Lobate Scarp is a 5-piece band from Los Angeles, California that launched back ten years ago. Their music is a combination between AOR (Album-Orientated Rock), Funk, Prog, Pop, and Space-Rock opera. Their music has this combination of Electric Light Orchestra, Yes, Styx, Starcastle, Spock’s Beard, Genesis, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles. When you listen to their debut album Time and Space that was released back in 2012, close your eyes and imagine it is 1977 all over again.
The album took five years to make and with fifty musicians to record the album from start to finish. The band considers; Adam Sears on Lead Vocals and Keyboards, Andy Catt on Bass Guitar, Hoyt Binder on Guitar, Dustin Prince on Drums, and Adrienne Woods on Acoustic and 5-string Electric Viola. The seven compositions are written by Adam himself along with two of the pieces written by Lonny White (Time and Space and Jacob's Ladder).
It’s for me one of the best debuts I have listened to. Adam and his crew mates have brought along something special to the table. It’s very much as I’ve mentioned on some of the albums again and again whether it’s a conceptual album, the soundtrack and movie inside your head. And with four centerpieces on here, you will definitely take a journey with Lobate Scarp.
The Contradiction gives the melodic and soaring melodies between the strings and the rhythm section that combines the twists of Jon Anderson’s Olias of Sunhillow-era and a warmth finale as Sears heads into the styles of Vince Guaraldi followed by Wood’s Viola. Meanwhile, the watery synths intro on Moment begins with a world music with an Egyptian rhythm as they channel the styles of Peter Gabriel’s score for The Last Temptation of Christ and then the last 2 minutes and 50 seconds go into very much of a sequel of Games Without Frontiers.
The opening 15-minute title track epic is perhaps one of the most spectacular and unbelievable compositions I’ve listened to. With it’s eerie violin intro to it’s Jazz-Funk soaring grooves, Lobate Scarp lay down the adventure of a life time. They go from Frank Zappa and The Beatles Abbey Road-era with a psychedelic twist as Hoyt’s guitar thrills and excites the time travel towards other dimensions.
Wood’s electric violin brings to mind of David LaFlamme of It’s A Beautiful Day. And then, the climatic section comes as the rhythm sets the course for another time jump to make the course for light speed as if they created their own take of the Millennium Falcon filled with astonishing epics.
And then Catt’s bass pays homage to Bootsy Collins and the late great Chris Squire as his sound reminisces of the Rickenbacker 4001. Beginning of Us is their take of going into a Progressive Pop voyage. I can hear the sounds of Supertramp’s Crime of the Century-era, City Boy, and Adam Sears channeling Jeff Lynne.
Reminded me of course The Beatles that meets the guitar structure of Starcastle but with a killer Howe-sque and homage to Pink Floyd’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond as Nate pays homage to David Gilmour for an atmospheric fill of a bluesy cry. I had an amazing time listening to Time and Space. And with Lobate Scarp, I will keep an eye out.
This year, they have announced they are working on a follow up to their debut with an album called, You Have It All on they are raising funds on Kickstarter to reach their goal up to $36,090 and they have 18 days to go. So please help them out and check out the funds to show support and make sure the flame of the Progressive Rock genre will keep on going and never burn out.
Here is their Kickstarter website:
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