THE STRAINGE CASE OF STEVE

I'm not sure why, but here we have the Two Steves minus one Steve (Gore), bassist James Strain picking up the place vacated by the missing Steve, yet the music is as happy, quirky, humorous, shifty, melodic, and wonderfully- Canterbury as ever!

1. "Fat Delivered (4:59) As if Dave Newhouse and Dave Stewart melded their Canterbury style musics together with Phil Miller's guitar and, at the end, into the form of some traditional Celtic pop song. (8.875/10)

2. "A Race Against Time" (2:40) piano-based 1980s synthesizer-infused jazz with an old, classic jazz-pop melody line tying it all together. The sound palette is still very much like early HATFIELD AND THE NORTH. (4.5/5)

3. "Papa Norco" (4:57) a bit of a militaristic take on some French street music (because of the strong presence of accordion, no doubt) with a definite Dave Newhouse pace and feel to it. The backing synth sounds like The Northettes! (8.75/10)

4. "Beetle Borscht" (5:15) cool piano opening, soon joined by synth before drums and rhythm section jump in. Really nice, relaxed, melodic HOMUNCULUS RES-like tune. Great melodies and instrumental contributions throughout. A top three song for me. (9.75/10)

5. "Over and Out" (3:05) melodic ZAPPA, Moogy Klingman-and-Homunculus Res-like synth pop sound performing a rigorous sound and skill test. (9/10)

6. "The Odor at Tavistock" (4:33) very pleasant Canterbury Style jazz-pop-rock with many completely different motifs sown into one song with the same sudden twists and turns that Homunculus Res uses\d on their 2012 debut album, Limiti all'eguaglianza della parte con il tutto. I love the percussion and bassoon-dominated second motif. One of the most proggy-sounding songs on the album. A top three song for me. (9.5/10)

7. "How Archontic the Ankle Biters" (8:21) with its dominant piano base and synth-funk sound in the rhythm section, this is the jazziest, most classically-influenced, and most dated sounding song on the album--even during the click and pop motif in the second minute. A clever, humorous song that could have been created or produced by fellow- Detroiter Don Was. (17.5/20)

8. "Lady and the Old Codger" (2:27) an ambivalently malevolent and, at the same time, humorous song that really gets your attention. Like a scene out of an Eminem movie. Powerful! (5/5)

9. "Unknowable" (5:14) synth-o-mania! Interesting, but sounds and feels rather dated and more like an étude than something intended for consumer/listener pleasure. (8.6667/10)

10. "Love Is a Dead Smelly Fish" (4:34) another song on the jazz-side of the musical spectrum--as if Homunculus Res went more toward French street music or straight jazz. (9/10)

11. "I Cries Crimes" (3:56) Fender Rhodes! And, according to the liner notes, a whole host of all-star guests! The rhythm tracks are much more seamless and laid back than many of the other songs. Another favorite. (9.25/10)

12. "Uh Oh (Lait Suspendu Fermenté)" (3:39) Singing! in French! By a female "NORTHETTES"-like choir (all Penelope Lovelace multitracked?)! Such a joyful song! My favorite song on the album! (10/10)

13. "Groom of the Stool" (3:32) lots of sound FX in the opening before a heavier early-DAVE STEWART-like piano chord progression opens up the minor-key song construct. It's like a soundtrack song from an European spy thriller. Interesting but nothing exceptional or ground-breaking. (8.75/10)

14. "Lurking in Shadow Fury" (3:41) piano and accordion and, later, synthesizer trading turns in the lead over staccato stop-and-go jazz foundation. A little hurky-jerky for me, too reliant on an oft-repeated melody line. (8.66667/10)

15. "Guns for Clones" (7:43) one of the more serious-sounding songs on the album, it's quite like the early Canterbury instrumentalists (Hatfield, Gilgamesh, or even National Health). I like the constantly shifting tempo and accordion work. (13.75/15)

16. "People Who Eat People" (8:53) again, there is an undefinable French street musicality to this music--and it's so carefree and happy-go-lucky--like a walk through several of the delightful neighborhoods in Paris' 2nd or 3rd Arrondissement coupled with the occasional encounter with the the Right Bank of the Seine or museum stroll through. (18.25/20)

Total Time 77:29

Being that this all-instrumental album is so long and completely saturated with the crazily complex twist-and-turn compositions, it is a very hard album to review with my usual play-by-play style. Suffice it to say that all 16 of the songs retain a wonderfully high standard of consistency in enjoyable, melodic, quirky-yet-engaging, each feeling fresh and creatively unique. After my first listen I had one clear favorite: "Uh Oh (Lait Suspendu Fermenté)"--for its French lyrics sung by a Northettes-like female choir (I'm a sucker for both female choral vocals-specially when delivered in the French language). But then, after three listens, I have been able to pick out a few other favorites ("Beetle Borscht," "The Odor at Tavistock," "I Cries Crimes," and "People Who Eat People")--and the rest of the album just keeps growing in my esteem.

A-/five stars; an amazingly refreshing collection of mostly "future jazz" songs from these Cuneiform-supported music masters; music every prog lover should hear--and will probably love! (Especially if you love Canterbury Style music.)