15 June 2000

 
I caught these guys live supporting Queensryche on the Q2K tour. They were the best support act I've seen in years (since Lee Aaron supported Thunder in Amsterdam - that's 5 years ago) and went down very well with the audience too. I went out the next day to see if I could find anything by them in my favourite record store but couldn't find a thing. However a couple of weeks ago I found some material at the Virgin Megastore - a special limited 2000 tour edition of their latest album TRIPtych. This version is a two CD release, the second CD containing a number of B-sides and live tracks.

These guys are an interesting bunch and not easy to "pigeon hole", which I always have respect for. They're basically a three piece rock trio with an electronic, alternative almost industrial twist, slightly melancholic and an occasional Phrygian, Arabesque influence. The vocals remind me of a more powerful, soulful Tears for Fears and to my ear fit the lyrics and mood of the songs very well.

The first thing that hit me about the album was how good the engineering was. They've put a lot of thought about the effect and application of a variety of instruments and electronics. Add this to some colourful, unusual musical phrases thrown in and the result is a richly textured, moody array of songs. Highlights for me include Underground (probably my favourite, reminds me of a depressed Garbage), Heaven Coming Down (one of the more accessible on the album and I love the guitar melody), The Halcyon Days (the touch of eastern promise stuck in my mind when I heard this one live), A Slight Attack (quieter moments interrupted by an angry biting chorus), These Living Arms (what I'd describe as an emotional rocker) and Gone. The second CD is designed to whet the appetite for their back catalogue. I think about half of these were played when I saw them. Favourites for me are Save Me and Temptation, the latter being the most memorable from their live set.

I found this album quite refreshing. There's an interesting blend of styles here around a rock core and a variety of pace, whilst avoiding being overly ambitious in the songs' diversity as to sound experimental. This keeps the album together with a definite style without becoming boring. If they went down as well elsewhere as they did when I saw them, then I hope they'll make the trip out from their native Canada again soon.

7 June 2000

Why don't they make more albums like this these days? After his worthy contribution to Mr. Big's success, Paul Gilbert has left to carry on with what he did before - "shredding". Paul's back under the Racer X  badge, returning with a cracking album. It sounds like he's been bottling all his pent up energy from the last decade and let it all out during his last recording session. "Technical Difficulties" is a thrills and spills album that grabs your attention from the word "Phallic Tractor" (the instrumental opening track). With the exception of a breather during "Waiting", every track packs a solid, hard rocking, fret burning, punch. What I appreciate most about this album though (and I think it says a lot about Paul's musical attitude), is that although the speed and techniek is mind-blowing, is not a "guitar freaks" album. Each track has a good solid melody line and any lover of powerful, riff-driven heavy rock will appreciate it. The bass and drums are well synced with the guitar and Jeff Martin has a powerful, slightly raucous vocal and a decent range.

Points of note are "Fire of Rock", a great starter (after Paul has let you know his fingers are still fully functional during the opening track), "Snakebite" which follows on in much the same vein and the classical-rearrangement "B.R.O.", which gives ol' Yngwie Malmsteen a run for his money. The only real "break" during the album is during "Waiting", a slow, quieter track but not quite a ballad. Personally I think vocalist Jeff Martin's voice works much better with the harder stuff and this track doesn't quite work for me. The album closes with a cover of Sabbath's "Children of the Grave". Technically a well executed version, with Paul letting it rip during the solo, though it doesn't give me the same shiver as the original did. Apparently this track will also appear on an Ozzy tribute album including many other artists from the melodic rock world, to be released in August.

Overal? Highly recommended and a good contender for album of the year. A bit too hard for the average Mr. Big fan, unless you consider "Addicted to that Rush" one of their finer moments.