TRANSATLANTIC – Kaleidoscope [2CD Special Edition] (2014)

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What started as a side project more than 10 years ago, TRANSATLANTIC has evolved into a full-fledged band that ranks at the top among all the Prog greats. With this new album “Kaleidoscope” (to be released next January 27), the super-group live up to their own lofty standards while in many ways exceeding expectations.

It was 2009 that Transatlantic last released a new studio album. And with only a few listens of this new beast called “Kaleidoscope”, you can tell is was worth the wait. This new record is much more accessible than the 77 minute one track tour de force that was the previous, third album ‘Whirlwind’.
In “Kaleidoscope”, the band returns to their prior album format, bookending the disc with 2 Prog epics and including 3 shorter length, commercial songs.

This album is a musical experience, and there is not one minute worth skipping.
When you put Mike Portnoy in the same room as Roine Stolt something magic is bound to happen, and when you mix in a little Marillion in the form of Pete Trewavas and general prog all rounder Neal Morse, the sparks really start to fly.

On their previous studio albums they have proved to Prog lovers that they are truly more than the sum of their parts. But have they kept the magic alive with their fourth album? Thankfully the answer is yes.

“Kaleidoscope” starts and ends with the epics (divided into awesome several parts) namely “Into The Blue” and the title track, each brimming with ideas and melodies that a lot of bands would break up into a whole albums worth of songs, and at around half an hour each, they could have easily done so.
Among the song-format tracks we have really melodic ballad “Shine” which is the most commercial sounding number on the album despite its seven-and-a-half minute length. This is an uplifting, strong song with a great chorus and melodious skeleton.
The remaining two tracks “Black As The Sky” (which has Stolt’s Flower Kings written all over it) and “Beyond The Sun” round off the album perfectly, making “Kaleidoscope” another 70 minutes of Prog heaven courtesy of Transatlantic.

But wait, in this “Kaleidoscope 2CD Special Edition” there’s more: a selection of classic rock songs amazingly covered by these terrific musicians. We found a superb “And You and I” (Yes), a dynamic take on “Tin Soldier” (Small Faces) and a wonderful “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (Elton John) among others.
The effort that Transatlantic put into these songs is apparent, making the Special Edition more than a worthy addition.

It’s unlikely that we’ll hear anything else from these guys in a while, as they, like a lot of other prog musicians, are almost always busy with other projects. But it’s great to know that almost 5 years after their last release they can produce something of this incredible quality.
Super Recommended.

CD 1 – Main disc
1. Into The Blue
I. Overture
II. The Dreamer And The Healer
III. A New Beginning
IV. Written In Your Heart
V. The Dreamer And The Healer [Reprise]
2. Shine
3. Black As The Sky
4. Beyond The Sun
5. Kaleidoscope
I. Overture [instrumental]
II. Ride The Lightning
III. Black Gold
IV. Walking The Road
V. Desolation Days
VI. Lemon Looking Glass
VII. Feel The Lightning [Reprise]

CD 2 – Bonus disc
1. And You And I (Yes cover)
2. Can’t Get It Out Of My Head (ELO cover)
3. Conquistador (Procol Harum cover)
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John)
5. Tin Soldier (Small Faces cover)
6. Sylvia (Focus cover)
7. Indiscipline (King Crimson cover)
8. Nights In White Satin (Moody Blues cover)

Neal Morse — keyboards, acoustic guitars, vocals
Roine Stolt — guitars, vocals, percussion, add. keyboards
Pete Trewavas — bass, vocals
Mike Portnoy — drums, vocals

Chris Carmichael — cello
Rich Mouser — pedal steel guitar on “Beyond the Sun”
Daniel Gildenlöw — guest vocals on “Written in Your Heart”

BUY IT !
www.radiantrecords.com/products/483-transatlantic-kaleidoscope.aspx
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