DISCO VOLANTE

What a strange and wild ride this is! In this one bizarre album, you can hear many different genres of music including death metal, jazz, surf rock, techno, eastern music, and just flat out noise (rock). The beautiful thing is the band switches between them flawlessly and performs each with an amazing dexterity. Even if there music doesn't appeal to you (which is very understandable) you have to admit there is alot of talent on this record. With that said on to the music.

The madness begins with "Everyone I Went To High School With Is Dead", a pure death metal track, showing off the metal roots of the band members. Next up is the average Chemical Marriage. Nothing overly special here, but some nice playing by all involved. Now this is where we really start to pick up steam. Carry Stress In The Jaw leads off an awe inspirering stretch of the album. Great sax, great bass, even great shred guitar. At the end the mood shifts drastically to a semi-demented surf rock song with a narration to remember. Great stuff! Next comes my favorite Desert Search For The Techno Allah. There is not a bad moment in the song (although that could be said for many of them). A middle eastern techno club comes to mind when i hear this. Very bizarre! Something everyone (every prog fan that is) should at least hear (IMO at least). Following this masterpiece is Volenza Domestica (sp??). A spooky song with interesting lyrics (which are in Italian I believe). In addtion, this is one of the few songs to give me chills! Very well done. Next up is After School Special. An eeriely "comfortable" feeling track with good vocals, but overall nothting "over-the-top". Phlegmatics is a good song with excellent playing and a punkish begining. Again, good but not stellar. However the same can not be said about Ma Meeshka Mow Skowz, a fantastic song with a great feel, melody, sax, and playing. A jazz feel is present throughout and pattons "vocals" are interesting if nothing eles. Great song. The "epic", The Bends, contains alot of noise. However, it really doesn't boring anywhere in the song (not that its all too exciting to begin with, but it does have its moments). My favorite part is the end with one of the strangest things i've heard in my life. Backstrokin' is a nice short song with nice melody, piano, and playing. The shortest highlight of the album for me. Platypus is perhaps the strangest song on the ablum. Very RIO/avant gurde at times, other times a bit more accessable. All the musicans are spot on throughout (and you would have to be to keep up with the "furiousness" of this song). Another highlight. The final song is Merry go bye bye. I find this to be a sour note to end on. Again the music/lyrics are good but it just doesn't hit me. At the end there is a "bonus track" which is basically them screwing around in the studio. Not bad but could become annoying.

All in all this is quite a musical advanture. There are very few flaws on this album and none of them come from the musicans themselves. Everything is played to perfection (even the lesser songs). Certainly not for everyone, but i believe that everyone should at least sample this album. Also, with the diversification on here, there should be a section that appeals to everyone. If you dont you are certainly missing out on a great prog album. Highly recommended!