This is Atlantic Drone. The Drone is the brainchild of Steven Cerio, these days most known for his art for the Residents (he also did the 7" cover for the latest Helios Creed single) but back in the late 80's and early 90's Steve was one of the best drummers in NYC playing with Railroad Jerk, Drunk Tank, and one of Dee Dee Ramone's solo bands.
The idea of the Drone is to get people to come into the studio and do some free form jamming. Then the jamming is mixed into well crafted songs. Sounds easy? IT AIN'T. Steve spent many hundreds (yes hundreds) of hours editing this all together and the result is a lush flow of spacey prog rock and jazz that grabs the listener and holds them until they fall in love with the ambient sea of music flowing from the Drone. This CD is fantastic.
Special guests on this CD include Dave Rick (Yo La Tengo, Bongwater, Phantom Toolbooth), Sal Canzonieri from The Thing/Electric Frankenstein, Michael Duane from the DustDevils, Greg Pier from Mandate of Heaven, and Jim Gibson from Toothfairy/Unholy Swill.
Behold the begining...
Audio CD, Noiseville, 2007.
The animated introduction to the Happy Homeland site, featuring the cover character and music by Atlantic Drone.
"Atlantic Drone are based in upstate New York and consists of the duo of Steven Cerio and Jim Drago (plus various guests), who have released one of the best space-psych-krautrock-progressive albums of 2007. Among the highlights is "Little Miss Expanding Universe". Simultaneously dreamy and rocking, it's a completely mind boggling synthesis of ambient surf waves, off-kilter power percussion, metallic power chords, and a banquet of other groovy happenings. "Moth Activity" opens with potently acidic psychedelic guitars and heavy tribal drumming. But the music soon settles into a calmer groove and throughout its 8 minutes weaves a path that is calm and melodic, yet always intensely on-the-edge, even in its quietest moments. Simple yet luscious trip guitar melodies combine with trumpets and heavy organ on "For Arizona", to create a dark, droning, stoned psychedelic march. "Mary Pickford Waking Up In A Burning Barn" is one of the most high energy space rockers of the set. Like King Crimson dropping a shitload of acid and blasting off into the space-prog cosmos. This sucker will FRY your brain! And "Sunshine On Softserve" is a psychedelic blend of deep space atmospherics, Eastern influenced ragas, wandering psych guitar solos and bits of free-jazz. Nearly 10 minutes of meditative bliss." -Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations
