Concert Review: Dokken

Overview

A lot has been said about Don Dokken’s voice at this point, so I’m not going to rehash it in this review. There are youtube videos. It’s amazing he’s still out there doing it.

The crowd was amazing. Metal crowds are the best – everyone was friendly and talkative, and the Mount Dora Music Hall was packed. The guy in the drink line with me talked about the multiple times he’d seen Don before, as well as other mteal and rock festivals. The guy and his wife in the seat next to me talked about what songs we wanted to hear (for me it was Kiss of Death, for him it was Into the Fire – and both got played). During the opener (“Heirborn – an 80s rock/metal tribute band) we talked about various songs they were doing. Just good chatting over music we were all into. This tytpe of music with a long history and a lot of memories facilitates friendly discussions.

Great Openers

It was unlisted on the advertising, but a relatively new and young band Papa Wheelee opened and they did a great job, bringing some real energy to their hard rock set. The singer sounded great, but also did everything he could to get the crowd energized. The music was strong and they definitely seem like an up and coming band to keep an eye on. I would absolutely check out one of their shows if they play near you. They do often play at one of my favorite local venues, The Alley in Sanford, FL. The highlight was one they did near the end – “Do It Anyway” – with a great riff and catchy, sing-along chorus.

80s hard rock and metal tribute band Hairborn (I like their double play on words) came out around 9:15 and did a really diverse set of tunes, including some classics and some deeper tracks. I was on the fence about having a tribute band as an opener. Do I really want to see a whole set of covers of 80s rock? If they do it as well as Heirborn, then absolutely yes. It was a blast. The highlight was definitely their spot-on version of Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years.” That’s not an easy song to cover, but they nailed it. Both guitarists were fantastic, their rhythm section was rock solid, and the singer had both the voice and vocal attitude to pull off this kind of music. I also dug their heavy Dr. Feelgood by Motley Crue, and Ratt’s Wanted Man. Some of the bands they cover aren’t touring, and some that are have changed quite a bit since their heyday, so hearing good musicians do excellent live versions of songs was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

Dokken

I enjoyed the set, which kicked off with probably my favorite Dokken tune, Kiss of Death. Such a great riff. They played a lot of other hits like Into the Fire and Dream Warriors, as well as a couple of Don Dokken’s solo songs. I actually appreciated this, because first, they were good tunes, and second, I think his solo albums are overlooked. I own Crash and Burn (on cassette no less, which I’ve had since back in the day) and it’s solid. One of the tunes he announced was from his most recent solo record. It was good to hear, but of course the bulk of the set was Dokken classics.

I absolutely loved the bass player’s harmony vocals on Dream Warriors. I went back and listened to the studio track and sure enough, they’re there. I never noticed them before, but it was super cool and really stood out in a live setting and with Don’s primary vocal part significantly subdued.

Don was a little slow moving around the stage, but he told the back story of how he almost had to have a foot amputated. Thankfully he found another doc and was able to keep it, but it has hobbled him a bit. No worries. He worked the stage and the crowd nonetheless.

You know what they say – if it’s too loud, you’re too old? I’m getting older. The one knock I’d have on their set was that I had to switch to my heavy-duty ear plugs… When I have to do that, it’s too loud. I’ve had tinnitus for 25 years and I don’t mess around anymore. It was still fun, I get wanting volume to project energy, but at some point it makes it hard to hear what’s happening, whether it’s a metal show or any other genre.

Summary

I’m glad I went. I was super impressed with both openers, and since Dokken was one of my favorite bands in the late 80s I’m glad I finally had a chance to see Don live. The band played great, they did all the songs I wanted to hear, and the crowd was awesome.

Book Review:  Music Everywhere – The Rock and Roll Roots of a Southern Town.

After reading Mike Campbell’s excellent memoire, I was turned onto “Music Everywhere” – a book all about Gainesville’s thriving music scene in the 60s and 70s. Written by Marty Jourard, it’s a deep dive into a time and place that had an impact much bigger than you might expect for a small town in the middle of north-central Florida.

