Flying Colors Studio Album Discography Review

Introducing Flying Colors: A Supergroup

• 💡 Flying Colors is an American supergroup featuring prominent musicians from various bands, known for their short but impactful catalog.
• 🚀 The band comprises Neal Morse (keyboards/vocals), Mike Portnoy (drums), Steve Morse (guitar), Dave LaRue (bass), and Casey McPherson (singer/guitarist).
• 📌 This review focuses on their studio albums, with a separate discussion planned for their live albums.

Formation and Musical Approach

• 🗓️ Formed in 2011, with roots tracing back to 2008, the band aimed to combine sophisticated music and virtuoso performances with accessible, mainstream songwriting.
• 🎶 Their style is rooted in progressive rock but incorporates catchy harmonies, pop hooks, and art rock leanings, making it more commercial and accessible than typical prog.
• 🎤 Casey McPherson, though the least known, is highlighted as a charismatic frontman with an amazing singing voice and guitar skills, perfectly complementing the other heavyweights.

Debut Album: Flying Colors (2012)

• 💿 The self-titled debut album, released in 2012, is described as the most commercial of their trilogy, yet very enjoyable.
• ✨ It features strong tracks like "Blue Ocean" and "Infinite Fire," with all five musicians performing exceptionally, though Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse take a more restrained role.

Second Nature (2014) and Third Degree (2019)

• 🌳 Second Nature (2014) marked a shift towards a heavier, more prog-rooted sound, becoming less commercial while maintaining catchy pop hooks and introducing more epic songs.
• 📈 Third Degree (2019) continued this trend, embracing their prog roots even further with longer tracks and more pop hooks, representing the band's peak performance.
• 🏆 The reviewer considers Third Degree to be the best Flying Colors album, noting its special quality and how the band fully embraced their style.

Overall Discography Assessment

• ✅ The entire trilogy of Flying Colors' studio albums is deemed excellent, with no weak entries, making any of them a potential favorite.
• 🚪 The possibility of a fourth album is mentioned, but if Third Degree is their final work, it serves as a remarkable conclusion to their discography.