The Official Flying Colors Thread

[rumborak]

The first song is the most brutally obvious Morse-TA song, and indeed it's weird to put it in the front because it sets the mood for the album.

After that they tone down the prog though for a few songs. A Place In Your World is the next Morse song then, with him on vocals and totally sounding like straight from a solo album of his.
The closing two tracks are both hugely epic. At the beginning of Peaceful Harbor you expect JR to whip out the Continuum.

[KevShmev]

With all due respect, you seem to have that kind of "If Neal sings, it sounds like solo Neal Morse" thinking.  I remember you said the same thing about The Whirlwind when that came out.  Granted, Neal does have a pretty distinct style, but between Casey's voice and Steve Morse's guitar playing, there are enough other dominant musical aspects that drastically lessen the "it sounds like solo Neal Morse" effect for me, for the most part. 

[The Letter M]

With all due respect, you seem to have that kind of "If Neal sings, it sounds like solo Neal Morse" thinking.  I remember you said the same thing about The Whirlwind when that came out.  Granted, Neal does have a pretty distinct style, but between Casey's voice and Steve Morse's guitar playing, there are enough other dominant musical aspects that drastically lessen the "it sounds like solo Neal Morse" effect for me, for the most part.

I agree on this point - hearing Steve's guitar and Dave's bass under Neal is a different sound than hearing Roine and Pete, or Randy. Sure, it'll have Neal singing, but the writing and the musicians themselves give it a different flavor overall.

-Marc.

[rumborak]

With all due respect, you seem to have that kind of "If Neal sings, it sounds like solo Neal Morse" thinking.  I remember you said the same thing about The Whirlwind when that came out.  Granted, Neal does have a pretty distinct style, but between Casey's voice and Steve Morse's guitar playing, there are enough other dominant musical aspects that drastically lessen the "it sounds like solo Neal Morse" effect for me, for the most part.

There is probably something to your comment. Yes, I do somewhat overreact when it comes to Neal, historically because he has a way of usurping, and dominating, every project he is in. TA and FC both started out as projects where the musicians were on even keel with each other. But in both projects Neal somehow seems to have gotten the upper hand and, IMHO, squeezed out the influences of the other guys to a good degree.
So yes, when I suddenly heard Neal sing the song, in a band that has a far superior singer, I kinda cringed.

[Ben_Jamin]

Neal most likely writes most of what project he's in. He also probably has a ton of demos to present that he feels would represent said project.

The main problem could be having no outside producer, and of course we all know who dominated that position,  NM and MP.

I'm gonna listen to it now with good headphones,  so I'll get back to what I think.

[KevShmev]

With all due respect, you seem to have that kind of "If Neal sings, it sounds like solo Neal Morse" thinking.  I remember you said the same thing about The Whirlwind when that came out.  Granted, Neal does have a pretty distinct style, but between Casey's voice and Steve Morse's guitar playing, there are enough other dominant musical aspects that drastically lessen the "it sounds like solo Neal Morse" effect for me, for the most part.

There is probably something to your comment. Yes, I do somewhat overreact when it comes to Neal, historically because he has a way of usurping, and dominating, every project he is in. TA and FC both started out as projects where the musicians were on even keel with each other. But in both projects Neal somehow seems to have gotten the upper hand and, IMHO, squeezed out the influences of the other guys to a good degree.
So yes, when I suddenly heard Neal sing the song, in a band that has a far superior singer, I kinda cringed.

I don't think that is true regarding Transatlantic.  Their first album is way more Neal-dominant than the next three.  Even most of the harmonies on that album are just Neal's voice layered over and over.  Considering TA was started as an excuse for Neal and Portnoy to work together, it makes sense.  Bridge Across Forever was a total band effort, as was The Whirlwind. Kaleidoscope seemed like it started to tilt back in Neal's favor, so we'll see how that next one goes.

[The Letter M]

With all due respect, you seem to have that kind of "If Neal sings, it sounds like solo Neal Morse" thinking.  I remember you said the same thing about The Whirlwind when that came out.  Granted, Neal does have a pretty distinct style, but between Casey's voice and Steve Morse's guitar playing, there are enough other dominant musical aspects that drastically lessen the "it sounds like solo Neal Morse" effect for me, for the most part.

There is probably something to your comment. Yes, I do somewhat overreact when it comes to Neal, historically because he has a way of usurping, and dominating, every project he is in. TA and FC both started out as projects where the musicians were on even keel with each other. But in both projects Neal somehow seems to have gotten the upper hand and, IMHO, squeezed out the influences of the other guys to a good degree.
So yes, when I suddenly heard Neal sing the song, in a band that has a far superior singer, I kinda cringed.

