The Official Flying Colors Thread

[KevShmev]

I like Cadence a lot, but I simply like five of the songs from the album more.  I have a feeling my order of the top 5 will not be the same in a few months.

[ytserush]

There all pretty evenly amazing for me although Crawl and Last Train Home appear to be rising above at this point.

[Jaffa]

Crawl is something really special to me.  The rest of the album ranges from good to great, with Love Letter probably being my second favorite, but I am in love with Crawl.  I actually can't remember the last time a song hit me as hard as  this one has. 

[RoeDent]

I like Crawl, but to me it fell far short of expectations. I felt like it was going to be this album's Infinite Fire or Cosmic Symphony, but it just doesn't deliver the killer blow those tracks do.

[utopiarun]

Crawl may be my least favorite on the album. It seems like it's pasted together to make an epic. The chorus to me just doesn't fit in and then after Neal's obligatory "God" part it seems like an intrusion.

[RoeDent]

Neal's obligatory "God" part

Great phrase! See also Last Train Home.

[MirrorMask]

Silly question about the album names... after Second Nature and Third Degree, do you think they'll keep up with naming the album referencing its progressive number in the discography? the next album could be called Fourth Wall but I think DT's live release blacklisted forever that title for MP 

How could they go on for the fourth and fifth album?

[The Letter M]

Silly question about the album names... after Second Nature and Third Degree, do you think they'll keep up with naming the album referencing its progressive number in the discography? the next album could be called Fourth Wall but I think DT's live release blacklisted forever that title for MP 

How could they go on for the fourth and fifth album?

If Fourth Wall is out of the question, how about Perfect Fourth? It's a bit presumptuous, but it's also a term used in music theory.

-Marc.

[gzarruk]

Considering we had Six Degrees, Train of Thought and Octavarium, I'd say Mike likes to match album titles with their number in the catalog

[RodrigoAltaf]

It'll be "FOUR Those About to Rock (We Salute You)". My source is very reliable.

[eric42434224]

Fourskin

[ytserush]

I like Crawl, but to me it fell far short of expectations. I felt like it was going to be this album's Infinite Fire or Cosmic Symphony, but it just doesn't deliver the killer blow those tracks do.

Of those I like Infinite Fire least. Those other songs are among my favorites on those albums and were highlights of this year's live show. Infinite Fire is likely my least favorite on that first album. Didn't really seem to fit.

[RoeDent]

FC4 title: Go Fourth and Conquer

[Adami]

Fourclosed. Final album.

[Jaffa]

Fourth Kind.

Sci fi alien abduction concept album. 

[devieira73]

Just to report a really nice Facebook post from the great bassist Bryan Beller about the band:

“FLYING COLORS: I’ve been sleeping on this band and I’m just waking up to how great their new(est) album “Third Degree” is. Setting aside the obvious fact that everyone in the band is a monster player, I’m blown away at the writing and arranging. Just in the first three songs along - “The Loss Inside”, “More” and “Cadence” - you can really feel the emotional lifts of each properly written and song-formed progressive rock piece, complete with super-satisfying mid-song odysseys, breakdowns, and delicious tag-final-choruses that drive the weight of the pieces home without overindulging. I felt like standing up and applauding!

Also, I never knew who Casey McPherson was before this, which just shows my utter caveman-like ignorance. Such an emotive voice, man alive. I’m a fan of the Jeff Buckley/Matt Bellamy world of male frontman singers, so having that touch of vulnerability in there really does it for me. And then, you know, Dave LaRue is a god, plus Steve Morse, Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy…and still, it sounds complete, like a band, not a collection of players. I know, you’re probably thinking, “Yeah dude, uh, this band has been good for a while.” But I’m waking up to a lot of things now that I’m not buried in my own album production, which was all-consuming for me.

So in case you were sleeping on this album as well, check it out. It’s pretty freaking great. “

[KevShmev]

I didn't know who Bryan Beller was (had to google him), but he has 11+K followers on Twitter, and with any luck this kind of shout-out will get the band some new fans.

[devieira73]

His last album, Scenes from the flood, is excellent. Instrumental rock with diversity and very well composed. Anyway I always think it’s great when a great musician admires a band that we’re fans and it’s not very much known.

[The Walrus]

Gotta say nothing's really stuck with me from this one since it came out aside from Guardian and Geronimo. Those are two cool songs. I'm just not feeling it with the rest. It's fine when it's being played but nothing more than that and I don't really want to revisit the record as a whole. Just two more to the 'main' playlist, as it is. Oh well.

[gzarruk]

I didn't know who Bryan Beller was (had to google him), but he has 11+K followers on Twitter, and with any luck this kind of shout-out will get the band some new fans.

The guy's recorded and/or toured with Mike Keneally, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, The Aristocrats (Guthrie Govan and Marco Minnemann), Dethklok, James LaBrie (first 3 solo albums), among others. And he's a beast on bass

His last album, Scenes from the flood, is excellent. Instrumental rock with diversity and very well composed.