Lipham’s Music

One of the first things that stood out to me, was the impact of a local locally owned music, Lipham’s Music. Not only did they provide gear ((often with a low down payments and the ability to pay off loans over a long period of time), it was a central hub for the community of musicians in the area. Bands got new members, musicians met each other, and it was a key driver in the growth and ongoing array of bands in the area.

The University of Florida

The University of Florida supported live music in so many ways, and it really allowed the talent to have a place to develop and showcase their work. They sponsored festivals and concerts, as well as generally supported live music being played in and around campus. Fraternities hired bands left and right. There was a thriving bar scene. Lots of young college students wanted to go see live music, and there were plenty of places to accommodate. Everything is so tightly locked down and scheduled these days. A lot of the great players that came out of Gainesville at that time were in part successful because of the environment. They had places to meet other musicians. They had chances to join bands and play for a crowd. They had chances to hone their craft in the beginning phases. When there aren’t places to play, how do you really develop your talent?

So, Who Came from Gainesville?

Tom & Bernie Leadon, Don Felder, Steven Stills, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are a few of the biggest artists to come out of Gainesville. They were key contributors to bands that have collectively sold over a hundred million albums and produced countless hits. Later on, other famous musicians like Bo Diddley found Gainesville and settled nearby.

One of the most fascinating chapters of the book covered musicians who made a big impact on the music business, but didn’t end up being famous musicians. For example, Stan Bush played in cover bands in Gainesville for years, ended up cowriting a hit song (“The Touch”) used in a Transformers movie soundtrack. This led to a voice acting career – it’s his voice you heard on Toyota and Coors commercials in the 1989 Super Bowl. Doran Oster was a musician and electrical engineer who created the MT-4001 metronome and ST-1000 digital tuner, which was a best seller.

Summary

If you’re interested in the life of a working band in the 70s, this is the book for you. It went into detail on the struggles and joys of being a cover band in Florida at this time. The thriving cover band scene was fertile soil for developing world-class musicians.

At the very end of the book, Marty Jourard sums it up: “There it is, hidden in the deepest corner of the South: Gainesville, Florida. Diverse. Geographically, isolated. Southern, yet liberal, and relatively progressive and politics, with a long tradition of supporting music. A city with equal parts, higher education and hedonistic behavior. These are some of the aspects of Gainesville that helped make the city an ideal breeding ground for Musicians. As a result, the city has produced some of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll, songwriters and musicians of our time.”

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a quick read, full of great stories and behind-the-scenes details of a special place and a special time.

Listening Now: Muireann Bradley

Muireann Bradley‘s latest album “I Kept These Old Blues” was reviewed in Blues Music magazine, and having been on a bit of an acoustic blues kick lately, it intrigued me. The 20 year old prodigy from County Donegal, Ireland started playing at age 9, inspired by her father who “talked about it [country blues and ragtime] endlessly,” telling stories of the lives of the musicians as if they were mythology. I don’t want to do a long review of the record, but suffice to say she’s an incredible player and the album is fantastic.

Highlights for me are “Shake Sugaree” – which is not the Dead’s Sugaree – and “Police Dog Blues.” This is her first full album, and is comprised of a mix of popular and obsccure blues from the 20s and 30s. You’ll recognize “Freight Train” and “When the Levee Breaks,” but might not be familiar with many of the other tunes like “Green Rocky Road” or “Buck Dancer’s Choice.” I enjoy the combination, but whether familiar or new-to-you, each song is performed and recorded beautifully.

I recently saw Sue Foley’s One Guitar Woman acoustic show, and Muireann’s approach reminds me of that. Her voice is a similar high, clear style with just a bit of ache. Her fingerpicking is exceptional – the groove, the flow and her tone are top notch.

Fans of acoustic, fingerstyle blues need to check her out.

