SMPT:E

At first glance any prog fan would be drawn into the brilliant album cover of this dream team super group, with its eclectic space blimp soaring across a cloud streaked sky and stagnant seascape. The super group comprises of guitarist Stolt from The Flower Kings, Morse the keyboardist and voice of Spock's Beard, Portnoy drummer of Dream Theater and Trewavas the bassist extraordinaire of Marillion. The mix of musical genius works together to formulate an amazing sound with incredible musicianship from start to finish.

The first track, 'All of the above', is an epic and worth the price of purchase alone. At about 30 minutes it moves from song to song with subsections of instrumental prowess unlike anything the band members had tackled in their former groups. Unlike Asia, that virtually shunned the prog style to embrace a more mainstream subculture and indeed the music charts, ala the debut album, Transatlantic are unashamedly and gloriously prog. Time signatures are off the scale and at times they sound like Pink Floyd, or Yes or King Crimson, but mostly like Spock's Beard due to Morse's dominance in the vocal department. It is a terrific debut from the band and definitely one of the best amalgamations of prog legends.

Not every track goes on forever. There is a nice pleasant ballad, 'We all need some light', sounding very much like Morse's solo work.

The last 2 tracks are mini epics and very well constructed as are all tracks. 'In held ('twas) in I' sounded familiar and then I realised it was a Procol Harum song, as good as if not better than the original.

There is not one filler or throwaway track on the album and it is a very good debut for the band. I for one cannot wait to get hold of more Transatlantic in the future.