Ditto. I can't recommend this album enough. Plus, it has a couple little know guests such as John Petrucci, Joe Satriani, Guthrie Govan, Gene Hoglan, Ray Hearne...

[The Letter M]

I saw Mike post on FB (or Twitter, can't remember which, maybe both) that he's currently working on the third Flying Color live album, from their last tour. Does anyone know which show(s) they filmed? I'm curious since the second leg of the tour featured more new songs on it than the first leg did.

Either way, this looks to be another MP/Neal release-heavy year, with FC's third live album, TA5, and now some solo Neal Morse album (NOT the Neal Morse Band), with Mike and Randy on it, something that hasn't happened since Momentum.

-Marc.

[JayOctavarium]

I think they filmed the Tilburg show?

[BRGM]

I saw Mike post on FB (or Twitter, can't remember which, maybe both) that he's currently working on the third Flying Color live album, from their last tour. Does anyone know which show(s) they filmed? I'm curious since the second leg of the tour featured more new songs on it than the first leg did.

Either way, this looks to be another MP/Neal release-heavy year, with FC's third live album, TA5, and now some solo Neal Morse album (NOT the Neal Morse Band), with Mike and Randy on it, something that hasn't happened since Momentum.

-Marc.

Its' the London show at Sheperds Bush Empire, same venue as the Whirld Tour release. Should be Great   

[The Letter M]

I saw Mike post on FB (or Twitter, can't remember which, maybe both) that he's currently working on the third Flying Color live album, from their last tour. Does anyone know which show(s) they filmed? I'm curious since the second leg of the tour featured more new songs on it than the first leg did.

Either way, this looks to be another MP/Neal release-heavy year, with FC's third live album, TA5, and now some solo Neal Morse album (NOT the Neal Morse Band), with Mike and Randy on it, something that hasn't happened since Momentum.

-Marc.

Its' the London show at Sheperds Bush Empire, same venue as the Whirld Tour release. Should be Great   

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/flying-colors/2019/o2-shepherds-bush-empire-london-england-339bb4e9.html

This one? Looks like a great set, and it has all of the Third Degree songs they played on tour! Can't wait for this one!

-Marc.

[ytserush]

Should be a good one. It was a great set.

[JayOctavarium]

I guess it was London.

Why was I thinking Tilburg?

[RoeDent]

I guess it was London.

Why was I thinking Tilburg?

Because 90% of all prog live recordings are done at Tilburg.

[KevShmev]

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/flying-colors/2019/o2-shepherds-bush-empire-london-england-339bb4e9.html

This one? Looks like a great set, and it has all of the Third Degree songs they played on tour! Can't wait for this one!

I didn't keep up on their set lists, but that is awesome to see that Geronimo found its way into the sets at the last few shows.  The whole album is really good, but Geronimo and Love Letter have held up as my two favorites from Third Degree.

[ytserush]

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/flying-colors/2019/o2-shepherds-bush-empire-london-england-339bb4e9.html

This one? Looks like a great set, and it has all of the Third Degree songs they played on tour! Can't wait for this one!

I didn't keep up on their set lists, but that is awesome to see that Geronimo found its way into the sets at the last few shows.  The whole album is really good, but Geronimo and Love Letter have held up as my two favorites from Third Degree.

The more from Third Degree the better....

[MinistroRaven]

Flying Colors (Casey McPherson, Steve Morse, Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Dave LaRue) are pleased to announce the Flying Colors Backstage Summit, a 4-day online interactive music experience set to take place May 5th through May 8th.  The event will feature all 5 members of the band taking part in songwriting instructions and tips, Q&A sessions, and even a chance to submit your own music and have it critiqued by the band.

“In a world now where there’s a lot of anxiety and stress for things we can’t control - we need music more than ever!! But we have to think outside of the box of how we give, and get our musical creative experiences. I think this is going to be an incredibly fun way to do it.. both for us as a band and for our fans!” ~ Casey

The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, May 5th - 1:00pm EST | 7:00pm CET - Casey McPherson
Wednesday, May 6th - 1:00pm EST | 7:00pm CET - Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse
Thursday, May 7th - 1:00pm EST | 7:00pm CET - Steve Morse and Dave LaRue
Friday, May 8th - 1:00pm EST | 7:00pm CET - Full band Songwriting Session Live!

For more information and to register visit
https://www.flyingcolorsbackstagesummit.com/

[Stadler]

That actually sounds pretty cool.  I might consider that.  I'm a sucker for the "song writing process", even if I do deep down think it's kind of like trying to draw a ghost.

I had a great question for Mike that popped into my head about a week ago, and now I can't remember what it was!   

[Adami]

I expected insane prices but that is damn reasonable. Hell, I'd call it a steal.

Sadly those are my work hours or else I'd consider it for sure. If you can make that, I'd suggest it.

[HOF]

In the past 20 minutes or so, both Blue Ocean and A Place in Your World have come up on shuffle. That’s good stuff and the sweet spot for these guys.

[ytserush]

Love to but the timing is going to work for me.

[goo-goo]

New album by Casey

https://alpharev.com/album/1479923/open