Since the belatedly '80s, guitarist Greg Howe has spiraled his agency towards the créme de la créme of the progressive-rock/jazz-fusion elite. With his showtime album since Extraction (Tone Center, 2003), the guitarist spawns to a greater extent than of his melodically shaded, super-speed legato lines piece honing inward a tad to a greater extent than on the compositional element. This album equally good features a novel band that is afforded ample breathing room to stretch. It's a democratic engagement but firmly rooted inward an altogether unified trouble of attack.
Howe zooms into the cosmos during many passages, yet the programme is largely, imprinted amongst briskly enacted fourth dimension signatures together with off-kilter rhythmic maneuvers equally the artists embark upon a sinuous journeying among persuasive group-based interplay. On Stevie Wonder's "Tell Me Something Good," Howe's weeping funk-rock lines destination matters via breakneck speed-riffing.
The band delves into Latin, fuzoid panoramas piece tempering the menses on Howe's jazzy, acoustic guitar-driven ballad, "Sunset In El Paso," piece letting it all hang out atop drummer Gianluca Palmierie's ferocious backbeats on "Child's Play," equally Howe's climactic together with multi-register phrasings makes it all look similar child's play. In other areas together with movements, keyboardist David Cook stands equally a potent foil for Howe via his dingy Fender Rhodes solos together with fluid chord voicings.
Sound Proof is Howe's finest musical arguing to date.
Whether y'all dear or abhor the genre of music he specializes in, you've got to give the human being credit. Even during arguably the all-time depression cry for for "guitar shredders" -- the mid- to belatedly '90s -- Greg Howe stuck to his guns, issuing album later on album of technically astounding guitar rock. And amongst the genre experiencing a resurgence circa the early on 21st century, Howe is nevertheless all near showing off his six-string gymnastic ability, equally evidenced yesteryear his 2008 release, Sound Proof. If you're seeking carefully constructed, melodic songs -- displace along. But, if you're into all-instrumental prog metallic amongst guitar at the forefront, together with then Sound Proof should run across your requirements. Look no farther than the album-opening "Emergency Exit," which has around real heavy '70s fusion elements (especially due to the January Hammer-esque keyboard doodling of David Cook), piece other tracks such equally the Steve Vai-esque "Morning View" together with the funky "Side Note" are equally good standouts. Musical trends may come upwardly together with go, but y'all e'er know what's inward shop amongst a novel Greg Howe release, together with this veteran shredder for sure doesn't disappoint amongst Sound Proof.
Jazz-rock fusion, reverse to around reports, did non die. It only splintered off into diverse sub-cultural cul-de-sacs, appreciated yesteryear small, rabid fanbases. One of those is the rock-jazz (vs. jazz-rock), more-is-more schoolhouse of guitar, lorded over yesteryear the likes of Steve Vai together with Joe Satriani, together with a bunch to which Greg Howe aspires. Howe is a nimble-fingered histrion who has been on the shredder scene for 20 years, when non doing twenty-four hours chore duty amongst the popular likes of Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake together with NSYNC.
Duly abetted yesteryear a trio of powerhouse players, drummer Gianluca Palmieri, bassist Jon Reshard together with keyboardist David Cook, the super-charged fret-mongering together with tone-tweaking Howe stirs upwardly a lot of nervous energy, from the super-charged opener “Emergency Exit” to the to a greater extent than harmonically intricate together with vaguely Jeff Beck-like championship cutting belatedly inward the program. For embrace material, Howe lends a distorted sassiness together with slink to the swell one-time Stevie Wonder melody made famous yesteryear Rufus inward the ’70s, “Tell Me Something Good,” inward a version both faithful together with re-inventive. “Sunset inward El Paso” is a rare time out from the onslaught, a cooler, to a greater extent than harmonically informed together with acoustic caput prevailing for iv minutes together with change. More, please.
Track listing:
All music composed yesteryear Greg Howe, except where noted.
1. "Intro" (interlude) 0:13
2. "Emergency Exit" 7:31
3. "Tell Me Something Good" (Stevie Wonder) 5:37
4. "Connoisseur Part 1" (interlude) 0:29
5. "Reunion" 5:53
6. "Morning View" 4:36
7. "Walkie Talkie" 6:13
8. "Rehearsal Note" (interlude) 0:16
9. "Side Note" 7:14
10. "Sunset inward El Paso" 4:15
11. "Write Me a Song" (interlude) 0:30
12. "Child's Play" 4:23
13. "Sound Proof" 6:42
14. "Connoisseur Part 2" 2:29
Total length: 56:21
Personnel:
Greg Howe – guitar, spoken vocals (track 11), production
David Cook – keyboard
Dennis Hamm – keyboard solo (track 9)
Gianluca Palmieri – drums
Jon Reshard – bass
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