Rascal Reporters - 2023 - Dux In A Row [mini-review]

(76:54; Á Marxe Música)



















US band Rascal Reporters are out with the album "Dux In A Row", and progressive rock is the style explored on this production. I understand that the songs on this album are based on ideas, sketches and compositions that were made way back in time, being fully developed in more recent years. If I have understood this correctly or not, this is still an album that comes with the 1970's written all over it in terms of sound, mood, approach and execution. Those who enjoy bands that explore specific subsets of the progressive universe can safely look elsewhere however, as this is a band that appear to enjoy diversity. Romantic harpsichord driven constructions and elegant, pastoral English specific progressive rock are just as common as challenging and difficult jazzrock on this album. Songs that reference the more uplifting or melancholic landscapes of bands like Genesis can be found, those with a darker and more theatrical character closer to the likes of Van der Graaf Generator too, but those who thrive on the whimsical as well as more challenging escapades of an artist like Frank Zappa will find plenty to enjoy as well. That many of the songs mix and blend these tendencies probably goes without saying, and that a liberal amount of influx of elements from both jazz and classical music is a part of the landscapes explored here pretty much comes with the territory. That being said, this is also music made with attention to the fact that people will want to listen to it. The challenging details and whimsical features comes with a purpose rather than being haphazardly placed by a band that wants to show off a skill or a technique. So while challenging this is also engaging material, and arguably fairly accessible too. A fine album to seek out by those who generally enjoy the more expressive aspects of the progressive rock universe, and a fine place to start for those who want to start getting more familiar with the more challenging escapades one might encounter deep inside the progressive rock universe.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, November 2023

Links:
http://rascalreporters.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049841456640

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thirteen of Everything - 2023 - Time and Other Delusions

Image
(68:22; Basement Avatar Records) Track list: 1. Timeline 8:57 2. Alternate Life 12:02 3. Where the Time Goes 5:32 4. The Penultimate Flight of Armando the Pigeon 7:11 5. The King of Istanbul 10:35 6. Warmth and Darkness 7:32 7. Count All the Days 16.33 Line-up: Brett Cosby - guitars Mick Peters - Chapman stick, bass, pedals, vocals Ted Thomas - drums, percussion, vocals Bob Villwock - keyboards with: Thad Miller - keyboards Prolusion. US band Thirteen of Everything has been a going concern for a bit over 20 years, releasing their initial demo back in 2002 with official albums following in 2005 and 2019 respectively. Following what has been a brief pause between albums for this band they are now preparing to launch their third studio album "Time and Other Delusions", which will be released on US label Basement Avatar Records. Analysis. In terms of the different variations one can find in the progressive rock universe, Thirteen of Everything resides safely inside the symphonic ...
Read more

Deaton Lemay Project - 2022 - The Fifth Element

Image
(63:04; Deaton Lemay Project) Track list: 1. The Great Awakening 5:32 2. A Different Place in Time 7:24 3. Dragonfly 3:35 4. The Nightmare 4:28 5. Exordium 6:24 - Elements of Life Suite 6. Overture 4:43 7. Fire 6:10 8. Water 6:11 9. Air 4:19 10. Earth 6:53 11. Music 7:25 Line-up: Roby Deaton - keyboards, guitars, vocals Craig LeMay - drums, percussion with: Hadi Kiani - vocals Ehsan Imani - guitars Josh Mark Raj - guitars John Haddad - bass Charles Berthoud - bass Liza Evans - violin Prolusion. US band DEATON LEMAY PROJECT started out officially back in 2018, following a 25 year long period of gestation. They released their debut album "Day After Yesterday" in 2019, and following what I suspect has been a rather busy planning and recording period during the years of the pandemic the creative twosome of Deaton and Lemay are back with their second album "The Fifth Element" at the start of 2022. Analysis. While the fifth element apparently used to be defined as aether ...
Read more

Highproject - 2022 - Beyond the Veil, People Stand Silent. Trusted and in Their Prime

Image
(45:14; JackHill Records) Track list: 1. 1000 People 8:48 2. Trust in Me 9:38 3. Prime Time 6:18 4. Rhyader Goes to Town 5:44 5. Silent Treatment 6:58 6. Veil 7:48 Line-up: Anders Altzarfeldt - organ, keyboards Stefan Andersson - bass Bjarne Forsbom - guitars Mikale Grönroos - drums, percussion Robert Johansson Lind - vocals, guitars, percussion with: Lovisa Pingani - vocals, percussion Prolusion. Swedish band Highproject showed its first signs of life as a venture, at least on the internet, all the way back in 2014. A lot of work appears to have been done more in silence since then, before activities started to become more visible to the outside world from 2021 and onwards. In the fall of 2022 the band released their debut album "Beyond the Veil, People Stand Silent. Trusted and in Their Prime" through the label JackHill Records, which I presume is the band's own label. Analysis. Progressive rock is the realm explored by this band, and they appear to have more of a retro...
Read more