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Casey McPherson
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Key Information
Casey McPherson (born September 15, 1978) is a singer and songwriter based in Austin, Texas[1] where he lives with his two daughters. He is currently the frontman of the bands Alpha Rev[2] and Flying Colors, as well as his own solo career. He is a classically-trained pianist[3] and guitarist.
Personal life
[edit]Casey grew up in Lake Jackson, Texas.[4] He was home schooled[5] by his mother, and spent much of his childhood outdoors exploring nature. At a young age, he lost both his father[4] and brother to suicide. He went on to dedicate over a decade of service to helping others face mental health and prevent suicide by sitting on the boards of prestigious mental health organizations. He became an outspoken voice to raise awareness and money for the cause.
He currently lives in Austin, Texas, with his two daughters, Weston and Rose. In response to learning that his youngest daughter, Rose, had a rare genetic disease, he founded and runs the To Cure a Rose Foundation and is in the process of founding the N-of-1 Fund.
Casey is the Music Director at Riverbend in Austin. He is a firm believer in Internal Family Systems as an effective therapy for individuals, children and families. Since 2009, he has successfully invested in a number of Real Estate ventures.
Music career
[edit]Casey is a singer and songwriter based in Austin, Texas.[1] He is currently the frontman of the bands Alpha Rev[2] and Flying Colors, as well as his own Casey McPherson. He has toured the world, filling music venues and stadiums in over 15 countries. He is a classically-trained pianist and guitarist.
Casey started his career in his twenties when he formed the band Endochine. After the breakup of Endochine, Casey went on to start Alpha Rev in 2005 which was ranked the #1 indie band in Texas, and the #16 indie band nationwide.
In 2010 Alpha Rev topped the charts with New Morning reaching #3 on radio, and their video made the Top 10 on VH1. They were also featured as one of VH1's "You Oughta Know, Artist on the Rise."
In 2011 he was invited to be lead singer and songwriter for Flying Colors, a supergroup with Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, guitarist Steve Morse and bassist Dave LaRue of the Dixie Dregs, and keyboardist Neal Morse, formerly of Spock's Beard.[1][6][7] The group has released three studio albums, and three live albums, to commercial success[8][9][10] and critical acclaim.[11][12][13]
Casey also launched an app for musicians and performers called SkaFlash, a software program designed to more easily connect fans to the bands and performers they follow.
Philanthropy
[edit]Mental health
[edit]By the age of twenty-three, Casey had lost both his father and brother to suicide. After mourning their deaths, he dedicated over a decade to help others face mental health and prevent suicide. He joined the boards of Mental Health Texas and Austin Child Guidance Center, where he worked on policy change and mental health advocacy. He became an outspoken voice to raise awareness and over $1 million for the cause.
Rare diseases
[edit]In 2018, Casey's youngest daughter Rose was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, HNRNPH2. He is currently working in the scientific field to bring genetic treatments to children across rare diseases. He founded and runs the non-profit, To Cure a Rose Foundation, and is in the process of launching the N-of-1 Fund, a sustainable model to drive rare disease treatments forward.
He is an advocate of the sound-health connection, using music to engage the brain to improve communication and motor function in children with rare neurological diseases like his daughter Rose.
