Casey Frensz Presents – Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands

Casey Frensz Presents – Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands – Album Review

“The syncopator needs more cowbell!”  #FunkinRightsItDoes!

So look…clearly it would be stranger for anyone out there to assume a record entitled Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands would be normal than the other way around, you feel me?  You push play on a record like this & you know what you’ve signed up for.  Buy the ticket, take the ride.

What you probably won’t realize until you DO push play though, is that our friend Casey here, put over a 1000 human hours into the making of this album over the course of about four years, playing over fifty instruments in the process.  As you trip on into “Overture,” and you hear this sonic adventure begin to take its shape, believe me, you’re gonna love what you find.  Is it gonna be for everyone?  Hard to say at first perhaps, but eventually I think the answer is YES…or at least, that it SHOULD be.  I mean…it’s like Progressive Funk y’all…how could anyone resist such an innovative, cosmically expressive & colorful genre like that?  You may or may not be the kind of person that wants a whole Spoken Word dialogue in front of your favorite song…I don’t know you, so I can’t say for sure – but trust me when I tell ya that around the four minute mark, when “Overture” really settles in and starts kicking all the ass, you’re gonna want your volume UP to the maximum it has to offer in order to enjoy every sweet, sweet morsel of sound you can get outta your speakers.  For REAL folks…”Overture” becomes a glorious audio experience that is a vibrant bright spot in the year 2024, and as you “tune into the timewarp” and saxophones are crushin’ it, in addition to like, EVERY instrument you’ll hear along the way as well throughout this ten minute-plus long song, it’s only gonna take this first track to get you onboard with this record.  Is it different from the rest of what’s out there right now in the scene?  That’d be a Texas-sized 10-4 there good buddies…”Overture” establishes the tangible way that Casey Frensz is ready, willing, and able to do things way differently than the rest would ever dare.  In general, you’ll find that Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands is the kind of album that could never be made without an extraordinary level of commitment, confidence, and skills at the core…it’s beyond ambitious; it’s the kind of record that only a true musical madman would ever try to attempt.  C’mon though – you get to the spot around the 3:45 mark, and those superb bass-lines start kickin’ in…the immaculate sound of the drums and the horns to follow…you KNOW you want a whole lot more of whatever this is and are more than willing to follow this record wherever it may take ya!  “Overture” takes a bit of time at the start to get going, given that it’s also got the task of semi-introducing the storyline that’s about to take place…but once everything electric-slides into place, you’ll hear how much color and personality there is in the music you’re in-store for, and the fun really never seems to stop coming from that point forward.

As I shifted into “In The Middle” and its relaxing, serene downbeat melody…I felt like this album is what we’d get if Moyzesh merged his wild vibes with Dan Sonenberg’s work ethic and ambitious songwriting.  This is seriously well-crafted stuff dear readers, dear friends.  I got pretty damn addicted to Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands as I listened to this album throughout the week, but I also kept coming back to “In The Middle” as one of the most addictive tracks early on in the set-list.  On a personal level, I find it nearly ridiculously irresistible…I love the sweet sway of the music in this tune and how fascinating it is, without feeling like it’s even fighting for our attention.  “In The Middle” earns our ear-time by being genuinely captivating, and I’m loving it.  Ultimately, in hindsight you end up realizing that “In The Middle” is a drastic outlier in the context of what this album sounds like overall, but man…I love that Casey included this tune.  I suppose you could consider songs two and three to be the tracks that this interstellar voyager and his crew are listening to as they travel around the cosmos.  On a conceptual level, the first three tracks feel a bit more loosely tied to the album, whereas you can’t mistake what this record is all about by the time you get to the epic fourth track coming up around the cosmic corner.  “In The Middle” is beautifully chill though…I could totally see myself sitting around, watching the stars, and happily getting lost in my thoughts and dreams while this track plays on a loop.

“Doin’ It The Milky Way” is FUN…and if you ain’t recognizing that, I don’t know if we can save ya from yourself.  “GET SOME QUESO IN YOUR FACE, YO!”  Oh man…I am SO HERE FOR THIS RECORD, I cannot even begin to express that to ya, though I’m sure by the end of this review you’ll be confident that I’ve tried.  “Gettin’ merry with the dairy,” you say?  I most certainly am and will be from this point forward!  The commitment you’ll find in these songs, even to some of the most random ideas it possesses like “Doin’ It The Milky Way,” is nothing short of award worthy.  Usually you’ll find artists or bands that might be brave enough to dip a toe into audible adventurism like this, but it’s quite clear that Casey had no qualms about jumping in headfirst to give this album everything he had with the supreme level of vision and confidence it would need to make it really work.  The FUNK is most present and accounted for on “Doin’ It The Milky Way” if you ask me…it’s on the lighthearted side of the sound, but there’s no mistakin’ the funk when you feel it, can you dig what I’m bringing up cool cats?  This is one of the shorter tracks on the album overall, but probably one of the most universal to be found as well.  “Doin’ It The Milky Way” is one of those songs you can put on, and watch the ripple effect happen with the people listening as they all begin to nod their heads to the beat or get their toes tappin.’  I do not know what vegans would think of this particular track, but I suppose it’s fair to say I don’t rightly care either.

