Rickter Scale Show 141 - "Frosty the Snowjam and Others"

[Rick and Roll]

Airing on Sunday, August 5 from 8-11 PM and Monday, August 6 from 1-4 PM.


Frost - "Milliontown" (2006)

Hyperventilate
No Me No You
Snowman
The Other Me
Black Light Machine
Milliontown

It's the summer of Godfrey on the Scale....a few weeks back we heard Simon with Tinyfish, and this week it's Jem Godfrey and Frost. I was wondering what the angst was all about when Frost cancelled their Rosfest appearance last year - now I know. What a fine record. The title cut, at 26 minutes, never bores. Hyperventilate is a fantastic opener, and No Me No You rocks the house. A big tip of the prog cap to the Boomer Sooner himself (Teerminator) for pointing me the right direction.

The Jelly Jam (2002)

Ty Tabor, guitarist and vocalist for King's X, has two excellent side bands. Platypus is with Derek Sherinian, Rod Morgenstein, and John Myung. It's pretty good rock/fusion. The Jelly Jam is the same lineup without Sherinian. I think it's addition by subtraction, giving Tabor more freedom to craft great rock songs. The three really mix well. Myung of Dream Theater brings his usual thunder, filling in great spaces while never being intrusive. Morgenstein is a technician, going back to his Dregs days. The songs are not long, but have a nice mix of heaviness, exciting jams, and subtle Beatlesque melodies.

Echolyn - "100 Diversions", from "When the Sweet Turns Sour"

I had a few minutes, and stuck a not so well known song in from a favorite band, as a lead in to the final band.....after...

The Gourishankar - 2 songs from "Integral Symphony" (2002)

Wind of Night
Autumn Frost

Two 10-minute cuts from their first effort....a different singer and still finding their style. It's a good representation of their early work - thought it would be interesting after hearing all of the wonderful "2nd hands" last week. I picked this up at Nearfest from the Progession magazine table. It was a promo copy...although they waited a few years, they still resold it. I didn't think that was what I would have done, but the band said they didn't seem to mind.

The Others (2006)

Drive
Desperation
Resurrection
Liars
The Return
Dreamers
Childhood's End
Fly
Yesterdays
Love Hate
Song of Hope

For those of you that like your music a little heavier, you'll enjoy this one. I think they set the record for the shortest song titles....I also bought this at Nearfest, from Tom Hyatt at the Echolyn table. Tom is the bassist for both bands. It got me through the dicey Pennsylvania toll road in the rain on the ride home. The songs are all between three and six minutes, and are certainly to the point. The drums are at the forefront in the mix - Mike Farrell, the drummer, co-produces the record along with Colin Hoover, a fine guitarist. Singer Brian Kasner reminds me of Sylvan's Marco Gruhlman, but deeper. And keyboardist Joe Cardillo blends in well, every once in a while reminding you that he's there with a good run. Tight music just progressive enough to pass here, but all in all exciting rock and roll.

Rock on!