Discography
[edit]With Endochine
- i (2001)
- Day Two (2004)
With Alpha Rev
- Alpha Rev (2006)
- The Greatest Thing I've Ever Learned (2007)
- New Morning (2010)
- City Farm: Roots (2011)
- Bloom (2013)
- Case.E Sessions Volume 1 (2018)
- (I Wish You Were) Open (2020)
With Flying Colors
- Flying Colors (2012)
- Live in Europe (2013)
- Second Nature (2014)
- Second Flight: Live at the Z7 (2015)
- Third Degree (2019)
- Morsefest 2019 (2019)
- Third Stage: Live In London (2020)
With The Sea Within
- The Sea Within (2018) (album guest and live musician)[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Perry, Shawn. "The Casey McPherson Interview (2014)". Vintage Rock. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ^ a b Heaney, Gregory. "Biography: Alpha Rev". Allmusic. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ Easton, Jeffrey. "An interview with Casey McPherson of Flying Colors". Metal Exiles. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ^ a b "Travis County leads the state in suicides". KLBJ. Austin: Emmis Communications. December 1, 2014. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ^ Tarradell, Mario (March 20, 2013). "'Bloom' gives Austin's Alpha Rev the artistic room to blossom". The Dallas Morning News. Austin: A. H. Belo. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ^ Karadimitris, Chris (September 29, 2014). "Flying Colors (Casey McPherson)". Noise Full. Archived from the original on March 28, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
- ^ Miller, Shane (March 15, 2013). "DT talks with Casey McPherson of Alpha Rev". The Daily Texan. Austin: University of Texas at Austin. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ^ Steffen Hung (October 27, 2013). "Flying Colors – Live in Europe [DVD". Swisscharts.com. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ "Official Music Video Chart Top 50". officialcharts.com.
- ^ Steffen Hung (October 19, 2013). "Flying Colors – Live in Europe [DVD". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ "Top 50 Prog Albums 1990–2015". The Prog Report. July 13, 2015.
- ^ "Flying Colors – Flying Colors". festivalphoto.net.
- ^ "Amazon.co.uk:Customer Reviews: Second Nature". amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "The Sea Within". Facebook.com. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
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Casey McPherson
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Early life
Childhood and family background
Casey McPherson was born on September 15, 1978, and raised in Jones Creek, an unincorporated rural community in Brazoria County, Texas.[1] He grew up in a homeschooling family, which emphasized self-directed education in a setting removed from conventional institutional structures.[1][13] McPherson's initial exposure to music occurred through classical piano training spanning twelve years, facilitated within the family environment.[13] As a teenager, he exhibited early creative independence by self-teaching guitar, bypassing formal lessons and drawing on personal initiative amid limited local resources in rural Texas.[13] This homeschooling context and rural isolation cultivated resourcefulness, with familial guidance providing the primary musical foundation absent broader institutional influences.[1] A pivotal family event marked the transition from his childhood when, at age 18, his father died by suicide, underscoring the challenges within his upbringing.[1]Homeschooling and early influences
McPherson was homeschooled in Lake Jackson, Texas, along the Brazos River south of Houston.[14] This non-traditional education allowed him to immerse himself in music from an early age, bypassing the rigid structure of public schooling.[15] Beginning piano lessons at age 5, he received classical training for 12 years, developing foundational technical skills in composition and performance.[16][17] Self-directed exploration marked his early musical pursuits; he adapted a right-handed Hondo acoustic guitar purchased by his father—turning it upside down to play left-handed, as it better suited his intuitive style.[15][16] By age 16, this independent approach led him to work in a recording studio, honing practical skills in production and songwriting outside formal academic channels.[17] Such flexibility contrasted with conventional education systems, enabling accelerated development in his artistic talents rather than adherence to standardized pacing.[14] These formative experiences fostered an entrepreneurial mindset evident in his later decision to drop out of college and form his first rock band, prioritizing creative autonomy over traditional paths.[14] The shift from classical piano to self-taught guitar and early studio work laid the groundwork for his songwriting, blending technical proficiency with innovative problem-solving.[2][16]Personal life
Marriage and family
