FLYING COLORS released their thrid album “Third Degree“ on October 4th via Mascot Label Group. Today the band unleashes the EPK, watch here:
And now, Flying Colors soar to even loftier heights with Third Degree, their third studio album in a decade. Third Degree builds upon the genre-bending momentum of 2012’s self-titled Flying Colors and the aural-template ascension of 2014’s Second Nature. From the skittery psychedelic/classical turnaround of the lead single “More” to the Beach Boys-meet-Asia vibe of “Love Letter” to the deep emotionality of the album-ending, prog-leaning epic “Crawl,” the nine tracks that comprise Third Degree signify just how much Flying Colors are willing to explore new frontiers. “There’s a lot of ear candy sprinkled throughout every song,” observes Mike Portnoy, “and each one takes you on a little journey. As albums go, Third Degree is a complete piece that I don’t think ever overstays its welcome. I think it’s an enjoyable ride from start to finish.”
Third Degree Tracklist limited CD boxset
The Loss Inside
More
Cadence
Guardian
Last Train Home
Geronimo
You Are Not Alone
Love Letter
Crawl
Deluxe CD Bonus disc:
1. Waiting For The Sun (Unreleased Bonus Studio Track)
2. Geronimo (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
3. You Are Not Alone (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
4. Love Letter (Alternate Acoustic Arrangement/Mix)
5. Last Train Home (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
6. Crawl (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
FLYING COLORS will release their thrid album “Third Degree“ on October 4th via Mascot Label Group. Today the band unleashes a brand new video for ‘The Loss Inside’ from upcoming album, watch it below.
Singer Casey McPherson on ‘Loss Inside’: “We all go through loss, and the grieving process often comes in waves, I love how musically and lyrically this song represents that process for me.”
In chemistry, when certain galvanizing elements come together, they become quite explosive. In music, when certain galvanizing artists come together, they become Flying Colors. In fact, whenever the five gentlemen who encompass Flying Colors — guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, ex-Kansas), drummer Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater, Transatlantic), keyboardist/vocalist Neal Morse (Transatlantic, ex-Spock’s Beard, and a prolific solo artist in his own right), bassist Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, ex-Joe Satriani), and powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev, The Sea Within) — are able to conjoin their collective talents, the result is a sweet sonic bouillabaisse that reflects where their inherent mastery of melody intersects with top-shelf progressive musicianship.
Third Degree Tracklist limited CD boxset
The Loss Inside
More
Cadence
Guardian
Last Train Home
Geronimo
You Are Not Alone
Love Letter
Crawl
Deluxe CD Bonus disc:
1. Waiting For The Sun (Unreleased Bonus Studio Track)
2. Geronimo (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
3. You Are Not Alone (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
4. Love Letter (Alternate Acoustic Arrangement/Mix)
5. Last Train Home (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
6. Crawl (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
FLYING COLORS are set to release their thrid album Third Degreeon October 4th via Mascot Label Group.
Watch the lyric video for ‘Love Letter’ here:
Neal Morse and Mike Portnoy on Love Letter:
“Love Letter was definitely a labor of love by all of us. I love the shared lead and background vocals and Steve’s guitar solo is great of course. It’s a really nice lighter side of the band especially when compared to some of the heavier things that are on the Third degree record. Very happy with this one! Kudos to Christian Rios for a great psychedelic lyric video!“– Neal Morse
“Love Letter shows the pop side of Flying Colors that we always try to incorporate. I love that all 3 of us share the lead vocals on this one: Casey on verse 1, Neal on verse 2, myself on the bridge and all three of us on the Choruses… The animated video really captures the old psychedelic technicolor pop 60’s & 70’s vibe of the song and is absolutely one my favorite videos I’ve ever been a part of!”– Mike Portnoy
In chemistry, when certain galvanizing elements come together, they become quite explosive. In music, when certain galvanizing artists come together, they become Flying Colors. In fact, whenever the five gentlemen who encompass Flying Colors — guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, ex-Kansas), drummer Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater, Transatlantic), keyboardist/vocalist Neal Morse (Transatlantic, ex-Spock’s Beard, and a prolific solo artist in his own right), bassist Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, ex-Joe Satriani), and powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev, The Sea Within) — are able to conjoin their collective talents, the result is a sweet sonic bouillabaisse that reflects where their inherent mastery of melody intersects with top-shelf progressive musicianship.
