The Silence Of Perez de Cuellar – The Bob Lazar Story
Introduction…
The 2nd release of Matt Deacon’s project The Bob Lazar Story comes in the form of a 6 track EP entitled The Silence Of Perez de Cuellar. The title is inspired by a book Matt read which was written by a Sci Fi author who goes by by the name of Budd Hopkins who wrote a book supposedly based on a true story about an alien abduction that happened in New York back on the 30th of November 1989. The book in question was entitled “Witnessed”.
I have to be honest I am not into UFO’s and its phenomenon and am more of a realist myself. However Matt must be heavily into it all to even want to base the name of his project around the likes of a physicist who is involved with alien technology. Namely Bob Scott Lazar.
Personally I do not see everything in Matt’s music about green bug eyed monsters from another planet, though he may have an higher intelligence that may have come from another planet. Simply because the talent he possesses to write material like this and play his guitar the way he does is quite complex and sophisticated that’s for sure.
He does however also come with a good funny sense of humour and his music can also be out of this world :))))))).
The EP Credits…
All music composed by Matt Deacon.
Matt Deacon – Guitars & Other Stuff.
Mike Fudakowski – Bass (On tracks 1, 2, 3, 4. & 5).
Simon Fox – Drums (On tracks 1, 2, 3, & 4).
Unknown Drummer – (On Track 5)
The EP Review…
The EP The Silence Of Perez de Cuellar by The Bob Lazar Story was released on the 25th of October 2007. It contains 6 tracks and has a grand total playing time of 21 minutes and 19 seconds which is a very respectable time slot for an EP release.
Unlike Matt’s debut album (Sic) which was mainly done by himself the EP The Silence Of Perez de Cuellar does feature another couple of great musicians playing on it. The drummer Simon Fox who did happen to play on 1 and a bit of a track on his previous album, plays more of a role here and gets to feature on 4 of the 6 tracks.
This EP is also the first time we get hear the bass player Mike Fudakowski who does also feature on the next 2 releases, and I have to say just like Matt, this is one really class musician. Although Mike did not appear on the last 2 releases of The Bob Lazar Story. He is certainly one guy I would love to see return back to the project in the future.
Track 1. Wheat Hat.
The opening track no doubt does have that UFO vibe about it, and just like “Son of Six” from Matt’s debut album (Sic) it contains a very well structured theme. It’s got quite a well chilled jazzy swing and feel about it over the first minute and a quarter of the track. Both Simon’s drums and Mike’s great bass groove work very well here.
It then breaks away from its rather nice consistent theme with some fine sequenced synth work that adds a touch of mystery to the drama of the piece. More power gets thrown into the equation with some great heavy power chords from Matt’s guitar. The piece has great diversity with its changes and ends off mysteriously again with some fine acoustic work.
It’s a very well composed piece of music and the longest track on the EP. It’s very much a contender for the top spot on the mini album too and gets it all off to a great flying start.
Track 2. There’s No Trolley.
Has short as this track is, its one that very much has great chord progression and is a very well constructed and well worked out piece. Just like some of the more heavier rocked up tracks we seen on the debut album (Sic) it lends that style but is more complex and sophisticated.
If anything “There’s No Trolley” reminds of a cross between the Groundhogs with its heavy side, and Frank Zappa with its more sophisticated vibe. The interplay between the guitar, bass, drums and keyboards is quite something on this studio version and no doubt it’s another contender for the top spot on the mini album.
Here is a live version from 2007 that displays both Matt’s and Mike’s precision in playing the piece. It features Kevin Roberts on the drums rather than Simon Fox who is the drummer on this studio version.
Just by looking and listening to the live version here, the only the thing it’s really missing is the keyboard work. If you added a good keyboard, marimba and vibraphone player to this line up, you would have the making of one very super band.
Track 3. My Hand Looks Like A Brontosaurus.
My personal favourite track on the EP is another superb piece that shows great diversity and chord progression throughout the great track. It contains some really great rhythm and lead work from Matt, and Mike Fudakowski even gets to feature a really great bass solo here too. All 3 musicians play an integral part here and it really is a fantastic piece of work.
Track 4. The Silence of Perez de Cuellar.
The self titled EP track is another extremely great track that weaves it’s way around superbly with the interplay of all 3 musicians. It’s got a great sense of timing about the piece and Simon’s drums on this one play a major roll in the close nit tightness of it all. It really is another superb track and another contender for the top spot of this really superb EP.
Track 5. Meat Whores/Glass Eyed and Frankly ft. Crazy Legs.
A two part track that’s first part is a rather splendid intro that utilises the acoustic guitar and the Ebow very well. The 2nd part is more of a rocky jazzy affair that Matt describes as Cartoon Jazz and quite heavy. He also goes onto say that its one of his best tunes.
The piece was written around a pre-recorded drum track, hence the reason for it being credited as an unknown drummer.
It’s another really excellent track that has loads of diversity, heavy guitar riffs, wonderful vibes and keyboards, great interaction between the guitar and bass, bags of well good chord progression and changes, and is another top contender for the favourite spot.
Track 6. Foodstool 82.
The album gets put to bed wonderfully by Matt himself playing a lovely two part guitar piece. I must admit when I seen the title I thought he may have originally wrote it back in 1982, But Matt describes the 82 as being the amount of times he played the piece to get it right :))))))))))).
Well it certainly sounds right here and round the album off superbly.
Summary…
To sum up my review here I would say that when comparing Matt’s debut album (Sic) to the EP The Silence of Perez de Cuellar you can certainly see how well he is developing his writing skills. In terms of progression there is more to be found on this EP that’s for sure, and the material I feel is more solid, not that I can personally fault his debut album at all.
I also feel that the addition of having two other really great musicians onboard with the likes of Mike Fudakowski and Simon Fox make the difference why this is I feel is a much stronger album, and it works better for it too.
The material we have here is top notch and up to par with the two EP’s I have already reviewed Ghost Of Foodstool and Self Loathing Joe. I also think this particular EP is the strongest of them all, due to the fact that we have no little snippets in between the tracks. Which makes it’s better value for the buck.
Conclusion…
The Silence of Perez de Cuellar by The Bob Lazar Story is a remarkable strong body of work. It’s up there with the very best material Matt has ever produced. This is music that has bags of diversity and goes in many directions in the same way the very best of progressive rock music does.
It also contains some really great jazz fusion too and for anybody who is into such music, this should be in your record collection, simply because it’s highly addictive music and is made to last you a lifetime.
You can listen to or grab your own personal copy of The Silence of Perez de Cuellar here : https://theboblazarstory.bandcamp.com/album/the-silence-of-perez-de-cuellar
The track listing of the album is as follows:
Lee’s EP Rating Score. 10/10.
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