You can find her music on bandcamp here: https://tompkinssquare.bandcamp.com/album/i-kept-these-old-blues

Find out more about her on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muireann_Bradley

Concert Review: Matt Schofield

Background

I’ve heard a few clips of Matt Schofield on Youtube, and I’ve enjoyed the bits I’ve heard. He came to Judson’s Live last year but I wasn’t able to make it. When I saw he was coming back, I jumped on it. Judson’s is fantastic for this type of intimate show. Comfortable seats, great sound and the 7:00pm start time got me home at a decent hour… which is important these days. Judson’s Live is a small room attached to the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center. It holds maybe 200 people, in tables of four with comfortable seats and a nice menu. Tickets were in the $50 range. This is the same place I saw Sue Foley, and this was a similar setup – two separately ticketed shows: 7pm and 9pm.

The Sound and the Set

Matt and his trio ripped through an hour and fifteen minutes of some of the best guitar-driven electric blues you’ll hear. I wasn’t familiar with his catalog, but with a this type of band you generally know what you’re going to get.

First and foremost, his playing was incredible. If you’re going to sustain a touring career as a blues guitar player, you’d better be the best of the best. There’s just too much history and too much competition to not be great. Matt Schofield certainly is. Tone, touch, dynamics… it’s all there. You can hear the SRV influence, but also funk, fusion and rock and roll. He played two strats through a Two-Rock amp the entire night and only sparingly used pedals. His tone was a beautiful joy to listen to. Learn more about his gear here. The bass was fat and room-filling, with heavy low-end, but got funky when needed. The band sounded great overall, alhtough I would liked to have heard a bit more of the vocals in the mix. Since I was unfamiliar with the songs, being able to hear the lyrics more clearly would have helped.

The set was a nice mix of up and down, fast and slow, and the set went by quickly leaving us all wanting more. This isn’t always the case with guitar solo-heavy groups. Part of the appeal was the absolutely locked in rhythm section. They were feeling it. About halfway through the set, a man at the table next to me mentioned how tight they were. Really outstanding. D-Go on bass in particular hit hard. Great feel, impeccable timing, and dynamic.

He played a lot of songs from his latest album “Many Moons, Vol. 1” and the standout songs for me were the slow blues “Measure of a Man” and the New Orleans groove-based “Shoe On The Other Foot.”

Matt had Christine Tambakis come out and sing two songs near the end of the night, and she was fantastic. Another highlight of the entire evening was her version of Aretha Franklin’s “Dr. Feelgood.” The band delivered the song with taste, feel and power and wow, could she sing! That was another highlight of the night.

Conclusion

I want to keep this concert review fairly short in order to get it out there in a timely manner. If you enjoy guitar-driven, electric blues, go see Matt Schofield. He’s an outstanding player supported by an incredible rhythm section. Christine Tambakis was a nice surprise and added a lot.

Album Revisited: Voodoo Lounge

I picked this album up at the local library store for $1. Even though this one wasn’t on my radar when it came out in ’94, I figured every Stones album has to have at least a couple good tracks so for a buck, why not? It was worth it, and a nice surprise!

The standout tracks for me are the rockers Love Is Strong,” “Sparks Will Fly,” “I Go Wild” and “Moon Is Up” as well as the ballads “Sweethearts Together,” “Blinded By Rainbows” and “The Worst.” The bass-driven “Suck on the Jugular” has a triple-thick groove and that magic where the Stones are able to do something totally different, but still sound like themselves. “Mean Disposition” showcases Stones-style country, with its rolling piano and walking bass. Overall it’s a nice mix of up and down, and a lot of variety. They add some sonic embellishments like accordion, horns and violin in just the right places to make it a bit more interesting.

On the down side, one of the bigger singles from the album “You Got Me Rocking” sounds a bit too much like “Start Me Up Part 2.” It’s not a bad song, maybe just a bit too familiar. The only real clunker is “Brand New Car,” with it’s silly lyrics “I got a brand new car, gonna drive it real hard.” Otherwise the material is solid.