Third Degree Tracklist limited CD boxset
The Loss Inside
More
Cadence
Guardian
Last Train Home
Geronimo
You Are Not Alone
Love Letter
Crawl
Deluxe CD Bonus disc:
1. Waiting For The Sun (Unreleased Bonus Studio Track)
2. Geronimo (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
3. You Are Not Alone (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
4. Love Letter (Alternate Acoustic Arrangement/Mix)
5. Last Train Home (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
6. Crawl (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group and FLYING COLORS have announced the global release of the band’s third studio album Third Degreeon October 4. Third Degree did not come effortlessly, nor too quickly. “It took time — but that’s the thing with Flying Colors,”Mike Portnoy admits. “It’s very hard to get the five of us in the same room at the same time. But once we do, it flows so easily.”
The second video release is for the song “You Are Not Alone” on which Portnoy comments: “It’s one of the softer songs on the album… a side of Flying Colors that we always try to incorporate on every album…absolutely beautiful melodies, chord progressions and key changes. And Casey McPherson’s delivery is just absolutely goosebump worthy!”
Casey adds: “This song is special to me, lyrically it’s coming from the experience we had with the hurricane, and the amazing experience of people helping people, regardless of race or stature. I’m very proud of it!”
Watch “You Are Not Alone” here:
The first sessions for Third Degree took place at Steve Morse’s studio in Florida in December 2016, wherein seven songs were written. From there, the bandmembers had to scatter back to their other personal and professional obligations, eventually reconvening two full years later in December 2018.
Portnoy agrees the future of Flying Colors looks quite bright indeed. “Our mission statement when we came together is still the same now,” he affirms. “It’s the same five guys with extremely different musical personalities and backgrounds coming together into a giant melting pot where it all comes out on the other end with music that’s accessible, melodic, deep, and colorful. That’s always been the goal of this band, and so far, I think we’re three for three.”
With Third Degree, Flying Colors continue to fire on all cylinders — and, in the process, they also handily prove the third time’s an unquestionable sonic charm.
Tracklist limited CD boxset
The Loss Inside
More
Cadence
Guardian
Last Train Home
Geronimo
You Are Not Alone
Love Letter
Crawl
Deluxe CD Bonus disc:
1. Waiting For The Sun (Unreleased Bonus Studio Track)
2. Geronimo (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
3. You Are Not Alone (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
4. Love Letter (Alternate Acoustic Arrangement/Mix)
5. Last Train Home (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
6. Crawl (Alternate Instrumental Arrangement & Mix)
Flying Colors have booked nine live dates on their calendar, mostly split evenly between the U.S. and Europe — in essence, to perform as many shows for their fans as they can possibly fit in between their many other band and touring commitments. “There’s an evolution happening within our sound on this record, and I’m excited to explore that onstage,” McPherson notes. “We’ve seen that evolution start with this record, and we’re going to see it happen even more so on the fourth record, in terms of capturing all our beautiful differences.”
Flying Colors will make the following appearances in 2019:
8/30 Cross Plains, TN – MorseFest 2019
9/05 Ventura, CA – Ventura Theater
10/07 New York, NY – Sony Hall
10/11 Glenside, PA – Keswick Theater
10/17 St. Charles, IL – Arcada Theater
12/11 Pratteln, Switzerland – Z7
12/12 Cologne, Germany – Essigfabrik
12/13 Tilburg, Netherlands – 013
12/14 London, England – Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Super group FLYING COLORS – featuring Steve Morse, Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Dave LaRue and Casey McPherson – announce a global release of new studio album “Third Degree”, coming out on October 4th via Music Theory Recordings / Mascot Label Group. Today the band has released a new video “More” from the upcoming album, watch it here:
Music Theory Recordings / Mascot Label Group and Flying Colors have announced the global release of the band’s third studio album THIRD DEGREE on October 4. The band’s self-titled debut launched a career that has had fans across The World anticipating the magic that emanates from the studio each and every time the five members reconvene. That title was released on March 26, 2012 and was celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic with a Top Ten debut on the Billboard Hard Rock chart, alongside an entry at #11 on the BBC’s Rock Album chart. SECOND NATURE followed in September 2014 and was celebrated worldwide. Third Degree will be available as a CD Digipack, limited edition 2LP 180 gram blue vinyl in a gatefold sleeve (w/ download card), a 2LP 180 gram black vinyl in a gatefold sleeve (w/ download card), and a limited edition box set featuring CD, 40 page photobook, two coasters, and a bonus disc with six tracks.
