Search - Roger Powell :: Fossil Poets

Roger Powell Does It Again!

David Bartz | La Honda, CA USA | 12/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember becoming interested in synthesizers in 1973. I was very focused on getting an ARP synthesizer and ended up getting an Odyssey in 1974. A good part of my education was listening to Roger Powell's "Cosmic Furnace". Constructed with all the ARP synthesizers available at the time, Roger pushed the boundaries of what we knew these instruments were capable of.



Roger wrote a series of articles (late 70s/early 80s) in Keyboard Magazine, describing his experiments with computers. We could only dream about the sounds he was creating until he released "Air Pocket". He once again pushed the edge of technology with his unheard of drummer, and clean digital textures. I remember Roger mentioning in an interview that Jan Hammer asked him who the drummer was. Jan was blown away when he told him it was a machine. (We all were!)



When I heard that Roger was producing a new album after all these years, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Would this synthesizer maverick still have what it took to blow his fans away? Absolutely! Roger has once again taken the tools of the day, and raised the bar.



The addition of guitarist Greg Koch and producer Gary Tanin are not mere side musicians. For this album, they are integral to the production - and it shows. I know Roger is busy bringing us the latest technology at the Silicon Valley company he works for, but how cool would it be to have a short tour (a la Robert Rich) having Gary, Greg and Roger play some of this music live? Hint: VERY!



From the trademark Powell textures on the opening cut "Lone Gunman", to the searing leads on "Fallout Shelter"; from the smoking Hammond solo on Creme Fraiche, to the peaceful introspection of Dauphine and Astrae on acoustic piano (proving his chops are not "electronic-deep"), Roger Powell brings it.



Highly recommended!"

Fossil's Alive!

Russ Bellinger | Bradenton, Florida USA | 11/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great to hear Roger back in the pocket with an interesting new band that (of course) is very electronic. Different from his earlier releases, but equal on talent and originality. I will admit I had to listen to this about 3 times before it absorbed into my being. Yes, I have seen Roger perform many times with TR's Utopia back in the 70's and 80's. His prescence has really been missed since that time. I can't believe it's been so many years since "Air Pocket" was released! Fossil Poets is an interesting band and I hope that they continue to record because I see and hear alot of potential for future devolopment with this band. Meanwhile I am really enjoying hearing this brilliant keyboardist again."

Return of the Utopian keyboardist!

Music Producerhead | CA, United States | 10/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Way, way back when, long before anyone was saying "back in the day", there was an inventive rock group called Utopia, headed up by sometimes-pop-star Todd Rundgren. It took many forms, but along for the ride 98% of the time was keyboard player Roger Powell. Although noted for his work on landmark Utopia records such as RA, or backing up David Bowie, or building remote keyboards for friend Jan Hammer, Roger also put out 2 very fine solo albums. The first was hardly a blip on the radar screen, but the second record, AIR POCKET, became one of my all-time favorites.



Roger continued to work with Rundgren and Utopia until the late '80s, when his software engineering 'hobby' became his full-time job. He left his music career by and large without ever following up AIR POCKET with another solo effort, until NOW.



So much time - and trends, and technology - has past, that as hard as I may try, I can't honestly compare FOSSIL POETS with his older releases, or his work in Utopia for that matter. It cannot help but sound radically different. It also would be hard pressed to sound as cutting edge as AIR POCKET did upon its release. But it's still Roger Powell, and certainly worth checking out if you liked what he did before. He's also involving other performers instead of tackling it all himself this time out, which may be good or bad depending on your perspective. But his harmonic ideas are still as fresh as they were back then, and certainly orders of magnitude more interesting than what you're likely to find spewing from the radio at any given time. I don't think this will be mistaken for pop, but I'm not one to categorize music anyway.



So what is it then? Well, it's Roger Powell, picking up where he left off...sort of. I'm just glad to hear SOMETHING, ANYTHING out of him once more, and I'm glad it's worth more than a few listens. Hopefully he won't take 26 years to release another album!"