OK. I'll admit I read jam-band magazine Relix in addition to Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. After all, the guitar players in groups like Connecticut's Psychedelic Breakfast are arguably better than those in some metal bands. Psychedelic Breakfast's third album, Bona Fide – recorded live on Sept. 14, 2002 in Northampton, Mass. – brings together an eclectic mix of Grateful Dead vibe, Phish attitude, Zeppelin muscle and Hendrix groove.
Much like progressive rockers, jam bands such as Psychedelic Breakfast take the time to allow their creative freedom to expand musical boundaries. Granted, some of that expansion results in self-indulgence, but that's nothing new to prog fans. "Rufus," a moody epic, spans more than 19 minutes, while more than half of these 12 tracks run five minutes or longer. There's even a two-part piece titled "Escher's Etchings." The instrumental "Spunk" showcases the band's wilder side with jaw-dropping guitar solos and a hot Hammond, while "Wild Pack of Asscracks" highlights the band's quirky songwriting strengths.
Back in 2002, I posted a mini-review of Psychedelic Breakfast's Deuce in The Listening Room section of this web site, stating that "this quartet splashes hefty doses of prog, rock, fusion and jam-band finesse, making it the ideal soundtrack for one of those all-day (and all-night) backyard cookouts." I still stand by those words.
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