I don't think that is true regarding Transatlantic.  Their first album is way more Neal-dominant than the next three.  Even most of the harmonies on that album are just Neal's voice layered over and over.  Considering TA was started as an excuse for Neal and Portnoy to work together, it makes sense.  Bridge Across Forever was a total band effort, as was The Whirlwind. Kaleidoscope seemed like it started to tilt back in Neal's favor, so we'll see how that next one goes.

Judging by the amount of demos that Neal has released from the Transatlantic albums, it's clear that SMPT:e and Kaleidoscope seem to have a good deal of Neal material presented in its final form on the album, in some shape or another. Neal contributed much of "All Of The Above", "We All Need Some Light", "Kaleidoscope", "Into The Blue", "Shine" and "Beyond The Sun. He's also responsible for good chunks of "Duel With The Devil" and "Stranger In Your Soul", as well as "Bridge Across Forever", but a good chunk of BAF came from studio jamming and Roine and Pete. As for The Whirlwind, only about half of the album comes from stuff that Neal wrote, with probably 25% from Roine,  15% from Pete, and the rest from writing in the studio.

It's interesting, though, reading Neal's, Mike's and Randy's updates on the new Neal Morse Band album that just finished writing, in that almost everyone brought material to the table, including Bill Hubauer. It sounds like it'll be a full-band effort with writing contributions across the board. Neal was worried he didn't have enough material to send out to his band this time around, but it seems like the band brought some in, so I am more excited for a new Neal Morse album than I have been in ages. The prospect of Neal, Mike and Randy being in the studio with Bill and Eric is sure produce some great music!

-Marc.

[rumborak]

With all due respect, you seem to have that kind of "If Neal sings, it sounds like solo Neal Morse" thinking.  I remember you said the same thing about The Whirlwind when that came out.  Granted, Neal does have a pretty distinct style, but between Casey's voice and Steve Morse's guitar playing, there are enough other dominant musical aspects that drastically lessen the "it sounds like solo Neal Morse" effect for me, for the most part.

There is probably something to your comment. Yes, I do somewhat overreact when it comes to Neal, historically because he has a way of usurping, and dominating, every project he is in. TA and FC both started out as projects where the musicians were on even keel with each other. But in both projects Neal somehow seems to have gotten the upper hand and, IMHO, squeezed out the influences of the other guys to a good degree.
So yes, when I suddenly heard Neal sing the song, in a band that has a far superior singer, I kinda cringed.

I don't think that is true regarding Transatlantic.  Their first album is way more Neal-dominant than the next three.  Even most of the harmonies on that album are just Neal's voice layered over and over.  Considering TA was started as an excuse for Neal and Portnoy to work together, it makes sense.  Bridge Across Forever was a total band effort, as was The Whirlwind. Kaleidoscope seemed like it started to tilt back in Neal's favor, so we'll see how that next one goes.

We have differed on this before, but I already count Whirlwind as a Neal-dominated album. The album is a concept album about the end of days, for crying out loud. Doesn't get more Neal than that.

[KevShmev]

Musically, it is not Neal-dominated, but given your hang-up about the lyrics, I don't expect you to agree.

[JayOctavarium]

So I listened to probably 1/2 - 3/4 of the album between last night and today...

I'm in the camp with those disappointed at the fact that they dialed up the prog. The first album was perfect in my eyes. It never lost replay value for me. This one is great... but it's much harder to digest.

[Nekov]

Just finished listening to the new album. I don't think the problem with it is the added prog, I think overall it's just not as interesting and fresh as the first one was

[As I Am]

Absolutely LOVING, "Mask Machine", "Bombs Away", "Fury of My Love", A Place in Your World", "One Love Forever" and part III of Cosmic Symphony "Pound For Pound"....EVERYTHING MP touches ends up great!

[ZKX-2099]

Yeah so far I'm diggin it as well.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Absolutely LOVING, "Mask Machine", "Bombs Away", "Fury of My Love", A Place in Your World", "One Love Forever" and part III of Cosmic Symphony "Pound For Pound"....EVERYTHING MP touches ends up great!

[Skeever]

I was not expecting this to sound so much like Transatlantic. Interesting.