McPherson married in the period following the establishment of his music career and became the father of two daughters, Weston and Rose.[5][18] The family maintains residence in Austin, Texas, where McPherson relocated at age 19 from Lake Jackson to form his early band Endochine, leveraging the city's vibrant music ecosystem to build a lasting base for both professional endeavors and family life.[19][20] His role as a father underscores a commitment to paternal duties, informing subsequent life decisions centered on familial stability.[5]Daughter's rare disease diagnosis
In 2016, Casey McPherson's daughter Rose was born appearing healthy, but by her second year, she exhibited delayed developmental milestones, including atypical crawling and walking patterns, as well as initial speech such as "mom," "dad," and "outside," which she later lost entirely.[6] Additional symptoms emerged, including seizures, choking episodes, sensory sensitivities, and an inability to catch herself during falls, compounded by motor impairments and eventual diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder linked to her condition.[12] These signs prompted a protracted "diagnostic odyssey" involving multiple medical consultations, where initial pediatric assessments dismissed concerns as typical variations, highlighting the limitations of symptom-based traditional diagnostics for ultra-rare conditions without established protocols.[6] In 2019, at age three, Rose received a formal diagnosis of HNRNPH2-related neurodevelopmental disorder, an ultra-rare monogenic condition caused by a de novo mutation in the HNRNPH2 gene, which impairs production of essential proteins for brain development and function; fewer than 100 cases were confirmed worldwide at the time, with estimates suggesting up to 10,000 undiagnosed individuals.[5] Whole-genome sequencing, including advanced long-read technologies like PacBio HiFi, was required to identify the specific variant, as standard clinical tests failed to pinpoint the cause amid overlapping symptoms resembling common disorders.[12] Neurologists informed the family that no approved treatments existed, underscoring systemic delays in rare disease research where public health frameworks prioritize prevalent conditions over individualized genetic anomalies.[5] Faced with this prognosis, McPherson and his family opted against passive reliance on protracted institutional timelines, instead initiating private genetic research and therapeutic exploration to address the root mutation directly, reflecting a pragmatic assessment of causal mechanisms over waiting for broader systemic interventions.[6] This approach emphasized empirical validation through targeted sequencing and protein function analysis, bypassing the inefficiencies of conventional diagnostics that often yield descriptive labels without actionable pathways.[12] Rose's condition remains progressive in its impacts on speech, cognition, and mobility, with no restorative therapies available via standard medical channels as of 2025.[5]Music career
Early bands and breakthrough
McPherson relocated to Austin, Texas, in 2000, where he formed the alternative rock band Endochine, marking his entry into professional music.[21][22] As vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist, he collaborated with bandmates including Darrell Moran, Johnny Goudie, and Nathan Harlan in the Austin-based quartet.[23][24] Endochine engaged deeply with the local Texas music scene, leveraging Austin's vibrant ecosystem of venues and grassroots networks to build an initial audience through live performances and regional touring.[24] The band's efforts reflected the era's DIY ethos, with independent operations amid a fragmented industry landscape that favored self-promotion over major-label support.[22] These early endeavors faced significant commercial obstacles, including the pervasive effects of digital piracy, which McPherson has described as particularly detrimental to independent acts lacking the resources of established labels to absorb revenue losses.[25] Despite such hurdles, Endochine's persistence in the competitive Austin scene provided foundational experience, though the band ultimately disbanded, leading McPherson toward independent ventures.[2]Alpha Rev
Alpha Rev formed in 2005 in Austin, Texas, as the project of singer-songwriter Casey McPherson following the dissolution of his prior band, Endochine.[26] McPherson, who remained the band's sole constant member, assembled an initial lineup including guitarist Derek Dunivan, drummer Tommy Roalson, cellist Dave Wiley, bassist Alex Dunlap, and violinist Brian Lewis Batch.[21] The group blended alternative rock with introspective, lyrically driven compositions, emphasizing McPherson's melodic songwriting that explored themes of personal struggle and redemption.[27] In August 2008, Alpha Rev secured its first major-label recording contract, paving the way for broader exposure.