Transatlantic Official Thread

[darkshade]

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.

[HOF]

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

[bluefox4000]

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.

[bosk1]

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.

[darkshade]

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.

[bluefox4000]

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.

[HOF]

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

[The Letter M]

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.

[ariich]

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.

[emtee]

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!

[The Letter M]

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.

[KevShmev]

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.

[425]

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.

[ytserush]

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!

[ytserush]

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.

[darkshade]

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.

[The Letter M]

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.

[lucasembarbosa]

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!

[Mladen]

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. 

I have to tip my hat to the band once more for pulling this off. We've never experienced anything like this.

[Zydar]

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.

[hefdaddy42]

Am I the only one who still hasn't received their order from Radiant?

[King Postwhore]

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.

[darkshade]

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.

[faizoff]

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.

[Stadler]

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. 

[bluefox4000]

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

[hefdaddy42]

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. 

[KevShmev]

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.

[hefdaddy42]

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.

[425]

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.

[KevShmev]

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.

[emtee]

FLYYYY HIGHER THAN THE MORRRRNING

[Metro]

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.

[KevShmev]

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.   

[bluefox4000]

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.