THE ABSOLUTE UNIVERSE - FOREVERMORE (EXTENDED VERSION)

The supergroup is back with another album, this time a pleasant and uplifting 90 minutes journey to the absolute universe of symphonic prog. The music is still based on a good dose of Neal Morse and Flower Kings with some Beatlesque, some Yes some Jazz bits, and a rip-off of the song ''Starless'' by King Crimson. This extended version is made to listen in one take like a big epic song with some recurrent themes. My favorite parts are some shorts moments on a darker side that show a different Transatlantic. I wish they have put more of that. There is not much to add about the professionalism of the musicians and the overall quality of the production. The bass playing of Pete at the end is breathtaking with some busy lines that last forever. It's no surprise that with a Neal Morse project there is a nod to Gentle Giant's multipart vocals at the end. So, this a very enjoyable ride crossing the Atlantic reunifying the British, the US, and The Swedish. This review is based on the Blu-Ray edition which gives more excitement to all of it...

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Posted Wednesday, February 24, 2021 | Review this album | Report (Review #2508471)

In September 2019 the four-piece of Neal Morse (vocals, piano, Hammond organ, Minimoog, Mellotron, acoustic guitar, charango), Roine Stolt (vocals, electric & acoustic 6- & 12-string guitars, ukulele, keyboards, percussion), Pete Trewavas (vocals, bass) and Mike Portnoy (vocals, drums & percussion) met up to discuss what would be their fifth album. After a couple of weeks of working on material and mapping out songs each musician returned to their own studio to work on the recording. It was during this period that the album kept growing, and discussions were had as to whether this should be a double or single CD. Pete and Neal favoured the shorter version while Roine and Mike preferred the longer, so in the end they decided to do both. But it is important to understand that one is not a shorter/longer version of the other in that there are alternate recordings, new recordings, and even different singers on the single album. While they are different albums, they are also the same, which makes it hard to write different reviews for each one, but life is never easy is it? When Transatlantic first came together more than 20 years ago I was blown away, as this was the first prog supergroup of the new generation and 'SMPT:e' is still a delight to listen to. Here we had musicians from Spock's Beard, Marillion, The Flower Kings and Dream Theater combining in a way which brought in influences from all these bands, taking the music in a vast symphonic manner which was both massively over the top yet also contained simple to understand melodies.

Given all those involved are also in other active units, Transatlantic have never been the most prolific of bands, and it has been six years since 'Kaleidoscope', which in itself was five years from 'The Whirlwind' while that was in itself eight years on from 'Bridge Across Forever' (although Morse had removed himself from popular music during that period as he concentrated on his Christianity). Morse feels this album has more in common with 'Whirlwind' than any other, while Trewavas states simply that it is the best thing they have ever done, and he may just be right. Transatlantic have a reputation of pushing boundaries and limits, sometimes extending where they might be better of trimming, which I am sure is due much to the influence of Stolt as this is something he has also been guilty of The Flower Kings. Yet in recent years they have definitely cut back, and the same is true here with this band, as while the album is 90 minutes long, there are 18 songs and only 3 of them are eight minutes or longer. This means we get shifts in approach far more often, and while at times it feels more like one continuous piece of music than a series of songs, there is no doubt that they are shifting melodies and lyrical ideas.

Since this band came into inception, I have often wondered what Trewavas thinks when he goes back to the day job, as I would take any Transatlantic album over any Marillion album released during the same timeframe as here we have a band that really is taking symphonic prog in new directions, lifting the listener. The 90 minutes of this release just fly by and listening to this version it is hard to imagine how it could work in a more abbreviated form. Transatlantic are back, and it is a masterpiece.

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Posted Saturday, November 6, 2021 | Review this album | Report (Review #2631693)

Transatlantic's fifth album, The Absolute Universe, comes in two distinct version - an extended and abridged edition. In fact, it's not true to say the latter is a mere abridgement - it includes some different pieces of music, and even the bits which overlap have some differences.

That said, if you're into Transatlantic's retro-prog leanings at all, your instincts will likely lean towards the longer version of the album, which isn't actually that much long - 90 minutes vs. 64 minutes. It's more of the band's usual sound, mashing up elements of Spock's Beard and The Flower Kings as they have since SMPTe, and of the same high quality as they've sustained since Bridge Across Forever.

