RASCAL REPORTERS

3.5 stars. I bought this along with their latest album "The Strainge Case Of Steve" on a 2 in one package. The two discs compliment each other well but with both clocking in around 77 minutes I needed to spend time with these separately. The "Dux In A Row" is a compilation of 2019's "Redux Vol. 1" and 2021's "Redux Vol. 2" all eleven tracks complex and unfinished for the most part and from the 70's all given the James Strain treatment. James is the newest member of this duo along with Steve Kretzmer. Steve Gore sadly passed in 2009 and the band lay dormant for around a decade until Strain arrived. The man is a genius in the studio and quite the musician.

While I would call "The Strainge Case Of Steve" a synth dominated record I would call "Dux In A Row" a piano driven album. More vocals and humour compared to the most recent studio album and I do like this better. The two tracks that really stood out for me are "Cashew Melody" a beast at 16 1/2 minutes composed by Gore but redone by Strain of course. After the first two tracks this one comes along feeling warmer with that organ. Vocals from Gore and more depth of sound to follow. Lots of changes on this one and samples too that are funny. This one has it all.

The other track that was love at first listen shouldn't be surprising as it's the only real vocal track and so melodic, and that's "Her Kind". Such a feel good piece with Kretzmer singing. After those two back to back tracks my next two favourites are also back to back in "Egos Explode" the only other Gore track on here along with "The Infettered Way" both 4 plus minute songs. I have to mention the name of the closer "Hubert Greenary Peck" perhaps a nod to Hubert Green, Gregory Peck and Frank Zappa. And this closer is 14 minutes long.

If your into this band Wayside still has copies left and this package is so well done it really is a keep sake.

I was really looking forward to this one although I knew from the only other two records I have by this band that it could be great or not so much. Those would be "Ridin' On A Bummer" from 1984 and "Happy Accidents" from 1988. I'm such a big fan of "Ridin' On A Bummer" it's included in my "best of" Avant list while "Happy Accidents" was just too much for me, too difficult. Well I don't consider "The Strainge Case Of Steve" to be difficult, I'm just not into it at all. The synths run the show and while there is a Canterbury flavour I found it minimal.

This is a long one at 77 1/2 minutes with 16 tracks. Some great guests here including former UNIVERS ZERO bass player Guy Segers, Dave Newhouse from THE MUFFINS and he has been on many albums by this band. Dario D'Alessandro from HOMUNCULUS RES and by the way James Strain one half of the duo here mixed and mastered this album and he also did the same for the latest HOMUNCULUS RES record. Steve Kretzmer is the other half and original member, both are multi-instrumentalists.

The music here reminded me somewhat of NECROMONKEY, GOSTA BERLINGS SAGA and MAHOGANY FROG all heavy on the synths and beats but those bands are all in Eclectic here while RASCAL REPORTERS are in Avant and that is possibly the key because there is some off-kilter beats and stuttering sounds throughout and I guess noisy sections that all bring Avant to mind but not much else. Mostly instrumental and oh more guests in Jessica Martin Maresco one of the singers from LE GRAND SBAM and how could I miss Kimara Sajn from THINKING PLAGUE.

My favourite track is "Fat Delivered" the opener because of the distorted keys bringing Canterbury to mind but it's also more melodic and it pulls me in. Similar sounds on the next track "A Race Against Time" and the next one that follows "Papa Norco" but they just aren't melodic. There are some strainge sounding synths and stuff on here that I'm not into or those high pitched synths either. Some sound design, sound effects and samples too. "How Archontic The Ankle Biters" is my least favourite and it's almost 8 1/2 minutes but I do like "Love Is A Dead Smelly Fish" despite the title and what follows "I Cries Crimes" with that all star cast helping out.

"Dux In A Row" is the better record by a substantial amount and I hope to spend more time with it next week.

