone else.
And since I'm thinking about it, here are my album rankings, in relative order:
The Whirlwind / Bridge Across Forever
The Absolute Universe - The Ultimate Mix
The Absolute Universe - Forevermore
Kaleidoscope / SMPT:e
The Absolute Universe - The Breath Of Life
For the better part of the 00's, Bridge was one of my favorite albums of all time, but then The Whirlwind came out and almost dethroned it as my favorite TA album, but even nearly 12 years later, I still find myself struggling to pick between the two as the top spot. And putting TBOL last, I really don't think I'll listen to it very often since the other two versions are just much better IMO, and if I want a shorter TA experience, I'd rather listen to the debut or Kaleidoscope.
-Marc.
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I'm pretty much the same with The Breath of Life at this point. I gave it a listen the other day, because I only had about an hour to listen to some music and I wanted to listen to the new TA album, so it's good for that reason, I suppose. However, when listening, I can't help but feel like it's the inferior product when compared to Forevermore. That may be the last time I listen to it for a while, and with only one song unique to it, "Can You Feel It" I feel like I'll get even more enjoyment out of the Ultimate version whenever it arrives, as that one song is nothing special IMO. Forevermore is tied at #2 with BAF for me, but TBOL is down at the bottom, below Kaleidoscope.
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Sounds like I'm an outlier but I just find Forevermore too bloated. TBOL is an easy preference for me (and it's not like I'm a huge Neal fan or anything), but also it was very easy to supplement it with the better of the "missing" songs from Forevermore into my own preferred arrangement.
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Sounds like I'm an outlier but I just find Forevermore too bloated. TBOL is an easy preference for me (and it's not like I'm a huge Neal fan or anything), but also it was very easy to supplement it with the better of the "missing" songs from Forevermore into my own preferred arrangement.
I've said before that Neal had the right idea to cut it down a little, but he cut too much out imo, and edited too much of Roine's contributions out, and made his guitar lower in the mix, and I prefer most of the vocals on Forevermore as well. The first disc of Forevermore is excellent, the best single disc of music between the 3 discs, and I think the 2nd disc has some flaws but the entire experience is more fulfilling for me than TBOL, which as I said feels 'too' short. I also like the flow of Forevermore over TBOL.
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Here's a question, and try not to change it as we have to keep things static to have the results have meaning. When it comes to analyzing things like the different versions, I always say you have to keep the time as a factor, and that is especially true when it comes to a live set. With that being said, and for simplicity assuming a ~90 minute Transatlantic set, would you rather see:
Forevermore
Breath of Life + Stranger in Your Soul
The question, that I'm not articulating well, is that for those of you who prefer Forevermore, do you prefer it enough to sacrifice a half hour of other TA material (like Stranger in You Soul) during a live set?
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I ended up ripping Forevermore into two separate tracks. And ripping TBOL into separate tracks. The crossfades on Forevermore flow great, and it was hard to not rip it together. While TBOL, I think flows alright.
For me, I really like Swing High, Swing Low and the rest of disc 1, and also TSCUT to Lonesome Rebel. I would've preferred another vocalist for The Sun Comes Up Today, like Roine taking the verses and having Pete do the Chorus. It's like they let whomever brought in the idea, sing the vocals for it. I actually enjoy Pete's vocals in Solitude, I think they work fine here. But in, TSCUT, it's a high-lead vocal part, and Pete does not have the tone for it. Lonesome Rebel, is my favorite of the 2nd disc songs, even though it's short. I also, prefer the extra lyrics in Solitude. This is why I prefer Forevermore
The Breath of Life, has some great parts as well, and is a nice way to shorten the Forevermore version. I also like Can You Feel It, and the lyrics as well to Take Now My Soul.
Now my own version of The Absolute Universe, includes both Can You Feel It, and Lonesome Rebel back to back. I may end up trying to mix the first verse of Take Now My Soul and the rest of Swing High, Swing Low into it's own song, but I really want the chorus to have both sets of lyrics from both chorus' like this...
"Swing High, Swing Low
Just get me through tomorrow
Take Now My Soul
Carry me through lord I'm coming home"
I think it would be really cool if they did this live.
Edit: I listened to both back to back on Audacity and it's hilarious hearing the music stay the same but the lyrics are different and the melodies slightly different.
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Here's a question, and try not to change it as we have to keep things static to have the results have meaning. When it comes to analyzing things like the different versions, I always say you have to keep the time as a factor, and that is especially true when it comes to a live set. With that being said, and for simplicity assuming a ~90 minute Transatlantic set, would you rather see:
Forevermore
Breath of Life + Stranger in Your Soul
The question, that I'm not articulating well, is that for those of you who prefer Forevermore, do you prefer it enough to sacrifice a half hour of other TA material (like Stranger in You Soul) during a live set?
As someone who hasn't seen them live, if given the chance, I'd rather see them play SIYS, since I've obviously never seen it live before. But as a fan who has bought all of the live albums (and even Neal's live albums) where they've played SIYS so much, I would rather see them play all of Forevermore with the 90 minutes of time (though ideally, the 98 minute Ultimate version would be my pick).
So yes, if given the option, I'd rather see them use the 98-100 minutes of their complete concert time dedicated to the new album. It still leaves them roughly 65-75 minutes of concert time left for other material, which might not seem like a lot, but I'm sure Mike could figure out a satisfactory set list for them.
-Marc.
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I'm pretty much the same with The Breath of Life at this point. I gave it a listen the other day, because I only had about an hour to listen to some music and I wanted to listen to the new TA album, so it's good for that reason, I suppose. However, when listening, I can't help but feel like it's the inferior product when compared to Forevermore. That may be the last time I listen to it for a while, and with only one song unique to it, "Can You Feel It" I feel like I'll get even more enjoyment out of the Ultimate version whenever it arrives, as that one song is nothing special IMO. Forevermore is tied at #2 with BAF for me, but TBOL is down at the bottom, below Kaleidoscope.
Forevermore is now my #2 as well, behind BAF. I've yet to hear TBOL - but am I correct, in reading this, that there's only one unique song that is not on Forevermore? If that's the case, maybe I'll just buy that one song on iTunes and create a playlist with that song added to Forevermore. That sounds like all I'll need. I would, of course, like to get my hands on the Ultimate edition, if it were to become available to purchase on a cd or a download.
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I'm pretty much the same with The Breath of Life at this point. I gave it a listen the other day, because I only had about an hour to listen to some music and I wanted to listen to the new TA album, so it's good for that reason, I suppose. However, when listening, I can't help but feel like it's the inferior product when compared to Forevermore. That may be the last time I listen to it for a while, and with only one song unique to it, "Can You Feel It" I feel like I'll get even more enjoyment out of the Ultimate version whenever it arrives, as that one song is nothing special IMO. Forevermore is tied at #2 with BAF for me, but TBOL is down at the bottom, below Kaleidoscope.
Forevermore is now my #2 as well, behind BAF. I've yet to hear TBOL - but am I correct, in reading this, that there's only one unique song that is not on Forevermore? If that's the case, maybe I'll just buy that one song on iTunes and create a playlist with that song added to Forevermore. That sounds like all I'll need. I would, of course, like to get my hands on the Ultimate edition, if it were to become available to purchase on a cd or a download.
Some songs have new lyrics, vocalists, and arrangements on TBOL compared to Forevermore. It's definitely worth a listen once you've gotten Forevermore under your belt.
-Marc.
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I'm pretty much the same with The Breath of Life at this point. I gave it a listen the other day, because I only had about an hour to listen to some music and I wanted to listen to the new TA album, so it's good for that reason, I suppose. However, when listening, I can't help but feel like it's the inferior product when compared to Forevermore. That may be the last time I listen to it for a while, and with only one song unique to it, "Can You Feel It" I feel like I'll get even more enjoyment out of the Ultimate version whenever it arrives, as that one song is nothing special IMO. Forevermore is tied at #2 with BAF for me, but TBOL is down at the bottom, below Kaleidoscope.
Forevermore is now my #2 as well, behind BAF. I've yet to hear TBOL - but am I correct, in reading this, that there's only one unique song that is not on Forevermore? If that's the case, maybe I'll just buy that one song on iTunes and create a playlist with that song added to Forevermore. That sounds like all I'll need. I would, of course, like to get my hands on the Ultimate edition, if it were to become available to purchase on a cd or a download.
Some songs have new lyrics, vocalists, and arrangements on TBOL compared to Forevermore. It's definitely worth a listen once you've gotten Forevermore under your belt.
-Marc.
And if you really want an easy way to hear the differences, just import both versions onto Audacity and hit play. :lol
It really showcases the differences in the lyrical melodies, especially in the length of some notes and note beat due to the word change and syllables in each word.
Just this slight difference is why I prefer Swing High, Swing Lows vocals over Take Now My Soul.
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Here's a question, and try not to change it as we have to keep things static to have the results have meaning. When it comes to analyzing things like the different versions, I always say you have to keep the time as a factor, and that is especially true when it comes to a live set. With that being said, and for simplicity assuming a ~90 minute Transatlantic set, would you rather see:
Forevermore
Breath of Life + Stranger in Your Soul
The question, that I'm not articulating well, is that for those of you who prefer Forevermore, do you prefer it enough to sacrifice a half hour of other TA material (like Stranger in You Soul) during a live set?
As someone who hasn't seen them live, if given the chance, I'd rather see them play SIYS, since I've obviously never seen it live before. But as a fan who has bought all of the live albums (and even Neal's live albums) where they've played SIYS so much, I would rather see them play all of Forevermore with the 90 minutes of time (though ideally, the 98 minute Ultimate version would be my pick).
So yes, if given the option, I'd rather see them use the 98-100 minutes of their complete concert time dedicated to the new album. It still leaves them roughly 65-75 minutes of concert time left for other material, which might not seem like a lot, but I'm sure Mike could figure out a satisfactory set list for them.
-Marc.
This is my take as well. I have never seen TA and would love to finally see them and get Stranger..., but getting The Breath of Life would leave me too much musical blue balls, which of course would inevitably come back later in the set when Portnoy has them do a bunch of medleys to cover the rest of the back catalogue. :lol
Play the whole songs!! :tup :tup
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It should be noted that TBOL does has some other little bits of music not found on Forevermore throughout the other tracks, and that's without mentioning the change of lyrics, different singers for different parts, etc... but the there is only one standalone song that is completely unique to TBOL only. "Can You Feel It"
However, it's still worth hearing, and is it's own experience. I just prefer Forevermore.
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Where do you guys currently rank The Absolute Universe in context with the rest of the band members' work?
I would put TAU:Forevermore up there with the best albums these guys were a part of: The Whirlwind, Bridge Across Forever; Spock's The Light, V; Neal's ? album, Sola Scriptura, Testimony 2, Similitude/The Great Adventure; TFK's Stardust We Are, Flower Power, Space Revolver, Unfold The Future; Dream Theater's I&W, Awake, SFAM, 6D, and so on...
Every day for the last couple of weeks, when I wake up, I have had some part of The Absolute Universe stuck in my head. Even with its flaws, this album really is one of the best albums these guys have put out collectively or on their own. Almost unbelievable after all the other great music they've made.
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Where do you guys currently rank The Absolute Universe in context with the rest of the band members' work?
I would put TAU:Forevermore up there with the best albums these guys were a part of: The Whirlwind, Bridge Across Forever; Spock's The Light, V; Neal's ? album, Sola Scriptura, Testimony 2, Similitude/The Great Adventure; TFK's Stardust We Are, Flower Power, Space Revolver, Unfold The Future; Dream Theater's I&W, Awake, SFAM, 6D, and so on...
Every day for the last couple of weeks, when I wake up, I have had some part of The Absolute Universe stuck in my head. Even with its flaws, this album really is one of the best albums these guys have put out collectively or on their own. Almost unbelievable after all the other great music they've made.
It still feels too early to say, but I am loving it more and more, the more I listen. I still can't say I put it as high as the band's first three albums, and I can't see it ever being on the same level as the best ones by Neal/NMB, DT or The Flower Kings, but it's still pretty damn good (when looking at the ultimate edition I conjured up). It's definitely better than any Marillion album, though!
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The Whirlwind is at the top and The Absolute Universe (both versions) rank 2nd...
What I like about Transatlantic is their use of all members. This group is doing all the things I like about each member. The Whirlwind and The Absolute Universe really capture this. Bridge Across Forever does as well, but it's not my preference of what I like from each of the guys.
I really enjoy the Roine Stolt songs and inputs, more so than Neal Morse (and that is because my friend introduced me to Neal Morse music and I just got an overload of his style and it's really dominate), but when you blend both their influences and styles, it makes for great music like those two albums.
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Where do you guys currently rank The Absolute Universe in context with the rest of the band members' work?
I would put TAU:Forevermore up there with the best albums these guys were a part of: The Whirlwind, Bridge Across Forever; Spock's The Light, V; Neal's ? album, Sola Scriptura, Testimony 2, Similitude/The Great Adventure; TFK's Stardust We Are, Flower Power, Space Revolver, Unfold The Future; Dream Theater's I&W, Awake, SFAM, 6D, and so on...
Every day for the last couple of weeks, when I wake up, I have had some part of The Absolute Universe stuck in my head. Even with its flaws, this album really is one of the best albums these guys have put out collectively or on their own. Almost unbelievable after all the other great music they've made.
It still feels too early to say, but I am loving it more and more, the more I listen. I still can't say I put it as high as the band's first three albums, and I can't see it ever being on the same level as the best ones by Neal/NMB, DT or The Flower Kings, but it's still pretty damn good (when looking at the ultimate edition I conjured up). It's definitely better than any Marillion album, though!
I'd probably put TAU below all those aforementioned albums, but it's still right up there for me, at least Forevermore (and I haven't heard the Ultimate yet)
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The Whirlwind is at the top and The Absolute Universe (both versions) rank 2nd...
What I like about Transatlantic is their use of all members. This group is doing all the things I like about each member. The Whirlwind and The Absolute Universe really capture this. Bridge Across Forever does as well, but it's not my preference of what I like from each of the guys.
I really enjoy the Roine Stolt songs and inputs, more so than Neal Morse (and that is because my friend introduced me to Neal Morse music and I just got an overload of his style and it's really dominate), but when you blend both their influences and styles, it makes for great music like those two albums.
I totally agree with you about The Whirlwind, it's the best album any of those guys made, even more than Scenes, Six Degrees, and maaaybe IaW for me, IaW has more historical value.. I find TW nearly flawless, and the music itself very powerful. I also agree about BAF, the epics are insane and some of their best, but I'm not that crazy about the 2 middle songs, they're fine, but I can take em or leave em. Neal's ? album is up there but the religious lyrics bring it down a notch.
About Roine's songs and input, that's one of the reasons I rank The Breath of Life much lower, because it cuts out a ton of Roine's contributions to the music. It's also why I don't consider Kaleidoscope one of my favorites as well, though that may also be a case of all the members not putting in their A game at the time.
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The Whirlwind is at the top and The Absolute Universe (both versions) rank 2nd...
What I like about Transatlantic is their use of all members. This group is doing all the things I like about each member. The Whirlwind and The Absolute Universe really capture this. Bridge Across Forever does as well, but it's not my preference of what I like from each of the guys.
I really enjoy the Roine Stolt songs and inputs, more so than Neal Morse (and that is because my friend introduced me to Neal Morse music and I just got an overload of his style and it's really dominate), but when you blend both their influences and styles, it makes for great music like those two albums.
I totally agree with you about The Whirlwind, it's the best album any of those guys made, even more than Scenes, Six Degrees, and maaaybe IaW for me, IaW has more historical value.. I find TW nearly flawless, and the music itself very powerful. I also agree about BAF, the epics are insane and some of their best, but I'm not that crazy about the 2 middle songs, they're fine, but I can take em or leave em. Neal's ? album is up there but the religious lyrics bring it down a notch.
About Roine's songs and input, that's one of the reasons I rank The Breath of Life much lower, because it cuts out a ton of Roine's contributions to the music. It's also why I don't consider Kaleidoscope one of my favorites as well, though that may also be a case of all the members not putting in their A game at the time.
Yeah it's why I don't enjoy Kaleidoscope either, although Black As The Sky is the best song of that album.
The Breath of Life, is that Neal Morse style my friend overloaded me with, he's over-dominate in that version for me. And Forevermore is that perfect blend.
Also, the "Oh Oh Oh's" in Rainbow Sky remind me of the Rick and Morty Evil Morty themes "Ah Ah's" don't know why, I guess it's the layering...
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Where do you guys currently rank The Absolute Universe in context with the rest of the band members' work?
I would put TAU:Forevermore up there with the best albums these guys were a part of: The Whirlwind, Bridge Across Forever; Spock's The Light, V; Neal's ? album, Sola Scriptura, Testimony 2, Similitude/The Great Adventure; TFK's Stardust We Are, Flower Power, Space Revolver, Unfold The Future; Dream Theater's I&W, Awake, SFAM, 6D, and so on...
Every day for the last couple of weeks, when I wake up, I have had some part of The Absolute Universe stuck in my head. Even with its flaws, this album really is one of the best albums these guys have put out collectively or on their own. Almost unbelievable after all the other great music they've made.
Hmmm, I’ve enjoyed it a lot but I’m not ready to put it above my favorites from TA or any of the individual members’ other output. I’d say it’s pretty clearly third for me among TA albums (below BAF and SMPTe) at least. Also probably the most I’ve enjoyed anything by Neal since he left SB besides the first two Flying Colors and maybe Testimony.
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Following the release of their brand new fifth studio album ‘The Absolute Universe’, progressive rock supergroup Transatlantic are pleased to reissue their much-loved debut album ‘SMPTe’ on Gatefold 180g 2LP + CD + LP-booklet on the 30th April 2021. Originally released in 2000, this album saw Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas coming together for the very first time, to craft what AllMusic called a “progressive rock masterpiece”, laying the foundation for the epic music that would be created by these four musicians over the next 20 years.
Pre-order now here: https://transatlantic.lnk.to/SMPTe-VinylRe-issue2021
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I'm pretty sure that The Absolute Universe - Forevermore will most likely be taking the top spot for me in the TA catalog. I can understand why some say it's too long but I don't think that at all. In fact, of all the double albums I listen to, this is easily the shortest-feeling double album I've heard in a long time. I goes by so fast!
I like TBOL too, but I'm a sucker for almost anything that Neal Morse records except his Jesus music, so it doesn't bother me at all that it sounds a lot more like a Neal Morse solo prog album than a TA album, to me this almost like we got two concept albums.
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Where do you guys currently rank The Absolute Universe in context with the rest of the band members' work?
I would put TAU:Forevermore up there with the best albums these guys were a part of: The Whirlwind, Bridge Across Forever; Spock's The Light, V; Neal's ? album, Sola Scriptura, Testimony 2, Similitude/The Great Adventure; TFK's Stardust We Are, Flower Power, Space Revolver, Unfold The Future; Dream Theater's I&W, Awake, SFAM, 6D, and so on...
Too early for me to be ranking TAU precisely within a larger catalogue, but here's an attempt at this question focusing mainly on Neal and Mike's output, since I only know about a quarter of the TFK discography and one Marillion album...
Images and Words is probably untouchable for me. It's been my favorite album pretty much ever since I first heard it, and I don't see that changing barring someone coming out with a spectacular album that hits just the right emotional spot for me at the right time in my life.
I'd definitely put The Whirlwind and Bridge Across Forever at the top of the Transatlantic discography, with TW slightly ahead. That's probably a tier unto itself as well.
The next tier has SFAM at the top, followed by, in some order, Train of Thought, The Great Adventure and maybe ?. This tier is the highest plausible place for TAU, I think. But I'd be more inclined to put it in the next tier with...
The Similitude of a Dream, Kaleidoscope, The Grand Experiment and Awake. The Light, Sola Scriptura and SMPTe are hanging around the lower part of this tier as well, but I think it's very likely that Forevermore and the ultimate edition will end up above all three of those.
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TAU is 3rd for me after Bridge and The Whirlwind.
i really think TAU is their best in years at this point.
and Kaleidoscope is not even of any importance to me at all lol
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Where do you guys currently rank The Absolute Universe in context with the rest of the band members' work?
I would put TAU:Forevermore up there with the best albums these guys were a part of: The Whirlwind, Bridge Across Forever; Spock's The Light, V; Neal's ? album, Sola Scriptura, Testimony 2, Similitude/The Great Adventure; TFK's Stardust We Are, Flower Power, Space Revolver, Unfold The Future; Dream Theater's I&W, Awake, SFAM, 6D, and so on...
Every day for the last couple of weeks, when I wake up, I have had some part of The Absolute Universe stuck in my head. Even with its flaws, this album really is one of the best albums these guys have put out collectively or on their own. Almost unbelievable after all the other great music they've made.
It still feels too early to say, but I am loving it more and more, the more I listen. I still can't say I put it as high as the band's first three albums, and I can't see it ever being on the same level as the best ones by Neal/NMB, DT or The Flower Kings, but it's still pretty damn good (when looking at the ultimate edition I conjured up). It's definitely better than any Marillion album, though!
I'd probably put TAU below all those aforementioned albums, but it's still right up there for me, at least Forevermore (and I haven't heard the Ultimate yet)
Given how stylistically similar it is to much of the work the guys have done in the past (over various albums in various bands), the key for me will be how it ages once the new car smell wears off a bit. For me, with these concept albums, having a great beginning and a great ending are often what separates the all-timers from the merely great, and I fear that TAU's ending just won't stack up in that regard. The ending is not bad at all; it is good. But it's just not HOLY CRAP amazing like the end of Similitude, Scenes, Snow, One, etc.
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My new vinyl arrived in the mail... :hat :hat
(https://i.ibb.co/3dbM18g/IMG-0736.jpg)
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Man, I love this album! I spin it once a day and it's like a shot of vitamin H. H=Happy. Not sure about rankings yet, that will be decided over a much longer span of time. However, I feel confident in saying the first third of this album is equal to the best they have ever created,...and in a special way. Melodic earworms that beg me to sing along at the top of my lungs. You should have seen and heard me on the way to the beach this weekend. Glorious happiness sing-along!
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Now that I've had both versions for quite some time I find myself basically only listening to Forevermore anymore. It really is damn near perfect. It doesn't feel too long. I even grew to like the Roine songs here as much as the Neal replacement stuff (Lonesome Rebel vs Can You Feel It). If I had to come up with negatives, they'd be very minor. One, I think the Overture would be better without the "belong better to belong" words in it. And, I could actually do without the acapella part of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
I'd rank the TA albums as follows (I'm in the minority for sure as I was never huge on the Whirlwind, although I really love Dancing With Eternal Glory, just not enough to keep it from the bottom as all the TA albums are great):
Bridge Across Forever
The Absolute Universe
SMPTe
Kaleidoscope
The Whirlwind
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And, I could actually do without the acapella part of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
Agreed. I think shortening The Greatest Story Never Ends and chucking that acapella part was the best decision Neal made with The Breath of Life. The shorter version is waaaaaay better.
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And, I could actually do without the acapella part of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
Agreed. I think shortening The Greatest Story Never Ends and chucking that acapella part was the best decision Neal made with The Breath of Life. The shorter version is waaaaaay better.
Yeah, the a cappella section really doesn’t fit there and takes away from the flow of the song. I’m assuming Neal was behind that to begin with ironically.
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And, I could actually do without the acapella part of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
Agreed. I think shortening The Greatest Story Never Ends and chucking that acapella part was the best decision Neal made with The Breath of Life. The shorter version is waaaaaay better.
Yeah, the a cappella section really doesn’t fit there and takes away from the flow of the song. I’m assuming Neal was behind that to begin with ironically.
It's actually grown on me a lot, and the Ultimate mix combines all the unique parts from both versions into a single version of the song, which is my favorite version, and now one of my favorite songs on the whole album. It's like a slightly less intense "Is It Really Happening?", especially the instrumental part from the TBOL version that really drives the song at the end.
-Marc.
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And, I could actually do without the acapella part of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
Agreed. I think shortening The Greatest Story Never Ends and chucking that acapella part was the best decision Neal made with The Breath of Life. The shorter version is waaaaaay better.
Yeah, the a cappella section really doesn’t fit there and takes away from the flow of the song. I’m assuming Neal was behind that to begin with ironically.
It's actually grown one a lot, and the Ultimate mix combines all the unique parts from both versions into a single version of the song, which is my favorite version, and now one of my favorite songs on the whole album. It's like a slightly less intense "Is It Really Happening?", especially the instrumental part from the TBOL version that really drives the song at the end.
-Marc.
It's starting to grow on me too. What I'm not the biggest fan of is the acappela opening of The Sun Comes up Today. Too close to The Beatles Because, and I don't feel it was necessary. Other than that, still loving Forevermore - so much so, that it might eventually overtake BAF as my number 1 TA album.
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For those members in the Neal Morse inner circle:
FROM NEAL MORSE:
Hi, everyone!
Just wanted to share the news of this month’s Inner Circle release that will land on Monday, March 22nd.
As you probably know, for Transatlantic’s The Absolute Universe, I took the lead role in putting together the "Breath of Life" version. If you have the Blu-ray, you will have seen the Making of documentary which mainly focuses on the work we did in Sweden. This month’s IC release tells “the rest of the story” – the long journey from the initial idea to edit in March 2020 to November 2020, when the final mixes were signed off, and everything in between – which includes me catching Coronavirus!
The documentary is around 70 minutes long, and you’ll see me doing some of the lyric rewrites, adding overdubs and chopping and editing this thing!
If you aren’t yet a member of the Inner Circle, you can sign up today. You’ll immediately be able to get the January 2020 release “NMB 3: Some More Adventures” plus get the March release on Monday, the 22nd.
I look forward to hearing what you think of the documentary!
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Overall I'm really liking The Absolute Universe, been spending a week at a time with each version before switching to the other. One of these days I want to sit down and go back and forth comparing the tracks. My reaction so far is a preference for Forevermore, I really like Rainbow Sky and some of the other choices for songs that are similar in both. One thought experiment I've had is how much different TBOL might be if it was the only version. I wonder if certain things were changed in part just to differentiate it further from Forevermore or how the edits might have gone if Roine had to sign off on them all instead of having his own version to oversee.
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Whenever I listen to this album it's the Forevermore version and I am always struck by how quickly it goes by. It's one of the shortest-feeling double albums I've ever heard.
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Whenever I listen to this album it's the Forevermore version and I am always struck by how quickly it goes by. It's one of the shortest-feeling double albums I've ever heard.
To be fair, it's only 90 minutes, which is kind of short for a double album in the CD age, especially compared to doubles by Neal (whose last 2 doubles were 105 minutes on average) and Roine (whose longest TFK doubles reach over 150 minutes).
Even listening to the 98-minute Ultimate Edition Mix feels like it goes by faster than The Whirlwind sometimes, and I've listened to both fairly recently. I'm starting to really love TAU as much as The Whirlwind and BAF, and the three of them may rank as three.of my favorite albums of all time. They're so addicting to listen to and I doubt I'll ever get tired of them.
-Marc.
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Whenever I listen to this album it's the Forevermore version and I am always struck by how quickly it goes by. It's one of the shortest-feeling double albums I've ever heard.
To be fair, it's only 90 minutes, which is kind of short for a double album in the CD age, especially compared to doubles by Neal (whose last 2 doubles were 105 minutes on average) and Roine (whose longest TFK doubles reach over 150 minutes).
Even listening to the 98-minute Ultimate Edition Mix feels like it goes by faster than The Whirlwind sometimes, and I've listened to both fairly recently. I'm starting to really love TAU as much as The Whirlwind and BAF, and the three of them may rank as three.of my favorite albums of all time. They're so addicting to listen to and I doubt I'll ever get tired of them.
-Marc.
How does everybody feel about the overture (either version)? I usually end up enjoying it well enough but it feels like it does add some unnecessary length. I’m a little over the formulaic opening overtures on Neal Morse albums in general.
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At this point it's becoming a bit of a worn out thing, I agree, but damn if I ain't a sucker for these concept albums.
You know what I've always thought was kind of funny is I remember seeing an interview with Neal Morse where he was asked (long before he went solo) how he felt about making a concept album and would he ever consider making one with Spock's Beard. I think this was around the time of the release of "V" and he gave this really long, winding answer about how difficult concept albums are to get right and that he wasn't sure if he would EVER try to make a concept album.
Almost every album he's been involved with since has been a concept album :rollin
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At this point it's becoming a bit of a worn out thing, I agree, but damn if I ain't a sucker for these concept albums.
You know what I've always thought was kind of funny is I remember seeing an interview with Neal Morse where he was asked (long before he went solo) how he felt about making a concept album and would he ever consider making one with Spock's Beard. I think this was around the time of the release of "V" and he gave this really long, winding answer about how difficult concept albums are to get right and that he wasn't sure if he would EVER try to make a concept album.
Almost every album he's been involved with since has been a concept album :rollin
Neal's general flightiness aside, to be fair, he didn't have Mike Portnoy in the fold back then. And I think that him having some early inspiration for concepts that meant something to him on a deep level, as he did with those first couple of NM solo albums, combined with having Mike to help him execute on those ideas helped him evolve from "I can't imagine doing that" to it coming naturally.
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Oh, no doubt. I don't hold it against him in any way. I just think it's another case of you just never know what the future may hold. There he was not even thinking about doing a concept album to just a couple of years later doing "Snow" and then embarking on a solo career that has been dominated by concept albums.
I TOTALLY get it, by the way. Having now written two concept albums myself I really loved the challenge of weaving everything together. I can definitely see how it would be a hard thing to stop doing once you start down that road.
What amazes me about Neal is the sheer volume of material he puts out while maintaining such a high level of quality. I mean, looking back over the course of his solo stuff and the Transatlantic stuff, there are only a couple of albums I'm not crazy about and nothing that I'd rank as a complete dud. Considering the size of his body of work, that's remarkable.
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Whenever I listen to this album it's the Forevermore version and I am always struck by how quickly it goes by. It's one of the shortest-feeling double albums I've ever heard.
To be fair, it's only 90 minutes, which is kind of short for a double album in the CD age, especially compared to doubles by Neal (whose last 2 doubles were 105 minutes on average) and Roine (whose longest TFK doubles reach over 150 minutes).
Even listening to the 98-minute Ultimate Edition Mix feels like it goes by faster than The Whirlwind sometimes, and I've listened to both fairly recently. I'm starting to really love TAU as much as The Whirlwind and BAF, and the three of them may rank as three.of my favorite albums of all time. They're so addicting to listen to and I doubt I'll ever get tired of them.
-Marc.
How does everybody feel about the overture (either version)? I usually end up enjoying it well enough but it feels like it does add some unnecessary length. I’m a little over the formulaic opening overtures on Neal Morse albums in general.
Well, I've only really listened to the Ultimate version for the last 2-3 weeks, so I'm almost to the point where I cannot remember what the Forevermore and TBOL versions sound like, even though the Ultimate version uses music from both. I took a (mostly accurate*) screenshot of the 3 tracks in Audacity in an attempt to visualize how the 3 versions look next to each other:
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/156958656_10102734490107081_6163292151944465218_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=825194&_nc_ohc=su4shI-6g14AX8ao6s1&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=43ce182a84495fc35088e717a03212d3&oe=607A2D01)
*I didn't realize that the portion of the opening just before the full-band entrance in the TBOL version was the last-half of the entrance in the Forevermore version, so it's placed in the wrong spot, but everything else is accurate
As for Overtures in generally, I find myself enjoying the ones in Transatlantic way more than the ones in Neal's solo/NMB albums. I think the addition of Pete and Roine makes them stand out to be a bit more (though that isn't to say Randy, Eric, and Bill are bad on those albums). The Overture(s) on TAU have been fun to listen to and try and figure out where each theme stems from, considering that the Overture was crafted after the first half of the album was completed (according to the Making Of documentary), which seems to be the opposite of how The Whirlwind was crafted. IIRC, the Whirlwind Overture was written first with themes in mind, and then the themes were expanded upon later on as they wrote the album, crafting songs from those various riffs from the Overture. I think both methods work fairly well.
-Marc.
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How does everybody feel about the overture (either version)? I usually end up enjoying it well enough but it feels like it does add some unnecessary length. I’m a little over the formulaic opening overtures on Neal Morse albums in general.
I prefer the shorter version. Part of that is Overture fatigue since Neal has one in nearly every concept album, but I like them shorter and concise most of the time, and the longer Overture feels a bit too drawn out (one of the few instance where I prefer the BOL version). I do wish some of Roine's guitar parts at the very beginning had survived the shorter version, but Neal obviously couldn't wait to get rid of some of his guitar work when editing the record. ;) :P
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It's been overdone, but it is still great. Neither TAU overtures are among my favorite overtures of Neal's, but they're good. I do agree with whoever said that there shouldn't have been vocals on the Belong theme during the overture. I definitely thought it was weird when I first heard it, and still don't really think vocals were necessary there, as they come in many times throughout the album anyway, at least on Forevermore, TBOL not as much.
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How does everybody feel about the overture (either version)? I usually end up enjoying it well enough but it feels like it does add some unnecessary length. I’m a little over the formulaic opening overtures on Neal Morse albums in general.
I prefer the shorter version. Part of that is Overture fatigue since Neal has one in nearly every concept album, but I like them shorter and concise most of the time, and the longer Overture feels a bit too drawn out (one of the few instance where I prefer the BOL version). I do wish some of Roine's guitar parts at the very beginning had survived the shorter version, but Neal obviously couldn't wait to get rid of some of his guitar work when editing the record. ;) :P
Of course for all we know Roine might have added some guitars to the Forevermore version once it was all under his control.
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How does everybody feel about the overture (either version)? I usually end up enjoying it well enough but it feels like it does add some unnecessary length. I’m a little over the formulaic opening overtures on Neal Morse albums in general.
I prefer the shorter version. Part of that is Overture fatigue since Neal has one in nearly every concept album, but I like them shorter and concise most of the time, and the longer Overture feels a bit too drawn out (one of the few instance where I prefer the BOL version). I do wish some of Roine's guitar parts at the very beginning had survived the shorter version, but Neal obviously couldn't wait to get rid of some of his guitar work when editing the record. ;) :P
Of course for all we know Roine might have added some guitars to the Forevermore version once it was all under his control.
I think I read/heard in an interview with Roine where he said that the Forevermore version was basically what they left Sweden with, and that there wasn't much in the way of adding things, especially after the decision was made to have Neal make his own cut of the album. I think Roine was mostly in charge of the mix ideas for Forevermore once they decided to release two versions. Now, whether or not the band would've decided to take OUT guitars had they only released Forevermore and had to come to a consensus on the amount of guitar in the mix, we may never know, but from Roine's comments, it sounds like all the guitar that exists on Forevermore was there from the start when he began tracking in late 2019.
And of course, there are some instances of added Neal guitar on TBOL, though I haven't listened to it enough, or lately, to really pick them out, outside of the obvious spots where there was new music (inside the Overture, TGSNE, LMAW Prelude, and of course CYFI). I don't think Roine recorded any new guitar for TBOL, though it seems like Pete and Mike recorded new parts for the new sections/song for TBOL. I hope we get to see some of that in the upcoming IC Video download next Monday!
-Marc.
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How does everybody feel about the overture (either version)? I usually end up enjoying it well enough but it feels like it does add some unnecessary length. I’m a little over the formulaic opening overtures on Neal Morse albums in general.
I prefer the shorter version. Part of that is Overture fatigue since Neal has one in nearly every concept album, but I like them shorter and concise most of the time, and the longer Overture feels a bit too drawn out (one of the few instance where I prefer the BOL version). I do wish some of Roine's guitar parts at the very beginning had survived the shorter version, but Neal obviously couldn't wait to get rid of some of his guitar work when editing the record. ;) :P
Of course for all we know Roine might have added some guitars to the Forevermore version once it was all under his control.
I think I read/heard in an interview with Roine where he said that the Forevermore version was basically what they left Sweden with, and that there wasn't much in the way of adding things, especially after the decision was made to have Neal make his own cut of the album. I think Roine was mostly in charge of the mix ideas for Forevermore once they decided to release two versions. Now, whether or not the band would've decided to take OUT guitars had they only released Forevermore and had to come to a consensus on the amount of guitar in the mix, we may never know, but from Roine's comments, it sounds like all the guitar that exists on Forevermore was there from the start when he began tracking in late 2019.
And of course, there are some instances of added Neal guitar on TBOL, though I haven't listened to it enough, or lately, to really pick them out, outside of the obvious spots where there was new music (inside the Overture, TGSNE, LMAW Prelude, and of course CYFI). I don't think Roine recorded any new guitar for TBOL, though it seems like Pete and Mike recorded new parts for the new sections/song for TBOL. I hope we get to see some of that in the upcoming IC Video download next Monday!
-Marc.
Ah, well that answers that question!
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Something I want to point out and appreciate. The five-note descending motif is a great example of how there are more ways to harmonize one note than there are ways to write a melody for a chord progression. That motif stays the same in its multiple appearances, but the version of it that ends Higher Than the Morning has different chords underneath it than, say, the version that appears in the middle and the end of Rainbow Sky. And the version at the beginning and end of the whole album is different again, the descent down to B major making a tritone clash with the held F in the bass.
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The Breath Of Life has some really great moments but seems a bit fragmented when compared to Forevermore which I think holds together better. Definitely prefer Forevermore but The Breath Of Life is not horrible although I am wondering if listening to Forevermore first affected my perception of The Breath Of Life in any way. The Ultimate Mix will coming next at some point soon.
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The Breath Of Life has some really great moments but seems a bit fragmented when compared to Forevermore which I think holds together better. Definitely prefer Forevermore but The Breath Of Life is not horrible although I am wondering if listening to Forevermore first affected my perception of The Breath Of Life in any way. The Ultimate Mix will coming next at some point soon.
I would say yes, definitely. Once you get used to the rhythm and flow of a piece of music, any radio edits or remixes always tend to have a sort of "wrongness" to their sound. I think it's a perfectly natural reaction. I have listened to both versions now fairly extensively. Probably 20 times through Forevermore and 10 or 12 times through The Breath of Life and they are both appealing in their own ways, but I find that the Forevermore version seems to flow much more naturally. But I fully believe that my opinion on that is informed by the fact that I listened exclusively to Forevermore about 15 times in a row before I ever picked up TBOL.
First time I ever experienced something like this was back in the early 80's when I was playing in a cover band and we had to learn "Frankenstein" by The Edgar Winter Group. This, of course, was LONG before the Internet was a thing so I had to find my copy of the album and I had misplaced my vinyl of "They Only Come Out At Night" (the album that Frankenstein first appeared on) but my father saw me looking for it and handed me a .45 single of it that he had and I went to work on learning the guitar parts for it, based on the single version. I literally thought there was something wrong with the .45 and told my father "hey, that record you gave me skips over entire sections of the song!" He wasn't even aware of the longer version because his top-40 cover band had always played the radio edit and since he wasn't really a fan of Edgar Winter he never bought the album so he had never heard the full version of the song. When I finally located my vinyl of the album and played the full version of the song for him he was FLOORED by how different it was. :lol
Frankenstein - album version (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65XSHM3jlAY)
Frankenstein - single (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbaUlpd4k10)
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The Breath Of Life has some really great moments but seems a bit fragmented when compared to Forevermore which I think holds together better. Definitely prefer Forevermore but The Breath Of Life is not horrible although I am wondering if listening to Forevermore first affected my perception of The Breath Of Life in any way. The Ultimate Mix will coming next at some point soon.
I would say yes, definitely. Once you get used to the rhythm and flow of a piece of music, any radio edits or remixes always tend to have a sort of "wrongness" to their sound. I think it's a perfectly natural reaction. I have listened to both versions now fairly extensively. Probably 20 times through Forevermore and 10 or 12 times through The Breath of Life and they are both appealing in their own ways, but I find that the Forevermore version seems to flow much more naturally. But I fully believe that my opinion on that is informed by the fact that I listened exclusively to Forevermore about 15 times in a row before I ever picked up TBOL.
First time I ever experienced something like this was back in the early 80's when I was playing in a cover band and we had to learn "Frankenstein" by The Edgar Winter Group. This, of course, was LONG before the Internet was a thing so I had to find my copy of the album and I had misplaced my vinyl of "They Only Come Out At Night" (the album that Frankenstein first appeared on) but my father saw me looking for it and handed me a .45 single of it that he had and I went to work on learning the guitar parts for it, based on the single version. I literally thought there was something wrong with the .45 and told my father "hey, that record you gave me skips over entire sections of the song!" He wasn't even aware of the longer version because his top-40 cover band had always played the radio edit and since he wasn't really a fan of Edgar Winter he never bought the album so he had never heard the full version of the song. When I finally located my vinyl of the album and played the full version of the song for him he was FLOORED by how different it was. :lol
Frankenstein - album version (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65XSHM3jlAY)
Frankenstein - single (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbaUlpd4k10)
'Course, then your band asked you to play the edit, right? :) :) :)
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The Breath Of Life has some really great moments but seems a bit fragmented when compared to Forevermore which I think holds together better. Definitely prefer Forevermore but The Breath Of Life is not horrible although I am wondering if listening to Forevermore first affected my perception of The Breath Of Life in any way. The Ultimate Mix will coming next at some point soon.
I would say yes, definitely. Once you get used to the rhythm and flow of a piece of music, any radio edits or remixes always tend to have a sort of "wrongness" to their sound. I think it's a perfectly natural reaction. I have listened to both versions now fairly extensively. Probably 20 times through Forevermore and 10 or 12 times through The Breath of Life and they are both appealing in their own ways, but I find that the Forevermore version seems to flow much more naturally. But I fully believe that my opinion on that is informed by the fact that I listened exclusively to Forevermore about 15 times in a row before I ever picked up TBOL.
Just to confirm this from the perspective of someone who listened to The Breath of Life first: I have no sense of it being fragmented at all.
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I listened to Forevermore first, but I didn't wait too long before popping on TBOL. By doing that, I don't have that weird feeling of knowing one musical production so well that an alternate version sounds "wrong", I'm digesting two different versions almost simultaneously. I'll probably feel that once I get around to The Ultimate Version, though, we'll see..
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The Breath Of Life has some really great moments but seems a bit fragmented when compared to Forevermore which I think holds together better. Definitely prefer Forevermore but The Breath Of Life is not horrible although I am wondering if listening to Forevermore first affected my perception of The Breath Of Life in any way. The Ultimate Mix will coming next at some point soon.
I would say yes, definitely. Once you get used to the rhythm and flow of a piece of music, any radio edits or remixes always tend to have a sort of "wrongness" to their sound. I think it's a perfectly natural reaction. I have listened to both versions now fairly extensively. Probably 20 times through Forevermore and 10 or 12 times through The Breath of Life and they are both appealing in their own ways, but I find that the Forevermore version seems to flow much more naturally. But I fully believe that my opinion on that is informed by the fact that I listened exclusively to Forevermore about 15 times in a row before I ever picked up TBOL.
Just to confirm this from the perspective of someone who listened to The Breath of Life first: I have no sense of it being fragmented at all.
I also started with Breath of Life. Not sure I get the sense it is fragmented, but some of the transitions seem a bit rough like the tracks don’t quite fit together the way they should. Some of that is the case on Forevermore too though.
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It's weird for me because I never really digested either versions fully. I played Forevermore first, then switched to Breath of Life, for the shorter listen. Then, when I actually sat down and listened to both, I noticed what I liked from both versions.
The difference is you can really hear the Morse additions on Breath of Life. You can hear His touch in this version, as he was the one to re-work it.
I don't prefer one over the other as I made my own playlist of the versions I like and with all the songs added.
I only wish I could easily just mix the lyrics of Both Swing High Swing Low and Take Now My Souls chorus's. As I feel both of those fit the melody and the meaning
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I was checking MP Instagram and saw that 2 days ago he posted the following:
OUT TODAY! By Popular demand: The Absolute Universe on standalone blu-ray. Contains “THE ULTIMATE VERSION” which combines both The Breath Of Life & Forevermore into one 100 Min journey in both Stereo and 5.1 mixes along with an Absolute(ly) gorgeous accompanying film...also includes a 1 Hr “Making Of” Documentary taking you behind the scenes for the creation of this mammoth Prog-ject! 🚀 Pick up your copy here: https://transatlantic.lnk.to/TheAbsoluteUniverse-TheUltimateEdition-BluRay
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Yea, my order of the Ultimate edition shipped the other day.
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The bluray finally came in. This new Transatlantic album brings with it all kinds of first world problems. I haven't listened to TAU in weeks, and now I can't figure out if I want to listen to TAUF or TAUU first...
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Not to be a Debbie-downer but I find this whole alternate/abridged/ultimate version of The Absolute Universe album to be annoying. Maybe it’s just the grumpy old man in me.
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Not to be a Debbie-downer but I find this whole alternate/abridged/ultimate version of The Absolute Universe album to be annoying. Maybe it’s just the grumpy old man in me.
I'm not old (maybe a bit grumpy) and find it annoying too :lol
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I don't. I just accept Forevermore as the definitive and Only version and be done with it.
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As always, and now I that I can do it. I just made myself an Ultimate Playlist. And I just listen to that.
Although, I am more interested in the live aspect of this album. Which I think they will just play MP's Ultimate Version.
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I don't. I just accept Forevermore as the definitive and Only version and be done with it.
I'm the same. I haven't heard one note of TBOL. Forevermore is now tied with BAF as my favorite TA album. Stunning piece of work!
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When I don't have the opportunity to listen to my playlist. I just put on Forevermore. I don't think i've even listened to The Breath Of Life as much as I have Forevermore. I only listened to Breath of Life just to hear the differences.
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Forevermore is THE album for me. The Ultimate version might have 5 minutes more music, but Forevermore is what the band created before Neal double dipped.
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The Breath Of Life has some really great moments but seems a bit fragmented when compared to Forevermore which I think holds together better. Definitely prefer Forevermore but The Breath Of Life is not horrible although I am wondering if listening to Forevermore first affected my perception of The Breath Of Life in any way. The Ultimate Mix will coming next at some point soon.
I would say yes, definitely. Once you get used to the rhythm and flow of a piece of music, any radio edits or remixes always tend to have a sort of "wrongness" to their sound. I think it's a perfectly natural reaction. I have listened to both versions now fairly extensively. Probably 20 times through Forevermore and 10 or 12 times through The Breath of Life and they are both appealing in their own ways, but I find that the Forevermore version seems to flow much more naturally. But I fully believe that my opinion on that is informed by the fact that I listened exclusively to Forevermore about 15 times in a row before I ever picked up TBOL.
Just to confirm this from the perspective of someone who listened to The Breath of Life first: I have no sense of it being fragmented at all.
I also started with Breath of Life. Not sure I get the sense it is fragmented, but some of the transitions seem a bit rough like the tracks don’t quite fit together the way they should. Some of that is the case on Forevermore too though.
Add me to the list of those that started with TBoL. And I purposefully listened to it exclusively for weeks just because I wanted to have it fully engrained in me before taking the plunge with Forevermore. I look at it as seeing a favorite film and then watching the director's cut later. I did this so that it would be very easy for me to pick out the differences between the two versions, and they were very glaring.
I'm sure it's because I got to know TBoL version so well that hearing Forevermore has been very jarring for me in many cases, and for the most part I do prefer TBoL. Some of Roine's guitar work seems a bit superfluous in the Forevermore version, and I do think that overall, TBoL is much more focused. I definitely prefer the transitions from Take Now My Soul into Looking for the Light as well as the extension added to the end of Love Made a Way (Prelude).
Not to be a Debbie-downer but I find this whole alternate/abridged/ultimate version of The Absolute Universe album to be annoying. Maybe it’s just the grumpy old man in me.
Well, nobody's forcing you to buy both (or I guess all 3) versions of the album. Personally, I love the fact that there's the two versions and that TBoL is not simply an abridged version with no other changes. In fact I would welcome this sort of thing more in the future, from TA as well as DT and other bands I enjoy. Maybe DT can do a sort of "Choose your own adventure" type of concept album if/when they choose to do another one with alternate versions of songs available on a second CD so fans can mix things up as they like. ;)
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As always, and now I that I can do it. I just made myself an Ultimate Playlist. And I just listen to that.
Although, I am more interested in the live aspect of this album. Which I think they will just play MP's Ultimate Version.
I would hope that decision would made democratically by the band, and not one member saying, "Okay, this is what we are doing," but I fear that won't be the case. I recall in that interview where Neal and Roine were both asked the same questions, Roine said something along the lines of hoping he gets to play all of the guitar work that he did for the Forevermore album live (could be slight paraphrasing, I am going from memory), which almost sounds like he won't have much say-so in the decision. With something like this, I would think the four would get together and come up with a version that makes everyone happy. I hope it happens that way.
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I don't. I just accept The Ultimate Edition as the definitive and Only version and be done with it.
FTFM. I've had the Ultimate Edition as an mp3 on my.phone for over a month and it's been the only one I've listened to.
Sure. It isn't the "original" version, i.e. the Forevermore version, but it also includes some of my favorite parts of both versions of the album.
-Marc.
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The Breath Of Life has some really great moments but seems a bit fragmented when compared to Forevermore which I think holds together better. Definitely prefer Forevermore but The Breath Of Life is not horrible although I am wondering if listening to Forevermore first affected my perception of The Breath Of Life in any way. The Ultimate Mix will coming next at some point soon.
I would say yes, definitely. Once you get used to the rhythm and flow of a piece of music, any radio edits or remixes always tend to have a sort of "wrongness" to their sound. I think it's a perfectly natural reaction. I have listened to both versions now fairly extensively. Probably 20 times through Forevermore and 10 or 12 times through The Breath of Life and they are both appealing in their own ways, but I find that the Forevermore version seems to flow much more naturally. But I fully believe that my opinion on that is informed by the fact that I listened exclusively to Forevermore about 15 times in a row before I ever picked up TBOL.
Just to confirm this from the perspective of someone who listened to The Breath of Life first: I have no sense of it being fragmented at all.
I also started with Breath of Life. Not sure I get the sense it is fragmented, but some of the transitions seem a bit rough like the tracks don’t quite fit together the way they should. Some of that is the case on Forevermore too though.
Add me to the list of those that started with TBoL. And I purposefully listened to it exclusively for weeks just because I wanted to have it fully engrained in me before taking the plunge with Forevermore. I look at it as seeing a favorite film and then watching the director's cut later. I did this so that it would be very easy for me to pick out the differences between the two versions, and they were very glaring.
I'm sure it's because I got to know TBoL version so well that hearing Forevermore has been very jarring for me in many cases, and for the most part I do prefer TBoL. Some of Roine's guitar work seems a bit superfluous in the Forevermore version, and I do think that overall, TBoL is much more focused. I definitely prefer the transitions from Take Now My Soul into Looking for the Light as well as the extension added to the end of Love Made a Way (Prelude).
That's me exactly. I LOVE TBOL, and it's not like I don't like the longer version, but there are too many moments of "that doesn't belong there!" simply because I'm not used to it. I'll continue to go back and forth, but I have to say this: the switching of CDs is more of an issue than I'd ever have imagined.
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I don't. I just accept The Ultimate Edition as the definitive and Only version and be done with it.
FTFM. I've had the Ultimate Edition as an mp3 on my.phone for over a month and it's been the only one I've listened to.
Sure. It isn't the "original" version, i.e. the Forevermore version, but it also includes some of my favorite parts of both versions of the album.
-Marc.
What did you use to rip it from the DVD? I just got my box set yesterday (finally!) and I'm having a hell of a time getting the audio off the bluray
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I don't. I just accept The Ultimate Edition as the definitive and Only version and be done with it.
FTFM. I've had the Ultimate Edition as an mp3 on my.phone for over a month and it's been the only one I've listened to.
Sure. It isn't the "original" version, i.e. the Forevermore version, but it also includes some of my favorite parts of both versions of the album.
-Marc.
What did you use to rip it from the DVD? I just got my box set yesterday (finally!) and I'm having a hell of a time getting the audio off the bluray
There might be easier tools out there, but me I use
1, MakeMKV to rip lossless the bluray to hard drive in .mkv format (with video)
2, Use a tool called MKVToolNix to split the audio to it's own file (.mka format)
3, Lastly, use Foobar to convert and split to mp3s.
Looks daunting but I'm so used to it now.
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Yep, I already ripped the MKV files to the hard drive, now converting it to one massive MP3 file
Is that the end result of your process? One big huge audio file?
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Just a heads up about the bluray version of the album - it arrived today at my home - it doesn't have a booklet, which I thought very very disappointing since it's the only version of the album that I choose to buy. And kind of ironic since I thought that it was the more "complete" version of the album. ::)
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Yep, I already ripped the MKV files to the hard drive, now converting it to one massive MP3 file
Is that the end result of your process? One big huge audio file?
I'll have to check but I think the MKVToolNix program can retain the chapter markers. And foobar can split the file using those markers into separate mp3s.
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Well, it's been ripping for about an hour now and the file is up to 6.4GB and it's a 320kbps MP3
I guess I don't really care if it's just one huge file, though, because when I listen to this album I listen to it from beginning to end without skipping anything
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Well, there are easier ways...
I do one of two things, depending on the source: I rip to MKV, then convert to wav (using the MK program). If it's a multi-song show, I will then pull it into Garageband and export each 'song' into a file.
If the source has accurate breaks between the songs, I will rip the DVD/Blu-ray using... dammit, I can't remember, and it's upstairs, but I think it's "DVD Audio Extractor" or something like that. It will rip to the chapters, and export as a wav (or any other format you want). The problem is, I think with the TA, the markers are off by a second or so (or as much as two or three seconds).
Taking a whole concert and breaking it into songs can be tedious, but lots of times it's not that bad.
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The way that I extract audio from video files is by importing the audio into Audacity, and then set the track markers myself. Then I export to FLAC although you can also export to MP3, too.
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Honestly, this is why I was hesitant to buy the Blu-ray out of the box, as I wasn't sure if they'd give an easy-to-download link for the digital files with it. In this day and age, it's hard to believe, really. Fans shouldn't have to do this much work to get the digital files, IMO.
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Well the blu-ray is meant to be a multi-audio track lossless version of the album. It's 22 GB in size and they typically don't offer a watered-down version of it. That's what the CD is for, though in this case you are right seeing as the BR is yet a different version of the album you'd want a ripped version of it.
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I'd buy the digital download of the Ultimate version too if there was one. I have no use for the blu ray.
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I'd buy the digital download of the Ultimate version too if there was one. I have no use for the blu ray.
Same
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Well the blu-ray is meant to be a multi-audio track lossless version of the album. It's 22 GB in size and they typically don't offer a watered-down version of it. That's what the CD is for, though in this case you are right seeing as the BR is yet a different version of the album you'd want a ripped version of it.
I'd say the BD would be meant for visual enjoyment only if they only included the 5.1 surround sound mix, but they also included a down mixed stereo version of the Ultimate Edition Mix as well, so it seems odd that they could not just offer that as a digital download for folks, especially those who bought the BD and don't have any way of ripping the audio.
As for my version, I got the FLAC files from a fellow member here and then converted them to WAVs, used Audacity to tweak the track indexing a bit (as the raw audio tracks started each song just slightly before the downbeat of each new song, which annoys the hell out of me), and then I reconverted those WAVs into MP3s, which now reside on my phone, right under Forevermore and The Breath Of Life.
Personally, it really is the best of both worlds, more or less, though even if I wanted to take something from either Forevermore or TBOL and put it into my Ultimate Edition Mix, it would take a bit of audio level editing as the stereo mix of the Ultimate Edition is a bit quieter, maybe more dynamic, than either of the two CD versions of the album.
You can see how the WAV files compare in terms of audio peaks here in my Audacity comparison of the Overtures:
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/156958656_10102734490107081_6163292151944465218_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=ca434c&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=EgrrPffKk6cAX8kLpcP&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=9f4b5ed51c4a90e290473ff3fdd9b6c7&oe=609009A3)
And here's one of how the 3 versions of "The Greatest Story Never Ends" compare:
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/158659514_10102735992710851_5734186670926435015_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=ca434c&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=SkEdRLkINAgAX9m5m9a&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=7276838f8baad171298ff3751b6d584c&oe=60928BCC)
The BD's visualizer that accompanies the audio is a trippy journey with some fantastic artwork and animations, definitely worth viewing. Whenever they actually get to play the album live, I'm almost sure these animations will be used as their back screen projections.
-Marc.
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I already threw in the towel on converting this shit. I spent 4 hours yesterday fucking around with MK software and got exactly nowhere. What a fucking waste of money that was :\
I think it's kind of a dick move for the band to put this out only in this format. I have LESS THAN NO USE for a bluray
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So the Ultimate Mix is how TAUF or TAUTBOL should be mixed (aka not loud loud loud)
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I already threw in the towel on converting this shit. I spent 4 hours yesterday fucking around with MK software and got exactly nowhere. What a fucking waste of money that was :\
I think it's kind of a dick move for the band to put this out only in this format. I have LESS THAN NO USE for a bluray
LOL I hadn't done the conversion for this Bluray yet and after reading your comment, went ahead and did it. It took my 8 core 16 thread CPU to split the audio from the 22 GB mkv file and convert it to 20 mp3 files in less than 10 mins. All tagged and ready for playback :tup
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I already threw in the towel on converting this shit. I spent 4 hours yesterday fucking around with MK software and got exactly nowhere. What a fucking waste of money that was :\
I think it's kind of a dick move for the band to put this out only in this format. I have LESS THAN NO USE for a bluray
While they laugh and say..."Well, you bought it"....
You do know that it's intentional and not a dick move because they could have just released that as a digital download and called that "The Ultimate Version" but who will buy the other versions if that one is easily available. Having the "Ultimate" Version on Blu-Ray only makes it where if you really want to hear it that bad, then you by the Blu-Ray.
I think they should have just left it on the Box Set only. But fans demanded they get a standalone of the Blu-Ray, and they got that. Now they don't want the Blu-Ray and just want the audio.
:rollin :rollin
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So the Ultimate Mix is how TAUF or TAUTBOL should be mixed (aka not loud loud loud)
That might be due to the sound space available on a Blu-Ray. You can fit better sound in there than a regular cd. So it does sound better.
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Thank you to everyone who reached out and offered to help me. I've been having a rough go of it lately (depression, poor fucking me, boo hoo) and it was kind of cool that a bunch of people PM'd me to offer help on this. I've finally got it and it's now ripped to my phone.
I not only bought the box set, but I also bought the vinyl TWICE for BOTH versions because I was so impressed with this release I wanted to support Transatlantic and also, I like giving shit away to people who don't have stuff or can't afford it so I'll be giving one copy of each version away very soon.
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I already threw in the towel on converting this shit. I spent 4 hours yesterday fucking around with MK software and got exactly nowhere. What a fucking waste of money that was :\
I think it's kind of a dick move for the band to put this out only in this format. I have LESS THAN NO USE for a bluray
LOL I hadn't done the conversion for this Bluray yet and after reading your comment, went ahead and did it. It took my 8 core 16 thread CPU to split the audio from the 22 GB mkv file and convert it to 20 mp3 files in less than 10 mins. All tagged and ready for playback :tup
10 or 15 years ago I wouldn't have had any issues getting this done myself, but after more than 20 years in management and away from doing technical work I don't have the patience anymore.
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Also, I think those of you who know me know I would never pirate any music for any reason, so just to quell any speculation on whether or not I actually have this on DVD here's a picture of it in my hand.
(https://scontent-bos3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-0/p526x296/169819297_10215715680445100_7639341990748703629_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=bmsSfNZWta0AX8QIfzc&_nc_ht=scontent-bos3-1.xx&tp=6&oh=d5799b6b5b1c3b004a1d2f942f2881a9&oe=6090A472)
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Thank you to everyone who reached out and offered to help me. I've been having a rough go of it lately (depression, poor fucking me, boo hoo) and it was kind of cool that a bunch of people PM'd me to offer help on this. I've finally got it and it's now ripped to my phone.
I not only bought the box set, but I also bought the vinyl TWICE for BOTH versions because I was so impressed with this release I wanted to support Transatlantic and also, I like giving shit away to people who don't have stuff or can't afford it so I'll be giving one copy of each version away very soon.
I feel that - I just bought the stand-alone BD so I could keep the one from the box set inside the box set for safe keeping, just so I can have the BD ready to watch whenever I want to (because I've been enjoying it fairly regularly over the last couple of months). I also just really want to support the band and this fantastic album. I also already had doubles of a lot of TA albums and releases (for example, I have Live In Europe on 2CD, 2DVD, and limited edition media book 2CD/2DVD).
Glad to hear you got a lot of help and offers for this! I hope you enjoy hearing the Ultimate Mix as much as I have. Mike and Rich really picked out some of the best parts of TBOL to put into Forevermore. My only gripe is one odd transition in the Overture, but other than that, everything flows and segues so seemlessly and perfectly, and the use of "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" from TBOL between "The Sun Comes Up Today" and "Owl Howl" is really great, as the Forevermore transition into "Owl Howl" never really worked for me, but the one on TBOL did. One of the best parts of the Ultimate Mix is still the "complete" version of "The Great Story Never Ends", which has quickly become one of my favorite tracks on the album (with all the unique music for the song now in one version).
-Marc.
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Refresh my memory, but is there any noticeable difference between the tracks on the Ultimate Version and the tracks on TBOL and Forevermore? In other words, can one just recreate the running order on the Ultimate Version from individual tracks from the other two?
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Refresh my memory, but is there any noticeable difference between the tracks on the Ultimate Version and the tracks on TBOL and Forevermore? In other words, can one just recreate the running order on the Ultimate Version from individual tracks from the other two?
Not exactly, you'd have to do a bit of splicing between the versions. Check out my post above that shows how the Ultimate Mix takes parts of Forevermore and TBOL to make new versions of the "Overture" and "The Greatest Story Never Ends". There are also new segues between some songs, such as "The Sun Comes Up Today" coming in at the fade-out of "The World We Used To Know". And as mentioned just above, the TBOL version of "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" is used between TSCUT and "Owl Howl". And the final track features the timpani extended ending from TBOL but uses the bulk of the song from Forevermore.
I haven't gone through all 3 versions enough to pick out any other differences, especially with regards to mix and arrangements, but as far as I can tell, most of the music/songs come from Forevermore, except "Reaching For The Sky", "Take Now My Soul", "Love Made A Way (Prelude)", and "Can You Feel It", which are, for the most part, lifted straight from TBOL.
-Marc.
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Refresh my memory, but is there any noticeable difference between the tracks on the Ultimate Version and the tracks on TBOL and Forevermore? In other words, can one just recreate the running order on the Ultimate Version from individual tracks from the other two?
Not exactly, you'd have to do a bit of splicing between the versions. Check out my post above that shows how the Ultimate Mix takes parts of Forevermore and TBOL to make new versions of the "Overture" and "The Greatest Story Never Ends". There are also new segues between some songs, such as "The Sun Comes Up Today" coming in at the fade-out of "The World We Used To Know". And as mentioned just above, the TBOL version of "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" is used between TSCUT and "Owl Howl". And the final track features the timpani extended ending from TBOL but uses the bulk of the song from Forevermore.
I haven't gone through all 3 versions enough to pick out any other differences, especially with regards to mix and arrangements, but as far as I can tell, most of the music/songs come from Forevermore, except "Reaching For The Sky", "Take Now My Soul", "Love Made A Way (Prelude)", and "Can You Feel It", which are, for the most part, lifted straight from TBOL.
-Marc.
Ah, that sounds different enough that you wouldn't want to just make your own then. Don't see this really being something I'd want, but I can understand the gripe about it only being available on BluRay which isn't how most people listen to music. Of course, on the flip side, artists have to find some way to monetize their product, and I don't necessarily begrudge the guys for trying a bunch of ways to stretch the profitability of the release.
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Glad to hear you got a lot of help and offers for this! I hope you enjoy hearing the Ultimate Mix as much as I have. Mike and Rich really picked out some of the best parts of TBOL to put into Forevermore. My only gripe is one odd transition in the Overture, but other than that, everything flows and segues so seemlessly and perfectly, and the use of "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" from TBOL between "The Sun Comes Up Today" and "Owl Howl" is really great, as the Forevermore transition into "Owl Howl" never really worked for me, but the one on TBOL did. One of the best parts of the Ultimate Mix is still the "complete" version of "The Great Story Never Ends", which has quickly become one of my favorite tracks on the album (with all the unique music for the song now in one version).
-Marc.
That's funny because I never bothered looking at how the Ultimate tracklist is, but when I made my playlist I have it in that same spot because it was the only place I felt it could be placed, since I also wanted all the songs.
Refresh my memory, but is there any noticeable difference between the tracks on the Ultimate Version and the tracks on TBOL and Forevermore? In other words, can one just recreate the running order on the Ultimate Version from individual tracks from the other two?
Not exactly, you'd have to do a bit of splicing between the versions. Check out my post above that shows how the Ultimate Mix takes parts of Forevermore and TBOL to make new versions of the "Overture" and "The Greatest Story Never Ends". There are also new segues between some songs, such as "The Sun Comes Up Today" coming in at the fade-out of "The World We Used To Know". And as mentioned just above, the TBOL version of "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" is used between TSCUT and "Owl Howl". And the final track features the timpani extended ending from TBOL but uses the bulk of the song from Forevermore.
I haven't gone through all 3 versions enough to pick out any other differences, especially with regards to mix and arrangements, but as far as I can tell, most of the music/songs come from Forevermore, except "Reaching For The Sky", "Take Now My Soul", "Love Made A Way (Prelude)", and "Can You Feel It", which are, for the most part, lifted straight from TBOL.
-Marc.
Ah, that sounds different enough that you wouldn't want to just make your own then. Don't see this really being something I'd want, but I can understand the gripe about it only being available on BluRay which isn't how most people listen to music. Of course, on the flip side, artists have to find some way to monetize their product, and I don't necessarily begrudge the guys for trying a bunch of ways to stretch the profitability of the release.
Even though we have an Ultimate version. There are still things I prefer from both The Breath Of Life and Forevermore that MP most likely didn't capture on his version. Like I would put both of the chorus lyrics to Swing High, Swing Low and Take Now My Soul. That's the main one I really would like different though, without hearing The Ultimate Version.
I actually like how we can, if we want, choose to make an alternate version with the songs we like from both versions. It's fun. Where I do have a concern is when they play it live, not for me, but for those that do only prefer TBOL or Forevermore versions, and then they play the other version rather the one you enjoy. And it'll be funny to see the people sing the wrong lyrics, when they play the other version instead. It'd be hard to tell live unless you are really paying attention. :lol
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
Not that I know of.
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
According to MP, it’s unprecedented!
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He might be right. I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this ever since they announced it and I'm coming up with nothing.
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
The closest I could think of is The Gentle Storm - The Diary. There are two versions, one called Gentle, which is more calmer and stripped back, almost acoustic, and folky. And The Storm, which is more in the metal vein, energetic, and a bit more epic.
It is interesting how we only got these versions because of circumstance. If Covid hadn't happened, we would've gotten Forevermore, and since it did happen, it brought The Breath of Life to fruition. Which leads to Mike Portnoy wanting to combine both, if he is someone like me who likes to combine two different versions.
It's what I did with The Gentle Storm. I combined both The Storm and Gentle versions of The Storm into one song.
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
The closest I could think of is The Gentle Storm - The Diary. There are two versions, one called Gentle, which is more calmer and stripped back, almost acoustic, and folky. And The Storm, which is more in the metal vein, energetic, and a bit more epic.
It is interesting how we only got these versions because of circumstance. If Covid hadn't happened, we would've gotten Forevermore, and since it did happen, it brought The Breath of Life to fruition. Which leads to Mike Portnoy wanting to combine both, if he is someone like me who likes to combine two different versions.
It's what I did with The Gentle Storm. I combined both The Storm and Gentle versions of The Storm into one song.
The closest thing I have in my collection is PFM used to release English and Italian versions of their albums. That was obviously a pretty different thing, but the songs were re-recorded for the English versions and the lyrics were actually new lyrics in English, not a translation of the Italian lyrics. In the case of Photos of Ghosts (English version of Per Un Amico), there was also one original new song released and the song Celebration was an English version of a song off Storia di un Minuto, so that was kind of a totally different release in a lot of ways even though a lot of the music was the same as on Per Un Amico.
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
According to MP, it’s unprecedented!
Given MP's elephant memory for music, it's quite possible.
The only thing that is remotely similar that I can think of are the US and UK versions of Whitesnake's Slide It In album, but the circumstances leading to the two versions were very different, and even some of the guys in the band were different. So I wouldn't really count that.
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Perhaps it will start a trend in the prog world? It appears to have been quite successful for Transatlantic :hat
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I think The Gentle Storm is the only thing close. Slide It In (and MSG's Built To Destroy) were American/European versions, as opposed to alternate versions everywhere, so not that. Shania Twain did two versions of one of her records, but that was closer to SII, since they were the same songs, one set "countrified" and one set "pop".
Oh, wait: I got one: Zareeka by The Flaming Lips. It was a four CD set. All four CDs were variants on the album, and Wayne Coyne had the idea that you could set up four CD players around you (like quad sound) and play them simultaneously. Or you could listen to just two or three of the parts, or listen individually. The set even came with warnings that this was new and if you had a seizure, that was on you! :)
I never listened to the quad version, but I had the idea to combine them all on Garageband, I just never bothered to. :)
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
The closest I could think of is The Gentle Storm - The Diary. There are two versions, one called Gentle, which is more calmer and stripped back, almost acoustic, and folky. And The Storm, which is more in the metal vein, energetic, and a bit more epic.
It is interesting how we only got these versions because of circumstance. If Covid hadn't happened, we would've gotten Forevermore, and since it did happen, it brought The Breath of Life to fruition. Which leads to Mike Portnoy wanting to combine both, if he is someone like me who likes to combine two different versions.
It's what I did with The Gentle Storm. I combined both The Storm and Gentle versions of The Storm into one song.
The closest thing I have in my collection is PFM used to release English and Italian versions of their albums. That was obviously a pretty different thing, but the songs were re-recorded for the English versions and the lyrics were actually new lyrics in English, not a translation of the Italian lyrics. In the case of Photos of Ghosts (English version of Per Un Amico), there was also one original new song released and the song Celebration was an English version of a song off Storia di un Minuto, so that was kind of a totally different release in a lot of ways even though a lot of the music was the same as on Per Un Amico.
I had completely forgotten about The Gentle Storm and the two versions of the album, nice call, Ben_Jamin :tup
Opeth also did the two versions of the same album but in different languages thing, but I don't like the band, so I don't know how different both versions are.
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones made a 3 disc concept album titled Little Worlds and were asked by their label to release a shorter version, which was only 10 tracks/1 disc called "Ten From Little Worlds", with a few abridged versions/remixes. It's the closest thing to TAU I could think of.
Apart from that, I've seen a band make a studio album, and then release a live album of it, an acoustic version of the album and also the remixes album, but that wasn't anything related to prog :lol
Perhaps it will start a trend in the prog world? It appears to have been quite successful for Transatlantic :hat
I wouldn't count on it being a new trend, or at least I hope it doesn't become one :eek
I think it went relatively well fot TA because it's a novelty, but I can definitely see people getting pissed if all of the sudden many bands start to do this in order to sell more versions of their albums :facepalm:
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I guess, but it's not like they'd be forcing anyone to buy anything. I consider more options to always be a win
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I think The Gentle Storm is the only thing close. Slide It In (and MSG's Built To Destroy) were American/European versions, as opposed to alternate versions everywhere, so not that. Shania Twain did two versions of one of her records, but that was closer to SII, since they were the same songs, one set "countrified" and one set "pop".
Oh, wait: I got one: Zareeka by The Flaming Lips. It was a four CD set. All four CDs were variants on the album, and Wayne Coyne had the idea that you could set up four CD players around you (like quad sound) and play them simultaneously. Or you could listen to just two or three of the parts, or listen individually. The set even came with warnings that this was new and if you had a seizure, that was on you! :)
I never listened to the quad version, but I had the idea to combine them all on Garageband, I just never bothered to. :)
(Goes to find find the album)... :rollin
Now I want to get the album just so I can do this...
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I guess, but it's not like they'd be forcing anyone to buy anything. I consider more options to always be a win
Exactly. While I don't expect it to happen, there's a part of me that wouldn't be surprised to see other artists doing this - at least initially in prog circles (because of MP's popularity/influence and to a lesser degree to the other guys) - as another means of making some extra money. I mean, we already see many artists coming out with multiple packages of the same album on release day, so the next logical step is to start producing different versions of the album. And when my favorite bands do that, I'll be more than happy to pick up the different versions (as opposed to multiple packages of the same exact thing) to support them.
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I've been trying to think of another band who has done something like this with the multiple versions of the "same" album and I'm coming up empty.
Has this ever been done like this before?
Frank Zappa. For many of his albums, there are two different versions, sometimes three. That's the simple explanation at least.
Sometimes it was different mixes, sometimes different track order, and sometimes it was music not found on one of the versions, and vice versa, similar to TAU.
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I guess, but it's not like they'd be forcing anyone to buy anything. I consider more options to always be a win
Exactly. While I don't expect it to happen, there's a part of me that wouldn't be surprised to see other artists doing this - at least initially in prog circles (because of MP's popularity/influence and to a lesser degree to the other guys) - as another means of making some extra money. I mean, we already see many artists coming out with multiple packages of the same album on release day, so the next logical step is to start producing different versions of the album. And when my favorite bands do that, I'll be more than happy to pick up the different versions (as opposed to multiple packages of the same exact thing) to support them.
Assuming their respective record labels allow them.
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Would be interesting to hear what one of my favorites could do with this when doing it by design where a whole band is all-in on the idea, rather than the accidental way this one came about, which was basically Neal dismantling the finished product and coming up with his own shorter version.
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Other bands have done things like Gentle Storm did, though sometimes as separate releases. The Bravery's second album had "Sun" and "Moon" versions of the album, The Shins' last two albums were the same album but wildly different interpretations, and Manchester Orchestra released Cope and followed it up with the reinterpretation album "Hope". We're not even getting into artists revisiting old albums years later or the multitude of bands that had acoustic versions of albums.
The way Transatlantic has done it though? Where it's basically the same album except there will be a new/different track, or instrumental part, or a different singer on a familiar lyric? I can't recall anything like this album being done before.
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Other bands have done things like Gentle Storm did, though sometimes as separate releases. The Bravery's second album had "Sun" and "Moon" versions of the album, The Shins' last two albums were the same album but wildly different interpretations, and Manchester Orchestra released Cope and followed it up with the reinterpretation album "Hope". We're not even getting into artists revisiting old albums years later or the multitude of bands that had acoustic versions of albums.
The way Transatlantic has done it though? Where it's basically the same album except there will be a new/different track, or instrumental part, or a different singer on a familiar lyric? I can't recall anything like this album being done before.
