DUCK

In 20 or 30 years, if someone asks themselves the question (you never know?): "Which group is the most representative of the Jazz-Rock-Fusion-Prog scene of the years 2010-2020?", I think the answer might be The Aristocrats . As a reminder, The Aristocrats brings together three of the greatest musicians on the planet: Bryan Beller on bass, Marco Minnemann on drums and Guthrie Govan on guitar. In recent years, they have become a kind of standard meter in this style of music. Five years after their last studio album, here is 'DUCK', an entirely instrumental concept album telling the story of a runaway duck pursued by a penguin policeman... Believe it or not, behind what seems to be a schoolboy musician's joke, the trio has developed a real story that is of course very difficult to understand with music as the only medium.

So, on "Hey, Where's MY Drink Package?" our web-footed hero, a bit tipsy, gets ejected manu-militari from a bar which refuses to serve him. The track begins with drums which set the groove, then the guitar and bass arrive for a heavy riff as desired. The rest, rhythmically complex without seeming as it always is with the group, sometimes evolves towards Funk, Jazz or Metal. It's disconcertingly virtuosic and relaxed, another trademark of the trio.

Head to the entrance of a select club with "Aristoclub". One of my favorite tracks on the record, with its dance/disco rhythm, its guitar intro shot and its singing theme. As with all the tracks on the album, I can't tell if Guthrie Govan 's solo is entirely improvised or written, as it is fluid, technical and melodic at the same time.

And here comes the police penguin in the person of "Sgt. Rockhopper". The piece is very marked Rock and offers a new demonstration by Guthrie Govan who splashes the title of his game as original as it is breathtaking. "Sittin' With A Duck On A Bay", a humorous nod to Otis Redding , is a more sedate and indeed a little more soulful track. The song gains intensity little by little with its Wah-Wah guitar (as if to make the duck talk), its rhythmic breaks and its bass which takes unexpected liberties.

Construction equipment breaks the pastoral atmosphere at the beginning of "Here Come The Builders", before giving way to a kind of Boogie-Blues, with Aristocrats flavor of course. Nocturnal, sweaty and urban atmosphere in the style of "NYPD Blue" for "Muddle Through", a track written by bassist Bryan Beller , even if his instrument is not the most highlighted. "Slideshow" is another one of my favorites. The double tapping on the guitar, the bass which evokes Africa, the beautiful melodic passages, make it an unstoppable success. New humorous nod (to Genesis this time) with "And Then There Were Just Us/Duck's End" ("?and then there were three?"/"Duke's End"). The piece, subject to numerous changes, can indeed evoke the British formation directly or indirectly.

The album ends with the very first collaboration in The Aristocrats discography . "This Is Not Scrotum" (?) welcomes Rusanda Panfili and her violin for a festive track with an Eastern European atmosphere. A final snub for those who would like to lock the group into a very specific style.

Being an admirer of The Aristocrats, this new release perfectly meets my expectations. Even if it is better to be a customer of this type of entirely instrumental music, let us recognize that in this style they are untouchable today. Benefiting from a slightly crazy concept, but very representative of the sense of humor of the members of the group, 'DUCK' displays a beautiful cohesion and a certain unity which make it (for my taste) their best album to date.

Review originally posted on www.progcritique.com.