Rascal Reporters have had a somewhat unusual career in that they were formed in 1974 by multi-instrumentalists Steve Gore and Steve Kretzmer, with the latter taking a step back from composition after 1995's 'Purple Entrapment' before taking a break from music altogether. Steve Gore continued working under the name, utilising guests such as Dave Newhouse (The Muffins) before Gore died in 2009. Kretzmer later decided to revisit old material with bassist and multi-instrumentalist James Strain, releasing the two 'Redux' albums in 2019 and 2021, and now the pair have shared writing and performing on the first album of new material since 2008's 'The Mind Boggles'. There are again a series of guests including long-time collaborator Dave Newhouse (The Muffins, Manna/Mirage) and Guy Segers (Univers Zero), along with Jessica Martin Maresco (Pili Coit, Le Grand Sbam) and Dario D'Allessando (Homunculus Res).

With a career stretching nearly five decades, and with this being their eighth studio album, it is somewhat surprising this is the first time I have come across them, as what we have here is a band who are highly experimental and obviously start from an area of improvisation which is then reworked so melodies are repeated, harmonised etc. I am not sure how much time Kretzmer and Strain spent in the studio together, as this took six years to bring together and was recorded in their respective studios, but do not know if they travelled the Atlantic or worked in isolation. I do wish they had utilised the likes of Dave Newhouse (who guests on three of the sixteen) more, along with bringing in experts in the likes of clarinet and bassoon as the artificial versions being played by synths just sound a little off and it would have been much better to have the real thing.

Once the ear connects into the heavy usage of synth it definitely detracts from the overall enjoyment of the album which is a shame, as here we have Canterbury Prog of some note, with obvious influences from Hatfield & The North, Caravan and Soft Machine. It is the more electronic tendencies and sounds which lets this down, so while it is enjoyable there is always the impression it could have been so much more. This is a long album at well over 70 minutes, but if that is not enough then it is possible to get a special edition with a second CD containing 'Dux in a Row' which features Kretzmer, Gore and Strain and is a compilation of previously released tracks which have been remixed and with new overdubs and additions, similar to the 'Redux' releases. In some ways this is well worth getting with nice complexity combined with commercial Canterbury sounds, but in others this is an opportunity missed.

Rascal Reporters released their album "Dux in a Row" on November 3rd, which consists of works written in the 70's that were reborn on this album and as such represent an excellent mix of classic and new sound of progressive rock. These reworked compositions exude not only incredible and complex musicality, but also the beauty and care that is woven into them. This album was released by áMARXE, and it is possible to order a physical double CD version which, in addition to this album, also includes the band's latest work "The Strainge Case of Steve". Rascal Reporters take us on a fascinating and engaging journey in which you will be catapulted into a labyrinth with obstacles and moments of suspense, a cascade of sounds that sometimes remains suspended on avant-garde plots and then opens up to fluctuating intertwining of rhythms and melodies , all the way to irony and lightness that is typical of the Canterbury scene. This band launches us into an engaging and epic themes. This is a work of rare beauty, perfect synergy between song format and experimentation. The musical taste is impeccable and there are numerous changes in tones between the various parts of the pieces, which is always in continuous growth thanks to an incredible collaboration of all musicians. A crazy and strangely fascinating album where the boundaries between the instruments and the compositional approach are laying the foundations of something new, music without genre definition and without structural or formal limits, it is a complex architecture that, even in all its extreme approaches, still manages to be accessible. The compositions given to us by these musicians are presented through decidedly complex pieces full of excellent musical moments, which represent quite strong elements of many prog spheres. Through listening you can feel how the band hypnotically shows the incredibly cohesive interpretation of an eclectic approach with a Canterbury vein. Also, the impetuosity of the aforementioned is sometimes set aside, and then we have unmistakable experimental flavor, as well as delicate and dreamy atmospheres. The deep musical passion cultivated by the band is clearly evident, and in their compositions, they show exceptional technical endowment, which does not end only in the mere speed of execution but is also evident in the refined cleanliness of the sound. The compositions are sometimes somewhat schizophrenic but never to the point of losing the sense of direction, given that they are flooded by a lot of influence, as well as with a little chain of movements of an indefinable avant-garde genre. The compositional approach in many moments presents more mysterious folds, the keyboard explores the octaves in an ascending and descending sense, thus creating a psychedelic and obscurely jazzy atmosphere. A fantastic approach of creating atmospheres, where in certain moments we have a combination of positive and dangerous feelings at the same moment. This was achieved with those background sounds that support the main themes that slowly build up. The group has the good taste to diversify its subject and to embrace a good number of atmospheres. There are various electronic inputs for floating and cloudy sounds, rhythmic patterns, sonority, and crazy experimental moments, all united in landscapes that will enchant you. Both albums are assembled precisely and in a fantastic way, the group seems to give little space to improvisation, the point is that everything is fascinating for its changing colors and imaginative games. Beautiful albums, with attention to detail, in which nothing seems to be the result of chance.

