Horde,

Here's the blurb lifted from the Gibralter Encyclopedia of Prog. It may help you.

If you want to check it out the link is:

http://www.gepr.net/geprfram.htm

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Rocket Scientists [USA]

Discography:

Earthbound (93)
Brutal Architecture (96)
Earth Below and Sky Above: Live in Europe and America (98)
Oblivion Days (99)


Reviews
I don't have any Rocket Scientist albums yet, but I have heard the Rocket Scientists cuts on the Think Tank Media sampler #2 included with Progression magazine #35, and have listened to several high-quality MP3's on their web site. The pieces I've heard are "Earthbound" from Earthbound, "Mariner" and "Wake Me Up" from Brutal Architecture, "Calm Before the Storm" from Earth Below and Sky Above, and "Dark Water/Aqua Vitae Medley" from Oblivion Days. I suggest you take the time to go to the site and audition these yourself. If you're like me, you'll be ready to add the entire discography to your CD collection.
Of all the reviews I've built around this Think Tank Media sampler and the MP3 samples from their web site (see also Lana Lane and Erik Norlander), Rocket Scientists are by far what I would call the most progressive. Norlander does his best work on these cuts, sounding at turns like keyboard gods Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, and Tony Banks. The reason for the difference between this and Norlander's solo efforts is undoubtedly the influence of Rocket Scientist Mark McCrite, who plays guitar and gets first billing on composition on all of the songs (except "Mariner", crediting only Norlander).

The Think Tank site calls Earthbound Neo-Prog. OK, I'll be the first to admit I'm confused about the whole "Neo" thing. Are the songs from Genesis' Duke "Neo" because they are more simple and song-oriented? I don't think I care. Rocket Scientists are progressive as far as I'm concerned, Neo or not, and they're making some darn fine music here. By far more interesting than anything Genesis ever did after Wind and Wuthering. Even the live cut, "Calm Before the Storm" is superb, which I assume means these guys would be a very cool band to go and see perform live.

Rather than try to give a blow-by-blow analysis of each of the songs, I'll just conclude by saying they are all excellent, all quite different, all have excellent guitar, keyboard and vocal work, and are very enjoyable to hear. And if "Neo" means they sound like Marillion, then these guys aren't. -- Fred Trafton