Andy McGowan
A great vibe running through the album, some very soulful sounds coming through and a great backstory (of which I was a small part 😁). Keep up the good work Mr Ruttenberg.
Favorite track: Made In The Shade.
rabbi_aryel
As I listen and close my eyes I see that I'm on my motorcycle early on a Sunday morning, running up the lake shore drive with nothing but the lake on one side, forest on the other and miles of open road ahead. Settle in for a great ride.
Favorite track: Kaliver.
richard schwartz
Ruttenberg's 21st album is by far his best. Smooth and silky, shimmering and slinky, this album goes long and connects. Diverse by any standards, Red Ant Commandos delivers punchy shockwaves intermingled with stealthy psychodelic, delicious guitar licks, keyboard riffs and pulsing percussion. This album is Ruttenberg's true tour de force!
dannglenn
I absolutely love Red Ant Commandos and haven't selected a favorite track, because the entire album is quite remarkable. As a Guitarist the second I heard the Guitar light up I KNEW it was Barry Finnerty. Richard never gets caught up in his own Genius swirl, because he always has some of the best musicians on the planet to perform, on his records. This particular album has serious mo-jo from start to finish.
Phazes
It never ceases to amaze me, nor am I ever in dissatisfaction with Richard D. Ruttenberg's compositions and recording projects. "RED ANT COMMANDOS" thumps the ball directly out of the ballpark. Its refinement and artistic versatility are astounding. Richard D. Ruttenberg "RED ANT COMMANDOS"... A Master In His Artistry!
HuffGary
This album is incredible! I love all of the music and the images that come to mind when listening. Richard and his very talented group has a real hit here! Can't wait for the next work to come out!
Favorite track: The Attack!.
WARNING! The following description warrants a caveat yet is sincerely meant to be funny! All of it is really inside humour for the people who were there and lived it...we were young and had a blast!
A colony of Red Ants are planning an attack on the Disgusto Sister's Picnic. Let me explain the genesis of this idea. You see, when I lived in London England as a heavy metal drummer in the band STORM WARNING, and then pop sensation FAR CRY in the mid to late 1980's I was friendly with a couple of young women who worked alongside several others soldering computer chip boards for Yamaha electric piano keyboards. They did this in the upstairs attic in the house I was living in on Underne Avenue in South Gate (next to last stop on the Piccadilly line). I would always watch them eating their lunch five days a week, and every single meal looked so revolting that we dubbed them The Disgusto Sisters! I was a starving musician back then and even now I'm thankful I never tried their bizarre food.
The master of the house was entrepreneur & heavy metal guitarist Larry Smith. He was the boss and remains to this day an extremely eccentric chap to say the least. BUT...We were all suffering under a fascist regime spearheaded headed by his vile girlfriend. She's been described as being covered with a thick layer of scaly grey skin, emitting a strong disgusting odor of taco grease and ass cheese. Her sharp yellow teeth could take a man's arm off in one bite! "H's Daughter", stomping through London for decades, breathing fire from her hairy snout; her glowing red eyes striking fear in the heart of anyone unfortunate enough to look in her hideous face! Her gnarled cow-like hooves, crushing and destroying everything in her path! Her rolls of fat, swaying and crashing like a raging Sunami! Yes, "H's Daughter"! Her powerful tail, strong enough to sweep an entire Ox into her throbbing colon!
She made us quite miserable on a daily basis. Whilst sleeping at night, I would often awake in a cold sweat from the nightmares she inspired. In my dreams , she had several people shot at point blank range, and forbade me from ever visiting the crew during work hours again. Was it a dream? Anyway, "H's Daughter" was particularly nasty to the girls, too. The Disgusto sisters are Dawn (she went by the name Irene back then to circumvent efforts by Scotland Yard to close down her kitchen) and sister Tracie Young. The Young sisters would often bring in "pot noodles" and I remember wretching every time I passed by their table.
Another worker and bass player for FAR CRY, Richard Gascoine, was a really handsome bloke and was a heart throb for all the girls in London. But his looks were permanently altered by the Disgusto Sister's infamous Pot Noodles. The only way to describe him now is to suggest to you the actress Renee Zellweger. You know how she always looks like she just ate a Lemon and her face looks all scrunched up? Same thing happened to Richard, but now his face looks like he got punched in the nose by PM Boris Johnson during a brawl in Parliament. He actually got this way sharing lunch one day with Dawn and Tracie (poor sod).
Another guy, Andy McGowan from London, was another really cool dude with a certain flair and all the chicks liked him too, but alas, the Disgusto Sisters got hold of him during lunch one day, and poor Andy has aged like a bar stool in an Arsenal supporter's Pub. His now strained, stained, & portly appearance has scared off hoards of female companions, and he is now sadly devoid of any and all charm and romance. He is still funny though...funny looking that is! I think he's hired a solicitor but to no avail. The Disgusto Sisters have received complete immunity from Buckingham Palace. Apparently, Prince Andrew is enamored with them both. I mean, Fergie was no bargain and Randy Andy I hear tell loves to do all sorts of nasty things with a bowl of pot noodles. Thus, in sum, if you were anywhere in the vicinity of Southgate back in the 1980's you surely encountered the unmistakable smoldering smell of pot noodles emanating from the sisters as they marched confidently to and from the London Underground. The horror...the horror. But I digress...
Back to the album! The Queen Ant has a dream to galvanize her troops and prepare them for battle in a surprise attack on the upcoming Disgusto Sister's picnic. They rest in the shade, they train, plan, march, and finally attack! But you have to ask the question. Were they successful or did they all drop dead from the Disgusto Sister's pot noodles? You'll have to purchase the album and access the bonus items to find out!
As for the musicians on this album, we really went after the high end studio cats to make these compositions sensational. This music is very soulful and adventurous all at once. The songs are filled with beauty, action, and that hallmark Ruttenberg Fusion style! Can you dig it? I knew that you could! So, support the arts and make a purchase of this fantastic album!
credits
released March 23, 2020
BARRY FINNERTY - Guitars 1,2,3,5.
JOE BERGER - Guitars 6,8 & mastered the album.
VINNIE ZUMMO - Guitars & co-writer 7.
EDDIE "Motown" KOHEN - Bass 6
LAGGY "Hijacker" PANTELI - Keys, Programming & co writer 8.
RICHARD D. RUTTENBERG - Composer all songs except where noted. Modulus 002, Korg Karma, Elektron Analog 4V Sequencer, ARP Odyssey, E bass, E drums, Custom RDR Sound Library. All editing & Mixing.
Richard D. Ruttenberg is a film scorer and recording artist. Educated at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, his bands
RiZe & Delicate Droids are both signed to Superfreq Records. "Four Beats and Some Sweets" & "Orgasm Raygun" are both available @ Beatport worldwide. He is also signed to STARKFutures Recordings. World renown guitarist Barry Finnerty proclaims him "The king of atmosphere"....more
The London jazz-fusion ensemble navigate themes of faith and struggle on their latest LP, toying with dub, hip-hop and soul as they go. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 1, 2020
The opening track on Maulawi’s 1974 LP for the legendary Strata Records gets its funky grooves turned inside-out in these remixes. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 19, 2021
