The Week in Reviews - Scott Fischer

The musical mind of native Chicagoan Scott Fischer has been described as a colorfully symphonic amusement park. Whether it's a song-length concept piece, a full album, a rock opera or something else entirely, big bright melodies and ambitious composition always take center stage. As a contributor to Zappacast (the official Frank Zappa podcast), a performer in The Rod Stewart Experience with the legendary Carmine Appice and now on his seventh album, it's no wonder this latest release is titled “Open 28 Hours”: Whatever you're expecting from Fischer's Flicker, you're going to end up with more.

“Open 28 Hours” revisits the humor and camp of Fischer's previous musical bodies of work, and also maintains a musically mature songwriting style and Fischer's signature elastic vocals. Part prog, part power pop, part funk, part piano magic, part 80's extravagance and all at once endlessly intriguing, “Open 28 Hours” plays like a diverse mixtape from another planet. Diversity is not only this band's strong suit, but its card to play in an industry where singular genres seemingly come hardwired in these days. Instead, Fischer's Flicker has something for everyone without kowtowing to trends or passing whims. Good songs are universal, and this is a record that's full of them.