Lobate Scarp "Time and Space"

Hello fellow progheads and welcome to another week here at the The Closet Concert Arena!  The summer flew by much too quickly, so in an effort to slow the gravitational pull of Mother Earth (or at least make it feel that way), the search for all things prog stayed on one continent this week, hunkering down in California to check out a relative new comer to the prog garden, Lobate Scarp.

Referring to their sound as "Progressive Space-Opera Rock," Lobate Scarp put themselves on my radar; always looking for bands that view the prog garden through a different lens.  So diving right in, I drop the laser on the title cut and let the headphones fill my cranium...and the sounds they emit are quite the mind show.  As the song opens you feel as if you're listening to the background music while credits roll on a classic 40's film noir marathon.  Then just as sudden and unexpected as snow in July, color splashes across the canvas and Lobate Scarp comes at you full force.  This terrestrial aura comes through on some fine guitar work and percussion.  The mood swing is a bit jazz fusion at one point as I find myself waiting for David Sanborn to break out one of his trademark sax solos.  The week starts strong as I am sated for fifteen minutes plus...

Moving across the disc I discover a piece that opens in a nostalgic frame of mind then quickly punches up the drums, "The Contradiction."  Once again an ominous cello forces itself onto your auditory sensors like a prelude to darkness.  However, Lobate Scarp is simply doing what they do best--toying with your emotions the way most operas do...even the progressive space-rock kind.  There is a taste of ELO and The Flaming Lips in the music here as the tempo floats like a swinging pendulum.  Lobate Scarp seems to enjoy a "quick intro" as the song starts to emerge from the headphones, only to inundate you with a roller coaster ride of emotion and style...

Liner Notes...in addition to being from Los Angeles CA and into quantum physics, Lobate Scarp sports a left-handed guitarist/vocalist in Nate Olmos and bass player/cellist/vocalist Andy Catt (unless the photos are backwards).  The other current members of the band are Adam Sears lead vocals and keyboards, Andrea Whitt on electric viola, and Dustin Prince on drums.  The band originated in 2007 releasing "Time and Space" in 2012.  They also have a single, "Beautiful Light" that hit the airwaves in 2016.

Lobate Scarp is a melange of sorts; many ideas and influences brought together to create a driving sound that resonates across much of the prog garden.  The ornate boldness of Queen, the "not taking ourselves too seriously" approach of Dreadnaught, and the mellow smooth attitude of Phish make for a canvas splattered with color and character that is a truly unique blend...

Learn more about Lobate Scarp at Lobate Scarp and purchase their music at
Lobate Scarp bandcamp.  You can also connect with the band via Facebook and on Twitter @LobateScarp.  Their catalog is relatively small while still in the "construction phase."

The palate cleanser for this prog gala is "The Mirror."  Channeling David Gilmour as the curtain is peeled back, this song is an extension of what Lobate Scarp is about; emerging slowly as they fill your mind to overflow with sights, sounds, and bursts of energy.  Top notes range from Pink Floyd to Asia and the Red Hot Chili Peppers...yes, Lobate Scarp likes to fill the entire picture frame... 

Your ear candy this week is a tune called "Jacob's Ladder."  This song brings a funky edge to the forefront...think Spock's Beard meets Wishbone Ash meets Cake.  The guitars carve out a groove that gets your foot tapping one minute and your mind swirling the next...of course the drum work thumping the back of your neck helps keep you focused.  Lobate Scarp seems to enjoy making the most of their time in the prog garden and sharing a twisted groove with friends... 

                          

And another week has walked briskly by the picture window.  Lobate Scarp seemed the right elixir as we witness summer's annual fade to gray, her strut across the prog garden deliberately alluring.  However, the prog garden is a landscape for all seasons and bands like Lobate Scarp have nurtured some impressive acreage.  As their resume grows and the catalog fills, I anticipate the envelope being pushed and the prog garden continuing its expansion.

As for The Closet Concert Arena, the search for all things prog continues to stay on course...until next time...