| review: Mike Keneally Band - Guitar Therapy Live [message #283507] |
Mi, 21 Juni 2006 08:53 |
|
Music
CD Reviews
June 21, 2006
http://www.chattanoogapulse.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/06/ 21/449852928847d
Mike Keneally Band
Guitar Therapy Live
(Exowax)
Frank Zappa once referred to Mike Keneally as “the best new guy I
ever had in the band.” Keneally played in Zappa’s last touring
band in 1988, and when personality conflicts caused that band to
implode, he embarked on a solo career using Zappa as a model of
how creative and adventurous a musician can be.
As engaging and accomplished as they were, Keneally’s earlier
solo albums stayed somewhat close to the Zappafied rock vibe.
He’s mixed things up a bit in recent years, however. 2001’s
acoustic and gorgeous Wooden Smoke caused XTC’s Andy Partridge to
ask, “How many people do you know who can make a CD sound
hand-carved?” 2004’s Dog was a ruthless collection of thinking
man’s rock. He described his other release that year, The
Universe Will Provide, as “a collaboration between me and my
eight-year-old self.” In actuality, Keneally collaborated with
the 50-plus-piece Metropole Orkest (also featured on a new Elvis
Costello disc) to present some of his far-out, often rock-leaning
orchestral works.
While a bit of a throwback, Guitar Therapy Live—featuring Brian
Beller (Bass), Rick Musallam (guitar) and Joe Travers
(drums)—revisits most of Keneally’s previous musical eras with
renewed vigor. And loudness. It’s almost an unfair collection,
really. Recorded over three nights last year, the performances on
Guitar Therapy Live are dominated by, as the title suggests,
guitar. But not your typical hair band guitar wonkery. For as
many notes as Keneally and Co. play, they play them in almost as
many styles and feels as is humanly possible. This band has
forgotten more music than your typical indie rock flavor of the
month will ever know, and they execute their knowledge with not
only depth and virtuosity, but accessibility and a lack of
pretension (see: fun) that many of their lesser competitors could
learn a thing or two from.
Among the highlights: “Panda” is slick, breezy, back alley funk.
“Lightnin’ Roy” is a punchy, Van Halen-esque instrumental romp
that eventually collapses in pile of heavy metal bluegrass. Not
getting too big for your britches is at the heart of the rocking
“Pride Is a Sin,” while Smoke’s “Machupicchu” comes off just as
pretty as the original. If “Uglytown” had any more hooks, it
would be catching fish, while “Voyage to Manhood” pays a power
chord homage to Christopher Cross before relating the excitement
of throwing coasters at a ceiling fan. Oh, and the liner notes
are hilarious.
Sometimes it’s great to sit back and be blown away by the sounds
of great players playing great. Yes, guitar therapy, indeed.
-Bill Colrus
|
|
|