[rumborak]

Just finished listening to the new album. I don't think the problem with it is the added prog, I think overall it's just not as interesting and fresh as the first one was

It's a lot of small things that bring this album down. True, the debut had Infinite Fire, but (the producer?) decided to tuck that epic to the end of the album, thus making it almost like a nod to the fact that a lot of those guys usually make long prog epics.
On Second Nature, they put a 12-minute prog epic as the album opener. I gave it another spin earlier, and it doesn't even matter that I truly enjoy Mask Machine; you're coming out of that TA/Morse epic that lasted 12 minutes, and that just taints it right from the get go.
I'm seriously considering to create a "Second Nature EP" from the debut-sounding tracks once the album comes out.

BTW, to preempt the inevitable comment of "if you hate it so much, why do you keep posting in this thread?": I thought the FC debut was probably the best album that came out in that year. It was hands down the best post-DT project MP had done. But to paraphrase Back to the Future: " And then he took it and flushed it down the toilet. "

[KevShmev]

My comment would be to quit bitching about what it isn't and focus on what it is.  If you don't like it for what it is, okay, but to keep bitching about what it isn't seems kind of silly.  But the old adage rings true: expectations are a bitch.

Peaceful Harbor is pretty freaking gorgeous, I have to say.

[The Letter M]

Peaceful Harbor is pretty freaking gorgeous, I have to say.

Very much so. I got Pink Floyd vibes from it, and it has a sort of "The Spirit Carries On" kind of feel. Perhaps it's the gospel choir, or just the overall feel of the song, but it is one of the most beautiful moments in music I've heard all year. The same goes for the last part of "Cosmic Symphony", as well as both of Steve's solos in that song. Even if the album opens a bit weak because of the Neal-infused epic, it definitely ends REALLY strong with those two songs.

-Marc.

[Dark Castle]

My comment would be to quit bitching about what it isn't and focus on what it is.  If you don't like it for what it is, okay, but to keep bitching about what it isn't seems kind of silly.  But the old adage rings true: expectations are a bitch.

Peaceful Harbor is pretty freaking gorgeous, I have to say.

Are we not allowed to voice negative opinions here anymore? Geez, ffs come on

[Jaffa]

And if nothing else, I don't see this album have any clunkers, unlike the first album which had two or three - Shoulda Coulda Woulda and All Falls Down; Fool in My Heart isn't really a clunker from a writing standpoint, but having Portnoy sing it sorta killed it.

Interesting.  This is my first time really paying any attention to Flying Colors discussion, so I had no idea that All Falls Down was considered a clunker.  I love that song.

Anyway, I'm about to listen to the stream of the new album for the first time.  I am excite.

[Bolsters]

I didn't like All Falls Down at all first off, but I warmed up to it a little bit over time. It's still one of my two least favourite tracks on the album though (the other being Shoulda Coulda Woulda).

[Jaffa]

Fair enough.  It's actually one of my favorites on the first album, so I guess I'm an oddball! 

[rumborak]

My comment would be to quit bitching about what it isn't and focus on what it is.  If you don't like it for what it is, okay, but to keep bitching about what it isn't seems kind of silly.  But the old adage rings true: expectations are a bitch.

Peaceful Harbor is pretty freaking gorgeous, I have to say.

That's the interesting part about this new album. It's a solid, not exciting but solid, prog album. I'm not too much in the mood for retroprog these days anymore, but I can definitely see how people can love this album. I love the debut for not being prog, so that's why I'm disappointed.

[KevShmev]

Makes sense.  I get where you are coming from.  And honestly, as I've said in other threads, the Morse/Portnoy combo has kind of oversaturated us with stuff as of late, but something about this combination of talents just sounds good to me.  I am still digesting the new album, and I have no idea if I'll end up liking it more, less or as much as the first, but most of it is sounding pretty darn good to me.  To each his own.

[The Letter M]

And honestly, as I've said in other threads, the Morse/Portnoy combo has kind of oversaturated us with stuff as of late.

Well, let's see...after MP left Dream Theater, he's participated and released the following albums with Neal:
-Flying Colors (debut, Live In Europe, Second Nature)
-Transatlantic (Whirld Tour 2010, More Never Is Enough, Kaleidoscope)
-Solo Neal (Testimony 2, T2 Live in LA, Momentum, Live Momentum)
-Yellow Matter Custard (One More Night In NYC)
-Morse Portnoy George (Cover 2 Cover)
-The Prog World Orchestra (A Proggy Christmas)

That's a total of 13 releases in the last four years, with another TA live album in November, a Neal Morse Band album early next year, and more than likely, another live Flying Colors album next Spring/Summer from the upcoming tour. Then after all of that, a live album from Neal's next album, probably released late next year.

