The Official Flying Colors Thread

[ytserush]

Some of my best friends are muses....

[RoeDent]

I don't know if this is known, but according to Amazon UK and a local record shop where I live, Second Nature is coming out on October 6 here, not September 29 as previously thought.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Nature-Flying-Colors/dp/B00M4QNOW4/ref=pd_sim_m_h__1?ie=UTF8&refRID=02AFV12H570S60JHYK3F

[rumborak]

Kinda weird how they released that video to create some momentum for the new album, but lately it's been super-quiet.

[RoeDent]

Shame, because the song is really really good. I keep listening to it and getting good vibes from it. I for one am massively excited for the album.

[rumborak]

FYI:
Flying Colors - Second Nature DVD Trailer: https://youtu.be/mjbbtkgDBPs

Definitely only getting the CD. MP's musings about "Lost" are not exactly something I would sit through.

[Scrub206]

I'm very excited for the new album. And of course MP is going to ramble, he likes to be vocal and the center of attention, but I don't have a problem. That's just him. The samples sound AWESOME and i'm so pumped to hear the rest of it.

[King Postwhore]

Yeah, Mike is rambling. The fury thing?!

[rumborak]

Regarding the samples, I'm actually a bit more cautious now than I was after hearing Mask Machine (which I think is great). That snippet in the video sounded rather TA.

[KevShmev]

FYI:
Flying Colors - Second Nature DVD Trailer: https://youtu.be/mjbbtkgDBPs

Definitely only getting the CD. MP's musings about "Lost" are not exactly something I would sit through.

Yeah, I can't take anymore making-of DVDs or anything like that with Portnoy blathering on about anything.  Pass.

And Lost the best show ever?  Jesus.

[RodrigoAltaf]

 The album is being streamed in full here: https://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2014-09-22/flying-colors-stream-second-nature-in-full-exclusive

[jingle.boy]

Wicked... will be listening later today.

[RodrigoAltaf]

 Bombs away is awesome!!!

[Onno]

Thanks for the link! Listening to it now... Not too sure what I think of this album yet but One Love Forever was epic!

[RodrigoAltaf]

I really like One Love Forever as well. Overall, it seems a much more consistent effort than the first one. Thumbs up!

[RoeDent]

First up, Bombs Away is awesome! It has a bounce to it that I love!

They played Lost Without You on a radio show late last night (great timing from me; I literally tuned in just as the DJ was announcing it), and the chorus is soaring! Sounds like a great summer track to me.

[Mladen]

Too bad the raining season is starting. 

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I'm like 4 songs through and so far... and I'm feeling a huge Transatlantic 2.0 vibe here. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, given that's not the sound I want to listen from Flying Colors.

It's not bad, tho. I'll keep listening.

[RoeDent]

Too bad the raining season is starting. 

Yes, I am quite aware of that. But the opposite thing sort of happened last year with the Blackfield song Jupiter. That song evoked images of rainy winter nights, yet it was released in August.

[The Letter M]

The first two and the last two tracks are instant favorites, while the middle of the album has grown on me. It's a solid album and a worthy follow-up to their debut. I hope they plan on playing all of these songs on their upcoming tour, and I hope they record a show somewhere. With two albums at over 2 hours of original material, I wonder if they will do any more cover songs or if they'll just play both albums? Perhaps some extended jams or solos will be done in lieu of cover songs?

-Marc.

[Dark Castle]

I'm like 4 songs through and so far... and I'm feeling a huge Transatlantic 2.0 vibe here. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, given that's not the sound I want to listen from Flying Colors.

It's not bad, tho. I'll keep listening.

This is what I was afraid of. Unfortunately I'm not really a fan of Transatlantic so I don't think I'll be picking this up

[The Letter M]

I'm like 4 songs through and so far... and I'm feeling a huge Transatlantic 2.0 vibe here. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, given that's not the sound I want to listen from Flying Colors.

It's not bad, tho. I'll keep listening.

This is what I was afraid of. Unfortunately I'm not really a fan of Transatlantic so I don't think I'll be picking this up

Have you heard the album yet? Sure, there are some elements of the TA sound but only largely because the band does happen to include half of Transatlantic, but Casey's contributions, as well as Steve's and Dave's, definitely equal the weight of Neal's and Mike's. This album tightens up a bit of what they did on the first album as far as song writing, even though the tracks are a bit longer, but there are some great Steve guitar solos and some awesome Dave bass grooves and solos. Casey's voice is very soulful in a way that Neal's isn't, and there's less lead vocals from Neal this time around.

Listen to the stream first and try to distance yourself from any preconceived notions about this being anything like Transatlantic. If it helps, focus on the vocal harmonies and Casey's lead vox more, and Steve's guitar (which is on fire on this album). Also, that bass solo near the beginning of "Cosmic Symphony" is just sooooo good, it gets me excited every time it comes on.

-Marc.

[Polarbear]

Open Up Your Eyes is so good that, i'm hesitant to stop replaying it and move forward.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

I'm like 4 songs through and so far... and I'm feeling a huge Transatlantic 2.0 vibe here. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, given that's not the sound I want to listen from Flying Colors.

It's not bad, tho. I'll keep listening.

This is what I was afraid of. Unfortunately I'm not really a fan of Transatlantic so I don't think I'll be picking this up

Have you heard the album yet? Sure, there are some elements of the TA sound but only largely because the band does happen to include half of Transatlantic, but Casey's contributions, as well as Steve's and Dave's, definitely equal the weight of Neal's and Mike's. This album tightens up a bit of what they did on the first album as far as song writing, even though the tracks are a bit longer, but there are some great Steve guitar solos and some awesome Dave bass grooves and solos. Casey's voice is very soulful in a way that Neal's isn't, and there's less lead vocals from Neal this time around.

