WORLD CLASS LISTENING PROBLEM

Don't be fooled by the mild-mannered cover, small record company or underground reputation. Behind the subdued image lurks an American band of heroes who are fighting for the rock progressive. They are fighting hard for it - for you - leading a movement of urgently creative music, a front for sonic liberty.

Don Cab's 2006 release, a monument of heavy instrumental rock, knocks out beautiful, churning rhythms of electric meat with lust and hearts full of soul. The two angry but sensitive guitars of Eugene Doyle and Jeffery Ellsworth pair with the nitroglycerin rhythms of bassist Jason Jouver and the astounding Damon Che on drums. With explosive power tempered by rare musicianship, this is more mercurial energy than one room can hold and often 'World Class Listening Problem' reminds of Mahavishnu's 'Birds of Fire' or Zeppelin's first and the feeling of freedom those records evoked.

The group continues their tradition of maximal minimalism by developing music more gradually than most rock units, underpinned by a love for jagged chunks of heavy metal and intense drama. Here they reach out even further, moving the music into more sophisticated areas of metallic landscape and dense brown matter, all ten cuts moving seamlessly into each other and delighting the senses with every passing moment. It may be awhile before these artists get the respect they deserve but that's O.K.-- greatness is often overlooked for a long time before it gets its due and Don Caballero (the name comes from the SCTV television show) only seem to get better with each record they make. They are my band of 2006 and they do the U.S. progressive rock scene proud.