bd
Gottfried
“Something
You Weren’t” begins a show that if didn’t have a few turns could be the product
of a progressive rock play of sorts. But I’m no expert on this artist, so, call
it what you want but it has a storytelling feel about it. There is a looseness
to some of it that veers off the beaten path sometimes, and that is why it goes
both ways as an album. You’d have to know him enough to know these things, but
anyone can get either impression just by listening to it. There is no question
he is a crafty songwriter and excellent musician and singer. But the opening
track doesn’t encapsulate everything he’s capable of. The second track “Crosshairs”
doesn’t either, but it’s a bit more progressive and even has a more aggressive
energy to it. And while not being new on the block, that is where it gets testy
for any veteran solo artist. He’s done some heavy studio session work in his
career, and a lot of his own albums, and while his maturity shows, his spirit
remains youthful in this song, with a wise lyrical effort to round it off. This
has both a modern and a retro sound and you can pin point where it might be
coming from or not. I found it to be one of the more interesting tracks,
whether-or not it holds any accessible interest. “Blame It On The Money” is
somehow better in both departments, but perhaps a little on the mainstream side
for this album. If there are a lot of familiar rings on this album, this has
one of them wrapped around it. The problem is I can’t remember where I heard
it, but that won’t be his problem. It works on that strength alone for me, but
there are better instances to give on tracks like the following “Frequencies”
which tones it down a lot. It could be the sleeper track of the album, as it
bubbles along nicely enough for jazz to mark a turning point. It’s good enough
to call it at least that vital of a point.
“Eye
Of Time” is my favorite, but that could change with time, as several of these
tracks are growers. But the drums pick up here on what is-actually more like a
ballad, than a rocker of any kind. That’s why the drums play such a great role
on it and make it worth the whole price of admission. I also recommend
“Breakaway” as my second pick, and I find it likely the most accessible track
too. “Incarnation” doesn’t float my boat as well, but it helps pull off yet
another big moment in the finale which is “SOS with an IOU.” It takes the album
out more like it should’ve come in. And that can’t be bad.
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