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instrumental remix of “ Sun Hits the Sky .” The original album is among the finest its era has to offer . The bonus tracks are inessential confections , but nonetheless offer extra treats for fans who already had the album on compact disc .
– Jeff Elbel
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KICK THE CAT Gurgle
( Self )
If you habitually skim my Spins coverage , you ’ ll know that brevity isn ’ t my forte . I enjoy digging for detail . But once in a blue moon , I can summarize . Here ’ s the essence of my review for the new album by Chicago ’ s own prog-fusion quartet Kick the Cat : " If you like Hot Rats and Thrak and Blow by Blow and Birds of Fire , buy Gurgle immediately and thank me later ." Broader exposition begins with a list of names : Frank Zappa , King Crimson , Spock ’ s Beard , Snarky Puppy , Umphrey ’ s McGee , Rick Wakeman , Jeff Beck , Bill Bruford ’ s Earthworks , and Mahavishnu Orchestra . If that checklist sets your music-loving heart aflutter , then your new crush is waiting with a bouquet behind door number one . “ Ow ! My Eye ” launches headlong into the frenetic territory of King Crimson ’ s aforementioned Thrak and Zappa ’ s Hot Rats , with dizzying unison melodies and turn-on-a-dime shifts in time . Nimble fingers fly in all directions . Keyboardist Vijay Tellis-Nayak ’ s marimba sounds connect to the signature Zappa sounds of the ‘ 70s . “ Adolpho ’ s Dilemma ” continues with the spirited jazz-fusion lunacy . Chris Siebold ’ s guitar work recalls Steve Howe , David Gilmour , Al DiMeola , and John McLaughlin within the span of a single song . Umphrey ’ s McGee veteran Kris Myers takes his first bona fide drum solo here , with chops in the league of Peart , Weckl , Bruford , and Bozzio . “ Harebrained ” shifts gears away from the manic flight , beginning with the menacing lurch of a blues-based riff reminiscent of Porcupine Tree before slotting into a smooth and sly Steely Dan jazz-pop hook . During a nine-minute stretch , the group also veers into a club-friendly R & B anchored by fretless bassist Chris
Clemente , whose restless and nimble grooves offer taut punctuation to Myers ’ kinetic motion and the twinkling starlight of Tellis-Nayak ’ s electric piano . “ Hope Against Hope ” takes notes from The Band and Little Feat . A clarinet-based rhythm and shimmering gospel organ become a springboard for Siebold ’ s melodic and sky-faring solo . Clemente ’ s bass leads the comparatively restrained “ Hear You Can See ,” with a liquid and lyrical melody reminiscent of Michael Manring . The joyous but deceptively named “ Gurgle Emphysema ” sparkles with Brazilian rhythm imported directly from Carnival . The song features a children ’ s street chorus , parade whistle , and timbale . The musicians play whirling loops around each other . The tricky riffing and gritty prog-rock chords of “ That Stuff That ’ s Tough ” bridge the gap between Tool and “ Scatterbrain ” from Jeff Beck ’ s Blow by Blow . In between the sonic madness , the song allows Tellis-Nayak to stretch on glistening acoustic piano before yielding equal time to Siebold ’ s John McLaughlininfluenced acid-jazz-metal soloing and Myers ’ Bruford-styled drum break . The languid “ Lost Friends ” offers a drowsy rhythm with brushed snare and warm organ pads , as Siebold offering another lullaby pointing back toward Beck a la “ Cause We ’ ve Ended as Lovers ” before venturing into Peter Frampton ’ s celebratory instrumental range . “ Irrational Exuberance ” returns to head-spinning Zappa and Mahavishnu territory , with cartwheeling unison riffs and deftlyplayed figures that would tangle the fingers of most jazzers and rockers . Spacefaring synthesizer leads during “ Alt De Facto ” are propelled by Clemente ’ s soulful R & B figures . “ Waz Up ” leads with Siebold ’ s funk guitar , riffing in tandem with Tellis-Nayak ’ s organ for a soulful sound a la Australia ’ s Cookin ’ on 3 Burners . It ’ s the most straightforward arrangement among an album full of unconventional ones , but there ’ s no denying the fun and immediacy of the track – which isn ’ t short on brain-bending musicianship . Gurgle is loaded with heady material , but songs like this prove that this band can jam with the best of them . If you enjoy virtuosic instrumental prog , Kick the Cat is not a band to miss on stage or on album .
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-Jeff Elbel
GEORGE HARRISON All Things Must Pass ( 50th Anniversary Edition )
( UMe )
By 1970 , The Beatles were really done with each other . The business and personal conflicts from their non-touring years had reached critical mass . As the “ third wheel ” in the songwriters club behind the masters Lennon and McCartney , George Harrison was ready to break out as a solo artist with a war chest full of rejected Beatle tunes . ** All Things Must Pass is
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