THE ARISTOCRATS

The Aristocrats is a heavy rock and jazz fusion power trio from around the world. The music here tends toward playful fun but incoherence. This is a series of lengthy albeit sophisticated jams full of incredible technical proficiency but lacking any memorability.

"Boing!. I'm in the Back" Distorted guitar and an odd rhythm adopt a quirky drive in this opener. Eventually, it boasts a bit of progressive surf rock. I appreciate the softer side the band takes on during the middle passage.

"Sweaty Knockers" Interesting title aside, the music here switches from aggressive rock to smooth jazz in a matter of mere moments. The guitarist gyrates through heavy metal shredding and country rock twang.

"Bad Asteroid" Velvety guitar begins this calmer venture. It's rather similar to "Walking the Plank" by Celtic rockers Bad Haggis.

"Get it Like That" This fourth piece stays in that laidback jazzy mode, but there's more of an urgency about this one.

"Furtive Jack" The band offers a degree of variety on this Caribbean-inspired excursion. It blends silky jazz with grittier leads. There's an excellent bass solo to be found here.

"I Want a Parrot" Slow and swinging, I find this lengthy tune to be somewhat similar to material from David Gilmour's On an Island. There's plenty of screaming guitar and grooving bass here to go around. The judicious drummer does an incredible job giving the music precisely what it needs, even if it means sitting it out for a bit.

"See You Next Tuesday" Initially of an avant-jazz-rock piece, this one tends to be harder to follow until it settles into a heavy groove upon which the guitarist has a field day.

"Blues Fuckers" This unfortunately titled piece is just all over the place and is only really bluesy in the beginning and the end.

"Flatlands" The final piece is clean, slow-paced blues that is reminiscent of some of Eric Johnson's smoother work- a placid ending to an otherwise frenetic album.

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Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2012 | Review this album | Report (Review #760537)

Good album, but I think that it left much to desire. Mostly in all the songs, they show an excellent techinique, a beautiful performance, but thats it, nothing more. I mean, it is like if they have all the pieces but, at the end, doesn't match, to put the pieces together and start building somet ... (read more)

Report this review (#1426276) | Posted by yair010390 | Friday, June 12, 2015 | Review Permanlink

When you hear the name Marco Minnemann, it is synonym of an excellent and passionate drummer. When you hear the name Guthrie Govan, it is synonym of an excellent and virtuoso guitar player. When you hear the name Bryan Beller, it is synomym of an excellent and accurate bass player. Put them t ... (read more)

Report this review (#1007711) | Posted by Memo_anathemo | Sunday, July 28, 2013 | Review Permanlink

If the cat got their tongue, it does not care, Aristocats could play without any vocals, and they will catch your ear. Actually my personally favorite into instrumental heavy rock, The Aristocrasts is the heavy prog at its finest. Highly into jazz fusion and improvisation, this power trio inc ... (read more)

Report this review (#960541) | Posted by VOTOMS | Friday, May 17, 2013 | Review Permanlink

I'm a fanboy of Guthrie Govan. I think he is one of the best guitarists of our century, maybe the best. His melodies are so strong that you can't call him a shredder. On this album, he shows us that he can play like a true jazz guitarist. He's also so good at rock, blues and even metal. So he ... (read more)

Report this review (#617172) | Posted by talha | Monday, January 23, 2012 | Review Permanlink

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