Again, regarding the commitment and dedication you’ll find on this album – check out “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands” will ya?  It’s practically the length of most Weezer records, clocking in at just underneath twenty minutes in total length…you know, in what’s clearly a sincere effort to retain its radio-friendly single potential.  LISTEN to the detail in this track though folks!  It’s like you’re sitting right there in the crowd, watching this cosmic battle of the bands in real-time…the crowd noise…the asides from the ‘correspondent’ – and the different acts that end up performing throughout the course of this song…it’s AMAZING to hear “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands” in action, I promise ya.  You’ll hear from legendary acts like “Divatronic,” “Old Dusty,” “RIFFRAT,” “Captain Queso,” and “Ga Na Na” – they ALL bring something completely unique to this medley of songs.  Casey has done an absolutely exceptional job of bringing this concept together and making this single track work cohesively by tying in the introductions to each act as it plays – I’m not even kidding, “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands” ends up feeling like you just attended a complete concert with a seriously versatile lineup.  You’ve got the flash & flair of Divatronic’s music…the stoic wisdom & sweet Folk sound of Old Dusty, who was fortunate enough to still find a banjo way out there in space…the pure Rock of Riffrat, who sound like they studied the 80s of Earth’s music history with the purest intent…and then of course, Captain Queso himself, bringin’ the FUNK straight to yo FACE son!  Giving due props to the reputation of “Wisconsin Cheese” and acknowledging it is “the greatest in the universe” just like we all thought…I mean…what else can be said?  Casey has created a multi-persona album filled to the brim with a whole array of diverse styles and sounds, and has somehow found a way to actually make it WORK, like everything belongs.  So…essentially, “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands” serves as an introduction to the participants in the Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands, before they’ll go on to each have their moment in the set-list afterwards as the competition heats up.  Ga Na Na brings it home through a cosmically-tribal infusion that is straight-up AWESOME to listen to…mainly instrumental, but with some chants & shouts & such as well…this whole track is freakin’ BRILLIANT y’all…you simply cannot possibly miss the superhuman level of effort that is being put in here.

With a ceremonial gong hit and trumpets blasting, “The Battle Begins” will inform your ears that things are about to get seriously serious, you know what I mean?  This cosmic rock-opera shows the artistic roots of its concept on “The Battle Begins” by serving as an interlude of sorts that introduces the rules to its participants.  Fueled by noteworthy DRAMA and vocal flair…this song is a complete riot…it’s like the kind of inside joke that is so perfectly dry you never really know if anyone’s kidding around or not, and I absolutely LOVE that about this track, and the whole album at-large when it comes right down to it.  This overlord dude seems like he’s a little on the demanding side of things…like…if I’m being honest with ya, he sounds like the kind of guy that ain’t gonna pay the bands and artists for their performances coming up.  I bet he did the whole ‘it’ll be great exposure’ thing to lure them in even, because who doesn’t fall for that, am I right?  “The Battle Begins” outlines the rules, explains the stakes, and kind of outlines what this second act of Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands is going to be about.  So buckle up my cosmic chums – there’s still a whole lot of entertainment left to come on this album y’all.

Riffrat gets the honors of being first up, so for the Rock fans out there, “Momentum” will get ya goin.’  I was pleased that this second track was a bit more modernized than the last time we experienced Riffrat on “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands” – this is more along the lines of what it might sound like if the Chili Peppers took on a song by Queens Of The Stone Age…as in, the comparison might not be the most accurate, but you get where I’m going with it – thar be a noticeable degree of Funk in this here Rock.  You’ll hear what I mean in the reference to the QOTSA sound though – listen to the way this track starts up and the parallels you could make to something like “You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar But I Feel Like A Millionaire” – that’s the kind of energy we’re talkin’ on this second track we hear from Riffrat.  Plus you get all the signature stops/starts in the guitar chops…deep bass-line grooves…drums might be a bit on the thinner side on “Momentum” if we’re gonna stick with the comparison to Queens, but they’re played with the same kickass enthusiasm and purpose.  Honestly, I ain’t complaining one iota about this track…I didn’t think Riffrat was going to be the band that came outta the gate sounding like they had the potential to go the distance in this competition based on the previous track, but here we are and that’s the case.  They’ve got “Momentum” jammin’ right and tight – I’d expect them to finish strongly in the battle of the bands when all is said and done – how could any overlord resist rocking out to this track?

