Aristocrats, The - Duck

Year of Release: 2024
Label: Boing! Music LLC
Catalog Number: BM-00013
Format: CD
Total Time: 59:41:00

While not quite random, this is a random listen. Let me briefly explain. As of this writing, the Cruise to the Edge festival/cruise is about to depart -- it is scheduled for April 4 - April 9, 2025. So... looking at the lineup as posted here on these pages, who we haven't covered at all (most of 'em), I started with the first band alphabetically. So yeh, not so random.

As often is the case, I can get lost in details and references and such, so let me say right now that I think The Aristocrats' Duck is quacking fantastic! But I've been an admirer of the jazz-rock/fusion trio format for a while... as Liquid Tension Experiment and McGill-Manring-Stevens come to mind immediately. I am not going to say I'm an expert on the trio format, however; just that I know what I like. (Ok, I know, LTE was a quartet; let's not dwell on that. I mean no disrespect and know they are a quartet, ok? I reference them more about their fiery licks, not how many hands (or funkfingers) are involved. And notice I didn't include Rush, who are a trio, but not jazz-rock/fusion). The key takeaway is, as I said, quacking fantastic.

While I have heard of The Aristocrats, have included their live itinerary on our Event Calendar over the years, etc., I believe this is the first time I have heard them. Well, the first time was the first time I played this album a few days ago; I've listened to it more than once by now. The Aristocrats are a trio of Guthrie Govan (guitars), Bryan Beller (bass) and Marco Minnemann (drums). Those names should sound familiar, but if they do not: Govan first came to be known on these pages via his work with GPS (we -- I -- reviewed Window To The Soul ages ago), but is also known for his work with, among others, Asia and Steven Wilson. Beller has worked with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Mike Keneally (including in the Beer For Dolphins configuration). Last, but not least, there is Minnemann who has also worked with Wilson and Satriani as well as Steve Hackett. That is the brief bio, and the "org chart" one could make from these gentlemen is probably more extensive than that above attests to.

What can be found on Duck, the group's sixth studio album -- and with three live albums, ninth release overall? All sorts of rollicking, fusiony workouts with a metal intensity and a jazz sensibility. It's fun, it's groovy... it is sassy. It is, say it with me quacking fantastic! Because it's the track playing right now, let's take "Here Come The Builders," which has a bit of a ZZ Top-esque southern boogie vibe, though not sounding exactly like any ZZ Top track in particular; just a certain bounce to it at times. (It's not how it starts, which has a moment of pastoral guitar.) What you find here, and throughout, and I'll venture to say throughout their whole catalog, is some dynamic playing from all involved -- with and against each other in creative and appealing ways. Not avant-garde but there sure are some sharp turns. For a band that started out just essentially jamming together through happenstance in 2011, you can feel the connection between all three. And this many albums in, you oughta, right?

The album is a concept album, according to the band -- "the story of a web-footed Antarctic island native fleeing a penguin policeman all the way to New York City ... where considerable misadventure and danger await." Song titles include "Sittin' With A Duck On A Bay," "And Then There Were Just Us/Duck's End," "Sgt. Rockhopper," and um ... "This Is Not Scrotum." Now, all that led to a series of thoughts; I'll start here: a concept album called Duck, huh? Hmm... Duke? Well, Duke was sorta a concept album -- or one with a concept piece (split up and spread out...) But another Genesis nod verbally (as I do not hear/think of Genesis in the music*) is the "And Then There Were Just Us/Duck's End" -- sorta melding the And Then There Were Three idea with a reference to "Duke's End." (As Genesis was, by then, essentially a trio...). That said, "Sittin..." does not, at least to me, sonically reference the Sam Cooke classic, but as I've learned, verbal word play is as witty as their performances. Oh! Another trio that comes to mind, speaking also of wordplay ... Niacin (though their configuration was bass, Hammond B3, drums).

So... let's rewind a bit (because I'm going to play it again!) The album opens with "Hey, Where's My Drink Package?", an overall heavy and crunchy piece. There are some elements that remind me of King Crimson in effect, though not in tone. I keep coming back to Red, to be honest, though it's not their only album, I know. This is a track that is not afraid to be a little showy, but I mean that in a good way. I didn't want to say "strut," but more like... putting itself out there, I guess. (Perhaps to get the bartender's attention?)

This is followed by the furious, playful, strobing, throbbing, bouncing -- all at the same time -- "Aristoclub." It is a toe-tapper, head-bopper... not usually terms said in the prog world (though I've used them before on ProgressiveWorld). Searing guitar work; driving bass; and just a flurry of drums/percussion... Whew!

