Aural Moon - Progressive Rock Discussion - Show 50

This week we'll hear three discs in their entirety that I've wanted to "spin" for awhile, just waiting for the right moment. As a bonus, since I had ten minutes to burn, I've sandwiched a pair of Frank Zappa tunes. Sort of like a triple decker Oreo prog cookie.:smirk:

Strangefish - Full Scale (2003)

Shifting Sands and Turning Tides
Oceans Deep
Listening To Ghosts
Take A Holiday
At First Sight
Touch Sensitive
Wallflower
Simple Life

A very mature, beautifully put together CD. "Oceans Deep" was played a bit too much on the Moon, but to hear this all the way through is a treat. I'm especially fond of "Simple Life", but each track is solid. "Take A Holiday" is a lot of fun, and "Wallflower" is a rocker that deals with domestic abuse. I've tried to contact them about coming to Rosfest, but no response. Special thanks to Keith for turning me on to these guys.

Frank Zappa - "Uncle Remus"

Any chance to play this tune I get. Under three minutes, but a lot to say in that time. George Duke adds a lot of soul.

Carl Groves - Branch Upon The Ground (2000)

Pompous Bastards
Hmm
Hopeless Circles
Unless You Want It To
A Prayer
Melt Me
Walking On Diamonds
Mine For The Taking
I. Path
II. Pathos
III. Pathological
Branch Upon the Ground
Norwegian Ire
Over The Hill

The head Salem Hillion scored a giant winner with me with his solo record. Every vocal and instrument was played by Carl (except for a few "Bastards":) ). This is the only solo CD I've ever heard where it's truly solo yet played this well. That includes Matthew Parmenter, who I have an unending amount of respect and awe for. Percussion is where you usually can separate the amateurs, but not here.

The liner notes to each tune explain perfectly what the tune is about, and if you ever pick it up, spend some time with the lyrics - they're dead on. "Hopeless Circles" hits a chord with me, it's a depressingly true statement about how we have to do what we need and think we should do, inherently limiting our ability to realize our dreams. As with a few other tunes, it's got a soaring guitar solo at the end.

"Norwegian Ire" is a great instrumental, and "Diamonds" is a pleasant look at baseball. Of course now it's steroids, fighting, and cheating...:eek: And the King's X sound is evident in "Unless You Want It To". (I figured I'd make the Kx reference this week since it seems to appear once every show of mine):rolleyes:

Hopefully Carl will check in during the show...and I'm looking forward with much anticipation to the Hillion's Weekend on 10/21-22 (see web site for details:cool: ).

Frank Zappa - "Po-Jama People"

What a blistering guitar solo!:notworthy

FM - Surveillance (1979)

Rocket Roll
Orion
Horizons
Random Harvest
Shapes Of Things
Seventh Heaven
Father Time
Sofa Back
Destruction

On my first show I played "Black Noise". Sometime in the future we'll hear "City of Fear". Given the announcement of FM playing at Nearfest next year, it's time for this one. Surveillance carried me through my college years, and I never get tired of it even today.

"Seventh Heaven" is IMO one of finest written tunes ever. Look for the Three Stooges reference in the wild instrumental "Sofa Back". And Martin Deller shines on "Orion", a drummer with the precision of Barriemore Barlow and the technical power of Bill Bruford. This CD goes from the no-bullshit rock ("Rocket Roll") to the sing along vocal ("Horizons") to the prog classics "Random Harvest" and "Destruction". And a cover tune in there too.

Hope you can make it!