New Transatlantic on January 27th, 2014: "Kaleidoscope"

[dpt3]

I wasn't all that impressed by The Whirlwind, nor have I been all that excited by much the individual members of the band have done since about 2000.

But still, an auto-buy based on the strength of the first two albums.

[Gerhard]

Ok, dumb game, but it's Friday. Let's guess the track lengths (I'm assuming they haven't been published somewhere already) and song styles:

1. INTO THE BLUE 13 min (semi-epic opener with lots of notes)
2. SHINE 8 min (uptempo rocker)
3. BLACK AS THE SKY 11 min (melancholy psych jam)
4. BEYOND THE SUN 6 min (obligatory ballad)
5. KALEIDOSCOPE 27 min (obligatory f'n epic)

I'm predicting a short CD, "only" 65 min or so.

[Scott Bails]

Ok, dumb game, but it's Friday. Let's guess the track lengths (I'm assuming they haven't been published somewhere already) and song styles:

1. INTO THE BLUE 13 min (semi-epic opener with lots of notes)
2. SHINE 8 min (uptempo rocker)
3. BLACK AS THE SKY 11 min (melancholy psych jam)
4. BEYOND THE SUN 6 min (obligatory ballad)
5. KALEIDOSCOPE 27 min (obligatory f'n epic)

I'm predicting a short CD, "only" 65 min or so.

Wow, man. Aside from the track times (I don't think it will be short at all - that's not their style ), I think you nailed it.

[Poisoned Youth]

I'll play:

1. INTO THE BLUE 30 min (because it must be 30 minutes, right?)
2. SHINE 7 min (Story about a progger's bald spot)
3. BLACK AS THE SKY 14 min (Stolt's story about the current state of the world)
4. BEYOND THE SUN 6 min (agreed - obligatory ballad)
5. KALEIDOSCOPE 32:59 min (Closing epic track that ends 1 second before the 80 minute CD limit)

[ScottAM]

I'll play:

1. INTO THE BLUE 30 min (because it must be 30 minutes, right?)
2. SHINE 7 min (Story about a progger's bald spot)
3. BLACK AS THE SKY 14 min (Stolt's story about the current state of the world)
4. BEYOND THE SUN 6 min (agreed - obligatory ballad)
5. KALEIDOSCOPE 32:59 min (Closing epic track that ends 1 second before the 80 minute CD limit)

Brilliant! I'll be shocked if you're not spot-on.

Given this degree of redundancy (which is auto-buy for me, too), I suppose we can already predict the PE reviews of the album, too. (e.g. "Pales in comparison to their first two albums", "Neal continues to monopolize this band with his preachy lyrics and formulaic songwriting", "Get another drummer", "Pete didn't sing enough", yada yada yada) And I'll ignore all comments and love the album!

And since we've foreseen the contents of Transatlantic's Kaleidoscope, I guess all there is left to do is speculate about Transatlantic V, before the 4th album is even released!

[Azol]

I'll play:

1. INTO THE BLUE 30 min (because it must be 30 minutes, right?) - 25:11
2. SHINE 7 min (Story about a progger's bald spot) - 7:26
3. BLACK AS THE SKY 14 min (Stolt's story about the current state of the world) - 6:43
4. BEYOND THE SUN 6 min (agreed - obligatory ballad) - 4:29
5. KALEIDOSCOPE 32:59 min (Closing epic track that ends 1 second before the 80 minute CD limit) - 31:53

BINGO!

[Gerhard]

LOL, Cozy, love it, but you're 10 min over.

[Poisoned Youth]

LOL, Cozy, love it, but you're 10 min over.

Ha! Which is why the first pressing will have to go back to the manufacturer!

[Plasmatopia]

Ha! Which is why the first pressing will have to go back to the manufacturer!

[Rufus]

Does anybody know when the four of them got together to write & record this thing? They've all been incredibly busy over the past year with various other projects & there's no menition of any Transatlantic studio 'activity' in either members 'blogs' as far as I know.

[ScottAM]

Does anybody know when the four of them got together to write & record this thing? They've all been incredibly busy over the past year with various other projects & there's no menition of any Transatlantic studio 'activity' in either members 'blogs' as far as I know.

Yes, they recorded the bulk of it in May at Neal's studio. Been doing overdubs ever since then. Portnoy just finished the final backup vocals in his Winery Dogs tour bus!

The week after TA recorded in May, Portnoy and Neal hung around and brought in Flying Colors to record their second album. I guess they weren't as productive...reportedly about half the new album got recorded then, but the project has been stalled by Steve Morse's constant activity with DP and his own trio. So, that will probably come out much later in 2014, and hopefully a great tour from them, too!

[Man In The Mountain]

The week after TA recorded in May, Portnoy and Neal hung around and brought in Flying Colors to record their second album. I guess they weren't as productive...reportedly about half the new album got recorded then...

They resume in December at Neal's Nashville studio to finish recording the album.

[Garden Dreamer]

Hand on wallet, ready to pounce. I'm glad we didn't have to wait nine years again! Ditto on more Pete vocals (and less Mike vocals). I like the cover and agree it looks like a Roine creation.

I know its fun for them but their cover songs never do anything for me. If the bonus disc is just covers I may not go for it unless there's something I really want to hear.

