Rickter Scale Show 177 - Avant Garden, A Perfect Circle, Flor De Loto, RTF

[Rick and Roll]

airing Sunday, April 27 from 8-11 PM and Monday, April 28 from 1-4 PM

Wish I had a witty theme for this week but it's not happening.....just some music that I've wanted to feature for awhile.

Avant Garden - "Maelstrom" (2001)

Dragon Feed
Archemedes Tub
Oceania
Into The Maelstrom
Path of the Far Winds

A very dense mix of instruments, features the sax and flute in prominence along with some ripping guitar leads. "Oceania" is slower (and good!), but most of it is high energy. I think this is the only CD they put out - I heard "Dragon Feed" from the Progday 2002 sampler and was floored. Heavy fusion lovers will take to this.

A Perfect Circle - "Mer De Noms" (2000)

The Hollow
Magdalena
Rose
Judith
Orestes
3 Libras
Sleeping Beauty
Thomas
Renholder
Thinking of You
Brena
Over

A marked contrast to the previous band, this is Maynard James Keenan from Tool and Billy Howerdel on guitar. They've got a few discs out but this is the first. The songs are only between 2 and 5 minutes, and get to the point quickly. You don't have to like Tool to like this, it's much different. "Judith" is an alternative classic.

Flor De Loto - "Madre Tierra" (2007)

Madre Tierra
El Charango Perdido
El Mensajero
Danza Celta
Luz De Luna
Andaluces
Antares
Desapareciendo
La Ley de la Vida
Medusa

I featured this Peruvian band last summer, thought I'd spin the second (of two) CD's by them this week. Heavy in spots, rustic in others, it's good unprocessed prog, with lots of flute and guitar solos. Like this band a lot.

Return to Forever

Spain (Live)
The Romantic Warrior

I figured with their triumphant return, I'd play a few cuts to round out the show. I resisted the urge to play "Phraroh Kings" or "Tyrant", the first being an all-time favorite song of mine - they've been played a lot recently. Since Hiromi Uehara is also touring, and her duet with Chick Corea on "Spain" is riveting (find it on You Tube!), I'd play the RTF version. And to ease us out of the show, the beautiful Romantic Warrior...

No show next week....first break in quite some time...be back on May 11 and 12 with some new purchases from Rosfest, and even some 70's rock and roll at some point in May.

Enjoy!