Astral Café
Grooveyard, 2021
9/10
Though you may have never heard of the guitarist Jimmy Ryan before, one listen of Astral Café and you certainly won’t forget him as he pens a mostly instrumental rock listen that covers a lot of territory across 13 powerful tracks.
“Starlord” starts the record and makes an indelible impression with the robust guitar playing from Ryan and equally skilled drumming that recruits plenty of ideas from rock’n’roll’s past, and “Shatterbrain” follows with the thumping drums and soaring guitar working together precisely, as calmer moments are explored, too.
Moving along, “Skydance” offers much melody as both grit and tunefulness enter the fusion formula, while “Black Ice” gets a little crunchy as Ryan enters more firm areas of his diverse vision that also embraces prog-rock sensibilities. “I’m Ready” then takes the listen into thicker avenues, where Ryan’s deep, rugged pipes guide the bristling energy.
Inching towards the end, “Dreadhulk” is a muscular and dynamic display of meticulous drumming amid charming guitar acrobatics, and “Quiet Flight” exits the listen gentler, where Johnny Ryan makes an appearance on guitar as much beauty is cultivated.
Ryan is joined by Dan Van Schindel on drums (he also co-produced), and he certainly adds much intrigue to the hard rock, symphonic, jazz, prog and blues ideas that are never in short supply on the positively glowing fusion affair.
Travels well with: Strat Androitis- Night Manager; Ari Lehtela- The Year The Earth Stood Still