This is my thought as well. It kind of is the musical equivalent of a theatrical release and a director's cut (film), releasing at the same time.
There have been instances where a short and long version of an album release at the same time (Symphony X with Iconoclast, for example, 1 disc vs 2 discs), but to my knowledge releases like that usually feature identical versions of songs.
And I like the idea. I wouldn't mind alternate versions of my faves at all.
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Yeah, for me it just boils down to more choices for the consumer = win/win. Some consumers like me will just instantly gobble up Dream Theater's next album if they released 3 versions of it with different elements on all three that were not on the other albums. I could get one now, maybe get another one later then complete the set after I've listened to the first two for a few months. It would probably make me listen to the album a LOT more times than I would with a single release. I know this latest Transatlantic album with 3 versions has been played more frequently than ANY Transatlantic album that came before it, just by virtue of the fact that there are three different versions.
And with the music business being pretty much a shit show, inside a dumpster fire, on the Titanic, during a hurricane, I kind of like having the option to buy some extra stuff from one of my all-time favorite groups. I see it as a win/win. The artist makes more money and the consumer gets more choices. There's really no downside to this for anyone.
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I see and appreciate the win/win aspect of this release. However, as I've stated, I find it difficult to go back and forth. It's jarring. I think it stems from all my years of listening, dissecting and analyzing so I could learn how to play the drum parts. In this way, I forged a tight relationship with the music. This is the first release in my whole life where there are multiple versions.
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Yeah, for me it just boils down to more choices for the consumer = win/win.
I pretty much agree. For me, the Forevermore version is the least good thing TA have made (though don't get me wrong, it's still good). Whereas the tighter, punchier TBOL version is better and on a part with their other stuff. The fact that I was able to easily make my own combined version that's mainly TBOL with 3 tracks from Forevermore added in where all the transitions work well (as well as they do on either actual version anyway) is especially great as that combined version is up their with their best stuff.
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Well, I've got all three versions of it now and in the end I'll probably end up listening to The Ultimate Edition the most and The Breath of Life the least. There is nothing wrong with any of them I just tend to like longer pieces.
I wonder if they'll do this again with a future release? I tend to think it was a 1-time thing because of the pandemic situation maybe, but you never know. If it made them more money than previous albums it's going to be hard to resist the urge to do it again.
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I wonder if they'll do this again with a future release? I tend to think it was a 1-time thing because of the pandemic situation maybe, but you never know. If it made them more money than previous albums it's going to be hard to resist the urge to do it again.
I'm hoping it was just because of the pandemic. Could you imagine? Something like
The Whirlwind: Tornado (Abridged Version)
The Whirlwind: Hurricane (Extended Edition)
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I think doing something like this again will diminish the magnitude of The Absolute universe. As far as I am concerned, this album should remain one of a kind, it truly is a special project in that regard.
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Next album there will be 4 versions, each overseen by each member of the band, then an ultimate version that takes everything from all four albums and even some music not found on any of the 4 individual versions for a 3 hour long song.
Also, will the next album artwork feature aliens or an alien planet being that's where the Transatlantic ship seems to be heading?
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Given that they have four singers, maybe they can do a KISS.
The Even Absoluter Universe: Neal Morse
The Even Absoluter Universe: Roine Stolt
The Even Absoluter Universe: Pete Trewavas
The Even Absoluter Universe: Mike Portnoy
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I see and appreciate the win/win aspect of this release. However, as I've stated, I find it difficult to go back and forth. It's jarring. I think it stems from all my years of listening, dissecting and analyzing so I could learn how to play the drum parts. In this way, I forged a tight relationship with the music. This is the first release in my whole life where there are multiple versions.
Maybe I'm weird, but I kind of like being jarred in that way. It was really interesting to me when I listened to Forevermore the first time after getting used to The Breath of Life, getting through the overture and noticing some differences but nothing too shocking, and then going into Heart Like a Whirlwind expecting Neal's "Where were you when everyone / Crashed and burned / And fell into the silence of the sun" and instead getting blindsided by Pete's completely different verse. Then working to pick up on what was going on in this version before being able to come back and sing along on the title line.
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Does anyone have any good takes on why these had to be different?
I enjoy both (Breath of Life moreso, though). The differences are there, but it seems a bit odd that they considered these two visions for the album so far apart that they couldn't come to a compromise.
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Does anyone have any good takes on why these had to be different?
I enjoy both (Breath of Life moreso, though). The differences are there, but it seems a bit odd that they considered these two visions for the album so far apart that they couldn't come to a compromise.
As far as I can tell, Pete initially had reservations about the length of the album, and then during the shutdown (after Forevermore was essentially written and recorded), Neal had a vision for a shorter version where he could address the COVID situation lyrically. Since there were two in favor of the shorter version and two in favor of the longer version, they split it into two separate projects.
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I think they could've just compromise a bit and make a single disc, 80 min version of the album, but I guess Mike and Roine were too excited with the idea of making the first TA double album.
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Got all three versions but listen mosttly to Forevermore, I would probably listen more to The Ultimate mix if I could rip it and put it on my phone with the others.
Unfortunateley I don't have a BR player in my computer. Almost bought one just for this but did not pull the trigger yet.
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I think they could've just compromise a bit and make a single disc, 80 min version of the album, but I guess Mike and Roine were too excited with the idea of making the first TA double album.
I couldn't agree more. In addition to the double album idea, I think they really wanted to do something unusual/new. MP often said things like "you have to give us credit for trying something new". But honestly, this concept just shows inconsistency. I don't want to sound too harsh, but those two version give off an unfinished, half assed vibe for me. In my opinion, they should have come together one more time to create one consistent 80 minute long "ultimate" edition of their written music.
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I think Forevermore sounds complete, they just didn't stick the finale as well as they usually do. They definitely could have worked on that a little more.
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I think Forevermore sounds complete, they just didn't stick the finale as well as they usually do. They definitely could have worked on that a little more.
It's really my only criticism of the album. The finale is weird. After all that epic music all he could come up with is stretching out the last chord for 4 minutes? I always turn it off LONG before it ends. Lately I've taken to skipping that entire "Love Made a Way" track at the end, same as I do with The Whirlwind's last track.
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Does anyone have any good takes on why these had to be different?
I enjoy both (Breath of Life moreso, though). The differences are there, but it seems a bit odd that they considered these two visions for the album so far apart that they couldn't come to a compromise.
They weren't trying to come to a compromise.
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I think Forevermore sounds complete, they just didn't stick the finale as well as they usually do. They definitely could have worked on that a little more.
It's really my only criticism of the album. The finale is weird. After all that epic music all he could come up with is stretching out the last chord for 4 minutes? I always turn it off LONG before it ends. Lately I've taken to skipping that entire "Love Made a Way" track at the end, same as I do with The Whirlwind's last track.
Stretching out that last chord is hardly the main criticism I would give to the finale. I think it's that there was too much reprising of all the main themes throughout the album, that by the time of the last song, it's been beaten over our heads with, and it doesn't seem like there was any creativity left on that last song, it sounds very cut and paste (which is what the entirety of TBOL sounds like btw.) With so much reprisals, Neal or Roine should have crafted more original ideas or changed the ending entirely. It also didn't seem we were rewarded a grande finale with any lead up to it, like on The Whirlwind. It's just, 'ok, we've decided to end the albummmmmmm.......................... HERE!'.
It's unfortunate that this album was sat on for a while, and none of the members said "hey, the finale of this whole thing isn't as strong as other efforts, the payoff isn't there." after letting the music settle for a while. Maybe they're getting old, or that they don't want to touch a piece of music if it's already "finished" and recorded. TBOL only adds and edits out music, but doesn't change any overall structure or revamp an entire piece of music.
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The easiest way to cut it down to one disc:
1) The overtures are superfluous and over-long (both versions). They add unnecessary length to the whole thing. If you were trying to cut it down to one disc, that should have been an easy place to start.
2) Similarly, The Sun Comes Up Today exists only because there is a second disc. It’s also the worst vocal performance on the album (sorry Pete!). Chop that and the overture and we’ve already shaved close to 14 minutes!
3) Love Made A Way (Prelude) is just slow and boring and could have been ditched easily (over 16 minutes!). It’s also unnecessary if you drop Love Made Away as suggested in point 4.
4) Come up with a more concise finale that doesn’t just blandly recycle themes from earlier in the album. I think you could have used Can You Feel it for the closer and that would have been perfect. Not sure if this song was around for the original sessions or if Neal came up with it after he started working on TBOL.
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Given that the band had originally intended on a releasing a double anyway, I don't think they would've considered a shorter version if Neal hadn't sent his "Am I Crazy?" email back in March of 2020. Had the pandemic not happened, I'm sure there might have been less leniency in terms of letting Neal do his edit. The label probably would have said no and asked them to sort out a tour last summer/fall on the Forevermore/original version of the album, and we never would have gotten TBOL or the Ultimate mixes.
If anyone wanted a shorter, single-disc version of the album, they got TBOL. It sucks missing out on some of the Forevermore material, but in another world, if the band had agreed to releasing only Neal's vision, TBOL would be the only version of the album we ever got, and it would've ended up being their shortest album ever. Granted, had that happened, and there was no pandemic (assuming the music would be the same but the lyrics changed), they probably would've gone on tour by now, playing TBOL, but also had more room for a bunch of older material. The first set would've been TBOL, with a second set and encore of classic TA songs, and I'm sure it would've been a huge success too, even if the new album might not have been received as well. Can you imagine what the reception to TAU would have been like if we had gotten JUST TBOL? Would folks say it was better or worse than Kaleidoscope, never knowing that there was a longer, 90-minute version of the album with all that material cut out?
Personally, I am glad we got what we got, effectively the best of both (all) worlds. Will I ever listen to Forevermore or TBOL ever again? Maybe, as a curiosity, but the Ultimate Mix gives me what I want from both, for the most part, and I am really happy that the band and the label allowed them to release all of it because, as they say, "More Never Is Enough" in the Transatlantic world. Thankfully, because of the pandemic, they were able to release it without having to logistically figure out how to tour on this material (yet). It'll be a big task for them to figure out how to play it all live when they come to it, but I'd say we're at least a year off from that ever happening.
And as far as "Love Made A Way" - I can see/hear why some folks find it flat and repetitious but I've grown to love it, maybe not as much as "Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind Reprise", but I think it does its duty very well on the album. The extended timpani ending was a bit odd to me at first, but I think it makes it a bit unique compared to how their other albums end, and I like the ambient quality of the ending, it fits with the sapce traveling theme well. I think having watched the Ultimate Mix several times also kind of helped me appreciate the finale a bit more.
I do have to wonder if when they get around to playing the album live, will they change anything once again, adding (or subtracting) music to make the live version stand out even more and become a FOURTH version of the album? I'm sure Mike will want to push it over 100 minutes if possible! It'll be unprecedented! :lol
-Marc.
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No clue if having two releases is the reason, but I glanced at current ratings of the new album at a few sites and both have similar ratings to Kaleidoscope (Forevermore is rated higher almost everywhere than TBOL), so it would appear as if fans in general think the new album overall is closer in quality to Kaleidoscope than the first three albums. I would probably agree with that. It's definitely better than Kaleidoscope, but I can't say any version of the new album touches SMPTe, BAF or The Whirlwind.
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No clue if having two releases is the reason, but I glanced at current ratings of the new album at a few sites and both have similar ratings to Kaleidoscope (Forevermore is rated higher almost everywhere than TBOL), so it would appear as if fans in general think the new album overall is closer in quality to Kaleidoscope than the first three albums. I would probably agree with that. It's definitely better than Kaleidoscope, but I can't say any version of the new album touches SMPTe, BAF or The Whirlwind.
I’ve enjoyed both versions more than I did The Whirlwind. I think these are a pretty clear step up from that one in my book. Just more memorable songs for whatever reason (I still can’t recall much of The Whirlwind off the top of my head except for some annoying parts like “is it really happening”).
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Transatlantic only has one album I like more than this one now and that's Bridge Across Forever.
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Transatlantic only has one album I like more than this one now and that's Bridge Across Forever.
I can get with that. I, too, have come to really love TAU a lot, though for me, it sits just below The Whirlwind. I couldn't find it in this thread, but I remember posting my TA rankings not too long ago (maybe it was in a Neal Morse thread), but anyway, here we go again:
Bridge Across Forever*
The Whirlwind
The Absolute Universe (The Ultimate Edition Mix)
The Absolute Universe (Forevermore)
SMPT:e (The Roine Stolt Mixes)
Kaleidoscope
The Absolute Universe (The Breath Of Life)
SMPT:e (Original Mix)
*This is my personal edit of BAF, which takes the hidden track ending of "Suite Charlotte Pike" and re-inserts it at the end of the song (undoing the fade-out and fade-in), and then segueing SCP into the opening of the title track, crossfading them, so that the only break in the music comes between "Bridge Across Forever" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
-Marc.
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I have to get around to checking out those Stolt mixes at some point
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Transatlantic only has one album I like more than this one now and that's Bridge Across Forever.
BAF
Forevermore
Whirlwind
SMPT:e
Kaleidoscope
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that's about how I rank them :hat
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I honestly can't rank them except to say Kaleidoscope is last.
On any given day, any of the other 4 could be #1. They are all amazing albums.
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Speaking of Kaleidoscope, I just noticed yesterday that one of the main riffs in "Into The Blue" is the exact same riff that's in "Monster Within" - the fourth track on TFK album "Space Revolver" The similarity is unmistakable. Nearly identical if not exactly identical. I think the key might be different
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And uh, just to be clear, I'm not putting that out as a criticism at all. It may be intentional or it may have just been a coincidence, who knows, but I just thought it was cool when I noticed this nuggetz ;)
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Speaking of Kaleidoscope, I just noticed yesterday that one of the main riffs in "Into The Blue" is the exact same riff that's in "Monster Within" - the fourth track on TFK album "Space Revolver" The similarity is unmistakable. Nearly identical if not exactly identical. I think the key might be different
Could you point out the time stamps please? I'm not too familiar with Space Revolver (yet) ;)
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Speaking of Kaleidoscope, I just noticed yesterday that one of the main riffs in "Into The Blue" is the exact same riff that's in "Monster Within" - the fourth track on TFK album "Space Revolver" The similarity is unmistakable. Nearly identical if not exactly identical. I think the key might be different
Could you point out the time stamps please? I'm not too familiar with Space Revolver (yet) ;)
OK, gimme a minute
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Space Revolver - the riff that begins at 0:31 (https://youtu.be/LJJe7ujz3zY?t=30)
Into The Blue - the riff that begins at 3:32 (https://youtu.be/23GNCqzN9OA?t=212)
I'm thinking Roine probably brought that to the table or it's just one hell of a coincidence :lol
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Space Revolver - the riff that begins at 0:31 (https://youtu.be/LJJe7ujz3zY?t=30)
Into The Blue - the riff that begins at 3:32 (https://youtu.be/23GNCqzN9OA?t=212)
I'm thinking Roine probably brought that to the table or it's just one hell of a coincidence :lol
I've noticed this before, and I think it's just a case of Roine playing a similar riff again. Neal does this ALL the time, and Pete has even done it before as well (part of "Lending A Hand" at 0:36 sounds very similar to the Kino demo "Throw It Away" at 2:25).
-Marc.
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I think the best way to sum up Kaleidoscope is that it just isn't as memorable as the other 4 albums they've released. It's still a quality release, there is nothing wrong with it on a technical perspective. It's got all the ingredients the band members bring, but for some reason the stars didn't align on this one. I think Into The Blue is underrated, but wouldn't put it above almost all their other epics besides the title track. Perhaps TA is held to a higher standard than say, the newest Neal Morse solo album.
Interestingly, to my ears, the album's release came at a time where I feel both Neal and Roine were at creative lows, compared to what came earlier, and what has been released since by both artists. This was not very long after MP left DT, so maybe he was also not as focused in, or maybe going through the motions. I think this plays a part in why Kaleidoscope just isn't as strong as BAF, TW, and TAU, or have as memorable of songs/epics as SMPTe.
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I think the best way to sum up Kaleidoscope is that it just isn't as memorable as the other 4 albums they've released. It's still a quality release, there is nothing wrong with it on a technical perspective. It's got all the ingredients the band members bring, but for some reason the stars didn't align on this one. I think Into The Blue is underrated, but wouldn't put it above almost all their other epics besides the title track. Perhaps TA is held to a higher standard than say, the newest Neal Morse solo album.
Interestingly, to my ears, the album's release came at a time where I feel both Neal and Roine were at creative lows, compared to what came earlier, and what has been released since by both artists. This was not very long after MP left DT, so maybe he was also not as focused in, or maybe going through the motions. I think this plays a part in why Kaleidoscope just isn't as strong as BAF, TW, and TAU, or have as memorable of songs/epics as SMPTe.
I feel Kaleidoscope has a real strong Neal and Pete influence, with a dash of Roine.
I enjoy Into The Blue, Black As The Sky, and bits of Kaleidoscope. But, do not like the pacing of Shine or Beyond The Sun. Those two songs are ones I feel they were going through the motions with, to fill out the album and add more tracks besides the other three. And to go back to the first album, since they did a one song concept album.
I like TAU:Forevermore, because it is a double-album concept, that is not one song. And it's something the band hasn't done yet, which is kind of odd knowing how long Transatlantic albums are.
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I think the best way to sum up Kaleidoscope is that it just isn't as memorable as the other 4 albums they've released. It's still a quality release, there is nothing wrong with it on a technical perspective. It's got all the ingredients the band members bring, but for some reason the stars didn't align on this one. I think Into The Blue is underrated, but wouldn't put it above almost all their other epics besides the title track. Perhaps TA is held to a higher standard than say, the newest Neal Morse solo album.
Interestingly, to my ears, the album's release came at a time where I feel both Neal and Roine were at creative lows, compared to what came earlier, and what has been released since by both artists. This was not very long after MP left DT, so maybe he was also not as focused in, or maybe going through the motions. I think this plays a part in why Kaleidoscope just isn't as strong as BAF, TW, and TAU, or have as memorable of songs/epics as SMPTe.
I feel Kaleidoscope has a real strong Neal and Pete influence, with a dash of Roine.
I enjoy Into The Blue, Black As The Sky, and bits of Kaleidoscope. But, do not like the pacing of Shine or Beyond The Sun. Those two songs are ones I feel they were going through the motions with, to fill out the album and add more tracks besides the other three. And to go back to the first album, since they did a one song concept album.
I like TAU:Forevermore, because it is a double-album concept, that is not one song. And it's something the band hasn't done yet, which is kind of odd knowing how long Transatlantic albums are.
Shine is really the only song on Kaleidoscope I ever listen to. Yeah, it’s kind of a watered down We All Need Some Light and the chorus is firmly on the hokey side, but I do like the instrumentation and Roine’s solo is really nice.
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I think the best way to sum up Kaleidoscope is that it just isn't as memorable as the other 4 albums they've released. It's still a quality release, there is nothing wrong with it on a technical perspective. It's got all the ingredients the band members bring, but for some reason the stars didn't align on this one. I think Into The Blue is underrated, but wouldn't put it above almost all their other epics besides the title track. Perhaps TA is held to a higher standard than say, the newest Neal Morse solo album.
Interestingly, to my ears, the album's release came at a time where I feel both Neal and Roine were at creative lows, compared to what came earlier, and what has been released since by both artists. This was not very long after MP left DT, so maybe he was also not as focused in, or maybe going through the motions. I think this plays a part in why Kaleidoscope just isn't as strong as BAF, TW, and TAU, or have as memorable of songs/epics as SMPTe.
I feel Kaleidoscope has a real strong Neal and Pete influence, with a dash of Roine.
I enjoy Into The Blue, Black As The Sky, and bits of Kaleidoscope. But, do not like the pacing of Shine or Beyond The Sun. Those two songs are ones I feel they were going through the motions with, to fill out the album and add more tracks besides the other three. And to go back to the first album, since they did a one song concept album.
I like TAU:Forevermore, because it is a double-album concept, that is not one song. And it's something the band hasn't done yet, which is kind of odd knowing how long Transatlantic albums are.
Shine is really the only song on Kaleidoscope I ever listen to. Yeah, it’s kind of a watered down We All Need Some Light and the chorus is firmly on the hokey side, but I do like the instrumentation and Roine’s solo is really nice.
It's not a bad song.
It's just really Church Gospel sounding, and I just can't help but picture an outside church service and the pastor with the church band playing this song. :lol
And I hear this in a lot of Neal Morse songs.
These 2 songs just ruin the pacing of the album for me, and feel like their usual styles and using these to fill out the album, going through the motions to have a soft song, type of thing.
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I think the best way to sum up Kaleidoscope is that it just isn't as memorable as the other 4 albums they've released. It's still a quality release, there is nothing wrong with it on a technical perspective. It's got all the ingredients the band members bring, but for some reason the stars didn't align on this one. I think Into The Blue is underrated, but wouldn't put it above almost all their other epics besides the title track. Perhaps TA is held to a higher standard than say, the newest Neal Morse solo album.
Interestingly, to my ears, the album's release came at a time where I feel both Neal and Roine were at creative lows, compared to what came earlier, and what has been released since by both artists. This was not very long after MP left DT, so maybe he was also not as focused in, or maybe going through the motions. I think this plays a part in why Kaleidoscope just isn't as strong as BAF, TW, and TAU, or have as memorable of songs/epics as SMPTe.
I feel Kaleidoscope has a real strong Neal and Pete influence, with a dash of Roine.
I enjoy Into The Blue, Black As The Sky, and bits of Kaleidoscope. But, do not like the pacing of Shine or Beyond The Sun. Those two songs are ones I feel they were going through the motions with, to fill out the album and add more tracks besides the other three. And to go back to the first album, since they did a one song concept album.
I like TAU:Forevermore, because it is a double-album concept, that is not one song. And it's something the band hasn't done yet, which is kind of odd knowing how long Transatlantic albums are.
Shine is really the only song on Kaleidoscope I ever listen to. Yeah, it’s kind of a watered down We All Need Some Light and the chorus is firmly on the hokey side, but I do like the instrumentation and Roine’s solo is really nice.
It's not a bad song.
It's just really Church Gospel sounding, and I just can't help but picture an outside church service and the pastor with the church band playing this song. :lol
And I hear this in a lot of Neal Morse songs.
These 2 songs just ruin the pacing of the album for me, and feel like their usual styles and using these to fill out the album, going through the motions to have a soft song, type of thing.
Beyond the Sun is just dreadful.
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I think the best way to sum up Kaleidoscope is that it just isn't as memorable as the other 4 albums they've released. It's still a quality release, there is nothing wrong with it on a technical perspective. It's got all the ingredients the band members bring, but for some reason the stars didn't align on this one. I think Into The Blue is underrated, but wouldn't put it above almost all their other epics besides the title track. Perhaps TA is held to a higher standard than say, the newest Neal Morse solo album.
Interestingly, to my ears, the album's release came at a time where I feel both Neal and Roine were at creative lows, compared to what came earlier, and what has been released since by both artists. This was not very long after MP left DT, so maybe he was also not as focused in, or maybe going through the motions. I think this plays a part in why Kaleidoscope just isn't as strong as BAF, TW, and TAU, or have as memorable of songs/epics as SMPTe.
I feel Kaleidoscope has a real strong Neal and Pete influence, with a dash of Roine.
I enjoy Into The Blue, Black As The Sky, and bits of Kaleidoscope. But, do not like the pacing of Shine or Beyond The Sun. Those two songs are ones I feel they were going through the motions with, to fill out the album and add more tracks besides the other three. And to go back to the first album, since they did a one song concept album.
I like TAU:Forevermore, because it is a double-album concept, that is not one song. And it's something the band hasn't done yet, which is kind of odd knowing how long Transatlantic albums are.
Shine is really the only song on Kaleidoscope I ever listen to. Yeah, it’s kind of a watered down We All Need Some Light and the chorus is firmly on the hokey side, but I do like the instrumentation and Roine’s solo is really nice.
It's not a bad song.
It's just really Church Gospel sounding, and I just can't help but picture an outside church service and the pastor with the church band playing this song. :lol
And I hear this in a lot of Neal Morse songs.
These 2 songs just ruin the pacing of the album for me, and feel like their usual styles and using these to fill out the album, going through the motions to have a soft song, type of thing.
Beyond the Sun is just dreadful.
I don't even remember how it goes... :lol
I think I'm gonna listen to Kaleidoscope. It's been a while. I just mainly just listen to Black As The Sky, and every once in a while Into The Blue.
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Roine's solo is killer, but I agree that Shine, by and large, sounds like a poor man's We All Need Some Light. I enjoy it on occasion, but it's not a favorite by any means.
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Roine's solo is killer, but I agree that Shine, by and large, sounds like a poor man's We All Need Some Light. I enjoy it on occasion, but it's not a favorite by any means.
And BTS is a poor man's BAF.
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Roine's solo is killer, but I agree that Shine, by and large, sounds like a poor man's We All Need Some Light. I enjoy it on occasion, but it's not a favorite by any means.
And BTS is a poor man's BAF.
It’s a very poor man’s BAF crossed with The Distance to the Sun (both great songs), but somehow there’s just no melody there.
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To circle back to the long fadeout at the end of the new album, I don't know why a lot of proggers nowadays have an infatuation with that. I mean, after that long of an album, do we really need that long of a fadeout after the climax hits? I edited the long fadeout at the end of DT's Losing Time/Grand Finale down many years ago, and I need to do that with this one here soon as well.
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I love Beyond the Sun, and really all of the last three tracks on Kaleidoscope. I think it's the first two that cause it to place a cut below Bridge Across Forever and The Whirlwind. Don't where TAU will end up for me yet, but the first four are definitely:
The Whirlwind
Bridge Across Forever
Kaleidoscope
SMPTe
I think the top two are untouchable, and TAU is ahead of at least about the debut (I love All of the Above and We All Need Some Light, but I'm indifferent toward Mystery Train and enjoy but don't love My New World and In Held). But I don't know whether it beats Kaleidoscope. I think it might have more strong parts on the whole, but it also has some parts I outright don't like (at least one of which is repeated over and over and over and over: "Be-long, be-long, better to belong").
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To circle back to the long fadeout at the end of the new album, I don't know why a lot of proggers nowadays have an infatuation with that. I mean, after that long of an album, do we really need that long of a fadeout after the climax hits? I edited the long fadeout at the end of DT's Losing Time/Grand Finale down many years ago, and I need to do that with this one here soon as well.
The ending of this latest TA album is the only thing I don't like about it. So anticlimactic. I felt the same about The Whirlwind as well, in fact I deleted that last track from my phone because I always turn the album off when that last song begins. Too religious for me.
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Musically, I think the last track on TW is great, maybe a little too long but is the payoff we all wish the ending of TAU was. TAU's ending is underwhelming, and the album overall could have had less theme reprises on so many of the songs. It's what keeps it from topping TW for me (and BAF to an extent, I have that album tied with TAU. Both TAU and BAF are some of the band's best, but also have things I'm not as into. TAU is just longer.)
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I will say what I have said numerous times: if the first and last songs on The Whirlwind were as great as the rest, it would be my favorite TA record. And it is still pretty close. I like the first and last songs, but both seem a bit overcooked. I know, a 77-minute album that runs non-stop needs a long overture and an epic finisher, but both could have been tightened up a bit rather than feeling the need to jam pack every main theme seemingly into both. The Wind That Blew Them All Away through Rose Covered Glasses is still possibly the greatest stretch of music the band has done to date.
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I love both the Whirlwind Overture and Dancing with Eternal Glory. DwEG has the advantage (over Love Made a Way) of having a number of melodies that have not been sung yet. And, say what you will about reprises, "A man can feel his spirit in the sky..." is one of my favorites, in part because it's not the song you expect to hear reprised there and the emotional content is reversed.
For me the weak part of that song, to the extent that such exists, is Lay Down Your Life, and that's really just because I'm not crazy about Neal's head voice.
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The reprises are cool, I don't mind those at all, but there is no need to just bang on the same chord for 3 and half minutes at the end of TAU.
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The reprises are cool, I don't mind those at all, but there is no need to just bang on the same chord for 3 and half minutes at the end of TAU.
I just checked and the last chord only goes on for 97 seconds on the Ultimate Mix, and 91 seconds on Forevermore, and 104 seconds on TBOL.
I didn't think it was "3 and a half minutes". To compare, the ending chord to DWEG goes on for 56 seconds, and the ending of AOTA goes on for 165 seconds (and 169 seconds on the Roine Stolt Mixes).
-Marc.
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The reprises are cool, I don't mind those at all, but there is no need to just bang on the same chord for 3 and half minutes at the end of TAU.
I just checked and the last chord only goes on for 97 seconds on the Ultimate Mix, and 91 seconds on Forevermore, and 104 seconds on TBOL.
I didn't think it was "3 and a half minutes". To compare, the ending chord to DWEG goes on for 56 seconds, and the ending of AOTA goes on for 165 seconds (and 169 seconds on the Roine Stolt Mixes).
-Marc.
Sarcasm, bruh ;)
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The reprises are cool, I don't mind those at all, but there is no need to just bang on the same chord for 3 and half minutes at the end of TAU.
I just checked and the last chord only goes on for 97 seconds on the Ultimate Mix, and 91 seconds on Forevermore, and 104 seconds on TBOL.
I didn't think it was "3 and a half minutes". To compare, the ending chord to DWEG goes on for 56 seconds, and the ending of AOTA goes on for 165 seconds (and 169 seconds on the Roine Stolt Mixes).
-Marc.
Sarcasm, bruh ;)
Wait, we can use sarcasm in online text forums?
-Marc.
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My opinion on The Absolute Universe has changed a little. I had the album as the 2nd best TA album for a while, tied with Bridge Across Forever, but it's slipped to 3rd now, tied with SMPTe for me. I think SMPTe might have the edge over this one as well, but I still think it's better than Kaleidoscope. Overall, I think Neal had the right idea to edit Forevermore, but I'm not sure the execution was the best it could have been. I think Neal cut too much out, and I think instead he should have been focused on letting the individual songs stand on their own more. The best example of this I can recall is during Solitude. There was no need for Neal to come in seemingly out of nowhere with one of the earlier themes we've already heard multiple times at that point in the Forevermore album.
I think the first disc starts out strong enough, and more or less maintains that high level until the end. However, the 2nd disc is where I could see some things being cut out, along with the many reprises littered throughout, and a couple of the songs could have been on the hypothetical bonus disc, along with Can You Feel It from TBOL. The last few songs are good but this is where Neal made the right call on editing the last few tracks. Of course, the anti-climatic last song Love Made A Way has all the right ingredients for an epic finale, but I think it still could have used more work, and if the many main themes of the album that pop up all over the place were lessened and/or edited out between Bully and Looking for the Light (Reprise), I think the lead up to the finale would have been greater, as I would have missed those earlier themes by this point in the album, and welcomed them with open arms.
This is after not listening to the album or other similar music for the last month or more, so I'm coming in with fresh ears, and it's like I understand where Neal was coming from now, but I think the album needed more work besides just editing some parts out, editing out complete songs, and sticking in one new song that is just a short, mediocre song. So TBOL doesn't cut the mustard either.
Still a good album, and their best since The Whirlwind. I like the framework of albums like TW, TAU, similar to the recent TFK, NM solo, and TNMB albums; continuously flowing music. My only issue is I don't want that on every album, and there needs to be a payoff at or near the end of the album, otherwise, the experience is like a musical version of the show 'Lost'. If you've never watched the show, you should watch it.
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I know what you mean about the ending. I like the last song, but it doesn't give me that "holy crap, this is epic as hell" feeling that I get from the end of Stranger in Your Soul, or the last song on The Whirlwind, or other Neal album endings like Broken Sky / Long Day (Reprise) or A Love That Never Dies. It's a nice tune and then the album just kinda ends. That is one of the reasons I just can't put it close to the level of the first three albums, all of which are near-perfect records (first two are basically perfect and then my only beef with TW is the first and last songs both being a bit overcooked, but I can usually get past that when listening). There is plenty of greatness, but there are just too many "yeah but"s with The Absolute Universe.
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So, even though I own the Deluxe box set, I wanted to order the stand-alone BD just so I can have it handy and not have to take the cardboard sleeved BD out of the box set whenever I want to watch it. I ordered it from Radiant on March 30th and JUST NOW got my shipping notification email, 3 weeks later. Oof. I'm glad I wasn't itching to get it ASAP, but still... honestly, this is my first time experiencing a huge delay in order-to-shipment with Radiant.
-Marc.
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Album is still #2 for me. The only one I like better than this is Bridge Across Forever.
Totally agree, though, about the anticlimactic ending. That's now three albums in this band's body of work whose endings are less than ideal. I don't like the cover song that closes the debut, I'm not a fan of the final track on The Whirlwind. And here the last track, "Love Made a Way" should have been 1/2 or less as long as it is now. There is no reason to keep banging on that chord for 3 more minutes, it just all feels very forced in the last several minutes of that song. I'm a huge fan of epic endings, but they should be more like the end of Stranger In Your Soul. It's big, it's huge, it's grandiose and bombastic but it's also over in about 2 minutes. That's how you end an epic. Banging on the same chord for 3 minutes? It's just...tedious. I deleted that track and it's a big improvement.
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So, even though I own the Deluxe box set, I wanted to order the stand-alone BD just so I can have it handy and not have to take the cardboard sleeved BD out of the box set whenever I want to watch it. I ordered it from Radiant on March 30th and JUST NOW got my shipping notification email, 3 weeks later. Oof. I'm glad I wasn't itching to get it ASAP, but still... honestly, this is my first time experiencing a huge delay in order-to-shipment with Radiant.
-Marc.
They really screwed the pooch on this one. I got my pre-ordered Deluxe set in 3 different shipments spread out over 2 months. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm not going to pre-order from Radiant again. When I need to buy CDs or Vinyl or special packages I'm going to LaserCD.com. I've never had a problem with an order from that place and pre-orders almost always arrive on or before release day.
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So, even though I own the Deluxe box set, I wanted to order the stand-alone BD just so I can have it handy and not have to take the cardboard sleeved BD out of the box set whenever I want to watch it. I ordered it from Radiant on March 30th and JUST NOW got my shipping notification email, 3 weeks later. Oof. I'm glad I wasn't itching to get it ASAP, but still... honestly, this is my first time experiencing a huge delay in order-to-shipment with Radiant.
-Marc.
They really screwed the pooch on this one. I got my pre-ordered Deluxe set in 3 different shipments spread out over 2 months. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm not going to pre-order from Radiant again. When I need to buy CDs or Vinyl or special packages I'm going to LaserCD.com. I've never had a problem with an order from that place and pre-orders almost always arrive on or before release day.
Prices competitive? I notice on some of these releases the pricing is all over the place.
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To be honest I don't pay a lot of attention to the prices unless the difference is outrageous and I've never noticed anything that was abnormally high. If he prices things a little higher, I'm OK with it as long as the service continues the way it has. I've bought from Ken for more than 15 years and never had any problems.
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I don't buy physical CDs anymore, but back when I used to, LaserCD rocked. Assuming their service is still similar to what it was 10-15 years ago, I highly recommend them as well.
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Apologies if this has already been discussed ad nauseam (which I suspect it has), but I finally got around to listening to the extended edition. Holy fucking bloat. I know which one I'm purchasing now. the additional 30 minutes made the whole thing feel more like a Neal Morse solo album - my sense is most of the extra 30 minutes was voiced by Neal, and the extended edition had a much larger religious vibe. Maybe that's just me.
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Apologies if this has already been discussed ad nauseam (which I suspect it has), but I finally got around to listening to the extended edition. Holy fucking bloat. I know which one I'm purchasing now. the additional 30 minutes made the whole thing feel more like a Neal Morse solo album - my sense is most of the extra 30 minutes was voiced by Neal, and the extended edition had a much larger religious vibe. Maybe that's just me.
Nope. The extended edition (Forevermore) was headed up by Roine and the abridged (Breath of Life) is the one that Neal took over. They both share similar religious themes, but Forevermore contains more Roine material.
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I guess it is just me then! :lol Either way, the Forevermore was a chore to get thru, and it felt every bit a 90 minute double album. I just purchased The Breath of Life. Ironically, I find those two subtitles to be quite apt.
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Kaleidoscope is growing on me a little. After TAU's release I'm more accepting that it's not their best album.... but:
I think Into The Blue is an underrated epic that just doesn't quite hit the highs of previous epics but has some killer parts.
I don't hate Shine, and it has a nice Roine solo in it.
Black As The Sky is an OK tune, never been blown away by it.
The 4th track Beyond the Sun is a throwaway track. Totally unnecessary.
The title track is growing on me, my favorite part is the Black Gold section and some other parts.
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Roine wrote this in a TFK group on Facebook two days ago, under the name Pale Rider:
"I actually had a first listen to both yesterday - I hadn't heard it in months - and have to agree 'Forevermore' is the by far better mix - and better songstucture .....imho .... could you guess !!? - Mixwise it has the bass & guitars more audible - It just feels more musical and organic - Possibly has less limiter on master too - so my system and subwoofer responded accordingly - great!"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/908494075873543 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/908494075873543)
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I agree with Roine, the mix is a lot better on Forevermore than on TBOL.
On Forevermore, the bass punches through more, the guitars are more audible, and
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Neal just shared this upset about 25 minutes ago:
Tomorrow is the official release date of the reissue of Transatlantic’s SMPTe on vinyl. Unfortunately we haven’t yet received our stock of Cover To Cover, Cover 2 Cover and SMPTe vinyl from the supplier.
Apologies to everyone but I can assure you that when the stock arrives, it will be dispatched as quickly as possible. I know you’ll enjoy them a lot when they arrive and at Radiant, we really appreciate your order and your patience.
So if you ordered your SMPTe vinyl from Radiant, you'll have to wait (even) longer (than usual).
-Marc.
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Roine wrote this in a TFK group on Facebook two days ago, under the name Pale Rider:
"I actually had a first listen to both yesterday - I hadn't heard it in months - and have to agree 'Forevermore' is the by far better mix - and better songstucture .....imho .... could you guess !!? - Mixwise it has the bass & guitars more audible - It just feels more musical and organic - Possibly has less limiter on master too - so my system and subwoofer responded accordingly - great!"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/908494075873543 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/908494075873543)
Maybe it's my imagination, but I sense a subtle friction between Neal and Roine over the different versions of Transatlantic's output.
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Roine wrote this in a TFK group on Facebook two days ago, under the name Pale Rider:
"I actually had a first listen to both yesterday - I hadn't heard it in months - and have to agree 'Forevermore' is the by far better mix - and better songstucture .....imho .... could you guess !!? - Mixwise it has the bass & guitars more audible - It just feels more musical and organic - Possibly has less limiter on master too - so my system and subwoofer responded accordingly - great!"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/908494075873543 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/908494075873543)
Maybe it's my imagination, but I sense a subtle friction between Neal and Roine over the different versions of Transatlantic's output.
Maybe recently due to the different versions of TAU, but IIRC Roine stated that while they had disagreements over TAU, it wasn't anything personal.
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Kaleidoscope is growing on me a little. After TAU's release I'm more accepting that it's not their best album.... but:
I think Into The Blue is an underrated epic that just doesn't quite hit the highs of previous epics but has some killer parts.
I don't hate Shine, and it has a nice Roine solo in it.
Black As The Sky is an OK tune, never been blown away by it.
The 4th track Beyond the Sun is a throwaway track. Totally unnecessary.
The title track is growing on me, my favorite part is the Black Gold section and some other parts.
I'd argue Kaleidoscope may not be their best album, but it's fairly solid.
I think Into The Blue is an underrated epic that absolutely hits the highs of previous epics.
Shine is about the best thing TA have recorded, love it.
Black As The Sky is an OK tune, never been blown away by it.
The 4th track Beyond the Sun is nice enough, but not essential
The title track is a mess and lets the whole album down. it has no cohesion, and no idea what it's about.
It's a lot like the first album to me, which is what lets it down, the repetition of ideas - a brilliant epic, a lovely acoustic guitar led track, an Ok rocker, and then ends on a pile of overlong nonsense I never want to listen to again. It wouldn't be so bad if TAU wasn't re-treading The Whirlwind.
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I'd argue Kaleidoscope may not be their best album, but it's fairly solid.
I think Into The Blue is an underrated epic that absolutely hits the highs of previous epics.
Shine is about the best thing TA have recorded, love it.
Black As The Sky is an OK tune, never been blown away by it.
The 4th track Beyond the Sun is nice enough, but not essential
The title track is a mess and lets the whole album down. it has no cohesion, and no idea what it's about.
It's a lot like the first album to me, which is what lets it down, the repetition of ideas - a brilliant epic, a lovely acoustic guitar led track, an Ok rocker, and then ends on a pile of overlong nonsense I never want to listen to again. It wouldn't be so bad if TAU wasn't re-treading The Whirlwind.
I have a very positive opinion of Kaleidoscope, but almost exactly the opposite ranking of the tracks. I think the title track is wonderful; it's my second-favorite of their 25-35 minute songs after All of the Above. I think Black as the Sky is really good, second best on the album. Then I'd put Into the Blue, which I think is a good song but not up to the level of their other epics in this range, and Beyond the Sun in about the same place. Shine is the one I could absolutely do without—it's fine, but not particularly interesting to me.
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Kaleidoscope is growing on me a little. After TAU's release I'm more accepting that it's not their best album.... but:
I think Into The Blue is an underrated epic that just doesn't quite hit the highs of previous epics but has some killer parts.
I don't hate Shine, and it has a nice Roine solo in it.
Black As The Sky is an OK tune, never been blown away by it.
The 4th track Beyond the Sun is a throwaway track. Totally unnecessary.
The title track is growing on me, my favorite part is the Black Gold section and some other parts.
I'd argue Kaleidoscope may not be their best album, but it's fairly solid.
I think Into The Blue is an underrated epic that absolutely hits the highs of previous epics.
Shine is about the best thing TA have recorded, love it.
Black As The Sky is an OK tune, never been blown away by it.
The 4th track Beyond the Sun is nice enough, but not essential
The title track is a mess and lets the whole album down. it has no cohesion, and no idea what it's about.
It's a lot like the first album to me, which is what lets it down, the repetition of ideas - a brilliant epic, a lovely acoustic guitar led track, an Ok rocker, and then ends on a pile of overlong nonsense I never want to listen to again. It wouldn't be so bad if TAU wasn't re-treading The Whirlwind.
For me, the two epics on Kaleidoscope are easily the least songs on the album.
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Black As The Sky is my big favorite on that album.
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I have no intention to ever listen to The Breath of Life again. Forevermore is the album for me.
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I have no intention to ever listen to The Breath of Life or Forevermore again. The Ultimate Mix is the album for me.
Fixed that for me.
I mean, I might occasionally listen to TBOL or Forevermore again, but in the last month or more, if I wanted to listen to TAU, it was the Ultimate Mix for me, but I still have all 3 versions on my phone.
-Marc.
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I have no intention to ever listen to The Breath of Life again. Forevermore is the album for me.
Sort of the other way round for me, although it's more accurate to say I have no intention of listening to any of the official mixes because I prefer my own mix (TBOL with three Forevermore tracks added in).
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I have no intention to ever listen to The Breath of Life or Forevermore again. The Ultimate Mix is the album for me.
Fixed that for me.
I mean, I might occasionally listen to TBOL or Forevermore again, but in the last month or more, if I wanted to listen to TAU, it was the Ultimate Mix for me, but I still have all 3 versions on my phone.
-Marc.
Same here. I like The Ultimate Mix the best. I don't care if it takes riding back and forth to work 6 times to hear the whole thing :lol
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I have no intention to ever listen to The Breath of Life or Forevermore again. The Ultimate Mix is the album for me.
Fixed that for me.
I mean, I might occasionally listen to TBOL or Forevermore again, but in the last month or more, if I wanted to listen to TAU, it was the Ultimate Mix for me, but I still have all 3 versions on my phone.
-Marc.
Same here. I like The Ultimate Mix the best. I don't care if it takes riding back and forth to work 6 times to hear the whole thing :lol
I wish I could get a download of the Ultimate mix or that they'd release it on CD - don't have a Blu-Ray player. As far as TBOL vs. Forevermore - Forevermore has to win based on The World We Used to Know alone. That's like the best song on the whole thing
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As far as TBOL vs. Forevermore - Forevermore has to win based on The World We Used to Know alone. That's like the best song on the whole thing
Agreed. If someone told me, "you only get one or the other for the rest of your life," with any amended mix or the Ultimate edition not an option, I am taking Forevermore simply because The World We Used to Know is a must-have. That song is just way too awesome to not have.
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As far as TBOL vs. Forevermore - Forevermore has to win based on The World We Used to Know alone. That's like the best song on the whole thing
Agreed. If someone told me, "you only get one or the other for the rest of your life," with any amended mix or the Ultimate edition not an option, I am taking Forevermore simply because The World We Used to Know is a must-have. That song is just way too awesome to not have.
I was about to ask this question. I want to dl this from iTunes and I can’t justify getting both. If I’m only getting one...Forevermore? Like, am I really missing out not getting The Breath of Life?
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As far as TBOL vs. Forevermore - Forevermore has to win based on The World We Used to Know alone. That's like the best song on the whole thing
Agreed. If someone told me, "you only get one or the other for the rest of your life," with any amended mix or the Ultimate edition not an option, I am taking Forevermore simply because The World We Used to Know is a must-have. That song is just way too awesome to not have.
I was about to ask this question. I want to dl this from iTunes and I can’t justify getting both. If I’m only getting one...Forevermore? Like, am I really missing out not getting The Breath of Life?
I haven't heard one note of The Breath of Life, but for me, Forevermore is the second best thing they've done after BAF. I think its an amazing piece of work - better even than TW, and that's saying a lot. My opinion of course. What I mentioned above, if you just get TBOL, you'll be missing what I consider the best song on TAU, which is The World we Used to Know.
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As far as TBOL vs. Forevermore - Forevermore has to win based on The World We Used to Know alone. That's like the best song on the whole thing
Agreed. If someone told me, "you only get one or the other for the rest of your life," with any amended mix or the Ultimate edition not an option, I am taking Forevermore simply because The World We Used to Know is a must-have. That song is just way too awesome to not have.
I was about to ask this question. I want to dl this from iTunes and I can’t justify getting both. If I’m only getting one...Forevermore? Like, am I really missing out not getting The Breath of Life?
Probably. But it's a difficult question to answer because a lot of people have posted different opinions about which they prefer, and the results vary for a variety of reasons. But from what I have seen, I think more have said they prefer Forevermore.
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As far as TBOL vs. Forevermore - Forevermore has to win based on The World We Used to Know alone. That's like the best song on the whole thing
Agreed. If someone told me, "you only get one or the other for the rest of your life," with any amended mix or the Ultimate edition not an option, I am taking Forevermore simply because The World We Used to Know is a must-have. That song is just way too awesome to not have.
I was about to ask this question. I want to dl this from iTunes and I can’t justify getting both. If I’m only getting one...Forevermore? Like, am I really missing out not getting The Breath of Life?
I've heard all three versions of the album at least 10 times each - I think I've heard Forevermore probably closer to 20 times now.
In my opinion The Breath of Life sounds a lot closer to a Neal Morse solo album than the other two versions. I don't regret getting them all but knowing what I know now I would probably not bother with The Breath of Life.
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Barry, given what you just said, I'm curious about more specifically how you view your purchase of The Breath of Life, personally. Would you say it is more "It is the lesser version, so I will rarely spin it, but I think it is worth pulling off the shelf for a spin every now and then," or "glad I heard it, but I probably won't ever listen to it anymore now," or something else?
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Eh, well, I'm a collector so I'm still glad I have it. I may spin it once in a great while just for a change of pace, but I did delete it from my iPhone. It's on Amazon anyway and I'm a subscriber so I can listen whenever I feel that I need to but if I want a fix of that kind of thing I'll usually just dig into "?" or "Testimony 2" or one of the NMB albums.
I can't help feeling that there is more to this multiple album versions than the band is letting on. As I've seen mentioned elsewhere and on social media, I sense a bit of tension between Neal and Roine. I can't point to anything specific, call it a gut feeling.
Transatlantic is supposed to be a collaboration. I just find it very strange that Neal would break off and create his own very different mix of the same album they all just worked on together. I know it was done with the apparent blessing of the rest of the group, but I just get a feeling that we haven't gotten the entire story behind it and that it either was due to some existing tension or the act of doing it created some new tension...
It's all speculation, though.
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Yeah, I have wondered similar things myself. I hate to go down that road because, as you point out, it is purely speculative. And what we, as fans, actually know is such a tiny, insignificant fraction of the working relationship between these guys that we couldn't possibly know what actually happened. The little bits we have could ultimately be very misleading, and this "compromise" could very well have been a hugely positive thing that brought them even closer together, for all we know. But, yeah, I wouldn't be surprised either if there were in fact some issues.
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Regarding possible tensions between Roine and Neal, I think I have seen/heard/read some stuff that might indicate that Roine may have had some hard feelings when it came to Neal wanting to do his own version of the album. Despite saying he was an "equal opportunity" editor when it came to taking out people's music, I feel like Neal took out a lot of Roine's music and parts, including one big contribution in "The World We Used To Know", and he even wrote in new guitar parts he played himself.
Like, I get it, Neal wanted to craft a single-disc stand-alone album and needed to edit some stuff around and add new things to make it coherent, but at the same time, it almost felt unnecessary. I think Neal may have felt like he didn't get his way enough during the TAU sessions, and I kind of sensed that watching the Making Of video. They didn't write the album at his home studio, so maybe Neal felt out of his comfort zone, and Roine did end up with quite a bit of good material on Forevermore, probably more material than he is used to having on a TA album (percentage wise).
I think these tensions may have even started during the Kaleidoscope sessions, as Roine didn't even perform on "Beyond The Sun" (the slide guitar is credited to Rich Mouser), as he didn't feel like it needed to be the album at all, and more or less refused to write/record any guitar parts for it, so Neal got Rich to do some. I think Roine didn't think too highly of Kaleidoscope as a whole, though he did contribute to the best part of "Shine" with the guitar solo/bridge, which, without it, would have been a fairly boring Neal Morse solo acoustic guitar ballad, and an even poorer man's "We All Need Some Light".
I think if Pete hadn't initially thought that TA5 should have been shorter, then when Neal had the idea to make an edit, there might not have been a 2-vs-2 vote on how to format the album. Thankfully Mike's idea to present both to Inside Out made it so that the band could continue working on the album and release it, because I'm not sure if it would've happened had they reached an impasse and could not agree on what to do with the album. Perhaps it would've just been edited down slightly to fit 80 minutes, and then we'd all directly compare it to The Whirlwind. Giving us simultaneously the longest and shortest TA album the band has released makes The Absolute Universe stand out among the other four albums because it's a unique way to present the material, and probably something that won't ever happen again (at least with Transatlantic).
If COVID didn't happen, we would've only gotten Forevermore, and I think they would've toured on it just fine, and perhaps there would not be any possible tensions or hard feelings, at least from Roine, but I wonder if Neal would have ever come out and said that he really wanted the album to be a shorter, single disc album. But because the pandemic DID happen, they both got their own versions of the album out, and do not have to worry about how to play the album live for a possible tour. Part of me thinks they are both glad they don't have to tour TAU, because I'm sure the logistics of figuring out how to play it all might have caused some more tension between them. Maybe once a Transatlantic tour is possible, they'll have talked it out and may be things will be good enough between them. I just don't want them to split the band up because of it and never play The Absolute Universe (any version of it) live. It'd be like Spock's Beard's Snow all over again, with no proper tour, and the only hope being a huge reunion show over a decade later (and I doubt they'll all be willing to play a massive album like TAU when they're in their 60s/70s).
-Marc.
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Marc, that all sound perfectly logical. And, again, based on what info we have, I think those are pretty sound conclusions to draw. Again, however, I hate to go down that road, because we have such a limited picture to go off of. For all we know, if the band were to read that post, they might genuinely laugh at it and say, "No, that's not even remotely close. I guess the way the facts came out, it may have inadvertently painted a picture that could lead someone to believe that. But that's actually a really misleading picture that isn't accurate at all." We just don't know.
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Marc, that all sound perfectly logical. And, again, based on what info we have, I think those are pretty sound conclusions to draw. Again, however, I hate to go down that road, because we have such a limited picture to go off of. For all we know, if the band were to read that post, they might genuinely laugh at it and say, "No, that's not even remotely close. I guess the way the facts came out, it may have inadvertently painted a picture that could lead someone to believe that. But that's actually a really misleading picture that isn't accurate at all." We just don't know.
Very good point, and yeah, no one outside of the band (and maybe those close to them) knows exactly what went on during and after those sessions, especially since the album took almost a year to complete, so a lot went on that the less-than-an-hour documentary didn't even cover. I haven't watched Neal's Inner Circle Making Of TBOL yet (because the Radiant site is a POS and downloading/unzipping the file for it doesn't want to work for me), so I'm not sure how much further Neal delves into the creation of his version, but even then, I doubt he'll ever divulge everything that went on in his mind about the creation of TAU, especially if it meant revealing he may have felt under-represented on Forevermore.
What it boils down to is that Neal and Roine are very much used to getting their way in their respective band, and Transatlantic, while striving to be truly collaborative, has always had a slightly more Morse-ian feel to it, even if other members sang or wrote parts throughout each album. Even if he didn't write it, just having Neal sing over another's music even gives the sense that it was written by Neal. I think he has definitely lightened up a bit on wanting to have his voice heard in Flying Colors and the Neal Morse Band over the last 7 years or so, and maybe he felt like he could still get more of his ideas in with Transatlantic, and because that didn't happen as much during the TAU sessions, he thought doing a different mix of the album could be his way to have his voice heard? Again, I think if Pete didn't rattle around the idea of making the album shorter, perhaps Neal would not have gone back to that idea months after the initial sessions and tried to make his own 60 minute edit... not that we should blame Pete for that, but it's a possibility that I've thought about. I don't think all four members have ever been on the same page about anything *initially*, but after some discussion, I think they all come to agreements about things in a civil manner. I mean, obviously the band is still together, and of course Roine is going to hype up Forevermore more because he spearheaded it, so maybe we're just reading into things a bit too much?
Maybe once the band is done, someone can write a book about Transatlantic, and they can finally reveal all of the dirty little secrets they each have had throughout the years! A sort of tell-all book about the history of Transatlantic!
-Marc.
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I can't remember if we discussed this angle or not, but given how Portnoy, by his own admission, really will fight to get his way in the studio, had he and Neal been on the same side in this scenario, I can't help but think that he would have sided with Neal and the album would have been released that way. But since Portnoy was on the side of Forevermore, he probably didn't want to go against his closest friend in the band, hence the suggestion to release two versions. Doesn't that seems like a safe assumption?
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On Neal’s recent podcast with Steve Hackett, he went kind of in depth about how much he appreciates the freedom of being a solo artist and how sometimes it is really hard for him to compromise on things he’s written, even though he acknowledged there are also times when collaborations are necessary or lead to an improvement over his ideas. I thought it was interesting to hear him talk about it (he brought it up in the context of Steve leaving Genesis). I think he realizes he can be pretty hard nosed about it. But he also talked in that episode about seeing Spock’s Beard playing on Cruise to the Edge and kind of missing being in the band.
Anyway, judging by those comments I do think he probably did push to get his way on TBOL and Mike probably saved the day a bit with his compromise. Which is interesting because Mike has always kind of been that guy in the past, so a maybe he’s mellowed a bit. Hopefully it hasn’t caused a real rift with Roine.
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I can't remember if we discussed this angle or not, but given how Portnoy, by his own admission, really will fight to get his way in the studio, had he and Neal been on the same side in this scenario, I can't help but think that he would have sided with Neal and the album would have been released that way. But since Portnoy was on the side of Forevermore, he probably didn't want to go against his closest friend in the band, hence the suggestion to release two versions. Doesn't that seems like a safe assumption?
Sounds reasonable. And I'm sure Portnoy was the one who "fought to get his way" with the label (releasing both versions).
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I can't remember if we discussed this angle or not, but given how Portnoy, by his own admission, really will fight to get his way in the studio, had he and Neal been on the same side in this scenario, I can't help but think that he would have sided with Neal and the album would have been released that way. But since Portnoy was on the side of Forevermore, he probably didn't want to go against his closest friend in the band, hence the suggestion to release two versions. Doesn't that seems like a safe assumption?
Sounds like the tension could have been between Neal and Mike instead.
But I don't think there is tension between members of the band, I think that's overthinking things based on things said in interviews and the presentation of the album.
I feel like there won't be a tour for TAU, which might be a blessing in disguise for the band, by not having to worry about what they would play (probably the Ultimate version but who knows, since many fans will probably only have gotten Forevermore or TBOL. I don't see them touring until the middle of next year at the earliest, and by then, the album is almost two years old for the public, 3 years old for the band. They'll each have released a dozen albums with their own bands by then, if not more. I think they should just regroup in 2023 for TA6 for a 2024 release date and tour that album with lots of TAU mixed in the sets.
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I doubt there was tension between Neal and Portnoy, probably just a disagreement over the best way to present the final album. Not that they are going to run out and tell everyone if there was, but they seem like they have a good working relationship and can deal with disagreements pretty well. And they got past the big blowout during the Similitude sessions, so I'd be shocked if any disagreement over this TA album escalated to anything more than a spirited discussion.
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These guys are all too professional and experienced in the music biz to really fall out. having different opinions about the music is part of the joint creative process, it's not like these guys are Fleetwood Mac or anything.
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I can't help feeling that there is more to this multiple album versions than the band is letting on. As I've seen mentioned elsewhere and on social media, I sense a bit of tension between Neal and Roine. I can't point to anything specific, call it a gut feeling.
I know exactly what you're saying, and I have the same feeling. I've felt this since day one, frankly. Remember, there's a "The Roine Mix" version of the first album released after the fact. I just went through ripping all my Transatlantic to my network drive, and when watching the short mini-docs on the Special Editions of the first two records, there seems to be a distance with Roine. Maybe it's just personality, maybe it's just the comfort of friends (or the "awkwardness" of new acquaintances) but there's a distinct difference in how Pete, Mike and Neal interact and how Roine fits in.
All speculation of course, as I've only ever met Neal and Mike, and never even been in the same room as Roine. So take that for what it's worth. I'll be watching the "Kaliedoscope" doc this weekend, so I'll be on the look out for any more clues.
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They may be experienced and all that, but this is the first time we've ever talked about there being real tension in this particular band. This feels like a new challenge, and maybe it's a good thing this isn't a permanent band. Maybe they'll come back fresher and ready to move on for the next album in 5 years or so.
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Not true. Roine has been very openly critical of the way Kaleidoscope came together back in the day, taking issue with the small amount of time they spent putting the album together and voicing his opposition to including Beyond the Sun to the point of declining to play on it. I found that pretty remarkable at the time, but also promising for the future, seeing how I mostly agreed with him. And they did ultimately spend more time writing the next album in Sweden, so it seems they did listen to him.
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I didn't know that about Beyond the Sun but boy do I agree with all of that.
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I like the songs Bridge Across Forever and Beyond the Sun, but it always seemed weird to have what seemed like essentially solo Neal songs on Transatlantic albums.
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According to this Facebook by Roine Stolt (https://www.facebook.com/100000224097006/posts/4614319425252148/), preorders for the new pressing of Bridge Across Forever vinyls will begin in a few weeks.
-Marc.
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Neal just announced that this coming Monday, May 17th, the next Inner Circle release will come out, which will be his demos for The Absolute Universe! Included are three tracks: a slower piece called "Be Still", a 40-minute epic track "The Big One", and a demo of "Can You Feel It".
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1966479956825909
It'll be interesting to see how his original ideas evolved and changed, as usual, especially with that 40-minute demo!
-Marc.
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My SMPTe vinyl arrived in the mail from Germany! I have loved this album since i was first blown away by it in 1999. Lucky enough to have seen one of the shows in Philly and got to meet the fellas for the first time that night. EDIT not true, i met MP at an in store before SFAM show- i think that was first. I haven't listened yet but the vinyl is a really cool looking pink tie dye called bubble gum splatter. I do wish Inside Out provided download cards though. This album is going to the dessert island with me (hope i can dig up a turntable there!!)
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Mike has announced that Transatlantic will be performing on Cruise To The Edge 2022!
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/193156683_781443199241860_2579680410382338220_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=8024bb&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=Uo-HoLwIQMMAX8quDW7&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=5c03b9b487db10471908cbab26e8cc3e&oe=60DD0089)
Now we can finally speculate which version(s) of TAU they'll be playing!
-Marc.
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Cool that they got that spot. But looking at the roster, this is a VERY hard pass for me. Other than TA and King's X, I have no interest in any of those bands (and actively dislike a couple). Interesting that no other Morse/Portnoy project is on the roster.
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Cool that they got that spot. But looking at the roster, this is a VERY hard pass for me. Other than TA and King's X, I have no interest in any of those bands (and actively dislike a couple). Interesting that no other Morse/Portnoy project is on the roster.
Interesting Bosk. I would love to go this cruise with this lineup. Marillion, Transatlantic, King's X, McStine Minnemann, Pain of Salvion, Flower Kings, Stick Men (awesome improvs live), Riverside, Pendragon (last two albums have been very very good); Headspace (Oliver Wakeman and Damian Wilson), and Haken. It's a very complete lineup as far as prog goes.
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Is that Al Stewart as in "Year of the Cat" Al Stewart? That dude has got to be older than fucking dirt :lol
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Is that Al Stewart as in "Year of the Cat" Al Stewart? That dude has got to be older than fucking dirt :lol
He was born in 1945.
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Cool that they got that spot. But looking at the roster, this is a VERY hard pass for me. Other than TA and King's X, I have no interest in any of those bands (and actively dislike a couple). Interesting that no other Morse/Portnoy project is on the roster.
I'm guessing more bands will be announced and I'm thinking The NMB could be one of them..
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Cool that they got that spot. But looking at the roster, this is a VERY hard pass for me. Other than TA and King's X, I have no interest in any of those bands (and actively dislike a couple). Interesting that no other Morse/Portnoy project is on the roster.
Interesting Bosk. I would love to go this cruise with this lineup. Marillion, Transatlantic, King's X, McStine Minnemann, Pain of Salvion, Flower Kings, Stick Men (awesome improvs live), Riverside, Pendragon (last two albums have been very very good); Headspace (Oliver Wakeman and Damian Wilson), and Haken. It's a very complete lineup as far as prog goes.
If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
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If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
If it's material from their last album, well, not saying I'd jump with ya, but I'd be moving to the other side of the ship for sure.
First four albums are still money, though (and chunks of the fifth).
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Cool that they got that spot. But looking at the roster, this is a VERY hard pass for me. Other than TA and King's X, I have no interest in any of those bands (and actively dislike a couple). Interesting that no other Morse/Portnoy project is on the roster.
Interesting Bosk. I would love to go this cruise with this lineup. Marillion, Transatlantic, King's X, McStine Minnemann, Pain of Salvion, Flower Kings, Stick Men (awesome improvs live), Riverside, Pendragon (last two albums have been very very good); Headspace (Oliver Wakeman and Damian Wilson), and Haken. It's a very complete lineup as far as prog goes.
If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
*smacks*
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If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
If it's material from their last album, well, not saying I'd jump with ya, but I'd be moving to the other side of the ship for sure.
First four albums are still money, though (and chunks of the fifth).
To my ears, Haken is one of those bands where the first album was the best, and each successive album was gradually less good, until the last two albums where they took a nose dive. I don't even own those last two albums. I do enjoy the first 4, but the singer puts me off so Haken never became an obsessive band for me like DT or other prog bands.
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If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
If it's material from their last album, well, not saying I'd jump with ya, but I'd be moving to the other side of the ship for sure.
First four albums are still money, though (and chunks of the fifth).
All I read from there is "Haken blows chunks". ;) :) :) :) :)
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If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
If it's material from their last album, well, not saying I'd jump with ya, but I'd be moving to the other side of the ship for sure.
First four albums are still money, though (and chunks of the fifth).
All I read from there is "Haken blows chunks". ;) :) :) :) :)
Damn, so your vision, to go along with your hearing, has been affected this badly in a negative way by a lifetime of listening to Kiss? :P
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If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
If it's material from their last album, well, not saying I'd jump with ya, but I'd be moving to the other side of the ship for sure.
First four albums are still money, though (and chunks of the fifth).
All I read from there is "Haken blows chunks". ;) :) :) :) :)
Damn, so your vision, to go along with your hearing, has been affected this badly in a negative way by a lifetime of listening to Kiss? :P
And you smell funny. ;) :) :)
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Yeah, but that washes off. The stench of listening to Kiss never does. ;)
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If I somehow made the mistake of wandering into the wrong part of the ship at the wrong time and hearing Haken play, I might very likely attempt to jump overboard.
If it's material from their last album, well, not saying I'd jump with ya, but I'd be moving to the other side of the ship for sure.
First four albums are still money, though (and chunks of the fifth).
To my ears, Haken is one of those bands where the first album was the best, and each successive album was gradually less good, until the last two albums where they took a nose dive. I don't even own those last two albums. I do enjoy the first 4, but the singer puts me off so Haken never became an obsessive band for me like DT or other prog bands.
Same. Whenever I listen to Haken (which is not very often) it's one of the first 4 albums. The singer has always been the biggest challenge for me.
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Aquarius is one of the best debut albums of all time for me, but whenever I put on Vector, Virus or Affinity on right after it, Aquarius actually sounds a little childish in comparison :lol
For me, Haken hit a whole new level with Affinity and the last two albums. I might be one of the few people who think so, but that is 100% what I think. It was with Affinity that Haken became one of my all-time favorite bands and Vector and Virus reinforced that.
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Aquarius is one of the best debut albums of all time for me, but whenever I put on Vector, Virus or Affinity on right after it, Aquarius actually sounds a little childish in comparison :lol
For me, Haken hit a whole new level with Affinity and the last two albums. I might be one of the few people who think so, but that is 100% what I think. It was with Affinity that Haken became one of my all-time favorite bands and Vector and Virus reinforced that.
I totally disagree. Aquarias sounds like a band chock full of energy and melodies and ideas, all of which they threw on that album, while the last two albums sound like a band who has become too focused on being metal and having crazy tempo changes and too often have forgotten what a good melody is. Not saying the metal and tempo changes weren't always there, but the balance is just off now, IMO. Hoping it tilts back on the next record, but losing Diego could be a crippling blow.
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Aquarius is one of the best debut albums of all time for me, but whenever I put on Vector, Virus or Affinity on right after it, Aquarius actually sounds a little childish in comparison :lol
For me, Haken hit a whole new level with Affinity and the last two albums. I might be one of the few people who think so, but that is 100% what I think. It was with Affinity that Haken became one of my all-time favorite bands and Vector and Virus reinforced that.
I totally disagree. Aquarias sounds like a band chock full of energy and melodies and ideas, all of which they threw on that album, while the last two albums sound like a band who has become too focused on being metal and having crazy tempo changes and too often have forgotten what a good melody is. Not saying the metal and tempo changes weren't always there, but the balance is just off now, IMO. Hoping it tilts back on the next record, but losing Diego could be a crippling blow.
Wait…is Diego out? It sounds like he wasn’t even in the room when they recorded Virus.
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Wait…is Diego out? It sounds like he wasn’t even in the room when they recorded Virus.
I still don't think it has been made official, but it is all but confirmed by multiple sources, including Nick (below) who seems in the loop and wouldn't say something like that without having the knowledge to back it up.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=42638.msg2750600#msg2750600
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Transatlantic confirmed for Morsefest 2022
Today, we are excited to announce that Transatlantic will be appearing at Morsefest 2022, which will take place on April 29-30, 2022!
We know that many of you are planning to be on Cruise To The Edge and we wanted to give you a heads up to save the date for two nights of Transatlantic in Tennessee the weekend before the cruise departs.
Of course, more details will follow but you can expect all the “trimmings” associated with previous Morsefests plus much, much more! Watch out for more details soon.
Blessings,
The Radiant Records Team
From an email I just got from Radiant
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Don't want to take this further off topic, but an interesting comparison: Haken vs Transatlantic
Transatlantic obviously has their influences, and so do Haken.
TA's sound hasn't really shifted in sound like Haken's has. TA"s evolution has been more gradual and more of a maturing process.
TA hit the ground running, just like Haken. TA more influenced by 70s prog, Haken more influenced by 90s prog (metal).
When I want to listen to TA, or Neal Morse, I know what I'm getting into. Roine Stolt not as much, TFK have mixed it up way more than Neal. When a new TA or NM album comes out, I know what I'm getting into. If a new album comes out and I'm not in the head space for that style of music, I take that into account when I listen, or I just hold off on checking out the albums until I'm in the mood again. I'm not always in the symphonic prog mood. Stylistically, however, Neal Morse basically puts out the same albums every time. It's always exciting, though, if that's the music you want to hear. It takes others around him to shake it up, which is why Transatlantic is almost always some of the best Neal-related music out there. All that said, I respect the musicianship and enjoy the melodies and the occasional riff and the general "epicness" of it all, so it doesn't bother me that Neal's music hasn't evolved much over the years.
Changing your sound drastically album per album, or every 2 albums, has it's inherit risks of turning off fans. Some will obviously be along for the ride.
I'm totally into bands mixing it up a lot on each album, but for me, Haken's last two albums were "samey" compared to one another, and I didn't like the overall sound the first time, so to keep that feel of the music going a second time, had me giving up on the band (not to mention lack of keyboards.) If their last album was different from the previous, or more like their early stuff, but maybe harder or heavier, then I could maybe go back and appreciate Vector more for what it is, but if the band is staying in this space, musically, I'm out, and I'll always have the first 4 albums plus demo and EP to enjoy.
I'll try to give Haken's last 2 albums another go some time soon, hopefully, so I can maybe update my opinion on those albums since it's been a while. There is always the issue of not being in the right head space for a band's music when they change and you were hoping for more, or something else.
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Transatlantic confirmed for Morsefest 2022
Today, we are excited to announce that Transatlantic will be appearing at Morsefest 2022, which will take place on April 29-30, 2022!
We know that many of you are planning to be on Cruise To The Edge and we wanted to give you a heads up to save the date for two nights of Transatlantic in Tennessee the weekend before the cruise departs.
Of course, more details will follow but you can expect all the “trimmings” associated with previous Morsefests plus much, much more! Watch out for more details soon.
Blessings,
The Radiant Records Team
From an email I just got from Radiant
:hat :hat
Hoping for evening shows again and reasonable prices, but I am likely in for this no matter what. :tup :tup
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Yeah, as much as I planned to see them on the cruise anyway, I've wanted to do MorseFest and TA with all the trimmings is exactly what I've been waiting for, I'm a 99% lock for that. I'll finally get to see Kev and Gary.
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Transatlantic confirmed for Morsefest 2022
Today, we are excited to announce that Transatlantic will be appearing at Morsefest 2022, which will take place on April 29-30, 2022!
We know that many of you are planning to be on Cruise To The Edge and we wanted to give you a heads up to save the date for two nights of Transatlantic in Tennessee the weekend before the cruise departs.
Of course, more details will follow but you can expect all the “trimmings” associated with previous Morsefests plus much, much more! Watch out for more details soon.
Blessings,
The Radiant Records Team
From an email I just got from Radiant
I've been pretty disappointed in Morsefests over the past 5 years. They used to be an opportunity to celebrate unique music that couldn't be played anywhere else. Now the main draw is simply a "plussed up" version of whatever has been played on the most recent tour.
I expect Transatlantic's appearance to be TAU Ultimate Edition with string and horn accompaniment - when a Transatlantic appearance at Morsefest could have been something like SMPTe in its entirety, or a recreation of Live in Europe (both things that I assume would excite MP, since he has such a fan's mind for these things) But I'd be shocked if it's not just TAU with more bells and whistles, which is a shame because TAU will (presumably) have already whole tour dedicated to it.
I hope I'm wrong! If so then I will definitely attend. But if it's just the same music that's been played on the tour then I'll sit it out as I have the past several years.
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I'm guessing one night will be TAU (Ultimate or Forevermore version), then a "best of" their older releases for the second night. Or maybe The Whirlwind in full for the second night?
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Transatlantic confirmed for Morsefest 2022
Today, we are excited to announce that Transatlantic will be appearing at Morsefest 2022, which will take place on April 29-30, 2022!
We know that many of you are planning to be on Cruise To The Edge and we wanted to give you a heads up to save the date for two nights of Transatlantic in Tennessee the weekend before the cruise departs.
Of course, more details will follow but you can expect all the “trimmings” associated with previous Morsefests plus much, much more! Watch out for more details soon.
Blessings,
The Radiant Records Team
From an email I just got from Radiant
I got that email this morning too, and I've gotta say, what a pleasant surprise! I did not expect another Morsefest so soon, since they usually happen in the late summer, but I suppose this makes sense since they'll be preparing to play aboard Cruise To The Edge, they'll want to nail down the new material as much as possible for the cruise audience, and what better way to do that than to play it for a Morsefest!
As for the weekend itself, since it's the FIRST Transatlantic Morsefest, I suspect that night 1 will be older material. It would not surprise me if they tried playing most of the first two albums live as the first and second sets of night 1, with a Whirlwind Medley as the encore. They could probably play almost all of SMPTe (minus the Procol Harum cover), and do all of BAF (getting a non-Beatle-fied "Suite Charlotte Pike" would be awesome), and then close the night with the typical Whirlwind Medley. Then night 2 could be The Absolute Universe Ultimate Version, with an encore of "Into The Blue" (Surprise appearance by Daniel Gildenlow?). Just wishful thinking, but if they want to make it a spectacular TA Morsefest, I'm sure they'll want to go all out.
-Marc.
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Transatlantic confirmed for Morsefest 2022
Today, we are excited to announce that Transatlantic will be appearing at Morsefest 2022, which will take place on April 29-30, 2022!
We know that many of you are planning to be on Cruise To The Edge and we wanted to give you a heads up to save the date for two nights of Transatlantic in Tennessee the weekend before the cruise departs.
Of course, more details will follow but you can expect all the “trimmings” associated with previous Morsefests plus much, much more! Watch out for more details soon.
Blessings,
The Radiant Records Team
From an email I just got from Radiant
I got that email this morning too, and I've gotta say, what a pleasant surprise! I did not expect another Morsefest so soon, since they usually happen in the late summer, but I suppose this makes sense since they'll be preparing to play aboard Cruise To The Edge, they'll want to nail down the new material as much as possible for the cruise audience, and what better way to do that than to play it for a Morsefest!