The energy doesn't let up through "Sgt. Rockhopper." As elsewhere, serious players who do not take themselves seriously -- one can tell from the music here (but also from what I read about them) -- and this track is jamming and fun. "Sittin..." is a happy, but moody, noodle-ly jazzy number -- tart guitar licks over a struttin' bass line... there's a 70s vibe about it, too (throaty wah-wah pedals?). Like somewhere there's a lava lamp of some hue (pinkish or green-blue... mine's green-blue) ... maybe some weed? (Uh, none for me, thank you, but keep playing, gents! Keep playing!) It is followed by the dual personality of "Muddle Through," which is at first moody, a bit darker (and more serious) with a bit of throaty growl from Govan's guitar sprinkled throughout. And not for the first time (as you hear it earlier) a flurry of notes that recall "Flight Of The Bumblebee" without it feeling like a direct quote, as it were. In the middle "Muddle..." brightens up, becomes a bit more lyrical and lighter ... before circling back to where we started.

Fun is the other key takeaway here (another example is the flirty "Slideshow"), and lord knows we could use a little fun in these times. And I like that you can clearly hear what each of the trio are playing on any given track, even as they are playing some busy arrangements -- busy in a good way. I mean, you could listen to it thrice (at least) -- once, just focus on what Govan is doing, then again to focus on Beller, then again to Minnemann and get something out of it.

Going back to "And Then..." for just a moment, I also wanted to note the very first part track itself has a vague country/Americana feel to it with Govan's arpeggios. But it also shimmers and unlike other tracks, is far mellower, leaning more on jazz stylings than instrumental rock. (Ok, there is a Genesis reference in some bass lines that recall not Duke, but rather "Watcher Of The Skies").

Another note on "Slideshow" ... the slide guitar here and the spacey atmosphere that surrounds it recalls Pink Floyd (circa DSOTM) ... it's not all Floydian... you might even think of Yes at times, as well. And yet these are truly nods, nothing so concrete. As while Govan's string-bending here does take on Gilmour-like aspects, Floyd never (to me at least, in the post Barrett period certainly) sounded this jazzy. Experimental, yes, but... well, let's not dwell on this really, because "Slideshow" is it's whole excellent thing. Though, you know, Floyd's Dark Side... is -- or was -- used often for lightshows (not slideshows, but still...).

Oh, and we get a different aspect of The Aristocrats with the closer "This Is Not Scrotum." It has an old-world feel. I won't pretend I recognized the elements derive from the Balkans (I gleaned that from their Bandcamp page... ). On this track guest Rusanda Panfili plays violin. In as much as the rest of the album will make you want to dance -- and yes, it's ok for prog people to dance -- this will make you want to dance. You will be a twirling and swirling, getting dizzy... but that's alright.

You know, there's nothing I don't like. There's nothing where I think, oh, they missed the mark here or there whatever. Nope. This is simply excellent stuff. As I said, it is ... no, no. I won't say it again.

Just a note, there is a deluxe edition box set available via the band that is "the CD a USB drive (with an interview, videos of the studio recordings, different mixes, the demos, the 96khz mixes and photos @ 12Gb) a laminate with special QR access code for perks!" Well, the album alone is a perk -- both in the sense of something special and like, you know, a ton of caffeine!** This version was not what I was listening to, so other than sharing this tidbit (I'm sure while supplies last), I can't pass comment.

*maybe I need to pull Dukeout again and see if I'm missing something Genesis experts will hold me to account for...

**and while no weed for me, I might have been hopped up on caffeine while writing this... but also hopped up on Duck.


Tracklisting:
Hey, Where's MY Drink Package? (7:01) / Aristoclub (4:46) / Sgt. Rockhopper (5:51) / Sittin' With A Duck On A Bay (7:21) / Here Come The Builders (6:16) / Muddle Through (7:01) / Slideshow (7:15) / And Then There Were Just Us/Duck's End (9:04) / This Is Not Scrotum (5:06)

Musicians:
Bryan Beller - bass
Guthrie Govan - guitar
Marco Minnemann - drums

Guest Musicians:

Rusanda Panfili - violins (9)

Discography:
The Aristocrats (2011)
Culture Clash (2013)
Culture Clash Live! (2015)
Tres Caballeros (2015)
You Know What...? (2019)
FREEZE! Live In Europe 2020 (2021)
The Aristocrats With Primuz Chamber Orchestra (2022)
Duck (2024)

BOING, We'll Do It Live! (DVD/CD) (2012)


Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin VA

Added: April 2nd 2025
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: the-aristocrats-band.com
Hits: 143
Language: english