Stratospheerius - headspace and the DVD Fiddle Trip Funk LIVE!
A Review By Mark Kirby
The problem with so much of what they call indie rock is an answer so obvious it’s more like a two-tone elephant in the room. Indie rock is primarily aimed at a small group of people - liberal arts college educated kids who live in an insulated world with its own references based on a mixture of punk rock anyone-can and art school obscure-is-cool aesthetics. And the roots of the music are almost always exceedingly in shallow musical soil. These bands are often based on the surface style of one or two bands that were hip a year or two ago. Or less. Blues, the deep roots of the rock bands of yesteryear, jazz, and any sounds related to soul or funk are out. The braying sounds of a brat quivering earnestly about the typical problems of everyday life with no poetry or insight, are in.
Stratospheerius are one of the few exceptions. No doubt part of their problem with regards to the music industry - and what makes them a delight to this and many other listeners – is that they don’t fit the mold in music or image. Not really funk, more than rock, pop and soul powered by jazz fusion, and a touch of the jam band vibe. Pop, that is, by way of the Police and Motown, informed by diverse and challenging music like jazz and old school progressive rock. This power quartet is, simply put, playing some of the most interesting and powerful rock music out there. The first telltale sign was that, with all the music I’ve listened to in a lifetime, I didn’t know what to make of their new CD headspace at first. One moment I’m thinking it’s power pop, the next it seems to be radio friendly hard rock, then jazz fusion, but then it seems to be something else altogether and my ears throw up their hands, exasperated.
Their overall palette of sound on the vocal cuts range from the fast rock-out groove of “New Material” to the hoe down pop rock of “Old Ghosts” through “Sold Out,” a bizarre but natural-sounding mix of Yes-inspired rhythmic intricacy, jazz fusion meets bluegrass choruses, jam outs featuring his cry-of-love violin solos. The best and, oddly, most radio friendly song is “Today is Tomorrow. ” It begins with a trippy plucked violin lick then hits big like FM Power 95 radio rock, followed by a journey into the land of psychedelica. The violin has the bar-chord thickness of three guitars. Violinist and singer Joe Deninzon’s voice on this cut is a subtle but no less powerful version of David Lee Roth at his MTV peak. Drummer Lucianna Padmore crashes and rumbles nicely throughout the song. She attains the level of rock drumming where Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon, and Billy Cobham once roamed by accenting, pushing, and driving the song with just the right beats, fills, louds and softs. She has chops galore and hits the full- band-in unison drag racing starts and stops on this song with melodic and rhythmic perfection here and throughout the album.
This jazz, funk and blues approach works to great effect in their awesome reanimation of the old Police “Driven to Tears.” It starts with a Hendrix style intro on the violin (Deninzon is incendiary throughout the song ) and into a meatier rendition of the punk sea feel of the original. Padmore’s plays the beat like John Bonham, bassist Bob Bowen lays down a heavy bass line where each note radiates feeling.
Jazz comparisons can often give people the wrong idea. They think “oh no, it’s arty farty” or “this is gonna be clever and pleasant and intellectual, like me.” Each expectation gives the wrong idea since Stratosspheerius’ music has smarts, but not of the cold calculating kind; the music has rawness and intensity, but not the stupid punk kind. Statosphreerius have a band sound that avoids the pitfalls of jazz, while keeping its sophistication and musical depth. It’s also on these adventurous instrumental cuts that something of the soul of the band, in all it’s unabashed jammin’-in-the-basement glory comes through. “Gutterpunk Blues” is a prog rock bluegrass metal number that embodies the feeling and texture that the band brings to all the songs. The drums, bass, and slide guitar propel the main song riff as the violin, acoustic guitar and mandolin add melody and rich, rock sound. “Mental Floss” is the best example of original fusion heard in years. It starts with a middle eastern beat, then adds interlocking riffs from each instrument, building slowly to a mad musical race with tight jazz rock drumming and a blazing guitar solo by Mack Price. It spills into a dreamy bridge of abstract psychedelic sounds and back to the races, this time featuring more searing violin and a hard rock finish. “Heavy Schtelle Part 1: Heavier Shtelle” is another Middle Eastern groove (this one in a loping 7/8 rhythm) but with a heavier, hard rock sound. The violin and guitar dance and duel together on the plaintive melody and the song hits one of the band’s patented psychedelic spaces, this one with an acid edge.
True musicianship, or the lack thereof, always comes out in live performance. Jazz recordings are for the most part documentations of realtime creativity; the ability to blend ensemble work, composition, and individual expression in the moment, with no moment being exactly the same. Rock and related music (pop, hip hop, etc.) often relies on recording techniques and tricks like multi tracking to get the music right. Stratospheerius prove that they’re squarely on the jazz side of the “can-they-play-live” equation on their DVD Fiddle Trip Funk. A recording of a live concert somewhere in NYC, we see the band and particularly Deninzon in fine form, with a loose, natural stage presence that both fits and belies the intense music. Unlike many rock bands today, these guys have paid their dues and created a tight ensemble that plays the hell out tunes from the headspace CD as well as others. The highlight of the DVD is their version of the theme from The Simpson’s TV show. After playing the melody we know and love, they break the song down and into a weird alternate universe of density and chaos - not unlike many episodes of the show - before snapping it back to a normal rendition of the tune. Throughout the concert it becomes clear that all the distorted, shrieking and wailing sounds on the CD are produced in real time from an array of boxes at Deninzon’s and Price’s feet. One fly in the band’s sweet musical buttermilk is that despite the array of sonic possibilities the guitar often sounds like the violin, especially in the phrasing. Still in all, this DVD, like the CD, is tight and exciting and full of catchy tunes and amazing group and individual musicianship.
Hey Joe, you ought to get with Von Cello, an electric cello innovator (see the Music Dish eJournal archives for my piece on work) and form a mutant super group, with yours truly the writer on drums. I know an electric trumpet player and a French horn player. Hey, every boy has got a dream.