The new 2CD release via áMARXE of "The Strainge Case of Steve / Dux in a Row" is an absolute revelation and a true listening pleasure of the highest order. "Dux In A Row" collects both volumes of Redux (70s material), but completely updated from the ground up, incorporating new layers and takes. This reincarnation captures the essence of the original pieces while adding a touch of modern refinement, making it a must-have for both dedicated fans and those new to the world of Rascal Reporters.

This comes alongside a reissue of the band's new work, "The Strainge Case of Steve", which sold out of its initial run of 100 CDs, leaving many without a chance. It's a listening pleasure of the highest level.

Truly extraordinary from the first sound to the last, taking you on a sonic journey that is equal parts haunting and enchanting. The lush textures and intricate layers that characterize the group's distinctive sound are a portal to another world, inviting you to fully immerse yourself in an evocative sonic universe that includes beautiful melodies of the Canterbury sound, complex estructures of Rock In Opposition and experimental occurrences of all type. In an era of disposable music, this double album is a testament to the lasting power of artistic expression.

I'm not sure why, but here we have the Two Steves minus one Steve (Gore), bassist James Strain picking up the place vacated by the missing Steve, yet the music is as happy, quirky, humorous, shifty, melodic, and wonderfully- Canterbury as ever!

1. "Fat Delivered (4:59) As if Dave Newhouse and Dave Stewart melded their Canterbury style musics together with Phil Miller's guitar and, at the end, into the form of some traditional Celtic pop song. (8.875/10)

2. "A Race Against Time" (2:40) piano-based 1980s synthesizer-infused jazz with an old, classic jazz-pop melody line tying it all together. The sound palette is still very much like early HATFIELD AND THE NORTH. (4.5/5)

3. "Papa Norco" (4:57) a bit of a militaristic take on some French street music (because of the strong presence of accordion, no doubt) with a definite Dave Newhouse pace and feel to it. The backing synth sounds like The Northettes! (8.75/10)

4. "Beetle Borscht" (5:15) cool piano opening, soon joined by synth before drums and rhythm section jump in. Really nice, relaxed, melodic HOMUNCULUS RES-like tune. Great melodies and instrumental contributions throughout. A top three song for me. (9.75/10)

5. "Over and Out" (3:05) melodic ZAPPA, Moogy Klingman-and-Homunculus Res-like synth pop sound performing a rigorous sound and skill test. (9/10)

6. "The Odor at Tavistock" (4:33) very pleasant Canterbury Style jazz-pop-rock with many completely different motifs sown into one song with the same sudden twists and turns that Homunculus Res uses\d on their 2012 debut album, Limiti all'eguaglianza della parte con il tutto. I love the percussion and bassoon-dominated second motif. One of the most proggy-sounding songs on the album. A top three song for me. (9.5/10)

7. "How Archontic the Ankle Biters" (8:21) with its dominant piano base and synth-funk sound in the rhythm section, this is the jazziest, most classically-influenced, and most dated sounding song on the album--even during the click and pop motif in the second minute. A clever, humorous song that could have been created or produced by fellow- Detroiter Don Was. (17.5/20)

