Disrectangular

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Disrectangular is an extremely likeable pastiche of Risch's quirky and hummable "adult" songs. There's swampy blues ("Sugarpot"), a haunting guitar and accordion waltz ("Louise Marie"), western-Minnesota bossa nova ("Impermanence"), a folk-rock anthem that melds into some sonic guitar madness ("Life Is Beautiful"), and a truly depraved and twisted country tune ("jonny Porno"). There's even a jangly pop/rock gem sung in a melange of Swahili, Korean, Russian, and German ("Despairanto"). The CD's eclecticism mirrors the sensibilities of a musician who finds no conflict in writing and recording a country tune in the same year that he studies Carnatic vocal percussion with a South Indian drum master (Shashi Kumar of the Karnataka College of Percussion).

Thematically, the songs deal with topics that resonate with adults of all ages - selling out; sexual attraction; the painful process of parenting; titillation and hypocrisy in society; accepting and celebrating life's lumps; finding purpose in the smallest acts. Like the song says, "Life is beautiful. It's just completely disrectangular at times".

Tracks:

Despairanto
Hey Mama
Sugarpot
Johnny Porno
Louise Marie
Impermanence
Life is Beautiful
New Definition
Seatle To St. Paul

Album Description

Disrectangular is an extremely likeable pastiche of Risch's quirky and hummable "adult" songs. There's swampy blues ("Sugarpot"), a haunting guitar and accordion waltz ("Louise Marie"), western-Minnesota bossa nova ("Impermanence"), a folk-rock anthem that melds into some sonic guitar madness ("Life Is Beautiful"), and a truly depraved and twisted country tune ("jonny Porno"). There's even a jangly pop/rock gem sung in a melange of Swahili, Korean, Russian, and German ("Despairanto"). The CD's eclecticism mirrors the sensibilities of a musician who finds no conflict in writing and recording a country tune in the same year that he studies Carnatic vocal percussion with a South Indian drum master (Shashi Kumar of the Karnataka College of Percussion).

Customer Reviews:

Great songs to fit any mood...........2002-08-22

Ok. Found myself listening to Johnny Porno about 3 times in a row, (Not sure what that says about myself) and Sugarpot about 50 times in a row. It's sexy blues-style gets you singing and grooving right along with it.

Louise Marie was a bit depressing for me, but the maturity, and sensitivity of Impermanence brings up bittersweet memories for me. Somehow nostalgic.

Can't really peg this album under a specific "category", 'cause it hits them all: rock, blues, latin, and quirky funk. Rick has really put together an album that is rich and layered, without being too heavy handed. Excellent and refreshing.

The "Sunday Morning Record".......2002-08-21

I wrote a review of "disrectangular" for a local Twin Cities rag called ANONYMOUS (and anybody in the Twins can count on us being on hiatus til Sept when we'll be monthly again, so LOOK OUT). And I stand by what I said in that rag, DAMMIT!! And I quote, "How a schlub like Pete Yorn can get a record contract while Rick Risch sits here in the Twin Cities is BEYOND ME!!"

This is what I called a "Sunday Morning record." You can put it on and go about your business on a lazy Sunday and let the day just drip away. It has a lot of different moods and probably hit me the hardest with the tongue-in-cheek "Johnny Porno" (my personal favorite of his). As I said in my article, the subject matter must just hit close to home, I guess. He changes moods with just about every song, from the Stan Getz send-up on "Impermanence" to the World-ish "Despairanto" (which I have to admit scared me at first. HATE World Music [we had a bad break-up in high school]).

But I guess I'm biased. Take away the fondness I have for this guy ('cause he seems to be a REALLY COOL PERSON, judging from the scant emails we've exchanged) and my INTENSE support I have for locals and "disrectangular" will still come out as a KILLER album!!

Disrectangular is beautiful!.......2002-08-16