ASTRONOMY MADE EASY

"Astronomy Made Easy" was BOUD DEUN's second album, the follow-up to "Fiction And Several Days" (1995). I'm astounded by BOUD DEUN's technically skills and their thrilling all-instrumental avant-garde compositions with odd rhythms, dissonant chord progressions and magnificent performances. And they have enough variation to keep up the listener's interest. Although the music seems rather unstructured, I get a feeling that it's actually well structured, just like FRANK ZAPPA's music used to be. Imagine a mixture between DIXIE DREGS, KANSAS (the violin-playing), KING CRIMSON (the "Red"-era), MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA and RETURN TO FANTASY. Unfortunately BOUD DEUN has split-up, but their music lives on. As the music is really intricate and challenging, I suppose that it's best appreciated by other musicians, but everyone who's into non-commercial music on the boundaries to jazz-fusion should like this album. Also listen to: BOUD DEUN "The Stolen Bicycle" from 1998.

(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.

Altough the compositions may be quite good, the production of this album isn't really my cup of tea. The band consists of one guitarist, one bassist, one drummer and one violinist, and that's it.

The productions seems to be well done within it's limits, it can't be blamed for being over-produced. Some studio effects, overdubs with other instruments and/or something playing in the background (Or a more up to the front rhytm section, maybe?) might have helped made this recording sound a little bit bigger. As it is now, it becomes quite repetitive and hard to differ the tracks from each other with just the four above mentioned instruments and nothing else.

I can see why someone would like this though.

3.5 stars. Incredible fusion from the USA. I didn't enjoy this one as much as "The Stolen Bicycle", but this is still jaw dropping stuff.This is the kind of music that really needs to be listened to carefully in order to fully enjoy and appreciate it.The violinist in particular has a unique style, but they all are so amazing and tight.

"December 17th" opens with pounding drums and bass as some creative guitar arrives. A bass solo follows. I am awe struck with how amazing these guys play. What a display ! "Good King Friday" features some beautiful guitar and violin interplay. "Spiders" opens with some great guitar as the bass comes rumbling in and drums pound away. The song settles down as violin comes in. A full sound to end it. "Sleeping" is a mellow violin driven track. It's ok. "Niether" again features some mind boggling play, especially from the drummer and guitarist. "Copper Ink" is the longest track. It's really out of control with periods of rest in between. It calms down 3 1/2 minutes in with drums and violin. The bass before 6 minutes is killer.

"Conversations With Ellis" features some fat bass (no offense) and odd metered drumming. Some smooth violin melodies follow. "Coal Boxes And Daisy Cutters" has some crazy guitar in this rip snorter. "Lincoln" is fairly reserved 2 minutes in with bass, drums and violin. The guitar 4 minutes in is great as the drummer pounds every square inch of his kit. "Jupiter" 30 seconds in is the heaviest part of the album. More other-worldly drumming 5 minutes in right to the end of the song. "The Miller's Tale" is a short, yet blistering assault. "The Quince Tree" is more laid back until it changes 1 1/2 minutes in as rumbling drums arrive. Guitar and violin play over top. Bass solo 4 minutes in.

This is a no brainer for fusion fans or fans of virtuoso playing, however it rarely lets up with the bombast which is probably why their "The Stolen Bicycle" is one I prefer much more to this.