8. "Lady and the Old Codger" (2:27) an ambivalently malevolent and, at the same time, humorous song that really gets your attention. Like a scene out of an Eminem movie. Powerful! (5/5)

9. "Unknowable" (5:14) synth-o-mania! Interesting, but sounds and feels rather dated and more like an étude than something intended for consumer/listener pleasure. (8.6667/10)

10. "Love Is a Dead Smelly Fish" (4:34) another song on the jazz-side of the musical spectrum--as if Homunculus Res went more toward French street music or straight jazz. (9/10)

11. "I Cries Crimes" (3:56) Fender Rhodes! And, according to the liner notes, a whole host of all-star guests! The rhythm tracks are much more seamless and laid back than many of the other songs. Another favorite. (9.25/10)

12. "Uh Oh (Lait Suspendu Fermenté)" (3:39) Singing! in French! By a female "NORTHETTES"-like choir (all Penelope Lovelace multitracked?)! Such a joyful song! My favorite song on the album! (10/10)

13. "Groom of the Stool" (3:32) lots of sound FX in the opening before a heavier early-DAVE STEWART-like piano chord progression opens up the minor-key song construct. It's like a soundtrack song from an European spy thriller. Interesting but nothing exceptional or ground-breaking. (8.75/10)

14. "Lurking in Shadow Fury" (3:41) piano and accordion and, later, synthesizer trading turns in the lead over staccato stop-and-go jazz foundation. A little hurky-jerky for me, too reliant on an oft-repeated melody line. (8.66667/10)

15. "Guns for Clones" (7:43) one of the more serious-sounding songs on the album, it's quite like the early Canterbury instrumentalists (Hatfield, Gilgamesh, or even National Health). I like the constantly shifting tempo and accordion work. (13.75/15)

16. "People Who Eat People" (8:53) again, there is an undefinable French street musicality to this music--and it's so carefree and happy-go-lucky--like a walk through several of the delightful neighborhoods in Paris' 2nd or 3rd Arrondissement coupled with the occasional encounter with the the Right Bank of the Seine or museum stroll through. (18.25/20)

Total Time 77:29

Being that this all-instrumental album is so long and completely saturated with the crazily complex twist-and-turn compositions, it is a very hard album to review with my usual play-by-play style. Suffice it to say that all 16 of the songs retain a wonderfully high standard of consistency in enjoyable, melodic, quirky-yet-engaging, each feeling fresh and creatively unique. After my first listen I had one clear favorite: "Uh Oh (Lait Suspendu Fermenté)"--for its French lyrics sung by a Northettes-like female choir (I'm a sucker for both female choral vocals-specially when delivered in the French language). But then, after three listens, I have been able to pick out a few other favorites ("Beetle Borscht," "The Odor at Tavistock," "I Cries Crimes," and "People Who Eat People")--and the rest of the album just keeps growing in my esteem.

A-/five stars; an amazingly refreshing collection of mostly "future jazz" songs from these Cuneiform-supported music masters; music every prog lover should hear--and will probably love! (Especially if you love Canterbury Style music.)

If it wasn't for the helpful folk at PA, I would never have known this band existed. This is the first album I've heard by Rascal Reporters and I can enthusiastically report that these rascals have blown me away. I love this album. Mostly instrumental, the music brings something unique to my ears. A Jazzy Canterbury Classical mixture of divine compositions that flow without repetition and are laced with upbeat positive vibes. Engaging and challenging the listener as the music transports you to another dimension. Clocking in at almost 78 minutes you would think there are a few duds on this disc, but there isn't. Every song is amazing. The band on this release consists of Steve Kretzmer (keys, programming, effects, etc.) and James Strain (bass, guitar, drums, etc.). A few friends help to fill in - vocals on one track and some angry spoken words on another track. Beyond that, all other tunes are, insane complex instrumentals that constantly morph into blissfull modern ear candy that only these skilled musicians can pull off. I'm highly impressed that they make this music accessible to us mortals. At the same time I'm embarrassed because they have ten other albums (albeit different personnel) and there is much for me to explore.