[17] The band's international debut album, New Morning (2010), produced by David Kahne and recorded at Avatar Studios in New York City, achieved notable success on Triple A radio with its title track, marking regional and national airplay breakthroughs.[28] This release solidified McPherson's reputation for crafting emotionally resonant tracks that combined soaring melodies with vulnerable narratives, drawing comparisons to introspective alt-rock contemporaries.[29] Subsequent efforts, including the 2013 album Bloom on Kirtland Records, reflected stylistic evolution toward more expansive, redemptive song structures amid McPherson's personal transformations.[30] Touring extensively to support these works, Alpha Rev cultivated a dedicated following in the alternative scene, with Bloom emphasizing creative growth and thematic depth in McPherson's compositions.[25] The band's output during this period established McPherson as a principal figure in melodic, heartfelt alternative rock, distinct from his later progressive explorations.[31]Flying Colors
Casey McPherson joined the progressive rock supergroup Flying Colors in 2011 as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, contributing songwriting that integrated his alternative rock sensibilities with the ensemble's intricate compositions.[32] The band, formed in Nashville, Tennessee, that January, assembled seasoned instrumentalists—Mike Portnoy on drums, Dave LaRue on bass, Neal Morse on keyboards and backing vocals, and Steve Morse on lead guitar—around McPherson's role to create music unbound by industry conventions.[32] This lineup enabled a fusion of 1970s and 1980s progressive rock influences with modern melodic elements, jazz fusion, and pop accessibility, prioritizing technical virtuosity in extended structures alongside emotionally resonant hooks.[31][33] McPherson's contributions emphasized lyrical themes of self-acceptance, hope, and personal reflection, often refined from stream-of-consciousness ideas during collaborative sessions conducted remotely via tools like Skype and Google Drive.[33] His vocal style, described as a complementary pop-infused counterpoint to the band's prog foundations, added breadth to tracks blending epic progressions with concise, radio-friendly dynamics, as noted in contemporaneous reviews of their technical execution.[31] The group toured the United States and Europe starting in 2012, with early performances including their debut in Los Angeles and first European show in Hamburg, Germany, highlighting synchronized instrumental displays and McPherson's stage presence amid high-energy setlists.[34] Later tours, such as in 2019, extended this reach, capturing sold-out finales that underscored the band's live cohesion despite infrequent rehearsals.[35] Flying Colors' activities remained sporadic, constrained by members' parallel obligations—such as Steve Morse's Deep Purple tenure and Mike Portnoy's prolific side endeavors—necessitating efficient, passion-driven production cycles characteristic of supergroup ventures.[31] This structure fostered innovation through selective collaboration but limited frequency, aligning with McPherson's own commitments to Alpha Rev while elevating his profile in progressive circles.[33]Later musical projects and hiatus
Following the 2019 release of Flying Colors' third studio album Third Degree, McPherson reduced his involvement in band activities, with no subsequent full-length releases from either Alpha Rev or Flying Colors.[36][37] Alpha Rev's last substantial output prior was the 2018 Cas.e Sessions Volume 1, an acoustic collection of earlier material, while McPherson had expressed interest in a solo progressive rock album as early as 2018, though it remains unreleased.[37][38] McPherson shifted toward limited studio efforts and occasional live appearances amid escalating family responsibilities, including his daughter's rare genetic disorder diagnosed around 2016.[39] Examples include livestream performances in 2020, a 2021 RoseFest set with friends, and a 2023 RoseFest event, alongside a December 2024 show at Mary's Place featuring collaborations with other musicians.[40][2][39] This marked a departure from prior extensive touring, which McPherson later described as forcing a choice between career sustainability and family obligations, highlighting the music industry's structural incompatibilities with parental duties requiring consistent presence.[39][6] By 2020, McPherson effectively entered a hiatus from proactive musical projects, prioritizing empirical family needs over artistic output after 25 years in the industry.[10][18] He has since framed this as a necessary reallocation of time and resources, driven by the irreversible progression of his daughter's condition absent intervention, rather than creative burnout.[41][42]Philanthropy
Mental health initiatives
