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Solstace Hexachordal Combinatorial from the Second Viennese School Since: Dec, 1969
Hexachordal Combinatorial
#726: Jan 13th 2011 at 2:44:41 PM

Allan Holdsworth is a jazz fusion guitarist, and one of the pioneers of modern guitar technique.

He has a very unique understanding of harmony, and his "outside" note choices are very characteristic of his playing.

I chose this particular album because it's probably the best all-around demonstration of his style, from his arrangements for vocal pieces to his rich chordal melodies, and my favorite part, his soloing >.<

Enjoy!

edited 8th Jan '12 8:11:53 PM by MetaFour

Ecstasy is Sustained Intensity
merton defiance from my heart to yours. Since: May, 2009
defiance
#727: Jan 14th 2011 at 1:29:33 AM

Is there any possibility you could track down a copy of that album that isn't a .rar? That compression format hates my computer for some reason. Sorry for being a pest!

Words cast into the uncaring void of the internet.
Sati1984 Browncoat from Hungary Since: May, 2010
#728: Jan 14th 2011 at 2:48:48 AM

I keep on getting errors when I try to download it, so maybe I will pass this album (I will be unavailable on the weekend, as usual)...

"We have done the impossible and that makes us mighty." - Malcolm Reynolds
Solstace Hexachordal Combinatorial from the Second Viennese School Since: Dec, 1969
Hexachordal Combinatorial
#729: Jan 14th 2011 at 11:09:04 AM

I can't really do anything to help those issues at the moment, as I'm at school. I'll see what I can do about it when I get home.

Merton: Will a .zip work?

edited 14th Jan '11 11:09:42 AM by Solstace

Ecstasy is Sustained Intensity
merton defiance from my heart to yours. Since: May, 2009
Solstace Hexachordal Combinatorial from the Second Viennese School Since: Dec, 1969
Hexachordal Combinatorial
#731: Jan 14th 2011 at 4:12:39 PM


This post was thumped by the Eldritch Flyswatter of Horror

Ecstasy is Sustained Intensity
merton defiance from my heart to yours. Since: May, 2009
Zudak Since: Dec, 1969
#733: Jan 15th 2011 at 9:47:20 AM

...when was this album released, the eighties or something?

*checks* Yup, '85. It sounds very eighties.

Solstace Hexachordal Combinatorial from the Second Viennese School Since: Dec, 1969
Hexachordal Combinatorial
#734: Jan 15th 2011 at 2:06:15 PM

Yeah, The 80s. Part of the reason I originally wanted to do the Blues for Tony live album. Quite a few of the same songs, except they sound relatively modern. But alas, that album was unusable.

Little bit of trivia: Part of the reason that 80s albums have such a distinctive sound is that the engineers would turn the amps waaaaaaay down, and then turn them waaaaaaay up in the mix. Don't remember why they did this, pretty sure it had something to do with the microphones.

edited 15th Jan '11 2:11:01 PM by Solstace

Ecstasy is Sustained Intensity
Zudak Since: Dec, 1969
#735: Jan 15th 2011 at 2:18:48 PM

This album is not my thing. The cheesy 80s synths and excessive guitar wankery are elements I am not particularly fond of.

Solstace Hexachordal Combinatorial from the Second Viennese School Since: Dec, 1969
Hexachordal Combinatorial
#736: Jan 15th 2011 at 2:33:18 PM

Ah, that's all cool. I realize that this stuff isn't a lot of people's cup of tea. I just thought it'd be cool to showcase the guy that taught Van Halen how to tap [lol]

Ecstasy is Sustained Intensity
Zudak Since: Dec, 1969
#737: Jan 15th 2011 at 2:34:38 PM

Oh, he did? That's pretty cool.

Yeah, by this point I think it's pretty safe to say that your musical tastes are, for the most part, pretty different from mine!

merton defiance from my heart to yours. Since: May, 2009
defiance
#738: Jan 15th 2011 at 4:19:31 PM

Allan Holdsworth's Metal Fatigue. This album reminds me of King Crimson's 80s post-punk stuff and Frank Zappa's jazz fusion albums. I'm big fans of those albums, but this album didn't really grab me. Why? After all, this album shares Discipline 's wonderful washes of guitar notes (and accomplishes them with one guitar, whereas King Crimson needed two!) and Hot Rats 's crazy, unconventional chord structures. This is fantastically intelligent and well constructed music.

