Synopsis:Volume 1 of a 10 disk musical series. On this first CD, we find Sir Rap-o-Tron, frontman to the globally renowned hip hop group"The Strut," making his first public appearance since his band mates were brutally murdered at their vacation homes on the Vegas Strip in September of 1996. Now 10 years after the no survivors incident, Sir Tron finds himself back on the mic for a radio interview with a new group of performers paying tribute to the songs and memories of his fallen comrades. MC'd by the mysterious Edward Johannesen, Tron finds himself barraged with questions about his colleagues past, his own present state of coping, and the potential future for the music industry, including the lessons he has learned about gaining fame and fortune. Who murdered The Strut? Why was Sir Tron the only survivor? Is God still drinking? And what exactly was Sir Tron doing with culinary artist Julia Child on the beaches of Mexico? This is just the tip of an iceberg of a tale involving love triangles with God, communist schemes to overthrow democracy and prolong the Cold War, time traveling asteroids, double crosses, little people spies, rap stars being horrifically murdered, conspiracy theories, prison breaks, alien encounters, a sexy muse, universe wide battles, and one robots quest to rediscover his true love in the middle of this chaos driven world. After all, this is just another day in the life of"The Strut."Reviews:FAYETTEVILLE FREE WEEKLY ARTICLE / REVIEW"The Strut: new album, sound"The Strut: new album, soundPosted on 21 January 2010bandoftheweek free weekly staffA Fayetteville band has come up with a sound that puts them in a category all their own. The Strut has created what we’ll call, for lack of a better descriptor, classical rap. The band has just released their first album, “Rappers Today, Vol. 1.” The Strut amps up the rap and hip-hop genre with orchestral sounds that are more akin to string quartet. The lyrics, including the f-word, are delivered in stiff and proper King’s English by violinist Ryan Cockerham who sounds more like a newscaster than a street rapper. But The Strut comes by their sound honestly. Emerging from the classical and jazz disciplines, the musicians are known more for their conventional performances than this sarcastic mix of rap, funk, hip-hop and classical. In addition to Cockerham, the professionally educated clan is: Drew Packard (guitar and vocals), Garrett Jones (bass and vocals) Chad Safarik (drums) and Johnny Arredondo (drums). Although the music is playful, technically it is primo. Clear and clean guitar and violin riffs are enhanced by funky bass lines and an exotic mix of drums and percussions. However, the story doesn’t stop with the music. The band dons costumes and stages a light show to draw their audiences into their world. The Strut’s cleverness also transfers to their album. Each of the nine songs on the CD is introduced by a “radio dj” and a robot. Prepare for some comedic relief, as “Sir Rap-o-Tron” describes the formation of the band, from its roaring success to its tragic end. Songs on the album range from the slow lament about the blue-collar lifestyle in “Blues in the Key of Corporate,” to a raunchy depiction of Julia Childs’ “vacation” in “Down South.” Check them out online at www.myspace.com/strutlove.Performances by:Ryan Cockerham (London / New York / Dallas, TX) - Vocals / Violin www.ryancockerham.comGarrett Jones (Fayetteville, AR) - Bass / Vocals / Guitar www.garrettjonesmusic.comDrew Packard (Fayetteville, AR) - Guitar / Vocals / Banjo www.drewpackard.comChad Safarik (Rogers, AR) - DrumsJohnny Arredondo (Austin, TX) - DrumsKory Montgomery (Fayetteville, AR) - Guitar www.korymontgomery.comOpal Fly and The Feel Goods (Fayetteville, AR) -"Slow Drag" intro www.opalfly.com