An album that should not be missed by any music lover. Easy 4.5 stars... but gotta round up.

4.5 stars. I can't tell you all how excited I am to own this record, and it's such surprise after feeling that "Happy Accidents" the followup to this was just too much for my little brain. Speaking of which that cry from the two Steve's "Does anybody have a brain" from the opening track still makes me laugh. Steve Gore and Steve Kretzmer are the dynamic duo in question here making such an impression in the early 80's with their Avant music that musicians from HENRY COW, THE MUFFINS, UNIVERS ZERO and on and on were thrilled to be part of their recordings. And on top of all this a new album is about to be dropped in 2023 called 'The Strainge case Of Steve".

I get amped up when I discover an album that usually isn't in the style I'm into yet hits the spot big time like "Ridin' On A Bummer". This is all over the place as far as styles go but the collage stuff, the humour, the experimental bits all work for me for the most part. Strainge indeed. MIRIODOR and their circus-like music, Zappa's most out there recordings and MAHOGANY FROG all came to mind then throw in some dissonant horns and certainly Avant jazz and even Free jazz rear their beautiful yet twisted heads. This was released in 1984 and right away becomes a top five for me for that year along with now being included in my "best of" Avant list.

The opener "Elements" really is a concise piece of the whole. All over the place with humour. The epic "RIO" at close to 16 minutes is clearly the tour de force here. Cool to have some guest cello while Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson add vocals. The bio here says that these two former HENRY COW members were united on this record for the first time since their band HENRY COW broke up in 1978. Tim will add some inventive sax on "Barrensphere" one of my favourite tracks. Back to "RIO" and I love this piece with how the band touches on the different aspects of the RIO movement including a dark section. I'm so into the intensity late. Early on for maybe the first 5 minutes it's like a RIO haze has enveloped us.

The second half of "Barrensphere" just kills. "Without Passion Or Peace" is another highlight especially how urgent it sounds late with laughter. "Bones Chorale" reminds me of THE RESIDENTS early on and check out "Barrensphere Revisited" with Dave Newhouse from THE MUFFINS ripping it up on his sax. And even the one minute "Dave Newfield" brings something to the table with it's bright and uplifting sound. Avant music has been a tough go for me but at this point in my life I feel such an appreciation for it in all it's different styles. It's rarely boring and almost always challenging. Help!

The first album of this Detroit-based prog duo is appropriately titled indeed, being both sufficiently obscure as a super-rare cassette-only release by an already very niche band, and also certainly being a freak within both the Rascal Reporters' own discography and the wider music world. Released before they had built up a modest reputation for their impeccable intricately composed Canterbury-infused avant-prog, this debut claims a solid place in the wonderfully weird world of D.I.Y. avant-garde tape releases from the early 80s that were seemingly more influenced by the Residents or by Frank Zappa's very early tape experiments.

Hints of the Reporters' future style can be heard in select spots on Freaks Obscure, such as on the chamber-ish "There", the Art Bears-inspired vocal workout "He Is Home", and the excellent "Sent Flying" which manages to hold down a mean groove full of rhythm changes and complicated keyboard parts despite the amateurish production and the multi-tracking that just barely stays in sync. Unfortunately, these highlights are relatively brief and the longer tracks (longer as in five minutes instead of just one or two minutes) generally do not justify their running time, with the possible exception of "Lou's Guilt", a gloriously bleak synth march that is sadly stretched out for a bit too long without enough development. The quirky drum machine-led "Cure For Prohibition" and the messy screamy "Flo's Addiction" both wear out their welcome at varying speeds. The worst part however is how the amount of actual music on the album is balanced by pure nonsense: not-too-inventive sound collages ("Nightmare", "Plastic Natural") and drawn out passages of cartoony and distorted voices arguing with each other, chanting haunted nursery rhymes or just screaming obnoxiously (be sure to turn down your volume a notch before listening to "RIP Birth").

