This is a good era for the band's fans, the long hiatus after

Highly recommended to fans of the HAMPTON GREASE BAND, BOZZIO LEVINS STEVENS and LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT.Īhhhhhhh.another album by my beloved Dreadnaught. 'The American Standard' (2001), yet another stewing brew of sturdy jazz rock with Southern accents, remains a fan favourite todate, although a brand new album has just been released, 'Musica en Flagrante' (2004), which is said to be less rockabilly and features more Fender Rhodes. Their second, 'Una Vez Mas' (2000), is an eclectic and vibrant sonic excursion that veers from tightly arranged, hook-filled pieces to improvisational prog-soul hybrids. Their first (self-titled) features among other tracks a number of live showstoppers from 1996 to 1999. They have released four studio albums since 1998. Although predominantly instrumental, their albums feature a fair number of vocal pieces recalling early PHISH touches of The DIXIE DREGS and KANSAS also come through in the violin filled tracks. This highly entertaining outfit blends some of the most unlikely elements ever to be found in prog. If the mere mention of the words makes you cringe, however, think again: only the most rabid country-music-hating ProgSnobs would scorn these guys.

But some of those scenes, and the bad guy, are so good, I wish they'd managed the same tone throughout.DREADNAUGHT explores a unique blend of prog and traditional American music - call it 'symphonic Bluegrass' if you will, or 'Progabilly' as the band like to call it themselves. Unfortunately, much of the movie is quite typical for a kung fu flick from the '80s, with slapstick and silly characters. It is up to our man Yuen Biao to stop him, but first he has to get over his cowardice. The bad guy paints his face and murders people. You see, 'Dreadnaught' is a rarity - a kung fu horror flick.

The movie also has another really unique fight scene, where the actually terrifying bad guy wears an even more unique costume - a head with two faces, and fights in a dimly lit, frightening scene. It is mind boggling imagining how long it must have taken to get this right. They are surprised by the other lion costume, and a fight ensues. The costume that appears first climbs up a makeshift bridge made of benches in a feat of extraordinary balance and coordination. 'Dreadnaught' has an unforgettable scene featuring four men in two different lion costumes.

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