At the time of writing, modern-day drum great Marco Minnemann is touring Europe with guitar god Joe Satriani.
The last time this reviewer saw Marco live was as a thirdof the blistering trio The Aristocrats, and it became clear from that show that he’s not just a keeper-of-beats sans pareil; he’s a songwriter and showman too. On this solo album he plays all the instruments, and while the whole thing kicks off with Cheap As Fuck And Awesome As Hell’s characteristically infernal drum roll, he’s a dab hand with guitar, bass, and synth too. Eeps is a fascinating mish-mash of knotty styles, one that’s bloody hard to classify. You could call these 17 tracks catchy avant-garde muso rock, approaching Crimson’s turf in parts, Zappa/Vai maybe, and all delivered with a fresh, Aristocratic air of fun. Highlights include the tuneful yet ominous Dead Ghost, and the twisted 80s pop of Obvious. Here his voice is limited but sweetly listenable; on the crazed OC DC it’s altogether more urgent. Right On Time And Out Of Tune** **is just that, and Soul Dance is funky, alright. Like proggy tapas, separately these tasty morsels might seem unsatisfying; consumed together, they fill you up nicely. GRM ** **
