A more apropos name would be hard to find for this Cleveland-based (mostly) instrumental quartet that blends rock, jazz, fusion and world music into a rare concoction of tight, colorful and unpretentious arrangements. Rare Blend’s Evolution Theory sounds like a lazy Sunday morning after a Saturday night of the best sex you’ve ever had.
Songs such as the jazzy opener "Little Mean Baby" and the moody "Apochromatic Wanderings" are intricate without becoming overbearing or losing their charm. (Note that only three of the 10 tracks here clock in at longer than five minutes.) The Latin-tinged "Catemaco" begins as a flamenco piece and segues into classic Santana territory, while the funky "Techno Jam" boasts more rock than funk and "Fifty Thousand Years" features a lone electric guitar set against tribal beats and barbaric yawps. But the most memorable track is "Rod’s Migraine," a twisted, minimalist take on the theme from "The Twilight Zone" and a reference to its host, Rod Serling.
If only all instrumental albums could sound this appealing …
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