When you consider Mike and Neal had about 13 releases between their first album together (TA's SMPT:e) and 2009's The Whirlwind (over the course of 9-10 years), it's hard not to agree that we are getting a LOT more of the Morse/Portnoy duo in music, be it live or studio. They've been averaging 3 releases a year for the last four years, and it looks like we'll get three more next year if my guesses are correct (NMB, live FC, live NMB).

-Marc.

[rumborak]

Indeed to each their own. I find they're just turning the crank these days, and while I don't care when that happens in their various outfits above (I wasn't even aware of a quarter of the released stuff above), I find it's a bummer when it "leaks" into the only interesting thing the two had left.

[Mladen]

The album almost put me to sleep during my first listen, honestly. I though the songs were too long and proggy, whereas I was hoping for shorter, catchier tunes like Kayla or Forever in a daze. But the more I listen to it, the less prog it sounds and more catchiness and gorgeousness unveil. There's so much grower potential in this, it will be in my playlist for a while, that's for sure.

[KevShmev]

Some of the songs remind me of TA's Black as the Sky from an arrangement standpoint, in that they are catchy enough to be called, well, catchy, but throw in that little bit of slightly-extended instrumental stuff to tow the line between proggy and a short, catchy song.  It's kind of the best of both worlds, although, again, I get why some liked the shorter, tighter arrangements on the first album better.  Hell, I like a lot of the short songs on the first album a lot, so I am happy with both approaches, so long as the songs are good. 

I will agree that the first song, Open Up Your Eyes, really does sound out of place.  It's so over the top proggy and definitely gives that "been there, done that" feeling.  It doesn't help that the arrangement is kind of copy and paste, as you have that opening section, then it suddenly breaks into another proggy-sounding section, before breaking into a vocal section that does sound very Flying Colors-ish.  But the instrumental sections scream MAJOR prog and the transitions are abrupt and make the song not flow well at all.  So yeah, I get why some are bothered by that song kicking off the album.

[Mindflux]

Got my CD today. No sign of signed poster from Radiant. Drat.

[ronnibran]

I was going to wait until I got this in the mail to listen.  Then there was the youtube trailer of the DVD.  I was so intrigued, it sounded so proggy and different from their first disc.  Well, I've listened to about half of the new album (the stream on the linked website a couple pages back). 

Very pleasantly surprised so far.  I think I'm going to wait until I get the actual cd to listen to the whole thing, but I'm digging the different direction.  I know I'm probably in the minority, but I didn't care for the overly poppy and love songy sound of the first album.  It's not just a Neal thing (I'm a huge Neal fan), I'd be happy if Casey was the only vocalist.  But from what I've heard I think the guys in the band are utilizing their strengths more possibly (just my opinion, to my ears of course).

I get why some people don't like the different direction (it's not as unique this time, it may be like more of the same).  I can't comment too much on that specifically until I hear more of it, obviously.

Summary: I think I fall in the camp of thinking this will be better than the first cd and love the direction I've heard so far. 

[Tom Bombadil]

Finally got around to listening to this, and I was pleasantly surprised. People saying it sounded like TA got me disappointed (I can't stand TA), but other than the first song, I didn't think it sounded anything like it.
I need a few more listens, but so far I really enjoy it.

[countoftuscany42]

Got my CD today. No sign of signed poster from Radiant. Drat.

Last time they sent me one it was in a separate box for some reason, so it's still possible it's coming!

[KevShmev]

Finally got around to listening to this, and I was pleasantly surprised. People saying it sounded like TA got me disappointed (I can't stand TA), but other than the first song, I didn't think it sounded anything like it.
I need a few more listens, but so far I really enjoy it.

Agreed.  As much as the first song sounds like TA at times, the rest of the songs don't sound like them at all.  I think some just get stuck on the "anything that sounds like Neal Morse wrote it automatically sounds like solo Neal and/or Transatlantic" thing.  Oh well.

Peaceful Harbor and One Love Forever are easily my favorite thus far.

[Nel]

I know I'm probably in the minority, but I didn't care for the overly poppy and love songy sound of the first album.

I couldn't get into the s/t either. Only "Everything Changes" and the last song did anything for me. While I certainly welcome any song genre, a lot of it did come off as rather bland. But I do like my prog, and if Second Nature is proggier, then I'll pick it up and give the band another chance.

[ariich]

I also agree that the opening song it the only thing that sounds like TA/NM. Even Cosmic Symphony, the other "epic", is slow building and not really in the Morse-prog style.

I have to say, I don't really understand why they even have that first track, let alone why they put it at the start of the album. It's completely out of place.

Other than that, I really dig the album! Some great tunes.