Brit guitar hero artist/allan-holdsworth-mn0000002252">Allan Holdsworth, ex of the artist/soft-machine-mn0000753685">Soft Machine, artist/gong-mn0000949619">Gong, U.K., in addition to artist/bill-bruford-mn0000074776">Bill Bruford in addition to artist/annette-peacock-mn0000489207">Annette Peacock's solo projects, has been wildly inconsistent when it comes to his solo projects. Completely bonkers for technology, he's employed every gadget he tin sack teach his hands on ain records, in addition to has gotten results that hit from the nigh sublime to the form of dross ane unremarkably associates amongst prog excess. But Sand is a different animal, a disclose from the relentless kitchen sink approach artist/holdsworth-mn0000002252">Holdsworth was mired inwards through much of the belatedly '70s in addition to early on '80s. Utilizing a novel contraption, the "Synthaxe," a guitar that has the tonal in addition to sonic possibilities of the synthesizer but tin sack hold upwards played immediately equally well, it seems to satisfy the artist's engineering jones, in addition to allows him to compose sensitively for the musical instrument spell non forgetting he's a guitarist first. Guitar fans mightiness hold upwards a petty set off past times the sounds in addition to textures of the synthaxe, which allows for a guitarist to subvert its express hit of tones in addition to colors for rounded off keyboard sounds in addition to warm textural aspects. In other words, the traditional audio of the electrical guitar -- and, inwards particular, artist/holdsworth-mn0000002252">Holdsworth's trademark audio -- is nearly absent. In house is a nigh keyboard audio played inwards the same agency he plays guitar. The vi compositions hither hit from the knotty, mixed tempo, arpeggio-rich championship rail to the reflective, nigh pastoral grace of "Distance Vs. Desire" to the electronically astute, fast in addition to furious jazz-rock fusion of "Mac Man." The solely fourth dimension a keyboard really appears is artist/alan-pasqua-mn0000608603">Alan Pasqua's solo inwards "Pud Wud," where the guitarist wields his traditional musical instrument in addition to rips costless of the constraints of his ain composition for closed to really fiery pyrotechnics. The musical rhythm department of bassist artist/jimmy-johnson-mn0000295984">Jimmy Johnson (a killer electrical jazz bassist who has too played amongst artist/percy-jones-mn0000308478">Percy Jones in addition to Brand X) in addition to drummer artist/gary-husband-mn0000739464">Gary Husband are to a greater extent than than equal to the chore of accompaniment, and, inwards fact, are creative foils for artist/holdsworth-mn0000002252">Holdsworth, who allows his sidemen enough of room to smooth -- too different many of his before projects. Is Sand the score of a novel contentment in addition to refined aesthetic for artist/holdsworth-mn0000002252">Holdsworth? Only fourth dimension will, but it is condom to country that this is ane of his almost innovative in addition to texturally beautiful to date.
Aside from Holdsworth's obvious guitar virtuosity, whatever mortal amongst whatever form of musical grooming or background MUST appreciate this innovator's unique approach to chord progression in addition to musical (as opposed to avant garde) application of modal scales. This human being travels where few dare tread amongst a truthful gift of "melody" soloing. Also pleasing to the curious ear is his purpose of the Synthaxe in addition to other synth rythm instruments.
I am guessing on the length of this CD. In my mind, Sand is ane of Allan's best plant ever! There is splendid purpose of the Synthaxe guitar amongst the encasings of a dynamite band. Allan, at the fourth dimension of its release, explores novel territory but exterior of hard prog... but non really a commercial try such equally Avachron. This album stands out from his many wonderful records equally beingness ane of the almost inventive releases amongst splendid flows in addition to textures... in addition to of course, AWESOME playing past times ALL! Fantastic spin!