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Posted Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | Review this album | Report (Review #2849502)

Another impressive concept album from this periodic Prog Supergoup (5 albums over a period of 20 years), consisting of Neal Morse (Spock's Beard, Neal Morse Band, vocals, keyboards, guitar), Roine Stolt (Flower Kings, guitars, vocals), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Neal Morse Band, drums, vocals), Pe ... (read more)

Report this review (#2984022) | Posted by BBKron | Friday, January 19, 2024 | Review Permanlink

This album should be in my opinion one of highlights in 2021 progressive music scene. With a long seamless listening experience consisting of 9 shorter pieces of each of two CD (last respectively 47 and 43 minutes), this concept album is an epic progressive record. One of great features of Nea ... (read more)

Report this review (#2546653) | Posted by Mark-P | Saturday, May 29, 2021 | Review Permanlink

A look back at these second generation dinosaurs which had excited the progressive sphere in 2000 with their eponymous album validating the participation of sacred prog monsters! An enjoyable sound, which gave pride of place to the different members, solo and in union, showing that the quality ... (read more)

Report this review (#2540923) | Posted by alainPP | Thursday, May 6, 2021 | Review Permanlink

Well, what can I say, but that this is rather a boring Transatlantic release, not a bad record, but compared with their previous releases, this is in my opinion their most uninspired and repetitive work so far. The first two albums where great, The Whirlwind a masterpiece, Kaleidoscope couldn´t matc ... (read more)

Report this review (#2530938) | Posted by King Manuel | Friday, April 2, 2021 | Review Permanlink

[Review of both extended version (Forevermore) and abridged version (The Breath of Life)] It is well known that the world of prog rock is quite bizarre. Just take a look at the dozens of memes on the internet about 60-minute long prog songs, three-hour concerts and endless drum solos, and you'll ... (read more)

Report this review (#2523586) | Posted by lukretio | Friday, March 12, 2021 | Review Permanlink

There's something I love from every musician in this band. Hell, The Flower Kings release from last year ended up being my album of the year and changing my mind on the band. I have always found Transatlantic to be one of the most bland groups in progs history. There is nothing unique about thei ... (read more)

Report this review (#2508249) | Posted by dougmcauliffe | Tuesday, February 23, 2021 | Review Permanlink

If you like Transatlantic, you'll like the Absolute Universe. They don't stray much from the formula that grew their sizable fan base. Shared vocals, catchy melodies, first-rate musicianship. It's all here. The first CD is especially strong, in my opinion, really scratches my Transatlantic itch. ... (read more)

Report this review (#2507556) | Posted by AngleofRepose | Sunday, February 21, 2021 | Review Permanlink

In the beginning the universe was without form and chaotic. In time it began to take form and gain structure. And in even more time it became orderly and unimaginably beautiful... Let me say from the outset that I have never heard any of the earlier transatlantic albums (my bad, my very bad), ... (read more)

Report this review (#2504812) | Posted by SilverLight59 | Saturday, February 13, 2021 | Review Permanlink

Being in a state of tourlessness has its advantages. It allows for time to create and since we live in a digital age with bits flying all over the world, it's easy to communicate musical ideas over the internet. The band shaped and molded these albums over many months, and sometimes taking tim ... (read more)

Report this review (#2503267) | Posted by MaxnEmmy | Sunday, February 7, 2021 | Review Permanlink

Very impressive. Four excellent musicians at the top of their game have produced a tour de force of wonderful music. The melodies are strong and memorable, the musical themes repeating throughout the piece (though I always find myself thinking "fly me to the moon" when I hear the opening five no ... (read more)

Report this review (#2502776) | Posted by AlanB | Saturday, February 6, 2021 | Review Permanlink

Transatlantic returns from a 7 year album making hiatus to make not one but two incredible pieces of music. Forevermore and The Breath of Life are two totally different versions of the same album, with different songs, some songs are sung with different singers on both versions, different lyrics, so ... (read more)

Report this review (#2502260) | Posted by ComaEcliptic | Thursday, February 4, 2021 | Review Permanlink

More of just the same. After the somewhat stale Kaleidoscope, Transatlantic took a considerably long break, only to return later on with The Absolute Universe. And although I can say it's better than Kaleidoscope, I can't say anything more. The musicality is there. There's absolutely no doubt abo ... (read more)

Report this review (#2501948) | Posted by Isaac Peretz | Wednesday, February 3, 2021 | Review Permanlink

Come ON!!! This is just a complete return to the grandeur, beauty and inventiveness of the first two albums that these guys released some 20 years ago! Just fantastic, and a really big (pleasant!) surprise for me. WOW! The first disc is sort of one big 47 minute suite, with each song leadi ... (read more)

Report this review (#2501906) | Posted by Squire Jaco | Wednesday, February 3, 2021 | Review Permanlink

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