In chemistry, when certain galvanizing elements come together, they become quite explosive. In music, when certain galvanizing artists come together, they become Flying Colors. In fact, whenever the five gentlemen who encompass Flying Colors — guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, ex-Kansas), drummer Mike Portnoy (Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater, Transatlantic), keyboardist/vocalist Neal Morse (Transatlantic, ex-Spock’s Beard, and a prolific solo artist in his own right), bassist Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, ex-Joe Satriani), and powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Casey McPherson (Alpha Rev, The Sea Within) — are able to conjoin their collective talents, the result is a sweet sonic bouillabaisse that reflects where their inherent mastery of melody intersects with top-shelf progressive musicianship.
And now, Flying Colors soar to even loftier heights with Third Degree, their third studio album in a decade. Third Degree builds upon the genre-bending momentum of 2012’s self-titled Flying Colors and the aural-template ascension of 2014’s Second Nature. From the skittery psychedelic/classical turnaround of the lead single “More” to the Beach Boys-meet-Asia vibe of “Love Letter” to the deep emotionality of the album-ending, prog-leaning epic “Crawl,” the nine tracks that comprise Third Degree signify just how much Flying Colors are willing to explore new frontiers. “There’s a lot of ear candy sprinkled throughout every song,” observes Mike Portnoy, “and each one takes you on a little journey. As albums go, Third Degree is a complete piece that I don’t think ever overstays its welcome. I think it’s an enjoyable ride from start to finish.”
Third Degree did not come effortlessly, nor too quickly. “It took time — but that’s the thing with Flying Colors,” Portnoy admits. “It’s very hard to get the five of us in the same room at the same time. But once we do, it flows so easily.” The first sessions for Third Degree took place at Steve Morse’s studio in Florida in December 2016, wherein seven songs were written. From there, the bandmembers had to scatter back to their other personal and professional obligations, eventually reconvening two full years later in December 2018, when three more tracks were added to the overall Third Degree mix. (The tenth track, “Waiting for the Sun,” will be made available in forthcoming special editions.)
Flying Colors have booked nine live dates on their calendar, mostly split evenly between the U.S. and Europe — in essence, to perform as many shows for their fans as they can possibly fit in between their many other band and touring commitments. “There’s an evolution happening within our sound on this record, and I’m excited to explore that onstage,” McPherson notes. “We’ve seen that evolution start with this record, and we’re going to see it happen even more so on the fourth record, in terms of capturing all our beautiful differences.”
Portnoy agrees the future of Flying Colors looks quite bright indeed. “Our mission statement when we came together is still the same now,” he affirms. “It’s the same five guys with extremely different musical personalities and backgrounds coming together into a giant melting pot where it all comes out on the other end with music that’s accessible, melodic, deep, and colorful. That’s always been the goal of this band, and so far, I think we’re three for three.”
With Third Degree, Flying Colors continue to fire on all cylinders — and, in the process, they also handily prove the third time’s an unquestionable sonic charm.
Super group FLYING COLORS– featuring Steve Morse, Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Dave LaRue and Casey McPherson – will release a new live album “Second Flight: Live At The Z7” 3n November 13th, via Mascot Label Group, as 3LP+MP3/2CD+DVD/2CD+Blu-ray. Now you can watch the video for “Bombs Away” below. Recorded with the superior Dark Energy (IMAX) technology it guarantees a spectacular experience. It also includes a nuber of 5.1 mixes from different places in the venue. And of course incredible melodic prog rock at its finest!
Also check out video for “Mask Machine”:
FLYING COLORS’ debut in 2012 auspiciously challenged conventional wisdom about fusing complex music with mainstream songwriting. Teaming the talents of such heavyweights as guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple/Dixie Dregs), drummer Mike Portnoy (Transatlantic, Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater), keyboardist/singer Neal Morse (solo artist, Transatlantic, ex-Spock’s Beard), bass wizard Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai), with new pop singer/songwriter Casey McPherson, the band quickly established itself as one of rock’s most dulcet enigmas.
