Lucid Fly: Go for Launch

The history of how and why I started FEMALE FRONT Radio has been told so many times, it has now become the stuff of legend. Except for the "stuff of legend" part. But I will re-tell it now to provide a bit of context for the band I will mention in a moment.

One day in the late 1990's, the Modern Rock/Alternative FM station of which I was a frequent listener decided to stop playing female artists. This was a station which, up to that point, had regularly played such artists as Hole, No Doubt, Elastica, Fiona Apple and many, many others. But suddenly, the women were out and rape-rock bands like Limp Bizkit were in.

Fortunately, the Limp Bizkit era didn't last long; but when the programmers came to their senses and started adding innovative artists back into the mix, they left out one very big category: Innovative female artists (actually, female artists of any kind). That was offensive enough. But what finally drove a stake into their last surviving sliver of credibility, was when one of their DJ's said that they would be happy to play female artists -- if there were any out there worth playing.

Thus, FEMALE FRONT was born, to prove the obvious: That there are so many outstanding female artists out there, one guy could hand-pick a 24-hour-long playlist of his favorites, and barely scratch the surface. The rise of internet radio, iTunes and Myspace, and the commensurate decline of commercial radio & record companies, all serve as neat little facts that support my main point -- which is that I was right, and commercial radio programmers are ignorant dickheads.

True, the FEMALE FRONT playlist includes many genres other than Modern Rock; but to be honest, I start getting antsy when I haven't added any real rockers in a while. I like to prove the point again and again that female musicians and vocalists can rock just as hard as the dudes.

Enter Lucid Fly.

Based out of Orlando, FL, this Progressive Hard-Rock quartet -- founded by guitarist Doug Mecca and virtuosa vocalist Nikki Layne -- make an impressive debut with their self-released EP, Adapting to Gravity. The production values are strong, and the project as a whole benefits from a sense that this was an intellectual venture as much as a musical one.

Layne's vocals really soar, something that perhaps is better appreciated upon repeat listenings. Overall, the seven songs on the EP are thoughtful and well-structured, and there isn't a line of rap in any of the 27:44 running time.

Being Orlandoans (Orlandoers? Orlandites?), Lucid Fly displays the obvious influence of the Space Coast all over the place: in the album title, band name (after astronaut Shannon Lucid), songwriting and even in their unique branding, which extends from the album art to the band's website. All of this is something that the geek in me finds deeply satisfying. (OK, so it's more like I'm the geek, and the rocker in me finds the music deeply satisfying; anyway, same net result.)

Adapting to Gravity doesn't necessarily break new ground in Rock; but Lucid Fly are every bit as good as their multi-platinum peers, which only goes to highlight the inherent sexism of commercial radio. But by purchasing their CD, you can help ignite the solid rocket booster that Nikki Layne and Lucid Fly will ride right through the glass ceiling.