So far…I feel like I’m probably gonna side with Riffrat…Old Dusty wasn’t quite doin’ it for me this second time around, though if I was to base things off of what we hear in “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands,” I might have been inclined to have him up in my top three.  It’s early yet in the battle, so who knows…maybe he’ll still end up there, but as of right now, “Old Saloon” might be a bit toooooo on the old side for me.  It’s well done, don’t get me wrong – it ain’t a quality issue.  In fact, I’d go as far as to say that if you’re the type to dig your old-timey Country tunes, or Elvis & whatnot…there’s a great chance you’ll love this track.  Loved the guitar that came in just past the third minute…pedal or lap steel I’d reckon…and I really thought the backing vocals were cleverly placed & performed throughout this song as well.  Performances in general…everything is in the right place…so don’t get me wrong, it’s just a personal taste thing for me this time around – if “Old Saloon” is your favorite tune, I’d fully give ya a high five.  My point is that, there ain’t nothing to hate on this track for if we’re talkin’ bout its technical details & such – “Old Saloon” does what it’s supposed to do, and it does it very well; it’s just not really my thing is all.

Captain Queso hits the middle of this cosmic lineup, to bring you more cheesy references…as in the kind that trace back to Wisconsin’s universe-best cheese, which incidentally, ain’t all that far away from where Casey is based out of in the neighboring state of Minnesota.  I mean…we’re out in the middle of outer space…yeah…far away from any cheese-based neighborhoods…right, right.  Umm – the saxophone probably steals the show for me on “The Queso Algorithm,” though bonus points surely go to the keys and the guitar for the way they support the main solo in this tune.  For real y’all – the saxophone is supplyin’ ya with award-worthy stuff…so do NOT go missin’ out on this particular cut, because trust me, it’s packin’ a serious highlight that will take ya from about the halfway mark through to the end of it.  As it begins though, it’s got such an impressive looseness and swagger to it that you’d swear Afroman was about to pop up and rock the mic…but it’s “Captain Queso on the track.”  It’s actually borrowing quite a bit from the roots of Hip Hop as much as you could pin down any other genre, especially when you factor in the vocals.  All-in-all though, it’s freakout-based fun that has a naturally organic appeal to it – “The Queso Algorithm” sounds easy to enjoy, because it truly is – and it just gets better as it plays on.

Hmm…I wouldn’t have thought so based on “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands” before, but I still think that Riffrat has got the edge right now, even after hearing Divatronic pop up in the fourth slot to keep you entertained, with a song called “Can You See Me?”  Like, it’s fair to say that this is my first cosmic battle of the bands, so I don’t REALLY know what the specs are behind the scenes…maybe it was one of those situations where like, each band had a lifetime to write their first song, and then they had to come up with a second one right on the spot – who knows?  Right now though, I’m feeling like Riffrat took a step forward, where everyone else might have taken one back, or held similar ground in the impression they made earlier.  Divatronic’s vocals are supplied by Sharisse Germain, who can definitely sing lights-out anytime she wants to.  Most of the time, she plays it pretty cool – but when she wants to go for it and give you something to talk about, she has no problem at all putting out something for the highlight reel.  Song-wise…I dunno…it’s a bit of a combination of the past & the present in the sense that it’s practically a disco-track masquerading as a modern-day tune.  Like, if Gloria Gaynor had written and recorded this song first and Divatronic was just covering it, you wouldn’t bat an eye or even think to question it.  I don’t mind it though…I suppose this is in third place for now, but there is still one more song to follow from the lineup featured in the battle of the bands, and it’s the one I’ve personally got the most faith in.  Still, bonus points for Germain crushing it throughout that final minute of “Can You See Me?” – she’s clearly a special talent that knows how to put her back into it when she’s going for her biggest notes.

I’mma get me a Ga Na Na shirt though, yessir.  This band knows what’s up…kind of reminds me of stuff I’d listen to in Tortoise, or even further down the rabbit hole in music by Colleen.  It’s like…I dunno how you’d describe it…refreshing & rejuvenating songs for the soul?  How about that?  “Phases Of The Many Moons” would be up there with my favorites on the record though…LISTEN to how things shape up as you head towards the 2:30 mark and how incredibly robust the definition is in the percussion and the production that comes along with it.  Look, I know that Ga Na Na might not necessarily be the band out of this lineup of cosmic all-stars that is going to have the most appeal to the average everyday listeners out there, but hopefully everyone gives them a chance.  I’m willing to bet that those that do are plenty surprised for all the right reasons – “Phases Of The Many Moons” is a VIBE y’all…from its eastern influence to the way that the music resonates on a more tribal kind of level…it’s continuously interesting in a way that I couldn’t personally take my ears off of.  So yes…ladies and gentleman, if I was the judge of this Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands, I think I’m hearing first place with what Ga Na Na creates.  Do I expect everyone to agree with me about that assessment?  Funk no!  But that doesn’t mean you should walk around thinking you’re right if you choose something else – because you can be, and probably are, wrong.  I’m ready to give Ga Na Na my firstborn child after everything I’ve heard from these legends.  I was more than happy to get lost in this trance-inducing, third-eye opening, multi-dimensional masterpiece…no joke, every time that “Phases Of The Many Moons” came on, I never wanted it to end.