[Nearfest2]

I predict an album that is too long, has not enough great moments to make a solid album, and includes very obvious vocal patterns and arrangements by Neal Morse.

Can't beat their first album, IMO. I couldn't get through "The Whirlwind".

[Yanks2014]

I predict an album that is too long, has not enough great moments to make a solid album, and includes very obvious vocal patterns and arrangements by Neal Morse.

Can't beat their first album, IMO. I couldn't get through "The Whirlwind".

I actually prefer album # 2. I'm still waiting for Whirlwind to click with me.

[JKL2000]

I actually prefer album # 2. I'm still waiting for Whirlwind to click with me.

Thomas, I'm always surprised when you say you don't get into The Whirlwind. ProgUK's comments prompted me to watch all of The Whirlwind from the Whirld Tour DVD last night, and while I feel it does go on a bit too long, at least the first 40 minutes or so are excellent. It's actually all pretty excellent, it's just that it seems to end several times in a row and then keep restarting! If you haven't watched this you should give it a try - it might help you get into the album. They really are fun to watch - I tend to kind of forget how good they are until I see them live or watch a DVD.

[Man In The Mountain]

Thomas, I'm always surprised when you say you don't get into The Whirlwind. ProgUK's comments prompted me to watch all of The Whirlwind from the Whirld Tour DVD last night, and while I feel it does go on a bit too long, at least the first 40 minutes or so are excellent. It's actually all pretty excellent, it's just that it seems to end several times in a row and then keep restarting!

Sorry to jump in on this. haha ...Whirlwind is 80 minutes long, and if only 40 minutes of it is excellent, then 1/2 the album isn't very good. What really makes it even worse, is that they lumped it all into one gigantic Titantic of an epic. So, you pretty much have to judge it as one piece, that as a whole "isn't very good". Like a long movie that has some cool scenes, but goes on and on and on, and then the ending is really stupid. For me personally, if the Whirlwind actually had a good song at the end, instead of that horrible sappy Dancing with God bit (the worst part of the entire 80 minute journey) it might score some more points as being worth the wait.

[Rufus]

Sorry to jump in on this. haha ...Whirlwind is 80 minutes long, and if only 40 minutes of it is excellent, then 1/2 the album isn't very good. What really makes it even worse, is that they lumped it all into one gigantic Titantic of an epic. So, you pretty much have to judge it as one piece, that as a whole "isn't very good". Like a long movie that has some cool scenes, but goes on and on and on, and then the ending is really stupid. For me personally, if the Whirlwind actually had a good song at the end, instead of that horrible sappy Dancing with God bit (the worst part of the entire 80 minute journey) it might score some more points as being worth the wait.

The ending is a reprise of the Whirlwind theme & the bit where Roine comes back in with the Rose Tinted Glasses part 'A Man can feel.....etc' is worth the wait alone, so I obviously disagree!

[JKL2000]

Sorry to jump in on this. haha ...Whirlwind is 80 minutes long, and if only 40 minutes of it is excellent, then 1/2 the album isn't very good. What really makes it even worse, is that they lumped it all into one gigantic Titantic of an epic. So, you pretty much have to judge it as one piece, that as a whole "isn't very good". Like a long movie that has some cool scenes, but goes on and on and on, and then the ending is really stupid. For me personally, if the Whirlwind actually had a good song at the end, instead of that horrible sappy Dancing with God bit (the worst part of the entire 80 minute journey) it might score some more points as being worth the wait.

I thought The Whirlwind was only (only!) 70 minutes long? Maybe it's 80, but it flies by like 70 But if you read the rest of my post, I said "It's actually all pretty excellent." I know your opinion differs. I don't mind the Dancing with Eternal Glory part, although it's my "least favorite" part of it.

BTW, as far as Roine's vocals, I know some people don't care for them, but I've always liked them. I realized last night that part of why I like them is that his voice sounds like that of Willy Wildschwein from Grobscnitt. I know some people have trouble with HIS voice, but I always loved it.

[Yanks2014]

Thomas, I'm always surprised when you say you don't get into The Whirlwind. ProgUK's comments prompted me to watch all of The Whirlwind from the Whirld Tour DVD last night, and while I feel it does go on a bit too long, at least the first 40 minutes or so are excellent. It's actually all pretty excellent, it's just that it seems to end several times in a row and then keep restarting! If you haven't watched this you should give it a try - it might help you get into the album. They really are fun to watch - I tend to kind of forget how good they are until I see them live or watch a DVD.

I don't have that DVD just yet. I do think Whirlwind is a solid album, good performances all around. It's just lacking that spark for me. Maybe you are right, the live version will have just that.

[Plasmatopia]

I don't have that DVD just yet. I do think Whirlwind is a solid album, good performances all around. It's just lacking that spark for me. Maybe you are right, the live version will have just that.

The Whirlwind DVD is maybe the single best TA product in existence. The one to have if you're only having one.

[wilcox660]

By the way - what ARE you gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?

[TheLongshot]

While The Whirlwind didn't excite me either, I always look forward to new stuff from these guys.

[Don Arnold]

Also looking forward to this new recording! As for Whirlwind, it's actually my favourite of the three studio cd's, and I like the first two just fine.

[Rufus]

You see to me they didn't gell until BOF & i find the debut quite patchy with just scattered moments of brilliance .
The Whirlwind is were they truly gelled and created a modern masterpeice of prog¡