CLAY GREEN'S POLYSORBATE MASQUERADE BAND

There are many musical treats starting with 'Saturn's Orbit', that careers off into sporadic jazz metrics and is sprinkled with keyboards and riffing guitar that jumps out with angular rhythms, rounding things off acoustically with an Italian garnish, preparing us for a Hammond and a speedy lead guitar cacophony of sound. 'Frog Boy' has a quirky beat, even reminiscent of a fast paced 'Tarkus'. The organ is especially delirious, breaking into a strange choppy sig, and this sounds as if it was exiled from the 70s.

As I mentioned in the review for the expanded edition of the album, some tunes are not long enough to fully enjoy, ending too soon and feel incomplete. For example, 'Shuffle Butt's Slow Down' is a breezy keyboard jazz exploration played at a frenetic pace, but ends abruptly. 'Rough Landing', has some weird electronic keys with a computerised soundwave. It only lasts for less than a minute so it is not easy to get into.

The highlights are here such as the wonderful Hammond driven 'Sixty-Eight' and it moves along at a measured tempo with some guitar and Hammond embellishments. 'Time Sun' is the one to listen to if you are into exemplary lead guitar work; Clay's solos here are revved to the max with screaming string bends and fast arpeggios. The infectious melodic qualities are prevalent billowing forth on swathes of keyboard.

This is an expurgated version of the much longer and far superior Collector's Edition of the album, but it still has a fun vibe, quite harmless and uplifting melodies that jog the memory on repeated listens. Clay Green has brought to the songs a thematic quality, and they start with a palpable melody with specific instrumentation utilised, and this is later joined by a similar motif, with different instrumentation, all the while building on the melodic theme heard previous. The music is quirky, enjoyable, and experimental, at times reminiscent of 70s classic prog, at other times similar to Mahavishnu Orchestra or King Crimson. My pic is the longer version of the album but this is still a fun album with a lot to offer the listener.

The pieces vary in style and at one stage we get a kind of Latin acoustic guitar vibe happening. I had to look carefully to keep track of the various titles as there are so many but a few stood out and made me reach for the track listing to see what it was. The pieces that I enjoyed the most are the opener 'Saturn's Orbit', a very jazzy off beat musical exploration of keyboards and guitar with jumpy rhythms and a cool riff, that ends with acoustic Italian flavours over a symphonic keyboard sound, then a freakout of fast lead soloing and Hammond shimmers, 'Plan 2', 'Piazz', both very catchy, and 'Return of Episode Xanadu', beginning with medieval organ and then moving to wah-wah lead guitar soloing, back to cathedral organ pipes. 'Time Sun' is also a gem

The tunes are nice and short for the most part so they don't wear out their welcome, and most have something that appeals. It is a kind of a quirky background music in places, and many pieces blend together so if you are not paying attention you are not sure where they finish. Some tunes are not long enough to fully enjoy, ending too soon and feel incomplete. For example, 'Shuffle Butt's Slow Down' is a breezy thing with keyboard solos over a fast tempo guitar rhythm but it fades too early to get into, feeling like half a song. 'Rough Landing', has odd electro keyboards sounding like a computer program, but does not build into anything lasting less than a minute.

But there is a lot here worth wrapping your ears around. 'Sixty-Eight' has great Hammond and a measured tempo with guitar phrases. 'Thanks!' Is quite a cheeky rhythmic melody sounding like the Bubbledroid is having too much fun, but I love the lead guitar break out. There are lovely harp sounds later, then it locks into a kind of jazz fusion feel, and it rocks out at the end with more glorious Hammond flourishes and guitar pizazz.

'The Zoo' plods along like an elephant and we hear one trumpeting, a nice touch, and it sounds like other jungle sounds in the mix over strong Hammond soundscapes. 'Time Sun' has some of the best lead guitar breaks, and really builds into an infectious hook with pleasant keyboard layers.

At the end of the album one can feel refreshed knowing they have heard some uptempo fun music with a quirky edge, and creative musical exploration. According to Clay Green, many of the songs are thematic, beginning with a discernible melody employing certain instrumentation, then a similar piece joins, utilizing different instrumentation, while developing the previous melodic theme. It is easy to hear these variations on each song and there are obvious experimental musical explorations throughout. In any case it is an enjoyable album and perhaps signifies even greater music to come in the future.