TRANSATLANTIC'S THE WHIRLWIND - Available Now!!!

Really digging the album, I think it is one of the best productions as far as sound quality, mixing and tones that I have heard in a long time!  Mikes drum tone is about the best he's ever had and Pete's bass tone is to die for. 

Neil's overtly christian lyrics were pretty much kept in check except for the "Dancing With Eternal Glory" section which really killed a bit of the vibe for me but I'll just have to get used to it.  This is the type of album that bears repeat listening sessions before giving an accurate review.  But I must say that it has not grabbed me right away like the previous two relesaes have.  We'll see how this album grows though.

As for disc 2, the originals are hit and miss.  I really enjoy Lenny Johnson and the cover songs were all killer!  Especially Soul Sacrifice...Mike busting out the Latin chops and playing with serious energy and groove, outstanding!  

I really like the album and love the mixing. Really great job. Also, to respond to some speculation here, there is a 99.9% chance that autotune WAS used on the album to a tasteful degree. It's pretty unavoidable these days. It's almost as common and useful as something like delay or reverb. There's nothing wrong with it to the extent that accomplished bands like this use it (I don't particularly enjoy blatant autotune unless it REALLY fits). But that they DO use it is pretty much a given.

faizoff


And I must echo what everone has said about the mix of the album, fanfuckintastic. I love the drum and bass sound on the album.

Totally agree with the above!
 
Spinning the first cd for the third time. . . loving it more and more.
I love the covers of "I Need You". I like the mix of America´s and Beatles´version 

yesrushdt

raisingfear101

Where exactly in the album are you talking about?

It's pretty obvious to me that all of Mike's vocals are auto-tuned.  It's more noticeable on Set Us Free, Out of the Night and A Salty Dog.

I won't believe it until Mr. Portnoy himself comes here and confirms it.

Man, I am hooked on "Spinning"! What a great track! I love the extremely Yes-ish opening too!

Fuck weekends. That's all I have to say.

Grr... maybe tomorrow. Reading this thread is so painful. Well at least I'm hearing lots of positive things about the album, which is just making my anticipation grow.

I haven't received mine yet !!! WTF ???

Salmacis


Man, I am hooked on "Spinning"! What a great track! I love the extremely Yes-ish opening too!

 
I agree.  Very optimistic, feel-good track.  Favorite on CD2 definitely. 

The transition from Out Of The Night to Rose Colored Glasses....did anyone else think they were going to play Unquiet Slumbers by Genesis?

The ending to "Is This Really Happening?" is some of the best music I have ever heard.

This one is growing on me fast!  After listening to it the first time, I was rating it just at "ok".  But after a few more spins it is really clicking and I'm loving it.

I'm probably in the vast minority here, but I think I actually like this one more than Bridge Across Forever.  Maybe because it's still so fresh and new.  I still like Bridge, but after hearing it so many times over the years, I don't enjoy it nearly as much as I used to. 

And yeah, the production is fantastic.  I've played this on several systems, from crappy players to high-end and it sounds fantastic no matter what!

I love the Santana cover!!! Great song, great drumming.
The CD is pure quality as expected, MP never dissapoints me!
I hope this is not the end of this band again, I would like to see a part 4 one day :)

Still haven't gotten through this monster.

Was listening to it in the car the other night and I couldn't keep the smile off my face the whole drive. Love it, love it.

I'm loving this album more and more with each listen.
Is it really happening is a standout for me.
As others have said.... The production on this album is amazing....
A huge drum sound, and perfect bass tone. I really do wish that every
record i owned had this quality of production.
Well done MP.

I love this record more and more. It has much more to offer than that typical Morse/Portnoy signature sound we came to know from Morse's solo records. I love the influence Stolt has on this record. I think TA would have worked less with Jim Mateos. Stolt really brings something different to the table. Something more emotional and vintage. It has become a diverse album. In songwriting AND the way the leadsinging is more spread over the the bandmembers. The production is great and this album breaths classic symfoprog from the 70's and early 80's. It is a style I'm starting to appreciate more and more. I am kinda drifting away from that progmetal sound and getting more into this classic symfo sound more and more. Love the emotion and details brought by Stolt and Trewavas. Great job, guys!