McPherson's advocacy for mental health stemmed from profound personal losses, including the suicides of his father and brother in the early 2000s, which prompted him to channel experiences of grief and survival into public awareness efforts emphasizing personal coping and resilience.[21] As a suicide attempt survivor, he has described music as a primary outlet for processing these traumas, stating in a 2015 interview that songwriting allowed him to confront inner turmoil without relying on external interventions, fostering self-directed recovery.[43] Through Alpha Rev, McPherson integrated mental health themes into lyrics exploring isolation, hope amid despair, and individual fortitude, as seen in tracks from albums like New Morning (2010) and Against the World (2017), where he drew directly from his struggles to highlight paths to self-overcoming rather than institutional solutions.[44] The band hosted annual benefit concerts starting around 2010 to raise awareness, with events in Austin generating funds for local mental health programs through ticket sales and donations, though specific fundraising totals remain unreported beyond self-described community impact.[44] In interviews and solo releases pre-2020, such as the 2019 single "You Are the Peacemakers," McPherson advocated for self-awareness and de-escalation in response to violence and emotional distress, attributing reduced personal relapse risks to disciplined creative expression over therapy dependencies.[45] He joined nonprofit boards, including one focused on awareness in 2016, to influence local policy toward destigmatizing personal accountability in recovery, yet verifiable outcomes are limited to anecdotal reports of inspired individuals rather than scaled metrics like reduced suicide rates.[21] These efforts, spanning roughly a decade from the mid-2000s, prioritized narrative-sharing via music and events over broad systemic reforms, aligning with his reported emphasis on innate human capacity for endurance.[43]Rare disease awareness and fundraising
McPherson has utilized his platform as a musician to mobilize donations for rare disease research following his daughter Rose's 2018 diagnosis with the ultra-rare genetic disorder HNRNPH2, which affects fewer than 100 known individuals worldwide and leads to progressive loss of speech and motor function.[6] Through the To Cure a Rose Foundation, established in 2021 as a nonprofit vehicle for patient-led initiatives, he has organized campaigns that leverage his music networks, including benefit performances by his band Alpha Rev to direct proceeds toward therapeutic development.[46][2] These efforts underscore the speed of private fundraising compared to protracted public research timelines, enabling rapid allocation of resources to urgent patient needs without dependency on government grants.[47] Key fundraising events include the "Rise for Rare" initiative, a community-driven campaign promoting donations with incentives like branded merchandise to amplify reach among supporters.[48] In September 2025, the foundation ran a targeted drive offering T-shirts for contributions of $100 or more, concluding on September 6 to capitalize on end-of-period giving.[49] Partnerships with athletic communities have featured events such as the October 2025 "Rally for Rare," an '80s-themed tennis and pickleball tournament aimed at engaging local participants in awareness and direct funding for HNRNPH2-affected families.[50] Additionally, a 2022 GoFundMe campaign raised targeted funds to advance preclinical therapies, emphasizing the foundation's role in bridging gaps left by slow institutional responses.[51] These activities have fostered community mobilization by highlighting patient-driven models over sole reliance on taxpayer-funded systems, with McPherson advocating for accelerated private innovation in genetic treatments.[47] By integrating creative elements like DNA-inspired music compositions, he has drawn attention to the 200 million children globally impacted by similar untreated conditions, promoting grassroots urgency against regulatory delays.[52][53] Such initiatives demonstrate the efficacy of individual-led philanthropy in rare disease spaces, where traditional pathways often fail to match disease progression timelines.[54]Biotechnology entrepreneurship
Founding To Cure a Rose Foundation
In 2021, Casey McPherson established the To Cure A Rose Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in direct response to his daughter Rose's diagnosis with an ultra-rare HNRNPH2-related neurodevelopmental disorder stemming from a de novo mutation in the HNRNPH2 gene, which disrupts production of an RNA-binding protein critical for neuronal function and brain development.[46][5] The foundation's core mission centers on financing the development of a targeted antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy, known as Rosiphersen, to modulate the mutation's effects and restore proper protein function, addressing a condition estimated to affect fewer than 100 confirmed cases worldwide with no existing approved treatments.