Flying Colors | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 26, 2012 [1] | |||
Recorded | January–March 2011 | |||
Genre | Rock, [2] alternative rock, [3] progressive rock, [4] hard rock [5] | |||
Length | 60:26 | |||
Label | Mascot Label Group | |||
Producer | Peter Collins | |||
Flying Colors chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Rock Hard (de) | [6] |
Sea of Tranquility | [7] |
Flying Colors is the debut studio album by the American supergroup Flying Colors, released on 26 March 2012. It debuted at No. 9 on Billboard's Hard Rock chart, [8] and No. 11 on the BBC's Rock Album charts. [9] The album art is based on the artwork Blown Away [10] by artist and sculptor Jim Bond, as photographed by John Coombes.
The band composed and recorded the album in just nine days in early 2011, during a short and intense session. Dave LaRue recalls, “It was quite an experience – the band moved at a fast pace, ideas flying around the room at all times. Sections of tunes were arranged, then re-arranged, ideas were tried every which way until we made them work, or, in some cases, discarded them altogether. Just keeping track of everything was a challenge!” McPherson adds, “This record is filled with trial and triumph. Raw and delicate songs alike amidst the swirling and daring orchestration of Steve, Neal, Mike and Dave. It’s been such an inspiring challenge melding folk, prog, pop, and metal all into one big recording.” [11] In March 2011, a shorter second session was held to record final vocals and let Collins work out the final arrangement of the songs. [12]
In 2017, the band released True Colors, the raw "unmastered" version direct from the mixing desk of Michael Brauer. The band reports this version to have "more detail, dynamics, and depth" as the original version was "taken prisoner in the loudness wars." [13]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Blue Ocean" | 7:05 |
2. | "Shoulda Coulda Woulda" | 4:32 |
3. | "Kayla" | 5:20 |
4. | "The Storm" | 4:53 |
5. | "Forever in a Daze" | 3:56 |
6. | "Love Is What I'm Waiting For" | 3:36 |
7. | "Everything Changes" | 6:55 |
8. | "Better Than Walking Away" | 4:57 |
9. | "All Falls Down" | 3:22 |
10. | "Fool in My Heart" | 3:48 |
11. | "Infinite Fire" | 12:02 |
Spock's Beard is an American progressive rock band formed in Los Angeles.
Neal Morse is an American singer, musician and composer based in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1992, he formed the progressive rock band Spock's Beard with his brother Alan and released an album which was moderately successful. In 1999, he joined Dream Theater's co-founder and then drummer Mike Portnoy, together with Flower Kings' Roine Stolt and Marillion's Pete Trewavas they formed the super-group Transatlantic. In 2002, Neal Morse became a born again Christian, left Spock's Beard and began a Christian rock solo career, releasing many progressive rock concept albums about his new religious faith. In the meantime, he continued to play with Transatlantic and formed three new bands with Portnoy, Yellow Matter Custard, Flying Colors and The Neal Morse Band.
Snow is the sixth studio album of the progressive rock band Spock's Beard, and the final album with main songwriter and vocalist Neal Morse, who left immediately after the release of the album due to his conversion to Christianity. It was released in 2002 on Radiant Records.
Steve J. Morse is an American guitarist, best known as the founder of the Dixie Dregs and as the guitarist for Deep Purple from 1994 to 2022. Morse has also enjoyed a successful solo career and was briefly a member of the group Kansas in the mid-1980s. Most recently, Morse became a member of the supergroup Flying Colors.
The Light is the 1995 debut album by American progressive rock band Spock's Beard. The album features two different covers—one for its domestic release, and one for its European release. "The Light" has since become Spock's Beard's signature song. The album has since been remastered and re-released by Radiant Records.
Alpha Rev is an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas, fronted by Casey McPherson. McPherson remains the group's only consistent member. However, historically the core members have also included Zak Loy on lead guitar, Brian Batch on violin and backing vocals, and Dave Wiley on cello.
Casey McPherson is a singer and songwriter based in Austin, Texas where he lives with his two daughters. He is currently the frontman of the bands Alpha Rev and Flying Colors, as well as his own solo career. He is a classically-trained pianist and guitarist.
Testimony 2 is a progressive rock concept album by Neal Morse. It was released on 23 May 2011, as a continuation of his first Christian prog album (Testimony) and contains three sections detailing the composer's life and conversion to Christianity. Neal returns with his normal solo-album bandmates Mike Portnoy and Randy George, but he also features many guests, including a vocal reunion of Spock's Beard in the song "Time Changer", which focuses on Neal's past with his original band.
Flying Colors is an American supergroup composed of Mike Portnoy, Dave LaRue, Casey McPherson, Neal Morse, and Steve Morse. The band's mission, chartered by executive producer Bill Evans, is to combine complex music with accessible songwriting. Flying Colors, on Mascot Label Group, has released three studio albums, and three live albums, to commercial success and critical acclaim.
Momentum is the ninth progressive rock album by Neal Morse, released in September 2012. The album features Mike Portnoy on drums and Randy George on bass. The title track "Momentum" was released in late July 2012, along with a music video. Guests include Eric Gillette and Bill Hubauer who would later found The Neal Morse Band with Morse, Portnoy and George.
Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep is the eleventh studio album by American progressive rock band Spock's Beard released on April 2, 2013. It is their first album with new singer Ted Leonard and drummer Jimmy Keegan in place of Nick D'Virgilio, while former member Neal Morse co-wrote two tracks, including "Waiting for Me", on which he plays guitar.
The Winery Dogs are an American hard rock supergroup formed in 2012 by Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and Richie Kotzen.
Second Nature is the second studio album by the American supergroup Flying Colors, that was released in Europe on September 29, 2014, in the US on September 30, and in the UK on October 6. On August 19, Loudwire premiered the video for the album's first single "Mask Machine". Soon after, Classic Rock premiered the song for Europe. On September 22, the entire album began streaming on the Prog magazine website.
Second Flight: Live at the Z7 is the second live album by American progressive rock supergroup Flying Colors. The band recorded it on October 12, 2014 at the Z7 Konzertfabrik in Pratteln, Switzerland. Mike Portnoy chose the location because both Flying Colors and other bands of his had recorded multiple shows at the 013 in Tilburg. It was a challenging show for the band to perform because this was only the eighth show on the tour. The album title was coined by Portnoy.
The Similitude of a Dream is the second studio album by progressive rock supergroup The Neal Morse Band, released on November 11, 2016. It is a concept album, loosely based on The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan and follows Christian, who is tormented by spiritual anguish and told he must leave the City of Destruction to find salvation in the Celestial City.
The Great Adventure is the third studio album by American progressive rock supergroup The Neal Morse Band, released on January 25, 2019 via Metal Blade Records and Radiant Records.
Third Degree is the third studio album by the American supergroup Flying Colors, released on October 4, 2019 via Mascot Label Group.
Jesus Christ the Exorcist is the tenth progressive rock studio album by American vocalist, keyboardist and guitarist Neal Morse, released on June 14, 2019.
Innocence & Danger is the fourth album by American progressive rock group The Neal Morse Band, released on August 27, 2021. It is Morse's twelfth progressive rock studio album overall.
Troika is a collaborative album by progressive rock/metal musicians Nick D'Virgilio, Neal Morse and Ross Jennings under the moniker D'Virgilio, Morse & Jennings. It was released through InsideOut Music on February 25, 2022.