Rickter Scale Show 158 - Shhhhhhhhhhhh

[Rick and Roll]

airing Sunday, December 9 from 8-11 PM EST and
Monday, December 10 from 1-4 PM EST

The unexpected cancellation of my basketball practices, while greatly disappointing me, has enabled me to pull together the show on "time". This is called making prog out of progressive (or is it lemonade out of lemons)...

This show was meant to showcase new purchases (bought this past weekend), but turned out that all of the music this week is instrumental, hence the show's name.

Speechless - Time Out of Mind (2006)

In The Clouds
Spidercrawl
Stella
Thank You
The Big Majestic
Something Green
Spaghetti Junction
Hangover
Vader's Boogie

Sean Tonar, curator of the mighty Progressive Ears, is the guitarist of this Atlanta-based band. The music is very tasteful, and the one thing that stands out (other than the perfect 30-second cover of Rush's "Anthem" in the first song lol) is how the band plays as a single unit. That's crucial to having an instrumental disc succeed in a band setting. Some instrumentals that touch fusion are guilty of wanking and one-upping each other. This disc is polished, and the musicianship is sublimely excellent. Sean's been dropping in on the Moon from time to time, let him know how good this is!

Might Could - Wood Knot (2007)

Dance of the Woodfires
Not Every Sequel Has A Name
River of Crows
Synecdoche
Lagrimas de Cera
Vietato Fumare
Malice
All That Remains

Was looking forward to getting this at their Orion show last Saturday, and was not disappointed. A bit more tame than their debut "All Intertwined", yet the writing is even better. When I played their first disc, Tim McCaskey from the band stopped in during the show. As is on the first CD, it's three acoustic guitarists with Luis Nasser (Sonus Umbra, Kurgan's Bane) on bass. They're out of my college haunt of College Park, MD. It will remind you of the California Guitar Trio in structure, but it's quite different. Maybe the California Raisins! Seriously, it's excellent playing and writing, and again guaranteed to separate you from your money.

Thanatopsis - Anatomize (2006)

Counter Clockwise
Break Even Point
Vitrecus Humor
Pollyanna
Prolix Mood
Common Ground
Unnerved
Simper
Broca's Area
Cross Section

Travis Dickerson (keys) put together this great project. I think they have three discs out. Teaming up with the prolific and variable supertalent guitarist Buckethead, and Ramy Antoun on drums, this is a killer record. I've heard a lot of Buckethead but have never bought anything before this one. His playing, while still blistering, is well withing the framework of the band. Dickerson smokes on the keys, and has some really cool parts. A fantastic fusion effort.

Dave Kulju - "Somnium" from "Abstract Expression"

I needed about 15 minutes to fill the show. After bandying about some Focus, I thought a song off of a 2007 top 10 album of the year candidate (subtle hint like a sledgehammer) would do. Many sections in this song, you may need a road map.

Enjoy, and remember.....shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[OverHillandDale(Admin)]

Oh Atlanta, Oh Atlanta!
I said yeah! yeah! yeah! Atlanta, got to get back to you

[podakayne]

great line up...my ears are eager...what can i say?...oops forgot ...mums the word!

(speechless in seattle)
poda