As for the weekend itself, since it's the FIRST Transatlantic Morsefest, I suspect that night 1 will be older material. It would not surprise me if they tried playing most of the first two albums live as the first and second sets of night 1, with a Whirlwind Medley as the encore. They could probably play almost all of SMPTe (minus the Procol Harum cover), and do all of BAF (getting a non-Beatle-fied "Suite Charlotte Pike" would be awesome), and then close the night with the typical Whirlwind Medley. Then night 2 could be The Absolute Universe Ultimate Version, with an encore of "Into The Blue" (Surprise appearance by Daniel Gildenlow?). Just wishful thinking, but if they want to make it a spectacular TA Morsefest, I'm sure they'll want to go all out.
-Marc.
Well, I see POS is also supposed to be on the Cruise, so it's possible.
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I tried to listen to 'The Absolute Universe' efforts again and it's just not there for me. It's all just a mish mash and rehashing of everything they've done to date. The Whirlwind was the last album from them I truly dig.....including their first two albums. Kaleidoscope and 'Universe' completely miss the mark for me and are pretty boring to my ears. There are moments within both that sound cool but it's not worth the effort to listen to get to those moments. I think the real creative train has left the station on Transatlantic.
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I tried to listen to 'The Absolute Universe' efforts again and it's just not there for me. It's all just a mish mash and rehashing of everything they've done to date. The Whirlwind was the last album from them I truly dig.....including their first two albums. Kaleidoscope and 'Universe' completely miss the mark for me and are pretty boring to my ears. There are moments within both that sound cool but it's not worth the effort to listen to get to those moments. I think the real creative train has left the station on Transatlantic.
I think that's been said of this band, Neal, and Roine, for at least 20+ years now. :lol
I think the album is as good as these guys will put out at this stage in the game. What band or artist is killing it 30 or more years into their career?
(Transatlantic is 22 years old but the guys have been writing music for decades, Roine has almost 50 years worth of music under his belt.)
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Yeah, as much as I planned to see them on the cruise anyway, I've wanted to do MorseFest and TA with all the trimmings is exactly what I've been waiting for, I'm a 99% lock for that. I'll finally get to see Kev and Gary.
:tup :tup
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I've been pretty disappointed in Morsefests over the past 5 years. They used to be an opportunity to celebrate unique music that couldn't be played anywhere else. Now the main draw is simply a "plussed up" version of whatever has been played on the most recent tour.
I expect Transatlantic's appearance to be TAU Ultimate Edition with string and horn accompaniment - when a Transatlantic appearance at Morsefest could have been something like SMPTe in its entirety, or a recreation of Live in Europe (both things that I assume would excite MP, since he has such a fan's mind for these things) But I'd be shocked if it's not just TAU with more bells and whistles, which is a shame because TAU will (presumably) have already whole tour dedicated to it.
I hope I'm wrong! If so then I will definitely attend. But if it's just the same music that's been played on the tour then I'll sit it out as I have the past several years.
I get what you mean.
My first Morsefest was in 2017, with T2 night 1 and Similitude night 2. Similitude is now one of my 10 favorite all-time records, but night 1 was for me a bit more satisfying, as the end of the Similitude night was a tad underwhelming for a brief moment. Don't get me wrong, the performance of it was great, and the encores were great (ending a show with The Call is always a major win), but it was the same as what they had been playing all year, and I guess I was waiting for that something different in the encore and we never got it, so there that was brief moment of, "damn, nothing new or special." Still an amazing show, but night 1 gets the nod as that was 100% satisfying from start to finish (and T2 is one of my two or three favorite solo records of Neal's, it is number 1 some days).
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I'm guessing one night will be TAU (Ultimate or Forevermore version), then a "best of" their older releases for the second night. Or maybe The Whirlwind in full for the second night?
My guess is that both Neal and Portnoy want to check that "playing all of The Whirlwind at a Morsefest with Transatlantic" box, so my prediction is all of The Whirlwind one night and some variation of the Ultimate Edition of The Absolute Universe the other night. With material from the other albums of course to fill out the rest of the sets both nights. Would be awesome to see them finally bust out Spinning or Lenny Johnson for one of these shows.
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I tried to listen to 'The Absolute Universe' efforts again and it's just not there for me. It's all just a mish mash and rehashing of everything they've done to date. The Whirlwind was the last album from them I truly dig.....including their first two albums. Kaleidoscope and 'Universe' completely miss the mark for me and are pretty boring to my ears. There are moments within both that sound cool but it's not worth the effort to listen to get to those moments. I think the real creative train has left the station on Transatlantic.
I won't go that far, but I am standing by my opinion that both versions needed more work. Neal was right in that the Forevermore needed a little editing down, but he went too far with it and cut too much of the record's nuts off with The Breath of Life, leaving both versions feeling not quite perfect. The Ultimate Edition I made for myself (which differs from their Ultimate Edition) works great, but even that has a few songs I usually avoid, like Solitude as Pete's vocals are just too brutal to endure, but left in for the sake of flow and continuity.
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I'm guessing one night will be TAU (Ultimate or Forevermore version), then a "best of" their older releases for the second night. Or maybe The Whirlwind in full for the second night?
My guess is that both Neal and Portnoy want to check that "playing all of The Whirlwind at a Morsefest with Transatlantic" box, so my prediction is all of The Whirlwind one night and some variation of the Ultimate Edition of The Absolute Universe the other night. With material from the other albums of course to fill out the rest of the sets both nights. Would be awesome to see them finally bust out Spinning or Lenny Johnson for one of these shows.
Sadly, I think you might be on to something with the whole "Play all of The Whirlwind at Morsefest" idea, as much as I wouldn't want to see that happen. I think being their first time at a Morsefest, I would rather see them play all of BAF or all/most of SMPTe (I could do without "In Held (Twas) In I"), especially since we've never gotten non-Beatles versions of "Mystery Train" and "Suite Charlotte Pike".
But I could see them pulling out "The Whirlwind" as a whole as it sort of relates to The Absolute Universe, and it might benefit from having the horns/strings/choirs added to it to make it distinct from the prior live versions they've released.
Either way, I'm certain they will play TAU Ultimate Version on the 2nd night, and probably play one singular epic as the encore (mostly because I really hope it isn't a medley, but if it has to be a medley, I hope it isn't one they've played before).
We also have to keep in mind that this is probably a weekend of two shows that are designed for them to warm up for the Cruise To The Edge concerts, where they will probably play 2 or 3 headlining shows, so the amount of material probably won't be too expansive. I guess it'll come down to what they want to bother re-learning, on top of learning how to play 100 minutes of NEW music (and who their 5th man will be). I'm sure they'll be planning all of this after Mike and Neal are done with Morsefest later this summer.
-Marc.
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I have never seen Transatlantic, so all of The Whirlwind would be just fine with me. I just hope we don't get some medleys in regards to the epics from the first two albums and Kaleidoscope, but Portnoy loves throwing together medleys that seem to make no sense sometimes :lol, so I almost expect it. With two nights of Transatlantic, I would hope All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul would both get played in full (one per night), instead of one or both being relegated to abbreviated form in some mish-mash medley.
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I would hope that because it's the first time Transatlantic will properly play at a Morsefest that Mike will have the foresight to forego any major medleys. I'd rather them play less songs in full than cover more material by taking them to the chopping block and mashing them up together. I think they also know that Kaleidoscope probably hasn't been as well received as any of their other albums, so if they ignore that album completely, I wouldn't blame them, especially since their last live release covered that album thoroughly (with multiple nights recorded for audio and video).
But I agree, full versions of AOTA and SIYS with real strings, brass, and choir would be amazing. Oh, and the "Motherless Children" portion of DWTD would be a treat to see them play live with a choir, which is why I hope for at LEAST a full play through of BAF in full, no medleys, no Beatles, just the whole album front-to-back, almost non-stop, but I also wouldn't mind a (near) complete play through of SMPTe as well, especially since that album cover has been featured in the Morsefest logo since 2014, and it's one of 3 albums featured in that logo that they haven't played in full live yet at a Morsefest (the other two being Lifeline and Momentum, and with the former, I think Neal knew that it wasn't as well received as his other solo albums at the time, and for the latter, it was played nearly in full not too long before Morsefest).
EDIT - I *just* realized that both Pain Of Salvation AND Pattern-Seeking Animals will be on Cruise To The Edge, which means both Daniel and Ted will be present. Now that makes it impossible to deduce who will be their fifth man...UNLESS, they decide to ask both of them to play?!? I do wonder if one or both of them will be present for Morsefest as well. I would assume so since they would want to learn all of that material (presumably 3 hours worth) with them in the weeks/days ahead of Morsefest and CTTE.
-Marc.
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I don't see them ignoring Kaleidoscope given that it's their 2nd most recent album. I would think if nothing else that Shine will get played, probably on the opposite night of We All Need Some Light. If Gildenlow is their DH this time instead of Ted Leonard, In the Blue is probably a given, just so they can finally play that song with him doing his vocal part in Written in Your Heart.
I suspect My New World will be given this tour off since it was played on the last one.
Duel with the Devil was given the last tour off, so I would think that would return, and yeah the Motherless Children part with the live choir would certainly be killer. That seems natural, so let's hope they don't overthink it. :lol
Spitballing, if they are doing their normal length shows both night (which would be a massive undertaking), they could do this:
Night 1
Set 1:
All of The Whirlwind suite from Disc 1
Set 2:
Duel with the Devil
Shine
Mystery Train
Suite Charlotte Pike
Encore:
All of the Above
Night 2
Set 1:
The Absolute Universe - (some variation of) The Ultimate Edition
Set 2:
In the Blue
We All Need Some Light
Spinning
Kaleidoscope
Encore:
Stranger in Your Soul
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EDIT - I *just* realized that both Pain Of Salvation AND Pattern-Seeking Animals will be on Cruise To The Edge, which means both Daniel and Ted will be present. Now that makes it impossible to deduce who will be their fifth man...UNLESS, they decide to ask both of them to play?!? I do wonder if one or both of them will be present for Morsefest as well. I would assume so since they would want to learn all of that material (presumably 3 hours worth) with them in the weeks/days ahead of Morsefest and CTTE.
-Marc.
I don’t know if this means anything, but when Ted did that promotional interview of Neal, he mentioned listening to the album and thinking about how he was going to have to learn how to play stuff from it. It was kind of joking so maybe it didn’t have anything to do with any definite plan, but I’m guessing he’s up for taking on that role if needed again.
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I don't see them ignoring Kaleidoscope given that it's their 2nd most recent album. I would think if nothing else that Shine will get played, probably on the opposite night of We All Need Some Light. If Gildenlow is their DH this time instead of Ted Leonard, In the Blue is probably a given, just so they can finally play that song with him doing his vocal part in Written in Your Heart.
They did play "Into The Blue" with Daniel live at least once. I saw a YouTube video, which I think was shared in this thread, where they played a festival show in 2014 and Daniel came out and sang his part for that song, and I think joined them for the remainder of their set from that point on. But like in my edited post above, I did just realize both Ted and Daniel will be on Cruise To The Edge, so it's anyone's guess as to who they'll have be their fifth man, or perhaps they'll have both play!
I suspect My New World will be given this tour off since it was played on the last one.
Duel with the Devil was given the last tour off, so I would think that would return, and yeah the Motherless Children part with the live choir would certainly be killer. That seems natural, so let's hope they don't overthink it. :lol
Both very valid points, which is why I think seeing BAF live is certainly a possibility, at least more so than SMPTe live.
Spitballing, if they are doing their normal length shows both night (which would be a massive undertaking), they could do this:
Night 1
Set 1:
All of The Whirlwind suite from Disc 1
Set 2:
Duel with the Devil
Shine
Mystery Train
Suite Charlotte Pike
Encore:
All of the Above
Night 2
Set 1:
The Absolute Universe - (some variation of) The Ultimate Edition
Set 2:
In the Blue
We All Need Some Light
Spinning
Kaleidoscope
Encore:
Stranger in Your Soul
Night two seems... a BIT long. 100 minutes for the first set alone?! Then an extra 110 minutes for the 2nd set and encore?! That would certainly be a marathon night of nearly 3.5 hours of music, even with an intermission. I doubt they'll play that much. I think their recent Morsefest concerts have been less than 140 minutes, so I doubt they'd do over 200 minutes of music in just one night.
If they must do all of The Whirlwind live, I could see this happening:
Night 1: (150-160 minutes)
The Whirlwind Live
(Short Intermission)
Spinning
Lenny Johnson (these two are wishful thinking of course, if not these two, then Suite Charlotte Pike after Duel would be fine)
Duel With The Devil
Encore: Bridge Across Forever & Stranger In Your Soul
Night 2: (About 140 minutes)
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Version (First half, up to TWWUTK)
(Intermission)
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Version (Second half)
Encore: Beyond The Sun & Kaleidoscope
Sure, it's missing anything from SMPTe, but they've played those songs SO much over the years, I could live with them not playing AOTA or WANSL ever again, especially given that they've got 100 minutes of new music to play.
EDIT - I *just* realized that both Pain Of Salvation AND Pattern-Seeking Animals will be on Cruise To The Edge, which means both Daniel and Ted will be present. Now that makes it impossible to deduce who will be their fifth man...UNLESS, they decide to ask both of them to play?!? I do wonder if one or both of them will be present for Morsefest as well. I would assume so since they would want to learn all of that material (presumably 3 hours worth) with them in the weeks/days ahead of Morsefest and CTTE.
-Marc.
I don’t know if this means anything, but when Ted did that promotional interview of Neal, he mentioned listening to the album and thinking about how he was going to have to learn how to play stuff from it. It was kind of joking so maybe it didn’t have anything to do with any definite plan, but I’m guessing he’s up for taking on that role if needed again.
I do remember that! I think he'd be willing to do it, but that would mean learning up to 3 hours of Transatlantic material, plus a mix of 3 albums of Pattern-Seeking Animals songs in preparation for Cruise To The Edge, so who knows...
-Marc.
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They definitely did Into the Blue with DG doing his vocal spot on CTTE 2017, though I guess technically that wasn't all of Transatlantic.
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At this point I think if you're expecting Transatlantic to do something different from what they've been doing since they were originally formed then you're probably going to be disappointed. The same applies to Neal Morse. Neal writes the bulk of the music and like every breathing musician on the planet he's got a limited musical vocabulary. Granted, Neal Morse's musical vocabulary is vastly larger than most mortal musicians, but it's not infinite. So, expecting a Transatlantic album to sound different now is just going to end in disappointment.
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Yeah, I guess I did make that set list for night 2 way too long. :lol :lol
Given that TA always plays long shows, I hope they don't go the shorter route for both nights at Morsefest with the thought that "hey, you are getting two shows, so we are going to make them a little shorter." Of course I am thinking of it from a purely selfish standpoint and wanting them to play as much as possible since it will be my first time seeing them (assuming we can get tickets). :biggrin:
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a two night stand is kind of the ideal situation for these guys right? They can do all of Absolute Universe one night and do a « greatest hits » the second. Yeah I think I may try go there.
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I know for Portnoy it's no big deal, but given that Roine has to play a full set on the cruise with The Flower Kings, and Pete has to play a full set with Marillion, I wouldn't be shocked if the TA portion of MorseFest was TAU + a little bit more for one night and something else the other night. I know we obviously know Transatlantic will be at MorseFest, but did the announcement say it's exclusively TA at MorseFest?
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I know for Portnoy it's no big deal, but given that Roine has to play a full set on the cruise with The Flower Kings, and Pete has to play a full set with Marillion, I wouldn't be shocked if the TA portion of MorseFest was TAU + a little bit more for one night and something else the other night. I know we obviously know Transatlantic will be at MorseFest, but did the announcement say it's exclusively TA at MorseFest?
https://twitter.com/nealmorse/status/1401180785927933958?s=19
"Two nights of TA in Tennessee" sounds like confirmation to me.
-Marc.
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I know for Portnoy it's no big deal, but given that Roine has to play a full set on the cruise with The Flower Kings, and Pete has to play a full set with Marillion, I wouldn't be shocked if the TA portion of MorseFest was TAU + a little bit more for one night and something else the other night. I know we obviously know Transatlantic will be at MorseFest, but did the announcement say it's exclusively TA at MorseFest?
https://twitter.com/nealmorse/status/1401180785927933958?s=19
"Two nights of TA in Tennessee" sounds like confirmation to me.
-Marc.
Maybe they'll play a half set each night :rollin
(joking, obviously ;D)
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I know for Portnoy it's no big deal, but given that Roine has to play a full set on the cruise with The Flower Kings, and Pete has to play a full set with Marillion, I wouldn't be shocked if the TA portion of MorseFest was TAU + a little bit more for one night and something else the other night. I know we obviously know Transatlantic will be at MorseFest, but did the announcement say it's exclusively TA at MorseFest?
Marillion is also theoretically doing their own Weekends in 2022 (except the one in Port Zelande, NL) so that’s THREE nights of Marillion material Pete will be working on in that period.
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I know for Portnoy it's no big deal, but given that Roine has to play a full set on the cruise with The Flower Kings, and Pete has to play a full set with Marillion, I wouldn't be shocked if the TA portion of MorseFest was TAU + a little bit more for one night and something else the other night. I know we obviously know Transatlantic will be at MorseFest, but did the announcement say it's exclusively TA at MorseFest?
https://twitter.com/nealmorse/status/1401180785927933958?s=19
"Two nights of TA in Tennessee" sounds like confirmation to me.
-Marc.
Maybe they'll play a half set each night :rollin
(joking, obviously ;D)
So, what, just two songs each night? :lol
But really though, if they're playing two nights at Morsefest, I think it's safe to assume that they'll be playing at LEAST 4 hours total of music between both nights, and I think it's also safe to assume that, of those 240 minutes, 100 of it will be The Absolute Universe, so that leaves us about 140 minutes of music for them to learn.
With regards to their performances on CTTE, when they played Progressive Nation At Sea 2014, they did two shows: one of Kaleidoscope in its entirety, and another with other songs they played on that tour, plus a set of Yes songs with Jon Anderson (I'm still waiting for those Prog Nation shows to be released in full!), so looking at that, I think they played about 145 minutes of TA material, plus Indiscipline, and then learning 50+ minutes of Yes music for just one show, so a total of over 200 minutes of music. Granted, they were also in the middle of a world tour, so the regular TA material was already under their belt by then, and this time, they'll only have Morsefest before they hit the Cruise.
But Nick is right - Roine will have to learn music for TFK, Pete for Marillion, and Daniel/Ted will have their hands full with Pain Of Salvation and Pattern-Seeking Animals songs respectively, so it seems like everyone by Mike and Neal will have their hands full pulling double duty on the cruise (which is why I'm surprised that neither Flying Colors or The Neal Morse Band won't be present). It's a pretty big ask for Roine and Pete, but I doubt they'd agree to CTTE and Morsefest performances if they didn't think they could handle learning, presumably, over 5-6 hours of music between both bands they're in. They've got about 10 months to sort it all out anyway, and who knows, maybe Marillion and/or The Flower Kings will play songs they already know, a sort of Greatest Hits? Or they could surprise us and TFK could play mostly current-line-up material from Waiting For Miracles/Islands/new album and Marillion could play most of their new album as well.
I do think that we will see some of these bands use the Cruise as a springboard for launching tours next spring anyway, because they're going to take this time to learn all of this material, they might as well schedule more shows, though if TFK and Marillion hit the road first, I don't think that bodes well for a Transatlantic tour, so Morsefest and CTTE might be the ONLY time they'll ever play The Absolute Universe live.
-Marc.
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EDIT - I *just* realized that both Pain Of Salvation AND Pattern-Seeking Animals will be on Cruise To The Edge, which means both Daniel and Ted will be present. Now that makes it impossible to deduce who will be their fifth man...UNLESS, they decide to ask both of them to play?!? I do wonder if one or both of them will be present for Morsefest as well. I would assume so since they would want to learn all of that material (presumably 3 hours worth) with them in the weeks/days ahead of Morsefest and CTTE.
-Marc.
I'm guessing both will see action. Maybe one the first night and one the second - or splitting duties depending on the song. It makes sense as each would only have to learn "half" the amount of material this way - making it a little easier when you consider that they'll both have their hands full with their own bands material.
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Three things I will be curious about once the full Morsefest announcement comes:
1) Will the venue remain the same? TA should be the biggest draw of any Morsefest to date and it's hard to imagine the church being big enough to handle the tickets they should be able to sell, and packing everyone in sardines like in 2019 and making it to where a lot of fans do not have seats does not sound fun.
2) What will the price be? Prices for both 2020 and 2021 were crazy high for Morsefest due to the limited number of tickets they could sell due to the pandemic, but assuming they can sell the max again, I hope the price is reasonable and it is not kept crazy high.
3) Will they go back to the live shows being in the evening? I get doing last year's and this year's shows in the late afternoon, which enables them to later stream it in the evening to those who could not attend, but I pray that that practice goes away next year. To me, a lot of the fun about a concert is the slow anticipation that builds throughout the day and finally pays off in the evening. A concert too early in the day feels like it'd be anti-climatic.
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EDIT - I *just* realized that both Pain Of Salvation AND Pattern-Seeking Animals will be on Cruise To The Edge, which means both Daniel and Ted will be present. Now that makes it impossible to deduce who will be their fifth man...UNLESS, they decide to ask both of them to play?!? I do wonder if one or both of them will be present for Morsefest as well. I would assume so since they would want to learn all of that material (presumably 3 hours worth) with them in the weeks/days ahead of Morsefest and CTTE.
-Marc.
I'm guessing both will see action. Maybe one the first night and one the second - or splitting duties depending on the song. It makes sense as each would only have to learn "half" the amount of material this way - making it a little easier when you consider that they'll both have their hands full with their own bands material.
It would definitely makes sense for them to take advantage of the fact that both will be on the cruise to try and utilize both of them for both Morsefest and the Cruise shows. It would also make those shows EXTRA special, more different than any of the previous concerts before (outside of that one 2014 Festival where Daniel joined the band, with Ted, on stage for part of their set).
Three things I will be curious about once the full Morsefest announcement comes:
1) Will the venue remain the same? TA should be the biggest draw of any Morsefest to date and it's hard to imagine the church being big enough to handle the tickets they should be able to sell, and packing everyone in sardines like in 2019 and making it to where a lot of fans do not have seats does not sound fun.
2) What will the price be? Prices for both 2020 and 2021 were crazy high for Morsefest due to the limited number of tickets they could sell due to the pandemic, but assuming they can sell the max again, I hope the price is reasonable and it is not kept crazy high.
3) Will they go back to the live shows being in the evening? I get doing last year's and this year's shows in the late afternoon, which enables them to later stream it in the evening to those who could not attend, but I pray that that practice goes away next year. To me, a lot of the fun about a concert is the slow anticipation that builds throughout the day and finally pays off in the evening. A concert too early in the day feels like it'd be anti-climatic.
Well, I think Neal and Mike definitely left out some details from the initial announcement of Morsefest 2022 because they may try to find a different venue. It's going to be a big show, the first full Transatlantic concert since 2014 IIRC, so after eight years, a lot of fans will want to go, especially if they can't make it to the Cruise. Hopefully a bigger venue with more seating will help alleviate the cost of tickets and seating.
As for the concert times, I think by then, if concerts can be full capacity, I think they'll forego the whole streaming option, but given that this is the first TA Morsefest, he may consider the option to stream the concert, so a midday show might still happen, or maybe they'll offer the stream after the fact. Honestly, I'd rather see them perform at night, as you say, so there's a sense of hype and climax going into the show after the day has passed, and it'll give the band extra time to get ready for what will surely be long shows.
And of course, since Morsefest 2022 is happening so early in the year, I *REALLY* hope that the live home video/audio discs will release before the end of 2022. I will plunk down BIG bucks for a complete Morsefest 2022 concert box set, both nights, on BD and CD, in a lavish artbook with photos and interviews. Make it big, make it pretty, make it easy to pre-order. After the fabulous TAU box set, I would expect nothing less than an artbook for the first live Transatlantic album in eight years.
-Marc.
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Maybe they will play The Breath of Life one night and Forevermore the other night...:lol
(kidding)
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Right, time to throw the cat among the pigeons and debate the real issues:
Is The Absolute Universe (whatever version you choose to consider) one single piece of music?
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Maybe they will play The Breath of Life one night and Forevermore the other night...:lol
(kidding)
No you're not. You know that SOMEONE has mooted that idea at one point or another. :) :) :)
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Right, time to throw the cat among the pigeons and debate the real issues:
Is The Absolute Universe (whatever version you choose to consider) one single piece of music?
No.
Also, I have FINALLY given both album versions the attention I feel they deserve, and the longer version is the clear winner for me.
I own, but have not yet taken the time to listen to, the Ultimate Edition.
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Right, time to throw the cat among the pigeons and debate the real issues:
Is The Absolute Universe (whatever version you choose to consider) one single piece of music?
I think either Mike or Neal may have once said TAU was one single piece, a la The Whirlwind.
-Marc.
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Any concept album could be considered a singular piece of music, sure, but it sounds like the real question is whether or not it is a single song, to which the obvious answer is no.
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I'm expecting that we get The Whirlwind in its entirety one night and TAU (version tbd, but I'd guess the Ultimate) the other night. I know we already have two live releases of the Whirlwind, but I don't think they'll be able to resist giving what many consider their career highlight to date the full Morsefest treatment with the additional musicians and whatnot. And then we'll get some material from the other three albums as a second set/encore each night.
I fully intend on going and probably splurging for VIP. My only real complaint about Morsefest 2019 was that despite showing up a couple hours before doors on Saturday we still couldn't get decent seats, not making the same mistake again.
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Asking if all these super long pieces are one long song is not much different than asking "Is 'Dark Side of the Moon' one song?" they're all suites that segue into each other.
I will say The Whirlwind or SDoIT are closer to epic songs than TAU, or Neal's Sola Gratia, or TFK's Islands. Because TW and SDoIT act like epics, there's a beginning, a middle and and end, with sections in between that move the plot along, so to speak. With TAU, the middle sounds like the end (last song on Forevermore disc 1) and the 2nd disc just sounds like a 2nd disc of related songs. Neal's edit makes TAU sound a little closer to being one song, but it doesn't cut the mustard for me. I still haven't listened to the Ultimate Edition yet, but I can't imagine it will change my opinion. The Absolute Universe sounds like it wants to be one big song but it just comes off like a series of individual songs with connecting themes sprinkled in, which is great for the full album experience, but tough for me to call these recent efforts by Neal, Roine, and co. true epics or one song.
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https://transatlantic.lnk.to/BridgeAcrossForever-ReIssue2021
Bridge Across Forever vinyl re-issues have gone up for pre-order today! Hope you vinyl collectors snagged the limited edition colors that you wanted!
-Marc.
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https://transatlantic.lnk.to/BridgeAcrossForever-ReIssue2021
Bridge Across Forever vinyl re-issues have gone up for pre-order today! Hope you vinyl collectors snagged the limited edition colors that you wanted!
-Marc.
I totally missed this was happening :D
I think it's weird they keep re-issuing stuff that was already available on this format before. Why not tackle Sola Scriptura, ?, One and Testimony II?
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For anyone interested, I've started a Transatlantic Survivor over in the Polls & Survivor subforum here!
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56642.0
If you don't know what a Survivor is, it's a series of polls where we go album by album, and you pick your least favorite song within each album until we are down to the end, essentially ranking the albums' songs from least favorite to favorite by elimination. Then when all of the album survivors are done, the third place runner-ups from each album go into a "Consolation" round to decide two extra songs to join the Top 2 songs from each album for the Finals!
Here's the Results & Discussion thread (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56629.0) for more information! Hope to see a few more voters over there!
-Marc.
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For anyone interested, I've started a Transatlantic Survivor over in the Polls & Survivor subforum here!
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56642.0
If you don't know what a Survivor is, it's a series of polls where we go album by album, and you pick your least favorite song within each album until we are down to the end, essentially ranking the albums' songs from least favorite to favorite by elimination. Then when all of the album survivors are done, the third place runner-ups from each album go into a "Consolation" round to decide two extra songs to join the Top 2 songs from each album for the Finals!
Here's the Results & Discussion thread (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56629.0) for more information! Hope to see a few more voters over there!
-Marc.
Apologies for the double post and bump, but I was hoping I could get some more voters in my Transatlantic Survivor. The Survivor for SMPT:e has encountered a tie that much be broken, so I'm hoping that more voters will help break the tie between "We All Need Some Light" and "My New World".
Also, later in the week, I'll be putting up the survivors for The Whirlwind (with its main 12 album tracks, plus the 4 bonus original songs), and The Absolute Universe. I'm not skipping Kaleidoscoope, as it will run after The Whirlwind finishes, but I wanted to keep two albums going simultaneously and doing the two longer survivors first keeps them at an almost-even pace, with the remainder of the rounds after The Whirlwind being taken up by Kaleidoscope.
Hope to see more voters there this week! There was a great turnout for SMPT:e's first round, with 17 voters, but then we dropped to 13 voters for round 2 (and BAF's first round), and then finally 12, so I am hoping to see some of those voters return!
-Marc.
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Voted. I'm going to try my best to keep up, but my weakness is that I tend to surf the GMD subforum exclusively, and so sometimes forget about P&S.
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Radiant just sent this email
FROM NEAL MORSE:
Hi, everyone!
Since we made the “hold the date” announcement a few weeks ago, some of you have been asking for more details regarding Morsefest 2022. Here's an update:
We are excited to let you know that Transatlantic will be playing The Absolute Universe AND The Whirlwind at Morsefest!! It’s going to be a really special weekend!
Second, by popular demand, we will have assigned ticketed seating at MF22. How it will work is when you buy your seat, it’s yours for the Friday and Saturday shows. (That will mean less need to be in line early, which I know many people have mentioned.) People who go for the VIP option will be able to choose seats in the front sections of the room and the remaining seats will be available to everyone else, so you can choose where you’d like to be!
I know that some people like to sit with friends they meet at Morsefest. You may need to coordinate your ticket buying if you want to sit together, so start thinking about that as we plan for tickets to go on sale Monday, August 2nd at 9:00 AM Central.
For MF22, the band have opted not to do a live stream, so that means we will be back to VIP sessions in the afternoon, followed by dinner and evening shows. However, both shows will be filmed and recorded for future release.
Finally, we will be running the events under whatever the current CDC regulations are at that time. At this point, we can’t know what those will be, but attendees will need to comply. In the extreme case that CDC regulations force us to change or cancel the event, we will refund ticket buyers.
I’m delighted that we finally got Transatlantic to Morsefest! We expect the event will sell out very quickly. We will share the web link to Eventbrite where you’ll be able to buy your ticket on Monday at 9:00 AM Central.
Blessings,
Neal
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7jKjtqXoAMnZ2y?format=jpg)
Should be noted that in the image, they show the Ultimate cover, so it's safe to assume that's the version they'll play.
Now it also says "and more" which makes me wonder if we will get songs like "Spinning" from TW, or if they just mean a couple extra songs from SMPT:e, BAF, and Kaleidoscope.
-Marc.
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If the wife says yes then it's a go for me.
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Now it also says "and more" which makes me wonder if we will get songs like "Spinning" from TW, or if they just mean a couple extra songs from SMPT:e, BAF, and Kaleidoscope.
-Marc.
As cool as it would be I can’t see them doing bonus tracks/rarities.
Here’s my prediction:
Night 1
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Edition in full
Encore:
We All Need Some Light
All of the Above
Night 2
The Whirlwind in full
Encore:
Shine (just to have something to represent Kaleidoscope)
Stranger in Your Soul
Two cool-down acoustic songs and two of their epics. Pretty standard but I think it’s realistic.
Depending on if they’re just doing 1 set plus an encore or 2 sets plus an encore they certainly have time for more but that’s a lot of music to prepare and rehearse.
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Now it also says "and more" which makes me wonder if we will get songs like "Spinning" from TW, or if they just mean a couple extra songs from SMPT:e, BAF, and Kaleidoscope.
-Marc.
As cool as it would be I can’t see them doing bonus tracks/rarities.
Here’s my prediction:
Night 1
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Edition in full
Encore:
We All Need Some Light
All of the Above
Night 2
The Whirlwind in full
Encore:
Shine (just to have something to represent Kaleidoscope)
Stranger in Your Soul
Two cool-down acoustic songs and two of their epics. Pretty standard but I think it’s realistic.
Depending on if they’re just doing 1 set plus an encore or 2 sets plus an encore they certainly have time for more but that’s a lot of music to prepare and rehearse.
This honestly seems the most likely approach. I would love to see them perform "Suite Charlotte Pike" without any Beatles additions, or perhaps bring back "Mystery Train", but those are less likely.
Also, coincidentally, as Neal announced their performances of TW and TAU in full, I've begun the album survivors for those two albums in the Polls & Survivors subforum here today! Be sure to check them out and cast your vote. These are longer album survivors so I hope to see plenty of voter turnout to make it a lot more interesting!
-Marc.
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Your Transatlantic survivor poll series inspired me to re-listen to some TA. It's been a few months.
Starting with Bridge Across Forever.
LOVE Duel With The Devil!!
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I’m still processing Forevermore. I want to become totally familiar with it before I spin TBOL so I can pick up on the differences.
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Radiant just sent this email
FROM NEAL MORSE:
Hi, everyone!
Since we made the “hold the date” announcement a few weeks ago, some of you have been asking for more details regarding Morsefest 2022. Here's an update:
We are excited to let you know that Transatlantic will be playing The Absolute Universe AND The Whirlwind at Morsefest!! It’s going to be a really special weekend!
Second, by popular demand, we will have assigned ticketed seating at MF22. How it will work is when you buy your seat, it’s yours for the Friday and Saturday shows. (That will mean less need to be in line early, which I know many people have mentioned.) People who go for the VIP option will be able to choose seats in the front sections of the room and the remaining seats will be available to everyone else, so you can choose where you’d like to be!
I know that some people like to sit with friends they meet at Morsefest. You may need to coordinate your ticket buying if you want to sit together, so start thinking about that as we plan for tickets to go on sale Monday, August 2nd at 9:00 AM Central.
For MF22, the band have opted not to do a live stream, so that means we will be back to VIP sessions in the afternoon, followed by dinner and evening shows. However, both shows will be filmed and recorded for future release.
Finally, we will be running the events under whatever the current CDC regulations are at that time. At this point, we can’t know what those will be, but attendees will need to comply. In the extreme case that CDC regulations force us to change or cancel the event, we will refund ticket buyers.
I’m delighted that we finally got Transatlantic to Morsefest! We expect the event will sell out very quickly. We will share the web link to Eventbrite where you’ll be able to buy your ticket on Monday at 9:00 AM Central.
Blessings,
Neal
That is hard to do when the band seemingly is not going to tell us ahead of time what the ticket prices are. I have seen several ask on his FB forum what the ticket prices are, and his usual crew, who always seem to know everything, have ignored the question every time. This is a bad look.
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That's a big one for me. I'm contemplating the trip next year, but it's not fair to commit without discussing it with my wife, and that conversation has to include "how much is this going to run us?". She's not interested in the event itself, but might be convinced to go to Nashville with me, but still.
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That's a big one for me. I'm contemplating the trip next year, but it's not fair to commit without discussing it with my wife, and that conversation has to include "how much is this going to run us?". She's not interested in the event itself, but might be convinced to go to Nashville with me, but still.
For sure. I have a couple friends who are very interested in going, but will not commit without knowing the price ahead of time. And it will be impossible to coordinate tomorrow on the fly at 9 am since some of us at work :P :lol, and there is no way I will have time tomorrow morning to text friends about ticket prices and whatnot, and this is likely to sell out fast, I would think. This is very unfortunate. The fans deserve better than this, quite frankly.
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A number of you have asked us for details of ticket prices so you can make plans for buying your tickets for Morsefest 2022. As you will have read, everyone buying a ticket will also get to choose their seat for the whole Morsefest weekend. So that means that in 2022, there are no “single night” tickets. We have split the venue into several different areas:
- VIP seats - for those buying VIP packages for Friday or Saturday. The VIP package includes: front of hall seats for both shows; a VIP Q&A session with Transatlantic followed by a meet and greet with the band, where you will be able to get a personal item signed; a photograph taken with the band; the evening meal in the venue on the day you buy the VIP ticket for; an exclusive poster signed by the band; an exclusive VIP t shirt and… an exclusive VIP merch item which will be revealed nearer the time of the event. The VIP package costs $749.
- Zone A seats - these are seats in the central section of the venue and so provide a straight line of sight to the stage. Zone A seats cost $375.
- Zone B seats - these are the seats in the sides of the venue and also some rows in the back section. These seats have a less clear line of sight to the stage and so they are at a lower price than the Zone A seats. Zone B seats cost $325.
The venue holds 649 people in total, with 75 VIP tickets for each day… tickets are limited to this and there will be no extra capacity in the venue.
So to get your seat, do get ready for 9:00 AM Central on Monday. It may help if you set up an account at www.eventbrite.com in advance. The ticket link is here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/morsefest-2022-tickets-164759830087
Posted by Neal about 32 minutes ago.
-Marc.
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That is good to see. I'd be fine with Zone A seats, but I have feeling the peeps I will go with will want the VIP tickets, so we will all likely talk this out tonight and figure out the way to go.
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In a response to a fan asking about other shows, Mike said:
Re: other shows - we are hoping (fingers crossed🤞) to maybe book a few shows leading up to MF22…but if so, they would be a single traditional show performing The Absolute Universe…
MF22 will be the only time/place to get the 2 different shows
-Marc.
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Got my Saturday VIP ticket. Painfully pricy, but Transatlantic doing Morsefest (and particularly playing all of The Whirlwind) is pretty much a once in a lifetime concert opportunity for me.
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Tickets secured.
Row I, dead center on the aisle, happy about that.
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Three-twenty-five is to much for me. Not on a practical level, but just on principle. Hell, I paid far less than that to see Roger Waters from 4th row. Not blaming the guy, he's got to eat and all, but I'll wait for one of the other shows. I've already seen the Whirlwind live anyway.
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I mean it is $325 for two shows, so not quite as bad (but definitely still up there)
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Got Row J. Bring it on.
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Tickets secured.
Row I, dead center on the aisle, happy about that.
See you, Bill and Kev there. We finally bit the bullet.
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Tickets secured.
Row I, dead center on the aisle, happy about that.
See you, Bill and Kev there. We finally bit the bullet.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas. This is also one of the rare shows Jennie is joining for, so you'll see her as well.
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I mean it is $325 for two shows, so not quite as bad (but definitely still up there)
Still $160+/show. And IIRC, we only paid $150 for two nights at the last Morsefest. There's also the all-important point that they'll no doubt play somewhere far more interesting than Cross Plains Tennessee that I can visit. I'd rather see them in PA or NY again.
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Tickets secured.
Row I, dead center on the aisle, happy about that.
See you, Bill and Kev there. We finally bit the bullet.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas. This is also one of the rare shows Jennie is joining for, so you'll see her as well.
Awesome! Lisa will be stoked!
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Now it also says "and more" which makes me wonder if we will get songs like "Spinning" from TW, or if they just mean a couple extra songs from SMPT:e, BAF, and Kaleidoscope.
-Marc.
As cool as it would be I can’t see them doing bonus tracks/rarities.
Here’s my prediction:
Night 1
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Edition in full
Encore:
We All Need Some Light
All of the Above
Night 2
The Whirlwind in full
Encore:
Shine (just to have something to represent Kaleidoscope)
Stranger in Your Soul
Two cool-down acoustic songs and two of their epics. Pretty standard but I think it’s realistic.
Depending on if they’re just doing 1 set plus an encore or 2 sets plus an encore they certainly have time for more but that’s a lot of music to prepare and rehearse.
To me, Morsefest is THE time to bring out the rarities. I would be SHOCKED to not see at least 2, if not all 4, of the Whirlwind bonus tracks played. And do we need ANOTHER Stranger performance? We have, like, 7 official live versions between TA, Neal Solo, and NMB (including Morsefest '14). Here's what I would want to hear:
Night One
The Whirlwind
---------intermission-----------
Mystery Train
Spinning
Suite Charlotte Pike
For Such a Time
Kaleidoscope
Night Two
The Absolute Universe
---------intermission-----------
Into the Blue
Lenny Johnson
We All Need Some Light
Lending A Hand
In Held (Twas) In I
---------encore-----------
Duel With the Devil
Remember, these guys do long shows, because they don't come out very often. 3 hour shows are kind of "normal" for them. That said, my night two might be too long. But it would still be awesome.
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Tickets secured.
Row I, dead center on the aisle, happy about that.
See you, Bill and Kev there. We finally bit the bullet.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas. This is also one of the rare shows Jennie is joining for, so you'll see her as well.
:hat :hat
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I get the appeal of doing TA rarities, and Neal has certainly done them at past Morsefests, but given that they’re doing TAU (presumably the Ultimate Version) which they have never played together as a band, and Whirlwind which hasn’t been played in full in over a decade, that’s a LOT of music to prepare and rehearse even without encores. Especially with all the choirs and strings and horns and whatever else they’ll surely add.
It’s certainly possible, but can’t see them wasting time with bonus tracks. If they do play then, cool. I’d love to be proven wrong.
I would bet money on Stranger on Your Soul being played though. Yeah it’s been played countless times before, but it’s a staple. There have been repeats at Morsefest before. Wind at My Back has been played 3 times, The Call has been played twice and as a part of The Great Medley, and they did the Whirlwind Medley in 2015 and now the whole thing is being played.
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Honestly, even though some of those songs have been played at prior Morsefests, that shouldn't matter because none of them were played by Transatlantic at those shows. If we can assume for the sake of argument that this will be the only time TA does a Morsefest, which I think is likely, busting out the big dogs like All of the Above, We All Need Some Light and Stranger in Your Soul (the epics in full) almost seems like a must. Never know with Portnoy, though, as he is known to do weird set lists at what are supposed to be special events (see: the Score set list). :P
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I think All of the Above is a given. It's the first song that exposed us all to TA - their first epic (and still arguably their best) and has never been played at Morsefest before as far as I know. I would bet they'd want to document it and give it the full Morsefest treatment
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To me, All of the Above is still *the* TA song. I know Duel and Stranger have kind of overtaken it in popularity, and those are both great songs, but All is the one I would go back to if I could choose only one.
I hope everyone has a great time at the TA Morsefest—and that they release a Blu-Ray! That ticket price is just a little too steep for me right now, especially when I'll probably be living far enough away that I'd need to fly to Nashville.
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Honestly, even though some of those songs have been played at prior Morsefests, that shouldn't matter because none of them were played by Transatlantic at those shows. If we can assume for the sake of argument that this will be the only time TA does a Morsefest, which I think is likely, busting out the big dogs like All of the Above, We All Need Some Light and Stranger in Your Soul (the epics in full) almost seems like a must. Never know with Portnoy, though, as he is known to do weird set lists at what are supposed to be special events (see: the Score set list). :P
Ha ha, the Score set list is one that didn’t inspire me on paper but, upon watching it, it’s my favourite DT live album/dvd.
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Remember, these guys do long shows, because they don't come out very often. 3 hour shows are kind of "normal" for them. That said, my night two might be too long. But it would still be awesome.
I will be surprised if both nights are 3 hours (of music, leaving out the intermission time). That is a lot of material to rehearse and get right. The tickets says Friday night 7 pm to Saturday night at 10 pm, which could be a rough estimate, but I could see both nights consisting of the full albums (Whirlwind and TAU) in the first sets, and then they come out and play another hour or so in a second rather than a full second set plus an encore.
Since I think they will want to feature something from every album, I think the below is realistic (leaving out medleys)...
Night 1:
All of The Whirlwind proper album
Suite Charlotte Pike
Shine
Mystery Train
All of the Above
Night 2:
The Ultimate Edition (whatever that entails) of The Absolute Universe
Into the Blue
We All Need Some Light
Black as the Sky
Stranger in Your Soul
Both 2nd sets would feature an epic first and last, the acoustic song 2nd, and a short rocker in the 3rd slot. Night 2 would be a little longer, but it's the second night, so that wouldn't be unheard of. You could even sub out Suite Charlotte Pike in night 1 and put in Duel with the Devil, to give the latter the full Morsefest treatment with the live chorus singing that ending.
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I'm going to go on a limb and say that both nights will only feature roughly 2.5 hours of music, or 150 minutes, with an intermission before or after each full-album performance.
The Absolute Universe (Ultimate Mix) is roughly 100 minutes long, leaving just 50 minutes of music for that night. That's either 2 epics, or 1 epic and two or three of their shorter tunes, but only 50 minutes or so, maybe a solid hour, and if it's just that much, I doubt it'll be two sets PLUS an encore. They'll probably perform TAU, take a break, then come out for one more hour and call it a night.
The Whirlwind runs just shy of 80 minutes, leaving that night with 70-ish minutes of music left, giving them a bit more time to play older songs. If they only do one epic on the TAU night, they may do two this night, taking up about 50-55 minutes of the second set, leaving them 15 minutes to do maybe "My New World" or "Suite Charlotte Pike".
As for specific song picks, I don't think they'll do more than 1 song from Kaleidoscope. If they do two, it'll be one epic, and one of the two shorter songs that isn't "Beyond The Sun", and my vote would go for "Black As The Sky" (and if Daniel is there as the fifth member, maybe he could get a verse during the middle section this time!).
Between AOTA, DWTD, and SIYS, I'm sure the urge is there to play all three, but like others have said, that is A LOT of music to learn, and when they finally tour on TAU, they're probably not going to play two of those, let alone all three, so I think they'll only do TWO of those three for Morsefest, and then pick one or alternate them for the tour. Part of me thinks we'll get both BAF epics since the live string section would add a lot of those songs, especially their opening sections, but I do agree with the folks who think AOTA should get a spotlight at Morsefest since it was their first big epic.
As much as I would love to hear songs like "Spinning", I don't see them happening, unless Mike is very daring with the setlist. It would definitely make it an extra special concert, unless he plans to play it during the tour as well, but I guess we'll see. Of the songs from their remaining three albums, here's what I predict:
Most Likely To Be Played At Morsefest 2022:
All Of The Above
Duel With The Devil
We All Need Some Light
Black As The Sky
Might Get Played:
Stranger In Your Soul
Mystery Train (it hasn't been played since their first tour, and Morsefest is a great place for "rarities")
Into The Blue (especially if Daniel is there)
Shine
Probably Won't Get Played:
My New World
Suite Charlotte Pike (as much as I'd love to hear a non-Beatles version)
Bridge Across Forever
Beyond The Sun
Kaleidoscope
The Whirlwind Bonus Tracks (Spinning, Lenny Johnson, For Such A Time, Lending A Hand)
If they do play nearly 3 hours of music each night, that gives them about 2.5 hours of total time to cover other material, which would be plenty of time to play AOTA, DWTD, SIYS, MNW, SCP, WANSL, BATS, and maybe even ITB. But whether or not they'll want to learn 250-275 minutes of music for two nights, especially at their ages, who knows, but Mike seems confident that they could pull it off.
-Marc.
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Who’s gonna be the fifth member this time? Pain of Salvation and Pattern Seeking Animals are both on Cruise to the Edge so it could be Daniel or Ted or maybe even both.
Heck, throw Bill Hubauer in there too. He played with TA on CTTE 2017.
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Who’s gonna be the fifth member this time? Pain of Salvation and Pattern Seeking Animals are both on Cruise to the Edge so it could be Daniel or Ted or maybe even both.
Heck, throw Bill Hubauer in there too. He played with TA on CTTE 2017.
I'm guessing we'll see both Daniel and Ted - to truly make it special and the "complete TA Experience" if you will - not sure about Bill though.
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Who’s gonna be the fifth member this time? Pain of Salvation and Pattern Seeking Animals are both on Cruise to the Edge so it could be Daniel or Ted or maybe even both.
Heck, throw Bill Hubauer in there too. He played with TA on CTTE 2017.
I'm guessing we'll see both Daniel and Ted - to truly make it special and the "complete TA Experience" if you will - not sure about Bill though.
It would be cool to see the 6-Man Transatlantic perform together again (yes, again, because Daniel popped up during a festival show during the end of the Kaleidoscope Tour in 2014 where he played a few songs with the band, including Ted). I think it largely depends on their availability before and during Morsefest, as well as after Cruise To The Edge, because they'll probably want to try and do a small tour after CTTE, if everyone's schedules permit it. They'll probably want to play the TAU material as much as they can since they're going through the trouble of learning 100 minutes of new music to perform for Morsefest and CTTE.
-Marc.
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Who’s gonna be the fifth member this time? Pain of Salvation and Pattern Seeking Animals are both on Cruise to the Edge so it could be Daniel or Ted or maybe even both.
Heck, throw Bill Hubauer in there too. He played with TA on CTTE 2017.
I'm guessing we'll see both Daniel and Ted - to truly make it special and the "complete TA Experience" if you will - not sure about Bill though.
It would be cool to see the 6-Man Transatlantic perform together again (yes, again, because Daniel popped up during a festival show during the end of the Kaleidoscope Tour in 2014 where he played a few songs with the band, including Ted). I think it largely depends on their availability before and during Morsefest, as well as after Cruise To The Edge, because they'll probably want to try and do a small tour after CTTE, if everyone's schedules permit it. They'll probably want to play the TAU material as much as they can since they're going through the trouble of learning 100 minutes of new music to perform for Morsefest and CTTE.
-Marc.
Yeah, not sure for the tour, but I'm thinking for the one weekend of Morsefest, we see both Daniel and Ted.
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Unless something major has changed I can say very confidently that Ted Leonard is the "5th member" of Transatlantic. Only way Daniel is there alone is if Ted can't or doesn't want it anymore.
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Unless something major has changed I can say very confidently that Ted Leonard is the "5th member" of Transatlantic. Only way Daniel is there alone is if Ted can't or doesn't want it anymore.
I would predict then that Ted will be the "5th member" for the tour, however for the Moresfest weekend (and probably the cruise as well), we'll also see an appearance from Daniel. That's my prediction lol
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Have Ted sing most of Pete's parts from The Absolute Universe and it would be even better. ;)
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I would love to hear that :tup
In the series about Daniel and PoS, when they show the period that Daniel toured with Transatlantic, it seemed that he saw it more as a good exposure for him (and PoS) and like a job. He didn't seem very enthusiastic about Transatlantic's music. Ted, otherwise, seems, besides also being a very talented musician, a real fan of Transatlantic and Neal's work, so I think he's now the first option to complement the band live.
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That would make a lot of sense, because I've always found it a bit of a weird fit when I think about Pain of Salvation's style of music (and not just because I don't like them).
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I would love to hear that :tup
In the series about Daniel and PoS, when they show the period that Daniel toured with Transatlantic, it seemed that he saw it more as a good exposure for him (and PoS) and like a job. He didn't seem very enthusiastic about Transatlantic's music. Ted, otherwise, seems, besides also being a very talented musician, a real fan of Transatlantic and Neal's work, so I think he's now the first option to complement the band live.
That would make a lot of sense, because I've always found it a bit of a weird fit when I think about Pain of Salvation's style of music (and not just because I don't like them).
I dunno though, he's done a bunch of albums with The Flower Kings (as well as The Sea Within), and that's pretty similar music to TA. I don't like his voice at all though so I'd be happy if he weren't involved in either going forward though. :-)
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I would love to hear that :tup
In the series about Daniel and PoS, when they show the period that Daniel toured with Transatlantic, it seemed that he saw it more as a good exposure for him (and PoS) and like a job. He didn't seem very enthusiastic about Transatlantic's music. Ted, otherwise, seems, besides also being a very talented musician, a real fan of Transatlantic and Neal's work, so I think he's now the first option to complement the band live.
Yes, I've watched that series and agree with you. But he also seems pretty close to MP. So if Mike were to ask him to participate, and he was already in the country preparing for the cruise, I could see him doing it. That's why I feel he'll appear at Morsefest and the cruise, but not on the rest of the tour
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I'm admittedly not much of a Gildenlow fan, but he never struck me as that good of a fit as the 5th member of Transatlantic for touring purposes. Heck, he seemed out of place as well during his tenure with The Flower Kings (even though I liked most of his vocal contributions there). In other words, I agree that Ted Leonard seems like a much better fit.
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I mean it is $325 for two shows, so not quite as bad (but definitely still up there)
Still $160+/show. And IIRC, we only paid $150 for two nights at the last Morsefest. There's also the all-important point that they'll no doubt play somewhere far more interesting than Cross Plains Tennessee that I can visit. I'd rather see them in PA or NY again.
I'm think there is a likelihood some more shows happening. The question is where and how many.
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I get the appeal of doing TA rarities, and Neal has certainly done them at past Morsefests, but given that they’re doing TAU (presumably the Ultimate Version) which they have never played together as a band, and Whirlwind which hasn’t been played in full in over a decade, that’s a LOT of music to prepare and rehearse even without encores. Especially with all the choirs and strings and horns and whatever else they’ll surely add.
It’s certainly possible, but can’t see them wasting time with bonus tracks. If they do play then, cool. I’d love to be proven wrong.
I would bet money on Stranger on Your Soul being played though. Yeah it’s been played countless times before, but it’s a staple. There have been repeats at Morsefest before. Wind at My Back has been played 3 times, The Call has been played twice and as a part of The Great Medley, and they did the Whirlwind Medley in 2015 and now the whole thing is being played.
Exactly. Can't imagine a scenario where there will be enough rehearsal time. Anything that doesn't need a lot rehearsal or even some cool jams might be an option if they decide to go that way.
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I love The Whirlwind!!!
The flow, the production, the energy, the powah!
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Yep, The Whirlwind was the biggest selling point for me as far as paying that much for Morsefest. Well, that and the assigned seating. I wouldn't have paid that much without the assigned seating. But had it been advertised as TA playing The Absolute Universe and then everything else unannounced as of yet, I likely would have balked at paying that much to go. Not that I do not like The Absolute Universe, as I do, but it has a few stretches that I can do without, and thus I do not view it as a consistent bad ass album from start to finish like Testimony 2 Disc 1, Similitude or The Whirlwind.
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The assigned seating is huge. My biggest gripe about Morsefest 2019 was that we showed up a couple hours before door on Saturday and our seats were barely better than they were when we showed up at showtime on Friday.
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I suspect the crazy high ticket prices for Morsefest are here to stay, but as long as the assigned seating remains a constant, I am good with it. I just feel bad for the many fans who would love to go, but do not have that kind of money to plunk down to go.
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I just feel bad for the many fans who would love to go, but do not have that kind of money to plunk down to go.
This is kind of me, but my situation isn't Neal's fault. My wife had expressed interest in the two of us going earlier in the year. But my oldest is going away to college, and he decided on a private school that is going to be a LOT more than we thought we would be spending this first two years. So I just can't justify spending this much on a concert right now, especially when you factor in the travel, etc.
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https://twitter.com/MikePortnoy/status/1424530736699346944?s=19
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8TzJtlXMAErXjZ?format=jpg&name=large)
😲😲😲
-Marc.
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https://twitter.com/Transatlantic99/status/1424732406901362692?s=19
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8WqkpuWQAY_qIt?format=jpg&name=large)
-Marc.
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https://twitter.com/Transatlantic99/status/1424732406901362692?s=19
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8WqkpuWQAY_qIt?format=jpg&name=large)
-Marc.
I was *just* about to share this here. Man, you're quick. Do you just have musicians' pages loaded up and on alert whenever any of them post?
-Jorge.
:lol
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https://twitter.com/Transatlantic99/status/1424732406901362692?s=19
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8WqkpuWQAY_qIt?format=jpg&name=large)
-Marc.
I was *just* about to share this here. Man, you're quick. Do you just have musicians' pages loaded up and on alert whenever any of them post?
-Jorge.
:lol
(https://media4.giphy.com/media/1kI8UsCjEwfiXc3TYy/giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952a503dc19d8c0aaa1e927d3a640fa2dbaebc06834&rid=giphy.gif)
Also, any bets on whether or not they'll record (audio and/or video) any shows outside of Morsefest for future release?
-Marc.
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My bet is that they will only record MF, but who knows, maybe they end up doing as with FC where they recorded 2 shows.
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My bet is that they will only record MF, but who knows, maybe they end up doing as with FC where they recorded 2 shows.
I see Tilburg is third to last. And we all know how much Neal and Mike love the Tilburg crowd!
Also, from Mike...
TRANSATLANTIC 2022 TOUR DATES!!
“Between releasing our latest album in the middle of a worldwide pandemic & shutdown, and the already difficult task of trying to align our different schedules even in the most normal of circumstances, it was uncertain if Transatlantic would ever get to play any shows in support of The Absolute Universe.
But now with the world slowly re-opening and the band already committing to a few one-off appearances in 2022 (Cruise To The Edge, Morsefest and a Festival in Romania), we’re excited to announce we were able to wrangle up some headlining shows surrounding these one-offs! (April in North America and July in EU/UK)
These are the ONLY shows we will be doing in support of The Absolute Universe so if we can’t make it to your area, it may be worth traveling to come see us and share these special shows with us. While we wish we could do a full proper tour, getting to play ANY shows for this album is an unexpected treat that we weren’t sure would ever happen…so better late than never!” - MP
North America dates:
April 15th • Glenside, PA - Keswick Theater
https://www.axs.com/events/409822/an-evening-with-transatlantic-tickets
April 16th • Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/02005AFEFC0F7014
April 18th • Quebec City, Quebec - Palais Montcalm
https://palaismontcalm.tuxedobillet.com/main/transatlantic
April 19th • Montreal, Quebec - M Telus
https://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/31005B03CBCC1934?lang=en-ca&brand=mtelus
April 21st • St Charles, IL - Arcada Theater
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/4311193/transatlantic-stcharles-the-arcada-theatre?_ga=2.14751414.123937637.1628201559-79101957.1628201559
April 23rd • Los Angeles, CA - Belasco Theater
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/09005B05AF17211D
April 24th • Berkeley, CA - UC Theatre
https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/4360146/an-evening-with-transatlantic-berkeley-the-uc-theatre
April 29th & 30th • Cross Plains, TN - MorseFest 2022
https://www.nealmorse.com/2021/08/01/morsefest-2022-on-sale-monday-aug-2/
May 2nd to 7th • Cruise To The Edge 2022
https://cruisetotheedge.com/book-now/
UK/Europe dates:
July 22nd - Sibiu, Romania - ARTmania Festival
July 24th - Cologne, Germany - E Werk
https://www.myticket.de/de/transatlantic-the-absolute-universe-2022-tour-tickets
July 25th - Tilburg, Netherlands – 013
https://www.ticketmaster.nl/event/272933?CAMEFROM=013&brand=nl_013web
July 27th - London, England - O2 Forum Kentish Town
https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F005AFE183A8DE7
July 28th - Paris, France – Olympia (NOT ON SALE UNTIL AUG 18TH)
www.olympiahall.com/evenements/transatlantic/
-Marc.
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Damn, I'm glad they gave us a heads up before tickets went on sale. And honestly, putting them on sale 8 months out under the current circumstances is kind of a dick move. Guess I'll be sitting way in the back someplace.
edit: Also, I'll be waiting to find out what Haken's dates are, as well. Depending on where NYC is in the tour, there may be some overlap.
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I don't know where I'm going to be living in 8 months, to be honest. With none of the shows taking place anywhere near where I'm likely to be, I'm probably going to balk again.
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Wow; that WAS short notice. I went online, and I had a minute and 50 seconds before tix went on sale. But scored BIG: Second row, right in front of Mike, for Montclair. PUMPED.
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The ticketing was being odd for the LA show and only letting you click on specific seats for the balcony and not the floor, but ended up with floor front row seat 1! would love to do morsefest to see the whirlwind, but too hard to plan for right now especially with the expenses, on top of many other expensive tickets I've gotten lately. either way thrilled to be seeing Transatlantic again, their Keswick show on the Kaleidoscope tour was incredible :hefdaddy
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Didn't realize these were already on sale. Just bought 2 for the Arcada Show. Shocked to see only $39 for front row of the balcony. Onesti must be ill or something. Never seen him price this so cheap before, considering that he was asking $75 for The Winery Dogs on their first tour.
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The ticketing was being odd for the LA show and only letting you click on specific seats for the balcony and not the floor, but ended up with floor front row seat 1! would love to do morsefest to see the whirlwind, but too hard to plan for right now especially with the expenses, on top of many other expensive tickets I've gotten lately. either way thrilled to be seeing Transatlantic again, their Keswick show on the Kaleidoscope tour was incredible :hefdaddy
The Keswick is a handy fallback option. There's no way they sell that place out, so tickets will available up to the last minute. It's a good venue, though I wasn't crazy about the sound last time around. Flights will always be cheap to PHI, and I've got family that I'd love to see up there. Also, I can get by on public transpo if I just want to make a quick weekend of it. And if it doesn't sell out, I've got NJ if I want to extend the trip a bit.
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The ticketing was being odd for the LA show and only letting you click on specific seats for the balcony and not the floor, but ended up with floor front row seat 1! would love to do morsefest to see the whirlwind, but too hard to plan for right now especially with the expenses, on top of many other expensive tickets I've gotten lately. either way thrilled to be seeing Transatlantic again, their Keswick show on the Kaleidoscope tour was incredible :hefdaddy
The Keswick is a handy fallback option. There's no way they sell that place out, so tickets will available up to the last minute. It's a good venue, though I wasn't crazy about the sound last time around. Flights will always be cheap to PHI, and I've got family that I'd love to see up there. Also, I can get by on public transpo if I just want to make a quick weekend of it. And if it doesn't sell out, I've got NJ if I want to extend the trip a bit.
I love the Keswick and thought about that trip - local show for Mike, probably a great meet up, and Philly in general if not - but I bit on the New Jersey show. Also local (for Mike) and about an hour and a half less drive for me. Second row, center aisle, so I'm good on the logistics of it.
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All in on the Keswick show. The Wellmont is closer for me, but I LOVE the Keswick and see as many MP shows there as possible. I may take in the Wellmont show as well, but I'll wait until closer to performance to decide.
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Wow; that WAS short notice. I went online, and I had a minute and 50 seconds before tix went on sale. But scored BIG: Second row, right in front of Mike, for Montclair. PUMPED.
Stads you and I will be in the same row. I currently live walking distance from the Wellmont.
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I thought about how much I love TA and how long it might be before they come again and I went ahead and bought a ticket for the LA show, which is probably the one that will be easiest for me to travel to. I'll decide later whether to go or to sell the ticket.
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Wow; that WAS short notice. I went online, and I had a minute and 50 seconds before tix went on sale. But scored BIG: Second row, right in front of Mike, for Montclair. PUMPED.
Stads you and I will be in the same row. I currently live walking distance from the Wellmont.
I see beer in our future! :)
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I thought about how much I love TA and how long it might be before they come again and I went ahead and bought a ticket for the LA show, which is probably the one that will be easiest for me to travel to. I'll decide later whether to go or to sell the ticket.
The first part of your post is a big reason why I had no problem paying big bucks for Morsefest, as I have never seen Transatlantic, and who knows how many more albums and tours they have in them given that they are a part time band and given their ages (three of the four are over 60 now).
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Yeah, I fully get that, especially having never seen them, either. If I was in a more stable place in my life, I probably would have gone for Morsefest. As it is, I can decide later on whether I'm able to make a trip to LA, and worst case scenario I'm out $70.
You'll get The Whirlwind, though, which will be absolutely awesome. Might be the last time it ever gets played in full.
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I would really like to see them, either on the proper tour or at Morsefest. And I know the window is closing. But bottom line is, with a kid starting college next week and 2 more not far behind, I am attending few concerts in the immediate future. DT is automatic. But outside of them, it either has to be a "bucket list" band, or cheap and easy to get to. TA doesn't really qualify for either. And, thankfully, I saw them on the Whirld Tour, so I don't feel like I completely missed out on them as a band.
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I'm sort of with Bosk, in the sense that I feel like the window is closing, and I have familial/life obligations that make this more complicated than it might ordinarily be. But I can't swing Morsefest this time around, and I haven't seen them yet (to my great regret I bailed at the last minute for KaLIVEoscope in Philly) so I need to pounce now. $100 +/-, second row in front of Mike two hours away.... I've certainly done a LOT worse for a show.
Problem is, I don't like waiting until APRIL of 2022 to see them! A lot can happen...
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Wow; that WAS short notice. I went online, and I had a minute and 50 seconds before tix went on sale. But scored BIG: Second row, right in front of Mike, for Montclair. PUMPED.
Stads you and I will be in the same row. I currently live walking distance from the Wellmont.
I see beer in our future! :)
Indeed. Funnily though, I should be down living in Florida by then and I'll be flying home for the show. I've waited *years* for a band I really like to play the Wellmont, and now it's finally happening probably right after I move away.
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Wow; that WAS short notice. I went online, and I had a minute and 50 seconds before tix went on sale. But scored BIG: Second row, right in front of Mike, for Montclair. PUMPED.
Stads you and I will be in the same row. I currently live walking distance from the Wellmont.
I see beer in our future! :)
Indeed. Funnily though, I should be down living in Florida by then and I'll be flying home for the show. I've waited *years* for a band I really like to play the Wellmont, and now it's finally happening probably right after I move away.
I'm sure you'll have it all figured out and you know people, but it goes without saying if you need a ride or anything, reach out. I'm probably going down early-isn, since I think it's a Saturday.
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Wow; that WAS short notice. I went online, and I had a minute and 50 seconds before tix went on sale. But scored BIG: Second row, right in front of Mike, for Montclair. PUMPED.
Stads you and I will be in the same row. I currently live walking distance from the Wellmont.
I see beer in our future! :)
Indeed. Funnily though, I should be down living in Florida by then and I'll be flying home for the show. I've waited *years* for a band I really like to play the Wellmont, and now it's finally happening probably right after I move away.
I'm sure you'll have it all figured out and you know people, but it goes without saying if you need a ride or anything, reach out. I'm probably going down early-isn, since I think it's a Saturday.
Much obliged good sir. I should be set crashing with the parents, but we'll figure it out closer to April.
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My list of artists/events I will travel to see is pretty small now (I have seen DT enough now to where they are no longer on the list), and the Morsefest extravaganza is something that will always be on the list.
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Yeah, I will have a hard time skipping Morsefest in the future after enjoying MF2019 so much. I'm only not going to be there this year because I was supposed to be in the middle of a move. I don't think I'd pull the trigger on VIP tickets every year if the pricing stays consistent going forward, but Transatlantic are worth it.
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That ARTmania show could quite possibly be the first time Transatlantic ever comes anywhere close to me. This might be my only chance to catch the band, but then again, I've already got tickets for five shows for the next year - the traveling and the hotels might take a toll on the ol' wallet. I'll keep it in the back of my mind, though.
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I ordered the vinyl reissue of Bridge Across Forever recently, and it arrived here today. I won't be using the vinyl records since I don't have a record player, but I'll definitely be making good use of the CD that came with it. Bridge Across Forever is one of my all-time favorite albums, and it was certainly worth getting it in a vinyl format!
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Added both the PA and NJ shows to my concert calendar. Sitting in the last row in PA (a familiar spot for me when I go to this venue) and the sixth row in NJ (going with a friend who has never seen them, so I splurged on this show). Was going to do Morsefest, but it was just too cost-prohibitive to justify. If they were doing all of BAF instead of The Whirlwind on Night one, I would have thought about it a bit harder, especially since there were no U.S. dates for BAF when the album came out and I saw the Whird Tour show in Philly. But since I have the first two shows on the current tour and they already announced they are releasing MF2022, I passed on it.
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I just watched the Cologne show from the KaLIVEoscope Blu-ray. I'm really going to struggle waiting until APRIL for this show. At least I have NMB in the interim.
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Hey, do we have any official sources for what The Whirlwind is about? Especially the "Rose Colored Glasses" part? I just watched the Tilburg show this morning and listened to Manchester (while cutting the lawn last night; perfect!) and both times it sounded/looked like Neal got choked up singing that part about "And I'll sing this as we're scattering the ashes, I believe the man has gone back home".
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Hey, do we have any official sources for what The Whirlwind is about? Especially the "Rose Colored Glasses" part? I just watched the Tilburg show this morning and listened to Manchester (while cutting the lawn last night; perfect!) and both times it sounded/looked like Neal got choked up singing that part about "And I'll sing this as we're scattering the ashes, I believe the man has gone back home".
I don't think there's any overarching story to the whole thing, but Rose Colored Glasses specifically is about the death of Neal's father.
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Hmmm, I don't think I knew that (or I read it once and forgot...damn old age :lol). That adds a new layer to the song, and I already think Rose Covered Glasses is arguably the best song from the entire Whirlwind suite.
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Hey, do we have any official sources for what The Whirlwind is about? Especially the "Rose Colored Glasses" part? I just watched the Tilburg show this morning and listened to Manchester (while cutting the lawn last night; perfect!) and both times it sounded/looked like Neal got choked up singing that part about "And I'll sing this as we're scattering the ashes, I believe the man has gone back home".
I think its a thematic song with parts that form a cohesive story. The Whirlwind of life being hurled at us. The Whirlwind that makes us question our beliefs, and overall question life. It all culminates to the eye of the storm in Is This Really Happening? Where everyone is seeing the havoc and destruction The Whirlwind has done. "Is this what our minds were meant to feast upon."
Then it ends with the epic uplifting message of hope that even though that Whirlwind caused so much turmoil, we are still alive Dancing With Eternal Glory.
Almost líke a Whirlwind of the mind.
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^Sort of. But I remember Neal mentioning the inspiration and overarching theme of the album, and it is actually a much more Biblical idea, although it is left purposely vague and open to interpretation (especially because others in the band wrote some lyrics as well).
But it was inspired by chapter 38 of the book of Job where God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind. The idea is that you have this awesome force speaking to mankind that is simultaneously (1) all-loving and wanting to save mankind, and (2) fearsome, awesome, and destructive to those that reject the message. I think within the context of the song, Neal's intent was that God speaks though a lot of forces and actions that are meant to get people's attention, and can either be salvation or destruction depending on whether the "hearer" uses that as an opportunity to seek out and listen to the speaker or not. There is obviously a lot of allegory used, and a lot (if not all of it) can just as equally have secular interpretations as well.
Anyway, I could say a lot more. But last time I tried to provide a theological explanation of Neal's lyrics, you said something along the lines of it sounding to you like just so much noise, like the adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon, so I'll just save it. :lol
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Just putting this out there again - if anyone else wants to participate in my Transatlantic Survivor, please be sure to vote today before 5PM EST for the current rounds! Because of work, I won't be able to post the next rounds til tomorrow afternoon! (I also just want to break the tie that's currently sitting there, so hopefully when I check them later, it'll be broken!).
-Marc.
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Hey, do we have any official sources for what The Whirlwind is about? Especially the "Rose Colored Glasses" part? I just watched the Tilburg show this morning and listened to Manchester (while cutting the lawn last night; perfect!) and both times it sounded/looked like Neal got choked up singing that part about "And I'll sing this as we're scattering the ashes, I believe the man has gone back home".
I don't think there's any overarching story to the whole thing, but Rose Colored Glasses specifically is about the death of Neal's father.
This is correct. I remember when it was released Neal specifically saying in an interview that this song was about his fathers death. Cannot remember now the exact interview, but I know I read/saw it back then.
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Hey, do we have any official sources for what The Whirlwind is about? Especially the "Rose Colored Glasses" part? I just watched the Tilburg show this morning and listened to Manchester (while cutting the lawn last night; perfect!) and both times it sounded/looked like Neal got choked up singing that part about "And I'll sing this as we're scattering the ashes, I believe the man has gone back home".
I don't think there's any overarching story to the whole thing, but Rose Colored Glasses specifically is about the death of Neal's father.
This is correct. I remember when it was released Neal specifically saying in an interview that this song was about his fathers death. Cannot remember now the exact interview, but I know I read/saw it back then.
He also mentions it in the Making Of documentary for The Whirlwind at 32:31
https://youtu.be/eaGoep2q43E?t=1951
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^Sort of. But I remember Neal mentioning the inspiration and overarching theme of the album, and it is actually a much more Biblical idea, although it is left purposely vague and open to interpretation (especially because others in the band wrote some lyrics as well).
But it was inspired by chapter 38 of the book of Job where God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind. The idea is that you have this awesome force speaking to mankind that is simultaneously (1) all-loving and wanting to save mankind, and (2) fearsome, awesome, and destructive to those that reject the message. I think within the context of the song, Neal's intent was that God speaks though a lot of forces and actions that are meant to get people's attention, and can either be salvation or destruction depending on whether the "hearer" uses that as an opportunity to seek out and listen to the speaker or not. There is obviously a lot of allegory used, and a lot (if not all of it) can just as equally have secular interpretations as well.
Anyway, I could say a lot more. But last time I tried to provide a theological explanation of Neal's lyrics, you said something along the lines of it sounding to you like just so much noise, like the adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon, so I'll just save it. :lol
I was getting ready to post this very thing, but you did a great job explaining it. The entire idea of "the whirlwind" is from Job 38, like you said. Job 38:1 (and 40:6): "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind..." The entire book of Job is about the trials and tribulations of life, the complexity of it all, and their meaning. Like you said, the whirlwind represents both the chaos of our lives, and God's direction of it. Neal's lyrics, "There is in the heart of the whirlwind one who has been for all time," and "now that it's done, out of the whirlwind comes forth the true breath of life," are connecting God and Christ the savior coming from God ("now that it's done" referring to Christ's death").
It's easy to draw meanings from lyrics that were never intended by the writers (happens all of the time with Yes) but in this case I'm confident in this interpretation and these lyrical connections, because as a Christian these phrases and concepts are taught constantly, and are central to the life of a Christian.
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For those wondering, Ted Leonard is on Neal’s podcast that came out today, and they confirmed that Ted will be the 5th member for the TA tour.
Ted also hinted at SB (and Enchant) maybe being done touring for good, so that’s maybe a bummer.
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For those wondering, Ted Leonard is on Neal’s podcast that came out today, and they confirmed that Ted will be the 5th member for the TA tour.
Ted also hinted at SB (and Enchant) maybe being done touring for good, so that’s maybe a bummer.
Spoilers?
:facepalm:
:rollin
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For those wondering, Ted Leonard is on Neal’s podcast that came out today, and they confirmed that Ted will be the 5th member for the TA tour.
Ted also hinted at SB (and Enchant) maybe being done touring for good, so that’s maybe a bummer.
Spoilers?
:facepalm:
:rollin
Ah, well, didn’t think anyone here listened to Neal’s pod with that level of anticipation!
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The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh.
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
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Just bought my tickets for Morsefest '22 :metal
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Just bought my tickets for Morsefest '22 :metal
:metal :metal
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Nice!!!
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
But isn't that what the utility guy is supposed to do? I'd rather the utility guy stay mostly in the background than be all over the place and grabbing too much attention. Stay in the background and do your job and let the focus stay on the actual four members of the band. That is my take. :)
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
But isn't that what the utility guy is supposed to do? I'd rather the utility guy stay mostly in the background than be all over the place and grabbing too much attention. Stay in the background and do your job and let the focus stay on the actual four members of the band. That is my take. :)
Also, Ted mentioned on the podcast how he had like 9 days to prepare for the last TA gig as Gildenlow had a health issue and had to back out at the last minute (unless there was more than one tour). So he may not have been able to do much besides focus on playing his parts.
