Transatlantic - superb band, but those religious..

I'm an atheist, but I rather like 'Dancing with Eternal Glory.' Even more controversially, I am really enjoying 'The Whirlwind' these past few weeks. Perhaps it IS candy, but it is bright, shiny, tasty candy. I don't think it's on par with "Gates of Delirium" or TFTO, but I kind of like how Transatlantic's music always feels happy, rather than serious. 35 years after first buying TFTO, I still listen to it fairly often. I don't think 'The Whirlwind' will live up to that, but I think it's great for a night of no-strings-attached aural fun.

I don't understand why it's any different than any other lyrical content. It's not like he's trying to convert you with they lyrics. It's a very powerful piece, because Morse is singing about something that really moves him.

Yes' Close to the Edge (song) is about searching for God. 

Tales From Topographic Oceans is about God and the Creation.

Both are amazing prog pieces.

What's the problem? Although I'm an atheist, I'm not bothered by this kind of things. It's their vision, and they have the right to believe in any God, as I have the right to be an atheist as well.

If Neal Morse thinks God saved his life, good for him. He's happy with that. And I don't care, I think Spock's Beard and Transatlantic are just too good to stop listening to them only because I don't agree with Morse's beliefs.

Thank  you Javier.  After all, let's say God is just a fantasy. Is He any less a trip than Lord of the Rings?  Seems to me if we can enjoy lyrics about other trips why not His? And besides, if this little excursion inspires the kind of incredible music we usually receive not only from TA but most prog bands, what's the problem?
You said it very well.

miketheorganist wrote: Thank  you Javier.  After all, let's say God is just a fantasy. Is He any less a trip than Lord of the Rings?  Seems to me if we can enjoy lyrics about other trips why not His? And besides, if this little excursion inspires the kind of incredible music we usually receive not only from TA but most prog bands, what's the problem? You said it very well.

I would be inclined to agree with you, but for one detail. The Lord of the Rings, or any kind of fantasy literature (mythology, fairy tales, and so on) have never been responsible for wars, or the death and persecution of millions of human beings, as any kind of organized religion throughout the ages unfortunately has. Mind you, I am an agnostic who respects the right of people to believe in what they want - as long as they do not try to force it down the throats of those who disagree with them. I don't agree with those militant atheists who get a kick out of insulting religious people, even when those people are anything but dangerous fanatics. However, I was born in Rome, raised in the Catholic faith, and know something about the history of the world - so I am aware of the negative role played by organized religion in the past as well as nowadays.

^ more to the point "I love this music but the beliefs of the writer offend me so much i cannot listen."

Edited by Garion81 - March 28 2010 at 20:20

Henry Plainview wrote: I think the lyrics are the least of their problems.

I semi-agree; their w**ky, long-ass songs are a big problem. Probably has to do with having an ex-Speck's Beard member and a TFK member in the band. (Trewavas should at least try to minimize the masterbation as per Marillion's style).

Mr ProgFreak wrote: Any Colour You Like wrote: Oh god no. Not again. We have religion/atheism/pastafarianism/deism/paganism/troll threads for this purpose. (No offence intended to the poster, but we have a few thousand of these threads per day) In fact there were like three such threads in two years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figure_of_speech




Edited by Any Colour You Like - March 29 2010 at 01:31

I suffer from complete lyric-deafness. Really, I hear the words, can even sing along with some albums but somehow I don't register the meaning of it.
The result of too much Dio and Iron Maiden listening in my music-formative years I guess...

So the lyrics didn't bother me a bit on the Whirlwind. Everything else did.



Edited by Bonnek - March 29 2010 at 02:41

My own take on the subject has nothing to do with the religious element per se. Like many other commenters on this thread, I believe that any idea can be put into music, and that prog is music that lends itself to ideas. Where I have difficulty with Whirlwind is in the lack of subtlety in the lyrics. The Christian element is present as an idea in both of their previous studio albums, but it never really hits you over the head: it is there if you listen for it, and the sensibility is there at all times, and helps to hold the music together in a way that I find most enjoyable. In Whirlwind, this is not the case for me. I might draw a comparison with Galleon, whose musicianship is excellent and whose ideas I generally tend to agree with, but to whose lyrics I can barely stand to listen to as they seem to have been written with a sledghammer. Same for Whirlwind. Any idea is fine, but the lyricist needs to have the right touch. In this case, unfortunately, Morse's hand was a little too heavy.