The mission was to join virtuoso players, a pop singer/songwriter, and the right producer—to create sophisticated music that was accessible. In 2009, executive producer Bill Evans brought the idea to Morse, Portnoy, Morse, LaRue, and music producer Peter Collins. Having helmed enduring works by progressive artists (Rush, Brian Wilson), as well as mainstream ones (Elton John, Bon Jovi), the renowned Collins was a perfect fit. The band was incomplete, though, even after Evans and Collins considered over 100 singer/songwriters.
Then Mike Portnoy, one night on tour, heard Casey McPherson’s “Colder Months” in rotation on his iPod. McPherson had recently released New Morning (Hollywood Records), dominating the Billboard Top-10 for 17 weeks, and VH1’s Top-20 Countdown for four months. Portnoy realized, soon followed by everyone else, that McPherson brought the perfect tone to FLYING COLORS.
The band, mostly strangers at that point, converged on Neal’s Nashville studio in in January, 2011. Working within a nine-day window, the eponymous FLYING COLORS quickly took shape, and captured a moment in time.
The results were extraordinary: creatively vivid, phenomenally performed, subversively mainstream, and strikingly different from its members’ previous work. Released to boisterous acclaim and commercial success, the debut appealed to a wide range of listeners. Mainstream fans searching for something deeper were rewarded with a musical treasure trove.
Progressive rock and jazz/fusion fans were treated to a refreshingly song-centric experience. FLYING COLORS grabbed Top-20 chart positions around the world, and concluded the year in both progressive and mainstream Top-10 lists.
In late 2012, the band toured the United States and Europe, dazzling fans with FLYING COLORS originals and selections from the catalogues of the five members. The chemistry can be heard on Live In Europe, their first live album. The Blu-ray/DVD hit the mainstream charts at number #1 in Europe, briefly knocking One Direction out of the Top-10.
For FLYING COLORS’s second studio release, there was far more time at their disposal. From the first writing session to final delivery of the masters in July 2014, the process took almost a year and half, albeit in four distinct stages: writing sessions via Skype in January/February 2013, another burst of writing and recording at Neal Morse’s house in Nashville, a trip to Portnoy’s home that spawned five additional songs, and finally individual recording/arrangement over the internet throughout the spring of 2014.
“The first album was very much a blind date,”Mike Portnoy explains. “Although we already had ‘Team Dregs’ of Steve/Dave and ‘Team Transatlantic’ of Neal/myself, it was the first time that the five of us – seven if you include Bill Evans and Peter Collins – had collaborated together as a group. This time there was an existing chemistry, we had not only the prior experiences of making the debut album but also the 2012 tour as well.”
“Second Nature” was released in September of 2014, debuting in multiple Top-10 charts, worldwide. In addition to numerous other accolades, the album received a Prog Award nomination for Album of the Year, with FLYING COLORS being nominated for Band of the Year. (The results were not announced at the time of this writing.) Adorned with artwork by Hugh Syme (Aerosmith, Stone Sour, Rush), mixed by prog rock stalwart Rich Mouser, and bookended by two tracks of truly epic stature— “Open Up Your Eyes”, and the anthemic “Cosmic Symphony” —Second Nature was a fitting release for the band’s sophomore outing.
The band took to the stage with a vengeance in the fall of 2014. On only the eighth show of the tour, at Switzerland’s storied Z7 venue, they captured an electrifying live performance. With “Second Nature” out for only a week, the concert recorded an exceptional rarity: band and audience, together, discovering an album for the first time. That freshness is palpable in every frame of their subsequent Ultra-HD/Blu-ray/DVD release, “Second Flight: Live at the Z7”, to be released in November 2015, via Mascot Label Group.
FLYING COLORS also explored technological innovation with the album, with unique ways for fans to experience it. Viewers can listen in 5.1-surround from the two best seats in the house: at the soundboard, or in the front row. For audio-only listeners, a specialized encoding process brings the full surround mixes to just headphones. All the show’s audio was processed with a new engineering system, developed specifically for “Live at the Z7”, which creates stunning detail and separation. The video was mastered by famed special effects company, Cinnafilm, using their revolutionary Dark Energy technology (Star Wars, IMAX). The result is unparalleled realism from the concert’s 24 cameras, as well as eye-popping Ultra-HD and IMAX versions of the concert.
