This is a very short video looking at Flying Colors’ new album, Third Degree, which I nearly didn’t buy because the initial reviews weren’t that hot. But now I’ve got it. I would say it’s the best thing they’ve done. So I’m a huge Steve Morse fan and I love PROG, and this has got some really commercial aspects to it. A bit like the first one, which had really good choruses and great songwriting, and this is no exception with lots of Hammond organ, which I like.
So let’s have a look inside the box.
I’m really pleased I went for the deluxe edition and I actually think it’s their best album so far. So, it’s a nice little clamshell box and inside you have a photo book, which is unique to this edition. So, as it suggests, it’s got the lyrics in with more photos, nice paper stock and not bad, really. So some thought has gone into it.
You also get an extra disc. And at first this is the thing that made me think, “Oh I’m not sure whether I’ll go with the deluxe edition,” because it said it was just instrumental mixes. But you do get a bonus track, ‘Waiting for the Sun’, which is very good. And also the mixes are different. So Love Letter’s an acoustic mix. Last Train Home is almost 12 minutes long.
And then you get the main CD, which is probably the digipak you’d buy if you bought it on its own. And this comes with, again, a little booklet, which is based on the larger one, but the illustrations are different so they don’t double up. The only thing that’s doubled up really are the lyrics, and maybe the centre picture, but other than that it is different.
The final touch is a bit of a gimmick, really, are two coasters. Now, if these were laminated, they might see a cup of tea or a glass of beer on them. But they’re not, they’re just literally like beer mats. So, as soon as anything drips on them, they’re finished. So, it’s a bit of a gimmick really. But there you go. You’ve got two beer mats that you’ll never use.
So that was a quick look at the Third Degree album, which is behind me by Flying Colors. So well worth a punt, if you’re into prog and highly recommended.
Flying Colors Are:
Casey McPherson – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Steve Morse – lead guitar
Neal Morse – keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Dave LaRue – bass
Mike Portnoy – drums, lead and backing vocals
Phil Aston
