BRIDGE ACROSS FOREVER

Progressive rock mega-quartet Transatlantic returns with "Bridge Across Forever," the second studio set from Roine Stolt (Flower Kings), Neal Morse (Spock's Beard), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), and Pete Trewavas (Marillion). No sophomore slump here: This strong follow-up to the excellent "SMPT:e" is an even more coherent effort, reflecting the bandmates' increasing confidence as a combo. The instrumental performances are focused and heroic (as expected), and the songs are broadly appealing, synthesizing Morse's melodic, Beatlesque tendencies with Stolt's expansive, retro-fueled tastes. The results should readily win over fans of post-Yes/Genesis/Floyd progressive rock.

The song "Suite Charlotte Pike" illustrates the mood and power of album as a whole: It begins with a genuinely fun studio misstep before careening through everything from funk rock to ambient prog to rollicking hard rock in an intricately constructed, infectiously energetic package. The disc's other songs also shine in their own ways: the title track is a sparse, gorgeous ballad in Morse's classic style; "Duel With The Devil" and "Stranger In Your Soul" are sprawling prog epics (each more than 26 minutes long!) that take listeners on long, exhilarating rides. Throughout, these four tremendous musicians are having fun in peak form, making "Bridge Across Forever" an enormously worthy purchase for true prog fans.