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The production quality reminds me of the details of the Yes albums with Rabin, those dazzling apparitions of sound that appear and vanish in an instant leaving the listener engrossed. It clearly can be noted the enormous work that went into composition and recording, that display the melodic richness of the songs and their arrangements, which show more ideas in a composition than other artists in a career...Transformation is a work truly realized, an impressive work of creativity that grows on one even more after repeated listening. An interesting and expansive collection of symphonic prog songs...it not only rewards repeated listening, it demands it. Great progressive rock music on this debut album. (four stars) A very good album. I like the narrative flow of the album, which is in the best tradition of progressive rock. Music should be timeless and sometimes one lays one's hands on an album fitting into that category. We are now talking about the genre progressive/symphonic rock. Here comes the man behind the book "Yesstories" and presents an album which creates an almost addictive listening. If we describe this one as a mix of Peter Gabriel/Genesis, Mike Oldfield and some of the more experimental stuff a la Spock's Beard with a dose of Yes vibes then we come pretty close...in the album's longest track, 16 minutes plus, in which keyboardist Tim Morse takes on the lead vocals we get the entire spectra of progressive rock. Transformation deftly bridges classic and modern prog. (Four Stars). Morse's keyboard centric tracks occupy a similar space to UK, rather than Yes or ELP. Rock and pop sensibilities are also blended into the songwriting with valid comparisons to Kevin Gilbert and a few nods to early Spock's Beard. Very strong melodic prog metal with good vocal work from Richie Zeller...guitarist Mark Dean produced the CD and all together this sounds like a very strong record, recommended to the prog metal fans out there. Transformation is truly a great album that will take the listener to keyboard heaven. (Four Stars) Transformation is an uplifting, energetic, fun excursion into the freedom, the excitement, the excellent musicianship, and the "over the top" musical indulgence that are the hallmarks of Progressive Rock. Highly recommended! Sounds great...unbelievably proficient and will I'm sure find considerable favour in the Prog community. It's very, very good. The playing is great and the production is excellent. There's a lot of commitment behind the music, a lot of power. It bursts out of the speakers and sounds fantastic. There's a lot of precision and no cliches - I like that. Transformation recalls the spirit of progressive rock when genres of music were blended fearlessly and the listener was transported to places that expanded the imagination. If you like original compositions full of energy and the unexpected, you are sure to enjoy it. Very impressive! It sounds great and all the playing and singing is excellent...it has all the things prog-rock aficionados like! Transformation is ambitious and conceptual, but above all else it contains beautiful melodies, which consquently pop into my head at unexpected moments and that makes it enormously enjoyable to listen to. Transformation is a very fine progressive/symphonic rock album - one I recommend all prog fans to check out. The flavor of the disc lends itself to the cream of the musical crop. This really is one that prog heads and even melodic rock lovers will not want to miss. Prog rock fans are a finicky lot so if you bring something new to the table it better be special. Tim Morse does just that with a complex debut that is brimming with life and musical prowess. A highly talented keyboardist, Tim shares the limelight with multi-instrumental phenom Mark Dean and vocalist Richie Zeller who sounds a bit like Ray Alder. Ingrained in the roots of prog with more attention to melody, the music is still quite powerful, melding comforting hooks with varied levels of musical intensity. Dramatic from the first note in the first song, Transformation is a breathtaking journey into another time and spiritual place. The project is the culmination of the unique partnership of Tim Morse and Mark Dean, who were able to let their creative juices flow unabated. The music is deeply intense and rushes through you, sweeping you far away. Joined by vocalist Richie Zeller, the team pushes all boundaries, unleashing their deepest dreams, hopes, fears and loves. I should add that I am very impressed with the vocals on this album. Mr.Zeller's voice has the range and timbre of a young Steve Walsh and Mr.Morse adds excellent lead vocals on a couple of the tracks. Both the music and the lyrics are diverse. While the album tells a story, each song stands on its own. The words represent steps in Mr.Morse's life that takes him from despair to ultimate joy. From sweet and ethereal to hard-driven, the music reflects a yes influence with a touch of Pink Floyd, particularly in the exceptional guitar work provided by Mr.Dean. The true star of Transformation, however, is Mr.Morse himself, and his dazzling flair for the keyboards. His talent is multi-dimensional, as key work in its various forms permeate the entire album. Korg, Kruzweil, Roland, not to mention multiple synths, carry the wall-to-wall sound of this album to dizzying heights. Transformation is the fortunate result of what can happen when musicians have complete freedom and control over their own product. The music becomes the true reflection of its creators. It's a beautiful thing when we are able to live, love, create and just be as we are intended to be. After all, achieving such an existence is what Transformation is all about. Transformation - an excellent title for Tim Morse's CD debut. Just seconds after slipping it into my CD player, the world around me transformed into prog heaven! There's no doubt about it- this is a serious prog CD, packed full of prog hallmarks, virtuosic playing and great hooks! Lyrics, instrumentation, performance and arrangements are all presented with the utmost attention to detail and sure to please even the most persnickety fans of progressive music (I guess that's all of us!). Led on keyboards by Tim, complimented on guitar, bass and drums by Mark Dean (where did he find this guy?) and featuring lead vocals by Richie Zeller, the music twists and turns through a maze of musical entrees that just continues to provide aural and cerebral enjoyment. In a nutshell, this CD has it all, and is definitely going into permanent rotation along with my all time favorite groups (you know the ones, they start with the letters Y, G, ELP, etc.)
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