Brit guitar hero Allan Holdsworth, ex of the Soft Machine, Gong, U.K., as well as Bill Bruford as well as 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 larn his hands on ain records, as well as has gotten results that arrive at from the nigh sublime to the variety of dross i ordinarily associates alongside prog excess. But Sand is a different animal, a time out from the relentless kitchen sink approach Holdsworth was mired inward through much of the tardily '70s as well as early on '80s. Utilizing a novel contraption, the "Synthaxe," a guitar that has the tonal as well as sonic possibilities of the synthesizer but tin survive played direct every bit well, it seems to satisfy the artist's engineering jones, as well as allows him to compose sensitively for the musical instrument spell non forgetting he's a guitarist first. Guitar fans mightiness survive a niggling set off yesteryear the sounds as well as textures of the synthaxe, which allows for a guitarist to subvert its express arrive at of tones as well as colors for rounded off keyboard sounds as well as warm textural aspects. In other words, the traditional audio of the electrical guitar -- and, inward particular, Holdsworth's trademark audio -- is nearly absent. In house is a nigh keyboard audio played inward the same agency he plays guitar. The half dozen compositions hither arrive at from the knotty, mixed tempo, arpeggio-rich championship rail to the reflective, nigh pastoral grace of "Distance Vs. Desire" to the electronically astute, fast as well as furious jazz-rock fusion of "Mac Man." The entirely fourth dimension a keyboard really appears is Alan Pasqua's solo inward "Pud Wud," where the guitarist wields his traditional musical instrument as well as rips costless of the constraints of his ain composition for to a greater extent than or less genuinely fiery pyrotechnics. The beat department of bassist Jimmy Johnson (a killer electrical jazz bassist who has too played alongside Percy Jones as well as Brand X) as well as drummer Gary Husband are to a greater extent than than equal to the chore of accompaniment, and, inward fact, are creative foils for Holdsworth, who allows his sidemen enough of room to smooth -- too dissimilar many of his before projects. Is Sand the grade of a novel contentment as well as refined aesthetic for Holdsworth? Only fourth dimension will, but it is security to tell that this is i of his nigh innovative as well as texturally beautiful to date.
Aside from Holdsworth's obvious guitar virtuosity, whatever someone alongside whatever variety of musical preparation or background MUST appreciate this innovator's unique approach to chord progression as well as musical (as opposed to avant garde) application of modal scales. This human being travels where few dare tread alongside a truthful gift of "melody" soloing. Also pleasing to the curious ear is his purpose of the Synthaxe as well as other synth rythm instruments.
I am guessing on the length of this CD. In my mind, Sand is i of Allan's best industrial plant ever! There is first-class purpose of the Synthaxe guitar alongside the encasings of a dynamite band. Allan, at the fourth dimension of its release, explores novel territory only exterior of hard prog... but non really a commercial endeavour such every bit Avachron. This album stands out from his many wonderful records every bit beingness i of the nigh inventive releases alongside first-class flows as well as textures... as well as of course, AWESOME playing yesteryear ALL! Fantastic spin!
People who are non into jazz music frequently verbalize of this genre going circular inward circles, that its artists play self-indulgent as well as tuneless noodlings which are unpalatable for fans of stone as well as popular music. Those people ordinarily honor Allan Holdsworth's '80s output as well as his go alongside prog-rock supergroup United Kingdom of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland really interesting as well as innovative, mainly because Holdsworth managed to avoid empty musical gymnastics as well as overlong guitar solos inward favor of kicking riffs as well as a completely novel vogue which sounded dissimilar anything that preceded it. Now, 1987's "Sand" sees Holdsworth leaning to a greater extent than towards abstract electronica as well as giving upwards the song cloth as well as jazz-rock arrangements of before albums, a non unexpected thing, perhaps, since "Atavachron" sure hinted at the things to come upwards yesteryear introducing the Synth-axe guitar, an musical instrument whose audio appears to a greater extent than similar a cross betwixt violin as well as keyboard. That said, it's silent hard to pivot downward "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 really fresh as well as variety of cool at the same time. The agency all the tracks on "Sand" cook is rather similar to much electronic music (imagine a jazzy version of Tangerine Dream), but inward house of the monochrome, slow-motion vogue ordinarily associated alongside this musical avenue, a dynamic as well as unpredictable impetus predominates.
Holdsworth's spacious production is dynamic as well as relaxing at the same time, hence this album industrial plant really good every bit something either concentrated on or left running every bit background music. The v 1/2-minute championship rail sets the scene alongside its synth-like, airy chords which are all of a abrupt joined yesteryear dense drum patterns, ominous bass pulses as well as dark-sounding undercurrents of electronic washes -- a fascinating demonstration of 'urban cyber-jazz' alongside a diversity of instrumental touches as well as imaginative melodies. In contrast to nigh other tracks here, "Distance vs. desire" totally ignores traditional rhythms as well as relies of layers of peaceful Synth-axe soundscapes; it's the to the lowest degree impressive as well as nigh repetitive slice on the album, but yet has something to offer. Thankfully, things go much to a greater extent than abstract as well as compelling alongside the 7-minute "Pud Wud", which opens alongside champaign recordings taken from a playground, as well as hence alternating several instrumental sections as well as solos for the private musicians before i musical instrument after the other is stripped away as well as the slice disappears. The path changes in i lawsuit to a greater extent than alongside the heavily echoed, industrial drum loops as well as subharmonic touches of "Clown", mixing that alongside incredible chords as well as solo sections yesteryear Holdsworth before abruptly returning to massive drum patterns as well as lite atmospherics. "Bradford Executive" too manages to concur attending during its 8 1/2-minute length; it begins alongside bell-like signals as well as crackling static, adding mimicked vibraphones as well as rather carnivalesque elements which supply 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 yesteryear using to a greater extent than or less sequences which were generated yesteryear a Mac Computer, subsequently accompanied yesteryear rigid guitar screams/washes from Holdsworth as well as to a greater extent than or less melodic Synth-axe chords. Some of the these sounds convey to hear Tangerine Dream's mid-'80s work. In conclusion, if yous receive got a predilection for music which is excitingly different from the run-of-the-mill modern jazz, at that spot isn't a ameliorate house to go than "Sand": It features explorations to encounter what tin survive done alongside a guitar/bass/drum arrangement, pushing frontwards into previously unknown territories as well as avoiding conventional approaches to tune as well as beat alongside remarkable dexterity.
"Sand" features guitarist Holdworth's experiments alongside the Synthaxe instrument--kind of a cross betwixt a guitar as well as a synthesizer. "Sand" too includes Jimmy Johnson on bass as well as Republic of Chad Wackerman on drums as well as percussion, amid other artists. Featured are beautiful compositions as well as fiery guitar solos - well, what else would yous aspect from the legato master?
Interview: http://www.fingerprintsweb.net/ah/press/gui1187.html
Track listing:
All music composed yesteryear 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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