Mellotronists

A couple this time--and I barely caught them both. With impending 
warmer weather, I may be sidetracked to my seasonal employment and as 
a result, I might miss a few new recordings in my reviewings...so if 
I fade from posting for long periods, it's just because I'm outdoors 
more often away from state-of-the-art component prerecorded 
semiquadrophonic audio reproduction equipment.

"...and remember, I use ten words where perhaps one would suffice" - 
The Firesign Theatre

First is from a band in the Bay Area who have been around awhile 
doing adventurous light pop along with multi-media shows, and now 
have a debut CD out. ViV "ViV" (self-released) Has confirmed 
Mellotron strings way in the background throughout the song "Say 
Goodbye", and for an instant on "Smiles Like A Maniac". Although 
there is no mention of Mellotron used on the CD, it was confirmed by 
the band's leader Matt Ostrander in an e-mail returned to me today 
after I brought it up. I forgot who asked him who the player was. 
Another ViV member, Matt Lucich, was in a prog outfit called Delusion 
for awhile. www.vivtheband.com

Secondly is another new CD from Budapest "Too Blind To Hear" 
(Republic/Universal 440 067 160-2) in which the last song "Nothing 
New" has some icey lo-pitch strings (unconfirmed) beginning halfway 
through the song. Chris Pemberton is noted in the line-up 
playing "keyboard". www.budapestuk.com  Another non-prog CD--mostly 
of indie med-tempo pop and ballads.