Myth-Science is a Sun Ra Arkestra cover band (who would have ever imagined it?) made up of various Knit-associated musicians that do a reasonable job of imitation on this live session. The band, a brainchild of bassist Rueben Radding, was formed to pay homage to the compositions of Sun Ra, whose charts are often neglected by performing artists in favor of the usual standards. Seattle's Briggan Krause, who has generated some buzz over the last few years with his unique tenor style, fares admirably here in trying to replicate and expand upon John Gilmore's solos. Anthony Coleman gets the unenviable job of trying to replace Ra himself on these recordings, a mixed effort.

Things start off a bit rough though with a cover of Discipline, which goes as far as to include a squeaky synth designed to sound like Atlantis-era Ra. Coleman seems a capable player, but poorly positioned microphones and overindulgent mimickry of Ra's playing are weak links in this recording. Love In Outer Space fares better on the strength of Krauss, who blows with some intensity while Otto who keeps a steady pulse. The band seems to fall in sync with the swinging Kingdom of Not and Love On A Faraway Planet, with its Middle-Eastern organ and percussive (almost hip-hop) backdrop. The remaining numbers, including a nice take on Space Lonliness by Krauss, seem to be lacking something, as does the whole CD. One suspects that they would have enjoyed taking on We Travel The Spaceways or Interplanetary Music, both Arkestra staples, but they instead opt for some of Ra's lesser known tunes. Very wise indeed, but not as fun.

While Myth-Science's intentions are admirable and they are to be credited for their attempt in covering Ra's compositions, one thing becomes clear. Ra's music was a comprised of layers of sound, including a bed of African percussion and several horns. There is always something going on in an Arkestra tune. The layers give the music its intensity and complexity, even in softer moments. Myth-Science do well with their small group (particularly Krauss) but in the end, they simply lack the firepower to get the job done. By comparison, Michael Ray's Cosmic Krewe covers some of these same tunes, but gives them their due. Myth-Science is a good Ra cover band, which is their stated purpose and like most cover bands, they are best seen live in a smoky bar after a few drinks.

-Jim Johnson

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