Review by Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
4 stars out of 4
If you have been looking for the ultimate progressive rock super group
you need not look any further.
Transatlantic is made up of members from four of the premier prog-rock
bands active today. Represented are the Flower Kings-Roine Stolt (guitar,
vocals), Dream Theater-Mike Portnoy (drums), Marillion-Pete Trewavas
(bass), and Spocks Beard-Neal Morse (keyboards, vocals). This is an
impressive group of musicians to be sure. And the music is more than
you could possibly expect from any group, super group or otherwise.
Previous to this live recording release the group had never actually
played together because of their tremendous workload recording with
their main groups, touring, and spread out locations (hence their
name being a perfect fit). Due to these circumstances each member
recorded their respective parts for each album at different locations
worldwide. This situation really just has me awestruck, how could
these guys just come together for the first time, go out on stage
and pull this off? And they do it with such ease, just as if they
have been together forever, Now that my music loving friends is the
true meaning of talent and a real genuine love for one's craft.
You can tell that they are all enjoying themselves so much on these
tracks. Just wait until you hear the "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Strawberry
Fields Forever," it's a slice of heaven and nostalgia, and a nod to
the great Beatles and their acknowledged influence upon anyone that
started a group after they hit these shores back 1965. The nineteen
minute medley on disc two is a superior showcase of prog-rock at its
very best and most transitional. They cover five songs in the medley
and leave nothing to chance, or to your imagination. There are so
many reasons I love this kind of music. You are never bored, its always
changing, and when you least expect it, and you never have time for
your mind to wander off into useless mental masturbation, this is
thought provoking intense music with meaning and thought put into every note.
Welcome to the Transatlantic musical experience, welcome to progressive rock.
CD 1
1. All Of The Above-30:47
2. Mystery Train / Magical Mystery Tour / Strawberry Fields Forever-15:32
3. We All Need Some Light-6:51
CD 2
1. Watcher Of The Skies / Firth Of Fifth-10:47
2. My New World-16:51
3. Medley: There Is More To This World
Go The Way You Go
The Great Escape
Finally Free
She's So Heavy-19:10
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