[5] The organization's operational model prioritizes agility by channeling funds directly to collaborative research teams of scientists, clinicians, and biotech specialists, circumventing the extended approval processes, high costs, and profit-oriented incentives of traditional pharmaceutical pipelines that typically deprioritize therapies for minuscule patient populations.[14][46] This structure enables prototyping and preclinical advancement at accelerated paces, aiming to deliver investigational treatments years faster than conventional routes while maintaining rigorous safety validations.[14] Early fundraising leveraged McPherson's personal and professional networks from his music career, including benefit concerts, auctions, and a GoFundMe campaign launched in June 2022 that raised initial donations through appeals tied to his Alpha Rev affiliations and industry contacts.[51][2] These grassroots efforts demonstrated bootstrapped viability, securing seed capital to initiate research partnerships without reliance on large-scale grants or venture funding at outset, and underscoring the foundation's self-sustaining momentum through community-driven support.[51][2]Everlum Bio and gene therapy development
Everlum Bio, co-founded by Casey McPherson in 2022 as the first contract research laboratory dedicated to rare diseases for family-run foundations, opened its Austin, Texas-based facility in August 2023 to conduct proof-of-concept drug discovery.[55][56] The lab emphasizes personalized genetic therapeutics, including gene therapies and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), designed to address ultra-rare mutations that lack viable treatments under standard pharmaceutical models.[57] This approach prioritizes rapid iteration for individual patients over broad-market scalability, which McPherson has argued delays therapies for rare conditions due to insufficient economic incentives in traditional regulatory pathways requiring large-scale trials.[14] Technical milestones include the development of two patented genetic therapeutics by 2023: a gene therapy targeting Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia and an ASO for a specific mutation associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.[58] The Austin lab supports in vitro screening and early validation, such as proof-of-concept ASOs for HNRNPH2-related mutations, enabling foundations to advance candidates without relying on large biopharma pipelines.[59] Progress toward preclinical candidates continued into 2025, with partnerships facilitating variant identification and therapy design for conditions like DLG4-related synaptopathies, focusing on ASOs and small molecules.[60] To enable precise targeting, Everlum integrates advanced sequencing for mutation mapping, including high-fidelity long-read technologies that McPherson credits with providing the genomic roadmap for impactful interventions in cases like his daughter's rare condition.[12] This data-driven process supports custom vector design and efficacy testing, bypassing generalized approvals that often overlook ultra-rare variants comprising less than 1% of patient populations.[61] By mid-2025, these efforts had yielded viable therapeutic candidates for select mutations, demonstrating feasibility for family-directed gene therapy development.[56]AlphaRose Therapeutics and commercialization efforts
AlphaRose Therapeutics was incorporated as Chrysalis Genetics, Inc. on October 31, 2023, as a spinout entity focused on developing and commercializing genetic therapies for ultra-rare diseases, particularly neurodevelopmental conditions affecting children.[62] The company rebranded to AlphaRose Therapeutics in early 2025, emphasizing a platform approach to produce affordable, personalized genetic medicines at scale, targeting markets unaddressed by traditional pharmaceutical firms due to small patient populations.[9] By mid-2025, AlphaRose had in-licensed Rosiphersen, an antisense oligonucleotide therapy, positioning it for Phase 1 clinical trials in 2026 for a specific genetic disorder, with projections of peak annual revenues exceeding $700 million based on orphan drug pricing and market exclusivity.[63] As CEO, Casey McPherson led fundraising efforts through Regulation Crowdfunding campaigns on platforms like StartEngine, highlighting the need for private capital to bridge gaps in public funding and regulatory timelines for rare disease treatments.[64] In April 2025, the company acquired Alpha Anomeric, a preclinical asset developer, to expand its pipeline of four additional candidates and support global commercialization strategies, including direct-to-patient distribution models tailored to rare diseases.[65] McPherson emphasized private investment's efficiency in accelerating therapies where government-backed systems often delay progress due to bureaucratic hurdles and low commercial incentives.[9] At the BIO International Convention in June 2025, McPherson presented AlphaRose's model for rapid commercialization, showcasing preclinical data on manufacturing scalability and cost reductions compared to standard biotech pipelines.[3] The company's approach prioritizes orphan drug designations to enable faster regulatory pathways, with ongoing preclinical advancements targeting investigational new drug filings by Q1 2026, pending FDA review.[64] These efforts aim to generate sustainable revenue streams from ultra-rare indications to reinvest in broader neuro-genetic applications, operating within the $21 billion genetic disease therapeutics sector.[64]Discography
