Metamorphic Rock
	Produced by Moraine and Steve Fisk
	Released on October 18, 2011
	no chart information
	Find it at GEMM
MJR040 cover [high resolution scan]

K ronomyth 2.0: METAMORPHEST. You would think that a live version of a studio album (Manifest Density) I didn’t particularly enjoy would be a recipe for boredom, but this set really rocks. Recorded at NEARfest 2010, Moraine had metamorphosed into a different creature with the reduction/addition of cello/sax (respectively), and what sounded noisy and unduly arty on their first album is fleshed out in technicolor on stage. A look at the manifest of Metamorphic reveals a few new songs, a medley from Dennis Rea’s recent solo album (Views From Chicheng Precipice) and a lot of material from their last album. They say you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, but They don’t know what They’re talking about; I have a much more favorable impression of Moraine after this disc, and am actually awaiting their next with anticipation. The mixture of guitar, violin and baritone sax simply provides a richer sound than guitar, violin and cello. Not to knock the contributions of Ruth Davidson (whose “Save The Yuppie Breeding Grounds” is salvaged for this set), but James DeJoie and his opening “Irreducible Complexity” up the band’s energy quotient considerably. After that first cut, it’s the old stars that shine the brightest: “Manifest Density,” “Ephebus Amoebus,” “Kuru.” I actually prefer the studio version of “Middlebrau,” but otherwise these live, saxed-up versions have the edge. The Chicheng songs also get a nice update, now with full-time flute and violin (the DeJoies had played on only of couple of cuts on the original disc). As I said, I wasn’t expecting to find much of value in Metamorphic Rock, but Moraine made a much deeper impression on me this time. I’ll have to go back and listen to Manifest Density again, since I might well have missed something there the first time. In the meantime, if you’re in the mood for modern guitar-sax-violin prog fusion, Moraine is back on the menu.

TRACK LISTING

1. IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY    (James DeJoie)    3:39
2. MANIFEST DENSITY    (Dennis Rea)    3:45
3. SAVE THE YUPPIE BREDDING GROUNDS    (Ruth Davidson)    4:02
4. DISILLUSIONED AVATAR    (Alicia DeJoie) / DUB INTERLUDE    (Moraine) / EPHEBUS AMOEBUS    (Kevin Millard)    10:25
5. DISORIENTAL SUITE: a) BAGUA    (Naxi traditional)    b) KAN HAI DE RE ZI    (Chen Ming-chang)    c) VIEWS FROM CHICHENG PRECIPICE    (Dennis Rea)    11:46
6. KURU    (Dennis Rea)    4:31
7. THE OKANOGAN LOBE    (Dennis Rea)    7:36
8. UNCLE TANG'S CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI    (Dennis Rea)    3:44
9. BLUES FOR A BRUISED PLANET    (Dennis Rea)    4:35
10. WAYLAID    (Dennis Rea)    5:31
11. MIDDLEBRÄU    (Dennis Rea/William Horist)    9:09

CREDITS

STEPHEN CAVIT -- drums, percussion
ALICIA DeJOIE -- violin
JAMES DeJOIE -- baritone saxophone, flute, percussion
KEVIN MILLARD -- NS/stick (8-string extended-range bass)
DENNIS REA -- guitar
Phil Liebowicz -- front-of-house engineer
Brett Kull -- live recording engineer
Steve Fisk -- mixing
Leonardo Pavkovic -- executive producer, graphics
Joe del Tufo -- musician photos

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