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
But isn't that what the utility guy is supposed to do? I'd rather the utility guy stay mostly in the background than be all over the place and grabbing too much attention. Stay in the background and do your job and let the focus stay on the actual four members of the band. That is my take. :)
Also, Ted mentioned on the podcast how he had like 9 days to prepare for the last TA gig as Gildenlow had a health issue and had to back out at the last minute (unless there was more than one tour). So he may not have been able to do much besides focus on playing his parts.
I'm still predicting Daniel will make a "surprise" appearance at Morsefest.
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
But isn't that what the utility guy is supposed to do? I'd rather the utility guy stay mostly in the background than be all over the place and grabbing too much attention. Stay in the background and do your job and let the focus stay on the actual four members of the band. That is my take. :)
Also, Ted mentioned on the podcast how he had like 9 days to prepare for the last TA gig as Gildenlow had a health issue and had to back out at the last minute (unless there was more than one tour). So he may not have been able to do much besides focus on playing his parts.
I'm still predicting Daniel will make a "surprise" appearance at Morsefest.
Ted did mention jokingly that Mike will probably pull Daniel in too, though I think he was talking about during the cruise.
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For those wondering, Ted Leonard is on Neal’s podcast that came out today, and they confirmed that Ted will be the 5th member for the TA tour.
Ted also hinted at SB (and Enchant) maybe being done touring for good, so that’s maybe a bummer.
Really sad, it seems the end of them both. There was a new Enchant album in the works 3 years ago. Ted commented something about it?
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I've talked to Ed Platt about the album. Doug Ott just isn't motivated like the others.
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For those wondering, Ted Leonard is on Neal’s podcast that came out today, and they confirmed that Ted will be the 5th member for the TA tour.
Ted also hinted at SB (and Enchant) maybe being done touring for good, so that’s maybe a bummer.
Really sad, it seems the end of them both. There was a new Enchant album in the works 3 years ago. Ted commented something about it?
He's moved to New York state, so that might be a part of it. He didn't specify whether or not he thought Spock's or Enchant were done making more. It more sounds like there is nothing on the horizon and he's not sure they'll ever do anything like a big tour with them again.
Here is the link with the time stamp to his comments on that:
https://youtu.be/e3WkRWIBg7k?t=698
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Let's be real, Neal's albums are the continuation of the Spock's Beard sound. Post Neal-Spock's may be branded as Spock's Beard, but they're more like New Coke.
I haven't heard all the post-Neal albums, but from what I've heard, while there's some good stuff in there, much of it comes off as bland, mediocre, and just plain not memorable. Even trying to separate them from Neal era SB, it's not a band I would give much attention if they weren't directly connected to the band's first 6 albums.
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Let's be real, Neal's albums are the continuation of the Spock's Beard sound. Post Neal-Spock's may be branded as Spock's Beard, but they're more like New Coke.
Eh, I’d pretty strongly disagree. Post-SB Neal is very different than SB in my view, in no small part because of the players involved. Not that post-Neal SB doesn’t sound different too, but I think in general they are closer to the original SB in sound and style than Neal’s solo stuff is. I prefer post-Neal SB to Neal’s solo stuff for sure.
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
But isn't that what the utility guy is supposed to do? I'd rather the utility guy stay mostly in the background than be all over the place and grabbing too much attention. Stay in the background and do your job and let the focus stay on the actual four members of the band. That is my take. :)
Also, Ted mentioned on the podcast how he had like 9 days to prepare for the last TA gig as Gildenlow had a health issue and had to back out at the last minute (unless there was more than one tour). So he may not have been able to do much besides focus on playing his parts.
I'm still predicting Daniel will make a "surprise" appearance at Morsefest.
Ted did mention jokingly that Mike will probably pull Daniel in too, though I think he was talking about during the cruise.
Yes, I'm thinking he'll make appearances at Morsefest and the Cruise - the rest of the tour will just be Ted.
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Let's be real, Neal's albums are the continuation of the Spock's Beard sound. Post Neal-Spock's may be branded as Spock's Beard, but they're more like New Coke.
Eh, I’d pretty strongly disagree. Post-SB Neal is very different than SB in my view, in no small part because of the players involved. Not that post-Neal SB doesn’t sound different too, but I think in general they are closer to the original SB in sound and style than Neal’s solo stuff is. I prefer post-Neal SB to Neal’s solo stuff for sure.
That's why I said post-Neal SB is New Coke. It's different. If we're talking the classic "Spock's Beard sound" Neal took it with him, I don't hear it on later albums without Neal as full time member. We're talking about the style of music. Even within Neal's catalog outside SB, there are personnel differences, even if most albums feature Randy George and Mike Portnoy.
TA is "Spock's Beard meets The Flower Kings with Dream Theater energy and that bassist from Marillion" because Neal is the Beard.
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No, Neal WAS the Beard, but he hasn't been for nearly 20 years. While Neal's style and personality are always hard to escape, every time I listen to Spock's, it stands out how different it really is from Neal's solo work and the Neal Morse band (in the context of the prog rock genre). A big part of that are the players - Portnoy and NDV are both excellent, but very different drummers, for example - and another part is that fun, quirky side of Neal kind of went away for a while after he left the Beard. Probably because of the nature of the lyrics, but his music seemed more serious for a while (not a criticism, One and ? are two of my favorite albums of his ever), while Spock's has always had that element of quirkiness and fun, when Neal was in the band and since he has left.
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No, Neal WAS the Beard, but he hasn't been for nearly 20 years. While Neal's style and personality are always hard to escape, every time I listen to Spock's, it stands out how different it really is from Neal's solo work and the Neal Morse band (in the context of the prog rock genre). A big part of that are the players - Portnoy and NDV are both excellent, but very different drummers, for example - and another part is that fun, quirky side of Neal kind of went away for a while after he left the Beard. Probably because of the nature of the lyrics, but his music seemed more serious for a while (not a criticism, One and ? are two of my favorite albums of his ever), while Spock's has always had that element of quirkiness and fun, when Neal was in the band and since he has left.
I get what you're saying, but I'm saying that post-Neal SB did not retain the sound of the first 6 albums. It sounds like 2 different bands.
Neal's work post-SB is closer to the last 2 SB albums than post-Neal SB ever got, from what I've heard. Those last 2 SB albums, the quirkiness was pretty much already gone. How much different is Snow to Testimony? or V to One?
Point is, SB, TA, Neal solo, NMB, it's all different branding of NEAL MORSE because he wrote most or all the music.
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I don’t think Neal or Ted era SB has ever really replicated Neal’s ability to whip out epic length tunes, and no one can really imitate his specific songwriting trademarks, but just in terms of the sound of the band and retaining that mix of pop, rock, and prog, I think Spock’s retained it after Neal left moreso than Neal did. His writing after he left became primarily conceptual, and lost a lot of the quirkiness and more pop sensibilities that were in his SB writing. But also, Al, Nick, Dave, and Ryo are all very unique players and they were very much a part of the sound and style of the first 6 SB albums. Their presence alone (at least until Nick left for the first two Ted albums) kept the band’s sound more or less intact.
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I don’t think Neal or Ted era SB has ever really replicated Neal’s ability to whip out epic length tunes, and no one can really imitate his specific songwriting trademarks, but just in terms of the sound of the band and retaining that mix of pop, rock, and prog, I think Spock’s retained it after Neal left moreso than Neal did.
You mean Nick or Ted era SB? :huh: I would only kind of agree, mostly more so in the Ted-Era, especially since 2 of the 3 songs that are over 10-minutes that SB has released in the last decade have had Neal write (part of) them - "Falling For Forever" and "Waiting For Me" (with the third being "To Be Free Again" at 10:28 long). I think the Nick-Era at least tried to put in some sort of epic on each album, most of which were helped by Nick ("A Guy Named Sid", "From The Darkness", and "With Your Kiss"), though those had different sensibilities and styles than Neal did. But I do agree, the band did retain the more pop-rock sound after Neal left, mostly due to just how good the band was, and their collective writing helped flesh out their sound palette a bit more as well, especially with the addition of Boegehold and Ausmus.
His writing after he left became primarily conceptual, and lost a lot of the quirkiness and more pop sensibilities that were in his SB writing.
I'd say a lot of his first four prog solo albums after he left SB were a bit more serious, and not as quirky as some of his early SB stuff, but then there were songs like "Leviathan" on Lifeline, "Time Changer" and "Nighttime Collectors" from Testimony 2, and "Freak" from Momentum were fairly quirky and different than his usually serious/somber fare. He definitely still retained his pop sensibilities as well, like with "Back To The Garden", "Nothing To Believe", and "King Jesus" from One, "Outside Looking In" from ?, about half of the Lifeline album, and a few songs from Testimony 1 and 2 as well. They just didn't sound like SB because, even though he was still the primary writer, having Portnoy and George definitely helped differentiate his sound from SB, both in the prog and pop departments.
But also, Al, Nick, Dave, and Ryo are all very unique players and they were very much a part of the sound and style of the first 6 SB albums. Their presence alone (at least until Nick left for the first two Ted albums) kept the band’s sound more or less intact.
I'd say each of those four definitely helped shape the band's sound just as much as Neal's writing and playing did. If you paid enough attention to their playing enough, you could definitely tell that Al, Ryo, and Dave were still in the same band after Neal left, when Nick and Ted took over as frontmen. It would be a shame if the band is done since it seems like Ted has no idea what's going on with them.
Ryo was recently seen recording live-in-studio at the Mouse House with another band. Ted and Dave have Pattern-Seeking Animals now, with a third album on the way by next Spring and a tour as well. As for Al?... I'm not sure what he's been up to lately, probably his day job, and with the Ryo doing various gigs and Ted and Dave with PSA, maybe he's decided that SB should call it a day? At this point, if they release a 14th album, it'll have been 4 years since their last one (if released next year), which would be as long as the gap between their self-titled and X releases, which felt like an eternity for me, so who knows what'll happen this time.
-Marc.
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I don’t think Neal or Ted era SB has ever really replicated Neal’s ability to whip out epic length tunes, and no one can really imitate his specific songwriting trademarks, but just in terms of the sound of the band and retaining that mix of pop, rock, and prog, I think Spock’s retained it after Neal left moreso than Neal did.
You mean Nick or Ted era SB? :huh: I would only kind of agree, mostly more so in the Ted-Era, especially since 2 of the 3 songs that are over 10-minutes that SB has released in the last decade have had Neal write (part of) them - "Falling For Forever" and "Waiting For Me" (with the third being "To Be Free Again" at 10:28 long). I think the Nick-Era at least tried to put in some sort of epic on each album, most of which were helped by Nick ("A Guy Named Sid", "From The Darkness", and "With Your Kiss"), though those had different sensibilities and styles than Neal did. But I do agree, the band did retain the more pop-rock sound after Neal left, mostly due to just how good the band was, and their collective writing helped flesh out their sound palette a bit more as well, especially with the addition of Boegehold and Ausmus.
Woops, definitely meant Nick and Ted. It’s not that they haven’t done epics without Neal (A Guy Named Sid, From Out of Darkness, and also As Far as the Mind Can See are a few of the really great epic length tracks without Neal). It’s more that Neal has a special knack for those multi-part epics that is hard to compete with, and a kind of distinct formula that he follows that the band maybe tried to avoid a bit after he left. I guess I would agree with Darkshade that Neal kind of took that with him when he left is all.
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Bought tickets to the Tilburg 013 show ;D I like The Absolute Universe more evey listen and for Transatlantic I usually prefer the live recordings to their studio output. This should be a great show.
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Roine replied to a post on FB saying the Paris show, the last of the TAU Tour, will be filmed. Nice to see them filming at a new city and venue for a future live release!
-Marc.
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Nearly confirms we're getting two live releases, then, since I think the odds of Morsefest not getting released are very low.
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Does anyone know if hi-res art exists anywhere of the US cover of SMPTe? The best I've seen online is a small-ish 600x600 image, or larger poorly-scanned images like these: https://fanart.tv/fanart/music/a57fb9e3-ac21-4c53-87f1-e3b25cb6944a/albumcover/smpte-508634036d9b7.jpg
Every other Transatlantic album has at least decent art online (Live in America being the second-worst behind SMPTe US).
Bridge Across Forever, for example, has super-crisp art available: https://fanart.tv/fanart/music/a57fb9e3-ac21-4c53-87f1-e3b25cb6944a/albumcover/bridge-across-forever-5db44507a1850.jpg
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Does anyone know if hi-res art exists anywhere of the US cover of SMPTe? The best I've seen online is a small-ish 600x600 image, or larger poorly-scanned images like these: https://fanart.tv/fanart/music/a57fb9e3-ac21-4c53-87f1-e3b25cb6944a/albumcover/smpte-508634036d9b7.jpg
Every other Transatlantic album has at least decent art online (Live in America being the second-worst behind SMPTe US).
Bridge Across Forever, for example, has super-crisp art available: https://fanart.tv/fanart/music/a57fb9e3-ac21-4c53-87f1-e3b25cb6944a/albumcover/bridge-across-forever-5db44507a1850.jpg
Thats very odd, but then again I've never really looked for high-res images of the US version of the SMPT:e cover art. I just always use the EU version to give it its own unique color palette compared to BAF. SMPT:e is pink/purple, BAF is blue, The Whirlwind is orange/yellow, Kaleidoscope is green, and TAU is black (since I listen to the Ultimate Mix mostly, but the other two covers have different enough shades of pink and blue compared to their first two albums).
I tried looking up the US cover but only found the images you found, so best of luck!
-Marc.
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I think the European version has become the "main" version. I live in the US and bought SMPTe many years after its initial release (2013ish?), and mine is the pink.
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I think the European version has become the "main" version. I live in the US and bought SMPTe many years after its initial release (2013ish?), and mine is the pink.
I believe so as well. When they released the albums on vinyl for the first time many years ago, they used the EU cover, and again with the more recent vinyl reissue.
Fun Fact- the EU version is pink because Inside Out wanted the band to release the album with a non-blue cover because they felt their label had released a lot of blue album covers in recent years and planned for that current year.
Even tougher to find a high-res image of is the Roine Stolt Mixes version the debut album. I don't think I've ever found a version higher 953x953.
-Marc.
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Yeah, it definitely seems like the main version now. For me, it's tough because I bought it right around release and have lived with the blue cover for over 20 years.
Another one that I did to myself (and I'm happy with) is when Similitude of a Dream came out, I was shocked when I saw how great the inner art was, and was bothered that they didn't go with that, so I made my own version and have only ever used that. It ended up working out great when The Great Adventure came out because that album art was so similar, so that feels distinct.
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjacobbenton.com%2Ffiles%2Fimg%2Ftsoad_alt2_small.png&hash=771f8f156c9a87ee66fa86cad514200bcfc7b916)
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Always check Discogs, and even when you do that, you have to check each individual entry. There are some "pros" at scanning hi-res album art on that site (and some doofuses as well, so beware).
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break the tie!
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56749.msg2801570#new (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56749.msg2801570#new)
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break the tie!
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56749.msg2801570#new (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56749.msg2801570#new)
Done! (for now)
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Yeah, it definitely seems like the main version now. For me, it's tough because I bought it right around release and have lived with the blue cover for over 20 years.
Another one that I did to myself (and I'm happy with) is when Similitude of a Dream came out, I was shocked when I saw how great the inner art was, and was bothered that they didn't go with that, so I made my own version and have only ever used that. It ended up working out great when The Great Adventure came out because that album art was so similar, so that feels distinct.
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjacobbenton.com%2Ffiles%2Fimg%2Ftsoad_alt2_small.png&hash=771f8f156c9a87ee66fa86cad514200bcfc7b916)
I like what you did there. You should repost at the Official Neal Morse thread (though I imagine everyone jumps back and forth between this thread, that thread, and the TFK thread anyway.)
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Kaeidoscope gets ragged a lot, but Into The Blue is just as great as anything Neal or Roine have released.
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Kaeidoscope gets ragged a lot, but Into The Blue is just as great as anything Neal or Roine have released.
Agreed, and if the band ever play anything from Kaleidoscope ever again, I hope it would be "Into The Blue". Definitely a great epic!
-Marc.
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
I like Ted a lot but I definitely agree.
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Good to hear about Ted Leonard. I would much rather see him there than Gildenlow. :hat :hat
I thought Gildenlow was far more entertaining to watch. Dude was always doing 3 things at once. Ted Leonard did a great job, but he just seemed like a background player filling in bits here and there.
But isn't that what the utility guy is supposed to do? I'd rather the utility guy stay mostly in the background than be all over the place and grabbing too much attention. Stay in the background and do your job and let the focus stay on the actual four members of the band. That is my take. :)
I think Daniel is able to add more to the band live and was able to gel a bit more on stage.
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Let's be real, Neal's albums are the continuation of the Spock's Beard sound. Post Neal-Spock's may be branded as Spock's Beard, but they're more like New Coke.
Eh, I’d pretty strongly disagree. Post-SB Neal is very different than SB in my view, in no small part because of the players involved. Not that post-Neal SB doesn’t sound different too, but I think in general they are closer to the original SB in sound and style than Neal’s solo stuff is. I prefer post-Neal SB to Neal’s solo stuff for sure.
Yeah. Totally different vibe on most of it.
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Nearly confirms we're getting two live releases, then, since I think the odds of Morsefest not getting released are very low.
Both of them need to happen.
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Another reminder about my Transatlantic Survivor in the Polls/Survivor subforum here, the rounds for the final four songs for The Whirlwind, Kaleidoscope, and The Absolute Universe have all been put up today, so if you want to help decide the fate of these album's top songs, please go over and vote!
-Marc.
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The title track for Kaleidoscope still hasn't grabbed me. Not sure why, it just doesn't come together for me. It sounds like I should love it, and there are moments I do enjoy.
Maybe one day..
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Listened to TAU: Forevermore quite a bit lately. I enjoy it more with each listening. I ordered the turquise vinyl+cd boxset. Really looking forward to the concert next year.
The title track for Kaleidoscope still hasn't grabbed me. Not sure why, it just doesn't come together for me. It sounds like I should love it, and there are moments I do enjoy.
Maybe one day..
I barely listened to the studio album, but I really like the live version (video recording) of the title track. I have frequently revisited that video.
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Just another reminder about my survivor, the final rounds for The Whirlwind, Kaleidoscope, and The Absolute Universe will go up later this afternoon, but you can still vote in the second-to-last rounds for the next hour, and one of them needs a tie broken, so more votes would be helpful!
Thanks again to everyone who has participated in my Transatlantic Survivor! It's been a great turn out this year, and I'm looking forward to the Finals!
-Marc.
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So I'm finally watching the "Making Of The Breath Of Life" video (on YouTube because every time I tried to download/unzip from Inner Circle, the download was corrupted and after messaging Radiant about it a couple of times, and not getting a response, I got tired to asking, but it popped up on YouTube earlier), and I had NO idea what kind of struggle Neal put himself in to get TBOL finished in 2020, from the initial ideas for the two versions in March, then struggling to get parts and edits done in July, and finally in the final stretch in late September/October of 2020, when Neal got COVID, and even into late October getting lyrics and final mixing decisions done (when the albums were supposed to be finished by October 1st).
I've never quite seen Neal act so upset or "angry" at times, and he even seemed a bit mad at Jerry and Rich at a couple of points during the video, though I'm sure it wasn't hateful or mean-spirited, just a bit angry at the circumstances, but then again, he's the one who suggested they do a shorter version of the album. Honestly, if he hadn't done that, the album probably would've been finished in Spring 2020 and would have saved Neal an extra 4-6 months of struggling to finish the album.
Interesting to note that he cut the "Overture" a bit because he didn't want the first vocal to be "Belong Belong" and he wanted it to be the first verse of the first real song, but he also went ahead and added a bit of new stuff into the Overture as well.
It's just funny to me that he felt like it was a nightmare to get through making the album, but it's really kind of his fault if you think about it, from March to November 2020. It's also funny to me because it seems like, for the most part, people have gravitated to Forevermore and/or The Ultimate Mix, even if those same fans liked TBOL.
I suppose if Transatlantic ever play together again after next year and they do any more TAU music, they might do TBOL instead of either of the longer versions, which would be interesting. I could see them playing TBOL as a single set, which would give them another reason to release a live album with TAU on it (since it'll technically be a different version).
-Marc.
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What's crazy is that they said in the making of that this was the longest they have worked on one of their albums, yet (IMO) it is still lacking a bit. It is very good overall, but the longer version is too long, and the shorter version eliminated too much of the best stuff. My own personal ultimate edition is quite good, but it's not the real album, so I can't really consider that a proper album in the context of evaluation.
A buddy of mine who has given it a lot of spins lately said it best to me this week: it feels like another Whirlwind, only not nearly as good.
I think the best songs from TAU are on par with their best "shorter" songs (under 10 minutes) from the first four albums, but Pete's lead vocals and the somewhat lackluster ending are hills that I feel will be tough for me to ever climb.
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I edited the tracks from the two versions myself to mirror the Ultimate Edition with slight changes (SHSL instead of TNMS, TBOL version of LMAW), and now that's the "real" album to me and the only one I really need to listen to going forward.
I think they could've worked more on releasing THE best version of their album instead of making two/three different ones, but what it's done it's done. Mike can now take pride in them being the first ones to do anything like this and hopefully Neal learned the lesson and doesn't try to do something like this again :lol
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I edited the tracks from the two versions myself to mirror the Ultimate Edition with slight changes (SHSL instead of TNMS, TBOL version of LMAW), and now that's the "real" album to me and the only one I really need to listen to going forward.
I think they could've worked more on releasing THE best version of their album instead of making two/three different ones, but what it's done it's done. Mike can now take pride in them being the first ones to do anything like this and hopefully Neal learned the lesson and doesn't try to do something like this again :lol
Given Neal's VERY visible frustration with regards to making TBOL, I doubt he'll EVER agree to doing anything like that ever again. :lol
-Marc.
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I edited the tracks from the two versions myself to mirror the Ultimate Edition with slight changes (SHSL instead of TNMS, TBOL version of LMAW), and now that's the "real" album to me and the only one I really need to listen to going forward.
I think they could've worked more on releasing THE best version of their album instead of making two/three different ones, but what it's done it's done. Mike can now take pride in them being the first ones to do anything like this and hopefully Neal learned the lesson and doesn't try to do something like this again :lol
Given Neal's VERY visible frustration with regards to making TBOL, I doubt he'll EVER agree to doing anything like that ever again. :lol
-Marc.
That's actually a good Ego lesson. Of having the Ego take over and then you end up having an obligation that is quite stressful and frustrating because you wanted to make what was finished, different to your standards. :lol
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Marc, thanks for the head's up on the Making of TBoL being on YT - will have to check it out. I know I'm in the minority, but I still stand by TBoL as being my preferred version to listen to. I'm usually a more is better kinda person, but I agree with the stuff that Neal cut out and I like the changes he made, as well as Can You Feel It - one of my favorites on the album.
Judging by what the video has been described as, it does sound like we'll never see something like this again - at least from Neal/TA. But I'm glad he pushed forward with it, and personally, I hope he and/or the other guys do something like this again.
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I edited the tracks from the two versions myself to mirror the Ultimate Edition with slight changes (SHSL instead of TNMS, TBOL version of LMAW), and now that's the "real" album to me and the only one I really need to listen to going forward.
I think they could've worked more on releasing THE best version of their album instead of making two/three different ones, but what it's done it's done. Mike can now take pride in them being the first ones to do anything like this and hopefully Neal learned the lesson and doesn't try to do something like this again :lol
Given Neal's VERY visible frustration with regards to making TBOL, I doubt he'll EVER agree to doing anything like that ever again. :lol
-Marc.
That's actually a good Ego lesson. Of having the Ego take over and then you end up having an obligation that is quite stressful and frustrating because you wanted to make what was finished, different to your standards. :lol
Right. Neal kind of brought it on himself, and it seems a bit strange to say he agreed to it since it was HIS idea, to make a shorter version of the album, so, yeah. :lol :P
But ultimately I am sure he just wanted it to be as great as it could be. That seems to always be his goal. I just think his view got a bit myopic when working on the shorter version on his own which why he became more of the focus and Roine's contributions were de-emphasized. I am sure that was not intentional on his part, but Neal definitely has a little bit of that "I know best" thing going on, which, let's face it, most prolific songwriters do, so that is not meant as a criticism by any means. It's just comes with the gift of being a great and prolific songwriter. :tup :tup
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So today is (more or less) 20 years since I first got a copy of SMPTe. It was Labor Day 2001 (not the same day every year). My freshman year of college and about a week before 9/11. Needless to say, this album had a tremendous impact on me and was pretty much the soundtrack of that time in my life (Bridge Across Forever too, which was released the following month). My introduction to Neal Morse, Roine Stolt, and Pete Trewavas, and subsequently their respective bands, all of which are among my favorite bands now. It was really “My New World” musically. Such a wonderful album. Spinning it again now.
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That truly was a gateway album to so many people. It's great reading stuff like that. :tup
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I was behind in exploring any "DT side projects," which included TA. My gateway ended up being the Live in Europe DVD. I was (and still am) more of a metal guy, and wasn't really into prog as a genre, so it took me awhile to really appreciate. And Roine having such a quirky voice didn't help. :lol But I'm glad I stuck with them, because they have really put out a lot of very special music through the years.
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I didn't hear about Transatlantic until 2005, but it was this time of year in '05 that I heard All Of The Above from SMPTe for the first time, and soon after, the rest of the album. I also heard a few songs by The Flower Kings for the first time around the same time period.
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That's probably around the time I made that purchase.
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I looked into The Flower Kings after the first TA album, and the first thing I heard was the title track from World of Adventure, which I immediately LOVED. But then I bought the album, and thought the rest was pretty meh. Got a demo of the Alive on Planet Earth album when I was working at a CD shop and that didn’t wow me either. Then someone suggested Stardust We Are and none of that really grabbed me either. So I haven’t done any exploring beyond that. The title track from WOA was the only thing that blew my mind.
But maybe I just wasn’t feeling it at the time. I should give them another spin.
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I looked into The Flower Kings after the first TA album, and the first thing I heard was the title track from World of Adventure, which I immediately LOVED. But then I bought the album, and thought the rest was pretty meh. Got a demo of the Alive on Planet Earth album when I was working at a CD shop and that didn’t wow me either. Then someone suggested Stardust We Are and none of that really grabbed me either. So I haven’t done any exploring beyond that. The title track from WOA was the only thing that blew my mind.
But maybe I just wasn’t feeling it at the time. I should give them another spin.
I had Stardust We Are for close to 15 years before it really clicked. There were select tracks I liked, but I had a hard time taking the whole thing in because there’s so much music. About little while back I gave it another shot after becoming familiar with some of the other TFK material and it really clicked. It does help to have a chunk of time to sit and listen to it in one go. I think my rediscovery was on a long car ride.
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First Flower Kings I heard (after listening to Transatlantic for the first time) was the Meet The Flower Kings! live DVD. Good stuff.
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I keep trying to get into this, but it’s hard for me to even get through it. I’ve been a fan since BAF came out. I love the first three and I like Kaleidoscope. This one…I don’t know. I tried when it came out, and moved on. After listening to the new NMB I’m trying again. For the record, I’ve only been listening to Forevermore. I really don’t know if that makes a difference.
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I keep trying to get into this, but it’s hard for me to even get through it. I’ve been a fan since BAF came out. I love the first three and I like Kaleidoscope. This one…I don’t know. I tried when it came out, and moved on. After listening to the new NMB I’m trying again. For the record, I’ve only been listening to Forevermore. I really don’t know if that makes a difference.
That's the "better" version, though there's some great stuff in TBOL. I'd suggest listening to the Ultimate Edition, which is mostly the best of both and see if you like it. It's on YouTube, I think.
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I keep trying to get into this, but it’s hard for me to even get through it. I’ve been a fan since BAF came out. I love the first three and I like Kaleidoscope. This one…I don’t know. I tried when it came out, and moved on. After listening to the new NMB I’m trying again. For the record, I’ve only been listening to Forevermore. I really don’t know if that makes a difference.
That's the "better" version, though there's some great stuff in TBOL. I'd suggest listening to the Ultimate Edition, which is mostly the best of both and see if you like it. It's on YouTube, I think.
I beg to differ on the bolded part of gzarruk's post. I started off with listening to TBoL exclusively to become intimately familiar with it so that when I started listening to FM, it would be easy to spot the differences (kinda like watching a Director's cut of a movie, which is usually better). And I gotta say that, IMO, when I finally got to listening to FM, it was surprisingly disappointing (especially given all the praise FM was being given here on the forum). To me, FM has a lot of bloat and excess that was (wisely) trimmed from the album for TBoL. So Trav86, before you give up on TAU, give TBoL a couple of spins. Maybe it will appeal to you in a way that FM didn't.
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I'm still undecided on which of the two shorter versions I think is better (although I lean Forevermore) but I think if your life's experience with this album never includes Can You Feel It, you're really, really missing out.
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I keep trying to get into this, but it’s hard for me to even get through it. I’ve been a fan since BAF came out. I love the first three and I like Kaleidoscope. This one…I don’t know. I tried when it came out, and moved on. After listening to the new NMB I’m trying again. For the record, I’ve only been listening to Forevermore. I really don’t know if that makes a difference.
That's the "better" version, though there's some great stuff in TBOL. I'd suggest listening to the Ultimate Edition, which is mostly the best of both and see if you like it. It's on YouTube, I think.
I beg to differ on the bolded part of gzarruk's post. I started off with listening to TBoL exclusively to become intimately familiar with it so that when I started listening to FM, it would be easy to spot the differences (kinda like watching a Director's cut of a movie, which is usually better). And I gotta say that, IMO, when I finally got to listening to FM, it was surprisingly disappointing (especially given all the praise FM was being given here on the forum). To me, FM has a lot of bloat and excess that was (wisely) trimmed from the album for TBoL. So Trav86, before you give up on TAU, give TBoL a couple of spins. Maybe it will appeal to you in a way that FM didn't.
I agree with this entirely. There are some bits on Forevermore I like which were excluded from TBOL, so for my own digital copy I've added three tracks back in to make a sort of combined version. But for the official versions, I find TBOL far superior.
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Upon listening to it more, I do think TBOL is overall a better album. I wish it had more of the material of Forevermore put into it, but what is there is better to my taste/ears.
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I still think it'd be cool if they combine the chorus lyrics to Swing High, Swing Low/Take Now My Soul.
"Swing High, Swing Low
Just get me through to tomorrow
Take Now My Soul
Carry me through, lord, I'm coming home. "
Combining those two lyrics really adds a lot more to it.
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I've said it before and I'll say it again. Forevermore is better, as TBOL cuts out The World We Used To Know - which is the best song on the whole thing IMO
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I've said it before and I'll say it again. Forevermore is better, as TBOL cuts out The World We Used To Know - which is the best song on the whole thing IMO
Agreed. Neal definitely made a few things better- Reaching for the Sky is way better than Heart Like a Whirlwind, I greatly prefer the shorter Overture, and Can You Feel It is pretty darn cool - but losing The World We Used to Know (which I agree is the best song on the whole thing) is just too devastating, and the Forevermore version of Higher Than the Morning runs circles around the BOL version. I also think Swing High, Swing Low is better lyrically than Take Now My Soul, although I think the "Carry me through, Lord, I'm coming home" is a bit much for me in either version. Strange that a lot of Neal's God and Jesus lyrics do not bother me usually, but that line just does.
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I've said it before and I'll say it again. Forevermore is better, as TBOL cuts out The World We Used To Know - which is the best song on the whole thing IMO
Agreed. Neal definitely made a few things better- Reaching for the Sky is way better than Heart Like a Whirlwind, I greatly prefer the shorter Overture, and Can You Feel It is pretty darn cool - but losing The World We Used to Know (which I agree is the best song on the whole thing) is just too devastating, and the Forevermore version of Higher Than the Morning runs circles around the BOL version. I also think Swing High, Swing Low is better lyrically than Take Now My Soul, although I think the "Carry me through, Lord, I'm coming home" is a bit much for me in either version. Strange that a lot of Neal's God and Jesus lyrics do not bother me usually, but that line just does.
Yep, The World We Used To Know is great! I just love that ending part, starting at about 6:40 with that short (but sweet) guitar solo of Roine, then Neal coming in singing the bridge, and Roine singing the harmony on the second time through the bridge - that's just pure Transatlantic gold as far as I'm concerned.
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Finally got around to listening to the Ultimate version of TAU and this might be my preferred version, but I'm still not sure.
I don't think this album is as good as TW or BAF, but it's right under them. It's got its flaws, but the material itself is strong enough here to get past it. This album is beginning to really grow on me.
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Finally got around to listening to the Ultimate version of TAU and this might be my preferred version, but I'm still not sure.
I don't think this album is as good as TW or BAF, but it's right under them. It's got its flaws, but the material itself is strong enough here to get past it. This album is beginning to really grow on me.
I would agree that the material is super strong and as a whole it's just a notch below BAF and TW - it's that good. Also, Pete Trewavas bass performance throughout is just tremendous! It's grown to be one of my favorite bass performances for an entire album of all time - by anyone..
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The daily Doug dude does Rose Colored Glasses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYhsL8Lj6k
Would not be the first TA song I’d recommend to someone. Haven’t watched this yet so not sure what he thinks of it.
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The daily Doug dude does Rose Colored Glasses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYhsL8Lj6k
Would not be the first TA song I’d recommend to someone. Haven’t watched this yet so not sure what he thinks of it.
Watched it a bit earlier. A bit underwhelming but having been familiar with the members involved, I think he liked it. I hope that when he revisits Transatlantic, he goes for one of the big 3 epics from their first two albums.
-Marc.
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Not only is RCG a really dull song (IMO), that live performance he sampled is not great.
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The daily Doug dude does Rose Colored Glasses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYhsL8Lj6k
Would not be the first TA song I’d recommend to someone. Haven’t watched this yet so not sure what he thinks of it.
I know in a lot of discussions we've sort of ceded ground to the KevShmev point of view on this, but in my opinion Rose Colored Glasses isn't even a song. It's written to be a part of a larger song, and it suffers from being disconnected from the rest of that piece. Listening to Rose Colored Glasses on its own, to me, is like listening to Camouflaged in Blue on its own. You can do it, but you lose something by puling it out of context.
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The daily Doug dude does Rose Colored Glasses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYhsL8Lj6k
Would not be the first TA song I’d recommend to someone. Haven’t watched this yet so not sure what he thinks of it.
I know in a lot of discussions we've sort of ceded ground to the KevShmev point of view on this, but in my opinion Rose Colored Glasses isn't even a song. It's written to be a part of a larger song, and it suffers from being disconnected from the rest of that piece. Listening to Rose Colored Glasses on its own, to me, is like listening to Camouflaged in Blue on its own. You can do it, but you lose something by puling it out of context.
I agree that it works better within the flow of the album, which is a trend with concept albums Neal Morse is a part of (he has an uncanny knack, IMO, for writing songs that are great as standalone songs and also work extremely well within the context of the album), but I think it works great on its own as well.
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The daily Doug dude does Rose Colored Glasses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYhsL8Lj6k
Would not be the first TA song I’d recommend to someone. Haven’t watched this yet so not sure what he thinks of it.
I know in a lot of discussions we've sort of ceded ground to the KevShmev point of view on this, but in my opinion Rose Colored Glasses isn't even a song. It's written to be a part of a larger song, and it suffers from being disconnected from the rest of that piece. Listening to Rose Colored Glasses on its own, to me, is like listening to Camouflaged in Blue on its own. You can do it, but you lose something by puling it out of context.
I agree that it works better within the flow of the album, which is a trend with concept albums Neal Morse is a part of (he has an uncanny knack, IMO, for writing songs that are great as standalone songs and also work extremely well within the context of the album), but I think it works great on its own as well.
In general I would agree (examples being Similtude or even The Absolute Universe), but for me personally the majority of The Whirlwind does not work well standalone, especially when unfamiliar with the whole album.
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The daily Doug dude does Rose Colored Glasses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYhsL8Lj6k
Would not be the first TA song I’d recommend to someone. Haven’t watched this yet so not sure what he thinks of it.
I know in a lot of discussions we've sort of ceded ground to the KevShmev point of view on this, but in my opinion Rose Colored Glasses isn't even a song. It's written to be a part of a larger song, and it suffers from being disconnected from the rest of that piece. Listening to Rose Colored Glasses on its own, to me, is like listening to Camouflaged in Blue on its own. You can do it, but you lose something by puling it out of context.
Funny enough, "Camouflaged In Blue" has been played by itself by a band with Pete Trewavas in it. The group consisted of Pete, John Mitchell, Jem Godfrey, and Craig Blundell, and they played at the Summer's End Festival in 2010 (https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/frost/2010/lydney-town-hall-lydney-england-43f11ff3.html), playing tunes by Frost*, Kino, Marillion, and the aforementioned Transatlantic piece.
-Marc.
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The daily Doug dude does Rose Colored Glasses.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-IYhsL8Lj6k
Would not be the first TA song I’d recommend to someone. Haven’t watched this yet so not sure what he thinks of it.
I know in a lot of discussions we've sort of ceded ground to the KevShmev point of view on this, but in my opinion Rose Colored Glasses isn't even a song. It's written to be a part of a larger song, and it suffers from being disconnected from the rest of that piece. Listening to Rose Colored Glasses on its own, to me, is like listening to Camouflaged in Blue on its own. You can do it, but you lose something by puling it out of context.
So I gave this some thought last night. Would I enjoy The Whirlwind as an album better if some of these songs were stitched together as epic tracks? I never really think of the individual sections of All of The Above or Duel With The Devil as individual songs, but as parts of a larger journey. With The Whirlwind, I do feel like it is sort of a collection of half finished songs (though I also find some of the melodies uncompelling, like on Rose Colored Glasses), but I don’t get any sense that they are connected with each other as parts of a musical whole. Sure there are recurring themes, but for whatever reason I just don’t view the album as one singular epic song.
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I agree that (1) it is odd to take part of a song out of context of the entire song for a first listen, and (2) although the live performance is very good, it loses a lot from the studio version. I would like to see him do something else from TA.
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I agree that (1) it is odd to take part of a song out of context of the entire song for a first listen, and (2) although the live performance is very good, it loses a lot from the studio version. I would like to see him do something else from TA.
True. When he said RCG was suggested by "popular demand" (or something similar), I thought "Really?!" Every video of his where I see folks clamoring for Transatlantic typically ask for one of the big 3 epics, or even at least "My New World". He seems to pick unusual first-songs for bands that are new to him, like "Love Is The Only Answer" as his first foray into The Flower Kings, when I would've rather see him cover anything from the band's first five albums. At least he started with "Milliontown" for Frost* (although it was the live-in-the-studio version from 2010).
-Marc.
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I agree that (1) it is odd to take part of a song out of context of the entire song for a first listen, and (2) although the live performance is very good, it loses a lot from the studio version. I would like to see him do something else from TA.
True. When he said RCG was suggested by "popular demand" (or something similar), I thought "Really?!" Every video of his where I see folks clamoring for Transatlantic typically ask for one of the big 3 epics, or even at least "My New World". He seems to pick unusual first-songs for bands that are new to him, like "Love Is The Only Answer" as his first foray into The Flower Kings, when I would've rather see him cover anything from the band's first five albums. At least he started with "Milliontown" for Frost* (although it was the live-in-the-studio version from 2010).
-Marc.
I kind of wondered if the same guy who recommended Love Is The Only Answer recommended Rose Colored Glasses. I do hope he gets around to one of the epics from the first two TA albums (even Suite Charlotte Pike would be fun).
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Not appropos of anything, I LOVE "Rose Colored Glasses".
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Not appropos of anything, I LOVE "Rose Colored Glasses".
I do too, and I think it could work just fine on its own.
I do, however, find it to be an odd choice for Doug's introduction to the band.
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One thing that keeps me from listening to more live Neal or live TA is the fact that everything is transposed down a half step. Watching the Daily Doug episode for RCG made me realize that song sounds weird in a few spots because it's not in the original key. I understand why they do it, but sometimes the key a song is in is a major part of why a riff, harmony, section, or melody works so well, and being so familiar with the studio work, it can irk me at times when I hear someone singing about to hit a higher note due to muscle memory, but then they drop it down suddenly because the key is lower.
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At this point, I think I can safely rank TAU.
The Whirlwind
Bridge Across Forever
SMPT:e
The Absolute Universe
Kaleidoscope
It's good, a flawed masterpiece. I think Forevermore could have used a little bit of editing, and cut down on the reprises of album's main themes, but Neal's TBOL cut out too much. However, I find each release worthy of listening to for the different experiences. I think there is a contender for #1 Transatlantic album in there, Forevermore is closer to it than The Breath of Life imo, but as we've discussed earlier the album has its various issues. I have no problem listening to either version straight through, the top 4 here are all great listens and my favorite TA albums. Kaleidoscope is the black sheep for me, though I really enjoy Into The Blue, the other songs on the album are either just fine, or a little boring, but nothing is bad. Hope we get one more out of them one day.
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So yesterday I listened to Bridge Across Forever, The Whirlwind, and Kaleidoscope back to back to back. I don’t think I’ve ever done that in one sitting, and it gave me a new appreciation for both The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope. While I still think SMPTe and BAF are head and shoulders above the rest of the TA catalog, it helped to hear the later ones in context. Those first two were so monumental, it’s hard for me to accept the other albums for what they are - just solid releases in the life of a band that’s been around for over 20 years now.
I had such a high standard for TA after those first two albums. During the down period after BAF, I always thought if there was going to be a new TA album, it needed to be really special. Truthfully, I’m not sure I really felt like I needed more TA than what we had, and I was pretty much uninterested in Neal’s solo work at the time The Whirlwind came out so I avoided it for a long time. But with most bands, I tend to accept that not every album is going to be a masterpiece. Consistent, solid output is ok and lesser albums don’t have to diminish the masterpieces (Marillion is a good example of this, as are The Flower Kings).
All that to say, while there are parts of both The Whirlwind and Kaleidoscope that I don’t love, there is enough of the same magic that these guys brought to the first two TA albums and their other projects for me to enjoy them (and I’d say the same about TAU, even though it wasn’t part of this listening experience).
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How i ranke them
1. Bridge Across Forever
2. The Whrilwind
3. The Absolute Universe (i have no preference on a version. love em all at this point......but guys.....never do the version thing again, lol)
4. SMPT:e (not as high on this as others....it's an ok Debut...All of the Above is the highlight.)
5. Kaleidoscope (pretty bad. this is just a Neal solo record with guests)
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I need to revisit TAU after giving it a rest for about five months. But from memory, this is the first album on which Transatlantic sound like mere mortals. Which is to say, it's a good album, but not a magical one. I think I feel about it the way a lot of people do about Kaleidoscope, which to me is still their #3 and part of that magical run of four.
It feels strange to say it, but if NMB manages to make one more album that reaches the level of their first four... I think they could surpass Transatlantic.
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5. Kaleidoscope (pretty bad. this is just a Neal solo record with guests)
I don't know how they put Kaleidoscope together or which guys brought in which parts, but in my listen through the other day I thought Roine may have been a beet more prominent in the writing on this one. At least I got more of TFK vibe in some places than a Neal vibe.
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Transatlantic’s classic second album Bridge Across Forever was released 20 years ago today on Oct. 9th, 2001. To celebrate the album’s anniversary, Transatlantic and Inside Out Music a recently released a special reissue of the album on gatefold 2LP+CD+LP-booklet. The album contains some of the group’s most celebrated tracks, including the two 30-minute epics, “Duel with the Devil” and “Stranger In Your Soul”, along with the Beatles-influenced “Suite Charlotte Pike”, and the emotional title track.
What's your favorite part of the album?
Buy/Stream the album here: https://transatlantic.lnk.to/BridgeAcrossForever-ReIssue2021
Giving this one a spin before I head into work this morning!
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/245043536_10102919156673801_2762341275580001745_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=1480c5&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=OdDwhmDedJcAX8ifJmO&tn=NxOtTxdiZxPkzHAL&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=2daed4514f23b101877c3da053ba1f4f&oe=61871FBF)
Also gonna take this moment to plug my Transatlantic Survivor one last time before it wraps up next week! The final round for the Covers Survivor just went up, pitting "The Return Of The Giant Hogweed" against "And You And I", and the 3rd-to-last round of the Finals Survivor just went up, featuring AOTA, MNW, DWTD, and SIYS. If you want to decide the final order of the Top Four Transatlantic Songs, please be sure to vote this weekend and then in the final two rounds going up on Monday and Wednesday next week (barring any tie-breakers).
-Marc.
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I just went through a big TA kick a couple weeks back, including spinning this several times. BAF is still one of my very favorite albums ever without a doubt. It’s so perfect.
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The VERY LAST ROUND of my Transatlantic Survivor (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=56907.0) ends tomorrow morning, and for the Final Round of the Finals, I'm asking folks to vote for their LEAST FAVORITE between "Stranger In Your Soul" and "Duel With The Devil", to decide which song takes 1st and which takes 2nd place in the whole Survivor.
Would love to see a few more votes. I'm honestly surprised that both BAF epics made it to the top two, but I personally wouldn't want it any other way. If anyone is curious, here's 3rd place to 15th from the Finals Rounds:
03. All Of The Above
04. My New World
05. Into The Blue
06. Is It Really Happening?
07. Overture / Whirlwind
08. Owl Howl
09. The World We Used To Know
10. Heart Like A Whirlwind / Reaching For The Sky
11. On The Prowl
12. The Darkness In The Light
13. Higher Than The Morning
14. We All Need Some Light
15. Black As The Sky
(The Finals consisted of the top 2 songs from SMPT:e, BAF, and Kaleidoscope, top 3 from The Whirlwind, and top 4 from TAU, with the top 2 songs from Consolation Rounds)
-Marc.
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Hi all. I wanted to drop by and say I have 2 tickets available for the show in Glenside, PA at the Keswick on April 15th. They are in the front center section, row BB. I will most likely be unable to go and thought I'd see if anyone here was interested. Please feel free to message me!
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Happy 1 Year Anniversary to The Absolute Universe (all three versions).
One year on, I'd say it's still one of my favorites from 2021, and it still holds up for me. I think I listened to it several weeks ago and found myself still really enjoying it (the Ultimate version). I don't think I've heard Forevermore since last March or so, not since I got my hands on a digital version of the Ultimate mix, and I've maybe heard The Breath Of Life a few times since release.
It'll be interesting to see how they pull it all off live in a couple months!
-Marc.
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Unfortunately the opposite for me, I listened to the abridged version 3 times, and the extended twice, and absolutely nothing grabbed me. Their weakest album by far.
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Happy 1 Year Anniversary to The Absolute Universe (all three versions).
One year on, I'd say it's still one of my favorites from 2021, and it still holds up for me. I think I listened to it several weeks ago and found myself still really enjoying it (the Ultimate version). I don't think I've heard Forevermore since last March or so, not since I got my hands on a digital version of the Ultimate mix, and I've maybe heard The Breath Of Life a few times since release.
It'll be interesting to see how they pull it all off live in a couple months!
-Marc.
I agree. It was my AOTY for 2021 and still loving it. I think it stands up well against the rest of their discography.
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I listened to Forevermore about a week ago.
I was lukewarm on TAU when it came out and I still am. It's a good album, but it's far, FAR away from f.e. The Whirlwind. I just think the whole album should have been more thought through. Many ideas that were clearly brought in separately by the members were patched together and they just don't form the coherent piece I (or the band) would like them to form - or that other NM(B) albums form, like Similitude or Adventure. Also, I would have like less vocals (and less vocals by Pete) and more fun instrumental stuff like Is It Really Happening?.
Finally, the whole thing screams compromise. Bringing out three version might have been advertised as new, prog and awesome by MP, but it's really just lack of focus for me. MP's "Ultimate" edition not making sense by reprising/not reprising certain themes from BoL and Forevermore doesn't make it better. I would have loved if they had gotten together again and made a real ultimate version, lasting like 80 minutes or so.
That being said, I still think the "Belong, belong"-theme is one of Neal's greatest from the last years (I assume it's Neal's)!
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Unfortunately the opposite for me, I listened to the abridged version 3 times, and the extended twice, and absolutely nothing grabbed me. Their weakest album by far.
Just like the new DT, I think it will grow on you as you give it progressively more spins. Personally I would put it as my second favorite just behind BAF - specifically the BoL version. For me the FM version has too much superfluous stuff and I agree with how Neal edited it out of the BoL version.
As for TAU being a patchwork, I didn't feel that way at all. To me it feels like there is much more of an equal balance throughout the album than it being Neal-driven, which is the feeling I get from at least the previous 2 TA albums.
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It didn't grab me hard and I've not been back to it. There are a few things that grated when listening to it but, in the main, the 3 format bullshit put me off. The results of the band saying "We can't agree how to compose an album together!" just smells. And having them spin it as some ground-breaking thing instead annoyed the arse off me.
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Happy 1 Year Anniversary to The Absolute Universe (all three versions).
One year on, I'd say it's still one of my favorites from 2021, and it still holds up for me. I think I listened to it several weeks ago and found myself still really enjoying it (the Ultimate version). I don't think I've heard Forevermore since last March or so, not since I got my hands on a digital version of the Ultimate mix, and I've maybe heard The Breath Of Life a few times since release.
It'll be interesting to see how they pull it all off live in a couple months!
-Marc.
I need to give it another spin. I will say after the first month or two after it was released, I haven’t gone back and listened to it all the way through many times since. My impression of it is still positive, but I haven’t had the urge to listen to it very often either.
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I was lukewarm on TAU when it came out and I still am. It's a good album, but it's far, FAR away from f.e. The Whirlwind.
...
That being said, I still think the "Belong, belong"-theme is one of Neal's greatest from the last years (I assume it's Neal's)!
I agree with your overall assessment of the album, but take the total opposite view of the "belong" theme. I've gone on a tear about this before, so I won't reprise all of that, but I really don't like that theme. It's so sing-songy and it sounds like a taunt, but it's meant in earnest. And they plaster all over the album, every chance they get, it seems.
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I listened to TAU: The Breath of Life when it came out, but never returned to it since its release. I'm unsure if/when I'll return to it, because nothing about it stuck with me, and that's in contrast to Bridge Across Forever and The Whirlwind which had me hooked right away, and both of those went on to become two of my favorite albums ever.
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I really liked it when it came out. I have cooled off on it a little since then, but still really like it. When it was newer, I was thinking I might rank it in the top 3. Now, I think it is squarely #4 behind the first three albums. But it isn't far behind them, and is clearly far ahead of Kaleidoscope for me.
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I couldn't really get in to it unfortunately. The different versions didn't help matters, but I'm probably just weird when it comes to Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope is still my favourite album of theirs :biggrin:
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That being said, I still think the "Belong, belong"-theme is one of Neal's greatest from the last years (I assume it's Neal's)!
IIRC, that one came from Roine. I remember him talking about it during an interview from around the album release.
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I listened to TAU quite a bit last year, and at one point I probably would have considered it my AOTY. For a while, every day I would wake up with a different section of the album stuck in my head. Then in the second half of the year when a bunch of other new music came out, my attention went elsewhere and I didn't listen to it for a while.
At the end of last year I tried to listen to the Ultimate Edition in one sitting and I just couldn't do it. It just drags so much towards the end, and with this version of the album the goal just seems to be "How long can we possibly make this?"
I'm taking a break from Transatlantic until Morsefest this year. Speaking of which, I finally made my Airbnb reservations for that weekend.
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Ultimately I feel the Abridged version is the best as an album. It is nice to have the longer one, but I keep coming back to the Breath of Life version more. Looking at streaming services, I think I am in the minority.
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I really enjoy Forevermore, it is the best version of the three we have. To me, that's the real album.
I like it more than Kaleidoscope, but only by a little bit. It doesn't come anywhere near the greatness of the band's first three albums.
The Breath of Life is good but the weakest entry into the TA canon. It just seems mostly redundant, even if there's bits of unique music on it compared to the 'real' version (Forevermore) and there are sections of it I like over Forevermore where it cuts out the bloat of Forevermore, but on the whole I prefer Forevermore over TBOL. Haven't really gotten into the Ultimate version that much, I think I only listened to it once, and didn't like the flow of it when I listened to it.
I wish the Ultimate version was more about collecting the strongest parts of both albums instead of just including everything that's on both albums. Or you know, they should have just done that in the first place and released one strong album.
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I listen to my playlist of The Absolute Universe. It includes things I enjoy from both versions that I don't hear in the Ultimate Editions.
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I listen to my playlist of The Absolute Universe. It includes things I enjoy from both versions that I don't hear in the Ultimate Editions.
This. I also made my own "ultimate edition" and that's the best version of the album to me. Had to do some minor audio editing to a couple songs to include stuff from both versions of those tracks and it was good to go :tup
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I wish the Ultimate version was more about collecting the strongest parts of both albums instead of just including everything that's on both albums. Or you know, they should have just done that in the first place and released one strong album.
I agree, unfortunately, that "including everything"/"juggernaut"/"epic-est version to end all versions"-approach is classic MP ::)
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I did fresh listens of all versions a month or so ago and my opinion was about the same.
While changing Heart Like a Whirlwind to Reaching for the Sky was a big upgrade, nearly every other change Neal made for The Breath of Life was for the worse. Listening to that again actually aggravated me as it was like listening to an album that had had its balls cut off. Eliminating both The World We Used to Know and Rainbow Sky from The Breath of Life and then the hatchet job Neal did to the original version of Higher Than the Morning might have been the biggest mistakes of Neal's career.
That said, Forevermore was a bit too long and needed a little trimming around the edges, like shortening the Overture a little or lopping off the Gentle Giant part of The Greatest Story Never Ends, so Neal's idea to make it a bit more concise was not a bad one, but his execution was way off.
My own personal ultimate edition (which is pretty similar to the one on the Blu-ray with a few minor changes) is still my go-to.
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I did fresh listens of all versions a month or so ago and my opinion was about the same.
While changing Heart Like a Whirlwind to Reaching for the Sky was a big upgrade, nearly every other change Neal made for The Breath of Life was for the worse. Listening to that again actually aggravated me as it was like listening to an album that had had its balls cut off. Eliminating both The World We Used to Know and Rainbow Sky from The Breath of Life and then the hatchet job Neal did to the original version of Higher Than the Morning might have been the biggest mistakes of Neal's career.
That said, Forevermore was a bit too long and needed a little trimming around the edges, like shortening the Overture a little or lopping off the Gentle Giant part of The Greatest Story Never Ends, so Neal's idea to make it a bit more concise was not a bad one, but his execution was way off.
My own personal ultimate edition (which is pretty similar to the one on the Blu-ray with a few minor changes) is still my go-to.
The fact that the Gentle Giant part is missing in BoL is one of the main reasons I never listen to that version.
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I did fresh listens of all versions a month or so ago and my opinion was about the same.
While changing Heart Like a Whirlwind to Reaching for the Sky was a big upgrade, nearly every other change Neal made for The Breath of Life was for the worse. Listening to that again actually aggravated me as it was like listening to an album that had had its balls cut off. Eliminating both The World We Used to Know and Rainbow Sky from The Breath of Life and then the hatchet job Neal did to the original version of Higher Than the Morning might have been the biggest mistakes of Neal's career.
That said, Forevermore was a bit too long and needed a little trimming around the edges, like shortening the Overture a little or lopping off the Gentle Giant part of The Greatest Story Never Ends, so Neal's idea to make it a bit more concise was not a bad one, but his execution was way off.
I basically agree with this comparison of the two versions, but I also really like Can You Feel It.
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I did fresh listens of all versions a month or so ago and my opinion was about the same.
While changing Heart Like a Whirlwind to Reaching for the Sky was a big upgrade, nearly every other change Neal made for The Breath of Life was for the worse. Listening to that again actually aggravated me as it was like listening to an album that had had its balls cut off. Eliminating both The World We Used to Know and Rainbow Sky from The Breath of Life and then the hatchet job Neal did to the original version of Higher Than the Morning might have been the biggest mistakes of Neal's career.
That said, Forevermore was a bit too long and needed a little trimming around the edges, like shortening the Overture a little or lopping off the Gentle Giant part of The Greatest Story Never Ends, so Neal's idea to make it a bit more concise was not a bad one, but his execution was way off.
My own personal ultimate edition (which is pretty similar to the one on the Blu-ray with a few minor changes) is still my go-to.
The bold part is where I'm at. The World We Used to Know is the best song on the whole album, how could he cut that out?
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I basically agree with this comparison of the two versions, but I also really like Can You Feel It.
I like it as well, and have it split off as its own individual song away from my own running order. I treat it like a bonus song, kind of like Spinning from The Whirlwind.
The World We Used to Know is the best song on the whole album, how could he cut that out?
He must have gotten some bad advice from above when he prayed that night. :P :lol
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Is anyone going to the show at Philly on Good Friday?
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Is anyone going to the show at Philly on Good Friday?
Looking into it. Travel is confounding me right now.
Sorry to see that it's on Good Friday. I'd rather have a different Friday off than just save a day of PTO where I've got plenty to burn.
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Is anyone going to the show at Philly on Good Friday?
Looking into it. Travel is confounding me right now.
Sorry to see that it's on Good Friday. I'd rather have a different Friday off than just save a day of PTO where I've got plenty to burn.
I'm looking at flights for Morsefest. Ouch. It's going to hurt my wallet.
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Is anyone going to the show at Philly on Good Friday?
Looking into it. Travel is confounding me right now.
Sorry to see that it's on Good Friday. I'd rather have a different Friday off than just save a day of PTO where I've got plenty to burn.
I'm looking at flights for Morsefest. Ouch. It's going to hurt my wallet.
That does look pretty unfavorable. Your slick move is going to be extend your trip a little bit (or a lot). The further you can get from Fri and Sunday the better, and there's plenty to see and do down there (not around Cross Planes, that place is a whole bunch of nothing). It won't save you any money, but at least you'll be spending it on having fun, rather than just overpriced airfare for shitty flights. Wed - Tues is only $200/ea and they're good flights. Spend the rest on a weekly rental and goof around in Tennessee. It's actually a lovely state once you head East towards the Great Smokys. I actually spent a week roaming around TN when I went to Morsefest.
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We're going to go Thursday and Fly out Sunday. I will be setting up the flight. Since the shows are in the evening, we can do some sightseeing during the day.
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We're going to go Thursday and Fly out Sunday. I will be setting up the flight. Since the shows are in the evening, we can do some sightseeing during the day.
That Sunday flight's the killer. That's why I suggested blowing money on exploration rather than airline ripoff fares. That's just the way I like to do things. I'm not going to spend $500 on a flight unless it's to Europe. I'll always opt to spend $250 for the flight and $250 for hotels and extra rental car days. Money better spent.
Also, depending on whereabouts you stay, there ain't no sightseeing up around Cross Planes. Seriously, the one and only interesting thing we found around there was Sad Sam's Discount Liquor and Fireworks. :lol Hell, Nashville isn't even all that interesting to me.
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:lol
I haven't bought the plane tickets so the wifey and I will talk it out.
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Maybe it is a Midwest thing, but everyone seemingly loves going to Nashville, which is only 30 miles south of Cross Plains, Joe, so staying there and painting the town in your downtime from Morsefest seems like the way to go, if you ask me. :tup :tup
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That's what I think we'll do.
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Smart move. We are coming down Friday, and I took Monday off from work as well that I have an extra day off to recover from the epic-ness of Transatlantic. :P
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Maybe it is a Midwest thing, but everyone seemingly loves going to Nashville, which is only 30 miles south of Cross Plains, Joe, so staying there and painting the town in your downtime from Morsefest seems like the way to go, if you ask me. :tup :tup
In fairness, aside from a BBQ place I'm fond of, I don't think I've ever spent any time in Nashville. The stuff I was interested in in Tennessee was typically pretty far away. I think I landed at BNA, drove to Nashville Shores for lunch, and then immediately headed South to Huntsville and the Rocket Center. Last I saw of Nashville until I returned to BNA. I spent more time in Knoxville and Chattanooga, I suspect.
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We're flying in late Wednesday night, so we'll have all day Thursday and Friday morning in Nashville.
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I'm flying in Wednesday afternoon since Journey and Toto are playing in Nashville Wednesday night. Then out at the crack of dawn on Sunday for CttE :hat
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Not a fan of flying, so I'll be driving solo to Nashville from Richmond. Driving halfway there Thursday, then the rest of the way Friday. Same with the return trip.
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Is anyone going to the show at Philly on Good Friday?
Looking into it. Travel is confounding me right now.
Sorry to see that it's on Good Friday. I'd rather have a different Friday off than just save a day of PTO where I've got plenty to burn.
I'm looking at flights for Morsefest. Ouch. It's going to hurt my wallet.
Funny I was expounding on this the other day. I suddenly find myself in the exact same situation. Due to various circumstances the best plan would be a quick fly up Thursday and return Sunday kind of thing. The Thur/Sun flights would wind up nearly $700. Wed to Tue is about $250. The idea of giving AA $400 because of their artificial pricing constructs is offensive to me. Since PTO isn't an issue for me, spending an extra 3 days in country is a no-brainer. I'll just add a day of roller coasters and make the rest of my trip more leisurely.
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I wish I could El Barto. I planned 2 other vacations so I've got be structured with the use.
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Yeah, Joe doesn't see every single artist on the planet at least once by only doing one vacay per year. :P :lol :biggrin:
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Don't challenge Mr brah! :lol
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Have we heard who the utility man is going to be on this tour? I'm hoping for Ted again.
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It is Ted.
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Yep, Taylor Swift was not available, so Ted stepped in.
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:lol
Kev, we all know your wet dream now.
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Wet dream? What, am I 15 again?
(I wish :lol, but not really)
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Um.
Yeah! :lol
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It's definitely Ted. I'm in the custom shipping case business - and one of my associates is making a custom guitar case for him for this tour.
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It's definitely Ted. I'm in the custom shipping case business - and one of my associates is making a custom guitar case for him for this tour.
That's a fun connection! Yeah, they confirmed (or rather Ted confirmed) that Ted will be going with them a few months back.
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I think Ted is a much better fit than Daniel for TA. It's great that he's back for this tour :tup
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Ted Leonard replied to a post from Pete Trewavas about the 40th anniversary of his first gig with Marillion, and had this to say:
The hero that only goes unsung by those who don’t pay enough attention.
I was just listening through the entirety of the The Whirlwind today (because apparently I need to be vaguely familiar with that album) and MAN the tone sounds like you’re standing right in front of a Ampeg full stack. But, more importantly, the note choice and execution are just beyond words. There’s a reason why you were picked for that band and I find it a privilege to share a stage with you.
See you soon!!
Love seeing others recognize the amazing bass playing that Pete had on TW. He was the VIP of that album IMO, and probably one of his best album performances of his career.
-Marc.
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As I bass player myself, I can confirm that Pete's TA bass lines are both amazing and very hard to pull off :hefdaddy
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Ted Leonard replied to a post from Pete Trewavas about the 40th anniversary of his first gig with Marillion, and had this to say:
The hero that only goes unsung by those who don’t pay enough attention.
I was just listening through the entirety of the The Whirlwind today (because apparently I need to be vaguely familiar with that album) and MAN the tone sounds like you’re standing right in front of a Ampeg full stack. But, more importantly, the note choice and execution are just beyond words. There’s a reason why you were picked for that band and I find it a privilege to share a stage with you.
See you soon!!
Love seeing others recognize the amazing bass playing that Pete had on TW. He was the VIP of that album IMO, and probably one of his best album performances of his career.
-Marc.
I'm a bass player as well - and his performance on both The Wirlwind AND The Absolute Universe are absolutely phenomenal. He's a GREAT bass player.
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Ted Leonard replied to a post from Pete Trewavas about the 40th anniversary of his first gig with Marillion, and had this to say:
The hero that only goes unsung by those who don’t pay enough attention.
I was just listening through the entirety of the The Whirlwind today (because apparently I need to be vaguely familiar with that album) and MAN the tone sounds like you’re standing right in front of a Ampeg full stack. But, more importantly, the note choice and execution are just beyond words. There’s a reason why you were picked for that band and I find it a privilege to share a stage with you.
See you soon!!
Love seeing others recognize the amazing bass playing that Pete had on TW. He was the VIP of that album IMO, and probably one of his best album performances of his career.
-Marc.
I'm a bass player as well - and his performance on both The Wirlwind AND The Absolute Universe are absolutely phenomenal. He's a GREAT bass player.
Agreed. Probably my favorite bassist.
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Ted Leonard replied to a post from Pete Trewavas about the 40th anniversary of his first gig with Marillion, and had this to say:
The hero that only goes unsung by those who don’t pay enough attention.
I was just listening through the entirety of the The Whirlwind today (because apparently I need to be vaguely familiar with that album) and MAN the tone sounds like you’re standing right in front of a Ampeg full stack. But, more importantly, the note choice and execution are just beyond words. There’s a reason why you were picked for that band and I find it a privilege to share a stage with you.
See you soon!!
Love seeing others recognize the amazing bass playing that Pete had on TW. He was the VIP of that album IMO, and probably one of his best album performances of his career.
-Marc.
I'm a bass player as well - and his performance on both The Wirlwind AND The Absolute Universe are absolutely phenomenal. He's a GREAT bass player.
Agreed. Probably my favorite bassist.
He's definitely one of my favorites - but Geddy Lee will always be my favorite bass player. I would never have started playing bass if it wasn't for Geddy. But Pete is tremendous as well!
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Ted Leonard replied to a post from Pete Trewavas about the 40th anniversary of his first gig with Marillion, and had this to say:
The hero that only goes unsung by those who don’t pay enough attention.
I was just listening through the entirety of the The Whirlwind today (because apparently I need to be vaguely familiar with that album) and MAN the tone sounds like you’re standing right in front of a Ampeg full stack. But, more importantly, the note choice and execution are just beyond words. There’s a reason why you were picked for that band and I find it a privilege to share a stage with you.
See you soon!!
Love seeing others recognize the amazing bass playing that Pete had on TW. He was the VIP of that album IMO, and probably one of his best album performances of his career.
-Marc.
I'm a bass player as well - and his performance on both The Wirlwind AND The Absolute Universe are absolutely phenomenal. He's a GREAT bass player.
Agreed. Probably my favorite bassist.
He's definitely one of my favorites - but Geddy Lee will always be my favorite bass player. I would never have started playing bass if it wasn't for Geddy. But Pete is tremendous as well!
Oh, for sure. My four favorite bands (Marillion, Genesis, Rush, BBT) include four of my favorite bassists (Trewavas, Rutherford, Lee, Spawton). Could throw a few others in the mix (Sheehan, Squire, Meros, Myung), but the bassists in those 4 bands really help set them apart for me.
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I love Pete's playing because he's one of those guys that just wants to be great bass player, rather than a guitarist who's playing a bass. He's developed his craft with that aim, and I'm a big fan.
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I love Pete's playing because he's one of those guys that just wants to be great bass player, rather than a guitarist who's playing a bass. He's developed his craft with that aim, and I'm a big fan.
I think you're allowed to name Billy Sheehan :lol
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I love Pete's playing because he's one of those guys that just wants to be great bass player, rather than a guitarist who's playing a bass. He's developed his craft with that aim, and I'm a big fan.
I think you're allowed to name Billy Sheehan :lol
Although Pete will often play chords and what are more like guitar parts on his bass. “Only A Kiss” from the new album is an example of this. Though I know what you mean about playing more like a lead guitarist (something I have zero problem with - Billy Sheehan is awesome even if he does play like a lead guitarist).
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I used to make fun (kindly) of him in the early Marillion days; if you watch the Lorelei video, it's like there's four men on stage, and the giddy younger brother whose just happy to be part of the group.
I've got a new appreciation for him over the years, and I think it's safe to say (the band would certainly say this) that he's probably the best pure musician in Marillion at this point.
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All of this reminds me of the liner notes in the first TA album. I remember they all went out of their way to praise Pete and how blown away they were by his playing. He's definitely a totally different beast in TA than he is in Marillion.
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BUMP! Despite MP's recent bout of covid, it looks like things are currently going ahead as planned. I'll be at Philly and NYC this weekend :metal:
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Can't wait for Morsefest!
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Can't wait for Morsefest!
Same :metal
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Morsefest is going to be epic
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Anyone going to Jersey Saturday night?
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Even though Ted is the "fifth member" for the tour, I'm still predicting we get a surprise appearance by Daniel Gildenlow at Morsefest.
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So excited for the tour opener tomorrow at the Keswick! I have been lucky enough to see them on every tour except BAF where the only toured Europe. I hope some more tickets sold since the last time I checked.
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Anyone up for a final round of setlist predictions, now that MP has revealed (on Facebook) that the main setlist is 3 hours and the total duration of the MF shows will be "close to 5 hrs"?
The given is TAU Ultimate, which is 1 hour and 38 minutes. The given for Morsefest is that on night two, and The Whirlwind, which is 1 hour and 18 minutes, on night one.
Mine:
Main tour:
1. TAU Ultimate - 1 hour and 38 minutes
2. Whirlwind Medley - 30 minutes
3. We All Need Some Light - 6 minutes
4. Suite Charlotte Pike - 15 minutes
5. Duel With the Devil - 27 minutes
Morsefest Night 1:
1. The Whirlwind - 1 hour and 18 minutes
2. We All Need Some Light - 6 minutes
3. Kaleidoscope - 32 minutes
4. Duel with the Devil - 27 minutes
Morsefest Night 2:
1. TAU Ultimate - 1 hour and 38 minutes
2. Bridge Across Forever - 5 minutes
3. Suite Charlotte Pike - 15 minutes
4. All of the Above - 30 minutes
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All of The Absolute Universe on the proper tour is a given, but it'll be interesting to see what else gets played. My guess is one of the long epics in full (or a combo of two like they did with All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul before), one of the shorter songs, and then a medley of some sort. To cover every album, I could see We All Need Some Light, a long epic combo like Duel with the Devil and Into the Blue, and then a Whirlwind medley.
Edit: 425 beat me to it by two minutes, as our guesses for the main tour are not far off. :tup :tup
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The biggest question mark for me is how much they'll downplay Kaleidoscope given that it's pretty clearly less popular among fans than the first three. I figured on the main tour they won't be too concerned about covering every album, considering how hard that is at this point, but that it'll get some representation at MF.
I'm also betting on MP noticing, as I have noticed, that Suite Charlotte Pike has not been played in two decades, and has never been played on its own, without the Beatles medley.
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Didn't they already say they're playing The Whirlwind? I thought I read that...
Anyway, I got hosed. My family is going on vacation next week and they were going to fly Friday, I was going Saturday to Jersey, and then fly down Sunday to meet them. But, I forgot Sunday was Easter, and a) flights were ridiculous, and b) I committed to see my parents (in assisted living) on Sunday with my brother. All good reasons, but I keep getting shut out of Transatlantic and I feel my window is closing on ever seeing them again.
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The Whirlwind in full is confirmed for Morsefest, but I don't see any way it is getting played on the proper tour.
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Morsefest is still welcoming my friend. The Queen and I plus a few more DTF'ers will be there
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Yeah, from what I've gleaned from some of Mike and Neal's recent social media activity we're going to get a selection of songs from The Whirlwind on the main tour and then one of the two Morsefest nights will be all of The Whirlwind.
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Which gets my prog loins at full mast.
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Those who have seen TA live, particularly on their most recent tours, how were they? Are they aging well? I'd love to see them, but the distance is going to be pretty brutal!
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Well it's not as if we have much recent history to go off of :lol Whirld Tour was one of my all time top 5 concert experiences, and Kaliveoscope was a very good show, but those were 12 and 8 years ago respectively. Neal and Mike have been in fine form at recent shows with other bands. If you're a Transatlantic fan and you haven't seen them before, I would make the effort.
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I'm also betting on MP noticing, as I have noticed, that Suite Charlotte Pike has not been played in two decades, and has never been played on its own, without the Beatles medley.
Even longer since "Mystery Train" has been played live. I hope both it and "Suite Charlotte Pike" get played at Morsefest to have definitive versions of both on live albums, and without the Beatles stuff mixed in - just pure Transatlantic.
Come to think of it, I know "Stranger In Your Soul" has been played at Morsefest several times, but has "Duel With The Devil" ever appeared at Morsefest? If not, I think we can guarantee it'll appear there. As far as epics, I'd be willing to be DWTD and "Into The Blue" will be played at Morsefest. I could also see "Black As The Sky" as the only other representative of Kaleidoscope, and it'll probably make it onto the tour as well. As for the main show predictions, since Mike has said it'll be a three hour show, here's what I predict:
Set 1:
The Absolute Universe (Ultimate Mix)
-Intermission-
Set 2:
Duel With The Devil
Suite Charlotte Pike
Black As The Sky
We All Need Some Light (w/Neal & Roine intro)
My New World
Encore:
The Whirlwind Medley
-Overture
-The Wind Blew Them All Away
-Rose-Colored Glasses
-Is It Really Happening
-Dancing With Eternal Glory/The Whirlwind (Reprise)
It's pretty close to three hours, but they could totally do it.
Alternatively, they could do a reverse-chronological set and do something like this:
Set 1:
The Absolute Universe (Ultimate Mix)
-Intermission-
Set 2:
Into The Blue
The Whirlwind Medley (~25-30 minutes)
Duel With The Devil
Encore:
All Of The Above
It would literally be nothing but epics after TAU, and it might be a bit tiring, so I'm not sure they could handle all of that non-stop playing, but who knows! I have faith in them to be able to pull off whatever whacky set list Mike has had in his mind for years for this tour (because at this point, it's been 2.5 years since the TAU sessions).
-Marc.
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The Whirlwind is an all time Top 10 album for me, so I’m extremely excited for Morsefest. I bought the tickets as a birthday present for myself back in August.
MF22 is my first(and apparently final) Morsefest, and my first and likely only time seeing TA live.
Second time seeing Neal, first time was in 2011 on the Testimony 2 tour.
Fourth time seeing MP. I saw him with DT in 2009, with Neal in 2011, and with TWD in 2019.
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I need to see "Spinning" live at all cost.
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The fact that Stranger... has been played at a Morsefest before is irrelevant, IMO, because it was never played at one by Transatlantic.
The is the first and (more than likely) only time Transatlantic will play at Morsefest, so it makes sense to bust out the big dogs at it instead of trying to be overly clever. I suspect Portnoy knows this, and I'd be stunned if he made the mistake of not having both Stranger... and All of the Above played at Morsefest.
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I need to see "Spinning" live at all cost.
