New Music Corner #182 (Flying Colors, The Pineapple Thief )

[Scott]

By "Prog Master" Scott

Time for another influx of Progressive music.  You know its been long enough between prog posts to start another run on Prog.  So here's two I've liked since first listen (still working on the second run through though).  I've employed Jon's tactic of posting every other track so as not to bias the listening experience.  Your job is to listen and share with everyone the truth according to you about these releases sending them to purchase or running back to the safe arms of the Ricky Nelson post in LAOTW.

I betting you stay here...

First up...

1. Mask Machine
2. The Fury of My Love
3. Lost Without You
4. Peaceful Harbor

Some snippets from amazon reviews...

• There's something on a Flying Colors record for everybody. These guys can play as well as anybody, and together they are somehow able to conjure a creative muse that results in music that is greater in sum than its musician parts.
• That's just great prog.
• there's a broader use of sonic textures in the songwriting and a great, natural sounding mix.

Now onto something new to this site, and that's...

5. From Me
6. Simple As That
7. Don't Tell Me
8. Seasons Past
9. The One You Left To Die

More snippets from amazon reviews...

• The heavy tracks really hit hard, while the more laid back do not disappointbat all. Musically diverse, great production, and a new drummer all add up to another tour de force from TPT
• They change their direction with every album, but never go off track from their beautiful, melodic sound.
• masterpiece.

What say you?  Click any album cover to listen....

[Jon]

Any prog albums with balloons and/or flowers on the cover generally suck. Good thing I'll be going into these with a clear mind.

[Scott]

[Jon]

[Niels (Mod)]

FLYING COLORS - 4.5 out of 6

It's certainly more "proggy" than their first release. I've heard this album now 4 or 5 times, and at this moment, I'm sorry to say, that repeated listenings, is not improving anything. With that said, that might change after 10 listenings, I don't know off course, and furthermore, it IS a quite good album. A few things annoys me, particulary Steve Morse's solo's. Than man can only do one solo, and repeat it on every song, he plays on. The singer ain't bad, but I certainly prefer Neal Morse singing, which he does occaisonally, even the singing drummer, Portnoy gets a few lines.The music has kind of a 80's feel to it, and I'm not in a stage, where I listen to much 80's music. Compared to the new N. Morse-solo album, it's not as good, because here it sounds like something we've heard quite a few times now, on Morse "band"-albums, Transatlantic and the last FC-album. On Morses new solo-album, he's a singer/songwriter and it suits him better, I think. But this is a band, and therefore he's not to blame, and I'm looking forward to the Morse-band album, that already has been recorded. As I've said, this album could had been a 5.5 out of 6 IF the last two tracks were much better, than they are. The second to last is kind of a deadringer for "I Wanna Know What Love Is", and holy shit, that kind of gospel-choir gets to me in a bad way. The last track is .........boring and much too long. But there're some good tracks before those two, and I will give this album a few more chances. It might still end up in the better half of my top 10 this year. Maybe that says more about the albums released this year, than of this album.

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF - ?

I had no idea, there was a new PT-album out? I'll have to listen, and return with my verdict.

[Scott]

Niels,  I have Morse's new solo and I'm struggling with it a bit.  Thought it may pair well with FC but opted to go a different direction this time.  Maybe I need to listen again when Im little more removed from FC, and Translatlantic...

[Niels (Mod)]

You have got to give it some time, because THAT album grows with repeated listenings. I gave up on the Translantic-album half a year ago. I love Prog, but it has to be better than that album, and I can't STAND that swede!!

[Jon]

Flying Colors--Thumbs in the middle, almost pointing down

I believe the first song was in an S or T awhile back because it sounds familiar. I don't think I liked it too much then, now it's not too bad. The second song is ok as well. But then it goes downhill, and downhill fast. The singing on the last two tracks is pretty bad. Out of tune and cracking. Not good at all. The last track is supposed to be inspiring, I guess, but it comes off as a parody. I am absolutely underwhelmed by these tracks, glad I saved my $$$. Good thing there's better prog albums that have been (and will be) released this year.    

[Jon]

The Pineapple Thief--Thumbs bored

First song? Boring.

Second song? Snoring....but then it THANKFULLY picks up. Still, it doesn't make much of a difference.

Third song? Uhhh....can't think of another word that rhymes. It just kinda ends suddenly. I guess it was upbeat? 

Fourth song? Boring II. And it end's with "seasons past" and that was it.

Fifth song? I think you could dance to this! And then you can't. Now you can, again. Hey, this song isn't bad at all. Sadly, one song does not make a purchase. 

Well, as I stated above, albums with balloons and/or flowers on the cover tend to suck.

[Scott]

You might need to try this...

[Scott]

ok, in all fairness your assessment of TPT matches mine, but I would say it has some really shining moments and gets better with each listen...  I took a chance on a band Ive been curious about for some time now, and its kind of a 50/50 thing so far...

[Jon]

Thankfully I washed this badness out of my mind with the latest from Amplifier. Then I can do further scrubbing of the mind of any remnants left with the new Threshold. That is, if I want to scrub with prog..... 

[RJhog (Admin)]

Flying Colors - I own this.  To this point, I really haven't been able to get into it all that much.  Not that it's bad.  Like Niels says, it's definitely more proggy than their debut.  Here's one thing that aggravates the living shit out of me these days.  Un-needed vocal distortion.  WTF?  This occurs on Mask Machine and Bombs Away (not featured here).  To me, it ruins a good song.  Other than that, I like Mask Machine.  The one song that I definitely like so far is The Fury Of My Love.  I think it's terrific.  Look, I don't think it's bad at all.  And more than likely, repeated spins will improve the listening experience.  

The Pineapple Thief -  That first song is definitely a bit of a snooze fest.  Which may not be so much so in the context of a full album.  The second track causes no snoozing whatsoever.  It's actually pretty heavy.  I'm not really overly familiar with this band so I don't know if that's a regular occurrence or not. Next song (Don't Tell Me) is quite interesting.  I like that song.  Track four moves back into that sleep inducing area, but it's not bad or anything.  Just okay.  I say that to this point, this is decent for sure, but nothing I would spin repeated times.  The final track has some nice sounding bass work, but does nothing to influence my overall opinion.  So, for me, thumbs sideways.