One of the joys of having been involved in the scene for such a long time is that every so often I get approached by a band I haven’t come across before, asking if I would like to review an album of theirs. This is exactly what happened here, as gutarist Dmitry Dorosh contacted me, and I’m sure I wouldn’t have come across this otherwise. The name of the band, wait for it, is Ichthyander Dad's Only Dolphin, which has to be one of the most interesting names I’ve come across. Unfortunately it reminds me of Ken Dodd’s Dad’s Dog’s Dead, who I never did manage to see in London in the Eighties, but often saw them listed as “coming soon”. According to the bible that is ProgArchives, the band were originally formed in Ukraine in 1994, but broke up before the turn of the milennium having released just a demo. Fast forward to 2014 and original members Dmitry, Oleg Vorona (bass), and Viktor Sirotin (drums), put together a new version of the band with violinist Olena Yeremenko and keyboard player Sergei Kadenko.
They performed a reunion concert in their home town of Kirovograd, and they have now made a recording of this available through Bandcamp. The more perceptive would have noticed that there isn’t a singer listed, which is because this is an instrumental band, and to be honest there just wouldn’t be any room for vocals. To say that every person is a master of their instrument is something of an understatement, and this strange, eclectic music is completely enthralling. They are often likened to Frank Zappa combined with classic King Crimson (the only cover is a version of “Starless”), but there are also sections that could be classic Beatles, while Ozone Quartet also springs to mind. There are times when the music is in standard 4/4 time and restrained, while others it is mixing and melding at great speed and intricacy, taking melodic leaps that one thinks will never make sense but somehow always does. Sometimes classical, sometimes eclectic art rock, sometimes compelling, but never boring, I look forward with interest to hear what these guys can do in a studio.
https://antonykalugin.bandcamp.com/album/playing-live-at-one-music-fest.