If Transatlantic have anything that could be considered "deep cuts", it's those four Disc 2 songs from The Whirlwind, and it would literally blow me away if they pulled ANY of those out for the Morsefest or the tour!
The fact that Stranger... has been played at a Morsefest before is irrelevant, IMO, because it was never played at one by Transatlantic.
The is the first and (more than likely) only time Transatlantic will play at Morsefest, so it makes sense to bust out the big dogs at it instead of trying to be overly clever. I suspect Portnoy knows this, and I'd be stunned if he made the mistake of not having both Stranger... and All of the Above played at Morsefest.
Well let's hope so! There's certainly enough time for both nights for them to play both, but I wonder if they'd only pick one for the tour, or perhaps even alternate them as the encore.
Even though the normal concert will be three hours, I'm sure the Morsefest nights will only be about 2.5 hours each, which gives us roughly 2 hours of non-TAU and non-TW material to work with. Tossing in SIYS and AOTA nearly cuts that extra time in half, leaving only an hour for other songs from their 1st, 2nd and 4th albums.
-Marc.
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So excited for the tour opener tomorrow at the Keswick!
:tup :tup :tup :tup
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https://twitter.com/MikePortnoy/status/1514756326219526149?t=KtXauwmJNw4EAo1ZiXyHfA&s=19
A short clip of the band practicing vocal harmonies for TAU!
I hope everyone going to tomorrow's show has a good time! Can't wait to see the set list!
-Marc.
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I'm also betting on MP noticing, as I have noticed, that Suite Charlotte Pike has not been played in two decades, and has never been played on its own, without the Beatles medley.
Even longer since "Mystery Train" has been played live. I hope both it and "Suite Charlotte Pike" get played at Morsefest to have definitive versions of both on live albums, and without the Beatles stuff mixed in - just pure Transatlantic.
This is true! The only difference is that I don't care much for Mystery Train, so I'll be far less sad if it doesn't get played.
I'm unfortunately not going to be able to see them. I don't live within 1,000 miles of any of the shows and a trip doesn't make a lot of financial sense right now. Plus, the fact that I wasn't in love with TAU sort of reduces the motivation for me to spend that much (I'd still definitely go if they were in driving distance). Mainly, I'm looking forward to the obligatory Morsefest Blu-Ray.
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I was really hoping to see Morsefest this year, didn't realize until much later that it's not in Sept anymore and in April instead. Can't make the trip now, but after seeing MP's tweet and comment on the animation of the Blu-ray visual, I'd have to agree it is really trippy and actually quite interesting. Though some of the physics are video game like, but for the most part it's a great companion to the music. I'm also listening to it on 5.1 and have to say the mix is really intriguing. I normally prefer stereo mixes over surround but this one is really enjoyable.
I've also never listened to any other versions of the album other than the 2 CD Extended Forevermore version and that has been so engrained in my head that it's pleasant to notice the difference in the Ultimate edition. It sometimes felt like listening to a new album but with the same familiarity. I know the Morsefest show will be recorded, I'm really hope the wait isn't too long.
The animation in 'The Darkness In The Light' is so out there lol, I can only wonder how it would be to watch it high on drugs.
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I'm also betting on MP noticing, as I have noticed, that Suite Charlotte Pike has not been played in two decades, and has never been played on its own, without the Beatles medley.
Even longer since "Mystery Train" has been played live. I hope both it and "Suite Charlotte Pike" get played at Morsefest to have definitive versions of both on live albums, and without the Beatles stuff mixed in - just pure Transatlantic.
Come to think of it, I know "Stranger In Your Soul" has been played at Morsefest several times, but has "Duel With The Devil" ever appeared at Morsefest? If not, I think we can guarantee it'll appear there. As far as epics, I'd be willing to be DWTD and "Into The Blue" will be played at Morsefest. I could also see "Black As The Sky" as the only other representative of Kaleidoscope, and it'll probably make it onto the tour as well. As for the main show predictions, since Mike has said it'll be a three hour show, here's what I predict:
Set 1:
The Absolute Universe (Ultimate Mix)
-Intermission-
Set 2:
Duel With The Devil
Suite Charlotte Pike
Black As The Sky
We All Need Some Light (w/Neal & Roine intro)
My New World
Encore:
The Whirlwind Medley
-Overture
-The Wind Blew Them All Away
-Rose-Colored Glasses
-Is It Really Happening
-Dancing With Eternal Glory/The Whirlwind (Reprise)
It's pretty close to three hours, but they could totally do it.
Alternatively, they could do a reverse-chronological set and do something like this:
Set 1:
The Absolute Universe (Ultimate Mix)
-Intermission-
Set 2:
Into The Blue
The Whirlwind Medley (~25-30 minutes)
Duel With The Devil
Encore:
All Of The Above
It would literally be nothing but epics after TAU, and it might be a bit tiring, so I'm not sure they could handle all of that non-stop playing, but who knows! I have faith in them to be able to pull off whatever whacky set list Mike has had in his mind for years for this tour (because at this point, it's been 2.5 years since the TAU sessions).
-Marc.
On the Whirlwind tour they played the album. Took a break and played 3 epics plus another song
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I'm betting that they will definitely play All Of The Above at Morsefest. It's the first song any of us ever heard from them, and IMO, it's still their best song. I'm sure they'll want to document a "definitive" version of it at MF. I would also bet that Duel with the Devil will be played at MF as well. And I'm still wagering Daniel Gildenlow will make a surprise appearance at Morsefest, so I'll go with Into the Blue being played one of the nights.
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https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/transatlantic/2022/keswick-theatre-glenside-pa-3bb6d444.html
Eagerly awaiting the updates, especially since I'm stuck at work til at least 11:30pm.
-Marc.
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Looks like someone has populated it. Spoilers below, obviously...
It seems MP has reached medley apotheosis with this setlist. Hard for me to imagine what this closing medley is going to sound like. Also kind of disappointed that this Whirlwind Medley seems to tread the same ground as the 2014 version.
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ABSOLUTELY.BEST.CONCERT.OF.YEAR. for me. This was my 6th show this year and they've all been great, but tonight's Transatlantic performance at the Keswick was simply INCREDIBLE! This was also my 73rd MP show since '92, and this quite possibly may have been the greatest performance I've ever seen from him. To me, that's like Picasso topping himself, but he was simply ON FIRE tonight. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy If not for a family engagement, I would be at the Wellmont Theater Saturday night with FRIGIN BELLS ON!!!!!!!!!! If you CAN go..............GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :metal
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No YouTube clips yet? :-\
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What are they selling in the merch stand?
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Spoilers
Great show last night. While not completely full, there was certainly more in attendance than a few weeks ago at the NMB show. Being the first show of the tour, there were quite a few hiccups that I'm sure they will work out. Neal had quite a few instances where his one keyboard was cutting out and Roine was try to get the attention of the sound guys ( Jerry G. and Rich Mouser). MP was on fire and I love " sideways Mike"! He really was the glue that held everything together and he stopped a few mistakes before they turned into trainwrecks. He cued quite a few of the vocal parts and he beat he hell out of his Tama's And Sabian cymbal. My guitarist had never seen Mike live before and after watching him straight on from the 10th row, he was blown away and said he had never seen anything like it!
Pete was on FIRE! His vocals sounded surprisingly good. Its funny, cause I know he doesn't get to play bass like that in Marillion anymore and he was having a blast. Who wouldn't want a guy like that in the band?! He has such a determination and joy when he plays. Neal had a few mistakes but his vocals really helped elevate the sound. He spent the entire night on his riser, for a good deal of the technical parts focusing across the stage on Mike.(first night of a tour and they are not playing easy material) It' s amazing how much music the two of them have played together over the years and they are like one musical mind when playing. Ted helped fill things out with his vocals doubling Pete's parts as well as the other vocal sections. He also filled in some of the keyboard parts that Neal wasnt able to do and he really beefed up the guitar sound....which brings me to....
Roine.
I don't know, and this is my opinion, but....he was not good. He missed quite a few guitar cues. Quite a few of his solos just meandered off into WTF? Quite frankly, I've been in on TA since the beginning, but I never really got why he's in the band. There were a few parts where the song is hanging on a single guitar note and he got most of them wrong. During a medley part from SMPTe, I'm not sure exactly which song, there was a technical part with a pretty fast guitar unison, and he was leaning back against his amp arms crossed looking bored while Ted did the guitar work. His vocals were very spotty and his mic technique was horrible. I know it's not the same band, but 3 weeks ago I saw Eric Gillette with Mike and Neal and he was spot on with every part and had vocals like an angel. I can only imgine how he would have handled the guitar work.
Sorry for the Roine bashing!
My other gripe was the total shit show that was their merch operation. I have never seen anything so mis managed. I went home with $100 that should have been in their pocket. Merch was open before the show (mega line) during intermission and after the show. I was about 20th in line during intermission and the solo merch guy processed 3 (!) customers and then shut down operations. The line after the show was crazy and again there was 1 guy fumbling around. I would estimate they lost thousands of dollars in sales and I hope for their sake's they are aware of that and sort things out.
All in all, great show and I was feeling lucky to have the opportunity to have seen it. My 6th TA show and it was a treat. I hope they have a blast with the tour.
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I think the thing about Roine is he really does have a very different style than the others, maybe I’m giving him a pass but he just comes from a more improvisational school. In TA interviews he always said he wishes they would jam more when they play live. Also his songwriting is a core part of the sound just like Pete and Neal. If I recall in previous tours he was always the roughest in the start of the tour and usually got into the groove as gigs went along but when there’s so few gigs it can be disappointing for fans in the early dates. Just my 2 cents
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Yeah, I also recall people expressing on previous tours that Roine's early performances were a bit rough, so I'm not that surprised to hear that. Glad to hear that everyone else was on point, though!
As for Roine's presence in the band, to me it makes a lot of sense just on a basic level that the four members come from four of the leading bands of the 90s prog revival. And I think he's contributed a lot from a songwriting perspective. A disproportional number of my favorite parts of TAU have his fingerprints on them—especially The World We Used to Know and The Darkness in the Light.
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Spoilers
Great show last night. While not completely full, there was certainly more in attendance than a few weeks ago at the NMB show. Being the first show of the tour, there were quite a few hiccups that I'm sure they will work out. Neal had quite a few instances where his one keyboard was cutting out and Roine was try to get the attention of the sound guys ( Jerry G. and Rich Mouser). MP was on fire and I love " sideways Mike"! He really was the glue that held everything together and he stopped a few mistakes before they turned into trainwrecks. He cued quite a few of the vocal parts and he beat he hell out of his Tama's And Sabian cymbal. My guitarist had never seen Mike live before and after watching him straight on from the 10th row, he was blown away and said he had never seen anything like it!
Pete was on FIRE! His vocals sounded surprisingly good. Its funny, cause I know he doesn't get to play bass like that in Marillion anymore and he was having a blast. Who wouldn't want a guy like that in the band?! He has such a determination and joy when he plays. Neal had a few mistakes but his vocals really helped elevate the sound. He spent the entire night on his riser, for a good deal of the technical parts focusing across the stage on Mike.(first night of a tour and they are not playing easy material) It' s amazing how much music the two of them have played together over the years and they are like one musical mind when playing. Ted helped fill things out with his vocals doubling Pete's parts as well as the other vocal sections. He also filled in some of the keyboard parts that Neal wasnt able to do and he really beefed up the guitar sound....which brings me to....
Roine.
I don't know, and this is my opinion, but....he was not good. He missed quite a few guitar cues. Quite a few of his solos just meandered off into WTF? Quite frankly, I've been in on TA since the beginning, but I never really got why he's in the band. There were a few parts where the song is hanging on a single guitar note and he got most of them wrong. During a medley part from SMPTe, I'm not sure exactly which song, there was a technical part with a pretty fast guitar unison, and he was leaning back against his amp arms crossed looking bored while Ted did the guitar work. His vocals were very spotty and his mic technique was horrible. I know it's not the same band, but 3 weeks ago I saw Eric Gillette with Mike and Neal and he was spot on with every part and had vocals like an angel. I can only imgine how he would have handled the guitar work.
Sorry for the Roine bashing!
My other gripe was the total shit show that was their merch operation. I have never seen anything so mis managed. I went home with $100 that should have been in their pocket. Merch was open before the show (mega line) during intermission and after the show. I was about 20th in line during intermission and the solo merch guy processed 3 (!) customers and then shut down operations. The line after the show was crazy and again there was 1 guy fumbling around. I would estimate they lost thousands of dollars in sales and I hope for their sake's they are aware of that and sort things out.
All in all, great show and I was feeling lucky to have the opportunity to have seen it. My 6th TA show and it was a treat. I hope they have a blast with the tour.
I've never seen TA live, or Roine live for that matter. But I've seen many live clips where yes, he doesn't sound so good. I would say he's definitely the weakest "live performer" in the band if you will. But he is a good songwriter, and can certainly capture the "magic" with his guitar work in the studio. For me, TA is about the contrasting styles of Neal and Roine, with the kick ass rhythm section of Mike and Pete. And yes, Eric Gillette is a beast of a musician and live performer - but I can't really compare him to Roine - apples to oranges.
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Despite the medley :P, looks like a great set list. Interesting that the band ignored the 4th album. It's almost like they know it is by far the weakest link of the five (or significantly the least best, to put it nicer). Hopefully, some or all of those songs in the medley will get the full song treatment at Morsefest.
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I definitely figured they'd downplay Kaleidoscope given how hard it is to include everything and that it seems to have had the worst reception of the five (I fully disagree with this, putting it at #3 behind the obvious two). Hopefully they play something from it at Morsefest, even if it's just Black as the Sky.
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I'd rather have had any one of those encore songs in full over than a melody of them, but wow, I wasnt expecting that much at all - I thought we'd be lucky if we got more than WANSL as an encore - everyone must have been exhausted after that!
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No YouTube clips yet? :-\
There's a bunch here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLZoY6c3lgI_-hL-6Pdyr5w/videos :tup
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Hey all. I'll be at the show tonight in NJ. I was in touch with Stadler who had to bail, and he mentioned a few other folks that were going. Anyone here going?
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No YouTube clips yet? :-\
There's a bunch here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLZoY6c3lgI_-hL-6Pdyr5w/videos :tup
Thanks for the link! And even though I'm only four minutes into the first video, I can definitely agree that Roine seems the least prepared. Then again, I do recall hearing/seeing those comments from their last two tours early on, so hopefully he tightens things up by the end of the tour.
I was thinking the other day that it's pretty interesting that both Roine and Pete *just* came off of doing shows with their respective bands while Neal and Mike have had some time off from the I&D Tour (over a month) to really prepare for this tour and Morsefest. Even so, it sounds like Pete definitely did his homework, but between him and Roine, he definitely seems like the type to really practice a lot and get things down as good as he could before the tour began. Roine seems like the go-with-the-flow kind of player and is more open to improvising some of his parts on stage rather than being close to the album, much like Mike does with most of his fills, but unlike drum fills, flubbing lead melodic lines is a bit more noticeable than a drum fill that is different than it is on the album.
I'd rather have had any one of those encore songs in full over than a melody of them, but wow, I wasnt expecting that much at all - I thought we'd be lucky if we got more than WANSL as an encore - everyone must have been exhausted after that!
I kind of agree, but doing a medley is just the best way to represent those first two albums at all on this tour, and they probably did it this way because those songs might get played in full at Morsefest, so rather than not practice ANY part of them during the tour, they decided to chop them up and make it the closing medley.
As for not doing ANYTHING from Kaleidoscope, I do find that a bit surprising. I was sure they'd do either "Shine" or "Black As The Sky", but I guess not! Hopefully there's at least one Kaleidoscope song at Morsefest.
Can someone confirm if they've downtuned at all? I'm listening to "Reaching For The Sky" and I can't tell if it's downtuned or not.
Edit - listening to "The Greatest Story Never Ends" and they completely cut out over 2 minutes from the Ultimate version, from the a capella part nearly to the end. A shame, I was hoping they'd sing that part live. Maybe for Morsefest??
-Marc.
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The issue with Roine. I can understand why. He has so many songs that he knows, is doing other musical things, and just doesn't have as much time to practice all those guitar parts that Transatlantic requires, also he comes from a band that is more improvisational live so he doesn't really remember the studio parts exactly note for note. So it doesn't surprise me if it takes him time to get all the Transatlantic songs down, especially when he is performing a new album in it's Ultimate form and having to remember transitional cues during two Medleys. That's a lot for one guy to take in and remember with that short amount of rehearsal time. In others words, I forgive Roine for not having it all down, not everyone can have Mike Portnoy memory.
Also, when you're improvising in music live, sometimes the ideas work and sometimes they don't.
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Me, my brother and our cousin made the trip to Philly from Ohio yesterday. This was my first time seeing TA, and I'm very happy that I went. That being said, I have to agree with everyone else that has mentioned Roine not having a good night. Each guy had at least one minor slip up last night, but considering the fact that it was the opening night of the tour I can understand why.
However, Roine seemed to be having a tough go of things. There were certain spots in the show where he was right on, though.
On a side note, this was my first time traveling over there for a show, and I really liked the venue and the area that it was located in.
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Roine definitely had some rough moments based on a few clips I watched, but, to be fair, he was not the only struggling. I watched some of the clip of the medley and was surprised to see that Neal sang the first Duel chorus by himself, as he was really struggling with it. I was surprised a couple of the guys didn't give him a little backup help. He was looking around at the guys right after that, so maybe they were supposed to do and didn't and he was like, "Guys, where were ya?" First show, and the songs and arrangements are obviously pretty difficult to pull off, so might take them a few shows to really get up to speed.
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Yes there were a few first show of tour mishaps, mostly by Roine, but also Neal and MP's drum tech with the mic. I did notice all of it, but for me it didn't hinder the concert one bit.
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Powerslave,
Glad you enjoyed The Keswick. I live about 2 miles from the theater and it is such a great place to see a show and a really nice neighborhood. I have seen MP and Neal more times than I can count, they ALWAYS play here on any tour they are doing. Sure the seats suck and the above stage trim work needs paint, but all the staff are really nice and I am so lucky to have this venue. Nothing beats being home 5 minutes after walking out of a show!
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The first show was a little rough all the way around. I didn't have any specific issue with RS, though. Really it was all of them, as they're really just learning how to play the thing. I couldn't fairly single any of them out. And truthfully, the guy with the roughest night Friday was the sound man. Some of what may have sounded like the band screwing up were guys getting dropped out of the mix. Second show was better, but still some hiccups along the way. They're getting progressively better. In truth it's still an excellent show. Every once in a while you hear something that makes you go "ooof" and a second later they're back to killing it. I certainly noticed a lot of flubs along the way, but they didn't bother me at all. The parts where they need to be on they definitely were.
Something easily overlooked, but a real stand out this tour are the visuals on the screen behind them. Perhaps the best I've ever seen. They looked great and they tied in with the music wonderfully. Numerous times I noticed thought to myself that hey hired a pretty clever bastard to do that for them. Not the sort of thing you typically notice, so it was a nice bonus.
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Something easily overlooked, but a real stand out this tour are the visuals on the screen behind them. Perhaps the best I've ever seen. They looked great and they tied in with the music wonderfully. Numerous times I noticed thought to myself that hey hired a pretty clever bastard to do that for them. Not the sort of thing you typically notice, so it was a nice bonus.
Is it the visual media from the Blu-ray of the Ultimate Edition? Because that was really well done. I was surprised by how elaborate it was. Add to this MP tweeted about how great the accompanying visual for the ultimate edition was right before the tour started.
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Something easily overlooked, but a real stand out this tour are the visuals on the screen behind them. Perhaps the best I've ever seen. They looked great and they tied in with the music wonderfully. Numerous times I noticed thought to myself that hey hired a pretty clever bastard to do that for them. Not the sort of thing you typically notice, so it was a nice bonus.
Is it the visual media from the Blu-ray of the Ultimate Edition? Because that was really well done. I was surprised by how elaborate it was. Add to this MP tweeted about how great the accompanying visual for the ultimate edition was right before the tour started.
No idea. However, they're just as good for the second, non-TAU set. Same style, and same clever attention to themes for each of the songs in the medleys.
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This video has the visuals from the ultimate edition.
https://youtu.be/N5tOLPWdI8s
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This video has the visuals from the ultimate edition.
https://youtu.be/N5tOLPWdI8s
I briefly spot checked your linked video, and most of it looked familiar from last night. I don't know the lyrics and and only gave the album one complete listen before the show, but barto said it jived well with the music. I think the visuals complemented the music well. Lyrically I have no idea.
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Here is the entire show filmed last night at the Wellmont.
First set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTJskaQwQHQ
Second set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4XXWyPqi3M
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Here is the entire show filmed last night at the Wellmont.
First set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTJskaQwQHQ
Second set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4XXWyPqi3M
:metal :metal :metal
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Here is the entire show filmed last night at the Wellmont.
First set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTJskaQwQHQ
I skipped to The Sun Comes Up Today in that video and it's very messy. Roine completely misses the big guitar lead after the vocal intro, and then a minute later it sounds like Ted is playing in the wrong key. I get that it's only the second show of a tour where they're playing a literal shit ton of music, and I'm sure these issues will be sorted out by Morsefest, but I'll admit it has me a little concerned for the Whirlwind set.
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I think they'll do great at the Morsefest show, but I feel bad for the people attending these previous shows :eek
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Here is the entire show filmed last night at the Wellmont.
First set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTJskaQwQHQ
I skipped to The Sun Comes Up Today in that video and it's very messy. Roine completely misses the big guitar lead after the vocal intro, and then a minute later it sounds like Ted is playing in the wrong key. I get that it's only the second show of a tour where they're playing a literal shit ton of music, and I'm sure these issues will be sorted out by Morsefest, but I'll admit it has me a little concerned for the Whirlwind set.
Same here. I tried watching some of that, but turned it off because of how rough it sounded. Could just be the recording, but they sound like a band that needed a lot more rehearsal time. And Morsefest is 12 days away... :eek :eek
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I find it funny that Roine was the one pushing for the album to be so long, and now he can’t remember his parts for album.
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I find it funny that Roine was the one pushing for the album to be so long, and now he can’t remember his parts for album.
It was still the right decision, and it sounds like the band agrees, as they are not playing Neal's emasculated version.
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Sorry to make a bit of a downer post, but honestly, all of this gives me the feeling that this might be the end of the road, at least for a long while. The creative differences just seem to be greater than they were in the past, and it feels like most of them have even less time for Transatlantic than they used to. With a new iteration of The Flower Kings up and running, and NM and MP now having a successful prog band together where they don't have to wait on anyone else's schedule but their own... it just feels like Transatlantic is becoming less compatible with all their careers except Pete's.
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I find it funny that Roine was the one pushing for the album to be so long, and now he can’t remember his parts for album.
It was still the right decision, and it sounds like the band agrees, as they are not playing Neal's emasculated version.
LOL, so true. When he cut out The World We Used to Know, he emasculated it right there lol.
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The issue with Roine. I can understand why. He has so many songs that he knows, is doing other musical things, and just doesn't have as much time to practice all those guitar parts that Transatlantic requires, also he comes from a band that is more improvisational live so he doesn't really remember the studio parts exactly note for note. So it doesn't surprise me if it takes him time to get all the Transatlantic songs down, especially when he is performing a new album in it's Ultimate form and having to remember transitional cues during two Medleys. That's a lot for one guy to take in and remember with that short amount of rehearsal time. In others words, I forgive Roine for not having it all down, not everyone can have Mike Portnoy memory.
Also, when you're improvising in music live, sometimes the ideas work and sometimes they don't.
I agree with the last sentence, but don't with basically all the rest. He's a professional musician and has been for many years, so he probably knows where his strengths and weaknesses are. The video I saw actually shows he has a music stand in front of him and that's fine if he needs to use that. No shame in it at all, I wouldn't expect stuff to be note-for-note in a live setting either, but I do expect you to be prepared if you're performing live. Obviously they've rehearsed, but indeed some of it sound rough when listening to it on video. Of course it will have been different if you're actually there in the audience.
Everyone who's going to see this; enjoy! There's no way for me to make it to any of the dates they've announced so far. The only date in the Netherlands (at the legendary 013 where they've played many times before) is right in the middle of my planned holiday..
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Sorry to make a bit of a downer post, but honestly, all of this gives me the feeling that this might be the end of the road, at least for a long while. The creative differences just seem to be greater than they were in the past, and it feels like most of them have even less time for Transatlantic than they used to. With a new iteration of The Flower Kings up and running, and NM and MP now having a successful prog band together where they don't have to wait on anyone else's schedule but their own... it just feels like Transatlantic is becoming less compatible with all their careers except Pete's.
Agreed. The two last Transatlantic albums both kind of felt like "Okay, I guess we need to do a new once since we haven't done in a while" projects. Fortunately, the band is still good enough songwriters that Kaleidoscope was still good and The Absolute Universe is still very good, but neither had the spark, energy or sizzle of the first three albums, IMO*. Still looking forward like crazy to seeing them at Morsefest, as I have never seen Transatlantic live.
*As full albums, as I do still think TAU has a handful of great songs.
When he cut out The World We Used to Know, he emasculated it right there lol.
Yep. We have litigated it numerous times already :lol, and I do feel that a few of the changes Neal made were for the better, but cutting out The World We Used to Know was a massive lapse in judgment.
I agree with the last sentence, but don't with basically all the rest. He's a professional musician and has been for many years, so he probably knows where his strengths and weaknesses are. The video I saw actually shows he has a music stand in front of him and that's fine if he needs to use that. No shame in it at all, I wouldn't expect stuff to be note-for-note in a live setting either, but I do expect you to be prepared if you're performing live. Obviously they've rehearsed, but indeed some of it sound rough when listening to it on video. Of course it will have been different if you're actually there in the audience.
Agreed. These tour dates have been in place since last summer, and giving what professional musicians they all are, I refuse to believe that any of them didn't take advantage of having 2/3 of a year to learn their parts for these dates.
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The thing about Roine is that for the Kaleidoscope show I saw (Keswick) he was late on his cues so this
Issue isn’t new in the context in this band. I actually thought he was more engaged last night than on the Kaleidoscope tour. For some reason, and I really respect the guy’s talents, he just doesn’t seem like he “belongs” in the band.
Pete was great, his bass playing is all over the place in a good way and his singing was surprisingly good. Neil was his usual exuberant self but for me, MP stole the show. He was blistering, bringing the band some serious energy, pounding the damn kit.
I enjoyed the heck out of the show. Was it perfect? No but the songs are great. Even with the medleys, which I usually don’t love, it’s a fantastic night of progressive music.
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Sorry to make a bit of a downer post, but honestly, all of this gives me the feeling that this might be the end of the road, at least for a long while. The creative differences just seem to be greater than they were in the past, and it feels like most of them have even less time for Transatlantic than they used to. With a new iteration of The Flower Kings up and running, and NM and MP now having a successful prog band together where they don't have to wait on anyone else's schedule but their own... it just feels like Transatlantic is becoming less compatible with all their careers except Pete's.
Agreed. The two last Transatlantic albums both kind of felt like "Okay, I guess we need to do a new once since we haven't done in a while" projects. Fortunately, the band is still good enough songwriters that Kaleidoscope was still good and The Absolute Universe is still very good, but neither had the spark, energy or sizzle of the first three albums, IMO*. Still looking forward like crazy to seeing them at Morsefest, as I have never seen Transatlantic live.
Sadly I agree too. MP retweeted a post recently from someone that was encouraging people to get tickets to see TA live on this tour, as this person said something along the lines of 'I heard this will be the last time TA will be touring'. I'm sure MP was retweeting it just to continue promoting ticket sales, but he didn't say a thing to refute that particular comment. And watching the Making Of documentary and interviews for TAU, it just had a weird vibe that didn't sit well with me that has had me wondering if this is it for them. I'd hate to see them leave on any sort of bad terms, as I wouldn't want that to be the last memory of this great band.
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Sorry to make a bit of a downer post, but honestly, all of this gives me the feeling that this might be the end of the road, at least for a long while. The creative differences just seem to be greater than they were in the past, and it feels like most of them have even less time for Transatlantic than they used to. With a new iteration of The Flower Kings up and running, and NM and MP now having a successful prog band together where they don't have to wait on anyone else's schedule but their own... it just feels like Transatlantic is becoming less compatible with all their careers except Pete's.
Agreed. The two last Transatlantic albums both kind of felt like "Okay, I guess we need to do a new once since we haven't done in a while" projects. Fortunately, the band is still good enough songwriters that Kaleidoscope was still good and The Absolute Universe is still very good, but neither had the spark, energy or sizzle of the first three albums, IMO*. Still looking forward like crazy to seeing them at Morsefest, as I have never seen Transatlantic live.
Sadly I agree too. MP retweeted a post recently from someone that was encouraging people to get tickets to see TA live on this tour, as this person said something along the lines of 'I heard this will be the last time TA will be touring'. I'm sure MP was retweeting it just to continue promoting ticket sales, but he didn't say a thing to refute that particular comment. And watching the Making Of documentary and interviews for TAU, it just had a weird vibe that didn't sit well with me that has had me wondering if this is it for them. I'd hate to see them leave on any sort of bad terms, as I wouldn't want that to be the last memory of this great band.
There’s still a part of me who wishes they had gone out on top and not reformed after Bridge Across Forever. They haven’t gotten close to that one since IMO, and it does feel like TA is not a necessary outlet for any of the members’ creativity these days. Maybe Pete, but he could probably find other ways to tap into his classic prog side if he wanted to. I do think TAU is a relatively strong finale to the band if they decide to call it quits now. None of them are getting any younger, and I’m not sure how many more albums they would have in them even if they wanted to keep going.
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So I've read in a couple places that there was a fight near the front of the crowd at the NJ show last weekend. Any idea what happened?
Also, I would not be surprised if this is the last hurrah for Transatlantic. At least they're recording the last show of the tour, in Paris, so hopefully by then the show will be completely polished.
-Marc.
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For me, The Whirlwind was the last 'good' TA album. Kaleidoscope and TAU are by no means 'horrible' but IMO they're just regurgitated snippets from all the previous albums that have been altered in just a tiny hint of a way for them to say it's 'new'. Nothing fresh in either album and they feel like obligatory releases rather than genuine and inspired ones. They're a great group of musicians who will certainly put on a great show....but, I can see them never recording again given all that we know of the inner turmoil/disagreements, their ages and the sheer amount of time between the opportunities to record.
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I really like Kaleidoscope, but I don't think it's unfair to say that Kaleidoscope is in a certain sense a re-creation of BAF, and TAU is in a certain sense a re-creation of The Whirlwind.
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Why do so many people have such a problem with guitarists improvising guitar solos? If you want to hear it note for note the same as the album version, stay at home and listen to the album. No one complained that Jimmy Page, Jerry Garcia or Jimi Hendrix didn't sound exactly like the record.
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Sometimes a guitar solo is improvised, and sometimes it's a lead line, a composed melody that's as much a part of the song as the lyrics and chords. And sometimes it's hard to tell which is which, especially with complex music like Transatlantic. But basically, there are times when you're really expecting to hear certain notes, and if the guitarist/keyboardist/whoever decides to just ad-lib it, it can leave you feeling like something wasn't there that should've been.
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Some people want Dream Theater to improvise again and now some want Roine to play note for note?....
For me it doesn't matter at all. I am there to hear the music being played and if someone who plays leads decides to stray from the recorded solo, why not. That solo could very well have been improvised many times and that recorded take is the best one they chose to put on record. Yet, they may not remember how they played it.
But, I think we need to consider that Roine isn't getting younger and due to his age, may find it difficult to remember some parts, and does not have the time to spare to listen to the album, figure out how he played it and get it down correctly.
There are plenty of bands I have seen that don't even play parts in the songs at all. I don't mind, I still enjoy the shows. Even if I wish they would've played a certain part.
It's also how I feel with medleys and I say, why didn't they play this part rather than the other part. Like Rudess using Tubular Bells in the Hell's Kitchen ending of Instrumedley and forgoing that patch on the full live version of the song.
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Why do so many people have such a problem with guitarists improvising guitar solos?
Do they?
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I really like Kaleidoscope, but I don't think it's unfair to say that Kaleidoscope is in a certain sense a re-creation of BAF, and TAU is in a certain sense a re-creation of The Whirlwind.
It's not like a re-creation per se, but more like following the same formula (epic, epic, acoustic song, epic) and even those epics were very similar in song structures like the ones in BAF.
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I have no problem with live music differing from recorded material or with artists improvising. I do, however, not enjoy it when the playing is not good, which seems to be the main complaint.
Roine to me is a great songwriter but I will never be a fan of his performing, mainly the singing. Skimming through those recent youtube clips, I really think he is vocally the weakest link, with a wide margin.
I hope the performances will get a bit more tight in the coming shows, but even as is I am sure I will have a blast. Really looking forward to the 013 show in a couple of months!
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So I've read in a couple places that there was a fight near the front of the crowd at the NJ show last weekend. Any idea what happened?
My eyes were glued to the stage the whole night, aside from a few take-it-all-in sweeps around the room, but I didn't notice any commotion, let alone fighting anywhere.
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So I've read in a couple places that there was a fight near the front of the crowd at the NJ show last weekend. Any idea what happened?
My eyes were glued to the stage the whole night, aside from a few take-it-all-in sweeps around the room, but I didn't notice any commotion, let alone fighting anywhere.
It happened right in front of Tick, and none of his crew noticed it either. I did, though. I was standing right in front of the stage left FOH security guy, who looked unnervingly like Mike Ehrmantraut, and he bolted out of his seat to restrain somebody like he was launched out of a cannon. Really, though, it wasn't much of a fight in as much as one guy trying to start shit and quickly being escorted out. The other combatant apologized to the folks around him and sat back down. As for what it was about, I'd seen the non-aggressor and his girlfriend dealing with security (cops, in this case) when we first arrived, so I suspect it was blow-over from something that happened before the show started.
This thread reminds me of Michelangelo and the Pope (https://youtu.be/l9Aj7W3g1qo?t=22) from Monty Python. "I'll tell you what you want mate, you want a bloody photographer, not an artist!" Somebody earlier said they felt sorry for anybody who went to the first two shows. They shouldn't. I feel sorry for people who missed it. I noticed every flub there was, and I still thought they were wonderful concerts. Christ, RCG and the SiYS conclusion alone were enough to justify this trip for me, and while there are plenty of people who won't get to see it, others are complaining because what they're seeing on YT isn't flawless like it is on the album. Don't get it. :dunno:
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Yeah, from what I'm reading, I'm really bummed I missed it. I'd take the sort of complaints I'm hearing for a unique event (kind of like the opening night jitters in New York for NMB).
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Yeah, from what I'm reading, I'm really bummed I missed it. I'd take the sort of complaints I'm hearing for a unique event (kind of like the opening night jitters in New York for NMB).
Yeah, sucks you couldn't make it (though I appreciate the seat :tup). I know you got the show that was more important to you with NMB, but I really like TA a lot more as a live band, flubs and all.
(https://i.imgur.com/5iMRIoW.jpg)
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So I've read in a couple places that there was a fight near the front of the crowd at the NJ show last weekend. Any idea what happened?
My eyes were glued to the stage the whole night, aside from a few take-it-all-in sweeps around the room, but I didn't notice any commotion, let alone fighting anywhere.
It happened right in front of Tick, and none of his crew noticed it either. I did, though.
Was that during the first set while I was upstairs, or second set while I was with Tick? Trying to find an excuse why I would miss something like that. ::).
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Yeah, from what I'm reading, I'm really bummed I missed it. I'd take the sort of complaints I'm hearing for a unique event (kind of like the opening night jitters in New York for NMB).
Yeah, sucks you couldn't make it (though I appreciate the seat :tup). I know you got the show that was more important to you with NMB, but I really like TA a lot more as a live band, flubs and all.
(https://i.imgur.com/5iMRIoW.jpg)
Yeah, I can sleep at night. I did see the show I wanted to see. I haven't seen TA at all yet - a LOT of circumstances conspiring against me over the years! Haha - so it was a completist thing more than anything. It's the one band of his (that I care about) that I haven't seen at all over the years. But that's not to say I'd be phoning it in; it's not my favorite (I much prefer NMB or Flying Colors over TA) but I like TA a lot more than the rest of the more metal/rock stuff like Winery Dogs, SoA and the Metal Allegiance stuff.
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I loved the show on Saturday night. But if I was going to knit pick I would say I prefer songs played in there entirety over a second set that was pretty much one big medley.
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The Daily Doug’s concert report from this weekend:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw1RpyhSUQE
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Yeah, from what I'm reading, I'm really bummed I missed it. I'd take the sort of complaints I'm hearing for a unique event (kind of like the opening night jitters in New York for NMB).
Yeah, sucks you couldn't make it (though I appreciate the seat :tup). I know you got the show that was more important to you with NMB, but I really like TA a lot more as a live band, flubs and all.
(https://i.imgur.com/5iMRIoW.jpg)
Damn, that was a great seat you gave up Stadler
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I'm looking at the videos of the medleys and, as cool as it is to hear bits and pieces from so many cool songs, it's also a downer to realize some sections didn't make the cut. A part of me wishes they would just choose one epic and stick to it - for better or worse, just play the entire All of the above or Duel with the devil. I'm sure it's great seeing the medley in person, though. I wouldn't wanna be in Mike's shoes, creating a Transatlantic set list is quite a task.
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For this band in a live setting I personally prefer these highlights/medleys over just having one song. It is nice having a combination of their greatest works and this will probably be the only time I will ever be able to see them live.
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I'm gearing up for the show at The Arcada tomorrow night. This will be my 3rd or 4th timing seeing them. I can't remember. I think the first time was at Park West and the rest at MP's Chicago-area home, The Arcada. Love that it's only 35 minutes from me instead of the nightmare of driving into the city. Only downer is I will have to listen to Motor-mouth Onesti get up on stage and pimp himself out. I love to hate on the guy, but he brings some good shows close to home.
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Medleys are not my thing, but I'm happy for the people who get to see them on this tour who like medleys.
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Glad I had expectations set on Roine because I thought he was excellent tonight at The Arcada. His solo during Rose Colored Glasses was something else. I thought he was on and he was having fun. He cracked a smile here and there and was tapping his toes and just playing his butt off. His vocals were really good as well.
During the second half of Absolute Universe I was thinking that this might be the best show I have seen from them and I have been seeing them live since The Whirlwind. During intermission, my buddy who has been to every TA concert with me looked at me and said 'I think this is the best concert of theirs we have been to'. Funny, we both had the same thought.
Pete was the MVP. His bass was LOUD. Best bass sound I have heard from him live. His playing was incredible and he was just a ball of infectious energy. His love for this music is unmistakable. So glad they gave some leads to Ted as well.
So yeah, probably the best TA show of the ones I have been to. They were on fire and it showed.
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Glad I had expectations set on Roine because I thought he was excellent tonight at The Arcada. His solo during Rose Colored Glasses was something else. I thought he was on and he was having fun. He cracked a smile here and there and was tapping his toes and just playing his butt off. His vocals were really good as well.
During the second half of Absolute Universe I was thinking that this might be the best show I have seen from them and I have been seeing them live since The Whirlwind. During intermission, my buddy who has been to every TA concert with me looked at me and said 'I think this is the best concert of theirs we have been to'. Funny, we both had the same thought.
Pete was the MVP. His bass was LOUD. Best bass sound I have heard from him live. His playing was incredible and he was just a ball of infectious energy. His love for this music is unmistakable. So glad they gave some leads to Ted as well.
So yeah, probably the best TA show of the ones I have been to. They were on fire and it showed.
Great to hear!
I have been listening to The Absolute Universe again and I think it is a good album, seeing it live will be a blast I am sure.
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Thinking about driving up from San Diego tomorrow to see them in LA solo. Anyone going tomorrow night to the LA show?
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I'm looking at the videos of the medleys and, as cool as it is to hear bits and pieces from so many cool songs, it's also a downer to realize some sections didn't make the cut.
I don't mind medleys in general, but this one just strikes me as poorly assembled. I get wanting to play excerpts of large pieces - stick to the highlights or assemble sections that have a good flow, sure. But what's the point of playing a truncated first section of Duel with the Devil, then going into a truncated second section from it that will only people's hopes up that they're playing this so they have a transition to the rocking 5/4 part, but then just suddenly ending in the middle of the second section of the piece and NOT playing the 5/4 part at all? Every medley is a bit of a tease, but this strikes me as a really bad case.
And looking at the discography, these medleys or excerpts of larger pieces will usually seem like poorly used song slots in retrospect. If they hadn't done an All of the Above / Stranger medley on the Kaleidoscope tour and instead just played one of them in full, this tour could've given us all of of the epics from the first two albums preserved in Blu-ray quality when put together with the KaLIVEoscope disc. Unless they significantly expand that part of the setlist for Morsefest (and I fear they will be more than busy enough rehearsing The Whirlwind in its full form), instead we'll only have My New World (on KaLIVEoscope) and none of the other three. But what we will have is three different medleys consisting of bits of larger songs - two with All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul (once with stuff from two more songs added) and one with Whirlwind bits.
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Is the Whirldwind medley the same one they did on the Kaleidoscope tour and at Morsefest before?
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I am on record as not being a fan of medleys in general, and while there are exceptions, this one does seemly oddly constructed. Given that I can't imagine them having the time to rehearse that much more music, I think a likely scenario is Morsefest featuring exactly what is being played on the tour, except of course we will get all of The Whirlwind, and then the four songs in the medley all getting played in full, two each per night, with We All Need Some Night worked in as well. And maybe Shine will find its way in one of the nights, that way a shorter acoustic tune gets played both nights, and then at least the 4th album gets some representation at Morsefest.
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I would die to hear Spinning.
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Given that I can't imagine them having the time to rehearse that much more music, I think a likely scenario is Morsefest featuring exactly what is being played on the tour, except of course we will get all of The Whirlwind, and then the four songs in the medley all getting played in full, two each per night, with We All Need Some Night worked in as well.
Yeah, that was my initial assumption when I saw the setlist. It would be quite an achievement to get that much material up to speed before Morsefest, especially seeing how rough the first couple of shows sounded. We're talking 50 minutes of additional Whirlwind material and 70 minutes of the other songs that have not been played so far.
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I'm hopeful that there won't be medleys at Morsefest.
My final predictions for the setlist
Night 1:
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Edition
- intermission -
All of the Above
We All Need Some Light
Duel With the Devil
Total Length: Right around 3 hours with intermission
Night 2:
The Whirlwind
- intermission -
My New World
Black as the Sky
Shine
Stranger in Your Soul
Total Length: Little over 2.5 hours with intermission. Stranger is sure to have the big extended jam session in the middle
5 hours of music according to my iTunes playlist. Fits with what MP has said.
I don't see either of the epics from Kaleidoscope being played since they haven't been played on tour yet, and they have more than enough music to prepare already. This leaves Shine, BATS, and that other song. Of those three I think Shine and BATS are more likely.
No encores either night, just play the second sets all the way through.
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I am on record as not being a fan of medleys in general, and while there are exceptions, this one does seemly oddly constructed. Given that I can't imagine them having the time to rehearse that much more music, I think a likely scenario is Morsefest featuring exactly what is being played on the tour, except of course we will get all of The Whirlwind, and then the four songs in the medley all getting played in full, two each per night, with We All Need Some Night worked in as well. And maybe Shine will find its way in one of the nights, that way a shorter acoustic tune gets played both nights, and then at least the 4th album gets some representation at Morsefest.
I agree and I hope you are right. Would make for the ultimate TA BD and a must buy IMO.
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Yeah it seems likely that they will play the full versions of every song for the two Morsefest evenings.
I assume Morsefest will be recorded, but will they also record a club show? (for an insideout release). That has been the case for TNMB.
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Yeah it seems likely that they will play the full versions of every song for the two Morsefest evenings.
I assume Morsefest will be recorded, but will they also record a club show? (for an insideout release). That has been the case for TNMB.
I believe Mike has said the last show of the tour, in Paris, is set for a recording (BD and/or CD I believe).
-Marc.
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Yep, they can never resist the urge to double dip and release multiple live albums/videos from the same tour. :lol
Joe, I am with ya. Spinning would be awesome, but I am not counting on it.
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Yeah it seems likely that they will play the full versions of every song for the two Morsefest evenings.
I assume Morsefest will be recorded, but will they also record a club show? (for an insideout release). That has been the case for TNMB.
I believe Mike has said the last show of the tour, in Paris, is set for a recording (BD and/or CD I believe).
-Marc.
Nice, I really love that MP, Neal and co keep such a steady lineup of live releases.
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Pete was the MVP. His bass was LOUD. Best bass sound I have heard from him live. His playing was incredible and he was just a ball of infectious energy. His love for this music is unmistakable. So glad they gave some leads to Ted as well.
I'm relatively new to TA, and I don't have the depth that many commenting here have, so I was mostly absorbing the novelty of it all. From that point of view, Pete's playing really stood out to me. His tone was really something else, and it cut right through the mix. I've listened to a good sampling of him in marillion, so I know what he is capable of, and it's fun to hear what he does when he can really flex.
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Front row center for LA tonight, I am pumped :metal
The only other time I’ve seen TA was at the Keswick on the Kaleidoscope tour, so excited to be seeing them again :hefdaddy
Couple edibles deep with a perfect view of the band and screen visuals means I’m in for a solid evening of prog :tup
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Apparently Neal's keyboards are having issues and they're trying to fix them backstage.
Check Mike's Instagram story for more!
https://instagram.com/mikeportnoy?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
-Marc.
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I'm hopeful that there won't be medleys at Morsefest.
My final predictions for the setlist
Night 1:
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Edition
- intermission -
All of the Above
We All Need Some Light
Duel With the Devil
Total Length: Right around 3 hours with intermission
Night 2:
The Whirlwind
- intermission -
My New World
Black as the Sky
Shine
Stranger in Your Soul
Total Length: Little over 2.5 hours with intermission. Stranger is sure to have the big extended jam session in the middle
I would be very surprised if they add two different songs from Kaleidoscope. If they do play the four epics from the medley in their entirety, any addition on top of all that is going to be something that takes minimal effort to prepare. The most logical pick would be Bridge Across Forever.
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Morsefest would be the perfect opportunity for the band to perform Suite Charlotte Pike for the first time after quite a while. It's due for a comeback.
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Yeah, that's what I've been saying. It has actually never, to my knowledge, been performed on its own, without being interspersed with Beatles songs. Sadly, I don't think that's likely at this point—I think the theory that it's going to mostly be the medley songs played in full is most likely.
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Yeah, that's what I've been saying. It has actually never, to my knowledge, been performed on its own, without being interspersed with Beatles songs. Sadly, I don't think that's likely at this point—I think the theory that it's going to mostly be the medley songs played in full is most likely.
And that's probably for the best. We've seen how spotty they are when they haven't been able to rehearse properly. Trying to play songs they haven't done yet would be asking for trouble.
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Morsefest / Inner Circle Request:
Is anyone going to Morsefest solo, and in Neal's Inner Circle club? I am bringing two friends and I'd like to get both of them into the Inner Circle concert. It only let me RSVP me and +1, so if anyone is going alone, would you mind RSVPing 2 and letting me have the other ticket? Feel free to PM me and I'll give you my email address.
EDIT: Got it handled, thanks everyone!
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I would be very surprised if they add two different songs from Kaleidoscope. If they do play the four epics from the medley in their entirety, any addition on top of all that is going to be something that takes minimal effort to prepare. The most logical pick would be Bridge Across Forever.
Yeah Black as the Sky might be asking a bit much, but I still think Shine might make an appearance just to have something to represent Kaleidoscope. Bridge Across Forever is possible, since it's just Neal IIRC.
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Morsefest / Inner Circle Request:
Is anyone going to Morsefest solo, and in Neal's Inner Circle club? I am bringing two friends and I'd like to get both of them into the Inner Circle concert. It only let me RSVP me and +1, so if anyone is going alone, would you mind RSVPing 2 and letting me have the other ticket? Feel free to PM me and I'll give you my email address.
I can help you out, I'll DM you.
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Got a bunch of quick responses! Thanks everyone!
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Yeah, that's what I've been saying. It has actually never, to my knowledge, been performed on its own, without being interspersed with Beatles songs. Sadly, I don't think that's likely at this point—I think the theory that it's going to mostly be the medley songs played in full is most likely.
And that's probably for the best. We've seen how spotty they are when they haven't been able to rehearse properly. Trying to play songs they haven't done yet would be asking for trouble.
I think that's right from the perspective of how to handle the tour plus Morsefest in a very limited amount of time, and given the setlist they chose to write for this tour. But I can't help but thinking it's a bit of a missed opportunity if they're really just going to play All of the Above and Stranger in Your Soul again, instead of bringing out something rare.
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I don't agree, because, as I have mentioned before, this is first and likely only time Transatlantic is playing Morsefest, so what the band has played on other tours or what TA songs have been played at other Morsefests by Neal and friends should be largely irrelevant. Bringing out the big dogs for Morsefest 2022 is the way to go, even if they appear to be obvious choices.
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I guess I just don't have the same view as you (and evidently Neal/Mike) about Morsefest being in a very different category from other shows in this sense.
Also, I'm just not a very big fan of My New World, and they played it on their last tour, so I'm probably just being somewhat salty about that choice in particular, compared to other songs that I like a lot better. If you push me, I'll have a hard time continuing to argue with the big three.
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I don't agree, because, as I have mentioned before, this is first and likely only time Transatlantic is playing Morsefest, so what the band has played on other tours or what TA songs have been played at other Morsefests by Neal and friends should be largely irrelevant. Bringing out the big dogs for Morsefest 2022 is the way to go, even if they appear to be obvious choices.
I agree Kev. And Morsefest is very different with the strings and background singers and extra musicians. Plus to my knowledge, All of the Above and Duel with the Devil have never been played at a Morsefest. I believe the NMB did play Stranger once at a Morsefest though.
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Correct, Stranger was the final song of the first Morsefest in 2014.
I’d say it’s likely to be the final song of the (likely) final Morsefest.
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I am sure this has already been mentioned, but the end of Duel with the Devil is tailor-made for Morsefest, what with the choir and everyone singing along. There is no chance they drop the ball on that.
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Oh for sure. I thought the same thing listening to it today. As I said earlier, I think Duel ends Night 1, and Stranger ends Night 2.
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I had to ditch on the show cause it sold out, but my bro made it. Got this cool shot of MP...
(https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/279235129_10221340218442998_6469799578257026936_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=ss_zsVe3G68AX8t4pLe&_nc_ht=scontent-sjc3-1.xx&oh=00_AT8tqytsPXfdZmNLeg_vqeRjYTpvO1mn8B2Gp5y4XRl50Q&oe=626C4EF6)
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That is an awesome pic RJ.
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That is an awesome pic RJ.
Yeah, the venue they played at has a pit, then a good 15 foot rise to the next level, where they have tables. Front row there is a great place to chill and take killer pics, I got some amazing video of Tesseract when I was them there. Might do it again for Amorphis next week if I don't wanna tear it up on the floor.
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Just realized I never posted in here after the Philly/NJ shows. Very much enjoyed both nights even though the first set was still a WIP (for those of you who were at one but not the other, Neal had the same issue early on both nights in missing his cue to grab his acoustic guitar :lol). Roine in particular was a little bit lackluster on the TAU material. I know he's always been more improvisational in style, and I'm not expecting him to play every little solo and fill note for note, but he was off at times playing some of the main/recurring melodies. There was also one point in the show where Ted was playing a unison run with Neal while Roine literally was leaning against his amplifier and just watching them. To me that's poor form, Ted should be there to fill out the arrangements, not do your job for you. That said, in NJ in particular the solo Roine played after the bridge of Rose Colored Glasses was absolutely sublime. Pete was the star of the show for me, just rock-solid banging out all these cool basslines and he had more vocals than I would have guessed heading in. The medley to close the show was a lot more enjoyable the second night when I knew what to expect going in and could appreciate it for what it was versus seeing it fresh the first night.
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Just saw that a string section is warming up to play with TA at Morsefest. So bummed I can’t make it. It’s going to be epic! Anyone here that’s going, I hope you have a blast!
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My body is ready
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Just saw that a string section is warming up to play with TA at Morsefest. So bummed I can’t make it. It’s going to be epic! Anyone here that’s going, I hope you have a blast!
Hearing them open Duel and Stranger will undoubtedly be a spine-tingling, skin-shivering moment for all in attendance!
-Marc.
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Roll call: who all is going to Morsefest this weekend? We need to figure out a way for us all to say hey to one another when we are there (meetups before and after not as easy given the logistics).
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Roll call: who all is going to Morsefest this weekend? We need to figure out a way for us all to say hey to one another when we are there (meetups before and after not as easy given the logistics).
:metal
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Oh HI.
Nick and Axeman will be there. I know that Shelby & Joey from Kyros will be there as well.
Edit: JustJen as well.
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Why are tickets for MorseFest $325 and up?
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Because he can. Lol.
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:lol :lol, pretty much.
2017 was the first year I went to Morsefest, and I believe it was $125 for both nights combined, so prices have basically tripled since. Is it gouging the fans? Probably, but I am almost always of the thinking, "If you think it's too much, don't go." I did chuckle at a notice they sent a few weeks ago saying some tickets were still available and to get yours now because they are going fast. Yeah, tickets went on sale last summer, and capacity is under 1,000, but they are going fast!! :lol :lol
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This will be Joe tomorrow:
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/3441164be5bd71dab5c707e355930f9b/1daa674307a62c22-5f/s500x750/eed657cffc4991704b79c6cb4f8ea316bcc3c36c.gifv)
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Yeah no. Lol. I have my flat caps. No cowboy hats.
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:lol :lol, pretty much.
2017 was the first year I went to Morsefest, and I believe it was $125 for both nights combined, so prices have basically tripled since. Is it gouging the fans? Probably, but I am almost always of the thinking, "If you think it's too much, don't go." I did chuckle at a notice they sent a few weeks ago saying some tickets were still available and to get yours now because they are going fast. Yeah, tickets went on sale last summer, and capacity is under 1,000, but they are going fast!! :lol :lol
I think that's right; if it's not for you, don't buy it. I know I'm not going to be there, but it's not at all because of the price. I've been listening to the previous Morsefest packages and there is a PROFOUND sense of missing something special, and I feel that now. I'm assuming there's a reasonable chance of actually engaging one-on-one with some of the performers at some point over the weekend, and that too is part of the "price"; many people pay extra for that during the tours.
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Last night I dreamed I was at Morsefest. They played all of Fragile - Yes instead of The Whirlwind, and the encore was Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye. :lol
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Not going to Morsefest, but I'm very excited about their full setlist. Please keep us posted! ;D
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RE-ORDER NOW: MORSEFEST 2021 5 CD/2 BLU-RAY SET, CUSTOM TRANSATLANTIC JERSEY
It’s day one of Morsefest 2022 and we have two cool items that you can pre-order today.
Lots of people have asked about the baseball jersey Neal has been wearing at the Transatlantic shows and asked how to get one. They’re custom made with “Transatlantic 22” on the front and “Morse 22” on the back. We are doing one run of the jerseys so pre-orders will open until May 31st - and then that’s it! We will then order the jerseys and aim to ship them starting August 1st.
Plus... we have Morsefest 2021 5 CD / 2 Blu ray set available for pre-order today! This captures last years Evening of Innocence and Evening of Danger where NMB debuted the new album plus visited some deep cuts and favorite tracks. As ever, the audio and video have brilliantly captured the show and we have this as a Radiant exclusive.
For fans in Europe, if all goes according to plan we will have copies available for sale on the NMB European tour!
https://www.nealmorse.com/product/morsefest-2021-5-cd-2-blu-ray-set/
https://www.nealmorse.com/product/neal-morse-custom-transatlantic-22-baseball-jersey
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Pre-ordered!
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Pre-ordered!
Just did the same! Not a bad set for the price, especially since it's two BDs and not DVDs this time!
-Marc.
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I already have the video download from attending the show virtually, so as nice as it would be to have the 2021 show in (presumably) HD, I can't really justify buying it again. Maybe though, since I have every other MF on Blu-ray excluding 2020.
The jersey is also a maybe. If they don't have it for sale at Morsefest I probably will pre-order one.
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I’m here. Seat N19. King Crimson Music is Your Friend shirt
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Pre-ordered!
Just did the same! Not a bad set for the price, especially since it's two BDs and not DVDs this time!
-Marc.
Yeah I really enjoy these releases, the energy on the shows is so infectious, I don't mind getting all of them. Looks like the date for release is June 24th.
This 5 CD / 2 Blu-ray set captures An Evening of Innocence and An Evening of Danger shows which premiered the new NMB songs with a selection of deep cuts and favorite tracks!
This release is exclusive to Radiant Records and if all goes according to plan, we will have copies for sale on the NMB European tour!
Release date is Friday June 24th and orders will ship at that time.
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Into the Blue is the opener
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Into the Blue is the opener
Nice :tup
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Into the Blue is the opener
Oh wow, what an opener! I assume they'll do The Whirlwind after the intermission tonight? No surprise appearance by Daniel? ;)
I guess if *anything* had to be played from Kaleidoscope, I'm happy it's "Into The Blue"!
-Marc.
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Into the Blue is the opener
Very awesome opener! My favorite off that album. :tup
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No Daniel
Ted is mvp
Service is shit here will update when I can
2nd song In Held ‘Twas In I :eek
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2nd song In Held ‘Twas In I :eek
I definitely wouldn't want to see that one :huh:
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2nd song In Held ‘Twas In I :eek
I definitely wouldn't want to see that one :huh:
I mean, I get it. But, yeah, not one I'd be clamoring for. Cool for the uniqueness and rarity factor, though. I'm sure that was an MP pick.
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Shine
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Shine
Yay! (I love the Kaleidoscope album)
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Guitar duet / We All Need Some Light
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Whirlwind
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Whirlwind
Well then! That's probably the set. I'd be surprised if they encored after Whirlwind. Set is already at 2:15... and then tomorrow will be a bit longer (which makes sense as TAV is about 20-30 minutes longer than Whirlwind). Probably 2:45-3 hours tomorrow to make it the five hours they said they had prepared.
My guess for tomorrow:
TAV
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Suite Charlotte Pike
Mystery Train or Spinning or For Such a Time (a short rarity in this slot, maybe two)
Medley: Duel with the Devil/My New World/All of the Above/Stranger in Your Soul
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No encore. Will post details later. 10/10
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No encore. Will post details later. 10/10
Hope it was a great show! So to sum up, tonight's setlist was:
Into The Blue
In Held ('Twas) In I
Shine
Roine & Neal Duet / We All Need Some Light
The Whrilwind
So roughly 140 minutes of music tonight. Mike had said they would be playing about 5 hours of music this weekend, so toss in 100 for TAU, that leaves one hour. What are the odds that they'll just play Duel and Stranger in their entirety? At least Duel, and then maybe the AOTA/SIYS medley from the Kaleidoscope tour?
-Marc.
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Show tonight was great. Whirlwind was a little rough around the edges here and there, which is to be expected given they haven't played it in full in more than a decade. Highlight fore might've been We All Need Some Light with the string quartet, just beautiful. Wondering if Shine was a last minute addition to the set given that it was abridged (no Roine solo and Neal took almost all of the vocals).
If they are just doing two epics tomorrow night I'd prefer they do All of the Above and Stranger. To me those are the quintessential TA epics and most deserving of the Morsefest bells and whistles
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Pete Trewavas to me is the star of the show. His sound, being in the forefront. Just amazing. All that talk about Ronie being sloppy but tonight, he had such dimension.
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That was fantastic!
The night opened with a big surprise with Into the Blue. As I said before, I didn't expect them to break out either of the epics from Kaleidoscope, so Blue was a welcome surprise. I was seated near the sound guy, and when Roine started singing we couldn't hear him, and the sound guy (Rich Mouser maybe?) started screaming and cursing at somebody. It was a bit awkward but oh well. Ted sounded great during Daniel's section.
In Held 'Twas In I was a surprise, though I hesitate to say a welcome one. I honestly don't think I've ever listened to the studio version. MP introduced the song and Roine talked a bit about how much he loved Procol Harum and he seemed really excited to play the song.
Shine was dedicated to a friend of the band who passed away recently. I'm sad to say his name has slipped my mind, maybe someone else remembers. The band played it well. Not much to say about this song.
The guitar duet was a nice bathroom break for me :lol
WANSL was a highlight of the night. The whole venue was singing along to the chorus and it was just magical. Neal had a great solo on the 12-string.
As I've said before, the Whirlwind is one of my all time favorite album. I mentioned earlier in the thread that I was worried about the Whirlwind set based on how rocky some of the performances from the tour were, I'm happy to say they nailed it, IMO.
Some notable highlights of the Whirlwind:
On the Prowl. Everybody onstage looked like they were having the time of their life.
Rose Colored Glasses. Just beautiful and emotional and powerful.
Ted took over some lead vocals. He sang Lay Down Your Life, and thank god for that because I would hate to have heard Neal struggling his way through that. Ted nailed it. He also sang MP's part on the chorus to Set Us Free.
Is It Really Happening. Just a perfect build up to the grand finale. Once again kudos to Ted for nailing that unison section, which is a bitch to play.
The strings and auxillary percussion added a lot, but I honestly had a hard time hearing the choir.
No Boba Fett, in case anyone was wondering.
All that talk about Ronie being sloppy but tonight, he had such dimension.
Roine really impressed me tonight. After seeing those vids from earlier in the tour I was really worried, but I think he did a stellar job tonight.
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Shine was dedicated to a friend of the band who passed away recently. I'm sad to say his name has slipped my mind, maybe someone else remembers. The band played it well. Not much to say about this song.
Paul Hanlon, who died earlier this week. There's been posts on Facebook for a few weeks regarding his declining health. Neal has said before that one of the times he visited Paul was the inspiration for Shine.
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So roughly 140 minutes of music tonight. Mike had said they would be playing about 5 hours of music this weekend, so toss in 100 for TAU, that leaves one hour. What are the odds that they'll just play Duel and Stranger in their entirety? At least Duel, and then maybe the AOTA/SIYS medley from the Kaleidoscope tour?
-Marc.
This definitely won't happen, but part of me is afraid that they'll do the abridged version of TAU tomorrow. If only just to fit the full versions of Duel, Stranger, etc.
It is Morsefest after all, and The Whirlwind does end with "The Breath of Life", so maybe MP or Neal would think it clever to open the next night with The Breath of Life, Neal's version.
Again, unlikely, but night 1 had some surprises. Surely night 2 will as well.
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Shine was dedicated to a friend of the band who passed away recently. I'm sad to say his name has slipped my mind, maybe someone else remembers. The band played it well. Not much to say about this song.
Paul Hanlon, who died earlier this week. There's been posts on Facebook for a few weeks regarding his declining health. Neal has said before that one of the times he visited Paul was the inspiration for Shine.
I’ve been wondering what Paul’s story was. Saw the updates on FB but didn’t know his connection to Neal/TA. Sad to hear of his passing.
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I obviously wasn't at the show and I know my opinion doesn't really matter much here, but I think they just wasted almost 20 precious Morsefest setlist minutes playing a cover song. Other than that, it was a great setlist :tup
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Oh, wow, cool to hear they did some rarer stuff after all! I've always like the In Held cover, and I think it makes sense to bring it out to bring things full circle. Though I understand why some would be disappointed by the choice.
This has me holding out a bit of hope for Suite Charlotte.
Also, if we're talking about which of the big three they should play... I think Duel with the Devil would benefit most from having a bigger arrangement, and I think All would be nice to bring in thematically for the same reason In Held is. Stranger already has a Morsefest performance, albeit not with Roine and Pete, so I think that would the least interesting choice.
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I skipped the merch table last night so I could hit it this morning at the Inner Circle show. For anyone that was there, is it cash only or do they take card?
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They take cards. I'll be at the IC show as well
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Some pics from last night
(https://i.imgur.com/LvRFp3x.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZMulsuX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EYEUTNo.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WufXxxP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tEgtspg.jpg)
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Metropolaris, I think you are sitting right next to me. Lol
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Great pics! Sounds like it was an amazing show. I can't believe, after saying for months on here that I think Daniel Gildenlow would make a surprise appearance at Morsefest (it became clear to me the last couple of days that he would not be, as he's been posting about POS rehearsals in Sweden), that they still played Into the Blue. If I would have been in attendance, and they started playing that song, I would of thought for sure he was there. Lol
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I agree Duel With The Devil would benefit the most from the stings etc. - and I really feel All of The Above should be played as well, as it's really their first song, and arguably their best, and it 100% deserves to get the "Morsefest" treatment. But with all that said, I just don't see them not playing Stranger in your Soul.
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Metropolaris, I think you are sitting right next to me. Lol
I saw your pics in the Post Your Picture Thread and yeah I think you were sitting in the row behind me :lol
I’ll be sure to say hi tonight.
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Inner Circle show was alright. The setlist if anyone's curious:
Love Has Called My Name
Life on the Wire
Letters
Hard Hearted
The Angels Sing
New World
Get Smart
The Step of Yes
Jailbreak
Everything except the first and last songs were from the God's Smuggler project he's been talking about. He said he's written like 45 songs for it, and mentioned wanting to do a TV show about the story. It reminded me of JCTE, but more singer/songwriter. Not as proggy. Who knows what it will turn into. The lyrics were very preachy, like more than usual for Neal, and I think I might skip out on this album should it ever come out.
The band was tight and everyone played and sang well. The free donuts were great too.
(https://i.imgur.com/qmVRWm2.jpg)
I also picked up the first three records on vinyl and a shirt
(https://i.imgur.com/iBMN1kD.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hJ12zQz.jpg)
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I love In Held Twas in I and think of it as a Transatlantic song first, I would have lost my damn mind if I was there.
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Night 2 soon to begin. Kev just won a signed drum head in the raffle
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Night 2 soon to begin. Kev just won a signed drum head in the raffle
Very cool! Jealous of Kev right now.
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First song is TAU. Probably ultimate version. See y’all in 100 minutes lol
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First song is TAU. Probably ultimate version. See y’all in 100 minutes lol
Let us know if they do the a capella portion of "The Greatest Story Never Ends". Clips from earlier in the tour showed they weren't doing that part and I was sad!
-Marc.
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No a capella section.
TAU was the Ultimate version.
Next is Bridge Across Forver
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Big medley with Duel, Stranger and whatnot
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wow. I would've thought they'd play at least one more mid-lengthed epic, like Charlotte. I bet those strings to open the medley were fantastic, though
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So the final setlist was:
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Edition
Bridge Across Forever
The Big Medley (Does this have an actual name?)
The Absolute Universe was great. Those 100 minutes flew by pretty quickly. It seems like they've ironed out the kinks that were present in earlier performances. Nothing bad to say about it.
Bridge Across Forever was a fine cool-down song after TAU. Never had any strong feelings about this song and this performance didn't change that.
The Medley was just one big tease. I finally understand why John Petrucci hates medleys so much.
I would have loved to hear even just one of those songs in full, but it is what it is. I kinda wish I hadn't known about the medley beforehand. Listening to each section and knowing that it's just gonna change gears in minute or two kinda put a damper on things.
The opening strings of Duel were amazing. The closing section to Stranger was even more amazing. It would have been doubly amazing to hear both of those pieces in full.
Overall it was a great show, but I think I enjoyed Night 1 more. If this is the last Morsefest, then I'm glad I got to experience it.
And with how infrequent Transatlantic tours, if this is their last show on U.S. soil, I'm even more glad I got to experience it.
And it was great to meet kingshmegland, Kev, Nick, axeman, and others. I'm definitely socially awkward IRL, but nevertheless it was nice to finally meet some people from here after being on here 11 years. We took a group photo that I'm sure will find it's way on here.
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Was great to meet you too! Well let Kev post the picture reveal.
I'm gassed.
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Awesome, I can't wait for the Bluray already lol. Was the medley just Duel and Stranger?
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Awesome, I can't wait for the Bluray already lol. Was the medley just Duel and Stranger?
The Medley was Duel, My New World, All of the Above, and Stranger.
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Awesome, I can't wait for the Bluray already lol. Was the medley just Duel and Stranger?
Sounds like it's the same one they've been playing on the tour - Duel, My New World, All Of The Above, and Stranger.
Happy to hear everyone had a good time, and that the TAU performances have tightened up!
I noticed on Twitter that Mike noted that their two sets on the Cruise will be their regular tour set split in half - one show will be TAU in its entirety, and the other will be everything else they've played on tour, though coming off of Morsefest, I wonder if they'll toss in a surprise or two if they have time.
-Marc.
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Marc, Mike retweeted a picture I posted from Joe Barrios who is an amazing photographer of all bands. If you haven't seen his Facebook page, check it out.
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So the final setlist was:
The Absolute Universe Ultimate Edition
Bridge Across Forever
The Big Medley (Does this have an actual name?)
Yeah, I'm definitely glad I didn't shell out big bucks to see this.
And it was great to meet kingshmegland, Kev, Nick, axeman, and others. I'm definitely socially awkward IRL, but nevertheless it was nice to finally meet some people from here after being on here 11 years. We took a group photo that I'm sure will find it's way on here.
I also kind of regret not making a point to get out there for this.
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Yeah, I was surprised that TA are doing two different sets on the cruise. The non-TAU set will need to have some Morsefest material or other surprises, as the standard tour set beyond TAU (Whirlwind medley, We All Need Some Light, Big Medley) don't come close to filling a full ~2 hour CttE headliner set. I'm guessing they'll throw in Into the Blue and Shine. I'm also glad that my assigned TA set for the cruise is not TAU since I've seen that three times already :lol
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I would have happily traded In Held and Bridge for a full version of Stranger. Rarities are cool. Playing songs in full is much cooler.
If TA ever does another album/tour, imagine how ridiculous the setlists would be. A new 30 minute epic, followed by the Whirlwind medley, followed by another 30 minute epic, a TAU medley, a medley medley, etc.
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(https://i.imgur.com/SByVWOX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nlCGBxG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/I10ZCbX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cLcXB6D.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/J7ZqP38.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7KuaN2y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/swgXtkg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qmcwHD6.jpg)
the absolute baldness
(https://i.imgur.com/7xCYrYO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hHmjXPM.jpg)
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I would have happily traded In Held and Bridge for a full version of Stranger. Rarities are cool. Playing songs in full is much cooler.
If TA ever does another album/tour, imagine how ridiculous the setlists would be. A new 30 minute epic, followed by the Whirlwind medley, followed by another 30 minute epic, a TAU medley, a medley medley, etc.
This is great but an interesting decision since no one is guaranteed to see both shows AFAIK. Thankfully I’m in the grab bag show rather than TAU. 😄
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I would have happily traded In Held and Bridge for a full version of Stranger. Rarities are cool. Playing songs in full is much cooler.
I agree. I would have preferred if they did TAU, Duel in full, All of the Above in full and call it a day. But I wonder how much of it is that it's just too much music to learn in a short period of time (with having to relearn the full Whirlwind)? I don't think this point can be overstated.
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I would have happily traded In Held and Bridge for a full version of Stranger. Rarities are cool. Playing songs in full is much cooler.
I agree. I would have preferred if they did TAU, Duel in full, All of the Above in full and call it a day. But I wonder how much of it is that it's just too much music to learn in a short period of time (with having to relearn the full Whirlwind)? I don't think this point can be overstated.
I'd say it was an even bigger challenge to relearn In Held just for that one show (a song which they haven't played since they recorded it on their debut) that play those classic epics they've done a lot of times live already.
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(https://i.imgur.com/o4KC7Ko.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jorgwpL.jpg)
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There are two good pics of DTFers at Morsefest! :metal :metal
Winning the drumhead was pretty cool. I was a bit dumbfounded, and almost felt like an actual musician should have won it, but pretty cool, and it will find a nice spot on my wall of my music room. :hat :hat
As for the shows this weekend, both were awesome. Saturday night was great, and I definitely have a greater appreciation for The Absolute Universe after seeing it performed in full, but Friday night was the tops. Getting the Procol Harum cover was killer, although I know Joe and I both thought, "Spinning!!", when Portnoy started to introduce it by talking about deep cuts, but I was more than happy with getting what we got. It was great to finally see We All Need Some Light live, and, goodness gracious, seeing The Whirlwind performed in full live, no pun intended, was like a religious experience. It was like seeing Scenes or Similitude performed in full before. Just a mind-blowing thing to witness. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
Well done, Transatlantic. Well done. :tup :tup
And I would be holding back if I didn't mention how wound up Neal was both nights. He was like a man who had gotten an adrenaline shot before both shows. The whole band was on point, but the synergy between Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy is very real and very great. :hat :hat
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I have to mention as well that the transition from Looking for the Light (Reprise) to The Greatest Story Never Ends is totally awesome. I think I have mentioned that before, but the instant the latter track starts has always struck me as one of those "the crowd has to go nuts at this moment" moments, and we, the crowd, did not disappoint last night when that moment hit. Fans all over the place in the crowd were bouncing to that, and Neal was like a madman on stage jumping up and down as well while standing at his keyboard and playing, to where I don't how in the world he was still managing to play his keyboard parts. He sure can multi-task. :lol :lol
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Look at that lovely bunch of nerds :D
Nice meeting you, Kev, and congrats on the drum head! Wonder how Mike feels about that going to a DTF'er :lol
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Yep, great to meet you as well, and everyone else of course! :tup :tup
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Hell of a weekend and meeting you two. The Queen and I had a blast.
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Look at that lovely bunch of nerds :D
Nice meeting you, Kev, and congrats on the drum head! Wonder how Mike feels about that going to a DTF'er :lol
The other one went to my buddy who you gave me the Inner Circle concert +1 for! What are the odds, eh?
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjacobbenton.com%2Ffiles%2Fimg%2Fdrumhead_s.jpg&hash=0ea225b4b1c3eef5eb68014d83cdd646991a1f24)
It was his first Morsefest so it was great to see him win it. Also funny that they both went to DTF-related folks.
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Oh wow, that is awesome! Good for him! :tup
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That's awesome!!
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Awesome indeed!
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And I would be holding back if I didn't mention how wound up Neal was both nights. He was like a man who had gotten an adrenaline shot before both shows. The whole band was on point, but the synergy between Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy is very real and very great. :hat :hat
This is really awesome to hear, and makes me way more excited to see the TAU performance than I was before. It's not my favorite TA material, but I think I would listen to Neal sing the phone book if he was really on, especially playing off of Mike (and TAU is certainly way better than that). Might give me a greater appreciation for some of those songs.
And really cool to see all those DTFers together!
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This is really awesome to hear, and makes me way more excited to see the TAU performance than I was before. It's not my favorite TA material, but I think I would listen to Neal sing the phone book if he was really on, especially playing off of Mike (and TAU is certainly way better than that). Might give me a greater appreciation for some of those songs.
While I still think the the first three TA albums are unquestionably the best ones, The Absolute Universe is a heckuva 4th best record. The ultimate edition really is the best of both worlds, as it retains the great songs that Neal cut from The Breath of Life, keeps the better version of Higher Than the Morning (from Forevermore), and maintains some of the changes Neal made for the better, most notably Reaching for the Sky (which is way better than Heart of the Whirlwind) and the shortening of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
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I still like Kaleidoscope better (I actually have it third, ahead of SMPTe). But there are plenty of songs on TAU that I like a lot.
I definitely agree that the ultimate version makes all the right choices. I listened to TBoL first, so when I first heard Forevermore, I was immediately struck by how much worse Heart Like a Whirlwind was and how much better that version of Higher Than the Morning was.
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This is really awesome to hear, and makes me way more excited to see the TAU performance than I was before. It's not my favorite TA material, but I think I would listen to Neal sing the phone book if he was really on, especially playing off of Mike (and TAU is certainly way better than that). Might give me a greater appreciation for some of those songs.
While I still think the the first three TA albums are unquestionably the best ones, The Absolute Universe is a heckuva 4th best record. The ultimate edition really is the best of both worlds, as it retains the great songs that Neal cut from The Breath of Life, keeps the better version of Higher Than the Morning (from Forevermore), and maintains some of the changes Neal made for the better, most notably Reaching for the Sky (which is way better than Heart of the Whirlwind) and the shortening of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
TGSNE on the Ultimate cut is actually longer than both of the other two versions (from Forevermore and TBOL), mostly because the version on Forevermore takes part of intro "Love Made A Way" and tacks it onto the end of its track. If you chop that off and put it back onto the finale, the Forevermore version of TGSNE is really only 3:16 long, and the TBOL version is 2:58, while the Ultimate version is 4:55 and takes parts that are unique to both of the others and combines them together.
And speaking of TGSNE, I wonder why they never learned the a capella part, at least for Morsefest. Maybe it was just too much to learn, or too difficult? I'd love to hear why it was cut from the performance of the album, especially since they've gone through the trouble of learning the rest of the Ultimate version already.
-Marc.
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This is really awesome to hear, and makes me way more excited to see the TAU performance than I was before. It's not my favorite TA material, but I think I would listen to Neal sing the phone book if he was really on, especially playing off of Mike (and TAU is certainly way better than that). Might give me a greater appreciation for some of those songs.
While I still think the the first three TA albums are unquestionably the best ones, The Absolute Universe is a heckuva 4th best record. The ultimate edition really is the best of both worlds, as it retains the great songs that Neal cut from The Breath of Life, keeps the better version of Higher Than the Morning (from Forevermore), and maintains some of the changes Neal made for the better, most notably Reaching for the Sky (which is way better than Heart of the Whirlwind) and the shortening of The Greatest Story Never Ends.
And speaking of TGSNE, I wonder why they never learned the a capella part, at least for Morsefest. Maybe it was just too much to learn, or too difficult? I'd love to hear why it was cut from the performance of the album, especially since they've gone through the trouble of learning the rest of the Ultimate version already.
It sounds to me like most of, if not all of, the voices in the a capella part are Neal's. Listen to it closely and let me know if you agree. My guess is it just didn't sound right, or the other guys couldn't do it justice, so they probably decided to scrap it rather than do it poorly. That's my theory anyway LOL
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The vocal intro to The Sun Comes Up Today sounded a little rocky, and that’s just one word, “Ah”.
With the a capella section of TGSNE, I think it was just too difficult to implement that section when there’s so much going on in that song already. These guys aren’t Spock’s Beard lol. That section is very much an outlier in the Transatlantic catalogue. As Kram said, it’s just Neal singing on the album, just overdubbed a thousand times. I think it would have been a train wreck live, even with Ted and the choir.
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I definitely agree that the ultimate version makes all the right choices. I listened to TBoL first, so when I first heard Forevermore, I was immediately struck by how much worse Heart Like a Whirlwind was and how much better that version of Higher Than the Morning was.
Yep, it is glaring in both cases, IMO. The lyrics to Heart Like a Whirlwind are clunky and awkward, and do not seem to mesh well with the written melodies and the cadences of the singers.
TGSNE on the Ultimate cut is actually longer than both of the other two versions (from Forevermore and TBOL), mostly because the version on Forevermore takes part of intro "Love Made A Way" and tacks it onto the end of its track. If you chop that off and put it back onto the finale, the Forevermore version of TGSNE is really only 3:16 long, and the TBOL version is 2:58, while the Ultimate version is 4:55 and takes parts that are unique to both of the others and combines them together.
And speaking of TGSNE, I wonder why they never learned the a capella part, at least for Morsefest. Maybe it was just too much to learn, or too difficult? I'd love to hear why it was cut from the performance of the album, especially since they've gone through the trouble of learning the rest of the Ultimate version already.
I can't keep track of which version on the ultimate edition and whatnot :lol, but my own personal ultimate edition has the 2:58 version of TGSNE, which is just perfect. The acapella sounds totally out of place and not even that interesting, so I am glad that not only do we have a great version that omits it, but that the band left it out of the live performances. Smart move, fellas. :tup :tup
The vocal intro to The Sun Comes Up Today sounded a little rocky, and that’s just one word, “Ah”.
Some good banter though when Portnoy introduced the beginning of it...
MP: "Okay, get ready, musicians. You too, Pete."
PT: (after laughing) "There're drummer jokes, too."
:lol :lol :lol
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I definitely agree that the ultimate version makes all the right choices. I listened to TBoL first, so when I first heard Forevermore, I was immediately struck by how much worse Heart Like a Whirlwind was and how much better that version of Higher Than the Morning was.
Yep, it is glaring in both cases, IMO. The lyrics to Heart Like a Whirlwind are clunky and awkward, and do not seem to mesh well with the written melodies and the cadences of the singers.
I completely agree with this, but sometimes I wonder if we think like that because Reaching for the Sky was released as the first single, so we already knew how the song "should" sound before listening to the other version :eek
The vocal intro to The Sun Comes Up Today sounded a little rocky, and that’s just one word, “Ah”.
Some good banter though when Portnoy introduced the beginning of it...
MP: "Okay, get ready, musicians. You too, Pete."
PT: (after laughing) "There're drummer jokes, too."
:lol :lol :lol
:rollin
This reminded me of the BAF making of video where Mike shows the whiteboard with Neal's ideas, Roine's ideas, Pete's ideas, and then he went on to show "his" ideas, which were a bunch of cover song suggestions. "yes, that's my contribution to this band" :lol :lol :lol
Oh and, btw, I don't really know who's who on those DTFers gathering pics, but it's great to see so many of you having a great time together :metal :tup
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I definitely agree that the ultimate version makes all the right choices. I listened to TBoL first, so when I first heard Forevermore, I was immediately struck by how much worse Heart Like a Whirlwind was and how much better that version of Higher Than the Morning was.
Yep, it is glaring in both cases, IMO. The lyrics to Heart Like a Whirlwind are clunky and awkward, and do not seem to mesh well with the written melodies and the cadences of the singers.
I completely agree with this, but sometimes I wonder if we think like that because Reaching for the Sky was released as the first single, so we already knew how the song "should" sound before listening to the other version :eek
On the one hand, I can vouch that I did not listen to any of the singles before I got the album.
On the other hand, I listened to TBoL several times before ever listening to Forevermore.
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It's also noteworthy that Ted Leonard sang the lead vocals on Lay Down Your Life on Friday. I thought that was a great decision, as Neal really belts it out on the regular version, and had he tried to do the song justice Friday, he might have blown his voice out for the rest of that show and for Saturday's. Also, as someone who has definitely noticed the aging in his voice the last few years, Neal's voice sounded really good both nights.
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I guess I'm the only one who prefers "Heart Like A Whirlwind" to "Reaching For the Sky" by a big margin. I had listened to The Ultimate version for a month at least before I listed to Breath of Life and it just didn't sound right Neal's way. It's what you prefer, I don't know how someone says "this is much better, the other is clearly worse". It's all subjective.
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It's also noteworthy that Ted Leonard sang the lead vocals on Lay Down Your Life on Friday.
Yes! Loved that section. He also sang the chorus to Set us Free. Ted was the MVP of the weekend.
I remember listening to the Whirlwind a couple weeks ago and thinking how cool it would be to have Ted sing it. On the two live albums from the Whirld Tour, Neal sounds really wonky on that section, and would certainly sound worse nowadays.
Honestly, if TA ever does another record, I’d love for Ted to join the band as a member. I think he really completes the band, especially with all that he adds in the live shows. He can do all the complex parts that Roine seems uninterested in playing, like Is It Really Happening.
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It's also noteworthy that Ted Leonard sang the lead vocals on Lay Down Your Life on Friday. I thought that was a great decision, as Neal really belts it out on the regular version, and had he tried to do the song justice Friday, he might have blown his voice out for the rest of that show and for Saturday's. Also, as someone who has definitely noticed the aging in his voice the last few years, Neal's voice sounded really good both nights.
Looking forward to hearing how Ted handles this part. The vocals on that movement are the only part of The Whirlwind that I don't love. Just not a big fan of that part of Neal's voice.
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I only took one video from the show, the ending to Stranger in Your Soul from the Medley
https://youtu.be/1AIRxbx1d5s
This also seems to be the only video of MF22 on YouTube. Made it unlisted in case Radiant is hunting these videos down.
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Ah, so you are the one they were talking about? Kidding!! :P
For those unaware, someone apparently was recording a lot of their phone Friday night and made a certain angle unusable for the eventual live release, since those shots will all have that person's phone up in the air recording. Ugh.
As for Ted, I can't go as far as saying he was the MVP of the weekend, but his contributions were invaluable. :tup :tup That said, I hope TA stays as 4-man unit in the studio going forward. No need to mess with a winning formula. :) :)
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Ah, so you are the one they were talking about? Kidding!! :P
For those unaware, someone apparently was recording a lot of their phone Friday night and made a certain angle unusable for the eventual live release, since those shots will all have that person's phone up in the air recording. Ugh.
:lol It's funny you mention that. They did say that the person was sitting in the same vicinity as me and kingshmegland. Before the show started during Night 2, the guy that was sitting next to me(and in front of king) moved to a different seat in a different section...I wonder if he was the culprit :lol
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Show tonight was great. Whirlwind was a little rough around the edges here and there, which is to be expected given they haven't played it in full in more than a decade. Highlight fore might've been We All Need Some Light with the string quartet, just beautiful. Wondering if Shine was a last minute addition to the set given that it was abridged (no Roine solo and Neal took almost all of the vocals).
If they are just doing two epics tomorrow night I'd prefer they do All of the Above and Stranger. To me those are the quintessential TA epics and most deserving of the Morsefest bells and whistles
So many thoughts to express since this crazy weekend, but I feel like the bolded is true for sure. I think it is likely to be confirmed by the band, Portnoy being the likely choice, at some point, but with the abridged version with no guitar solo and Neal doing all of the lead vocals except for Portnoy's bridge, it felt like it was a last minute addition, especially with it being back to back with We All Need Some Light, as I would have thought if both got played, we'd get one each night.
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Ah, so you are the one they were talking about? Kidding!! :P
For those unaware, someone apparently was recording a lot of their phone Friday night and made a certain angle unusable for the eventual live release, since those shots will all have that person's phone up in the air recording. Ugh.
As for Ted, I can't go as far as saying he was the MVP of the weekend, but his contributions were invaluable. :tup :tup That said, I hope TA stays as 4-man unit in the studio going forward. No need to mess with a winning formula. :) :)
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I took 2 minutes of "Is it Really Happening." Lol
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What a (lonesome) rebel. :P
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Lol.
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The CttE first show was The Whirlwind medley, Bridge Across Forever, and the Big Medley as I guess we’re calling it (the one from the rest of the tour).
The band played well, especially Pete, but most of the crowd did not seem to be super into the show IMO. My guess is that it was because these festival-esque crowds are there for lots of bands and most folks likely just don’t really know TA all that well. It could also have been because the show started 3 hours late (no joke) because boarding earlier in the day was delayed and threw everything off schedule. Mike was working the crowd as best he could but folks just weren’t standing or really getting all that excited.
Roine had a really bad frog in his throat all night and had basically no range. I felt bad for him. He kept putting a palm to his chest when he sang and either cracked, went way off pitch, or backed away entirely. He coughed at one point in the middle of singing. Maybe his voice is worn out from Morsefest or maybe he was just tired due to the show starting so late. His solos were on point though and sounded great.
Overall I thought the EQ and clarity of the mix was a little better than Morsefest for some reason. But I was in the back of the room in Nashville so maybe that’s why. It sounded really good tonight though.
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Ah, so I'm not the only person from the forum who did both Morsefest and CttE. Pretty much agree with all of the above, there was definitely a very noticeable gap in crowd engagement from the TN shows to last night, which isn't a surprise given that plenty of people on the cruise aren't familiar with them. Pete, as always, was a highlight, and Roine was struggling a little bit, first with a tech issue with his guitar and later with his vocals. I was expecting a slightly longer set since they're a headliner for the cruise, but thinking maybe they cut a song since they didn't start until 9:30 (original scheduled for 7pm), and Martin Barre still had to play a set in the same venue afterwards.
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I noticed Roine doing the palm to his chest thing a few times on Saturday, but I figured it was for show, like touching your heart when singing a heartfelt lyric. He must have been in the early stages of whatever is ailing him, although I thought he sang well both nights. Bummer to hear about issues at the cruise, but I would imagine there are a lot of moving parts to where having everything go off as planned may not be realistic.
Also, I held off saying this before now, but I can't listen to (the song) Bridge Across Forever anymore, at least for now. Visions of my mom popped into my head during the song Saturday night, totally blindsiding me. :( :(
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I didn’t go to the Flower Kings show today but someone at dinner said his voice was totally shot at that show and he handed off almost all of his vocals to someone else. Apparently he apologized/commented on it and said he hopes to be feeling better for the TAU show later this week.
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Kev, that sucks. So far, the wife and I are only feeling with allergies. Tis the season.
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I don’t know how touring musicians (singers especially) do it. I have a tendency to get colds and sore throats whenever I travel, and it must be even worse doing it internationally while singing and being around a ton of people.
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Was their 2nd Cruise show just TAU or did they play anything else?
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Second set was just TAU and Ted took some of Roine's vocals
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Second set was just TAU and Ted took some of Roine's vocals
Thanks :tup
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Huh, looks like The Daily Doug went to the Montclair NJ show!
https://youtu.be/Dw1RpyhSUQE
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Huh, looks like The Daily Doug went to the Montclair NJ show!
https://youtu.be/Dw1RpyhSUQE
The Daily Doug’s concert report from this weekend:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw1RpyhSUQE
Yep! Watched it a few weeks ago. I'm glad he liked it, especially since it was so early in the tour run.
-Marc.
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So I got bored and I ranked (almost) all of the Transatlantic songs. No covers or bonus tracks.
1. Stranger in Your Soul
2. Duel With the Devil
3. All of the Above
4. Rose Colored Glasses
5. My New World
6. Into the Blue
7. Suite Charlotte Pike
8. Overture / Whirlwind
9. The World We Used to Know
10. Is It Really Happening?
11. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
12. Higher Than the Morning
13. Black as the Sky
14. The Greatest Story Never Ends
15. Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise)
16. Reaching for the Sky
17. Take Now My Soul
18. On the Prowl
19. Owl Howl
20. Lay Down Your Life
21. A Man Can Feel
22. We All Need Some Light
23. Evermore
24. Love Made A Way
25. The Wind Blew Them All Away
26. Overture (The Absolute Universe)
27. The Darkness in the Light
28. Kaleidoscope
29. The Sun Comes Up Today
30. Out of the Night
31. Looking for the Light
32. Bridge Across Forever
33. Rainbow Sky
34. Set Us Free
35. Mystery Train
36. Bully
37. Can You Feel It
38. Solitude
39. Belong
40. Shine
41. Lonesome Rebel
42. Love Made a Way (Prelude)
43. Pieces of Heaven
44. Beyond the Sun
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Controversial opinion from me, but I think All of the Above feels like a bunch of (admittedly cool) stuff thrown together. It never felt coherent to me. I think all subsequent work from them is much better in this regard.
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So I got bored and I ranked (almost) all of the Transatlantic songs. No covers or bonus tracks.
1. Stranger in Your Soul
2. Duel With the Devil
3. All of the Above
4. Rose Colored Glasses
5. My New World
6. Into the Blue
7. Suite Charlotte Pike
8. Overture / Whirlwind
9. The World We Used to Know
10. Is It Really Happening?
11. Looking for the Light (Reprise)
12. Higher Than the Morning
13. Black as the Sky
14. The Greatest Story Never Ends
15. Dancing With Eternal Glory / Whirlwind (Reprise)
16. Reaching for the Sky
17. Take Now My Soul
18. On the Prowl
19. Owl Howl
20. Lay Down Your Life
21. A Man Can Feel
22. We All Need Some Light
23. Evermore
24. Love Made A Way
25. The Wind Blew Them All Away
26. Overture (The Absolute Universe)
27. The Darkness in the Light
28. Kaleidoscope
29. The Sun Comes Up Today
30. Out of the Night
31. Looking for the Light
32. Bridge Across Forever
33. Rainbow Sky
34. Set Us Free
35. Mystery Train
36. Bully
37. Can You Feel It
38. Solitude
39. Belong
40. Shine
41. Lonesome Rebel
42. Love Made a Way (Prelude)
43. Pieces of Heaven
44. Beyond the Sun
Nice list! It is hard to argue with the top 5 (although my order would be slightly different), and I suspect We All Need Some Light, A Man Can Feel, On the Prowl and The World We Used to Know would be my next four. Not sure what would round out my top 10.
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This thread reminds me of Michelangelo and the Pope (https://youtu.be/l9Aj7W3g1qo?t=22) from Monty Python. "I'll tell you what you want mate, you want a bloody photographer, not an artist!" Somebody earlier said they felt sorry for anybody who went to the first two shows. They shouldn't. I feel sorry for people who missed it. I noticed every flub there was, and I still thought they were wonderful concerts. Christ, RCG and the SiYS conclusion alone were enough to justify this trip for me, and while there are plenty of people who won't get to see it, others are complaining because what they're seeing on YT isn't flawless like it is on the album. Don't get it. :dunno:
Had a total blast at those two shows, but I knew what I was getting into being it was the first two shows with minimal rehearsal time. There were also technical issues.
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Not surprisingly, Neal confirmed in his latest Inner Circle newsletter than Shine was a last minute addition to night 1 of Morsefest this year, which is why the abridged version was played (sounds like Roine didn't want to have to relearn the guitar solo he probably hadn't played in 7-8 years at the last minute given all of the material they were already running through to get ready in the last day or two leading up to Morsefest).
I also like that Neal could tell how good his voice sounded night 1. He sounded good night 2 as well, but as much as his voice has aged in recent years, he sounded fantastic that first night. Getting that live rendition of The Whirlwind on Blu-ray eventually will be so sweet.
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To be fair, haven't we established that Roine doesn't want to relearn ANY solo? :lol
I was thinking the other day about how much better a Transatlantic Morsefest would have been Pre-TAU. They played about 5 hours of material between both nights, and if you look at TA's discography minus TAU and bonus tracks/covers, it's just over 5 hours. Hypothetically speaking, back then they could have played their entire main discography at Morsefest. TAU is great, and I'm happy with what we got, but just imagine how cool it would have been.
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To be fair, haven't we established that Roine doesn't want to relearn ANY solo? :lol
I was thinking the other day about how much better a Transatlantic Morsefest would have been Pre-TAU. They played about 5 hours of material between both nights, and if you look at TA's discography minus TAU and bonus tracks/covers, it's just over 5 hours. Hypothetically speaking, back then they could have played their entire main discography at Morsefest. TAU is great, and I'm happy with what we got, but just imagine how cool it would have been.
Oh that is something I had wanted for YEARS. Night 1 could've been all of BAF straight through, then 2nd set with ITB, AOTA, WANSL. Night 2 would've then been all of The Whirlwind, followed by "Mystery Train", "My New World", as well as BATS, BTS/Kaleidoscope.
-Marc.
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I can't remember. Was this show filmed for a live album/DVD release?
I figure I'm locked in to one of those Artbooks if it is.
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I can't remember. Was this show filmed for a live album/DVD release?
I figure I'm locked in to one of those Artbooks if it is.
Morsefest was recorded. And I think I read that one of the Europeans shows will be recorded.
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Instrumentally-inclined folks, does anyone know the chords Neal is playing in the Lost and Found section of Stranger in Your Soul?
I’ve been learning some TA songs. In particular, Into the Blue, Duel With the Devil and parts of The Whrilwind.
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I can't remember. Was this show filmed for a live album/DVD release?
I figure I'm locked in to one of those Artbooks if it is.
Morsefest was recorded. And I think I read that one of the Europeans shows will be recorded.
Guess I somehow missed that announcement.
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From Facebook just now:
We are almost 2 weeks away from our final flights across The Absolute Universe!! These are *Absolute*ly the last shows of the tour (and maybe ever? 🤔), so don’t miss your opportunity to see this Prog Supergroup fly while you can… 🚀
**And in case you haven’t heard, the last show of the tour on July 28th at the Olympia in Paris 🇫🇷 will be filmed and immortalized for a live Blu-ray release!! So come be part of TA history for our very final flight that night…**
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From Facebook just now:
We are almost 2 weeks away from our final flights across The Absolute Universe!! These are *Absolute*ly the last shows of the tour (and maybe ever? 🤔), so don’t miss your opportunity to see this Prog Supergroup fly while you can… 🚀
**And in case you haven’t heard, the last show of the tour on July 28th at the Olympia in Paris 🇫🇷 will be filmed and immortalized for a live Blu-ray release!! So come be part of TA history for our very final flight that night…**
I'm so glad they're filming the LAST show of the tour. I still think it was unfortunate that, on the BAF Tour, they filmed the THIRD show of the whole tour, just as they were starting to feel comfortable with the material, but even so, Live In Europe turned out to be one of my favorite live albums of the 00s!
I'm excited to see what kind of unique changes or additions they'll make for that final show since they are filming it. I'm guessing they may release the Paris show first (perhaps before the end of 2022) before releasing Morsefest 2022, just because Neal *just* released Morsefest 2021 last month, so he might wait til next year to release, even though the show was recorded before this upcoming Paris show. Either way, I'm excited to get both sets on CD/BD in the next year or so.
I feel like every time Transatlantic has toured since 2010, it's always been "possibly the last tour", but I feel like this time, it might actually be, perhaps apart from some one-off reunion shows or sets. I think Transatlantic have really done all they could at this point in their career and even if they did make a 6th studio album, I'm not sure where they could go next that wouldn't feel like a rehash or retread of what they've done before. Heck, some feel like their last two albums already did that, so who knows if another one could provide anything fresh or meaningful.
-Marc.
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Seems likely. TAU is a good note to go out on.
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From Facebook just now:
We are almost 2 weeks away from our final flights across The Absolute Universe!! These are *Absolute*ly the last shows of the tour (and maybe ever? 🤔), so don’t miss your opportunity to see this Prog Supergroup fly while you can… 🚀
**And in case you haven’t heard, the last show of the tour on July 28th at the Olympia in Paris 🇫🇷 will be filmed and immortalized for a live Blu-ray release!! So come be part of TA history for our very final flight that night…**
I'm so glad they're filming the LAST show of the tour. I still think it was unfortunate that, on the BAF Tour, they filmed the THIRD show of the whole tour, just as they were starting to feel comfortable with the material, but even so, Live In Europe turned out to be one of my favorite live albums of the 00s!
I'm excited to see what kind of unique changes or additions they'll make for that final show since they are filming it. I'm guessing they may release the Paris show first (perhaps before the end of 2022) before releasing Morsefest 2022, just because Neal *just* released Morsefest 2021 last month, so he might wait til next year to release, even though the show was recorded before this upcoming Paris show. Either way, I'm excited to get both sets on CD/BD in the next year or so.
I feel like every time Transatlantic has toured since 2010, it's always been "possibly the last tour", but I feel like this time, it might actually be, perhaps apart from some one-off reunion shows or sets. I think Transatlantic have really done all they could at this point in their career and even if they did make a 6th studio album, I'm not sure where they could go next that wouldn't feel like a rehash or retread of what they've done before. Heck, some feel like their last two albums already did that, so who knows if another one could provide anything fresh or meaningful.
-Marc.
Yeah, I think this is a fine place for them to call it a day. Everyone is getting up there in age, and it probably makes sense for them to focus more on their main bands/projects going forward. It was a nice run (and it could have ended after BAF and I would have been fine with it).
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I agree with you guys. This feel like they're swan song (Morsefest did actually). Now Neal and Mike, please make NMB your FULLTIME band and stop messing with the side projects.
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Boy, they are really milking the "it might be the last time..." thing this year, aren't they? :lol
"Get your Morsefest tickets, it might be the last one!"
"Come to the Transatlantic show in two weeks, it might be the last one ever!"
:rollin :rollin
And wait, they are recording another show for release? So, there will be three different live releases from TA's 2022 touring?
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And wait, they are recording another show for release? So, there will be three different live releases from TA's 2022 touring?
I only know of two, Morsefest and the upcoming Paris show. What's the third?
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Hmmm, I thought the Tilburg show or one of the first ones after the cruise was being recorded. I could be misremembering.
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The NMB recorded a show in Tilburg, that’s probably what you’re thinking of. :biggrin:
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The NMB recorded a show in Tilburg, that’s probably what you’re thinking of. :biggrin:
That is correct. The NMB recorded their Tilburg show on their recent European tour, just as copies of Morsefest 2021 were hitting doorsteps and mailboxes. That's how long the Innocence & Danger "tour" has gone on. It's weird to think that that album is nearly a year old now, but The Absolute Universe came out half a year before I&D. I guess that's the nature of COVID delays and touring, especially when Mike and Neal are in both bands. And speaking of...
I agree with you guys. This feel like they're swan song (Morsefest did actually). Now Neal and Mike, please make NMB your FULLTIME band and stop messing with the side projects.
I wouldn't mind them permanently docking the Transatlantic ship, but I wouldn't mind at least one more Flying Colors album. Call it Fourth Wall and make that the last one. There could even be a behind-the-scene documentary called "Making The Fourth Wall" (gotta love the wordplay).
After that, Mike and Neal can do nothing but NMB for the rest of their musical relationship together for all I care!
-Marc.
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The NMB recorded a show in Tilburg, that’s probably what you’re thinking of. :biggrin:
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh, that's right. :facepalm: :facepalm:
As for the other topic here, I think NMB is as full time as it's gonna get, which feels like it's stuck in between being a full time band and a side project. I suspect an album/tour about every two years or so will continue to be the norm. Eric seems to be doing a lot of stuff on his own these days and is a father now, so who knows if he'd even want to commit to be in any band full time at the moment.
Besides, I don't want to lose Flying Colors. I want more albums out of them (yes, albums...plural!!).
As for Transatlantic, it wouldn't surprise me if Roine is not wild about doing any more albums after the way the last one went down. He couldn't have been happy with Neal's Breath of Life version that removed a lot of his guitar work and lead vocals. Plus, none of them are getting any younger. If this is it, they can be happy with the five studio albums they put out (and the 33 live albums :lol).
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I wouldn't mind if TA called it a day after this tour run, but please give me more FC! I'm sure they have at least a couple more albums in them :tup
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I wouldn't mind if TA never made another album but did tour again at some point down the road.
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I wouldn't mind if TA never made another album but did tour again at some point down the road.
I’d like to see that. It leaves more room in the setlist if they don’t have a new album to play all the way through. They could do a TAU medley or just a few select songs from TAU by themselves. And they can play some (definitely not all) of their other epics in full.
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I wouldn't mind if TA never made another album but did tour again at some point down the road.
Yes to both sentiments here....been really underwhelmed with their releases post 'Whirlwind'.....and while Whirlwind was really good....nothing has come close (for me) to the first two albums.
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I wouldn't mind if TA never made another album but did tour again at some point down the road.
Yes to both sentiments here....been really underwhelmed with their releases post 'Whirlwind'.....and while Whirlwind was really good....nothing has come close (for me) to the first two albums.
See, this is why you should have found a way to get to Morsefest this year. ;) Seeing all of The Absolute Universe played would have won you over. Still not on the level of the first three albums, but still pretty damn good. :hat :hat
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I wouldn't mind if TA never made another album but did tour again at some point down the road.
Yes to both sentiments here....been really underwhelmed with their releases post 'Whirlwind'.....and while Whirlwind was really good....nothing has come close (for me) to the first two albums.
See, this is why you should have found a way to get to Morsefest this year. ;) Seeing all of The Absolute Universe played would have won you over. Still not on the level of the first three albums, but still pretty damn good. :hat :hat
I also don't think anything they've come close to the first two albums, but TAU has been the best of the last 3 by a good margin for me.
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I wouldn't mind if TA never made another album but did tour again at some point down the road.
Yes to both sentiments here....been really underwhelmed with their releases post 'Whirlwind'.....and while Whirlwind was really good....nothing has come close (for me) to the first two albums.
See, this is why you should have found a way to get to Morsefest this year. ;) Seeing all of The Absolute Universe played would have won you over. Still not on the level of the first three albums, but still pretty damn good. :hat :hat
Yeah....I'm upset with myself for never making it to a Morsefest.....I just always had a conflict with the dates that couldn't be resolved. And as far as TAU goes....I've tried a good 4 or 5 listens but I just can't connect with it. To me all I hear is a mish mash of everything they've put out to this point arranged just a little bit differently. Does nothing for me....even the little moments that sound cool here and there are just buried in the 'been there done that' noise
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I was really set on going to Morsefest this year. Silly me somehow didn't keep track that it was played in April instead of the usual Sept slot. :sad:
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TAU is fine, but it just felt like them trying to recapture The Whirlwind, but instead it comes across as them making a piece as long as possible, solely for the sake of making it as long as possible. I’m referring to the Ultimate edition, as it’s the only version I ever listen to nowadays. But even with the shorter version, it still feels long for the sake of long.
Kaleidoscope is by far their weakest album, but I found a new appreciation for Into the Blue after seeing it at Morsefest, and enjoy it even more after learning how to play it (Very fun song on guitar).
Shine still does nothing for me.
Black as the Sky is pretty good and I think of it as a good gateway song. Something to show people what TA is without making them sit through a 30 minute song.
Beyond the Sun is a pale imitation of Bridge Across Forever.
Kaleidoscope is too long and incoherent. It has some cool sections but it just does not flow well at ALL.
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I thought TAU was a big return to form after, what I consider clearly their weakest effort, Kaleidoscope. Is it as good as BAF and Whirlwind? No, those are my favorites, but I think it's pretty awesome as well.
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I thought it was a big return to form after their weakest effort as well. It is hard to imagine them ever beating The Whilrwind. But the first two albums are neck and neck right behind it, and I initially considered TAU right up there with them, possibly at #3. Now that the newness has worn off, I wouldn't rank it quite so high. It definitely comes in at #4. But I still think it is really, really good.
As for Transatlantic, it wouldn't surprise me if Roine is not wild about doing any more albums after the way the last one went down. He couldn't have been happy with Neal's Breath of Life version that removed a lot of his guitar work and lead vocals. Plus, none of them are getting any younger. If this is it, they can be happy with the five studio albums they put out (and the 33 live albums :lol).
From the way it happened, I can only assume it left a bad taste in his mouth as well. But that said, I always feel compelled to remind myself in these situations that we as fans know next to nothing about how it all happened and how anyone feels about it. We only have the smallest picture of the details. So it's kind of pointless to speculate about how anyone in the band may or may not feel moving forward.
But as you said, if this is truly the last album, I think it's fine. They're going out on a relatively high note. Maybe not as high as if they called it quits after the first three albums. But those first three are an incredibly high bar to clear for ANY band. Some of the best prog music ever made, and they can be proud of their legacy.
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This arrived today
(https://i.imgur.com/WeArf4e.jpg)
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This arrived today
(https://i.imgur.com/WeArf4e.jpg)
Son of a!! You got it!!
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I know I have said this before, but TAU would have been improved overall had the last song been a lot better. Love Made a Way is solid, but as the closer after such a long ride to get there, it is way too underwhelming. Even live, it just didn't have nearly the oomph live that you would have wanted. Broken Sky/Long Day (reprise) ending Similitude, which I was lucky enough to see twice, was beyond amazing. A Love Never Dies ending The Great Adventure was pretty great (despite the album overall being merely "very good"). Dancing with Eternal Glory/Whirlwind (reprise) ending The Whirlwind at Morsefest this year was amazing. Love Made a Way ending The Absolute Universe felt...anti-climatic.
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Yeah, Love Made A Way is a slog. Can You Feel it would have been a better way to end it. Or maybe just put a different ending on The Greatest Story Never Ends
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While not on the level of some of the examples given (from some of the best prog albums out there), I think Love Made a Way is great. In particular the version found on The Breath of Life, which I think is superior and it feels more like a closer.
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I thought it was a big return to form after their weakest effort as well. It is hard to imagine them ever beating The Whilrwind. But the first two albums are neck and neck right behind it, and I initially considered TAU right up there with them, possibly at #3. Now that the newness has worn off, I wouldn't rank it quite so high. It definitely comes in at #4. But I still think it is really, really good.
As for Transatlantic, it wouldn't surprise me if Roine is not wild about doing any more albums after the way the last one went down. He couldn't have been happy with Neal's Breath of Life version that removed a lot of his guitar work and lead vocals. Plus, none of them are getting any younger. If this is it, they can be happy with the five studio albums they put out (and the 33 live albums :lol).
From the way it happened, I can only assume it left a bad taste in his mouth as well. But that said, I always feel compelled to remind myself in these situations that we as fans know next to nothing about how it all happened and how anyone feels about it. We only have the smallest picture of the details. So it's kind of pointless to speculate about how anyone in the band may or may not feel moving forward.
But as you said, if this is truly the last album, I think it's fine. They're going out on a relatively high note. Maybe not as high as if they called it quits after the first three albums. But those first three are an incredibly high bar to clear for ANY band. Some of the best prog music ever made, and they can be proud of their legacy.
I think Bosk is right; I watch all the documentaries and stuff and I think since the second album I've felt "Roine is done with this shit, TA is over" and yet they come back. So who knows? If he's okay with it, who are we to say?
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I think Bosk is right; I watch all the documentaries and stuff and I think since the second album I've felt "Roine is done with this shit, TA is over" and yet they come back. So who knows? If he's okay with it, who are we to say?
I reckon being a musician is like any other job in the sense that you will have days and certain things about it that bug ya, but you grin and bear it, and it is likely that TA is still satisfying enough on a creative level that Roine can deal with not really being in charge. And Transatlantic really does sound quite a bit different than any other band/project of which he is a part, the most obvious difference being that TA is always produced and mixed to sound very American (Roine's SMPTe mix notwithstanding), while The Flower Kings, for example, very much have that European sound (more airy, less wall of sound).
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If TA did another tour somewhere down the line(No new album, just a tour), what would you want the setlist to be? And how would you condense TAU into a ~20-30 minute medley?
Mine is:
Into the Blue
We All Need Some Light
My New World
Duel With the Devil
-intermission-
All of the Above
TAU Medley:
-Overture (Shortened)
-Reaching for the Sky
-Take Now My Soul
-The Greatest Story Never Ends (TBOL version)
-Love Made a Way (Reprise)
Whirlwind Medley:
-Overture/Whirlwind
-Rose Colored Glasses
-Dancing With Eternal Glory/Whirlwind (Reprise)
Encore:
Stranger in Your Soul
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If TA did another tour somewhere down the line(No new album, just a tour), what would you want the setlist to be? And how would you condense TAU into a ~20-30 minute medley?
Mine is:
Into the Blue
We All Need Some Light
My New World
Duel With the Devil
-intermission-
All of the Above
TAU Medley:
-Overture (Shortened)
-Reaching for the Sky
-Take Now My Soul
-The Greatest Story Never Ends (TBOL version)
-Love Made a Way (Reprise)
Whirlwind Medley:
-Overture/Whirlwind
-Rose Colored Glasses
-Dancing With Eternal Glory/Whirlwind (Reprise)
Encore:
Stranger in Your Soul
Excellent set - my only change woud be ending The Whirldwin with "Is It Really Happening" - For me this would have made a better end of the album musically v. TWEG.
I love how Stranger In Your Soul as the Encore is so predictable and yet I don't ever NOT want them to finish a concern without playing it. It's such a classic.
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Rule 1: no medleys. More often than not, they are a killjoy.
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Rule 1: no medleys. More often than not, they are a killjoy.
And I completely agree, but knowing MP, let's prepare for 'The Absolute Whirlwind' medley next time they tour :P (IF there's a next time).
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Rule 1: no medleys. More often than not, they are a killjoy.
In the case of the big medley they’ve been playing as an encore recently, I completely agree. Total tease.
But in the case of TAU and the Whirlwind, I disagree. I think it’s the best way to represent albums like that outside of playing them in full, which I guarantee will never happen again after this tour cycle.
And in these medleys, the comprising songs are being played in full, other than the overtures which I don’t think necessarily need to be played in full. So I really don’t see the problem.
Alternatively, there are some songs that work as standalone songs without being tied to the song before or after it. The World We Used to Know could easily be played by itself. Or a mini-suite of a few songs that connect together. But then you’re entering medley territory. :P
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When is something a ‘medley’ and when is it simply two songs being played back to back? ???
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When is something a ‘medley’ and when is it simply two songs being played back to back? ???
Right, I think the idea that playing a few songs in a row from the same album constitutes a medley is a bit off. Now, if abridged versions of the songs are played, that is a different story, but yeah if the songs are played in full back to back, it is merely songs being played back to back, not a medley.
Honestly, as great as Morsefest was this year, the big medley at the end of night 2 was a total tease. In the case of each "song" featured in the medley, I was just really getting into it when they herky jerked into the next song. I am sure they viewed it as their way of being able to say each song was played, but, no, not really. Let's assume for the sake of argument that 2022 is the only time Transatlantic ever does Morsefest, which I think is a fair assumption. History will show that In the Blue was deemed worthy of being played in full, but All of the Above, Duel with the Devil and Stranger in Your Soul, all of which seem to be far more popular with the collective fanbase, were not. And that is not even taking into account how not great medleys are in general. Night 1 would still rate pretty high on my list of all-time concerts on the strength alone of seeing The Whirlwind played in full (and the presence of both We All Need Some Light and the Procol Harum cover helped as well), but In the Blue kicked it off was definitely a bit of "jeez, really?" moment. Good song overall, but not super special like the TA "sidelong" epics from the earlier albums.
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I love Into the Blue. :P
The rest of that album is lackluster, as I’ve stated recently, but if I had to pick just one song from that album to play at Morsefest, it’s definitely Into the Blue.
Regarding Medleys, ok maybe “medley” isn’t the right word to use my hypothetical set, moreso a “Suite” I guess? Does that make everybody happy? :lol
I still stand by those song choices regardless.
Imagine if a TA Morsefest had happened during the Kaleidoscope Era.
Reposting this because I still think this would have been a better idea.
I was thinking the other day about how much better a Transatlantic Morsefest would have been Pre-TAU. They played about 5 hours of material between both nights, and if you look at TA's discography minus TAU and bonus tracks/covers, it's just over 5 hours. Hypothetically speaking, back then they could have played their entire main discography at Morsefest. TAU is great, and I'm happy with what we got, but just imagine how cool it would have been.
I definitely wouldn’t want them to play everything in chronological order, as I don’t think Kaleidoscope (the song) is that great of a closer. So I’d mix it up and do:
Night 1: The Odds
SMPTe
-intermission-
The Whirlwind
Night 2: The Evens
Kaleidoscope
-intermission-
Bridge Across Forever
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Rule 1: no medleys. More often than not, they are a killjoy.
Medleys are weird though. My favorite piece of recorded music ever is a medley (the In The Cage medley by Genesis from Three Sides Live). They knew how to do it right. Another good one is the medley from the live Dregs album, "Bring Em Back Alive". I think when it's just to cram as many song snippets as you can, they blow. When it's interpolating a cool other tune in to make the whole better, it works. I kind of like the summaries of the "2-CD prog opus" that we sometimes get from Neal Morse. I don't care for the "riff teaser" medleys like Rush did on the.. I think it was the R30 set.
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I don't care for the "riff teaser" medleys like Rush did on the.. I think it was the R30 set.
The “R30 Overture”. Fun in concept, but a tease in execution. It’s nice to give those songs representation live without Geddy having to sing them, but I think we’d all still prefer to hear them played in full.
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I really don't mind bands playing medleys, I see why they do it, but I guess it depends on the band. I generally prefer actual full versions of songs as a rule.
I think the Whirlwind medley works because it's a way to play the best bits of it without playing the whole thing, although it would have been nice if they'd played some different bits of it this time round. Dropping the end of Stranger in Your Soul onto the back of anything else doesn't work for me because that is such a great song and you really need to earn the ending. Either play All of the Above or Stranger, that particular mix-and-match just doesn't work.
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Rule 1: no medleys.
this this this
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I have mixed feelings on medleys. I tend to dislike them more than I like them. And with longer, epic pieces like what we are talking about, those epics often build in a logical way such that playing only parts takes away from the magic of the entire piece. So, in general, I agree with the "no medleys" position for Transatlantic. It really does take away from what their songs do individually.
The exception would be, as noted, for The Whirlwind. But that is because, compositionally, it is somewhat of an oddity in that, much like Six Degrees, it is structured to feel like loosely-related individual songs in a suite and feels less like a single song of related movements. So playing parts individually or back-to-back as a single piece feels less jarring. TAU has a very similar feel, but they simply chose in that case to structure it as an album of loosely-related individual songs.
Unrelated, but one Morse-related medley that did work well for me is the one Bill put together to close out the Great Adventure shows. Given the length of the set for TGA alone, a medley made sense, and I thought Bill did a great job constructing that one, a couple of individual song choices notwithstanding (Leviathan).
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When is something a ‘medley’ and when is it simply two songs being played back to back? ???
Right, I think the idea that playing a few songs in a row from the same album constitutes a medley is a bit off. Now, if abridged versions of the songs are played, that is a different story, but yeah if the songs are played in full back to back, it is merely songs being played back to back, not a medley.
This is the correct answer.
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And with longer, epic pieces like what we are talking about, those epics often build in a logical way such that playing only parts takes away from the magic of the entire piece.
And I agree with this as well!
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Rule 1: no medleys. More often than not, they are a killjoy.
Medleys are weird though. My favorite piece of recorded music ever is a medley (the In The Cage medley by Genesis from Three Sides Live). They knew how to do it right. Another good one is the medley from the live Dregs album, "Bring Em Back Alive". I think when it's just to cram as many song snippets as you can, they blow. When it's interpolating a cool other tune in to make the whole better, it works. I kind of like the summaries of the "2-CD prog opus" that we sometimes get from Neal Morse. I don't care for the "riff teaser" medleys like Rush did on the.. I think it was the R30 set.
The problem with the medleys with Neal (and his bands) is when they do them for the concept albums, they feel they need to still bookend them parts of the overture and parts of the ending, so you get drib drabs of everything. They could easily do a Whirlwind "medley" where it is 4 or 5 of the songs played in full and nothing else. Songs like A Man Can Feel and Rose Covered Glasses could easily stand out as standalone songs in a set list, like if they did one early in the set, one later in the set, etc., rather then doing all of the songs from the album in a row.
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I don't care for the "riff teaser" medleys like Rush did on the.. I think it was the R30 set.
The “R30 Overture”. Fun in concept, but a tease in execution. It’s nice to give those songs representation live without Geddy having to sing them, but I think we’d all still prefer to hear them played in full.
I was fine with the R30 Overture simply because most of those bits were from songs they were never going to play in full, in some cases because that was no way Geddy could sing them anymore, so it was nice to get anything from them, plus by making the entire overture all instrumental (before the segue way into the full Spirit of Radio), it felt less herky jerky.
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I really don't mind bands playing medleys, I see why they do it, but I guess it depends on the band. I generally prefer actual full versions of songs as a rule.
I think the Whirlwind medley works because it's a way to play the best bits of it without playing the whole thing, although it would have been nice if they'd played some different bits of it this time round. Dropping the end of Stranger in Your Soul onto the back of anything else doesn't work for me because that is such a great song and you really need to earn the ending. Either play All of the Above or Stranger, that particular mix-and-match just doesn't work.
Agreed. In the sense of the big long epics that Neal does (solo or in a band), the payoff is usually so damn good at the end, but you need the journey getting there to feel the full impact of it.
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Unrelated, but one Morse-related medley that did work well for me is the one Bill put together to close out the Great Adventure shows. Given the length of the set for TGA alone, a medley made sense, and I thought Bill did a great job constructing that one, a couple of individual song choices notwithstanding (Leviathan).
That is one medley I actually did enjoy a lot. It helped that I knew what was coming, but it seemed to flow pretty well. Being front row for the STL show on that tour sure helped a lot as well. This was me during The Conflict section of that medley: :metal :metal
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For long concept albums or epics an abbreviated version makes sense to me and I am not bothered by it at all. And while I can really like medley's, I do think the finisher of their current set is a bit disappointing. The Whirlwind album summary is awesome though, I am glad they are playing that.
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For long concept albums or epics an abbreviated version makes sense to me and I am not bothered by it at all. And while I can really like medley's, I do think the finisher of their current set is a bit disappointing. The Whirlwind album summary is awesome though, I am glad they are playing that.
This is exactly my intention. A summary of of the album. Only reason I use the term medley is because that’s what the band has called that grouping (Overture/Whirlwind/RCG/IIRH?/Whirlwind Reprise) or variations of that grouping in the past. See the KaLIVEoscope and Morsefest 2015 live albums. So naturally, if they did an abbreviated version of TAU, they would probably call it the TAU medley.
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I don't care for the "riff teaser" medleys like Rush did on the.. I think it was the R30 set.
The “R30 Overture”. Fun in concept, but a tease in execution. It’s nice to give those songs representation live without Geddy having to sing them, but I think we’d all still prefer to hear them played in full.
I was fine with the R30 Overture simply because most of those bits were from songs they were never going to play in full, in some cases because that was no way Geddy could sing them anymore, so it was nice to get anything from them, plus by making the entire overture all instrumental (before the segue way into the full Spirit of Radio), it felt less herky jerky.
That has grown on me over the years. Didn't like it then but it's better than when they played the full versions on later tours. (That's something that never should have happened for the most part.)
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More Flying Colors and Transatlantic please. There was some real growth and diversity on the recent albums and the concerts were even better. Not expecting anything real soon, but it would be a shame if they didn't take these bands as far as they can go.
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More Flying Colors and Transatlantic please. There was some real growth and diversity on the recent albums and the concerts were even better. Not expecting anything real soon, but it would be a shame if they didn't take these bands as far as they can go.
It feels like stylistically and taking into account the kinds of albums they make from a structural standpoint, Transatlantic has gone as far as they want to go, given the constrains they've seemingly put on themselves. The 4th album was basically following the format they established on the first two, and the 5th album was all but following the format of The Whirlwind. Don't get me wrong, I'd eat up a 6th TA album like you wouldn't believe, but I am just saying, I don't see them throwing a curveball at us if it happens.
Flying Colors is another story. Third Degree was definitely a bit different, so I can't wait to see what the next album will sound like. The sooner, the better. :hat
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MP on Twitter just now:
https://twitter.com/mikeportnoy/status/1551730585634217985?s=21&t=TZEoqdzFkib86ywpHEHKYw
Glad you enjoyed…this is THE END for me… London & Paris, take note
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Is he saying that he isn’t playing London and Paris?
Did he get Covid again??
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All the guys in the band have been very big on social media saying how this could very well be the last TA shows. Maybe after all is said and done with tour they plan to straight up put the band to rest.
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All the guys in the band have been very big on social media saying how this could very well be the last TA shows. Maybe after all is said and done with tour they plan to straight up put the band to rest.
I assumed that’s what he meant, but the way he worded it was that Tilburg was his last show.
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All the guys in the band have been very big on social media saying how this could very well be the last TA shows. Maybe after all is said and done with tour they plan to straight up put the band to rest.
I assumed that’s what he meant, but the way he worded it was that Tilburg was his last show.
I think he’s telling London and Paris fans to be there, because those are the last chance to see the band.
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Kinda figured just from the documentary on the new album. They talked about the whole thing. Roine is 65, Pete is 63. With as long as the gaps are between albums, they could easily be in their 70's by the next one and this music is not easy to play even as a young person. Pete was chugging Red Bull at my show. It's probably time.
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I figured this would be the end of the band, and I hope the Paris show I an all-out blast. I envy everyone able to make it to that show. If you're going, make sure it's a blast.
-Marc.
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The "for me" part is what is interesting is that makes it sounds like he is ready for it to be done rather than the others. Granted, I am sure he wants to speak for only himself and not the others, but throwing it out there like that comes off a bit like "the others may go on, but this is the end for me," and of course I think we all know that with no Mike Portnoy, there is no Transatlantic.
I have said it before, but I will say it again that I will not be surprised if word trickles out eventually from inside sources that the relationship between Neal and Roine was fractured due to the events leading up to the release of TAU. And being so close to the battle lines, Portnoy, as he gets older, might not want to deal with any kind of friction when it comes to the process anymore. And who could blame him? I am speculating of course, but it just feels like the most likely reason.
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I think it means it's the end of the band (I've figured this was likely since the leadup to Morsefest), but it is an ambiguous tweet. Classic MP moment in the replies, where someone asks why he's being cryptic, and he says "That wasn’t cryptic AT ALL…I laid it out for all to see…" Which doesn't clarify the tweet at all :lol
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I think it means it's the end of the band (I've figured this was likely since the leadup to Morsefest), but it is an ambiguous tweet. Classic MP moment in the replies, where someone asks why he's being cryptic, and he says "That wasn’t cryptic AT ALL…I laid it out for all to see…" Which doesn't clarify the tweet at all :lol
MP being MP :rollin
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013 yesterday was a great night. Especially Neal and MP were on fire. Glad I was able to see them. Some clear mistakes here and there, but overall tight.
I will say that despite me enjoying The Absolute Universe, I thought straight up playing the ultimate version wasn't ideal. I would've greatly preferred them keeping it to an hour and playing full(er) versions of the closers.
There was a lady operating a bunch of cameras in the back. One aimed at each member and one actively being operated. So it seems they did record some material at 013? I assume it is to have some material to splice in the Paris show if necessary?
Also, I think ticket sales weren't going all too well, the dvd show even had a half price sale. I hope they realise it is holiday season in the EU and that many concert venues are closed this time of the year for good reasons. That and in Tilburg it is the largest fair of the Netherlands right now for 10 days (of it's type).
All the guys in the band have been very big on social media saying how this could very well be the last TA shows. Maybe after all is said and done with tour they plan to straight up put the band to rest.
I assumed that’s what he meant, but the way he worded it was that Tilburg was his last show.
I think he’s telling London and Paris fans to be there, because those are the last chance to see the band.
To me it is pretty clear it is this.
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With all the rail and tube strikes over here, London tomorrow is likely to be empty.
Am looking forward to it...
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The Absolute Universe took a while to really grow on me, but when it did, wow. I put it at the the top alongside Bridge Across Forever. And really, TAU is probably my favorite (The Ultimate Edition), but BAF has the nostalgia factor.
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(https://i.ibb.co/WDVHPG6/Captura-de-Pantalla-2022-07-26-a-la-s-12-14-53.png)
:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
At least I got the chance to meet the band back in 2014
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That sucks if it really is the end. One band I never got to see live.
Oh well. It was going to happen at some point.
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At least we have a ton of live releases from them at virtually every phase and tour of the band. I too am bummed never got to see them but I really enjoy watching their concerts.
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The band had a great run. Minus Kaleidoscope I thoroughly enjoy every album.
Wondering if MP has something else lined up to fill that void or if he's simply winding things down.
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Transatlantic has got to be one of the few bands that will wind up with more live albums than studio albums in their discography.
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That sucks if it really is the end. One band I never got to see live.
Oh well. It was going to happen at some point.
Me too. I bailed on Kaleidoscope tour (kicking myself on that one) and had front row for New Jersey and opted for the family vacation instead. It was never meant to be. Ah well; probably the least of the MP projects I love, so there's that.
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Wondering if MP has something else lined up to fill that void or if he's simply winding things down.
Does he really need that, though? :lol Mike and Neal still have NMB (and NM solo) which are in the same vein as TA, and there's also FC for a more prog pop approach. And that's not even counting all the other bands he plays with :P
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I would like to see NMB become priority #1 for Neal and Mike. I think that's a much more creatively fertile collaboration right now than Transatlantic. Though I've talked plenty about my ambivalent view on TAU (I talk about it the way that a lot of you talk about Kaleidoscope, which I love), I don't think it's a bad album, but there was a palpable difference between it and Innocence & Danger.
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...and there's also FC for a more prog pop approach.
I'm not so sure FC will be active in the near future, given the other things Steve is dealing with right now.
I would like to see NMB become priority #1 for Neal and Mike.
How is it not? ??? They've been putting out albums pretty regularly.
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...and there's also FC for a more prog pop approach.
I'm not so sure FC will be active in the near future, given the other things Steve is dealing with right now.
I thought of that too, and that's definitely the most important thing for Steve right now, but IIRC they did some remote writing for Third Degree before meeting at Neal's, so they could slowly start that way sometime, with Steve at home.
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I would like to see NMB become priority #1 for Neal and Mike.
How is it not? ??? They've been putting out albums pretty regularly.
Fair. I meant to say that I would like to see it face less competition with other projects for time and basically become a full-time band or something close to that.
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I would like to see NMB become priority #1 for Neal and Mike.
How is it not? ??? They've been putting out albums pretty regularly.
Fair. I meant to say that I would like to see it face less competition with other projects for time and basically become a full-time band or something close to that.
I've been saying this for a while now. Make NMB a FULL TIME band. But I doubt that will happen.
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The "for me" part is what is interesting is that makes it sounds like he is ready for it to be done rather than the others. Granted, I am sure he wants to speak for only himself and not the others, but throwing it out there like that comes off a bit like "the others may go on, but this is the end for me," and of course I think we all know that with no Mike Portnoy, there is no Transatlantic.
I have said it before, but I will say it again that I will not be surprised if word trickles out eventually from inside sources that the relationship between Neal and Roine was fractured due to the events leading up to the release of TAU. And being so close to the battle lines, Portnoy, as he gets older, might not want to deal with any kind of friction when it comes to the process anymore. And who could blame him? I am speculating of course, but it just feels like the most likely reason.
Yes, it's the "for me" part that sounds strange. It almost sounds like he's pissed off and saying "that's it for me, I'm done with this band - get another guy to play drums because I'm over this". Although I don't think that's the case.
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I read it as MP saying the show at Tilburg was the zenith of the tour. He's played at that place so many times at this point, it's always been the venue that brings the house down and brings out their best. So even with two shows remaining, I think what MP is trying to say is that this show according to him was the 'proper' end to the tour/band/cycle while the next remaining shows most likely won't top that.
That's how I read it.
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The "for me" part is what is interesting is that makes it sounds like he is ready for it to be done rather than the others. Granted, I am sure he wants to speak for only himself and not the others, but throwing it out there like that comes off a bit like "the others may go on, but this is the end for me," and of course I think we all know that with no Mike Portnoy, there is no Transatlantic.
I have said it before, but I will say it again that I will not be surprised if word trickles out eventually from inside sources that the relationship between Neal and Roine was fractured due to the events leading up to the release of TAU. And being so close to the battle lines, Portnoy, as he gets older, might not want to deal with any kind of friction when it comes to the process anymore. And who could blame him? I am speculating of course, but it just feels like the most likely reason.
Yes, it's the "for me" part that sounds strange. It almost sounds like he pissed off and saying "that's it for me, I'm done with this band - get another guy to play drums because I'm over this". Although I don't think that's the case.
It is a bit odd to make a statement like this, but I assume he just does not want to (definitively) speak for others. And that the others are aware of this.
Still, I think attendance is a bit low for the EU shows and I just hope it doesn't bum them out too much. It has to do with a lot of external factors and not their excellence, nor their fanbase.
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...and there's also FC for a more prog pop approach.
I'm not so sure FC will be active in the near future, given the other things Steve is dealing with right now.
I thought of that too, and that's definitely the most important thing for Steve right now, but IIRC they did some remote writing for Third Degree before meeting at Neal's, so they could slowly start that way sometime, with Steve at home.
And his statement did say he would engage in "local" writing and recording, or something along those lines. Deep Purple is truly an international band and spends more time outside the US than within. For having a wife in treatment in (I presume) Florida, that's not easy especially given the events of the world (COVID, Ukraine). You can easily get stranded for 24 hours or more on an international jaunt.
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Wondering if MP has something else lined up to fill that void or if he's simply winding things down.
That's something to consider as far as coming out of the pandemic goes. I cannot imagine it is easy for anyone who is used to touring a lot to take almost two years off from it due to the pandemic and then just easily pick it back up. Throw in that he is over 50 now and it probably makes it a lot harder. Plus, after spending a lot of time at home in isolation, maybe he liked it a lot more than thought he would and just wants to spend more time doing that in his later years instead of always being on the road. I can't say I'd blame him.
After finishing up this TA tour and then doing the SOA and JP solo tours later this year, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he scales back to doing just NMB. I'd hate to see him give that up as well, but I have a hard time faulting any musician for saying enough and retiring on their own time table, especially one who has logged as many miles and shows as Portnoy has.
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I suspect because he realized how it was being taken, MP has now deleted the "THE END" tweet.
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(https://i.ibb.co/WDVHPG6/Captura-de-Pantalla-2022-07-26-a-la-s-12-14-53.png)
:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
At least I got the chance to meet the band back in 2014
MP deleted the tweet
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I suspect because he realized how it was being taken, MP has now deleted the "THE END" tweet.
I figured he would at some point tonight given how it's ripe for a Blabbermouth misinformed click bait headline.
-Marc
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I am having trouble understanding why he would put out such an odd tweet in the first place. It could have been taken in so many different ways. Is he leaving Transatlantic? Is the band done? Has he performed the last show and someone else is playing in London and Paris? Is this the last tour? Has he had a falling out with the rest of the guys?
It's strange. Many musicians have already had experiences with Blabbermouth and other sites taking such tweets and making them into headlines. It never ends up looking good.
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It’s a very odd way of phrasing it, but it simply refers to the next couple of shows being TA’s final shows. MP’s been around long enough to know the kind of reaction a cryptic Tweet like that would get. No one is “leaving the band” even though the band is likely over. Its just typical MP behavior.
As for TA being over, it’s a well deserved ending as they’ve really taken the band as far as it can go. 5 albums, 3 of which are modern prog classics, 1 weak one, and 1 just OK one. Not a bad legacy to leave behind.
Another album would likely just be more retreading of old ground. Another album with 2 large epics, and a few other shorter songs
With TA being done, FC being on hold as Steve Morse deals with what he’s got going on, Morsefest being done, SOA likely ending, and both NM and MP not having much else going on, I could see NMB being more active. I would bet on them reconvening later this year to write another album to be released next year.
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It’s a very odd way of phrasing it, but it simply refers to the next couple of shows being TA’s final shows. MP’s been around long enough to know the kind of reaction a cryptic Tweet like that would get. No one is “leaving the band” even though the band is likely over. Its just typical MP behavior.
As for TA being over, it’s a well deserved ending as they’ve really taken the band as far as it can go. 5 albums, 3 of which are modern prog classics, 1 weak one, and 1 just OK one. Not a bad legacy to leave behind.
Another album would likely just be more retreading of old ground. Another album with 2 large epics, and a few other shorter songs
With TA being done, FC being on hold as Steve Morse deals with what he’s got going on, Morsefest being done, SOA likely ending, and both NM and MP not having much else going on, I could see NMB being more active. I would bet on them reconvening later this year to write another album to be released next year.
(https://i.ibb.co/5YtPRmK/Captura-de-Pantalla-2022-07-27-a-la-s-09-09-36.png)
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FC being on hold as Steve Morse deals with what he’s got going on,
His statement included the following: "We both miss being at shows, but I simply couldn't commit to long, or far away tours, since things can change quickly at home. I suggested lining up a substitute guitarist last Autumn, hoping we could see the miraculous cancer cure all of us have heard about. As time went by, I could see the way things were heading though, after 28 years of being in the band...
As Janine adjusts to her limitations, she is able to do many things on her own, so we will try to play some shorter nearby concert tours with friends to, hopefully, get both of us out of the house!"
I see nothing there that says that Flying Colors is "on hold". In fact, just the opposite; I can see that being EXACTLY what he means when he says shorter, nearby concert tours.
Also:
Morsefest being done,
Do we know this to be true? Has there been an announcement?
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I was at the latest Morsefest and it was mentioned several times that this may be the final Morsefest. Kev and King and the others who were there can back that up. Neal has also said it in a couple IC newsletters. No definitive “Yes this is absolutely the last one ever”, but with nothing else major left to cover in Neal’s catalog, and uncertainty about a new venue, it’s likely the last.
As for Steve and FC, I didn’t read all of Steve’s initial statement, with him leaving DP I assumed he was taking a break from writing/recording indefinitely. An FC tour is certainly more possible than ever now, but I don’t see them touring without a new record to promote, which is also possible.
*snip*
Yes, I’ve seen his response, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a very odd way to phrase what he’s trying to say. Him saying it’s not cryptic doesn’t make it any less cryptic. If it said what he was really trying to say we wouldn’t be discussing this tweet. As previously stated, he’s deleted it, so it doesn’t matter now.
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I have a feeling that Flying Colors is the last thing on Steve's mind right now. So if Flying Colors ends up being on hold, and this happens to be the end for Transatlantic, we can still count on Mike working with Neal either on Neal's solo albums or on the The Neal Morse Band albums.
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I have a feeling that Flying Colors is the last thing on Steve's mind right now. So if Flying Colors ends up being on hold, and this happens to be the end for Transatlantic, we can still count on Mike working with Neal either on Neal's solo albums or on the The Neal Morse Band albums.
Pretty sure Mike has also mentioned The Winery Dogs planning on recording a third album in the coming year.
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I have a feeling that Flying Colors is the last thing on Steve's mind right now. So if Flying Colors ends up being on hold, and this happens to be the end for Transatlantic, we can still count on Mike working with Neal either on Neal's solo albums or on the The Neal Morse Band albums.
Pretty sure Mike has also mentioned The Winery Dogs planning on recording a third album in the coming year.
Apparently, that album has been fully recorded for a while now, but the label wanted them to hold the release until they are able to book a tour for it.
Also, for those in the IC, who knows what's the status of Neal's God's Smuggler album?
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I have a feeling that Flying Colors is the last thing on Steve's mind right now. So if Flying Colors ends up being on hold, and this happens to be the end for Transatlantic, we can still count on Mike working with Neal either on Neal's solo albums or on the The Neal Morse Band albums.
Pretty sure Mike has also mentioned The Winery Dogs planning on recording a third album in the coming year.
Apparently, that album has been fully recorded for a while now, but the label wanted them to hold the release until they are able to book a tour for it.
That’s right. MP actually tracked his parts in March but didn’t have a release date. Would guess they are going to be a focal point of 2023 for him.
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I have a feeling that Flying Colors is the last thing on Steve's mind right now. So if Flying Colors ends up being on hold, and this happens to be the end for Transatlantic, we can still count on Mike working with Neal either on Neal's solo albums or on the The Neal Morse Band albums.
Pretty sure Mike has also mentioned The Winery Dogs planning on recording a third album in the coming year.
Apparently, that album has been fully recorded for a while now, but the label wanted them to hold the release until they are able to book a tour for it.
Also, for those in the IC, who knows what's the status of Neal's God's Smuggler album?
No recent updates. He played some songs at the IC show at Morsefest and said he had maybe 40 or so songs written. He mentioned wanting to make a TV series about the story. Music wise it was similar to JCTE, but more singer-songwriter, like Life & Times. Who knows what it will end up as.
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I have a feeling that Flying Colors is the last thing on Steve's mind right now. So if Flying Colors ends up being on hold, and this happens to be the end for Transatlantic, we can still count on Mike working with Neal either on Neal's solo albums or on the The Neal Morse Band albums.
Pretty sure Mike has also mentioned The Winery Dogs planning on recording a third album in the coming year.
Apparently, that album has been fully recorded for a while now, but the label wanted them to hold the release until they are able to book a tour for it.
Also, for those in the IC, who knows what's the status of Neal's God's Smuggler album?
No recent updates. He played some songs at the IC show at Morsefest and said he had maybe 40 or so songs written. He mentioned wanting to make a TV series about the story. Music wise it was similar to JCTE, but more singer-songwriter, like Life & Times. Who knows what it will end up as.
Thanks! That description doesn't excite me much :P but I'll still check it out once it's released.
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Yeah hearing it didn’t excite me much either. I’ll probably still buy it because I’m a completionist
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*snip*
Yes, I’ve seen his response, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a very odd way to phrase what he’s trying to say. Him saying it’s not cryptic doesn’t make it any less cryptic. If it said what he was really trying to say we wouldn’t be discussing this tweet. As previously stated, he’s deleted it, so it doesn’t matter now.
Agreed. "This is the end for me" could easily be taken to mean at least four things: (1) This is the end of this tour, (2) I'm leaving the band after these shows, (3) the band is ending after these shows, (4) I am retiring after these shows. In context it's obviously not #4, but it remains ambiguous between the first three.
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*snip*
Yes, I’ve seen his response, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a very odd way to phrase what he’s trying to say. Him saying it’s not cryptic doesn’t make it any less cryptic. If it said what he was really trying to say we wouldn’t be discussing this tweet. As previously stated, he’s deleted it, so it doesn’t matter now.
Agreed. "This is the end for me" could easily be taken to mean at least four things: (1) This is the end of this tour, (2) I'm leaving the band after these shows, (3) the band is ending after these shows, (4) I am retiring after these shows. In context it's obviously not #4, but it remains ambiguous between the first three.
Yep, poorly worded to say the least.
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Portnoy tweeting like it’s 2011 again!
Instead of “that’s not what I said” it’s “I said it. I wasn’t being cryptic”
I love the guy. Just love him.
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You never know what the future brings, but I am going to assume TA is finished after this tour. But if that really is the case, he should not have made a statement on his own. I think he did it to let fans know these shows will likely be a last chance to see them. I really hope Paris ends up packed, as they had to do a half price sale for it. This band deserves a great final show (if that is the case).
Anyways, I am really glad I saw them and I am looking forward to the two live releases this tour will get (Morsefest and Paris). I also hope there will be a little bit of Tilburg footage to be seen somewhere, as they were clearly documenting it to some degree.
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Am I the only one that was looking to the Beatles for reference, with the capitalization of "THE END"? It's still no more clear, I grant you, but still... it's something Mike would do.
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Am I the only one that was looking to the Beatles for reference, with the capitalization of "THE END"?
Yeah.
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Am I the only one that was looking to the Beatles for reference, with the capitalization of "THE END"? It's still no more clear, I grant you, but still... it's something Mike would do.
"Trewavas is a pretty nice guy, but he hasn't got a lot to say".
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Am I the only one that was looking to the Beatles for reference, with the capitalization of "THE END"? It's still no more clear, I grant you, but still... it's something Mike would do.
No, that thought did cross my mind too! But I’m also not sure what that would have meant if it was his intention!
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"Let's give it all we got and go out with a bang".
That was MP's post related to the London show.
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See, now that’s much clearer than his other tweet. We know exactly what MP means. Mike’s gonna shoot somebody.
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See, now that’s much clearer than his other tweet. We know exactly what MP means. Mike’s gonna shoot somebody.
:rollin
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See, now that’s much clearer than his other tweet. We know exactly what MP means. Mike’s gonna shoot somebody.
HAHAHA. :tup
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MP posted a video on Instagram earlier during intermission - "Don't know if and when we'll do this again... IF we don't do it again, I just want to go on the record saying..."
Talked about enjoying playing with the guys and TA being some of the greatest music he's ever played. Seemed pretty sad. :-\
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I don't see this as sad, honestly. Love TA, but it seems they're ready to call it a day and I'm fine with that. It's not like they were the most active band anyway. We'll still have plenty of music from them outside of this :tup
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I think TA is one of those bands that already did everything they could musically. I would LOVE for them to write shorter songs like Disc 2 of Kaleidoscope but that kind of defeats the purpose of Transatlantic.
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I think TA is one of those bands that already did everything they could musically. I would LOVE for them to write shorter songs like Disc 2 of Kaleidoscope but that kind of defeats the purpose of Transatlantic.
Leaving aside the fact that the initial purpose of the band was for Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy to work together, the band can sound like and have any purpose whatever they want. I get sticking to what you do best, which, for Transatlantic, has been writing epics, and that became their brand, so I get why they stuck to it, even if it did have that feeling that they had somewhat boxed themselves into a stylistic corner.
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The main value-add of Transatlantic over other projects, especially now that Neal and Mike have done like a dozen albums together, is the meeting of two of the most talented and prolific songwriters of 2000s prog rock: Neal and Roine. Not to discount Pete and Mike's contributions to the songwriting process, but it's always been clear who most of the musical ideas came from.
And right now it feels like the Neal/Roine collaboration has run its course. Maybe the fan speculation is off-base that the two-versions thing represented creative tension between those two, but it still feels like an endpoint.
Maybe in 10 years they decide they really want to do another album together and we get TA6. I'd buy that on day one, as I'll buy both the probable live releases from this tour. I'm in as long as they want to do it. But I'm surprisingly okay with this being the end.
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I saw their 1st show at Nearfest in 2000. Was a massive fan for those 1st 2 albums.
Unfortunately, I'm not into their last 3 records, so no new music and tours even sadly doesn't mean all that much to me. Although if by some chance they came to my hometown, I likely would go.
But if this is it, or an indefinite hiatus, I'm not personally all that down about it. But, I do feel for those who love them now so much.
I guess only time will tell about their future and if they are not active anymore, what that may lead-to with other Projects from the members (maybe a Power-Pop Project from Portnoy even?)
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I wonder if they made an announcement at the show tonight, or if they will in the near future. I take Mike's tweet to mean exactly what it said - that he's done with TA after this show, which has to also mean the end of the band.
It would be good, in some sense, to have closure, which is a rare thing with bands.
It's funny to me that someone went ahead and edited TA's wikipedia page to say that they're disbanding, and the TAU page says that it's their final album. Both with a reference link to MP's deleted tweet. :D
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MP's intermission Instagram video says he told the crowd exactly what he said in the video, not sure that they will ever do this again. That and the post-show video he seemed pretty somber and accepting that this is probably the end. Like I said, they are not spring chickens and their next album would probably have at least 2 band members well into their 70's. It's probably time. He did seem to think the Paris show was the right one to capture. Already said he is very happy that will be the document of the tour.
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The London show was truly fantastic, glad I went, but the place was nowhere near full. Fantastic show, it's an honour to watch musicians of the calibre play this sort of music at that standard. Fantastic. Since Geddy has effectively retired, I'd make a case for Pete being the best working bass player in the world. Roine's solo on Rose Coloured Glasses would have melted Dave Gilmour's face off, I swear. But what's with him having the lyrics on a stand? He just didn't seem to be feeling it...
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Two of my friends were at the Paris show and said Neal straight up cried and Mike got emotional, too. :( Never got that into TA but it's sad when something like this ends without a proper heads up.
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Really glad I was finally able to see them this year at Morsefest. Night 1 is probably one of the best concerts I've seen (The Whirlwind in full was just stunning), and Night 2 was pretty damn good as well, even with that damn medley. :lol
If this is it, thanks to Transatlantic for all of the tunes over the years. Definitely one of my favorite bands/projects of the last 22 years. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Is this the first MP-related project to actually end? In all his other projects he’s either left the band (DT, AMOB) or the band is inactive indefinitely but comes back eventually (FC, LTE, SOA).
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The London show was truly fantastic, glad I went, but the place was nowhere near full. Fantastic show, it's an honour to watch musicians of the calibre play this sort of music at that standard. Fantastic. Since Geddy has effectively retired, I'd make a case for Pete being the best working bass player in the world. Roine's solo on Rose Coloured Glasses would have melted Dave Gilmour's face off, I swear. But what's with him having the lyrics on a stand? He just didn't seem to be feeling it...
Given my circumstances, it's pretty much a bummer that I won't have the chance to see the original band perform that piece. I mean, it's my own fault and I own that, but still.
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Is this the first MP-related project to actually end? In all his other projects he’s either left the band (DT, AMOB) or the band is inactive indefinitely but comes back eventually (FC, LTE, SOA).
OSI isn't officially done, but it's possible there never will be another album from them (although with Fates Warning's ending, who knows. But Kevin Moore is now a practicing Psychiatrist, so that makes his interest in making new music more uncertain).
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Right, but I meant projects that he’s still a part of. If they ever did another album I’m sure Kev would get Gavin or whoever else instead of MP, not that MP would be interested anyway.
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Yeah, I took it more like this is the very first band that dissolves/ends while MP's still in the band, and technically it is, since it originally disbanded back in 2002 :P
The only other one that comes to mind is Twisted Sister, but Mike wasn't a full member of the band, just the live drummer for their last tour.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtbx3UbHr6s
wow MP & Neal looked quite emotional!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtbx3UbHr6s
wow MP & Neal looked quite emotional!
Tremendous performance. Now I am quite emotional. That music just takes me right back to my freshman year of college. The first two TA albums were the soundtrack to that period of my life. Sad but happy at the same time.
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That was fantastic, yeah. Gave me a similar experience as HOF. Looked like Roine was emotional, too.
On all the dissolution talk: I don't think it's likely that they're going to actually announce the dissolution of the band. I suspect they'll say they have no plans to record or tour again without completely shutting the door on it. Transatlantic already "dissolved" once when Neal left the band, only to come back with The Whirlwind seven years later, and I don't think they're going to repeat the practice of putting a definitive end on it. I could be wrong, but I think we're going to get the "unlikely, but never say never" line from MP et al from here on out.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtbx3UbHr6s
wow MP & Neal looked quite emotional!
Tremendous performance. Now I am quite emotional. That music just takes me right back to my freshman year of college. The first two TA albums were the soundtrack to that period of my life. Sad but happy at the same time.
Yeah, that hit me. A side project that turned into one of the greatest bands ever.
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If Neal ever feels the need to fill the TA void with something else that isn't his solo stuff, I hope he gets back with Spock's for at least one more album. They don't seem to be doing too much by themselves lately.
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Wow, that was both amazing and emotional! It definitely had a feeling of "finality" to it - not unlike Rush's final show when Neil came out from behind the kit.
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I listened to Kaleidoscope last night for the first time in a few years I believe. I think the weird thing about it is that I like the three shorter songs more than the two epics. Of course the epics have some brilliant moments, they just don’t stand up with the others in their catalog. The three in the middle are awesome. Shine is a favorite, for sure.
