ASTRONOMY MADE EASY

(3.5 stars) Are you ready for almost an hour of intricate rock-fusion, a mélange of fusion and RIO, with influences from Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs, King Crimson (refer to Red era)? If so, be sure to pick this brillian album and let yourself be submersed in this dynamic and energetic ride. The tracks (it is completely instrumental) are partly free-form but there is a general main theme they follow and it is large enough to let the musicians wander off in many directions and create the music they want and it is usually in this record, fast, intense, intricate with dissonant chords and many time signatures changing quite rapidly. The violin in the tracks is a reminder of Mahavishnu Orchestra but it does its role much faster than the MO one. The only possible downside of this album, is that you need time to relax after listening to it, due to its almost exhausting tempo.There is absolutely no dull moment here and no time to relax. You are carried away by the music as it sways between more fusion oriented tracks (Lincoln) or more RIOesque tracks (Copper Ink, Coal Boxes and Daisy Cutters). The musicians are doing a top-notch job here and just listening to their performance is a delight. Shawn Persinger on guitar is delivering quality solos all along the album. Matt Eiland is giving a great part funky performance on the bass and drummer Rocky Cancelose gives an excellent rhythm to the songs. The violin is played Greg Hiser and I already mentioned MO as being a possible inspiration for him. Also worthy of mention is the very cool art work of the booklet which is built as an astronomy map of the earth nighttime sky. This album will be appreciated by not only fusion fans, but also by RIO/Avantgarde fans because of the nature of the music as I have described it. It is a shame they have disbanded since one could only imagine what they could have composed had they go on. Great listening, but not essential- 3.5 stars.