Though this reviewer will always
be dubious of any group
embracing the "jam band" label
and citing Phish first and
foremost among its influences,
he's just as quick to hail a
band that can master the
serpentine but nonetheless
propulsive grooves of the best
progressive rock or the
otherworldly vibes of
psychedelic greats, and there is
as much Yes and Pink Floyd in
the mix for the Stretch as there
was in the earliest days of Trey
Anastasio & Co., circa, say,
"Lawn Boy" (1990).
Chicagoans
Mike Rizman (guitar and vocals),
Kevin Greene (keyboards and
vocals), Dugan O'Keene (bass and
vocals) and Brett Baxter (drums)
have been making music
together--and threatening to
make the leap from the legions
of bubbling-under jamsters to
the national notoriety of an
Umphrey's McGee--for several
years now. They first surfaced
and made their recorded debut
under the god-awful name of
Uncle Boogie Pants, but wisely
changed it to their current
moniker for recent gigs and
copies of their strong D.I.Y.
album, "Volume & Verse."
Rizman's
interstellar-overdrive guitar
and Greene's washes of ambient
keyboards are the most
interesting sonic hallmarks of
the band on album, and if the
rhythm section doesn't lose the
plot or the pulse, the band
could be spectacular onstage. It
doesn't have any gigs listed at
the moment on its Web site
(http://thestretchmusic.com) or
MySpace page (www.myspace.com/thestretchmusic)
at the moment, but check back,
and be sure to stream the tracks
"Frequent Naps" and "Head the
Space" when you do.
Chicagoans Mike Rizman (guitar and vocals), Kevin Greene (keyboards and vocals), Dugan O'Keene (bass and vocals) and Brett Baxter (drums) have been making music together--and threatening to make the leap from the legions of bubbling-under jamsters to the national notoriety of an Umphrey's McGee--for several years now. They first surfaced and made their recorded debut under the god-awful name of Uncle Boogie Pants, but wisely changed it to their current moniker for recent gigs and copies of their strong D.I.Y. album, "Volume & Verse."
Rizman's interstellar-overdrive guitar and Greene's washes of ambient keyboards are the most interesting sonic hallmarks of the band on album, and if the rhythm section doesn't lose the plot or the pulse, the band could be spectacular onstage. It doesn't have any gigs listed at the moment on its Web site (http://thestretchmusic.com) or MySpace page (www.myspace.com/thestretchmusic) at the moment, but check back, and be sure to stream the tracks "Frequent Naps" and "Head the Space" when you do.