Overall I think Kaleidoscope is a really great album. It’s only when you compare it to the others. The other four are just pure magic, and the magic just isn’t quite as there with Kaleidoscope. That’s okay though.
I’m still feeling emotional thinking that they are probably done. I remember getting BAF, from Best Buy lol, 20 years ago. I had just gotten my driver’s license and I drove all over Fort Worth listening to it for I don’t know how long. Just beautiful memories.
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Seeing The Whirlwind at Morsefest made me want to learn the album on guitar.
3 months later and I’m happy to say that I’m like ~90% of the way there. I’ve been learning it by ear since there’s no tabs out there for it. Maybe I’ll fix that one of these days.
Having listened to this album for nearly 13 years certainly helps with learning it. I know all the rhythms and time changes and whatnot, I just gotta get the notes in the right place. I’ve learned that Roine loves soloing in Harmonic Minor, Lydian, and Mixolydian. Like, a lot.
I just finished playing along with the whole album for the first time, and man this is just really fun music to play. Especially the Overture, On the Prowl, and the last stretch of the album from Lay Down Your Life onwards. Most difficult section is by far the arpeggios from Is It Really Happening. I’ve got the shapes down but keeping up with the increasing tempo of that section makes it an absolute bitch to play. Kudos to Daniel and Ted for nailing that section live.
On that note, how sure are we that Roine played and/or wrote that section on the album? I’m not familiar with his work with TFK, but from what I know of his guitar playing in TA, that arpeggio section sounds really out of character for him.
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Most difficult section is by far the arpeggios from Is It Really Happening. I’ve got the shapes down but keeping up with the increasing tempo of that section makes it an absolute bitch to play. Kudos to Daniel and Ted for nailing that section live.
On that note, how sure are we that Roine played and/or wrote that section on the album? I’m not familiar with his work with TFK, but from what I know of his guitar playing in TA, that arpeggio section sounds really out of character for him.
This is a really interesting question. Are you talking about the arpeggios from 6:45ish onward? On Neal's Inner Circle "The Whirlwind" demo disc, which is a selection of the stuff that Neal wrote and sent to the other guys, at the very end of track 2 you can hear Neal playing the synth part leading up to the arpeggios (it's the thing that starts around 6:20 on the final product). Unfortunately, it fades out right after that! On track 3 of the demos you can hear a bit more of IIRH? being fleshed out, but not the arpeggios... But this lends further credence to the theory that that track (or at least the busy parts) was mostly owned by Neal.
Last piece of evidence... I'm not a guitar player but it looks to me that Roine is just playing backing chords here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeHKqniI5fs&t=236s It looks like Neal and Ted are handling the arpeggios.
I'd bet money you're right - that Neal wrote it and played it for the album.
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Interesting! I have that IC release but didn’t think to check it.
Yeah it most likely was played by Neal on the record with the intention of having Daniel play it. Wonder how that went down during the writing for the record. Maybe Neal proposed that section and Roine just refused to play something that complex.
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Interesting! I have that IC release but didn’t think to check it.
Yeah it most likely was played by Neal on the record with the intention of having Daniel play it. Wonder how that went down during the writing for the record. Maybe Neal proposed that section and Roine just refused to play something that complex.
I seriously doubt that. Are you familiar with the Flower Kings? The idea that Roine wouldn't want to play something too complex seems fairly ludicrous to me. Granted, he doesn't come from the Dream Theater school of "let's play it fast or complex just because we can," but he can play anything and everything. The Flower Kings, for all of their symphonic rock stuff, are far more adventurous than most modern day prog bands (see: some of those jazz-inspired jams on Unfold the Future), and you don't get that way by shying away from playing anything complex.
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I seriously doubt that. Are you familiar with the Flower Kings? The idea that Roine wouldn't want to play something too complex seems fairly ludicrous to me. Granted, he doesn't come from the Dream Theater school of "let's play it fast or complex just because we can," but he can play anything and everything.
I like Roine's playing just fine, but that's just not true and I'm pretty sure he would dispute it as well. He's very good within his stylistic range but that range is somewhat limited. And yes, technique is part of the underlying limitations, but it's not just that. To give you an example, I keep thinking about that spontaneous cover jam on the bonus disc of Bridge Across Forever where they go through different variations of some song and Mike announces that the next variation will be "the metal version" - and then Roine basically sounds clueless as to what to play because he simply doesn't have the musical background and vocabulary for it.
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I seriously doubt that. Are you familiar with the Flower Kings? The idea that Roine wouldn't want to play something too complex seems fairly ludicrous to me. Granted, he doesn't come from the Dream Theater school of "let's play it fast or complex just because we can," but he can play anything and everything. The Flower Kings, for all of their symphonic rock stuff, are far more adventurous than most modern day prog bands (see: some of those jazz-inspired jams on Unfold the Future), and you don't get that way by shying away from playing anything complex.
On that note, how sure are we that Roine played and/or wrote that section on the album? I’m not familiar with his work with TFK, but from what I know of his guitar playing in TA, that arpeggio section sounds really out of character for him.
As for saying he can play anything and everything, if that's the case, why doesn't he? He's never played the arpeggio part of "IIRH?" live, it's always been played by the 5th man. Roine just plays a rhythm part in the background. Look at any live performance of the song. That, combined with the fact that the section was written and demoed by Neal leads to my belief that Roine didn't play it on the record.
Similarly, take The Greatest Story Never Ends. On Roine's version from Forevermore, it removes the big instrumental section present on the TBOL and Ultimate versions(1:18 on TBOL and 3:01 on Ultimate). They also removed that section from the song when they played it live. It's likely that it was a Neal idea written and played by him on his version of TAU, but if Roine can play anything and everything as you say, why wouldn't he learn that section?
I'd say that's a glaring example of him shying away from playing something complex.
To be clear, I'm not criticizing his ability as a guitar player. If anything, after learning the Whirlwind, I've gained a tremendous amount of respect for him and his playing. He's not Petrucci, but you don't have to be Petrucci to be a great guitar player. I just think you might be overselling his ability. Once again, I'm not familiar with the Flower Kings. I've heard a few songs and they just didn't appeal to me. But I'd love to hear some examples of him playing something like the aforementioned sections of IIRH and TGSNE if you really believe he's capable of playing/writing something like that.
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With the classic never say never saying NM more or less confirmed that the last show in Paris is the last show of TA. He also said that he has nothing planned for the future, he hasn’t book concerts, or recordings. He said that he will wait, as he was commanded by the Lord.
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Interesting. I always wonder what he means by that kind of statement. I'm assuming he just doesn't feel any enthusiasm for it anymore.
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Neal's IC Newsletter mentions that the Paris show was.filmed and recorded in 4K with 5.1 surround sound, so for those of you with the capabilities to play all that I'm sure you're in for a treat!
I'm still in the early 2010s with normal BD and stereo, but I'm sure it'll look and sound great regardless!
-Marc.
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Neal's IC Newsletter mentions that the Paris show was.filmed and recorded in 4K with 5.1 surround sound, so for those of you with the capabilities to play all that I'm sure you're in for a treat!
I'm still in the early 2010s with normal BD and stereo, but I'm sure it'll look and sound great regardless!
-Marc.
That's fantastic, don't think there are many concerts out there in 4k bluray. You do find some streams but very few physical disc releases. Some of DT's live video on their youtube channel is in 4k.
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Interesting. I always wonder what he means by that kind of statement. I'm assuming he just doesn't feel any enthusiasm for it anymore.
I don't take it quite that deep; I think he's been pretty full bore for the last couple years coming out of COVID, and it's bound to back up a bit. I think it's as simple as waiting for the next inspiration. I have no doubt it will come sooner rather than later.
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If NM has nothing planned for the foreseeable future I wonder what is MP up to? SoA tour in South America and maybe the Winery Dogs?
As far back as last July, I felt on my heart that I should finish what was on the calendar and wait. I wasn't sure what would be coming next, but I didn't feel like I should be scheduling anything for a little while. So, I've known for quite a while that these were the last shows that I would be doing for some time. I also haven't scheduled any recording sessions or anything else in my efforts to be obedient to the Lord. It's not a particularly difficult for me, really, it's just... interesting..
I've been feeling like there's been some kind of a shift in the wind coming for quite some time. So, that is a very emotional thing all by itself. Not really knowing what's coming next, but feeling like something... I don't want to use the word "different" because I don't know what it is. I'm just going to wait and see.
It's been more emotional than normal for all of us, because there's a general feeling that we don't know if we'll do this again – meaning, touring. We really don't know and no one wants to say "never," but it kind of felt like the end of a chapter last night.
And what an ending it was! It was so powerful. I could cry just thinking about it. Both London and Paris were pretty astounding shows, which I personally really needed. I think the whole band did because there were some difficulties during the week. I don't want to go into all that because I just think it would be inappropriate. I can let you guys into all the things that are going on with ME, but as far as the whole band is concerned, I don't feel like that would be appropriate for me to do so – I'm sure you understand.
Sounds like NM is going on a hiatus, maybe being a grand father and with the new property in FL it’s making him go chill for some time. IDK.
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By the sounds of it there was tension in the band during the European tour? It's been a while since Neal just was kinda laid back and chilling hasn't it? Him and MP as far as I remember have always been keeping busy with some project or the other.
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If NM has nothing planned for the foreseeable future I wonder what is MP up to? SoA tour in South America and maybe the Winery Dogs?
As far back as last July, I felt on my heart that I should finish what was on the calendar and wait. I wasn't sure what would be coming next, but I didn't feel like I should be scheduling anything for a little while. So, I've known for quite a while that these were the last shows that I would be doing for some time. I also haven't scheduled any recording sessions or anything else in my efforts to be obedient to the Lord. It's not a particularly difficult for me, really, it's just... interesting..
I've been feeling like there's been some kind of a shift in the wind coming for quite some time. So, that is a very emotional thing all by itself. Not really knowing what's coming next, but feeling like something... I don't want to use the word "different" because I don't know what it is. I'm just going to wait and see.
It's been more emotional than normal for all of us, because there's a general feeling that we don't know if we'll do this again – meaning, touring. We really don't know and no one wants to say "never," but it kind of felt like the end of a chapter last night.
And what an ending it was! It was so powerful. I could cry just thinking about it. Both London and Paris were pretty astounding shows, which I personally really needed. I think the whole band did because there were some difficulties during the week. I don't want to go into all that because I just think it would be inappropriate. I can let you guys into all the things that are going on with ME, but as far as the whole band is concerned, I don't feel like that would be appropriate for me to do so – I'm sure you understand.
Sounds like NM is going on a hiatus, maybe being a grand father and with the new property in FL it’s making him go chill for some time. IDK.
Yeah, sounds like there was some tension. I wonder if that played into MP "this is THE END for me" tweet? Interesting that Neal says "we don't know if we'll do this again – meaning, touring." I read that as maybe we'll record another album in the future, but no tour? I just hope we get another NMB album sooner, rather than later.
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I don’t know about tension, but I do get the sense that maybe not everyone in the band wants this to be the end. Neal and MP both seem pretty broken up about it, have Roine and Pete said anything?
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By the sounds of it there was tension in the band during the European tour? It's been a while since Neal just was kinda laid back and chilling hasn't it? Him and MP as far as I remember have always been keeping busy with some project or the other.
Based on what we know about the writing and recording process, as well as a few comments Neal and Roine made pre-release, the fact that there's some tension during the tour isn't surprising. It's probably for the best that they ended it before it went too poorly, and wrapped it all up on a good note.
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Neal spoke pretty positively about Roine in his newsletter today, saying how well he handled a moment at a show where his guitar was out of tune, so I doubt there is much animosity from his side. He did allude to other issues that other members of the band had last week, but said it wouldn't be appropriate for him to air their business. With Portnoy's "this is the end for me" tweet that he eventually deleted, it almost feels like there is something going on with him. Pointless to speculate until we really know anything, but that is what we do here. :lol
As for Neal having no plans, that could change at a moment's notice (or after the next prayer :P). I always say that you can't always put creativity on the clock like it's a 9-5 job, so I am sure he will get a burst sooner rather than later and then the next album/project will suddenly be the new plans!
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what’s gonna happen if god tells him to make another transatlantic album
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what’s gonna happen if god tells him to make another transatlantic album
:rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :tup
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what’s gonna happen if god tells him to make another transatlantic album
Probably try to convince the other guys to make it happen :lol
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Sounds like tension between Mike and Roine. But it could be Neal and Roine. Neal is just nice and will put something positive about him in his newsletter regardless. It can’t be Pete. Everyone loves Pete.
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My understanding is that Mike was on Roine's side in the TBoL vs. Forevermore debate, so unless the source of the current tension is completely different, I don't think it's that.
Since it's been obvious for the last two albums that there are real creative disagreements between the two main songwriters in the band, to the point where one of them has been pretty open about his dissatisfaction in certain interviews, I suspect that whatever tension is leading to the likely end of the band has to do with that. I think many of us have been in situations where we have trouble working with a certain person, but still have a lot of respect and regard for them, and don't want to harm their reputation because of a personal disagreement. And Neal strikes me as the type of person to go out of his way to show that respect in a situation like that.
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Maybe it is just the lack of availabilty by Mike, Pete and Roine. Mike is goijg to start the Winery Dogs cycle next year, JP for the rest of this year, and maybe some LTE and SoA recording and touring next year or two. Pete and Roine will probably be in full Marillion and TFK touring mode. Neal is writing another album separate from NMB. Maybe the timimg to put together another TA album and tour is not just there anymore hence the “this is the end for me” comment by Mike.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if the tension was that Neal told the guys he wanted to put the band in hiatus, Mike wanted to definitively announce the end, and the others maybe wanted to keep things open ended.
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Nobody said there is any tension between members. He said there were "some difficulties." We have no idea what that means.
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Nice to see Mike shared that youtube clip of their last song on the Paris show. Great performance.
I am really glad I was able to catch the Tilburg show and also glad I bought a signed Whirlwind vinyl. I prefer the NMB's albums (significantly so, actually), but for some reason I preferred seeing Transatlantic live.
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Sounds like tension between Mike and Roine. But it could be Neal and Roine. Neal is just nice and will put something positive about him in his newsletter regardless. It can’t be Pete. Everyone loves Pete.
But does Pete love everyone? Hmm? :) :) :)
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Nobody said there is any tension between members. He said there were "some difficulties." We have no idea what that means.
I mostly agree Bosk. "Difficulties" could mean many things (bus broke down, crew member sick) who knows. But I'm saying "mostly", because the only thing that makes me think that maybe there was "tension", was MP's tweet. To say "this is the end for me", sounds bad IMO. Like he's had enough of this nonsense, after these last two shows I quit! I know he didn't say that, but that's how I take it for some reason.
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Nobody said there is any tension between members. He said there were "some difficulties." We have no idea what that means.
I mostly agree Bosk. "Difficulties" could mean many things (bus broke down, crew member sick) who knows. But I'm saying "mostly", because the only thing that makes me think that maybe there was "tension", was MP's tweet. To say "this is the end for me", sounds bad IMO. Like he's had enough of this nonsense, after these last two shows I quit! I know he didn't say that, but that's how I take it for some reason.
I would also say “mostly” just because if it was a bus brake down, crew member sick etc I think he would be open to share it as it is not “inappropriate”. And also because in the newsletter he said that he has to talk about “ME” (him). Which leads me to believe that there’s some sort of tension among certain members but it is not his place to talk about it.
He said: I don't want to go into all that because I just think it would be inappropriate. I can let you guys into all the things that are going on with ME, but as far as the whole band is concerned, I don't feel like that would be appropriate for me to do so – I'm sure you understand.
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Just give me more NM solo/NMB and FC and I won't miss TA at all :biggrin:
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Nobody said there is any tension between members. He said there were "some difficulties." We have no idea what that means.
I mostly agree Bosk. "Difficulties" could mean many things (bus broke down, crew member sick) who knows. But I'm saying "mostly", because the only thing that makes me think that maybe there was "tension", was MP's tweet. To say "this is the end for me", sounds bad IMO. Like he's had enough of this nonsense, after these last two shows I quit! I know he didn't say that, but that's how I take it for some reason.
I would also say “mostly” just because if it was a bus brake down, crew member sick etc I think he would be open to share it as it is not “inappropriate”. And also because in the newsletter he said that he has to talk about “ME” (him). Which leads me to believe that there’s some sort of tension among certain members but it is not his place to talk about it.
He said: I don't want to go into all that because I just think it would be inappropriate. I can let you guys into all the things that are going on with ME, but as far as the whole band is concerned, I don't feel like that would be appropriate for me to do so – I'm sure you understand.
Great point MinistroRaven. He probably would have said the bus broke down. Now you convinced me there is indeed tension LOL
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Nobody said there is any tension between members. He said there were "some difficulties." We have no idea what that means.
I mostly agree Bosk. "Difficulties" could mean many things (bus broke down, crew member sick) who knows. But I'm saying "mostly", because the only thing that makes me think that maybe there was "tension", was MP's tweet. To say "this is the end for me", sounds bad IMO. Like he's had enough of this nonsense, after these last two shows I quit! I know he didn't say that, but that's how I take it for some reason.
I would also say “mostly” just because if it was a bus brake down, crew member sick etc I think he would be open to share it as it is not “inappropriate”. And also because in the newsletter he said that he has to talk about “ME” (him). Which leads me to believe that there’s some sort of tension among certain members but it is not his place to talk about it.
He said: I don't want to go into all that because I just think it would be inappropriate. I can let you guys into all the things that are going on with ME, but as far as the whole band is concerned, I don't feel like that would be appropriate for me to do so – I'm sure you understand.
Great point MinistroRaven. He probably would have said the bus broke down. Now you convinced me there is indeed tension LOL
Funny thing is I am not trying to convince anyone, I am just giving my opinion, if you like it: good, if you don't: good. :rollin
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Nobody said there is any tension between members. He said there were "some difficulties." We have no idea what that means.
I mostly agree Bosk. "Difficulties" could mean many things (bus broke down, crew member sick) who knows. But I'm saying "mostly", because the only thing that makes me think that maybe there was "tension", was MP's tweet. To say "this is the end for me", sounds bad IMO. Like he's had enough of this nonsense, after these last two shows I quit! I know he didn't say that, but that's how I take it for some reason.
I would also say “mostly” just because if it was a bus brake down, crew member sick etc I think he would be open to share it as it is not “inappropriate”. And also because in the newsletter he said that he has to talk about “ME” (him). Which leads me to believe that there’s some sort of tension among certain members but it is not his place to talk about it.
He said: I don't want to go into all that because I just think it would be inappropriate. I can let you guys into all the things that are going on with ME, but as far as the whole band is concerned, I don't feel like that would be appropriate for me to do so – I'm sure you understand.
Great point MinistroRaven. He probably would have said the bus broke down. Now you convinced me there is indeed tension LOL
Funny thing is I am not trying to convince anyone, I am just giving my opinion, if you like it: good, if you don't: good. :rollin
I know. It just makes sense what you said - and I have a feeling MP's tweet had something to do with there being some "tension". That's my opinion LOL
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It only "makes sense" if you look at specific examples and view it in terms of "either this or that." Yeah, his comments make little sense in the case of a bus breakdown. But they would make a lot of sense in the context of, for example, one of the members' friends or family members being critically ill, and maybe the person isn't a best friend or immediate family member, so the band member weighs in favor of "I'm going to stay on tour and hope for the best because my other band mates are depending on me and have shows booked on a tour that was already postponed," but that decision weighs heavily on the band member and he second guesses and struggles with it. That's just one of an almost limitless number of possibilities other than tension between the band members.
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I just realized I forgot to reply to a few replies to me...
I seriously doubt that. Are you familiar with the Flower Kings? The idea that Roine wouldn't want to play something too complex seems fairly ludicrous to me. Granted, he doesn't come from the Dream Theater school of "let's play it fast or complex just because we can," but he can play anything and everything.
I like Roine's playing just fine, but that's just not true and I'm pretty sure he would dispute it as well. He's very good within his stylistic range but that range is somewhat limited. And yes, technique is part of the underlying limitations, but it's not just that. To give you an example, I keep thinking about that spontaneous cover jam on the bonus disc of Bridge Across Forever where they go through different variations of some song and Mike announces that the next variation will be "the metal version" - and then Roine basically sounds clueless as to what to play because he simply doesn't have the musical background and vocabulary for it.
Yes, I will give you that Roine is not adept at metal, and I am sure he would agree with that.
I seriously doubt that. Are you familiar with the Flower Kings? The idea that Roine wouldn't want to play something too complex seems fairly ludicrous to me. Granted, he doesn't come from the Dream Theater school of "let's play it fast or complex just because we can," but he can play anything and everything. The Flower Kings, for all of their symphonic rock stuff, are far more adventurous than most modern day prog bands (see: some of those jazz-inspired jams on Unfold the Future), and you don't get that way by shying away from playing anything complex.
On that note, how sure are we that Roine played and/or wrote that section on the album? I’m not familiar with his work with TFK, but from what I know of his guitar playing in TA, that arpeggio section sounds really out of character for him.
As for saying he can play anything and everything, if that's the case, why doesn't he? He's never played the arpeggio part of "IIRH?" live, it's always been played by the 5th man. Roine just plays a rhythm part in the background. Look at any live performance of the song. That, combined with the fact that the section was written and demoed by Neal leads to my belief that Roine didn't play it on the record.
Similarly, take The Greatest Story Never Ends. On Roine's version from Forevermore, it removes the big instrumental section present on the TBOL and Ultimate versions(1:18 on TBOL and 3:01 on Ultimate). They also removed that section from the song when they played it live. It's likely that it was a Neal idea written and played by him on his version of TAU, but if Roine can play anything and everything as you say, why wouldn't he learn that section?
I'd say that's a glaring example of him shying away from playing something complex.
To be clear, I'm not criticizing his ability as a guitar player. If anything, after learning the Whirlwind, I've gained a tremendous amount of respect for him and his playing. He's not Petrucci, but you don't have to be Petrucci to be a great guitar player. I just think you might be overselling his ability. Once again, I'm not familiar with the Flower Kings. I've heard a few songs and they just didn't appeal to me. But I'd love to hear some examples of him playing something like the aforementioned sections of IIRH and TGSNE if you really believe he's capable of playing/writing something like that.
Because not every instrumentalist feels the need to show off everything they can do on a regular basis. Rock history is loaded with musicians who did a live song or two where many thought, "Wow, I didn't know he or she could sing or play like that!" It's like a great actor. They don't always get to show off the full extent of the range, but you just know it is there. It's like you can just smell it. I suspect the inactivity of Transatlantic is why Roine perhaps doesn't play the hard parts of those difficult sections to which you are referring simply because of time management. He has to relearn three hours worth of music for a tour, so why break his back relearning a small section or two that is not in a style in which he normally plays when they have a 5th member who can do it? Plus, maybe he doesn't relearn something that easily (some do, some don't). Remember that Shine was added to Morsefest this year a few days before because of the death of that one fan, but they did a shortened version without the guitar solo, likely because he didn't want to spend time relearning that solo when he already had 5+ hours of music to prepare to play. Again, it is a matter of time management. If TA was a regular touring band where those parts were more ingrained in his head, it is very possible that it would be a different story.
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I see the point you're trying to make, but I still say Roine didn't relearn those parts because he never learned them in the first place because he didn't play them on the record. As for why he didn't play it? Who knows.
I did a quick scan of the "Making Of" documentary for the Whirlwind to see if there was any footage of them working on IIRH, and there doesn't seem to be any. But once again, per the Whirlwind Demo Inner Circle release, the arpeggio section of IIRH was written and demoed by Neal on guitar and keyboard. Thus, I believe Neal played the guitar part in addition to the keyboard part of that section on the record. Because it's easier than teaching it to Roine. It's not that far-fetched.
Take Metallica for example. James writes most of the songs and their rhythm guitar parts, and so he's the one who records and overdubs the rhythm guitar on the albums because it's easier, faster, and it will sound tighter doing it himself than teaching it to Kirk and have him overdub the rhythm part. I believe that's the case here, and with TGSNE. Neal wrote the guitar parts, so he played them on the record.
I'd still like to hear some examples of Roine playing something like that section in Flower Kings or any of his other projects.
If Roine doesn't want to learn that part of IIRH for live shows, that's understandable, for the reasons you gave. It gives the 5th guy a chance to shine, but I'd argue that it SHOULD be Roine's time to shine given that he is the guitarist of the band.
I'm not trying to die on this hill, I would love to be proven wrong, but I don't think I am.
and hey speaking of showing off here's a video of me practicing that section of Is It Really Happening. :P Slowly getting there
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luJV-6VoZoo
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Perhaps he played it on the record, but it took several takes for him to nail it? Or perhaps it was assembled in sections on Pro-Tools? Perhaps he tried to play it live but kept fucking it up in rehearsals and decided that there was no point in paying a fifth man to do the heavy lifting if he wasn't going to take some of the weight? TA is an occasional side project, I can't see any of these guys breaking their backs over this material. Perhaps if he practised it again and again and again he'd be able to knock it off without thinking about it, but perhaps that isn't a good use of his time. TA strikes me as more of a hobby for these guys than an actual money-maker.
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There is zero proof that Roine did not play that section on The Whirlwind studio album (and I believe Neal is not credited as playing any electric guitar on the album, only acoustic guitar), so until we see actual proof other than "he didn't play live, so he probably didn't play it in the studio either," which is merely guesswork, I think it is safe to assume that Roine played it.
It is also noteworthy that Neal even said that his electric guitar skills improved greatly on The Whirlwind tour thanks to Roine (and you can tell, as Neal's electric guitar playing on his solo records and with NMB greatly improved after that). I cannot remember where and when Neal said that, but I know he did.
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There’s also zero proof that Roine DID play that section on the record. Wouldn’t be the first time in music history where someone is credited for something they didn’t do on a record.
And I’ve provided proof other than, “he didn't play live, so he probably didn't play it in the studio either.”
You’re ignoring the proof that’s been brought up multiple times now; The Demo.
Fact: Neal wrote and demoed the section for guitar and keyboard.
Theory: Roine didn’t play the section on the record for whatever reason. Neal instead tracked the guitar part just to get it done for the record.
Fact: Roine has never played this section live.
Theory: Roine didn’t learn/relearn that section for whatever reason, so it was given to Daniel to lighten Roine’s workload.
It is also noteworthy that Neal even said that his electric guitar skills improved greatly on The Whirlwind tour thanks to Roine (and you can tell, as Neal's electric guitar playing on his solo records and with NMB greatly improved after that). I cannot remember where and when Neal said that, but I know he did.
I don’t see how this is relevant.
I’m tired of arguing this and we’re clearly not gonna change each other’s mind here. So let’s just agree to disagree and move on, Kev.
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We can move on (soon), yes, but a) the demo is not proof, and b) if we are going down the "it wouldn't be the first time in music history someone is credited for something they didn't do a record," we can accuse almost anyone of not really doing something we know they did (or vice versa). The burden of proof is on the one making the accusation, and since Roine is credited with playing all electric guitar on The Whirlwind, unless there is a band member saying otherwise or video proof of the making of the album that shows someone else playing what in fact ended up on the record, he played it. But hey, if we can say "Neal demo'd it, so he played it," can I say that John Petrucci really played the drums on the DT album that he demo'd the drums for (A Dramatic Turn of Events, I believe)? I mean, JP did the demo, so that must mean he played it on the album, right? :P
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I’ve said everything I have to say and now I think you’re just being pedantic.
Moving on.
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I was trying to throw in a little levity there at the end, hence the emoticon, but okay.
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:tup
When should we expect the Blu Ray for MF22? I think they’ll space out the two upcoming live releases, so I’m hoping MF22 by the end of this year, and the Paris show maybe Spring/Summer next year.
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There’s also zero proof that Roine DID play that section on the record. Wouldn’t be the first time in music history where someone is credited for something they didn’t do on a record.
Gene Simmons bass from 1980 to about 1988. Ace Frehley from 1976 to 1982. :) :) :)
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I agree with Kev. I have no doubt Roine could play that part. I mean he's a great player, and if he put the time and effort into learning/re-learning and practicing that part, I'm sure he'd nail it. But he strikes me as being a bit, for lack of a better word "lazy" when it comes to preparing for a live tour (at least with TA). So that's where I fall on the debate lol
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I agree with Kev. I have no doubt Roine could play that part. I mean he's a great player, and if he put the time and effort into learning/re-learning and practicing that part, I'm sure he'd nail it. But he strikes me as being a bit, for lack of a better word "lazy" when it comes to preparing for a live tour (at least with TA). So that's where I fall on the debate lol
Very late to the party but I agree with Metropolaris.
I DO have doubt that Roine could play that part. He was never a "playing technical and fast arpeggios in synch with the whole band"-guy and I can't remember him ever doing something like this with his main band. I also say this because he has gotten sloppier over the last TA tours and has sometimes forgotten his parts.
And the time management argument is just very sloppy. A very lame excuse (that - granted - he didn't make himself). Roine is a working musician but what is he doing right now apart from The Flower Kings? I don't know if he has a separate job apart from music but I don't know of that many side projects or mixing/producing jobs or touring schedules he is involved in right now. Plus I don't think TFK albums (or The Sea Within, Kaipa, Tangent, Anderson/Stolt or any other project' albums) sell as well as TA albums. Neither do tickets sold by those bands, so you would think he'd practice his stuff before going on tour with TA. TA might be a side project for him, but if you band is booked and you get paid for it by your fans, then learn. your. damn. parts. If he was able to play that unison part, he could/should have practiced it because let's be honest, IF he played it on the record (which I don't believe), then this would mean he used to be able to play it and it would be a matter of 1-2 days to relearn it. Or sit on the bed in the tour bus and practice it, I don't know. We all have loads of stuff to do and many of us still learn parts like that in their spare time (see Metropolaris).
I also don't agree with the "not every instrumentalist feels the need to show off everything they can do on a regular basis"-argument. Because that part is hardly "showing off", it's playing what is in the composition.
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(https://i.imgur.com/ca2k587.png)
Thank you MP for clearing this up.
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Oddly enough, I feel like there was a time, a long while ago, when MP would use his forum/social media and legitimately clear something like this up.
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(https://i.imgur.com/ca2k587.png)
Thank you MP for clearing this up.
:rollin :rollin :rollin
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I also don't agree with the "not every instrumentalist feels the need to show off everything they can do on a regular basis"-argument. Because that part is hardly "showing off", it's playing what is in the composition.
I don't want to keep going back and forth on this, but I disagree with the above point. Sometimes, especially in progressive rock or metal, showing off IS a part of the composition, so you don't have to improv to show off. For example, I always got the impression that something like the end of DT's Fatal Tragedy was well composed, given the shrink and grow aspect of it that they described on the Live Scenes commentary, but that is definitely showing off (in a good way). The showing off was an integral part of the composition.
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"Is it really Roine playing?
Is it really going to be?
Is it really Roine playing?
Is it what our minds can see?"
It was today of all days that I noticed that IIRH has been misspelled as Is It Really "Hapenning" for years in my itunes library
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I can see both sides on this arpeggios thing. On one hand I feel like, it's fair to assume a band's only lead guitarist played a lead guitar part absent any specific documentation in the album credits or Making Of or an interview somewhere. On the other hand it does seem very much not in the usual style of Roine's playing from my (albeit limited) exposure to him as an artist. I don't hear any lead work with that kind of speed and precision elsewhere in TA, in the Flower Kings albums that I own, or any of the times I've seen him live.
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It was today of all days that I noticed that IIRH has been misspelled as Is It Really "Hapenning" for years in my itunes library
The version I bought off of iTunes is actually called “It Is Really Hapenning”, not Is It. I don’t know which is correct.
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It was today of all days that I noticed that IIRH has been misspelled as Is It Really "Hapenning" for years in my itunes library
The version I bought off of iTunes is actually called “It Is Really Hapenning”, not Is It. I don’t know which is correct.
Oddly enough, the copy I picked up in Dagobah years ago has it as Really Happening, It Is.
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It was today of all days that I noticed that IIRH has been misspelled as Is It Really "Hapenning" for years in my itunes library
The version I bought off of iTunes is actually called “It Is Really Hapenning”, not Is It. I don’t know which is correct.
Oddly enough, the copy I picked up in Dagobah years ago has it as Really Happening, It Is.
Funnily enough, an import version from Swine, Italy has it titled as "Isyay Ityay Eallyray Appeninghay".
-Marc.
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if your band is booked then learn. your. damn. parts.
This, so much. Yes.
I also don't agree with the "not every instrumentalist feels the need to show off everything they can do on a regular basis"-argument. Because that part is hardly "showing off", it's playing what is in the composition.
I don't want to keep going back and forth on this, but I disagree with the above point. Sometimes, especially in progressive rock or metal, showing off IS a part of the composition, so you don't have to improv to show off. For example, I always got the impression that something like the end of DT's Fatal Tragedy was well composed, given the shrink and grow aspect of it that they described on the Live Scenes commentary, but that is definitely showing off (in a good way). The showing off was an integral part of the composition.
This I feel is a difficult one, because I don't agree with the premise. I do not think 'showing off' is ever a part of a composition, but more a result of playing the composition. The music is fairly difficult to play and requires quite a bit of control on the instruments and as a result it can sound like showing off. There's a distinction there, I believe. While instrumental virtuosity is certainly a stylistic characteristic of progressive rock and metal music, there's also example of music in the genre that do not have this. 'Showing off' whatever you can do without taking into account how it sounds, or what the composition actually wants from you as a player at that time doesn't exactly make for good music. I don't think the
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Looks like we have bigger problems afoot. Someone kidnapped Elite before he could finish his post.
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No, he got it just right. I don't think the neither.
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Maybe it's an illustration of the sudden PMU ending.
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No, he got it just right. I don't think the neither.
“The the”?
THE “the the”?
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It was today of all days that I noticed that IIRH has been misspelled as Is It Really "Hapenning" for years in my itunes library
Don't forget the question mark in the title of the song as well. ;)
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It was today of all days that I noticed that IIRH has been misspelled as Is It Really "Hapenning" for years in my itunes library
Don't forget the question mark in the title of the song as well. ;)
Of course! Which, fun fact, is the same “?” From the album of the same name.
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I agree with Kev. I have no doubt Roine could play that part. I mean he's a great player, and if he put the time and effort into learning/re-learning and practicing that part, I'm sure he'd nail it. But he strikes me as being a bit, for lack of a better word "lazy" when it comes to preparing for a live tour (at least with TA). So that's where I fall on the debate lol
Very late to the party but I agree with Metropolaris.
I DO have doubt that Roine could play that part. He was never a "playing technical and fast arpeggios in synch with the whole band"-guy and I can't remember him ever doing something like this with his main band. I also say this because he has gotten sloppier over the last TA tours and has sometimes forgotten his parts.
And the time management argument is just very sloppy. A very lame excuse (that - granted - he didn't make himself). Roine is a working musician but what is he doing right now apart from The Flower Kings? I don't know if he has a separate job apart from music but I don't know of that many side projects or mixing/producing jobs or touring schedules he is involved in right now. Plus I don't think TFK albums (or The Sea Within, Kaipa, Tangent, Anderson/Stolt or any other project' albums) sell as well as TA albums. Neither do tickets sold by those bands, so you would think he'd practice his stuff before going on tour with TA. TA might be a side project for him, but if you band is booked and you get paid for it by your fans, then learn. your. damn. parts. If he was able to play that unison part, he could/should have practiced it because let's be honest, IF he played it on the record (which I don't believe), then this would mean he used to be able to play it and it would be a matter of 1-2 days to relearn it. Or sit on the bed in the tour bus and practice it, I don't know. We all have loads of stuff to do and many of us still learn parts like that in their spare time (see Metropolaris).
I also don't agree with the "not every instrumentalist feels the need to show off everything they can do on a regular basis"-argument. Because that part is hardly "showing off", it's playing what is in the composition.
Big fan of this idea. I get it if you dumb it down, or you make a composite for live performance, but the bands I like generally speaking PUT IN THE EFFORT. I get a lot out of watching people like Mike and Neal and even guys like Rick Nielson and Jack Blades, because they always seem like they are PUTTING IN THE WORK. McCartney is another one.
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I've been following this Roine/Is It Really Happening debate and I honestly have no idea what the part in question is. Guess I should listen to the song again, LOL.
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Reading trough the discussion made me appreciate Ted Leonard even more. The guy basically learned 90 minutes of music he wasn't involved in. Imagine what a task that is. :omg:
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I've been following this Roine/Is It Really Happening debate and I honestly have no idea what the part in question is. Guess I should listen to the song again, LOL.
The unison in the last section of the song.
This part: https://youtu.be/luJV-6VoZoo
remember to smash that like button
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I've been following this Roine/Is It Really Happening debate and I honestly have no idea what the part in question is. Guess I should listen to the song again, LOL.
The unison in the last section of the song.
This part: https://youtu.be/luJV-6VoZoo
remember to smash that like button
Nice work! That definitely sounds more like something Neal would write than Roine, so I wouldn't be surprised if he played it on the album. I imagine Roine could do it if he wanted to, but it also wouldn't surprise if he didn't want to for some reason!
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Not to beat a dead horse, I too fall on the "I can see and understand both sides" side of the IIRH discussion. While I hate to speculate about things we just don't know, I personally think that Roine not playing it is the more reasonable conclusion when you look at the facts that he doesn't play it on his demo, we have documentary footage of the making of the album and don't see him playing it, it isn't his style and doesn't seem to be similar to anything he has recorded in any of his projects, and he has never played it live. Those 4 facts, combined with there not being anything other than the more general album credits on the other side of the argument, lead me to "he doesn't play it on the album" as being the more reasonable conclusion. But that said, we just don't know.
But keeping in mind that this discussion arose over the question of whether he could play it, I'll add my two cents to that (and it really isn't worth that much): Yeah, I think he probably could. He's a good guitar player. I've always found Kev's description of Roine as "world class" to be way overstating it, and a bit of a headscratcher. But he's really, really good. And, let's face it, he's got decades of studio and live and practice experience under his belt. That alone will up somebody's skill to the point that they probably could play a lot of really complex stuff outside their typical comfort zone if they put in the time to sit down and do it. I have no reason to doubt that he could play that part.
Here's the thing that kind of rubs me the wrong way: Should he play it live? It's kind of a loaded question. On one hand, I do think he should. Although it's one of the movements of The Whirlwind that I never really cared for (the only one, if fact), it's one of those moments in a live setting where I feel like the spotlight should be on the 4 named members, and he should engage with the other 3 in the energy of the moment rather than passing the baton. On the other hand, it's a creative decision that is theirs to make, and if he doesn't want to, for whatever reason, if the lead part is being played so that the song overall still sounds right, then whatever I subjectively feel anyone "should" do is completely irrelevant, and "should" isn't really even my place to debate. All that being said, it is just another of several glaring (to me) examples of things he does live that make me feel like he is lazy or apathetic, at least when it comes to TA. He does dumb down some of his parts live. And he does stand up there staring into his iPad rather than having his lyrics and guitar parts memorized, and takes away from any meaningful crowd interaction. And, yeah, I'm perhaps being a bit biased when I let it bother me that he does it and am perfectly fine with Jordan doing it. I'll cop to that, although I think there are several key differences we could talk about. But again, there are several factors that make me feel that way, and this is just one. That is my real problem here. The way he presents himself doesn't give the impression that he gives his all to the live performance, at least not to the level of his other 3 main bandmates.
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Something that I wonder about is whether, being a 65 year old guitarist who's been in bands since he was a teenager, he just needs breaks (maybe he has arthritis, etc.) and a good time to do that would be during a more complex part he didn't play on the record itself.
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Out of curiosity, I looked at the set list for the NMB/TFK Tour from like 2013 or whenever it was, because I knew the Transatlantic encore featured some Whirlwind songs in a medley, and "Is It Really Happening" was not featured in the encore. This isn't to say they didn't play it because Roine didn't want to play the guitar part, but I figured I'd bring it up anyway as it was another case of TA Material being played live with Roine but not necessarily a TA tour.
I haven't watched it in awhile, but looking at the Kaleidoscope Tour sets, the Whrilwind medley is the same from the previous two tours. I'm guessing Ted plays the same parts both times, i.e. the arpeggios? It would make sense given it's the same medley with the same line-up.
Either way, I don't think it matters WHO plays it as long as it sounds good. Also, I watched some audience video of IIRH from the European leg of the TAU tour and noticed they don't speed up at the end like I remember them doing on the Whirld Tour.
-Marc.
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"Is it really Roine playing?
Is it really going to be?
Is it really Roine playing?
Is it what our minds can see?"
LOL Good one!
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But keeping in mind that this discussion arose over the question of whether he could play it, I'll add my two cents to that (and it really isn't worth that much): Yeah, I think he probably could. He's a good guitar player. I've always found Kev's description of Roine as "world class" to be way overstating it, and a bit of a headscratcher. But he's really, really good. And, let's face it, he's got decades of studio and live and practice experience under his belt. That alone will up somebody's skill to the point that they probably could play a lot of really complex stuff outside their typical comfort zone if they put in the time to sit down and do it. I have no reason to doubt that he could play that part.
This was exactly my point Bosk. And my other point was he's too "lazy" (for lack of a better word) to put in the time and effort to get the part down. Of course, I could be way off - but that's my gut instinct on this LOL
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Out of curiosity, I looked at the set list for the NMB/TFK Tour from like 2013 or whenever it was, because I knew the Transatlantic encore featured some Whirlwind songs in a medley, and "Is It Really Happening" was not featured in the encore. This isn't to say they didn't play it because Roine didn't want to play the guitar part, but I figured I'd bring it up anyway as it was another case of TA Material being played live with Roine but not necessarily a TA tour.
I haven't watched it in awhile, but looking at the Kaleidoscope Tour sets, the Whrilwind medley is the same from the previous two tours. I'm guessing Ted plays the same parts both times, i.e. the arpeggios? It would make sense given it's the same medley with the same line-up.
Either way, I don't think it matters WHO plays it as long as it sounds good. Also, I watched some audience video of IIRH from the European leg of the TAU tour and noticed they don't speed up at the end like I remember them doing on the Whirld Tour.
-Marc.
Well if it was with the NMB Eric could have played it with his eyes closed. That dude is an AWESOME guitar player!
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Something that I wonder about is whether, being a 65 year old guitarist who's been in bands since he was a teenager, he just needs breaks (maybe he has arthritis, etc.) and a good time to do that would be during a more complex part he didn't play on the record itself.
Very true. I’m less than half his age and I need a break after playing that section.
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Out of curiosity, I looked at the set list for the NMB/TFK Tour from like 2013 or whenever it was, because I knew the Transatlantic encore featured some Whirlwind songs in a medley, and "Is It Really Happening" was not featured in the encore. This isn't to say they didn't play it because Roine didn't want to play the guitar part, but I figured I'd bring it up anyway as it was another case of TA Material being played live with Roine but not necessarily a TA tour.
I haven't watched it in awhile, but looking at the Kaleidoscope Tour sets, the Whrilwind medley is the same from the previous two tours. I'm guessing Ted plays the same parts both times, i.e. the arpeggios? It would make sense given it's the same medley with the same line-up.
Either way, I don't think it matters WHO plays it as long as it sounds good. Also, I watched some audience video of IIRH from the European leg of the TAU tour and noticed they don't speed up at the end like I remember them doing on the Whirld Tour.
-Marc.
Well if it was with the NMB Eric could have played it with his eyes closed. That dude is an AWESOME guitar player!
Yes, but IIRC, the encore was the TA members (Mike, Neal and Roine) with either Randy or Jonas on bass.
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Out of curiosity, I looked at the set list for the NMB/TFK Tour from like 2013 or whenever it was, because I knew the Transatlantic encore featured some Whirlwind songs in a medley, and "Is It Really Happening" was not featured in the encore. This isn't to say they didn't play it because Roine didn't want to play the guitar part, but I figured I'd bring it up anyway as it was another case of TA Material being played live with Roine but not necessarily a TA tour.
I haven't watched it in awhile, but looking at the Kaleidoscope Tour sets, the Whrilwind medley is the same from the previous two tours. I'm guessing Ted plays the same parts both times, i.e. the arpeggios? It would make sense given it's the same medley with the same line-up.
Either way, I don't think it matters WHO plays it as long as it sounds good. Also, I watched some audience video of IIRH from the European leg of the TAU tour and noticed they don't speed up at the end like I remember them doing on the Whirld Tour.
-Marc.
Well if it was with the NMB Eric could have played it with his eyes closed. That dude is an AWESOME guitar player!
Yes, but IIRC, the encore was the TA members (Mike, Neal and Roine) with either Randy or Jonas on bass.
I believe it was Jonas on bass, but really both bassists could pull it off, and I know Randy has covered some TA before, I believe at Morsefest IIRC.
-Marc.
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Someone remember to ask Neal about this at next year's Morsefest.
Oh, wait...
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I don't think Roine dumbs down his guitar parts live. He is just not a guy who stands there and plays everything exactly as it was on the record. There are times where I feel like his live playing isn't as good as what he did on the studio for sure, but that is just his style. Heck, Portnoy is known for playing some of his differently live as well, and I don't think anyone thinks he dumbs his parts down.
As for Eric Gillette, I will preface this by saying that I am a fan, but while, yes, I am sure he could play it all note for note, his style is largely centered around being a junior John Petrucci, so listening to someone's music or style and then playing it is kind of his thing. Again, I am a fan of his, although I think his singing has a lot to do with it, but I think what I am saying is more than fair.
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I am enjoying reading everyone's thoughts on this.
Somewhat recently I ended up at dinner with a member of the Flower Kings (and his family), and this would have been a great discussion topic - Roine's style and what is/isn't outside of a guitarist's comfort zone. Too bad that happened prior to this discussion.
I remember listening to Live in America shortly after it released, and finding it incredibly interesting to hear someone other than JP play Finally Free. Live in America is a bit loose overall but even still I remember thinking Finally Free seemed way outside of Roine's comfort zone in terms of style. He skips all of the fast runs and just plays the general melodies. It kind of reminds me of how Alan Morse might play it (though I suspect Alan would have even more trouble with it).
I am a huge fan of Eric Gillette, and I agree with Kev's assessment. I really hope Neal isn't retiring soon like has been discussed, because I hope to see Eric's style continue to grow and evolve over the next 10 years. Perhaps this rumoured Diego band will eventually be a real thing.
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I don't think Roine dumbs down his guitar parts live. He is just not a guy who stands there and plays everything exactly as it was on the record.
True, but if you watch some live performances, sometimes he just stands there doing nothing where there’s supposed to be a guitar part.
I agree with others saying he doesn’t seem to give it 100% at live shows. I understand they play long shows with ~3 hours of music, and their tours are few and far between. But everyone else is preparing the same amount of music, and we don’t see anywhere near as much mistakes from them, including Ted/Daniel who didn’t even write the music. And when the hired gun whose role is to be (primarily) the secondary guitarist seems to know and play the music better than the main guitarist, who is one of the guys who wrote it, that’s kinda embarrassing. In addition that same hired gun is playing keyboards, singing backup and sometimes lead vocals, and also some hand percussion. He’s juggling all these roles and nailing it IMO, and meanwhile the main guitarist has shown up unprepared and seems to be figuring out the songs as he’s playing them. You speak very highly of him as a guitarist, and I agree he is a fantastic guitarist in the studio. I’m unfamiliar with TFK so I can’t speak for his live performances with them, but with what I see from him in TA, he just seems lazy. Not all the time, but enough to where it’s a noticeable and frequent problem.
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Regarding Eric Gillette. Yes, he's a mini John Petrucci. Clearly JP is his biggest influence (he even plays JP guitars), so I can see the argument that he's not the most "original" guitarist out there. But with that said, some of his latest solos on I&D are absolutely killer! Great mix of shred and feeling. So while I'll admit, it's VERY JP influenced, I still get great enjoyment out of his playing. And yes, I like his signing voice as well.
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Looks like we have bigger problems afoot. Someone kidnapped Elite before he could finish his post.
:lol I'm just seeing that. No idea what happened there or what I wanted to say afterwards. I was probably in the middle of typing a sentence and then added something previously in the post and the forgot to end whatever it was that I was typing. Sometimes stuff like that happens, I guess. I don't think the
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:rollin
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I'm driving cross-country this week, and I listened to KaLIVEoscope yesterday. My position continues to be that I have no idea why more people don't list Kaleidoscope among their very best songs. That one is just (black) gold from start to finish, and way more cohesive than it usually gets credit for being. #3 for me behind All and Whirlwind.
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I thought about putting together another Ultimate version of TAU using the alternate versions of some of the songs. Heart Like a Whirlwind instead of Reaching for the Sky, Swing High Swing Low instead of Take Now My Soul, etc. Decided not to do it, as the Ultimate version has the better versions and I would never listen to the alternate version.
"The Obsolete Universe" if you will
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I'm driving cross-country this week, and I listened to KaLIVEoscope yesterday. My position continues to be that I have no idea why more people don't list Kaleidoscope among their very best songs. That one is just (black) gold from start to finish, and way more cohesive than it usually gets credit for being. #3 for me behind All and Whirlwind.
I think the song Kaleidoscope is a lot better than Into the Blue, but it appears that many do not agree, including the band, as I remember the shows years ago (the cruise maybe?) where they only had time for one of them and Kaleidoscope was always the one that was dropped.
All that said, I think the song still stands far behind the four long original epics from the first two albums, but I can call it their 5th best of the six (I don't count The Whirlwind as a single song). :P
I thought about putting together another Ultimate version of TAU using the alternate versions of some of the songs. Heart Like a Whirlwind instead of Reaching for the Sky, Swing High Swing Low instead of Take Now My Soul, etc. Decided not to do it, as the Ultimate version has the better versions and I would never listen to the alternate version.
"The Obsolete Universe" if you will
My own personal Ultimate Edition has most of what they put on the Blu-ray, but I opted for Swing High Swing Low, which I feel is a lot better than Take Now My Soul. I also use the last two tracks from The Breath of Life, as the shorter version of The Greatest Story Never Ends is way better (and the band played it that way at Morsefest IIRC), and Neal's slightly shorter version of Love Made a Way had that section from 1:45-2:15 that wasn't on the Forevermore version. I can't NOT have that little part.
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My own personal Ultimate Edition has most of what they put on the Blu-ray, but I opted for Swing High Swing Low, which I feel is a lot better than Take Now My Soul. I also use the last two tracks from The Breath of Life, as the shorter version of The Greatest Story Never Ends is way better (and the band played it that way at Morsefest IIRC), and Neal's slightly shorter version of Love Made a Way had that section from 1:45-2:15 that wasn't on the Forevermore version. I can't NOT have that little part.
Musically speaking, I thought the only major difference between LMAW between TBOL and Forevermore was that Neal changed that one part from 4/4 to 7/8 but chopping off the last note of those half-time feel bars (2:30-3:01 on TBOL). Otherwise, the differences are largely lyrical (and of course the slightly longer fade-out with Neal's added timpani part).
The only reason LMAW is "shorter" in length on Forevermore is because they indexed the track a minute later compared to TBOL, which has the song starting at Mike's floor tom roll (same on the Ultimate version), whereas on Forevermore the track starts a minute later. As I see it, the lengths for LMAW are as follows: Forevermore 9:02, TBOL 9:16, Ultimate 9:08. So really, LMAW is longer on TBOL than the other two, which is why I'm confused when you said "Neal's slightly shorter version of Love Made a Way had that section from 1:45-2:15 that wasn't on the Forevermore version".
-Marc.
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My Ultimate version originally came from this: https://shop.mikeportnoy.com/products/mike-portnoy-the-absolute-universe-drum-cam-video-digital-download
I bought the video, ripped the audio, spliced in Can You Feel It at the right time(as it is missing from that version), and chopped up the audio into each individual song. Tedious, but I kinda like the DIY method. Unfortunately the audio quality/mix isn't as good on that version as it is on the CD/iTunes versions of TBOL and Forevermore.
So recently I finally sat down and threw everything into Logic Pro X and pieced together the Ultimate version from scratch from the CD version of TBOL and Forevermore. I kept it mostly the same as the official Ultimate version, but with a couple slight differences. Swing High Swing Low has that "Belong Belong" after the 1st chorus, Take Now My Soul doesn't, so I spliced that in. For Looking for the Light, I used the TBOL version of the intro with the really heavy organ sound.
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Looks like we have bigger problems afoot. Someone kidnapped Elite before he could finish his post.
:lol I'm just seeing that. No idea what happened there or what I wanted to say afterwards. I was probably in the middle of typing a sentence and then added something previously in the post and the forgot to end whatever it was that I was typing. Sometimes stuff like that happens, I guess. I don't think the
This genuinely cracked me up. :lol
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Does it bother anyone else that We All Need Some Light is like ~30 cents flat
I noticed it while learning it and it bothered me so much I pitch corrected it, but I'm still wondering why it's like that in the first place.
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Does it bother anyone else that We All Need Some Light is like ~30 cents flat
I noticed it while learning it and it bothered me so much I pitch corrected it, but I'm still wondering why it's like that in the first place.
maybe it was recorded to tape and they decided to slow it down a little bit for whatever reason?
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Does it bother anyone else that We All Need Some Light is like ~30 cents flat
I noticed it while learning it and it bothered me so much I pitch corrected it, but I'm still wondering why it's like that in the first place.
maybe it was recorded to tape and they decided to slow it down a little bit for whatever reason?
I wonder if they did it for Neal since that’s kind of a high vocal part. Maybe they tracked it higher and he decided he couldn’t pull off the vocal and they didn’t have time to redo it so he just lowered it a bit.
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But 30 cents is really negligible. That's literally a third of a half step; it's not as if they're transposing it. A different explanation could be that they slowed it down slightly?
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We All Need Some Light is one of the most perfect songs ever written by anyone. Picking nits at it is not something I will do.
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Wasn’t commenting on the quality of the song. Merely the irritating fact that I have to tune my guitar 30 cents flat from Eb if I want to play along :P
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But 30 cents is really negligible. That's literally a third of a half step; it's not as if they're transposing it. A different explanation could be that they slowed it down slightly?
This seems to be correct - it's slowed down ever-so-slightly.
You can tell because the "Roine Stolt Mixes" version isn't slowed down! Throw the two of them into some audio editing software, put one on the left channel and one on the right, hit play, and you can hear the Roine mix start to slip ahead within a few seconds. And, of course, as a result, the regular album version ends up being longer than Roine's mix (which isn't apparent from the track times because Roine's version has some added instrumental stuff near the end - but you can see it when you line them up and chop off that extra bit at the end).
So perhaps it was a stylistic choice by Neal to give it a spacier feel?
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How sure are we that Roine played on We All Need Some Light?
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How sure are we that Roine played on We All Need Some Light?
Dude :lol
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But 30 cents is really negligible. That's literally a third of a half step; it's not as if they're transposing it. A different explanation could be that they slowed it down slightly?
This seems to be correct - it's slowed down ever-so-slightly.
You can tell because the "Roine Stolt Mixes" version isn't slowed down! Throw the two of them into some audio editing software, put one on the left channel and one on the right, hit play, and you can hear the Roine mix start to slip ahead within a few seconds. And, of course, as a result, the regular album version ends up being longer than Roine's mix (which isn't apparent from the track times because Roine's version has some added instrumental stuff near the end - but you can see it when you line them up and chop off that extra bit at the end).
So perhaps it was a stylistic choice by Neal to give it a spacier feel?
How sure are we that Roine played on We All Need Some Light?
Jokes aside, your observation gave me a flashback to when in high school me and some friends recorded We All Need Some Light, and we noticed then that it was pitched down. We assumed at the time that it was just tuned down, and I didn't think to throw it in Audacity or whatever I had at the time to really dissect what was going on. It's only now that you've mentioned it that I finally see what was done.
It's one of those things that I wonder now if Neal would even remember making this call.
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How sure are we that Roine played on We All Need Some Light?
Roine Stolt tragically died in a car accident between the airport and the recording studio at the time of the making of SMPTe, and he was secretly replaced by a look-alike, Dexter Frank, Jr. Equally tragically, Frank, Jr. suffered the same fate during the recording of The Whirlwind, and he was replaced by Stolt and Frank, Jr. look-alike Don Azarro, who didn’t make it to the studio in time to record the arpeggios on Is It Really Happening?, which was Mike Portnoy’s reaction when Stolt died and was initially replaced by Frank, Jr.
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I do actually hope Roine is doing ok. To my knowlegde he never used sheets before and he did flub some notes/mess up timing at the show I saw. He also looked a bit absent throughout the show. (Keep in mind this is me looking through a very critical lens / comparing it to the standards of their live releases, by no means was he performing badly and the show was awesome)
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I’ve seen people bring up Roine’s music stand/iPad a few times, do we know what he’s looking at on them? I’ve always assumed it was lyrics, and given that English isn’t his first language, I can give that a pass. For all the nitpicks I have about his live performance, he’s always seemed to do well vocally and I don’t recall him fudging lyrics too often. If he needs a cheat sheet for that, I’m fine with that as long as he isn’t lip-syncing.
It could also be mixer. I’ve seen artists control their monitor/in-ear mix with an iPad application onstage.
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I’ve seen people bring up Roine’s music stand/iPad a few times, do we know what he’s looking at on them?
Pics of places he would rather be at the moment?
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:lol
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I’ve seen people bring up Roine’s music stand/iPad a few times, do we know what he’s looking at on them? I’ve always assumed it was lyrics, and given that English isn’t his first language, I can give that a pass. For all the nitpicks I have about his live performance, he’s always seemed to do well vocally and I don’t recall him fudging lyrics too often. If he needs a cheat sheet for that, I’m fine with that as long as he isn’t lip-syncing.
It could also be mixer. I’ve seen artists control their monitor/in-ear mix with an iPad application onstage.
Oh I don't mind him using it at all to be honest, it is just a contrast with previous tours.
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I’ve seen people bring up Roine’s music stand/iPad a few times, do we know what he’s looking at on them? I’ve always assumed it was lyrics, and given that English isn’t his first language, I can give that a pass. For all the nitpicks I have about his live performance, he’s always seemed to do well vocally and I don’t recall him fudging lyrics too often. If he needs a cheat sheet for that, I’m fine with that as long as he isn’t lip-syncing.
It could also be mixer. I’ve seen artists control their monitor/in-ear mix with an iPad application onstage.
Oh I don't mind him using it at all to be honest, it is just a contrast with previous tours.
Wouldn’t be surprised if it had something to do with keeping the changes between the different versions of TAU straight.
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I’ve seen people bring up Roine’s music stand/iPad a few times, do we know what he’s looking at on them? I’ve always assumed it was lyrics, and given that English isn’t his first language, I can give that a pass. For all the nitpicks I have about his live performance, he’s always seemed to do well vocally and I don’t recall him fudging lyrics too often. If he needs a cheat sheet for that, I’m fine with that as long as he isn’t lip-syncing.
It could also be mixer. I’ve seen artists control their monitor/in-ear mix with an iPad application onstage.
Oh I don't mind him using it at all to be honest, it is just a contrast with previous tours.
Roine had a tablet in front of him during the Kaleidoscope Tour as well, so it's not a new thing for the TAU Tour, so he had one even 8 years ago.
-Marc.
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I’ve seen people bring up Roine’s music stand/iPad a few times, do we know what he’s looking at on them? I’ve always assumed it was lyrics, and given that English isn’t his first language, I can give that a pass. For all the nitpicks I have about his live performance, he’s always seemed to do well vocally and I don’t recall him fudging lyrics too often. If he needs a cheat sheet for that, I’m fine with that as long as he isn’t lip-syncing.
It could also be mixer. I’ve seen artists control their monitor/in-ear mix with an iPad application onstage.
Oh I don't mind him using it at all to be honest, it is just a contrast with previous tours.
Roine had a tablet in front of him during the Kaleidoscope Tour as well, so it's not a new thing for thr TAU Tour, so he had one even 8 years ago.
-Marc.
Well damn, you are absolutely right, never actually noticed. I guess the sheet music stand he uses this tour makes it more prominent on stage for me.
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No, he got it just right. I don't think the neither.
I love this forum :lol
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How sure are we that Roine played on We All Need Some Light?
Roine Stolt tragically died in a car accident between the airport and the recording studio at the time of the making of SMPTe, and he was secretly replaced by a look-alike, Dexter Frank, Jr. Equally tragically, Frank, Jr. suffered the same fate during the recording of The Whirlwind, and he was replaced by Stolt and Frank, Jr. look-alike Don Azarro, who didn’t make it to the studio in time to record the arpeggios on Is It Really Happening?, which was Mike Portnoy’s reaction when Stolt died and was initially replaced by Frank, Jr.
I’m kind of disappointed, I thought this was good. Maybe the references were too obscure. :p
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I thought it was funny! I don’t get the references at all though :lol
Flower Kings stuff, I assume?
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I thought it was funny! I don’t get the references at all though :lol
Flower Kings stuff, I assume?
Those are all Roine's aliases from their earlier albums' credits. I'm not sure if it was a label thing or a rights thing or a payment thing, but Roine often put an alias to cover other duties in the album credits. The Swedes must love aliases because I'm still trying to figure out who did what on Roine's solo album Wall Street Voodoo! :lol
-Marc.
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I thought it was funny! I don’t get the references at all though :lol
Flower Kings stuff, I assume?
Those are all Roine's aliases from their earlier albums' credits. I'm not sure if it was a label thing or a rights thing or a payment thing, but Roine often put an alias to cover other duties in the album credits. The Swedes must love aliases because I'm still trying to figure out who did what on Roine's solo album Wall Street Voodoo! :lol
-Marc.
Do we know if his real name is Roine Stolt? Or could that be an alias too? Just kidding...... kinda.
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Holy shit how deep does this rabbit hole go
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I thought it was funny! I don’t get the references at all though :lol
Flower Kings stuff, I assume?
Those are all Roine's aliases from their earlier albums' credits. I'm not sure if it was a label thing or a rights thing or a payment thing, but Roine often put an alias to cover other duties in the album credits. The Swedes must love aliases because I'm still trying to figure out who did what on Roine's solo album Wall Street Voodoo! :lol
-Marc.
Do we know if his real name is Roine Stolt? Or could that be an alias too? Just kidding...... kinda.
Holy shit how deep does this rabbit hole go
They’ve got a whole IKEA warehouse full of Roine clones in Sweden.
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Holy shit how deep does this rabbit hole go
Roine hasn’t played anything on Transatlantic albums
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Holy shit how deep does this rabbit hole go
Roine hasn’t played anything on Transatlantic albums
But without Roine, the band is MPTe
I’ll see myself out.
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Holy shit how deep does this rabbit hole go
Roine hasn’t played anything on Transatlantic albums
But with Roine, the band is MPTe
I’ll see myself out.
Their debut was actually SomeoneMorsePortnoyTrewavas.
-Marc.
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I do actually hope Roine is doing ok. To my knowlegde he never used sheets before and he did flub some notes/mess up timing at the show I saw. He also looked a bit absent throughout the show. (Keep in mind this is me looking through a very critical lens / comparing it to the standards of their live releases, by no means was he performing badly and the show was awesome)
Jordan Rudess frequently uses sheet music during live performances. Has anyone ever asked if he was okay because he had to do that? Roine Stolt is one of the most prolific musicians of the last 30 years of any genre, and yet some here are basically calling him lazy. Feels like this thread has jumped the shark.
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Anyone that can regularly perform 3 hours of music a night on tour is not lazy. Regardless of whatever they need to help them through a gig. Be that a cheat sheet with lyrics or whatever he has on his music stand. All me and others are saying is that he just doesn’t seem to be as prepared as the others are, and his performance often suffers because of that.
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I do actually hope Roine is doing ok. To my knowlegde he never used sheets before and he did flub some notes/mess up timing at the show I saw. He also looked a bit absent throughout the show. (Keep in mind this is me looking through a very critical lens / comparing it to the standards of their live releases, by no means was he performing badly and the show was awesome)
Jordan Rudess frequently uses sheet music during live performances. Has anyone ever asked if he was okay because he had to do that? Roine Stolt is one of the most prolific musicians of the last 30 years of any genre, and yet some here are basically calling him lazy. Feels like this thread has jumped the shark.
Now hold on, that was not my intent at all. He is an integral part to some of the best prog rock albums out there and he is most certainly prolific. I thought he never used it and now he does, which seemed odd to me but I was pointed out to be wrong, there was no change. I was genuinely wondering if he was doing ok, because he lost track here and there and just seemed off/less interested at times, for whatever reason. And I am most certainly not the only one who noticed, see this thread during the US tour. As I said in the post you quoted, this is me looking trought a very critical lens and all minor in the grand scheme of things, but it was to a degree that I did notice it.
By no means I am calling him lazy, it is a behemoth of a 3 hour set and anyone playing through that has put in the work. The only negative thing I have previously said about Roine in general is that I am personally not fond of his vocals. Which is taste, because I admit he sings well and in tune live.
Some of the best musicians use sheets (especially in classical music), that in itself is no knock and I personally don't care what is on that screen.
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I do actually hope Roine is doing ok. To my knowlegde he never used sheets before and he did flub some notes/mess up timing at the show I saw. He also looked a bit absent throughout the show. (Keep in mind this is me looking through a very critical lens / comparing it to the standards of their live releases, by no means was he performing badly and the show was awesome)
Jordan Rudess frequently uses sheet music during live performances. Has anyone ever asked if he was okay because he had to do that? Roine Stolt is one of the most prolific musicians of the last 30 years of any genre, and yet some here are basically calling him lazy. Feels like this thread has jumped the shark.
I can only explain my personal view, not that of others (obviously), but my take is: First off, as I already said, I know and embrace the fact that, given my fandom of DT and not really thinking twice about it for Jordan makes me somewhat hypocritical. In this instance, that doesn't bother me. Some of it is just taste, but there are distinctions that at least somewhat justify my feeling differently about it in those two instances.
First off, Roine is the lead guitarist as well as a lead vocalist. He is an important front man for the band. Yet, he often seems tied to staring into his tablet and is completely disconnected from the crowd. A keyboard player, on the other hand, is typically expected to just hang out in the background and provide background for the lead instruments most of the time (at least, in rock and metal). Despite that and despite the tablet, Jordan infuses a lot of band interaction and crowd interaction into his performance and looks engaged rather than standing like a statue looking into his tablet.
Second, and somewhat related to the first, whether or not this is reality, the perceptions that each of those two players gives off is very different. Roine comes across as needing to constantly rely on the tablet to keep up, whereas Jordan appears to know the music and performance, and only occasionally refers to the tablet when needed.
Third, even with the tablet, I've seen a few performances (not just one or two) where Roine flubs his vocals or guitar parts, even with the tablet. I have NEVER seen Jordan do that.
Rightly or wrongly, Jordan just comes across to me as the better-prepared, more engaged player. Some of that is just personality. But there are other factors as well, and how Roine uses the tablet onstage is one of those factors. A player being so tied to it that it appears to interfere with the live performance, appearing to need it so frequently, and still making errors contributes to that perception.
Portnoy and Morse have both talked about early TA shows where the players had cheat sheets around the stage to help them out. So using a crutch isn't new. And it isn't something that is unique to Roine. But in those early shows, from everything I have heard, and from both official videos and other clips, the difference is that they all looked engaged AND you wouldn't really have known they had those cheat sheets stashed around the stage because they didn't just stand there in front of the cheat sheet staring at it the entire show. They took a quick look when needed, and then moved on.
Anyway, that's probably enough said. I'm not necessarily trying to convince you or anyone else that my position is "right"--just trying to articulate it so you can understand where I am coming from. Whether others agree or not doesn't really matter.
And to tie this up, for the record, I'm not trying to slam Roine either. He's a great writer and great player, and he has contributed significantly to some of my favorite music all time, including some live performances of that music. But that said, their more recent (i.e. post-Whirlwind) live performances have been somewhat disappointing to me, so I'm just offering an explanation for why that particular aspect contributes to some of that disappointment.
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I do actually hope Roine is doing ok. To my knowlegde he never used sheets before and he did flub some notes/mess up timing at the show I saw. He also looked a bit absent throughout the show. (Keep in mind this is me looking through a very critical lens / comparing it to the standards of their live releases, by no means was he performing badly and the show was awesome)
Jordan Rudess frequently uses sheet music during live performances. Has anyone ever asked if he was okay because he had to do that? Roine Stolt is one of the most prolific musicians of the last 30 years of any genre, and yet some here are basically calling him lazy. Feels like this thread has jumped the shark.
I can only explain my personal view, not that of others (obviously), but my take is: First off, as I already said, I know and embrace the fact that, given my fandom of DT and not really thinking twice about it for Jordan makes me somewhat hypocritical. In this instance, that doesn't bother me. Some of it is just taste, but there are distinctions that at least somewhat justify my feeling differently about it in those two instances.
First off, Roine is the lead guitarist as well as a lead vocalist. He is an important front man for the band. Yet, he often seems tied to staring into his tablet and is completely disconnected from the crowd. A keyboard player, on the other hand, is typically expected to just hang out in the background and provide background for the lead instruments most of the time (at least, in rock and metal). Despite that and despite the tablet, Jordan infuses a lot of band interaction and crowd interaction into his performance and looks engaged rather than standing like a statue looking into his tablet.
Second, and somewhat related to the first, whether or not this is reality, the perceptions that each of those two players gives off is very different. Roine comes across as needing to constantly rely on the tablet to keep up, whereas Jordan appears to know the music and performance, and only occasionally refers to the tablet when needed.
Third, even with the tablet, I've seen a few performances (not just one or two) where Roine flubs his vocals or guitar parts, even with the tablet. I have NEVER seen Jordan do that.
Rightly or wrongly, Jordan just comes across to me as the better-prepared, more engaged player. Some of that is just personality. But there are other factors as well, and how Roine uses the tablet onstage is one of those factors. A player being so tied to it that it appears to interfere with the live performance, appearing to need it so frequently, and still making errors contributes to that perception.
Portnoy and Morse have both talked about early TA shows where the players had cheat sheets around the stage to help them out. So using a crutch isn't new. And it isn't something that is unique to Roine. But in those early shows, from everything I have heard, and from both official videos and other clips, the difference is that they all looked engaged AND you wouldn't really have known they had those cheat sheets stashed around the stage because they didn't just stand there in front of the cheat sheet staring at it the entire show. They took a quick look when needed, and then moved on.
Anyway, that's probably enough said. I'm not necessarily trying to convince you or anyone else that my position is "right"--just trying to articulate it so you can understand where I am coming from. Whether others agree or not doesn't really matter.
And to tie this up, for the record, I'm not trying to slam Roine either. He's a great writer and great player, and he has contributed significantly to some of my favorite music all time, including some live performances of that music. But that said, their more recent (i.e. post-Whirlwind) live performances have been somewhat disappointing to me, so I'm just offering an explanation for why that particular aspect contributes to some of that disappointment.
This is an awesome post. Great example that just because the statement Jordan Rudess and Roine Stolt both use notes on stage is factual, it's not at all meaningful.
And to add to this a little bit, let me preface this by saying I love Roine as a songwriter, guitarist, and singer. I've seen The Flower Kings many times, and I've seen Transatlantic many times. And frankly Roine can seemingly phone in a Transatlantic performance in comparison to The Flower Kings. Now that could be attributed to TFK music being much more "his", and he's probably performed it a good bit more as well. That said I very much agree that if TA is booked, and on the level they are, myself or no one else should really notice a major gap there.
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Portnoy has confirmed (in the Transatlantic fb group) that post production on the Paris show will begin shortly and will be released BEFORE Morsefest 2022.
If I had to guess, the Paris show will get released before the end of the year, and Morsefest 2022 will probably come out next Spring or Summer.
-Marc
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Portnoy has confirmed (in the Transatlantic fb group) that post production on the Paris show will begin shortly and will be released BEFORE Morsefest 2022.
If I had to guess, the Paris show will get released before the end of the year, and Morsefest 2022 will probably come out next Spring or Summer.
-Marc
Cool, I am really looking forward to this one. The youtube clips I saw were great.
Also very interested in Morsefest offcourse, with the complete version of the Whirlwind.
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Similarly, take The Greatest Story Never Ends. On Roine's version from Forevermore, it removes the big instrumental section present on the TBOL and Ultimate versions(1:18 on TBOL and 3:01 on Ultimate). They also removed that section from the song when they played it live. It's likely that it was a Neal idea written and played by him on his version of TAU, but if Roine can play anything and everything as you say, why wouldn't he learn that section?
I'd say that's a glaring example of him shying away from playing something complex.
You have this backwards. Roine's version doesn't *remove* anything. It's just the way they wrote it originally. Neal's version had some parts added. As to why they didn't play it live that way, maybe they just liked the original version better?
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Similarly, take The Greatest Story Never Ends. On Roine's version from Forevermore, it removes the big instrumental section present on the TBOL and Ultimate versions(1:18 on TBOL and 3:01 on Ultimate). They also removed that section from the song when they played it live. It's likely that it was a Neal idea written and played by him on his version of TAU, but if Roine can play anything and everything as you say, why wouldn't he learn that section?
I'd say that's a glaring example of him shying away from playing something complex.
You have this backwards. Roine's version doesn't *remove* anything. It's just the way they wrote it originally. Neal's version had some parts added. As to why they didn't play it live that way, maybe they just liked the original version better?
From clips I've seen of the tour, they didn't do the a capella part either, which was present on the original/Forevermore version, so what they performed live wasn't even the complete Forevermore version of TGSNE.
-Marc.
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Mike called it a fourth version of the album during the concert I attended.
What is removed/added is just semantics to me, they released three official versions from the get go, they play a version that is closest to the Ultimate version but removed/altered certain parts when compared to that version.
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I understand what the original idea was for the release of different versions. But man I think how the whole thing turned out just sucks. There’s parts in one version that aren’t in the other version but live they put some parts into one version that weren’t there on the original recordings etc etc. This just makes the whole album replaceable. Not all the way thought through. I just wish they would have gone the extra mile and got together again to squeeze the Forevermore version into one dense awesome 80 minute version.
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My take is that they didn't look at The Absolute Universe through the music and how to best present it (if there's one way you want to present it, you wouldn't release two versions that are not all that different from the other), but released it as a means to be unique. A novelty factor of sorts. 'Look at what we're doing! We're presenting the same album in two.. no wait THREE.. different format. No-one has done THAT before'. And ultimately, because their artistic statement hinged on the release of different albums, the music actually suffers as a result. What's the music you wanted to release? All of it? It seems like an unfinished, unpolished product and it's up to the listener to make something out of it, rather than the artist showing us what their actual vision on this material is.
In theory, nice idea. Terrible execution. Okay, continue on :biggrin:
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It is a bit odd, but in the end I don't mind that there are multiple versions. Just pick the one you like the most, no? For me it would've worked better if the albums were a bit more different (tempo, heavyness, played with different instruments, soundproduction etc.). It definitely can be interesting to see how an album can take shape differently when different people are helming it.
