Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Ray Riendeau: Atmospheres (2010)

My good friend and killer bassist Ray Riendeau (‘ree-end-oh’… you’re welcome) is about to release an album of original material that very well may be one of the most shredding albums I’ve heard in years.
Featuring guys like Alex Machacek, David “Fingers” Haynes, Lalle Larsson, Marco Sfogli, Ward Aycock, Martin Diamond, Rob Michael, Nat Janoff, Ron Jarzombek, Jeff Kollman & Derek Taylor… you may wonder how that many guys fit in one room? One reason I’m digging this album so much is exactly because Ray has proven without a doubt that one can record an album ‘virtually’ across state lines, country borders and oceans and still maintain a consistency and level of interaction that some never get even when in the same room.
While definitely not easy listening, it’s also a very musical affair with some beautiful bass solos and astounding guitar work by all involved.
I think I’m most impressed by Ray’s compositions here. He’s definitely matured light years beyond his previous releases (which I also dug!). While previously, there may have been pyrotechnics for their own sake, he is really speaking through his music on Atmospheres and every note played throughout is saying something. Nice job Ray!! -- Damian Erskine
Tracklist:
1. Cosmic Dust (feat. Lalle Larsson, Marco Sfogli & Ward Aycock)
2. The Alchemist (feat. Alex Argento, Derek Taylor & Marco Sfogli)
3. Parasite (feat. Jeff Kollman & Marco Sfogli )
4. Alias (feat. Greg Koch)
5. Pavor Nocturnus (feat. Alex Machacek & Matt Guillory)
6. Slumber (feat. Nat Janoff)
7. Architeusthis Dux (feat. Nat Janoff)
8. Translucent (feat. Rob Michael)
9. Electro-jazz (feat. Nat Janoff)
10. A Search For Lifeforms (feat. Ron Jarzombek)
Atmospheres
Hotfile / Uploading @ 320K