It's all over the place and yet in frustratingly few places, but in my personal opinion the bright spots combined with the endearing strangeness and singularity of this album make it worth experiencing at least once, even if it is probably the least essential entry in the wacky discography of this extraordinary group.

There is a pretty good chance that you haven't heard of the RIO/Avant Prog band 'Rascal Reporters' before, even though they have been around since 1974. The story actually starts with a duo called 'Raw Meat' comprised of Steve Gore and David Johnson, but when Johnson was replaced by his friend Steve Kretzmer, the name changed to Rascal Reporters. Both Gore and Kretzmer play keyboards and drums and they were both composers, making recordings of all of their music which at one point, was being written at a rate of one per day. The band has actually retired because of their huge archive of music already recorded.

After a while, 1980 to be exact, they started releasing a few albums. Since 1980, they have released 8 full length albums, 2 compilations and two EPs. That's really not a lot considering that their latest release, 'Redux, Volume I', released in April of 2019, is their 8th full length album. It consists of archived music that the duo felt was unfinished because the proper equipment didn't exist at the time of the recording, but now it does exist so it has been finished. There will be a 2nd volume that will be released later. This album consists of 6 songs with a total run time of just over 32 minutes.

Through the years, the duo has recruited other musicians to help perform their music. For 'Redux, Vol. 1', there is a third member, James Strain, who also provides keyboards, drums, bass, and guitar. Usually, recordings will consist primarily of compositions from one of the original two members. On this album, most of the tracks are compositions of Kretzmer, with only one being from Gore. Strain shares credits on most of the tracks and he performs on every track.

The music is definitely complex, as you would expect from this genre. The meters are constantly changing, yet the overall feel is bright. There are a lot of jazz elements throughout, with the tracks mostly led by piano and other keyboards, but there are instances of brass, and the drums are very important in helping to anchor the constantly fluctuating tempos and meters. There is also plenty of stylized guitar in there to provide variety. It all starts out with a short, sunny track 'Improv Cost Me My Job', which flows right into the longest track (over 13 minutes), 'Hubert Greenery Peck' which is an ever-changing, dynamic track, somewhat similar to 'Henry Cow', complex, jazzy, and very avant garde.

'One of Our Dogs is Missing' follows a somewhat stately theme, but has so much fast paced improvisation going on around it, that at times it's hard to pick out the theme. It slows down a bit towards the last minute. 'My Three Sounds' is led by the piano and is a more relaxed feel, yet it is still complex. Things soon pick up to reflect the complexity of the previous tracks and then the usual progressive elements run rampant as the piano retains control over the other layers. Listen closely and you'll later hear the 'My Three Sons' theme come in and take everything over. 'Egos Explode' is the only Gore composition on this album. There is definitely a different feel for this track as it is completely awash in synth layers that feel like they are coming in waves over you. After a while, the rhythm section comes in, but don't expect any normalcy as the synths continue to refuse to follow any beat, but the drums finally pull things together a bit. Layers of oddness continue. Last of all, 'Her Kind' has a more accessible feel to it, and, yes, there are actually lyrics and vocals on this one, provided by Kretzmer, which is rare for this band. The vocals are nothing to get excited about, but it is an attempt to make something somewhat accessible, but it is still a bit tricky compared to most music. So, it's not really a throw away track, but it is the least interesting.

This could have easily been a 5 star album if it were a bit longer and if they had substituted something more interesting to end the album on, but it is still excellent, and it also makes me want to explore some of their other music. I will definitely be on the look out for their albums. In spite of those drawbacks, I can still give it a 4 star rating in that the other tracks are great. This is one for the lovers of complex prog similar to Henry Cow and the jazzier side of Zappa.