Studio albums with Alpha Rev
Alpha Rev, formed in Austin, Texas, by Casey McPherson in 2005 following the breakup of his prior band Endochine, released its debut studio album The Greatest Thing I've Ever Learned independently in 2007, with a remastered reissue in 2008.[66] The album incorporated dreamy electrified cello arrangements and piano-vocal combinations, drawing comparisons to Radiohead's atmospheric style while emphasizing McPherson's soaring vocals.[67] The band's major-label debut, New Morning, arrived in 2010 via Dualtone Records, produced by David Kahne at Avatar Studios in New York City, with engineering by Joe Barresi and mixing by Michael Brauer.[68] Tracks like the title song blended alternative rock accessibility with themes of faith, freedom, and awakening, earning praise for infusing heart and soul into the genre.[69] AllMusic rated it 8 out of 10, highlighting its polished production tied to the Austin indie scene's collaborative ethos.[68] In 2013, Alpha Rev issued Bloom on Kirtland Records, continuing the alternative rock sound with broader production elements reflective of McPherson's evolving songwriting.[70] The album maintained the band's reputation for emotive, radio-friendly tracks rooted in Austin's vibrant music community.[66]| Album | Release Year | Label | Key Production Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Greatest Thing I've Ever Learned | 2007 (reissued 2008) | Independent | Independent debut with cello and piano focus |
| New Morning | 2010 | Dualtone Records | Produced by David Kahne at Avatar Studios |
| Bloom | 2013 | Kirtland Records | Expanded alt-rock arrangements |
Releases with Flying Colors
Flying Colors, the progressive rock supergroup featuring Casey McPherson on lead vocals, released its self-titled debut studio album on March 26, 2012, through Mascot Label Group. The album showcased intricate compositions blending progressive rock's technical complexity—such as shifting time signatures, layered instrumentation, and extended instrumental sections—with melodic hooks and McPherson's emotive vocal delivery, drawing from influences like classic prog and modern rock. Tracks like "Blue Ocean" and "The Storm" highlighted the band's virtuosic interplay among members including guitarist Steve Morse, drummer Mike Portnoy, bassist Dave LaRue, and keyboardist Neal Morse, earning praise for compositional depth without sacrificing accessibility.[71][72] The group followed with the live album Second Flight: Live at the Z7, recorded on October 12, 2014, at the Z7 venue in Pratteln, Switzerland, and released on November 13, 2015. This double-disc set captured performances from the European leg of their tour supporting the 2014 studio album Second Nature, emphasizing the band's onstage energy and improvisational flair in progressive arrangements, with McPherson's vocals adapting dynamically to live acoustics. Selections like "Open Up Your Eyes" and "Infinite Skies" demonstrated technical precision in execution, including Morse's fluid guitar solos and Portnoy's polyrhythmic drumming, underscoring the supergroup's reputation for musicianship.[73][74] Earlier live documentation included Live in Europe, released October 15, 2013, which chronicled the band's inaugural European tour in September 2012, starting in Hamburg and culminating in Tilburg, Netherlands. The recording and accompanying documentary highlighted the tour's role in building international momentum, with sold-out shows reflecting growing prog rock fan engagement, as evidenced by enthusiastic reception in reviews noting the quintet's cohesive live chemistry and McPherson's commanding stage presence. These releases formed a core of Flying Colors' limited output, prioritizing quality over quantity in capturing progressive elements like thematic suites and harmonic sophistication.[75]| Release Title | Type | Release Date | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Colors | Studio Album | March 26, 2012 | Debut prog fusion; debuted at No. 9 on Billboard Hard Rock chart; 10 tracks emphasizing vocal-instrumental balance.[76] |
| Live in Europe | Live Album/DVD | October 15, 2013 | Tour documentation; 45-minute behind-the-scenes feature; showcased early European fan response.[34] |
| Second Flight: Live at the Z7 | Live Album/DVD | November 13, 2015 | 16 tracks from Swiss show; highlighted post-Second Nature evolution in live prog dynamics.[77] |