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It is a bit odd, but in the end I don't mind that there are multiple versions. Just pick the one you like the most, no? For me it would've worked better if the albums were a bit more different (tempo, heavyness, played with different instruments, soundproduction etc.). It definitely can be interesting to see how an album can take shape differently when different people are helming it.
Arjen Lucassen did this with the Gentle Storm, with essentially the same musicbut performed two different ways - Gentle, an acoustic driven album, and Storm, a more heavy approach.
-Marc.
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I listened to the Forevermore version first, and it was pretty good.
I listened to the single disc version once, and it was weird. So it no longer counts for me.
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When The Absolute Universe came out, before I'd had a chance to pick it up, people were already talking about the differences between the versions, and I knew that I'd probably have issues listening to the short version if there were parts from the longer version missing that I really liked. So I just got the longer version and figured that I'd live without ever hearing whatever parts it doesn't have that are in the shorter version. You can't miss what you never knew.
I mostly agree that it was a somewhat cool idea, but I'm not such a huge Transatlantic fan that I know every part of every epic anyway. I always play albums all the way through, so when the entire album is one piece of music, it's mostly more like "Oh yeah, this part; I like this part" here and there.
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The Ultimate version is the only version I listen to nowadays. For me it just has the best of both worlds. I too would have liked more differences between the two main versions, more than just including/excluding certain songs and some different lyrics. Maybe a completely unique closing track for each version, and maybe even a different overture. Of course that complicates how the album could be represented live.
Another thing is they could done a bit more in the lyrical department. Being that this is is their big double album(at least that was the idea before the disagreement) why not go all the way and make it a true concept album/rock opera? With an actual story instead of a loose theme connecting the songs. If everyone had been on the same page for the direction of TAU and they had settled on and focused on one version, it could have possibly been a career-defining album for the group instead of the kinda mid-tier album(s) we got.
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I would speculate that it would be hard for them to come up with an actual story while maintaining the division of labor they usually have for the lyrics. Roine generally seems to prefer writing pretty impressionistic lyrics, and he has a different style and sensibility from Neal, who would presumably be the one coming up with the concept, that I think would make it hard for them to try to collaborate on something like that.
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The Ultimate version is the only version I listen to nowadays. For me it just has the best of both worlds. I too would have liked more differences between the two main versions, more than just including/excluding certain songs and some different lyrics. Maybe a completely unique closing track for each version, and maybe even a different overture. Of course that complicates how the album could be represented live.
Another thing is they could done a bit more in the lyrical department. Being that this is is their big double album(at least that was the idea before the disagreement) why not go all the way and make it a true concept album/rock opera? With an actual story instead of a loose theme connecting the songs. If everyone had been on the same page for the direction of TAU and they had settled on and focused on one version, it could have possibly been a career-defining album for the group instead of the kinda mid-tier album(s) we got.
Wasn't it already settled on, until Neal took the opportunity to do his own version during the lockdowns?
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The Ultimate version is the only version I listen to nowadays. For me it just has the best of both worlds. I too would have liked more differences between the two main versions, more than just including/excluding certain songs and some different lyrics. Maybe a completely unique closing track for each version, and maybe even a different overture. Of course that complicates how the album could be represented live.
Another thing is they could done a bit more in the lyrical department. Being that this is is their big double album(at least that was the idea before the disagreement) why not go all the way and make it a true concept album/rock opera? With an actual story instead of a loose theme connecting the songs. If everyone had been on the same page for the direction of TAU and they had settled on and focused on one version, it could have possibly been a career-defining album for the group instead of the kinda mid-tier album(s) we got.
Wasn't it already settled on, until Neal took the opportunity to do his own version during the lockdowns?
IIRC, during the sessions, Neal, Mike and Roine were all on board for a double album and presenting as much music as possible. After the initial sessions were wrapped up and they went their own ways, and the pandemic began, Neal revisited the material and felt a shorter version would be better, aligning with Pete's idea of making a more succinct album. So Neal edited the WIP album and sent it to them in a rather unique email and there were Zoom calls and talks and such, and so Mike asked the label if they could release two versions of the album and they gave them the go-ahead. Roine helped oversee the "original" version, which became Forevermore, and Neal focused on editing the album with new parts, lyrics, and additional material not on the Forevermore version.
Basically, any changes made on The Breath Of Life were all Neal's ideas, and AFAIK, only Pete and Mike played on the new parts, particularly in the Overture, the whole "Can You Feel It" song, and new parts in "The Greatest Story Never Ends". Then Mike oversaw the Ultimate Mix once both versions were done to create his vision of the album with almost everything from both, which is the version I typically listen to now. The only thing I might have changed was swapping "Take Now My Soul" back to the original "Swing High Swing Low". Otherwise, I enjoy the extended portions of the Overture and TGSNE, and the new segue between "Love Made A Way (Prelude)" and "Owl Howl". I enjoy a lot of what Neal added to his version, but dislike how much he took away.
Someone said earlier that had they focused on making a solid 79-80 minute album with most of their ideas intact, it might have been killer, but we will never know. Instead, we live in a reality where both possibilities exist (Forevermore AND The Breath Of Life), so everyone has more options. And of course, once the Paris show comes out, we'll have a FOURTH version of TAU, and then a FIFTH once the Morsefest 2022 show releases (as that will have extra instrumentation). Who knew that the band's fifth album would have five different versions released! :lol
-Marc.
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The ultimate edition is what they played live, right?
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The ultimate edition is what they played live, right?
Yes. The only differences I'm aware of are the 2 previously mentioned missing sections from The Greatest Story Never Ends. The a capella section, and the wanky instrumental part that follows it on the Ultimate Edition.
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The ultimate edition is what they played live, right?
Yes. The only differences I'm aware of are the 2 previously mentioned missing sections from The Greatest Story Never Ends. The a capella section, and the wanky instrumental part that follows it on the Ultimate Edition.
Ah, ok. Thanks.
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Portnoy has confirmed (in the Transatlantic fb group) that post production on the Paris show will begin shortly and will be released BEFORE Morsefest 2022.
If I had to guess, the Paris show will get released before the end of the year, and Morsefest 2022 will probably come out next Spring or Summer.
-Marc
Bring it on!
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Radiant Records SALE:
https://www.nealmorse.com/product-category/merchsale/
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Radiant Records SALE:
https://www.nealmorse.com/product-category/merchsale/
I picked up 5 shirts, a beanie and a cap!
Flying Colors hat
Transatlantic Beanie
Transatlantic The Absolute Universe Black T-Shirt
Transatlantic The Absolute Universe White T-Shirt
Morsefest 2018 Voices of the Beard T-Shirt
Morsefest 2019 Navy T-Shirt
Morsefest 2022 White T-Shirt
-Marc.
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Radiant Records SALE:
https://www.nealmorse.com/product-category/merchsale/
I picked up 5 shirts, a beanie and a cap!
Flying Colors hat
Transatlantic Beanie
Transatlantic The Absolute Universe Black T-Shirt
Transatlantic The Absolute Universe White T-Shirt
Morsefest 2018 Voices of the Beard T-Shirt
Morsefest 2019 Navy T-Shirt
Morsefest 2022 White T-Shirt
-Marc.
I picked nothing, LOL, can’t afford it right now, but would have liked to pick the purple TA shirt.
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Sidebar: a cute girl with long hair wearing a beanie where her hair them flows out in the back and on the sides is one of my favorite looks. Just had to throw that out there. :biggrin: :lol
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Kev's dream girl
(https://i.imgur.com/ik5doMf.jpg)
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HAHAHAHA.
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Well, she does have nice legs, and I am a legs and ass man, but I have never dated someone that tall, so I will do the gracious thing and not steal her from Joe. :biggrin: :biggrin:
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Well, she does have nice legs, and I am a legs and ass man, but I have never dated someone that tall, so I will do the gracious thing and not steal her from Joe. :biggrin: :biggrin:
For anyone that hasn't met me in person, I am not 5'11", nor am I terribly close to that (5'8" on my better days). I briefly dated a volleyball player at Uconn who was just about 6'0". Glory days, my friend, glory days.
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Well, she does have nice legs, and I am a legs and ass man, but I have never dated someone that tall, so I will do the gracious thing and not steal her from Joe. :biggrin: :biggrin:
For anyone that hasn't met me in person, I am not 5'11", nor am I terribly close to that (5'8" on my better days). I briefly dated a volleyball player at Uconn who was just about 6'0". Glory days, my friend, glory days.
Haha, nice. I used to be 5'11" (closer to 5'10" now) and I once dated a woman who was just a shade shorter than me, so while not Taylor tall, she was above average for a female. She was fun. :hat :hat
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MP shared this just now
https://fb.watch/geRmiOiwpy/
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He also said that both nights of TA at MorseFest will be out next year.
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Hope so. It was my 1st time there.
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Found where he said it. Is on Twitter.
Final Transatlantic concert, possibly 🤷🏻♂️…but final release, nope…we also will be releasing both nights of TA at MF2022 later next year as well!
https://twitter.com/MikePortnoy/status/1582549735772065792?cxt=HHwWgMCogbOmrPYrAAAA
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Honestly, I am surprised there will be only two live releases from the tour. :lol :lol
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Honestly, I am surprised there will be only two live releases from the tour. :lol :lol
No kidding.
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TA live in Paris pre orders will start Dec. 2nd. Release date Feb 17th, 2023
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According to the latest Neal Morse Inner Circle Newsletter...
TRANSATLANTIC: LIVE IN PARIS
Rich has done the main mix and is delivering the 5.1 mix this week. Paul is making the menus, as the edit has been approved. Pre-orders are December 2nd and the actual release is February 17th, 2023.
I've watched a bunch of it and it is stunning! You can have your own extravaganza to live with in your collection forever! More good things to look forward to!
Not much longer now til the pre-orders begin, and it looks like we've got an actual release date now!
-Marc.
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So Marillion, The Flower Kings, and Flying Colors will all be on Cruise To The Edge 2024.
What are the chances for a surprise Transatlantic performance? If it happens, it'll probably one or two songs, probably from their first two albums.
-Marc.
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So Marillion, The Flower Kings, and Flying Colors will all be on Cruise To The Edge 2024.
What are the chances for a surprise Transatlantic performance? If it happens, it'll probably one or two songs, probably from their first two albums.
-Marc.
If they only play 2-3 songs, I'm hoping for All Of The Above, Stranger In Your Soul and The Whirlwind :biggrin:
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So Marillion, The Flower Kings, and Flying Colors will all be on Cruise To The Edge 2024.
What are the chances for a surprise Transatlantic performance? If it happens, it'll probably one or two songs, probably from their first two albums.
-Marc.
If they only play 2-3 songs, I'm hoping for All Of The Above, Stranger In Your Soul and The Whirlwind :biggrin:
Or it could go very wrong with just one mega-medley teasing just a little bit from a lot of their songs :P
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Is there much time on the cruise for some sort of special, unscheduled performance like that? I figure everything is on a pretty tight schedule with so many bands and people having to pick and choose between who to watch, but maybe they could tack a short song (like We All Need Some Light maybe) onto the end of one of the other band's sets.
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Is there much time on the cruise for some sort of special, unscheduled performance like that? I figure everything is on a pretty tight schedule with so many bands and people having to pick and choose between who to watch, but maybe they could tack a short song (like We All Need Some Light maybe) onto the end of one of the other band's sets.
I doubt something unscheduled for a band that big could happen, but I'd wager they already are secretly planning to do something together, and at the right time (perhaps a few months out) they'll announce it to give one final push at filling up the boat if it's not booked solid already.
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Wasn't it all but implied the week of the Paris show that that was likely their last show ever? Or was that a PR ploy to sell more tickets that week?
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Wasn't it all but implied the week of the Paris show that that was likely their last show ever? Or was that a PR ploy to sell more tickets that week?
Maybe it was before they all knew their respective bands were going to be booked on the same cruise?
It's always possible that they won't perform at TA on the cruise, but I think by the last day it'll be the white elephant in the room for everyone else on the boat.
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Eh, it was inevitable. It feels like the bands who announce a retirement tour and then keep touring (see: The Who). It's a cheap ploy to sell tickets. I get it, you do what you gotta do, but duping your fans/customers feels a bit shady.
Note that I am not saying that is what Transatlantic is doing, just that that is how it can come off when bands and artists do that kind of stuff.
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Wasn't it all but implied the week of the Paris show that that was likely their last show ever? Or was that a PR ploy to sell more tickets that week?
Speculated by us, fans. But they haven’t put a word out specifically stating that they are not touring any more.
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Wasn't it all but implied the week of the Paris show that that was likely their last show ever? Or was that a PR ploy to sell more tickets that week?
Maybe it was before they all knew their respective bands were going to be booked on the same cruise?
It's always possible that they won't perform at TA on the cruise, but I think by the last day it'll be the white elephant in the room for everyone else on the boat.
Maybe. But on the last CttE, TA's crowd at their two shows seemed much smaller than I expected, and there were a lot of folks in the crowd just checking them out who didn't stick around for very long. In comparison to some of the other bands it seemed like a lot of people on the cruise just weren't that interested in TA. This is my subjective take though. I'd be curious if anyone else on the cruise thought the same thing.
I was on Progressive Nation at Sea, and of course TA was the headlining act and was hugely popular there. So I think it's possible that CttE is a slightly different, older crowd, who isn't as into TA. As further evidence of that being the case, I was really surprised at how few people were in attendance at Casey's auction. They announced ahead of time that they'd be auctioning off lots of interesting memorabilia, including Neal's NYC TA jersey from the BaF Tour (!) - and there was still only maybe 20-30 of us there out of the entire ship.
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According to the latest Neal Morse Inner Circle Newsletter...
TRANSATLANTIC: LIVE IN PARIS
Rich has done the main mix and is delivering the 5.1 mix this week. Paul is making the menus, as the edit has been approved. Pre-orders are December 2nd and the actual release is February 17th, 2023.
I've watched a bunch of it and it is stunning! You can have your own extravaganza to live with in your collection forever! More good things to look forward to!
Not much longer now til the pre-orders begin, and it looks like we've got an actual release date now!
-Marc.
This tour was an absolute extravaganza. Especially Peter Trewavas.
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Eh, it was inevitable. It feels like the bands who announce a retirement tour and then keep touring (see: The Who). It's a cheap ploy to sell tickets. I get it, you do what you gotta do, but duping your fans/customers feels a bit shady.
Note that I am not saying that is what Transatlantic is doing, just that that is how it can come off when bands and artists do that kind of stuff.
I've not seen The Who since 1989 (second farewell tour) because of that. But I'm all in for Transatlantic if there's a tour outside of the cruise.
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Pre-Order Transatlantic's New Live Album
Hey everyone,
Just a heads up that we will open pre-orders for the new Transatlantic live album on Friday, December 2nd at 8:00AM Central / 2:00PM U.K.
Pre-ordering from Radiant will give access to an exclusive variant and the chance to get a signed item free of charge with your order!
Watch for the email with links on Friday at that time!
Thanks for your support,
Neal
Email from Radiant just now.
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The album is actually called The Final Flight: Live At L'Olympia and Owl Howl will be released to YT tomorrow. (https://music.apple.com/nz/album/the-final-flight-live-at-lolympia/1654024821) Might actually be their final show, who would know?
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(https://is5-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music122/v4/0d/9d/22/0d9d2261-f82f-a12f-a3c3-eb312524e629/196589260871.jpg/632x632bb.webp)
I *love* this album cover. Cannot wait to get this set!
-Marc.
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So we have Second Flight(Flying Colors), and now Final Flight. Is there a First Flight I’m unaware of? :P
A lot of live albums in the pipeline. MF20, MF22, First Flight, and the NMB live album from their recent tour.
I remember someone saying that Bill said NMB would reconvene early next year to work on NMB5, so hopefully that should be out by this time next year.
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I like this recording of Owl Howl, looking forward to the release. I typically enjoy their live releases more.
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Something tells me there was no arguing amongst the band this time over what to call the album. ;D
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And to the surprise of no one, the Radiant site has crashed yet again :facepalm:
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LaserCD has their pre-orders up.
-Marc.
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Waiting to see what Radiant prices it at, lasercd has the bundle at $27 right now.
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https://www.nealmorse.com/product/transatlantic-the-final-flight-live-at-lolympia/
The Radiant Records link as shared by Neal's Twitter. Of course, it isn't loading yet...
-Marc.
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Sigh, Radiant gonna Radiant. I'd like to order from Neal directly, but I've got to head out at the top of the hour, so I'll order from lasercd if I have to.
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Yeah I'm starting to think it's not going up until 9am Central. Seems like a mistake Radiant would make.
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Yeah I'm starting to think it's not going up until 9am Central. Seems like a mistake Radiant would make.
Except this message appears on their site when loading the link I shared above:
LOOKING FOR THE TRANSATLANTIC PRE-ORDER PAGE? STOP BACK AT 9 AM EASTERN TIME.
So they obviously have meant to have the page ready half an hour ago, but they're just not handling it well.
-Marc.
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Waiting to see what Radiant prices it at, lasercd has the bundle at $27 right now.
34.99 at Radiant, but the first 400 orders get a TA Tour Pass, with half of them randomly signed by Neal. Sooooo, up to you if that's worth the extra $7.
-Marc.
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Yeah I don't think I care about any of that. It's an extra $10 after shipping.
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I was able to get through at Radiant about 15 minutes ago.
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Yeah, sorry Neal. Going with LaserCD for this one. If it was a poster or something I might have considered. But a VIP laminate, even if signed, to me is kinda pointless once a tour is done. :P
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I got through. Bot the CD's/Blu Ray.
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Listening to Owl Howl now on Spotify. It sounds great!
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Watching the Owl Howl video, and the visuals being overlaid over the live footage are pretty obnoxious.
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Went to Roine's store for this one
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Watching the Owl Howl video, and the visuals being overlaid over the live footage are pretty obnoxious.
Thankfully it is only during a specific moment for about one minute. The rest looks great to me, so hopefully there won't be too much of that in the whole piece. I don't mind it for some small moments, but some live recordings go way overboard with overlays.
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Watching the Owl Howl video, and the visuals being overlaid over the live footage are pretty obnoxious.
Thankfully it is only during a specific moment for about one minute. The rest looks great to me, so hopefully there won't be too much of that in the whole piece. I don't mind it for some small moments, but some live recordings go way overboard with overlays.
Those stupid overlay effects have been a stain on Neal's live video recordings now for as long as I can remember. I can't believe they still do that. Oh well, I wasn't buying this anyway, as I will wait and get the TA performance from this year's Morsefest.
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Waiting to see what Radiant prices it at, lasercd has the bundle at $27 right now.
F***. I would have bought that; instead I went to Radiant. can you use that $7 to buy me a beer while we're waiting for my bundle to arrive? :) :) :)
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Waiting to see what Radiant prices it at, lasercd has the bundle at $27 right now.
F***. I would have bought that; instead I went to Radiant. can you use that $7 to buy me a beer while we're waiting for my bundle to arrive? :) :) :)
You can use the Tour Pass (if you're one of the first 400 orders) as a coaster for the beer!
-Marc.
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I guess I missed the memo that this would be the last Transatlantic show? Are they not going to make albums anymore? What's the story?
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Waiting to see what Radiant prices it at, lasercd has the bundle at $27 right now.
F***. I would have bought that; instead I went to Radiant. can you use that $7 to buy me a beer while we're waiting for my bundle to arrive? :) :) :)
It was more like a $10 difference for me.
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Watching the Owl Howl video, and the visuals being overlaid over the live footage are pretty obnoxious.
It looks like the footage from the screen which is the visuals from the Bluray edition if I'm not mistaken. But yeah the timing of superimposing is a bit odd.
Other than that fantastic performance and great vibe from the band. So crazy to think it's ~20 years after 'Live in Europe'
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I guess I missed the memo that this would be the last Transatlantic show? Are they not going to make albums anymore? What's the story?
It remains to be seen. Neal’s very emotional reaction to the last show of the tour, and some of Mike’s tweets made it sound like it could be the end. And then there’s the title of this live album, “Final Flight”.
I don’t think there’s been a definitive “This is the end.” statement from anybody however.
Total speculation on my part, but I get the sense that maybe the band is split on who wants to continue in the future and who wants this to be the end.
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I think they will take a long hiatus at the very least. They are not young cats anymore so it's hard to plan for certain after 5+ years. I do hope I'm wrong but the 2 cuts of the last album wasn't the best signal the band is aligned. For what's worth, I preferred the Roine and Mike version so much more - though there were moment's in Neal's I liked.
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I guess I missed the memo that this would be the last Transatlantic show? Are they not going to make albums anymore? What's the story?
It remains to be seen. Neal’s very emotional reaction to the last show of the tour, and some of Mike’s tweets made it sound like it could be the end. And then there’s the title of this live album, “Final Flight”.
I don’t think there’s been a definitive “This is the end.” statement from anybody however.
Total speculation on my part, but I get the sense that maybe the band is split on who wants to continue in the future and who wants this to be the end.
And Mike kept posting on social media leading up to the final shows that this was the last chance to see the band. It certainly seems to me that they have gone out of their way to emphasize that this is the end of the band, whether the door is open for a reunion at some point or not.
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I guess I missed the memo that this would be the last Transatlantic show? Are they not going to make albums anymore? What's the story?
It remains to be seen. Neal’s very emotional reaction to the last show of the tour, and some of Mike’s tweets made it sound like it could be the end. And then there’s the title of this live album, “Final Flight”.
I don’t think there’s been a definitive “This is the end.” statement from anybody however.
Total speculation on my part, but I get the sense that maybe the band is split on who wants to continue in the future and who wants this to be the end.
And Mike kept posting on social media leading up to the final shows that this was the last chance to see the band. It certainly seems to me that they have gone out of their way to emphasize that this is the end of the band, whether the door is open for a reunion at some point or not.
I think as they're getting "up there" and reading comments from band how stressful learning and memorizing....and then PLAYING 3 hours shows is on them (especially Roine) the reward just isn't there. A shame of course, because this is some of the best prog music we can get. :hefdaddy
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Owl Howl looks and sounds very good. These guys had some magic on stage.
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Owl Howl looks and sounds very good. These guys had some magic on stage.
Agreed! I was one of those saying maybe it's time for them to hang it up - but watching that I'm having second thoughts LOL
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Owl Howl looks and sounds very good. These guys had some magic on stage.
Agreed! I was one of those saying maybe it's time for them to hang it up - but watching that I'm having second thoughts LOL
I mostly feel that way too. They look and sound great. BUT, as has been the case for awhile, it's frustrating to see Roine having to read lyrics off a music stand/iPad. You are a seasoned pro! Learn the songs!
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Yeah, and while we're at it, can Jordan Rudess learn the songs so he doesn't have to read sheet music on stage?
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Apples and oranges. We've been over that already. But I have no problem spelling it out again:
1. It's different when you're a frontman. Maybe that's not totally fair. But if you are representing the band up front, there is an expectation that you engage with the crowd and not be tied to a crutch the entire show.
2. Even as a "backline" musician, Jordan has a lot more crowd interaction than Roine. He uses the sheet music as a help, but isn't tied to it the entire show.
Not saying it can't be used at all. But there's no excuse for a front man to be tied to a music stand the entire show every tour.
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Roine is not a front man in Transatlantic. Even though they are all out front, Roine and Pete are lower than Neal and Mike, both of whom are elevated with their stands to where they tower as the two main front men even though they are the left and right sides, and Neal and Mike, IIRC, did all of the in-between song talking when I saw TA at Morsefest this year. I doubt anyone who was unfamiliar with the band would go into it and then come out of those shows thinking Roine or Pete was a front man.
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At Morsefest, Roine did talk about how he and Mike bonded over Procol Harum prior to them playing In Held. But I get your point. Neal and MP are the “frontmen” of this band.
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Owl Howl looks and sounds very good. These guys had some magic on stage.
Agreed! I was one of those saying maybe it's time for them to hang it up - but watching that I'm having second thoughts LOL
I mostly feel that way too. They look and sound great. BUT, as has been the case for awhile, it's frustrating to see Roine having to read lyrics off a music stand/iPad. You are a seasoned pro! Learn the songs!
I see what you're saying, but if you remember, Machini, Jordan and JM do read live too. (and I can't blame them for it, modern day DT is *very* involved)
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Owl Howl looks and sounds very good. These guys had some magic on stage.
Agreed! I was one of those saying maybe it's time for them to hang it up - but watching that I'm having second thoughts LOL
I mostly feel that way too. They look and sound great. BUT, as has been the case for awhile, it's frustrating to see Roine having to read lyrics off a music stand/iPad. You are a seasoned pro! Learn the songs!
I see what you're saying, but if you remember, Machini, Jordan and JM do read live too. (and I can't blame them for it, modern day DT is *very* involved)
Machini reads live??
-Marc.
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yeah, I've seen him do it (not sheet music per se, he writes his own lead sheets, but yes, he reads)
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I see this more and more with bands these days but usually it is an iPad or a laptop. I know when I have watched some of the Big Big Train concerts most of the band has a helper iPad with music and lyrics on it.
When it comes to some of these specialty bands, you have to remember that they may only get a week or less to rehearse and on top of that haven't performed in years. I honestly don't expect them to remember all of that.
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Plus, not everyone has a super awesome memory and can remember every single lyric or note, especially as they age.
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I guess I missed the memo that this would be the last Transatlantic show? Are they not going to make albums anymore? What's the story?
It remains to be seen. Neal’s very emotional reaction to the last show of the tour, and some of Mike’s tweets made it sound like it could be the end. And then there’s the title of this live album, “Final Flight”.
I don’t think there’s been a definitive “This is the end.” statement from anybody however.
Total speculation on my part, but I get the sense that maybe the band is split on who wants to continue in the future and who wants this to be the end.
And Mike kept posting on social media leading up to the final shows that this was the last chance to see the band. It certainly seems to me that they have gone out of their way to emphasize that this is the end of the band, whether the door is open for a reunion at some point or not.
I think as they're getting "up there" and reading comments from band how stressful learning and memorizing....and then PLAYING 3 hours shows is on them (especially Roine) the reward just isn't there. A shame of course, because this is some of the best prog music we can get. :hefdaddy
Thanks for the context. Calling the album "Final Flight" seems pretty definitive, though it can easily be explained away as "final flight of the tour."
It seems weird to me when supergroup/side projects announce that they are ending. Transatlantic albums and tours aren't regularly scheduled events anyway, they can put it on hold for as long as they like and then come back to it if/when it feels right. No need to close the door on the future IMO.
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Exactly. Even if this isn’t the end for good, this would still be the end for now anyway. Hence why I think at least one person doesn’t want to do it again. I’m fine with this being the end, but I’m not sure it’s a unanimous decision.
Again, all speculation on my part.
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Exactly. Even if this isn’t the end for good, this would still be the end for now anyway. Hence why I think at least one person doesn’t want to do it again. I’m fine with this being the end, but I’m not sure it’s a unanimous decision.
Again, all speculation on my part.
I think you're probably right. But that "one" person could always have a change of heart in the future - has happened before. Plus them being a "supergroup" that only puts out an album every 5-10 years anyway, I see no reason to announce anything as "final"
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Yeah, the sense I get is there was some consternation amongst the band members that started with the split on the album and never really fully resolved itself through all of the touring this year. I think it may be more likely that they get together to do another round of touring at some point without a new record than try to go through the creative process again as a group.
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I hate to say it, but this feels like a little bait and switch. The tease is clear that this might have been the last show TA ever does, so "buy it now if you want a copy of the Transatlantic show ever!!", but by not actually saying it, they can't be accused of ever actually saying it was their last show or tour. And I am all for bands finding ways to make money, especially given how tough it is for many post-pandemic, but this just doesn't feel right. It feels like fans are being tricked a little in order to drive up sales (similar to the Morsefest 2020 deal).
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Owl Howl looks and sounds very good. These guys had some magic on stage.
Agreed! I was one of those saying maybe it's time for them to hang it up - but watching that I'm having second thoughts LOL
I mostly feel that way too. They look and sound great. BUT, as has been the case for awhile, it's frustrating to see Roine having to read lyrics off a music stand/iPad. You are a seasoned pro! Learn the songs!
I see what you're saying, but if you remember, Machini, Jordan and JM do read live too. (and I can't blame them for it, modern day DT is *very* involved)
I don't know who Machini is, but Mike Mangini does not, to my memory, read from anything during DT concerts. And neither does Myung.
And Rudess doesn't read constantly - he isn't chained to the score. It's up there for reference, but he spends quite a bit of time NOT looking at the sheet.
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I do seem to recall a video where Mangini had a sheet with some rhythms written out taped to one of his drums during a show. I could be wrong.
Either way, it’s not like he’s reading sheet music for the whole show.
And yeah, JR’s sheet music is mainly a reference. Watch any live video and I’m sure you’d see he spends more time looking at the other members and the audience than at the sheet music.
EDIT: I just remembered, I think it was a backstage video during the I&W and Beyond tour where he had a cheat sheet for Don’t Look Past Me.
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I don't think the Roine/Jordan comparison is valid. Just look at the different complexity level between what they play, no comparison. Also, Jordan has to cover a whole lot more ground in terms of sounds, textures, samples, etc. Stolt basically improvises most of his leads live and has Ted (for TA) covering his back with some of the most complex parts for the show.
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I don't think the Roine/Jordan comparison is valid. Just look at the different complexity level between what they play, no comparison. Also, Jordan has to cover a whole lot more ground in terms of sounds, textures, samples, etc. Stolt basically improvises most of his leads live and has Ted (for TA) covering his back with some of the most complex parts for the show.
I’m guessing Roine is mostly reading lyrics, though maybe there are some chord notations or something as well. The man has made a LOT of music in his career and written a lot of songs, to the point where he will sometimes recycle phrases and melodies (I think) unintentionally. I don’t blame him for needing to have the lyrics in front of him for the random words he put together for a couple songs that made it onto any given TA release. He’s also 66 years old. Memory decline happens.
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I don't think the Roine/Jordan comparison is valid. Just look at the different complexity level between what they play, no comparison. Also, Jordan has to cover a whole lot more ground in terms of sounds, textures, samples, etc. Stolt basically improvises most of his leads live and has Ted (for TA) covering his back with some of the most complex parts for the show.
I’m guessing Roine is mostly reading lyrics, though maybe there are some chord notations or something as well. The man has made a LOT of music in his career and written a lot of songs, to the point where he will sometimes recycle phrases and melodies (I think) unintentionally. I don’t blame him for needing to have the lyrics in front of him for the random words he put together for a couple songs that made it onto any given TA release. He’s also 66 years old. Memory decline happens.
Yes, you're right. I'm just saying that particular comparison isn't accurate here. Jordan is also 66, btw :eek
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So we have Second Flight(Flying Colors), and now Final Flight. Is there a First Flight I’m unaware of? :P
A lot of live albums in the pipeline. MF20, MF22, First Flight, and the NMB live album from their recent tour.
I remember someone saying that Bill said NMB would reconvene early next year to work on NMB5, so hopefully that should be out by this time next year.
I will take all of the live albums they will release. That's where it's at for me.
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Waiting to see what Radiant prices it at, lasercd has the bundle at $27 right now.
That's where I went. I decided to forego the free backstage passes and signature lottery for convenience and certainty Best price that I was able to find didn't hurt either.
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I guess I missed the memo that this would be the last Transatlantic show? Are they not going to make albums anymore? What's the story?
It remains to be seen. Neal’s very emotional reaction to the last show of the tour, and some of Mike’s tweets made it sound like it could be the end. And then there’s the title of this live album, “Final Flight”.
I don’t think there’s been a definitive “This is the end.” statement from anybody however.
Total speculation on my part, but I get the sense that maybe the band is split on who wants to continue in the future and who wants this to be the end.
Sure seems like bread crumbs are being left but maybe something else entirely might rise out of the wreckage......
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I guess I missed the memo that this would be the last Transatlantic show? Are they not going to make albums anymore? What's the story?
It remains to be seen. Neal’s very emotional reaction to the last show of the tour, and some of Mike’s tweets made it sound like it could be the end. And then there’s the title of this live album, “Final Flight”.
I don’t think there’s been a definitive “This is the end.” statement from anybody however.
Total speculation on my part, but I get the sense that maybe the band is split on who wants to continue in the future and who wants this to be the end.
And Mike kept posting on social media leading up to the final shows that this was the last chance to see the band. It certainly seems to me that they have gone out of their way to emphasize that this is the end of the band, whether the door is open for a reunion at some point or not.
I think as they're getting "up there" and reading comments from band how stressful learning and memorizing....and then PLAYING 3 hours shows is on them (especially Roine) the reward just isn't there. A shame of course, because this is some of the best prog music we can get. :hefdaddy
Wasn't easy 20 years ago and now it's exponentially more difficult given the more material and more projects. Easy to forget that sometimes.
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Yeah, and while we're at it, can Jordan Rudess learn the songs so he doesn't have to read sheet music on stage?
He did that at his last solo show and it didn't stop him from kicking ass! But then again he improvs a lot so it wasn't all that important to me.
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I see this more and more with bands these days but usually it is an iPad or a laptop. I know when I have watched some of the Big Big Train concerts most of the band has a helper iPad with music and lyrics on it.
When it comes to some of these specialty bands, you have to remember that they may only get a week or less to rehearse and on top of that haven't performed in years. I honestly don't expect them to remember all of that.
I'm sure it's a lot easier years ago when you were in one band and maintaining a career wasn't as intense as it is now. I'm a lot more forgiving (at least with the bands I like) than I used to be, but I'm older now and maybe have a different understanding.
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I hate to say it, but this feels like a little bait and switch. The tease is clear that this might have been the last show TA ever does, so "buy it now if you want a copy of the Transatlantic show ever!!", but by not actually saying it, they can't be accused of ever actually saying it was their last show or tour. And I am all for bands finding ways to make money, especially given how tough it is for many post-pandemic, but this just doesn't feel right. It feels like fans are being tricked a little in order to drive up sales (similar to the Morsefest 2020 deal).
Don't see that at all. If that were the case wouldn't you bill it as the final tour and get more fannies in the seats? Still believe they make more on ticket sales than pressing plastic and cardboard. Maybe not as much post Covid, but I think touring is still were the money is and it gets more and more difficult every time you go out there.
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I imagine Mike, Neal and Roine are thinking "This is almost certainly the end, but you can't predict the future so who knows for sure." Which results in them saying what they've said, and naming the live album what they did.
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https://www.loudersound.com/news/mike-portnoy-says-transatlantics-new-live-album-will-be-their-last
Mike Portnoy confirms the supergroup’s new live record marks 'the end of an era'
Mike Portnoy has admitted to Prog Magazine that Transatlantic's upcoming live release, The Final Flight: Live At L’Olympia, will be the band's last.
Released on February 17 through InsideOut Music, The Final Flight: Live At L’Olympia captures Neal Morse, Pete Trewavas, Roine Stolt and Portnoy at the Paris venue on the last night of their The Absolute Universe Tour in July 2022.
"It’s no secret,” Portnoy says in the band new issue. “We alluded to it several times on social media throughout the tour. It really feels like the end of an era. We all felt a tremendous sense of finality, like we were taking this as far as it can go, both in the studio and on stage. We couldn’t have been happier with the way it ended.
“This was one of those nights where all the stars aligned. I think it was the best we played on the entire run. The ovations between the songs and at the end of the show were just spine-tingling. Neal was broken down crying, everybody really felt the emotions in the air. If it indeed ends up being the last show we ever play, we could not have ended on a higher note.”
The Final Flight will be released as both a three-CD/single Blu-ray Digipak and a mammoth four-LP gatefold package, covering over three hours of music. However, Portnoy reveals that despite the band calling it a day, this won’t be the last Transatlantic record to emerge. In late 2023 they plan to release recordings of their weekend performances at Morsefest, back in April.
“We did two nights,” Portnoy says. “Not only was there The Absolute Universe in its entirety but The Whirlwind too, as well as a few other songs that we had never played live, accompanied with strings and a choir and all that. It’s really another must-have for the completists."
Just two more TA releases and that's it. Sad but inevitable. I think if they ever perform again it'll be a one-off thing for a song or two and it would likely be "We All Need Some Light" or "Rose Colored Glass" and none of the epics.
-Marc.
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Eh, that is total clickbait. If you read the article, he actually didn't say it was the end. He still left it open-ended.
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On one hand it's "Despite the band calling it a day" and on the other it's "If it indeed ends up being the last show we ever play"
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Aren't all TA members confirmed to play at CTTE next year? I'd say there's high chances Roine and Pete join Neal and Mike during Flying Colors' set for one or two short songs.
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Aren't all TA members confirmed to play at CTTE next year? I'd say there's high chances Roine and Pete join Neal and Mike during Flying Colors' set for one or two short songs.
I'm thinking at this point Roine is happy to forget TA and just focus on his Flower King sets.
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Can't bands just end anymore? I appreciate them saying "this is it" and not really giving any indication they will continue. Does anyone need more guest spots of them just playing We All Need Some Light again or whatever just because they're in the same room? The band was great, they made some cool albums...let it go.
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Can't bands just end anymore? I appreciate them saying "this is it" and not really giving any indication they will continue. Does anyone need more guest spots of them just playing We All Need Some Light again or whatever just because they're in the same room? The band was great, they made some cool albums...let it go.
And I agree 100% with this, just end it already :lol
I just think that knowing the guys involved, specially MP, there's a chance of them at least *trying* to do something like that. But I just want another Flying Colors album :P
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Eh, that is total clickbait. If you read the article, he actually didn't say it was the end. He still left it open-ended.
MP just said the same thing pretty much on Facenbook. I’d link but FB doesn’t work like that.
See if this works:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FlffGGIWAAEwNF2?format=jpg&name=small)
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Hilarious that the FB page then says, "thanks for clarifying," when the only reason Portnoy needed to clarify them was because the runner of that FB page put a clickbait title that was not accurate. How shameless.
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Eh, that is total clickbait. If you read the article, he actually didn't say it was the end. He still left it open-ended.
MP just said the same thing pretty much on Facenbook. I’d link but FB doesn’t work like that.
See if this works:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FlffGGIWAAEwNF2?format=jpg&name=small)
I had a laugh at that contradiction as well..."This is the last Transatlantic album...However." :lol
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Aren't all TA members confirmed to play at CTTE next year? I'd say there's high chances Roine and Pete join Neal and Mike during Flying Colors' set for one or two short songs.
I'm thinking at this point Roine is happy to forget TA and just focus on his Flower King sets.
Yeah, I'll be curious to see how the cruise plays out. They have to know that people will get their hope/expectations up know that all four guys are onboard. Probably easier to get Roine to agree to do a quick We All Need Some Light as a fun cruise surprise than to learn 3+ hours of material for a tour. But then again, tey all seem pretty happy with how that Paris concert went so may just want to leave well enough alone.
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Eh, that is total clickbait. If you read the article, he actually didn't say it was the end. He still left it open-ended.
Uh huh.
The article contradicted itself.
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Rose Colored Glasses from the Paris show is up. I love this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mXpcl9fQZI
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Rose Colored Glasses from the Paris show is up. I love this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mXpcl9fQZI
Me too; in the last couple months I've cried to that song too many times to count.
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Sounds good, but as usual with Neal(-related) concert releases, those stupid overlay effects continue to be a greasy hair in the soup. What a shame that his video releases continue to get ruined by that crap.
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Rose Colored Glasses from the Paris show is up. I love this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mXpcl9fQZI
Great song and the video looks great. I'll have to pick this BD up for sure.
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As usual, I'm just going to wait until it shows up from Lasers Edge to experience it.
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Got my copy of the 3CD + BR version from Roine's shop tody.
Might not be able to watch it until another day.
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Got my copy of the 3CD + BR version from Roine's shop tody.
Might not be able to watch it until another day.
That's super early! Still another 2 weeks to go for release day.
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Got my copy of the 3CD + BR version from Roine's shop tody.
Might not be able to watch it until another day.
That's super early! Still another 2 weeks to go for release day.
There are definite perks in ordering from Roine. You get it early and usually signed.
This time though only two signed postcards.
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Got my copy of the 3CD + BR version from Roine's shop tody.
Might not be able to watch it until another day.
That's super early! Still another 2 weeks to go for release day.
There are definite perks in ordering from Roine. You get it early and usually signed.
This time though only two signed postcards.
Came home and found a package from Sweden in my mailbox today! Of course it's the new live set from Roine's shop, which came with cards for The Absolute Universe - Forevermore and TFK's By Royal Decree, the latter of which was the only one signed by Roine.
The live set itself is still sealed, though I am somewhat disappointed that it wasn't housed in a chipboard slipcase like Inside Out Europe versions of Whirld Tour 2010 and KaLIVEoscope were. It's a simple thin cardboard slipcase, which I suspect the Radiant Records version will be as well. The last two live sets had better packaging from IO compared to RR. Ah well...
Can't wait to find time to watch this video, hopefully this weekend!
-Marc.
-
Got my copy of the 3CD + BR version from Roine's shop tody.
Might not be able to watch it until another day.
That's super early! Still another 2 weeks to go for release day.
There are definite perks in ordering from Roine. You get it early and usually signed.
This time though only two signed postcards.
Came home and found a package from Sweden in my mailbox today! Of course it's the new live set from Roine's shop, which came with cards for The Absolute Universe - Forevermore and TFK's By Royal Decree, the latter of which was the only one signed by Roine.
The live set itself is still sealed, though I am somewhat disappointed that it wasn't housed in a chipboard slipcase like Inside Out Europe versions of Whirld Tour 2010 and KaLIVEoscope were. It's a simple thin cardboard slipcase, which I suspect the Radiant Records version will be as well. The last two live sets had better packaging from IO compared to RR. Ah well...
Can't wait to find time to watch this video, hopefully this weekend!
-Marc.
Update - I watched the WHOLE concert on Saturday night, and quite enjoyed it! Well, I listened more than watched as I was multitasking stuff, but the concert at least SOUNDED good, though there were a few live-flubs here and there where Neal or Mike lost count. It wasn't a complete train wreck, though, and leaving the mistakes in really gives it that authentic live show feel. The overlay visuals are "eh" for me. I could take them or leave them, but they didn't bother me much.
As for the main TAU set, it wasn't bad. It's definitely just different enough from the other versions of the studio album that it can be called TAU ver. 4, but I'll have to listen to it a few more times to pick out the main differences here and there, but it definitely sounded different in parts compared to Forevermore, TBOL, and the Ultimate Version, most notably some solos and instrumental sections.
The rest of the show is pretty spot on, and while the final bit is a medley, they knocked those pieces out of the park as well.
Over-all, this concert has me more excited to watch the Morsefest 2022 shows, with full versions of The Whirlwind, and all the other songs they played.
-Marc.
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Got my shipping notice from Laser CD this morning. Hope to have this by Saturday.
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Got my shipping notice from Laser CD this morning. Hope to have this by Saturday.
Same here, mine says it's arriving on Friday.
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Well, mine arrived today. Be checking this out later.
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Just finished watching the concert. First things first, Rich Mouser is the man. Superb mix on this thing. Pete sounds huge just like he did when I saw them on this tour.
I hadn't planned on watching the whole show tonight but it sucked me in. They had an energy on this tour and it probably had to do with knowing it was most likely the end. I will admit the ending was a tad on the sad side. Neal was quite beside himself with emotion.
Fantastic show and an excellent swan song, if in fact it was.
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For those who ordered through Radiant.
NM just posted this:
Today is release day for Transatlantic: The Final Flight - Live at L’Olympia!
Unfortunately, we have not yet received our stock of the Blu-ray / CD set. They ship from Inside Out in Europe to our team in the USA. The vinyl made it here — but so far the rest has not.
I appreciate this can be disappointing for people who ordered, as it is for us. To help curb any disappointment we are happy to share an MP3 download of the full audio from the live show — free to everyone who ordered from us. When the remaining stock arrives, we will ship as quickly as we can.
So if you ordered via Radiant Records, check your email inbox for a download link.
We hope you enjoy it! Thank you for your support and I apologize for the delay,
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This time I hadn't ordered through Radiant but I usually don't watch the blurays right when I get them. It does suck that Radiant has so many of these issues. My order from laserCD should be delivered today.
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The obvious question is, why would anyone order from Radiant?
:lol :lol
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The obvious question is, why would anyone order from Radiant?
:lol :lol
Good fucking question. I ordered both the Morsefest and Transatlantic from Radiant and have neither. I should have learned. I should've LEARNED!!!!
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I got my Morsefest set that I ordered from Radiant right on release day if not earlier. Watched the first disc of covers which was just sublime and so much fun. Have to watch the 2nd disc soon.
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I forgot how disappointing the Final Medley was. Great performance otherwise.
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At this point I order from Radiant when I'm not stressed about getting something on release date. Looks like this one was a little bit out of their hands, international shipping can be a little bit of a clusterfuck in terms of precise timing.
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At some point I'll buy this due to it being the swan song but it's $30.98 on Amazon. That would be the most I have ever spent on a CD.
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First impression just listening while cycling/spinning was really good. Maybe I am not very sensitive to the mistakes in the music here, but it did not feel messy to me (in the Tilburg show there were some big and obvious mistakes). Not saying it is flawless, off course. Overall they sound great and the performance feels so much more organic/dynamic than on the album. And I will listen to it soon on my audio setup at home, but I am under the impression that the sound quality is much better than on the studio album. On my buds it sound great, but those aren't very neutral in terms of sound.
A big complaint of mine of the regular album was that the vocals of Pete and Roine were just not good on the album, I think here the vocals sound way better, especially Roine. On the album the vocals on Lonesome Rebels sound like an old man on his last breath to me (making it an insta skip), in the live release I actually really enjoy the song.
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At some point I'll buy this due to it being the swan song but it's $30.98 on Amazon. That would be the most I have ever spent on a CD.
Well, it's 3CD and a Bluray. I just got from Amazon on Sunday. So, it's not a bad deal.
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At some point I'll buy this due to it being the swan song but it's $30.98 on Amazon. That would be the most I have ever spent on a CD.
Well, it's 3CD and a Bluray. I just got from Amazon on Sunday. So, it's not a bad deal.
Wow. Ok. I guess I didn't dig deep enough into the description. Looked like just a CD. Thanks, brother!
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LaserCD were selling the 3CD/1BR set for $27, don't seem to see it listed on there now.
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LaserCD were selling the 3CD/1BR set for $27, don't seem to see it listed on there now.
They sold out and are expecting a shipment. But they do charge shipping ($4-$5) so it comes a buck or two less than Amazon.
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At some point I'll buy this due to it being the swan song but it's $30.98 on Amazon. That would be the most I have ever spent on a CD.
Well, it's 3CD and a Bluray. I just got from Amazon on Sunday. So, it's not a bad deal.
Wow. Ok. I guess I didn't dig deep enough into the description. Looked like just a CD. Thanks, brother!
No problem emtee. :metal
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Back in stock at LaserCd
https://www.lasercd.com/cd/final-flight-live-lolympia-3cdbr
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Yesterday, I listened to the new live album, and I learned/confirmed 2 things.
1) This is a great band live, even when performing something that is not my favorite material.
2) I fucking hate medleys.
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Medley Schmedley
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Yeah the medley was one big tease. Especially disappointing at Morsefest where they probably could have done at least three of those songs in full.
I like Into the Blue but I’d happily trade it for All of the Above or Duel With the Devil.
Keep Shine in the setlist just to have something to represent Kaleidoscope.
I don’t think anyone was clamoring to hear In Held, swap that for My New World.
Then in place of the Medley you can close with Stranger in Your Soul.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Playing rarities is cool, playing your classic songs in full is much cooler.
Great show for what it was, but oh, what could have been…
-
For those who ordered through Radiant.
NM just posted this:
Today is release day for Transatlantic: The Final Flight - Live at L’Olympia!
Unfortunately, we have not yet received our stock of the Blu-ray / CD set. They ship from Inside Out in Europe to our team in the USA. The vinyl made it here — but so far the rest has not.
I appreciate this can be disappointing for people who ordered, as it is for us. To help curb any disappointment we are happy to share an MP3 download of the full audio from the live show — free to everyone who ordered from us. When the remaining stock arrives, we will ship as quickly as we can.
So if you ordered via Radiant Records, check your email inbox for a download link.
We hope you enjoy it! Thank you for your support and I apologize for the delay,
For anyone that did order from Radiant and got the email with the download link, does your link work? Mine does not...go figure...
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I had to copy and paste the link into the search bar and it worked
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Yeah the medley was one big tease. Especially disappointing at Morsefest where they probably could have done at least three of those songs in full.
I like Into the Blue but I’d happily trade it for All of the Above or Duel With the Devil.
Keep Shine in the setlist just to have something to represent Kaleidoscope.
I don’t think anyone was clamoring to hear In Held, swap that for My New World.
Then in place of the Medley you can close with Stranger in Your Soul.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Playing rarities is cool, playing your classic songs in full is much cooler.
Great show for what it was, but oh, what could have been…
I get both sides of the coin. Playing rarities at a "rarity" type event like Morsefest is something I can usually get behind. When the NMB come in and play all of ? and Sola Scriptura, it's great to also hear New Jerusalem and A Whole Nother Trip.
But with Transatlantic it's a whole different thing. This was their one and probably only chance to play at Morsefest (with all the bells and whistles, as MP would say). Doing the same medley as you were playing on tour is not what anyone wanted. I get that learning a bunch of material (5+ hrs) is TOUGH, but honestly, that's what the guys sign up for. That's what Morsefest is for. As much as I'm a big fan of Into the Blue and look forward to hearing it, not getting Above, Duel, or Stranger in full is robbery. I agree with the changes you would have made to the set, would have been much better set (on paper, anyway. I wasn't there and it could have been awesome.)
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I don’t think anyone was clamoring to hear In Held, swap that for My New World.
That's when MP went into full "covers & rarities" mode and added the cover song nobody wanted to hear in the set, just because it was featured on their debut album, over 20 years before :facepalm:
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I like medleys, but I don't think the set finisher here is a particularly balanced/good one. Good performance though.
The Whirlwind here to me is not really a medley but a summary of a larger track/concept and I think it works really well in this form. And here it is better than on Kaliveoscope.
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I don’t think anyone was clamoring to hear In Held, swap that for My New World.
That's when MP went into full "covers & rarities" mode and added the cover song nobody wanted to hear in the set, just because it was featured on their debut album, over 20 years before :facepalm:
I think In Held may have been Roine’s suggestion. He spoke before the song at Morsefest about how when he first met MP during the sessions for SMPTe, they bonded over their love for Procol Harum. Wouldn’t surprise me if Roine requested that song. Either way, it wasn’t needed.
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Woah, woah, let's not assume here. While it is a cover, my buddy and I were both stoked when In Held ('Twas) in I was played at Morsefest Night 1 last year.
But I agree about the medley. Night 1 was already better because of The Whirlwind, but Night 2 felt like it stuttered a bit over the finish line with that blasted medley. I get doing it on the proper tour, but with two nights of Morsefest, to do it then just felt lazy. I say it before, but knowing that Transatlantic was only going to do Morsefest one time only ever, for Into the freaking Blue to get played in full and the epics from the first two albums to get relegated to medley status was a travesty.
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When y’all sing along with WANSL do you sing the high part(Neal’s part) or the low part(the harmony)
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When y’all sing along with WANSL do you sing the high part(Neal’s part) or the low part(the harmony)
I air guitar Neal's acoustic guitar part. ;)
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Radiant *just* sent me an email saying my copy of Final Flight from them has finished processing and provided a shipping number (though because it isn't in the system at USPS yet, I assume they've printed the label and prepared the package for shipping either today or tomorrow. Glad I've had my copy from Roine for three weeks. ::)
-Marc.
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So I got my order of Final Flight from Radiant today, and in addition to a signed laminated tour badge, I also got a paper sleeve with "Disc Two CD" of Morsefest 2020 Lockdown. I'm not sure why, as I don't recall reading about any issues with it, but maybe someone else can fill me in as to why it was included in my order.
-Marc.
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LaserCD were selling the 3CD/1BR set for $27, don't seem to see it listed on there now.
They sold out and are expecting a shipment. But they do charge shipping ($4-$5) so it comes a buck or two less than Amazon.
That was my reason for ordering there. Less than amazon and arrived sooner than amazon would.
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So I got my order of Final Flight from Radiant today, and in addition to a signed laminated tour badge, I also got a paper sleeve with "Disc Two CD" of Morsefest 2020 Lockdown. I'm not sure why, as I don't recall reading about any issues with it, but maybe someone else can fill me in as to why it was included in my order.
-Marc.
Consolation prize for their screw up?
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This is an amazing performance. It's already become my favorite recording Transatlantic has ever released. Whirlwind Tour still close but this performance wins out. I don't know if the Morsefest performance will top it but I doubt it. As expected Pete is all over the "universe." What a show. Blows away the first two shows of the tour that I saw (as I expected it would.)
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Can someone here help me understanding what does Ted sings in the Black as the Sky last section in the live release?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWBQo3r050g
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"Snake to the tongue
and a feast for the eyes
But under her cloak has a beast in disguise"
?
Not in the original lyrics, obviously. If it's a reference it's lost on me.
EDIT: Feast, not Face.
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"Snake to the tongue
and a feast for the eyes
But under her cloak has a beast in disguise"
?
Not in the original lyrics, obviously. If it's a reference it's lost on me.
EDIT: Feast, not Face.
Also I think he says "hides a beast in disguise".
-Marc.
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You are correct
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Excellent guys, thank you very much.
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One year ago today :metal
(https://i.imgur.com/LDWdZAB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/t31ausY.jpg)
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:metal
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Incredible night, for sure. Seeing The Whirlwind performed in full is one of my all-time concert experiences. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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This is an amazing performance. It's already become my favorite recording Transatlantic has ever released. Whirlwind Tour still close but this performance wins out. I don't know if the Morsefest performance will top it but I doubt it. As expected Pete is all over the "universe." What a show. Blows away the first two shows of the tour that I saw (as I expected it would.)
Still feel this way. Watched the Bluray again this weekend. Just an amazing performance. Really special.
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Incredible night, for sure. Seeing The Whirlwind performed in full is one of my all-time concert experiences. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
Grrrrrrrrrr.
:) :) :) :) :) :)
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List of Transatlantic Songs and their Tunings
I did one of these for DT and Haken, thought I'd do one for TA too.
SMPT:e
All of the Above
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
We All Need Some Light
Guitar - Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb
Bass - Eb Ab Db Gb
Mystery Train
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
My New World
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
In Held (’Twas) In I
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Bridge Across Forever
Duel With the Devil
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Suite Charlotte Pike
Guitar - Mostly Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb, but the outro is definitely E A D G B E
Bass - Eb Ab Db Gb, outro possibly played in E A D G as well
Bridge Across Forever
Guitar - N/A
Bass - N/A
Stranger in Your Soul
Guitar - Mostly Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb, but the section “Hanging in the Balance” is Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb
Bass - Mostly Eb Ab Db Gb, likewise, "Hanging in the Balance" is Dd Ab Db Gb
The Whirlwind
Everything
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Kaleidoscope
Into the Blue
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Shine
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Black as the Sky
Guitar - Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb
Bass - Eb Ab Db Gb
Beyond the Sun
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - N/A
Kaleidoscope
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
The Absolute Universe
Everything, regardless of which version
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
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From the latest Inner Circle Letter
Transatlantic's special extravaganza weekend in the U.S. was filmed and properly recorded, of course. This one is actually coming out on InsideOut Records! So, it is even maybe more deluxe of a package than the other ones have been… well, not “maybe,” for sure it is!
I'll have to wait to see it all. But you know how InsideOut is. They'll do a super deluxe package for sure. And that is going to be coming out in March, I believe. So, we can look for preorders for that in January. Just to look to the horizon...
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In time for my birthday!
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I don't buy many live concerts on DVD or Blu-ray anymore, but, as I was there for both nights, I will be getting that one for sure. :hat :hat
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Yeah, that'll be an instant buy for me.
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Yeah, that'll be an instant buy for me.
Easily....
-
List of Transatlantic Songs and their Tunings
I did one of these for DT and Haken, thought I'd do one for TA too.
SMPT:e
All of the Above
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
We All Need Some Light
Guitar - Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb
Bass - Eb Ab Db Gb
Mystery Train
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
My New World
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
In Held (’Twas) In I
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Bridge Across Forever
Duel With the Devil
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Suite Charlotte Pike
Guitar - Mostly Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb, but the outro is definitely E A D G B E
Bass - Eb Ab Db Gb, outro possibly played in E A D G as well
Bridge Across Forever
Guitar - N/A
Bass - N/A
Stranger in Your Soul
Guitar - Mostly Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb, but the section “Hanging in the Balance” is Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb
Bass - Mostly Eb Ab Db Gb, likewise, "Hanging in the Balance" is Dd Ab Db Gb
The Whirlwind
Everything
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Kaleidoscope
Into the Blue
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Shine
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
Black as the Sky
Guitar - Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb
Bass - Eb Ab Db Gb
Beyond the Sun
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - N/A
Kaleidoscope
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
The Absolute Universe
Everything, regardless of which version
Guitar - E A D G B E
Bass - E A D G
I feel like this needs it's own YouTube video to run through it in more detail. :tup
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If I felt like and I had the time, I'd do lessons/tutorials for all the songs I can play.
All of the Above
We All Need Some Light
Like 75% of My New World
Duel With the Devil
Stranger in Your Soul
All of The Whirlwind
Into the Blue
Shine
Black as the Sky
Overture/Reaching for the Sky
and bits and pieces of the rest of TAU.
All I'm saying is if Roine doesn't wanna come back, I'm down.
-
Is there a name for the ship on their album covers?
-
Is there a name for the ship on their album covers?
The Musician Ship
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Is there a name for the ship on their album covers?
The Musician Ship
Works for me.
-
Modified the thread title, so that in case they never record together again, this isn't known by the name of their most recent effort in perpetuity.
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From Neal's IC Newsletter:
Morsefest 2022 with Transatlantic: The Whirlwind and Absolute Universe… “The Absolute Whirlwind,”… I think is what it's called… something like that. That's going to be coming out in the next couple months.
Pre-orders start February 16
Release date: April 26th
Looks like we're FINALLY getting this released this spring! That's very exciting, and quite possibly the last Transatlantic release!
-Marc.
-
From Neal's IC Newsletter:
Morsefest 2022 with Transatlantic: The Whirlwind and Absolute Universe… “The Absolute Whirlwind,”… I think is what it's called… something like that. That's going to be coming out in the next couple months.
Pre-orders start February 16
Release date: April 26th
Looks like we're FINALLY getting this released this spring! That's very exciting, and quite possibly the last Transatlantic release!
-Marc.
I'm in. More Is Never Enough....
-
From Neal's IC Newsletter:
Morsefest 2022 with Transatlantic: The Whirlwind and Absolute Universe… “The Absolute Whirlwind,”… I think is what it's called… something like that. That's going to be coming out in the next couple months.
Pre-orders start February 16
Release date: April 26th
Looks like we're FINALLY getting this released this spring! That's very exciting, and quite possibly the last Transatlantic release!
-Marc.
I'm in. More Is Never Enough....
And also, More Never Is Enough ;)
(Took me a while to get used to that word order but after listening to "Stranger In Your Soul" so much, the lyric sunk in.)
-Marc.
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I was there and it's an absolute must buy for me.
-
I'm in. More Is Never Enough....
I mean, both More (Flying Colors) and Never Enough (Dream Theater) share strong Muse influences, so they could be the same song...
-
A curious Google search for "Transatlantic" and "The Absolute Whirlwind" has turned up the cover image:
(https://ecsmedia.pl/cdn-cgi/image/format=webp,/c/live-at-morsefest-2022-the-absolute-whirlwind-b-iext143656202.jpg)
Listings for the release have revealed there will be an artbook, which seems to be around $90 USD according to the few PLN prices on stores I've seen. https://www.empik.com/live-at-morsefest-2022-the-absolute-whirlwind-transatlantic,p1451475197,muzyka-p#ProductDescription
Morsefest is a festival organized by Neal Morse in Nashville, Tennesse, which has been taking place since 2014. The event, usually lasting a weekend, celebrated music from Neal's solo work and other bands in which the artist was involved. However, with each passing Morsefest, one question arose among the loyal audience that returned year after year... when Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt and Pete Trewavas would appear on stage alongside Neal. This was achieved in 2022, during the ninth edition of the festival. This event took place in a truly epic, transatlantic style.
In 2021, Transatlantic released its fifth album, "The Absolute Universe". True to its motto, "anything is not enough", "The Absolute Universe" was released in two different versions: "The Breath of Life" (shortened version) and "Forevermore" (extended version). Additionally, the band combined these two versions, thus creating the full edition of the album.
On the last weekend of April 2022, Transatlantic appeared on the Morsefest stage twice. On the first evening, for the first time in 10 years, the sounds of the classic album "The Whirlwind" and "Into the Blue" and "Shine" from the group's fourth album, "Kaleidoscope", as well as the ballad "We All Need Some Light" were heard live. During the second night, there was a full performance of songs from "The Absolute Universe - The Ultimate Edition". The evening ended with a medley of selected songs from the albums "All of the Above", "My New World" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
For the first time, the band performed with a choir and a string section, which made these performances truly unique. You can experience them on the limited version of the album "Live at Morsefest 2022: The Absolute Whirlwind" recorded on 5 CDs and 2 Blu-ray discs, including an extensive 36-page hardcover booklet with photos.
Looks like the hardcover artbook will include a whopping SEVEN discs, 5 CD and 2 BD of the concert. This is the band's biggest live release yet. I imagine the tracklist break down is: Disc 1 - The Whirlwind in its entirety, Disc 2 - Night 1 encores, Disc 3 - TAU first half, Disc 4 - TAU second half, Disc 5 - Night 2 encores, and each BD is one night of the weekend. With such a big amount of music, it would seems worth $90+, at least to me IMO, especially as a large, hardcover artbook.
-Marc.
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Instabuy for me. Love that cover art.
-
Give it me. Give it me now.
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The evening ended with a medley of selected songs from the albums "All of the Above", "My New World" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
That is very poorly worded. They named three songs, not the albums they're supposedly from. I do not approve.
The video itself sounds amazing.
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The evening ended with a medley of selected songs from the albums "All of the Above", "My New World" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
That is very poorly worded. They named three songs, not the albums they're supposedly from. I do not approve.
The video itself sounds amazing.
To be fair, it was run through my Chrome's translator function, so the wording was a bit wonky. You can check the link I posted for the listing to find the original language.
-Marc.
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Suck it. I was there.
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The evening ended with a medley of selected songs from the albums "All of the Above", "My New World" and "Stranger In Your Soul".
That is very poorly worded. They named three songs, not the albums they're supposedly from. I do not approve.
The video itself sounds amazing.
To be fair, it was run through my Chrome's translator function, so the wording was a bit wonky. You can check the link I posted for the listing to find the original language.
-Marc.
I'll take your word for it. I just felt like being pedantic. It's been that kind of day.
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I'm in.
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PRE ORDERS!!!
Pre-order the album as a Limited 5CD + Blu-ray artbook, featuring an extensive 36-page booklet including photos and liner notes, here: https://transatlantic.lnk.to/LiveAtMorsefest2022-TheAbsoluteWhirlwind
Mike Portnoy comments:
“Not to be confused by last years live release of our last show in Paris, THIS release of TA at Morsefest 2022 represents the most epic and mammoth of all TA Live releases!
2 Nights, 2 completely different sets, 2 TA concept albums done in their entirety…accompanied with Strings, Horns, Percussion, Female Vocals, etc…Transatlantic has always been about “More Never Is Enough”, but no live TA release has ever been more EPIC than this one…It’s the ULTIMATE Live TA experience!”
Neal Morse adds:
“At long last, a musical dream come true in true epic fashion! To play The Absolute Universe, The Whirlwind, and other great pieces of music with Transatlantic, along with an amazing string section, background singers, etc. What more could any musician ask for? This is the very best of the very best in my view. I hope you all enjoy experiencing this as much as we enjoyed performing it!“
Roine Stolt comments:
“Playing Morsefest was quite a task, learning all the different material for the 2 different shows.
We even got a chance to play that Procol Harum tune, that is dear to me & takes me back to my teenage years, just getting to know what prog is/was. The addition of the strings and choir at Morsefest, plus Philip adding percussion lent a different and perhaps more of an orchestral side. That worked really well and made these 2 nights very special.”
Pete Trewavas comments:
“To play Morsefest 2022 was an absolute pleasure for me and gave us a natural break at the end of the North American leg of The Absolute Universe tour, where we regrouped at Neal’s to rehearse for the two shows, back where we had rehearsed for the tour some four or five weeks earlier.
We had 3 days I think it was to refresh The Whirlwind full version and learn ‘In Held T’was In I’. The festival was an absolute blast. We were all super relaxed and enjoying ourselves probably due to the little break from touring back to rehearsing.
Neal had been wanting to get Transatlantic at MorseFest since we released Whirlwind and it never panned out for various reasons, so it felt fitting that we got it all together for The Absolute Universe tour.”
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And ordered.
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Just a heads up, at least on Radiant it says the pre-order starts at 9am CST but I was already able to place my order.
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I preordered from LaserCD. Not dealing with Radiant’s BS anymore.
Would be nice if those of us who were there got a discount :P
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wow sounds awesome. i'm totally in. the live in paris album ruled too!
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I preordered from LaserCD. Not dealing with Radiant’s BS anymore.
Would be nice if those of us who were there got a discount :P
Seriously.
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Here's "Can You Feel It" from the show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuAgUHnVnBk
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I preordered from LaserCD. Not dealing with Radiant’s BS anymore.
Would be nice if those of us who were there got a discount :P
I've never really had issues with Radiant, but I understand many have. With that said, I went ahead and ordered the "super deluxe bundle" with the shirt, which looks really nice. Looking forward to this release!
-Marc.
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does anyone see just a blu ray option? i don't want/need 5 CDs but would totally watch this
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PRE ORDERS!!!
Pre-order the album as a Limited 5CD + Blu-ray artbook, featuring an extensive 36-page booklet including photos and liner notes, here: https://transatlantic.lnk.to/LiveAtMorsefest2022-TheAbsoluteWhirlwind
Mike Portnoy comments:
“Not to be confused by last years live release of our last show in Paris, THIS release of TA at Morsefest 2022 represents the most epic and mammoth of all TA Live releases!
2 Nights, 2 completely different sets, 2 TA concept albums done in their entirety…accompanied with Strings, Horns, Percussion, Female Vocals, etc…Transatlantic has always been about “More Never Is Enough”, but no live TA release has ever been more EPIC than this one…It’s the ULTIMATE Live TA experience!”
Neal Morse adds:
“At long last, a musical dream come true in true epic fashion! To play The Absolute Universe, The Whirlwind, and other great pieces of music with Transatlantic, along with an amazing string section, background singers, etc. What more could any musician ask for? This is the very best of the very best in my view. I hope you all enjoy experiencing this as much as we enjoyed performing it!“
Roine Stolt comments:
“Playing Morsefest was quite a task, learning all the different material for the 2 different shows.
We even got a chance to play that Procol Harum tune, that is dear to me & takes me back to my teenage years, just getting to know what prog is/was. The addition of the strings and choir at Morsefest, plus Philip adding percussion lent a different and perhaps more of an orchestral side. That worked really well and made these 2 nights very special.”
Pete Trewavas comments:
“To play Morsefest 2022 was an absolute pleasure for me and gave us a natural break at the end of the North American leg of The Absolute Universe tour, where we regrouped at Neal’s to rehearse for the two shows, back where we had rehearsed for the tour some four or five weeks earlier.
We had 3 days I think it was to refresh The Whirlwind full version and learn ‘In Held T’was In I’. The festival was an absolute blast. We were all super relaxed and enjoying ourselves probably due to the little break from touring back to rehearsing.
Neal had been wanting to get Transatlantic at MorseFest since we released Whirlwind and it never panned out for various reasons, so it felt fitting that we got it all together for The Absolute Universe tour.”
Got it! I realized that other than the Kaleidoscope CD and a pre-owned BAF, I'd never actually bought anything that TA put out, so now I'm fine with paying up :P
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Ordered from Laser CD. I know it will arrive on time and in pristine shape. Ken knows how to ship his products.
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Same ordered from laser CD. It's a little cheaper too.
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Same ordered from laser CD. It's a little cheaper too.
Not buying from Radiant; it's down to either Racket Records or LaserCD. Any suggestions?
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Same ordered from laser CD. It's a little cheaper too.
Not buying from Radiant; it's down to either Racket Records or LaserCD. Any suggestions?
Depends on where in the world you are. LaserCD is based in the US (New Jersey, I think?), while Racket is in the UK obviously.
-Marc.
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LaserCD is the way to go.
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Done. LaserCD it was.
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+1 from LaserCD.
About $30 bucks more expensive with Racket Records (Neal is signing the artbook though. Shipping was about $15 bucks at Radiant).
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+1 from LaserCD.
About $30 bucks more expensive with Racket Records (Neal is signing the artbook though. Shipping was about $15 bucks at Radiant).
Yeah, I debated the signature version, but I have his autograph like four times already, I just need the music.
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i'd pay the premium if they all signed it
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+1 from LaserCD.
About $30 bucks more expensive with Racket Records (Neal is signing the artbook though. Shipping was about $15 bucks at Radiant).
Yeah, I debated the signature version, but I have his autograph like four times already, I just need the music.
Me too but 30 bucks is another CD lol. I ended up pre-ordering Big Big Train's new album, the one that comes with the Blu-ray since I just got an atmos/surround system setup ;D
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+1 from LaserCD.
About $30 bucks more expensive with Racket Records (Neal is signing the artbook though. Shipping was about $15 bucks at Radiant).
Yeah, I debated the signature version, but I have his autograph like four times already, I just need the music.
I thought the same, I have like 4 or 5 things signed by him, I'm good for a bit.
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Ordered from Laser CD. I know it will arrive on time and in pristine shape. Ken knows how to ship his products.
That's where I'll be ordering. I'd order from Radiant if the entire band signed it.
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I preordered the Artbook from Roine's shop
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27th February 2024 - Latest News From Pete
Hi,
Now that I’ve been home from hospital a few days, I thought I’d let you know how I’m doing and what it is I’m recovering from.
So, I had a triple coronary bypass graft. Commonly known as a CABG and pronounced like the vegetable! This was done at Harefield Hospital and although invasive it is a very routine procedure for them and recovery time is usually four or five days before being discharged.
As I had a couple of issues I spent five days in hospital and am now at home on the way to full recovery, which I expect to achieve over the next few weeks to few months. Four weeks after surgery I should be able to start getting my fitness and stamina back, starting slowly.
At six weeks I can drive and at that point I shall start a phased return back to the studio. As we are writing and recording this year I have a nice environment to get back to it all.
The people at Harefield were amazing and I had the best care possible. Yes, it’s been tough and I had good and bad days, along with Fiona who has probably suffered more than I have. I didn’t expect to need the surgery if I’m honest, I thought the angiogram would show I needed more stents.
However I never doubted the surgery or the team and was completely confident in their abilities all the way through. It is of course incredibly painful for quite a few days after, but now at home with a good balance of pain relief to aid me I am doing great considering.
I can’t thank you enough for all the love, warmth, positivity and genuine concern you’ve all shown me in the messages that both Fiona and I have received. It has been incredible and I’ve felt very loved and cared about. It’s as if you all joined together to create this great big virtual blanket to wrap around my shoulders and give me a hug, much needed at times.
Once again a big thank you for being there for me.
Pete
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Sounds like he's doing well and in good spirits, which is great.
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Wow, that’s great that he’s doing well after all of that.
I wonder who will fill in for him when Marillion plays on the cruise in a week. I am not a big Marillion guy - is there a regular fill in for him when he’s out? Has he ever even been out?
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They announced that Nick Beggs will fill in for him.
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Wow, that’s great that he’s doing well after all of that.
I wonder who will fill in for him when Marillion plays on the cruise in a week. I am not a big Marillion guy - is there a regular fill in for him when he’s out? Has he ever even been out?
They had said Nick Beggs was going to fill in for him
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The second single from Morsefest ‘22, Lay Down Your Life, is out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm8EEu_CfsE
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The second single from Morsefest ‘22, Lay Down Your Life, is out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm8EEu_CfsE
Sounds great with Ted singing this and the background singers!
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Holy crap, I had no idea about Pete. That sucks. Hope he pulls through OK.
Got my Morsefest 2022 box set and... well... popped the BluRay in. Something's not quite right about it. There are some weird audio skips/muffles in the first song, and it gets even worse by the second song. I didn't try any other songs yet, and didn't try any other devices except my PS5. Very curious to see if others have any similar issues as they dig into this...
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You've gotten yours already? Where did you order from?
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You've gotten yours already? Where did you order from?
Radiant
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Wow. Not calling you a liar or anything, I'm just surprised to see it released a whole 3 weeks early.
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Radiant
That's awesome, I usually order from Radiant as I don't mind waiting most times. This time the shipping cost was too much so decided to go with Laser CD. I still haven't watched the Paris show so I guess I'm in no hurry to get the Morsefest show.
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I wasn't tracking the release date that close so I just assumed I hadn't gotten it that early. Wow!
I'll email Radiant about this and see what they say. I guess check your discs when you get them, folks!
That's awesome, I usually order from Radiant as I don't mind waiting most times. This time the shipping cost was too much so decided to go with Laser CD. I still haven't watched the Paris show so I guess I'm in no hurry to get the Morsefest show.
I listened to the CDs in the car this week. Really exceptional show, I think. I might prefer Paris slightly (felt more emotional, with the backdrop of them thinking it was the last), but obviously the setlist here is really special. I skipped out on Whirld Tour when that was released so I'm really happy to have a form of it here.
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Holy crap, I had no idea about Pete. That sucks. Hope he pulls through OK.
He seems to have done fine with the surgery and is looking more or less himself.
https://twitter.com/petetrewavas/status/1770840176928882791?s=46&t=fZEL_VJFXNecsfY2bM-KNA
https://twitter.com/petetrewavas/status/1773700972839075867?s=46&t=fZEL_VJFXNecsfY2bM-KNA
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Just got my tracking number for Transatlantic - Morsefest 2022 from LaserCD. I might actually watch this if it comes by the weekend.
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Same here. Looking forward to it!
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Just saw my shipping info from Laser as well. Should have by, or even before, Friday.
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Me four.
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Out for delivery. Should have it soon. Mail usually comes around 9-10am here.
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Mine is in my city but not sure if it's out for delivery, most likely tomorrow. Been listening to all TA stuff this week so should be primed to watch this. or at least just hear it.
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It arrived. Another beautiful set. Will dig into it all tonight at some point.
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I got mine last week. Haven't had a chance to watch it, yet.