Listen to the stream first and try to distance yourself from any preconceived notions about this being anything like Transatlantic. If it helps, focus on the vocal harmonies and Casey's lead vox more, and Steve's guitar (which is on fire on this album). Also, that bass solo near the beginning of "Cosmic Symphony" is just sooooo good, it gets me excited every time it comes on.

-Marc.

I just finished the album and yeah, Flying Colors is in there. At this point I still like the debut more because the songs felt much more focused and had more direction. I'm not bashing or anything, I think Second Nature is a good album with some excellent ideas (the chorus for A Place In Your World has an amazing hook) that are lacking direction. I'm not coming aboard the "they need an outside producer" train, but in places it felt like they needed someone to tell them to cut off some fat.
I get that most of the guys in the band come from a prog background and that's a good thing, and Casey is pop link within the band; but I kinda wished they were continuing where they left of in the debut. Cosmic Symphony was pretty amazing, tho. Probably my favorite moment in the whole records. That's probably one of the few songs that feel authentic.

Don't hate me, pls.

On the brighter side of things, Casey's vocals are as awesome as ever. He's the link that's gonna make me keep listening to this album.

[RodrigoAltaf]

 Cosmic Symphony has a great bass solo!

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Cosmic Symphony has a great bass solo!

Yeah, and it was the only song in the record where I really got my ear stolen by a drum part. There are some pretty tasteful grooves by Mike Portnoy.

[jingle.boy]

I'm like 4 songs through and so far... and I'm feeling a huge Transatlantic 2.0 vibe here. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, given that's not the sound I want to listen from Flying Colors.

It's not bad, tho. I'll keep listening.

This is what I was afraid of. Unfortunately I'm not really a fan of Transatlantic so I don't think I'll be picking this up

Must be a cash grab by the band.    JK dude, but really, have a listen and make the determination for yourself.  I don't really hear much of a TA vibe - at least, any moreso than the first album - even though it is inevitable with the MP/NM connection.  I definitely feel it's a FC album, and digging it wholeheartedly.

[Dark Castle]

I'm like 4 songs through and so far... and I'm feeling a huge Transatlantic 2.0 vibe here. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, given that's not the sound I want to listen from Flying Colors.

It's not bad, tho. I'll keep listening.

This is what I was afraid of. Unfortunately I'm not really a fan of Transatlantic so I don't think I'll be picking this up

Must be a cash grab by the band.    JK dude, but really, have a listen and make the determination for yourself.  I don't really hear much of a TA vibe - at least, any moreso than the first album - even though it is inevitable with the MP/NM connection.  I definitely feel it's a FC album, and digging it wholeheartedly.

Lol, I'll still give the album a try, but I don't consider it making preconceived notions about an album when many people have said it sounds like Transatlantic 2.0 around the interwebs. It deserves a listen though, as I did enjoy their debut. 

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Only one listen down on it. It's very solid, I'm liking it about as much as the debut. The first two tracks are pretty stellar, as well as the last two. My only gripe is that everything in between falls flat here and there and doesn't hold the same staying power, though I am only one listen in so I'll give it time before being concrete.

[RoeDent]

Considering that 40% of Flying Colors IS Transatlantic, some of their elements are bound to creep in there.

[Dark Castle]

Considering that 40% of Flying Colors IS Transatlantic, some of their elements are bound to creep in there.

No doubt, but what others are saying is that those elements aren't just creeping in there, but that the band is morphing their sound into another Transatlantic. Again, I'll give the album a listen, but that doesn't sound entirely promising for me, as I thought Flying Colors were this lovely blend of pop and slightly prog rock.

Edit: So far this first song sounds like a complete departure from that. Yup, this is what I was afraid of. In all honesty, it's not that bad I guess, I can listen to this compared to Transatlantic but it isn't what made me like Flying Colors in the first place, and it doesn't really inspire more listens. Will listen to the rest of the album but I'm kinda sad about it.

[goo-goo]

I'm almost done with my 1st listen and unfortunately it didn't grab me like the 1st one (production issues aside). This one seems to be more prog than pop, which is ok, but the songs to me feel a bit stale. I hope it grows on me but I see that this one might sit on the burner since it seems like the new Evergrey will kick ass, the new Threshold is kicking my ass, and the new Enchant will also take a bunch out of my time since it's their new album in 10 yrs...and the live DT album.

[Lowdz]

Sounds excellent to me. I liked the first one but wasn't blown away by it. I wanted more guitar and Casey's vocals weren't to my taste - the  live dvd was better.

I certainly hear Transatlantic in this but really I hear Neil Morse all over it, even if he's not singing.
Might just have to buy this if a second listen is as good.

[Dr. DTVT]

Haven't gotten to the last track, but the last 2:30 of Peaceful Harbor is absolutely glorious.  GLORIOUS.

[Ultimetalhead]

Just got through Open Up Your Eyes, and it is rather Transatlantic. But, it seems like a more restrained less 20-minute-song-or-else-it's-shit mentality. I dig that song alone more than anything on Kaleidoscope.

[rumborak]

Through my first listen now. I will definitely need to listen to it a few times more, but my first impression so far is: It doesn't really feel like a Flying Colors album. The first half is quite TA in places (for better or for worse), but even in the places where it doesn't sound like TA, it honestly sounds like a different band with the same musicians as the original FC. Weird.