by Dean Wolfe, Prog dog media (album released January 2024)
I doubt an album like this can ever be repeated.
I was immediately curious if more are in the works, or is this instrumental trio out of Seattle Wahington just a one-time project involving Moon Letters' guitarist Dave Webb (Moon Letters are in my mind a strong contender for more ground-breaking prog rock albums in the future).
Listening to some of this new album called The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Everything Oscillating took me back to 1984, when as a young guitarist I was introduced to axe-master Steve Vai via a certain flexi disc- playable on my record player. I found it inside my November issue of Guitar Player Magazine. I was very inspired by Vai's instrumental The Attitude Song. It made a life-long impression on me.
Everything Oscillating are an intense group of super-capable musicians. An immediate highlight for me is the fretless electric bass playing (Mike Murphy) which is a treat of the highest order. The drumming (Kai Strandskovis) is strong with feel - soulful, and dynamic (He also plays some keys on the album). The guitar work (Dave Webb of Moon Letters- see my review) seems very Steve Vai-inspired but I know Dave's tastes are wide (I interview him with his band Moon Letters here)
You do have to be in the mood for this album though. I found it dense and a lot to absorb on my first listen... but (surprise surprise) by the 2nd time through I was thoroughly enjoying it. Yes, in certain moments it does remind me of a collection of 'just out of music college/ ants in my pants' dudes, but there is a broader earnestness and maturity present, evoking some pretty awesome sweeping visionary songs, like the 12 minute title track for example. They do know how to relax and just let the music flow.
You can feel the joy between all the notes and multitudes of sounds, squelches and whammy-bar jiggles. Jazz-fusion fans will likely embrace this, but it's not your hard-core 'Buford and Holdsworth' type stuff. It's more like it was an alternate universe version of Bill Bruford where he leaned less towards jazz and more towards American metal, with a touch of Zappa, and a hint of psychedelia in the mix.
Prog dog scores this album a super-solid 4 out of 5 dog bones. It's a fun and refreshing instrumental blast that cleanses the palate. Musicians might find themselves bonding over it while playing air instruments in the basement rec room.
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