Can anyone else hear the Steve Miller Fly Like An Eagle sounding
bit?

SPECIAL OFFER:
Be among the first 200 people to pre-order from radiantrecords.com and enter a drawing to win the Transatlantic "Whirlwind" Note board. This is the board that Mike Portnoy wrote sections of the album on as they were writing it.

Does anyone know who won this... could someone post photos...

Bought it on the strength of the 30 sec previews on Itunes!
Where can I find the above mentioned "Crazy Horses" and "A Salty Dog". I think I heard the former on an Eddie Trunk Show somewhen and loved it. Is it buy-able?!

ToniLiveInLisbon


SPECIAL OFFER:
Be among the first 200 people to pre-order from radiantrecords.com and enter a drawing to win the Transatlantic "Whirlwind" Note board. This is the board that Mike Portnoy wrote sections of the album on as they were writing it.

Does anyone know who won this... could someone post photos...

Winner's name posted on page 15. There were pictures of Neal drawing the name in the email that Radiant sent out, but I haven't seen any pix online.

On second listen

I really ought to try disc 2

Great album! definately up to par with the first two TA albums!

For those in central/western Canada, the wait shouldn't be too much longer. Just got mine today!

I've just finished my second complete listening, and had the same experience as the first. This album has taken me on a spiritual journey unlike any other I've ever experienced. The combination of the lyrics and the incredible music yanked me in from start to finish. Neal's religion is different from my own, but this album is not overtly religious as much as it is spiritual.  The way this album made me feel reminds me of why music means so much to me. Music should tug at the heart of the listener, and this album did so as strongly as any piece ever has before. Perfect album.

^Nice post Dobe.

I spun it several times this weekend along with Redemption's album and both of these have really hit me hard.
It's going to be a tough year to choose an album of the year...hey wait a minute, who says I have to
 
After a couple weeks I'll say firmly that the TA album stands right along with the other 2. Superb in every way.
I'm totally shocked at how good the mix and production are.
 
And...let's put to rest forever the notion that a great artistic album can't be recorded in a short amount of time
(for future DT reference that is)

dahogsta


Bought it on the strength of the 30 sec previews on Itunes!
Where can I find the above mentioned "Crazy Horses" and "A Salty Dog". I think I heard the former on an Eddie Trunk Show somewhen and loved it. Is it buy-able?!

To answer your question:
"A Salty Dog" is on the bonus disc of "The Whirlwind" Special Edition.
"Crazy Horses" can be found on Neal Morse's "Lifeline" Special Edition bonus disc.

dkepner

ToniLiveInLisbon


SPECIAL OFFER:
Be among the first 200 people to pre-order from radiantrecords.com and enter a drawing to win the Transatlantic "Whirlwind" Note board. This is the board that Mike Portnoy wrote sections of the album on as they were writing it.

Does anyone know who won this... could someone post photos...

Winner's name posted on page 15. There were pictures of Neal drawing the name in the email that Radiant sent out, but I haven't seen any pix online.

Thanks man...

I don´t come here very often :(
And since I didn´t receive any email from radiant anoucing the winner... I just got curious since my copy arrived today:)

emtee


 
And...let's put to rest forever the notion that a great artistic album can't be recorded in a short amount of time
(for future DT reference that is)

Just to put that in context though, even if they ended up changing most of it they did start from demos as opposed to Dream Theater who don't do that anymore.

TA=WIN

pure and simple

Pieps

dahogsta


Bought it on the strength of the 30 sec previews on Itunes!
Where can I find the above mentioned "Crazy Horses" and "A Salty Dog". I think I heard the former on an Eddie Trunk Show somewhen and loved it. Is it buy-able?!

To answer your question:
"A Salty Dog" is on the bonus disc of "The Whirlwind" Special Edition.
"Crazy Horses" can be found on Neal Morse's "Lifeline" Special Edition bonus disc.

