ONCE AND FUTURE BAND

4.5 stars. ONCE AND FUTURE BAND are from Oakland, California and this is their debut from 2017. Seasoned musicians, in fact a trio here with two guest female backing singers and two guest guitarists, and one of those would become the fourth member on their next record. This is jaw dropping music that took me completely by surprise. The drummer is outstanding and the best musician on here in my opinion but the vocalist has to share the spotlight for just being off the charts good. He's also a multi-instrumentalist as is the bass player both adding guitar and keyboards here.

I still can't believe how good this record is. It is consistently great to be truthful and yes bands like ELO, 10CC and STEELY DAN came to mind the latter more for those sophisticated, thought provoking lyrics. Yet as catchy and poppy as it is, it also exhibits some demanding compositions with long instrumental breaks revealing a very proggy band with chops. I mean you can focus on the bass which I love or the drums or synths or vocals and just be blown away. The guitars on here are good but not on that level in my opinions. We get seven tracks and just under 39 minutes.

And like I said consistent. First listen I kept waiting for the throw away, the "I wish they didn't go there" song but it didn't come! I have trouble picking a top three because of this and to pick a top five out of the seven seems silly but I do have a favourite "Hide & Seek" which is about this beautiful girl named Sarah and the lyrics are so witty and well done. This is the first track where they slowed things down and it's track three. Hearing is believing but this is so good. It's so meaningful! There are so many sections on this album where it's the combo of drums and synths or drums and bass leading the way and it's the synths and drums late to end this one.

I have to mention the next song "Rolando" for that jazzy start and yes this drummer could be in a Jazz band he's that good. Drums and bass only at one point here. The other track where they slow it down to great results is "Magnetic Memory". The vocals and sound are a beautiful thing. More great drumming on that instrumental break. The bass is most impressive on the closer "Standing In The Wake Of Violence". The vocals are a little different here too. ELO comes to mind the most on "I'll Be Fine" and that opener "How Does It Make You Feel" could have been a hit despite being six minutes long. The vocals kill.

It doesn't look like I can get a physical release of the followup at this point but man I'm pretty content with owning this.

Deleted Scenes is the second album from Oakland prog-pop outfit Once and Future Band (hereafter called OAFB). I was introduced to them via their self-titled 2017 album, which was their first full length release. Their self-titled is a sunny slice of prog-pop with ample jazz and folk touches. However, almost every song on that album felt one to two minutes too long.

The songs on Deleted Scenes are more focused than on OAFB's self-titled, much to this record's benefit. Rich electric pianos and synthesizer tones take center stage for most of the album, and vocalist Joel Robinow has just the right tone and timbre to complement it.

"Andromeda" opens the record with unpretentious piano chords and guitar embellishments. The song skillfully shifts themes, and the many ideas feel unrushed. The second half of the song features a wonderfully jazzy, Patrick Moraz-esque synth solo that builds to a gratifying climax. In contrast to this energetic opening, the second song, "Automatic Air", maintains a slow pace. The multilayered vocals contribute to this song's airy feel, along with the glimmering piano.

"Problem Addict" begins with some clavinet and electric guitar lines that sound like they're right out of Alan Parsons's debut album. It has a downcast feel, but OAFB's inherent warmth seeps through. This warmth can also clearly be heard in the country-tinged, Beatlesesque "Freaks".

The instrumental "Several Bullets in My Head" is the first point on the album where I felt a song overstayed its welcome, but it wasn't by much. It helps that the song's second half is stronger than its first. "Mr. G", another instrumental, has some fun funk vibes and deft soloing.

The album's title track is slightly slower than most other songs, but it maintains a strong sense of urgency. "Airplane" is the simplest song on the album. Its relatively spare, acoustic arrangement serves as a refreshing contrast to all the preceding dense layers of keyboards.

Deleted Scenes closes on its strongest song, the nine-minute instrumental "The End and the Beginning". Opening with plain piano, it gradually builds in grandeur with the addition of jazzy percussion, wordless vocals, and gentle brass arrangements. The drumming is fantastic throughout this whole album, but it's especially noteworthy here. Some of the darker, heavier moments in this song give vague echoes of Van der Graaf Generator and Magma.

Deleted Scenes is exactly the sort of album I was hoping for out of OAFB. They took the upbeat, prog-pop of their debut, stripped away most of the bloat, and added in some more adventurous elements.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2020/06/08/album-review-once-and-future-band-deleted-scenes/

A Crossover band that sounds like a cross between SANGUINE HUM, CHEER-ACCIDENT, THE CRUSADERS, STEELY DAN, TAME IMPALA, THE BEATLES, HARRY NILSSON, BEACH BOYS, and JANE'S ADDICTION. You may even hear some 10CC/GODLEY & CREME in here.

1. "Andromeda" (4:06) JOHN LENNON and HARRY NILSSON both come to mind as I listen to this sophisticated/quirky pop song. Nice classic 1970s wind up and spit out in the final minute. (8.75/10)

2. "Automatic Air" (4:12) a beautiful, almost floating listening experience. (9.5/10)

3. "Problem Addict" (5:03) another gorgeous song that reminds me of SANGUINE HUM only far more engaging and enjoyable. There's a little Tame Impala here, as well. (9.5/10)

4. "Several Bullets in My Head" (4:16) an upbeat instrumental sounding as if it came from some pop-jazz artist of the 1970s like Hubert Laws, The Crusaders/Joe Sample, or Steely Dan. I LOVE me some Fender Rhodes! (9/10)

5. "Freaks" (2:16) THE BEATLES/HARRY NILSSON and CHEER-ACCIDENT. (4.25/5)

6. "Mr. G" (3:25) a pure STEELY DAN opening. Turns more modern cheer-pop before going jazz pop at 1:40. (8.75/10)

7. "Deleted Scenes" (4:35) again a jazzed up SANGUINE HUM or CHEER-ACCIDENT comes to mind as I listen to funked up STEELY DAN-like songs these. (8.75/10)

8. "Airplane" (3:57) orientalized Ry Cooder-like acoustic sound palette backs Joel's confident lounge singing performance. At 2:00 things move into psychedelic pop realm reminding me of Robert James' WEST INDIAN GIRL or JANE'S ADDICTION/PORNO FOR PYROS. Interesting and beautiful but feels incomplete--like a snapshot: it leaves me wanting to know more. (8.75/10)

9. "The End and the Beginning" (9:06) dynamic and melodic, even cinematic, instrumental. Love the drumming and the DD Horns. Great theme/riffs after the slow down in the seventh minute. (18.75/20)

Total Length: 40:58

While lead vocalist Joel Robinow has a very pleasant, engaging voice (much more so than the lead vocalist of the band I most often compare them to, SANGUINE HUM's Joff Winks), and bass player Eli Eckert is often grabbing my attention, drummer Raj Ojha is for me the star of the show: he is quite the clever chameleon with this styles and techniques. Props to Joel for his keyboard mastery, as well.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of crossover jazzy-pop music. I beg to wonder if every prog lover would enjoy adding this to their music collection, but I highly recommend that you check them out. On Bandcamp!