Rickter Scale Show 167 - More Recent Favorites!

[Rick and Roll]

airing Sunday, February 10 from 8-11 PM EST and Monday, February 11 from 1-4 PM EST

Kinetic Element - 2 songs:

"Now And Forever" - This is a first draft of a new song Mike (The Organist) Visaggio and his band are working on. I was gliding by the Kinetic Element myspace site, looking at a collage they put together, and this song was accompanying it. It is fantastic! Mike was kind enough to send it to me.

"2001: Also Rocked Zarathrustra" - A ten-minute tune from Mike's "Starship Universe" CD, he plays all the sounds through the keyboards.

Marc Norgaard - "Tolerance" (2007)

Tolerance
Goes To Reason
Day In The Desert
Last Leg Home
Papaya Dream
Summer Storm
Seventh Mile Fog
Pirate Sized Hangover
Retrospective

Here's another myspace find you better get on the 2007 list. Marc is based in Baltimore, right under my nose. He's the drummer and composer on all of the tracks. Some top-rate talent are present: Guitar: Brett Garsed on tracks 1,2,3,5,8 and Tobias Hurwitz on track 7. And one of my faves, Frank Gambale on tracks 4 and 6. Having the "Thunder from down Under" on the disc stamps it with instant fusion credibility.

Steve Hunt is on piano on tracks 2,4,6 and Dave DeMarco (lately of Oblivion Sun) is the bassman throughout. Baltimore again!

A nice CD that is neither boring or a wankfest. Marc's drumming carries the songs as an even partner in the melodies.

Jack Bruce, Robin Trower - Seven Moons (2007)

Seven Moons
Lives of Clay
Distant Places of the Heart
She's Not The One
So Far To Yesterday
Just Another Day
Perfect Place
The Last Door
Bad Case of Celebrity
Come To Me
I'm Home

64-year old Bruce and 62-year old Trower sound just awesome. I'm a big fan of their "BLT" and "Truce" records which were played at college until the vinyl wore out. This one (Bruce getting first billing) is not quite as vibrant, but it's unbelievable the synergy between the two. Jack Bruce's voice still sounds great, albeit a bit worn over time. The accomplished jazzy Gary Husband (a spry 47!) drums here. I love his work with Holdsworth and whole host of other artists. From Bill Lordan (BLT) to Reg Isodore (Truce), they always pick a great drummer.

John Curtis - Short Songs About Affordable Food (2006)

Make Mine With A Side Of Fries (1:03)
Gort's Tender Spring (2:40)
How Haiku Works (0:55)
Lurk (1:08)
Pop Rocks and String Cheese (1:56)
Waltz (0:39)
The Sunlamp's Anvil (2:14)
Questions for the Real World (3:38)
Brasil (0:29)
The Otter Pop Song (0:53)
But I'm Not Lita Ford (0:44)
Theme From Dogwood/Love Theme From Dogwood (0:32)
Bowling Alley (1:26)
Among Many Unpleasant Considerations, Carlo Has a Sudden and Disturbing Realization (0:32)
Daydream (1:24)
Bert Mocks Me (1:39) (includes Contemplate My Muse/The Voice of Bert/The mediations and taunting Dances of Bert/Bert Mocks Me)
Gluten-Free Vegan (0:23)
Kirchenramen (1:07) (includes The Glistening Orient/The revelation of the Starchy Strands/The Other Dance of the Starchy Strands/Total Broth Retain)
I'm Thinking of Writing for Pictures (0:29)
Pizza (0:53)
Dig Myself a Hole (2:49)
58 Weird Little Notes for Margaret (0:38)
Do the Carpet (1:42)
Big Red (0:12)
Coffee and Peaches (1:47)
Rosko's Rules (2:57)
Rain Barrel (0:51)
Wass Wass Happy Happy (1:56)
Bongo Party (1:10)
I Am Newton (2:08)
Another Failed Ecological Anthem of the '70s (0:31)
I'll Know Better (2:55)
The End of Summer (0:31)
Seven Quick Ones (2:24) (including Too Early In The Day For Guile/Warm,Clean Skivvies/My A/R Folder/The little Dance I Do/Dancing Makes Me Introspective/Natalie/Thinking of Natalie)
Do You Know? (1:20)
Welcome to My House (0:45)
The Role of the Bagel (1:27)
My Omelette (1:11)
I Hate Haiku Haiku (0:30)
The Concave Roommate (3:30)
Stinky Lizard (2:12)
The Burrito Guy (1:48)
While I Was Watching You (0:35)

43 songs and 60 minutes. What's scary is I can pick out the demarcations between parts of his "mini-epics" (Total Broth Retain, clever!). The songs cover a wide variety of styles but they move between prog and pop seamlessly.

Here's his website:

http://www.bigballoonmusic.com/johncurtis/index.htm

Check it out. It will take you longer to laugh and comprehend the song titles and lyrics than to hear the songs. "58 notes"...I didn't count them but I believe him! My favorites are How Haiku Works, Questions for the Real World, Bowling Alley...hell they're all funny...and good. "Do The Carpet" cracks me up, and has been in my head at inopportune moments for a week now. Thanks John

Figures he's a bookkeeper - gotta watch out for them.