Should coulda woulda (Flying Colors) (LP 2524 - 2527)

Flying Colors  Flying Colors (CD, Mascot Music Productions, 2012) ****  

Flying Colors  Second Nature (CD, Mascot Music Productions, 2014) ****  

Flying Colors  Second Flight: Live At The Z7 (2CD + DVD, Mascot Music Productions, 2015) **** 

Flying Colors  Third Degree (Vinyl, Mascot Music Productions, 2019) ****  

Genre: Prog rock 

Places I remember: Fopp, Amoeba Records (LA)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Mask Machine (Second Nature)

Gear costume: Shoulda Coulda Woulda (Flying Colors)

Active compensatory factors: Flying Colors is an American prog supergroup (hence the spelling) containing Neil Morse (Keyboards), Steve Morse (no relation) on guitar and Dave LaRue (bass), both formerly of Dixie Dregs, Casey McPherson on lead vocals/ rhythm guitar, and Mike Portnoy on drums.

Probably the biggest names are Steve Morse (Deep Purple) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), closely followed by Neil Morse (Spock's Beard).

These guys are a true supergroup and they make a brilliant band. Egos appear to be checked at the door because they make excellent music together as Flying Colors.

First album gets the band off to a, erm, flyer. It's a very confident album, but without a killer song. That would come on their second effort with Mask Machine. Three million plus plays on Spotify tells the story. 

All of their albums start off strongly - the first one with Blue Ocean.

The live album combines the best songs from the first two albums, but leaves off Blue Ocean! Doh!

The third album, and last to date, is probably the most consistently strong album of the three studio ones. Again, no Mask Machine, and I don't find the ballads that satisfactory.

Where do they all belong? I'm not surprised they haven't continued past Third Degree. Portnoy went back to Dream Theater and the band have gone into another hiatus (it was five years between second and third album). Their albums are worth waiting for though.