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Artist: Steve Morse Band |
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OK you axe-wielders and air guitar heroes out there, here's an album that will have you drooling for ever and a day. As everyone knows, Steve Morse is, and has been for the last 15 years, Deep Purple's guitarist, but now he can let his hair down even further on his band's latest release, 'Out Standing In Their Field', the three instrumentalists at their best and off-beat to say the least! You couldn't get a more pulverizing opener than 'Name dropping', each band member seemingly attacking their instruments with a vengeance, before More shows his hand at what he does best. That said, Dave La Rues bass solo is a joy to hear, light fingered to being with, then hammering in unison with the guitar. Not to be outdone, Van Romaine gives a lesson on how you should play the drums, with some killer rock beats that should have demolished his kit, to suddenly jazz things a round on the mellow interludes. No problems there then. Being mentioned in the same category as Jeff Beck is no joke when you hear Morse fly through the strings on 'Brink Of The Edge. You can only being to imagine the speed his fingers must be going to bring that sound out of his speakers, the guitar literally growling at you in its own words, then softly caressing your ears in the blink of a, ... well, finger! There's a classical element surrounding the song before a funky bass beat ends all that and throws its rock attitude straight back in your face. A touch of U2's the Edge signature guitar work welcomes you into a more serene world on 'Here and Now and Then', the lazy drumbeat and cloudy bass adding to the moment, before you're rudely awakened by what can be described as relentless fretwork by Morse on the aptly named 'Relentless Encroachment'. It's all like a lesson in guitars for advanced pupils, up ad down the neck at breathtaking speed that gets you dizzy just listening, never mind watching. Well done the other two for keeping up! Well what can you say about 'John Deere Letter' then? How about "Yeehaw Rednecks"!!. The Grand Ole Oprey is alive and kicking on this country an speed shit-kicker that beggars belief when you hear it. The slide guitar, running bass, multi-armed drumming, how, just how do they do it! If this was used on the Benny Hill Show when he chased the young girls around, he'd have been dead well before the 90's when he did kick the bucket. Fast ain't the word. It's back to business with 'More To The Point' and it's 80's Van Halen without words groove, neatly split between melodic heavy rock and a touch of folk-come-rock snatches to lighten the load, ending on its rocked up theme again. 70's pop / punk rears its angry head throughout 'Time Junction', some very intricate finger-work via Morse held together with some thumping drums and bass, not too dissimilar to what the Skids were about back then. The song has a harshness around it in parts that you got back then, so it's a relief when the lighter guitar riff comes back in. Something, somewhere here had to give before heading back to the mayhem, and 'Unnamed Sources' is the track that is best described as normal. It's not half as flashy as previous tracks or what's to come, just plain old easy listening guitars, drums and bass that put together sounds uncannily like the music that plays on my C.D. laser lens cleaner as it does its job! Ho Hum ... You can almost sense the full mannerisms of the subject on 'Flight Of The Osprey'. The tender moments on acoustic guitar relaying the message of the bird quietly floating midair, then as the song breaks into rock mode, you feel as if the bird is in chase of it's prey while the guitar soars along its choppy and solo way. The bass and drums sound urgent as they play along before the sudden finale gives its hint of the outcome of the chase. 'Baroque N Dreams' conjure up visions of a grand banquet set in days of yore, the finger-picked acoustic oozing its classical overtures with ease whilst the bass dances alongside. Kings, Queens, Lords and Ladies, Mannequins and Jokers, they're all here in this song. The only one not there is Ritchie Blackmore, which is a surprise due to his musical taste at the moment! Maybes it's a bit too grand for his Robin Hood and his Merry Men outlook. Pity. It's admission time for me here, and it's the fact I've never been a fan of instrumental albums, especially rock ones, but I've has my ears opened due to the craftsmanship heard from each member of this band, and although it's still a learning curve for me, I'm sure those of you out there who do enjoy albums such as this are going to be blown away by 'Outstanding In Their Field', because the Steve Morse Band are just that here on this album. Review by: Bob |
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Tracklisting:
01.
Name Dropping
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All content copyright of The Mayfair Mall Zine unless otherwise stated. |
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