People who are non into jazz music oftentimes verbalize of this genre going circular inwards circles, that its artists play self-indulgent in addition to tuneless noodlings which are unpalatable for fans of stone in addition to popular music. Those people unremarkably honour Allan Holdsworth's '80s output in addition to his go amongst prog-rock supergroup Great Britain real interesting in addition to innovative, mainly because Holdsworth managed to avoid empty musical gymnastics in addition to overlong guitar solos inwards favor of kicking riffs in addition to a completely novel trend which sounded different anything that preceded it. Now, 1987's "Sand" sees Holdsworth leaning to a greater extent than towards abstract electronica in addition to giving upwards the song cloth in addition to jazz-rock arrangements of before albums, a non unexpected thing, perhaps, since "Atavachron" for certain hinted at the things to come upwards past times introducing the Synth-axe guitar, an musical instrument whose audio appears to a greater extent than similar a cross betwixt violin in addition to keyboard. That said, it's soundless hard to pivot downwardly "Sand" stylistically -- Holdsworth's best records ever seem to be exterior of whatever accepted musical formulas spell providing a minimum of accessibility fifty-fifty for the uninitiated listener -- yet this album ends upwards sounding real fresh in addition to form of cool at the same time. The agency all the tracks on "Sand" prepare is rather similar to much electronic music (imagine a jazzy version of Tangerine Dream), but inwards house of the monochrome, slow-motion trend unremarkably associated amongst this musical avenue, a dynamic in addition to unpredictable impetus predominates.
Holdsworth's spacious production is dynamic in addition to relaxing at the same time, therefore this album plant real good equally something either concentrated on or left running equally background music. The five 1/2-minute championship rail sets the scene amongst its synth-like, airy chords which are of a precipitous joined past times dense drum patterns, ominous bass pulses in addition to dark-sounding undercurrents of electronic washes -- a fascinating demonstration of 'urban cyber-jazz' amongst a multifariousness of instrumental touches in addition to imaginative melodies. In contrast to almost other tracks here, "Distance vs. desire" totally ignores traditional rhythms in addition to relies of layers of peaceful Synth-axe soundscapes; it's the to the lowest degree impressive in addition to almost repetitive slice on the album, but all the same has something to offer. Thankfully, things go much to a greater extent than abstract in addition to compelling amongst the 7-minute "Pud Wud", which opens amongst champaign recordings taken from a playground, in addition to therefore alternating several instrumental sections in addition to solos for the private musicians before ane musical instrument after the other is stripped away in addition to the slice disappears. The path changes in ane trial again amongst the heavily echoed, industrial drum loops in addition to subharmonic touches of "Clown", mixing that amongst incredible chords in addition to solo sections past times Holdsworth before abruptly returning to massive drum patterns in addition to calorie-free atmospherics. "Bradford Executive" too manages to concur attending during its 8 1/2-minute length; it begins amongst bell-like signals in addition to crackling static, adding mimicked vibraphones in addition to rather carnivalesque elements which furnish a launching pad for the longest guitar solo on the album. The playful "Mac Man" closes the album on a to a greater extent than rhythm-heavy annotation past times using closed to sequences which were generated past times a Mac Computer, subsequently accompanied past times rigid guitar screams/washes from Holdsworth in addition to closed to melodic Synth-axe chords. Some of the these sounds pick out to heed Tangerine Dream's mid-'80s work. In conclusion, if you lot guide keep a predilection for music which is excitingly different from the run-of-the-mill modern jazz, at that topographic point isn't a amend house to go than "Sand": It features explorations to encounter what tin sack hold upwards done amongst a guitar/bass/drum arrangement, pushing forrard into previously unknown territories in addition to avoiding conventional approaches to tune in addition to musical rhythm amongst remarkable dexterity.
"Sand" features guitarist Holdworth's experiments amongst the Synthaxe instrument--kind of a cross betwixt a guitar in addition to a synthesizer. "Sand" too includes Jimmy Johnson on bass in addition to Republic of Chad Wackerman on drums in addition to percussion, amid other artists. Featured are beautiful compositions in addition to fiery guitar solos - well, what else would you lot await from the legato master?
Interview: http://www.fingerprintsweb.net/ah/press/gui1187.html
Track listing:
All music composed past times Allan Holdsworth, except where noted.
1. "Sand" 5:25
2. "Distance vs. Desire" 5:16
3. "Pud Wud" 6:45
4. "Clown" 5:14
5. "The 4.15 Bradford Executive" (Holdsworth, Republic of Chad Wackerman) 8:28
6. "Mac Man" 4:01
Total length: 35:09
Personnel:
Allan Holdsworth – guitar, SynthAxe, engineering, mixing, production
Alan Pasqua – keyboard
Gary Husband – drums (tracks 1, 3)
Chad Wackerman – drums (tracks 4, 5), percussion (track 6)
Jimmy Johnson – bass (except rail 6)
Biff Vincent – Roland Octapad bass (track 6)
John England – audio effects
Francois Bardol - Artwork
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