With a series of like…melodramatic Captain-Kirk-fights-the-lizard-people type sounds to start up “Finale” – it seems like our cosmic overlord is unhappy with the results he’s heard from our five contestants.  Which is too bad…I feel like Casey they put in an enormous amount of effort throughout this lineup, and if that can’t be appreciated by the overlord…like…I mean, I’ll just say it – I ain’t gonna just blindly follow an overlord with poor judgement or bad taste in music, you feel me?  So bring on the rebellion yo!  As it turns out, that’s kind of what happens – spoiler alert, they band together to show the overlord what’s up, en masse.  I’ll be real with ya…I probably appreciate what the message is and the idea more than the style of sound itself appeals to me, you dig?  “Finale” will end up kind of making ya nostalgic for the Jim Henson-inspired jams you’d find in The Muppets or Fraggle Rock…and that’s…well – again, to be fair, those were also tremendously talented crews as well, even if I might not consider that kind of thing to be quite everyday listening.  You know me y’all, I just call things like I hear’em – I love that you can audibly hear every act you hear throughout the record come back to make another appearance and try to win their freedom from the overlord’s cosmic oppression.  Conceptually, it’s killer and there’s no doubt about that – “Finale” is hugely important to this entire idea, and I think it’s also fair to say there’s a great chance that this cut will bring a hammock-wide smile to the faces of the majority of people tuning into this album to have a listen.  Again, FUN is a LARGE part of what makes this album work, and on “Finale,” you get the fun factor turned up to eleven after being at a ten the whole time.  To be completely objective and fair, I did feel at times like I understood where the overlord was coming from – we’re all shown an incredible set of songs on “The Parade Of Cosmic Bands,” and I’m not so sure we didn’t get each individual act’s best tune at that time.  In their solo cuts to follow, I felt like there were a couple of clear winners and the rest were treading water a bit by comparison, so I guess I’m on his side at “Finale” begins, even though he seems to be a lot more riled up by the second set of tunes not measuring up to his gigantic standards.  Riffrat and Ga Na Na should have been excused from having to play another song in order to survive, but I admire the fact they lent a hand to the rest of the acts so that everyone stood a chance of not being overloaded by the overlord and this story can have the happy ending it deserved.  Teamwork, unity, togetherness…this album has a solid set of really good morals.

Spoiler alert – the overlord is PLEASED by this final performance, and “Coda” expresses his gratitude in song form.  From what I understand by reading the credits…the…very lengthy and extensive credits…the voice you hear as The Intergalactic Overlord belongs to Andrew Groble, and it’s one of the very few parts you’ll find on this entire album that Casey didn’t handle on his own.  I get where he’s coming from – Andrew’s obviously a tremendous talent in his own right, and apparently has quite the voice for Opera – which comes in very handy for the tracks he appears on throughout this record.  Dude just sounds regal, you know?  I might not know too much about Opera, but I can hear why he’s in charge of the galaxy with the kind of talent he’s got…that’s just cohesive logic that makes perfect sense.  “Coda” is still important to the idea, but sure, I’ll listen to you if you want to point out how theatrical this last track, and many of the songs on this record can be.  Honestly, I feel like Casey might even be slighting himself or leaving a little on the table if this is truly where the adventure ends – Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands could certainly go on to be a full-on musical and develop a serious cult following…and if I was him, I’d probably be genuinely looking at taking this project even further.  Why not?  I don’t know what else he’s doing, but he’s definitely created an opportunity for this cosmic adventure in sound to continue on if he so chooses.  As it stands, there’s no doubt that Captain Queso And The Intergalactic Battle Of The Bands is going to be one of the most successfully ambitious and adventurous records that you’re gonna hear this year, with execution unmatched and unparalleled.  The talent and foresight it takes to make an album like this is completely STAGGERING y’all – my hat is truly off to Casey Frensz for accomplishing this idea in its totality, and having it all sound so freakishly great.

Find out more about Casey Frensz from his official website at:  https://www.caseyfrensz.com

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