Radio Free Gristle

uitarist Greg Koch makes a musical and sociopolitical statement here regarding the sad state of radio in the U.S.A. Hence, he frames this outing around his fictitious spoken word radio snippets that interleave among these 27 tracks. At times, Koch's humorous diatribes wear a bit thin throughout the duration of this affair, marked by his slick picking, progressive metal guitar licks, and rather bland vocals. However, there are some shining moments, evidenced by his affable sitar-guitar work on the piece "Torn Asunder" and elsewhere. The guitarist works through a series of pounding blues-rockers and pieces that more or less highlight his guitar wizardry. In fact, guitar hero Steve Vai -- who must be commended for giving quite a few lesser-known artists a chance to flaunt their stuff -- owns this record label. With this release, Koch receives sturdy support from a bass/drums rhythm section and drum loop artist Jazzmaster Ricci P. There are some striking moments, but the predictability factor, coupled with the often goofy dialogue, detracts from the entire listening experience upon repeated spins. ~ Glenn Astarita|