I suppose the reason I didn't really get into this album is that while it shares the technical and compositional skill of those two aforementioned albums, it's lacking the feeling that drives those albums. It doesn't have the nervous adrenalin that drives Discipline or the anarchic freakiness behind Hot Rats. Instead, it's just a very good showing of technical virtuosity. Don't get me wrong, there is some emotion here—I especially like the hopeful, driving "Panic Station"—but in general this album is rather lifeless.

In terms of more specific critiques, the very 80s production didn't bother me all that much, and indeed is probably at least partially responsible for one of my favorite things about this album, Holdsworth's godly guitar tone. The vocals, on the other hand, were severely lacking, seeming like something of an afterthought. And did the otherwise cool rhythm-epic "The Un-Merry-Go-Round" really need a fucking drum solo? The correct answer is no, because no song needs a fucking drum solo.

This is definitely a good album, but not one that I can honestly say I enjoyed. It just sounded a bit too staid for me. Perhaps if I were a guitarist I would be able to get more excited about it, but I'm not, so I approach music like this on an emotional rather than technical level, and on the emotional level this album was pretty lacking.

edited 15th Jan '11 4:19:49 PM by merton

Words cast into the uncaring void of the internet.
LuckyRevenant ALMSIVI from The Flood Since: Jan, 2001
ALMSIVI
#739: Jan 15th 2011 at 8:38:38 PM

So, if I can join up in this, I would like to.

The album I'd nominate for the next round is Zoot Allures from Frank Zappa. Grooveshark mostly has it in order.

edited 8th Jan '12 8:13:09 PM by MetaFour

"I can't imagine what Hell will have in store, but I know when I'm there, I won't wander anymore."
MetaFour AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN from A Place (Old Master)
AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN
#740: Jan 16th 2011 at 10:12:46 AM

Alright, "Panic Station". Those backing guitarts at the 1:30 and 2:26 points, and in the outro—is there a name for that effect or style of playing or whatever? I've heard other songs copying that (for example) and always liked it.

Solstace Hexachordal Combinatorial from the Second Viennese School Since: Dec, 1969
Hexachordal Combinatorial
#741: Jan 16th 2011 at 1:44:03 PM

Sounds to me like palm muting and arpeggios with a bit of delay. I agree that it is awesome sounding.

Ecstasy is Sustained Intensity
merton defiance from my heart to yours. Since: May, 2009
defiance
#742: Jan 16th 2011 at 3:39:21 PM

I too love that effect. It and the bassline are what made me like "Panic Station" so much.

Words cast into the uncaring void of the internet.
Solstace Hexachordal Combinatorial from the Second Viennese School Since: Dec, 1969
MetaFour AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN from A Place (Old Master)
AXTE INCAL AXTUCE MUN
#744: Jan 16th 2011 at 10:54:11 PM

Thanks for the link. Pretty cool.

Sati1984 Browncoat from Hungary Since: May, 2010
#745: Jan 17th 2011 at 1:46:11 AM

@Solstace: Thanks, downloading it right now...

"We have done the impossible and that makes us mighty." - Malcolm Reynolds
Sati1984 Browncoat from Hungary Since: May, 2010
#746: Jan 17th 2011 at 2:16:28 AM

Metal Fatigue

Musically it's well thought out, but the sound is not rich enough. Maybe because I grew up on the music of the 90s and 2000s, but I feel that this is a bit hollow. I can certainly tell that this is from the 80s for one thing.

I don't like the general style and sound of the 80s, at least not in music. I have many fave movies from that era, but no fave albums. I can tell by listening to this album that the variety of instruments and the skill went into playing all this is great and I should like the product, but I don't like it, I just find it OK.

I can't really explain what I mean by saying that this album sounds "hollow", but I think you get the idea... I liked Panic Station more than the other tracks, because it had something constant going on in the background.

"We have done the impossible and that makes us mighty." - Malcolm Reynolds
merton defiance from my heart to yours. Since: May, 2009
defiance
#747: Jan 17th 2011 at 9:37:31 AM

"Panic Station" is a big favorite in general, it seems.

Words cast into the uncaring void of the internet.
SunshineWerewolf Since: Jan, 2011
#748: Jan 17th 2011 at 4:42:21 PM

Can I get in on this thing? I don't know what album I want to share at the moment though.

I'll download one of the more recent ones and give it a listen tomorrow if I can.

Wicked223 from Death Star in the forest Since: Apr, 2009
#749: Jan 17th 2011 at 4:43:44 PM

You don't have to ask, just suggest an album (when you're ready) and listen to the current one.

You can't even write racist abuse in excrement on somebody's car without the politically correct brigade jumping down your throat!

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