Dream Patrol - Calling the Czar (1988)
The players:
Mark Ross - Keyboards (not the same Mark Ross from Quarterflash mind you)
Larry Kilmas - Saxophone
James Donnellan - Guitars
This was a lucky find during a trip to the thrift store. It's usually a dangerous proposition when you buy an album based on the cover art, but therein lies the fun (and occasionally the agony) of discovery. My interest, beyond the cover art (done by famous album cover designer Hugh Syme, who has done covers for Rush, Queensryche, Aerosmith, Megadeth and tons of other bands) was piqued by the fact that there are 3 guys in this band and none of them plays drums. You have a saxophonist, a guitarist/bassist, and a keyboard player. I surmised (correctly) that this was probably some kind of a new wave jazz band.
So tonight, I tepidly put this baby on the turntable and let 'er rip. To my surprise I was actually really drawn in by the music. The best way I can describe their sound is to say that their music would not be out of place being background music for a Miami Vice episode or a late 1980's Jean Claude Van Damme movie. Their sound has that kind of muted, laid back 80's feel that evokes images of nattily dressed evil tycoons enjoying baby seal sausages and drinking fine wines while discussing how best to receive their latest shipment of 'product' from Colombia.
Dream Patrol's music is also just about the best example of mood music I can think of. Several of the songs on this album, again, would not be out of place in an 80's film as the backdrop for a steamy love scene, replete with painstakingly shot camera angles designed to reveal plenty of tits but nothing else.
Most of the tunes are smooth-grooving jazz numbers with a solid synthesizer foundation, overlaid with bass lines and extensive saxophone melodies. All the songs are tastefully constructed, and the part that endears me the most to this record is that they didn't fall into the use of the traditional boring ass 4-note basslines and snare drums played with brushes that seem to be the foundations of traditional jazz.
I think there would be a temptation for some people to call this elevator music...and I think that might not be unfair, considering if you heard this in an elevator you probably wouldn't think twice about it. Still, I think the competency involved in the construction of the songs is worth commending. SOMEone has to write songs to listen to while eating a fine dinner and drinking absurdly expensive cocktails, so it might as well be these guys.
Suggested Cuts:
"Flight to Cairo"
"Nepenthe"
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