FLYING COLORS

Flying Colors spotlights five veteran musicians with unbeatable progressive pedigrees—guitarist Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple), drummer Mike Portnoy (who recently exited Dream Theater), bassist Dave LaRue (a frequent collaborator of Morse and Portnoy), keyboardist Neal Morse (formerly of Spock’s Beard) and singer Casey McPherson (Texas’ Alpha Rev). Think Toto—top-flight players who don’t look down snootily on the idea of mainstream appeal (indeed, Flying Colors’ “Kayla” carries a hint of vintage Toto). But Morse and company take their high-octane collaborative spirit several steps further. Most of the songs eschew a tech-heavy approach while emphasizing instrumental telepathy—there are echoes of the Dregs and Dream Theater, naturally, but also Yes and King Crimson—and maintaining an edgy accessibility. The power ballads “Everything Changes” and “Better Than Walking Away” provide perfect cases in point, although “Blue Ocean,” “The Storm” and “Forever in a Daze” tout their talents just as well. –Lee Zimmerman