DAEMON EX MACHINA

A retro band with forward-thinking ideas, Solution Science Systems proved to be one of the more interesting heavy prog groups to emerge from the U.S. scene in 2003. Synthist Andy Tegethoff, guitarist Rob MacGrogan and the drums of Kelly Shane create a kind of rompus room of conflicting styles and prog novelties, encompasing a good range of goals on their 'Daemon ex Machina'. Unafraid to show their affection for everyone from Bowie, the Cars, and Frank Zappa to Rush, Crimson and Genesis, the record is quite a smorgasbord but luckily doesn't over do the mixing and matching like Secret Chiefs 3 tend to. The trio also hawks some sort of New Age nanonucleonic-worshipping culture and dedicates a spoof site to it. Though schizophenic at times, the music is essentially guitar-based Art pop filled with a good dose of fun. 'Science is the Solution pt. 1' can only remind of the Crims circa '74, 'Electrotrombonophone' gets into classic prog sounds mixed tentatively with horrid 1980s MTV memories and 'We Interrupt This Program' is a humor piece. 'Hey Butterfly' is a good anthem, back on the heavy prog track is 'Phonotonic Duality' and 'The Heavy Fist of Maxwell's Daemon', both with a good mix of jazz jam and hard rock. I don't see many listeners falling for them and there are no revolutions to be heard, but I'd hire these guys for a party any day of the week.