Cheers, but shoot, I got the Whirlwind on Itunes, and thus have no bonus disc. Likewise with the Lifeline one.  Nowhere legit to get these songs digitally?

Upon first listen, it was ok. I disagree completely with the "Neal Morse w/special guests" sentiments. I got much more of a Flower Kings feel with occasional streaks of NM throughout the first 45 minutes or so. In fact it feels like Roine sings more on The Whirlwind than on both other discs combined.

It was pretty good up until Is It Really Happening onward, where I got pretty bored. It's a shame, because the ending should be the most captivating part of the whole thing. When the teaser came out, the main theme played and I was like "Ok, I can imagine this being what they end it on too." And guess what, that's exactly what happened

My 3-disc set just arrived today! Can't wait to listen to it!!!! 

k, so seriously, what the fuck? I can't imagine where the fuck my album is, or why it's taking to long to get here, but I really wish it would come soon. I mean really, what is the point of preordering something if it takes weeks and weeks to get to you?

I bet it got stuck in customs or something, and then I'll have to pay out my ass in customs fees because some douchebag at the customs office thought it was dangerous goods or something. That generally happens when I order shit online. It takes forever to get here, and I have to pay extra. Fucking shit.

So has anyone in southern Ontario gotten their album yet?

As is the case with a lot of great prog rock, this is a major grower.  Many listens into it, I am loving pretty much all of it.  I have no idea how it compares to the first two (hard to beat SMPTe), but I just know that this CD is freaking great. 

I have only been listening to this CD for four or five days and can already say this will probably be my 2nd favorite of the year (behind only The Incident).  Yet another terrific effort by TA!  Bring on the fourth studio album.

ViolinTheater

yesrushdt

raisingfear101

Where exactly in the album are you talking about?

It's pretty obvious to me that all of Mike's vocals are auto-tuned.  It's more noticeable on Set Us Free, Out of the Night and A Salty Dog.

I won't believe it until Mr. Portnoy himself comes here and confirms it.

Just watch the bonus DVD on the 3-Disc version of the album and you'll see how incredibly good MP is singing. Just watched him doing the background vocals and the lead parts and he hasn't gone out of key not even for a millisecond!

No auto-tune whatsoever, imho!

Lloyd2112


k, so seriously, what the fuck? I can't imagine where the fuck my album is, or why it's taking to long to get here, but I really wish it would come soon. I mean really, what is the point of preordering something if it takes weeks and weeks to get to you?

I bet it got stuck in customs or something, and then I'll have to pay out my ass in customs fees because some douchebag at the customs office thought it was dangerous goods or something. That generally happens when I order shit online. It takes forever to get here, and I have to pay extra. Fucking shit.

So has anyone in southern Ontario gotten their album yet?

No, I haven't either. I have a good feeling about today though! I'm dying to hear this album (literally, I have h1n1 hah).

I found this review of "The Whirlwind" today that sums up my feelings on this album just about perfectly.

Just to add another thing about Amazon shipping Kirk, last week I ordered a bunch of stuff (Mousepad, CDs, etc) on the 30th of Oct with the free shipping option. The order showed that it would ship on the 4th of Nov. I get an email on Oct 31 that its already been shipped and expected date of arrival was 6th of Nov. I got the stuff today 3rd of Nov in the afternoon. 


/Happy Amazon customer.

And ps these gel mousepads with a wrist rest are amazing. If anyone has carpal issues get these now!

KirksNoseHair


I found this review of "The Whirlwind" today that sums up my feelings on this album just about perfectly.

I just had to stop reading that review to say I hate the cheap shot the Beard's expense.  There was no need for that, he's not reviewing their album.  I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest of it but that really pissed me off.

My copy turned up!  Yay! 

Got 'So Many Roads' in the jiffy bag with Whirlwind and Shaming of the True.  Don't seem to recall ordering the So Many Roads version of the bundle.  Oh well.  *shrugs*