Flying Colors cd Review


Flying Colors debut cd is out on March the 26th on the Music Theories Recordings  label and again is labelled as a “Supergroup”.

Executive producer Bill Evans had the idea of getting world renowned musicians together and with producer Peter Collins on board went to work.

The band consist of Mike Portnoy (drums), Steve Morse (guitar), Neal Morse (keyboards), Dave LaRue (bass) and Casey Mcpherson on vocals.

Household  names apart from Mcpherson (from the band Alpha Rev) who has had significant Billboard success in 2010 with the Hollywood/Disney album “New Morning” and in early 2011 over the course of 9 days the eponymous Flying Colors debut cd was composed and recorded.

The cd starts with some idle studio chatter ending in “Good Luck”.

Believe me they don’t need any.

Over the course of the 11 songs we visit many styles of music. Classic rock, prog, folk, heavy rock, AOR, ballads, jazz, so many different factions all thrown into a blender and what comes out at times is outstanding.

Every you time you hit play you hear something you missed the time before.
I don’t think I have ever heard such a diverse collection of music on one cd.
I’ll try to pick out some favourites when believe me I listen to it all every time.
“Blue Ocean” starts with a beginning that reminds me of “Highway Star” by Deep Purple with LaRue’s bobbing bass line and Portnoy’s drum beat setting the scene. You have a huge chorus and an almost Yes feel to the track before Steve Morse plays a superb lengthy solo (his first of many).

Next up is a huge rock song “Shoulda Coulda Woulda” which I totally love. You just want to bang your head with Portnoy  driving the song over a huge guitar and bass line. Some slightly mad vocals from Mcpherson just fit the song and again another terrific solo from Steve Morse.

I’m sure if the band play live it will go down a storm.

“Kayla” starts and ends with an acoustic guitar and gives Mcpherson a real chance to shine. A name not many will know but after this surely a man to watch out for. A huge chorus which is made for radio(fat chance!) and the song then develops into a lengthy guitar solo led musical event with some wonderful drum patterns from Portnoy that change the pace of the song but drag it ever higher.

“The Storm” is a real rock ballad which again starts with an acoustic guitar and emotional vocal. Before it builds to another great chorus. Some big rock licks kick in at the midpoint before another highly melodic solo from Steve Morse.
The band just seem to know how to build a song and you never really know where it is off to next which is wonderful.

“Forever In A Daze” has a real funky bass line with some huge rock riffs from Morse and another great chorus before more great bass work from LaRue showing off an amazing chemistry with Portnoy.

“Love Is What I’m Waiting For” has a real Beatles pop influence to it before a guitar solo that reeks of Brian May. Brilliant!

“Everything Changes” and “Better Than Walking Away” are both rock ballads with great orchestration and huge choruses with the former track having a quiet wonderful solo from Steve Morse that just keeps growing.

“All Falls Down” is another all out rocker with Portnoy excelling with his double bass drum work.

“Fool In My Heart” has Portnoy on lead vocals and he does a great job on this slower song that again has a slight Beatles edge to it.

Last up is the twelve minute prog epic “Infinite Fire” where the lush production of Peter Collins come to the fore giving everyone the chance to shine. You can imagine the band jamming the middle section to its conclusion and the interplay of the guitar and keys of the 2 Morse’s  is quiet exceptional.

An hour of the most exquisite music I have heard in a long time which deserves to be absolutely massive.

We can only hope they tour and I can only imagine what they could produce if they were together for more than 9 days.

Just go and buy it!!!!

ME

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