Produced by Don Was and the Glitter Twins, and primarily mixed by Don Smith (with legendary Bob Clearmountain mixing the song “Moon Is Up.’ The record sounds great, and the drums in particular sound fantastic. There’s color to this record, but it still sounds like the Stones rocking and rolling. It’s not raw the way Blue and Lonesome is, but it has a very polished sound. The rock songs don’t have that “edge of your seat” quality of a song like Street Fighting Man or Tumbling Dice. To be fair, the Stones were in or approaching their 50s by this point so you can’t expect them (and I wouldn’t want them) to do the exact same things they were doing in their 20s and 30s. The clear production does let the quality of the performances and songs come through clearly.

In short, I’m glad I picked this up. It’s a really strong album with a few great songs and a lot of good ones. I’ve listened a few times through and it’s getting better with each listen. It’s amazing to me that a band can put out this quality of album 30 years after their start, and is still putting out great albums 30 years after that (check out Hackney Diamonds and Foreign Tongues). If you overlooked this one, too, give it a shot!

Concert Review: Danielle Nicole

Background

It will be evidence of real justice in the world when Danielle Nicole (and artists like her) get rich and famous. She’s an award-winning singer and bassist, formerly of the brother/brother/sister blues band Trampled Under Foot, but now leading a killer blues/soul trio. Danielle and her band were absolutely cooking The Alley in Sanford, FL last night. The place was near-packed, and the crowd was into it. The Orange Blossom Blues Society showed up in full force, along with a lot of couples getting their groove on.

The Concert

As they progressed through a night of blues, funk and soul, the grooves were deep and tight and her voice commanded attention. Imagine Aretha Franklin playing bass like James Jamerson. Danielle’s voice is pure soul, wielded with power and showering emotion on the audience. Her bass playing was super tight, and propelled each song with triple-thick grooves. Guitarist Brandon Miller added shades of Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers and played both perfect-for-the-song rhythm parts and soaring, bluesy lead. It’s a great pairing with the soulful foundation of Danielle and drummer Go-Go Ray. He added a little edge and rock energy.

One of highlights of the night for me was at the end of her song Pusher Man. She did an incredible soul vocal solo that compelled an entire room full of partying people to stop dead in their tracks and just listen. It was that powerful. Even though I’m not familiar enough with her catalog to do a song-by-song run down, I did have the thought at one point midway through the night that “each song is better than the last.” It didn’t matter what the names of the songs were, the riffs were cool, the vocals incredible, and the groove was a force of nature.

Near the end of the set the opening act, one man band extraordinaire, Brody Buster, joined in for menacing harp on Zeppelin’s version of “When The Levee Breaks.” Go-Go Ray began the iconic beat, and Brandon Miller’s added the thick slide. Brody wailed and Danielle delivered a powerful vocal performance. It’s not easy to pull off such an iconic song, but they brought it.

Conclusion

If you like Motown, soul and blues you need to check out the Danielle Nicole Band live. I’ve watched a few clips on youtube and they just don’t do it justice. The energy live is incredible. She and her band absolutely brought it, and it was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while.

Album Review: Chasing the Hydra

Crimson Glory isn’t a band I listened to in their heyday. I stumbled onto them last year while watching an episode of Headbanger’s Ball on Youtube. Their one hit “Lonely” came on and I thought “what a cool band, I like this.” I checked out more of their catalog and really liked what I heard! When I noticed they had a new album coming out, I had to jump on that. I preordered… and promptly forgot, until Amazon delivered a surprise CD on my doorstep.

The album kicks off with Redden the Sun, an aggressive and galloping slab of metal that explores the fate of humanity in the face of cosmic destruction. The intricate arrangement and harmonized guitar parts are trademark Crimson Glory, but the vocal delivery and overall tone of the record has a decidedly modern type of menace. Title track Chasing the Hydra features hyper-speed guitars and soaring vocals by singer Travis Willis. Broken Together starts quietly but builds to a climbing, dual guitar attack. Atmospheric wind and Arabic melodies introduce Indelible Ashes, one of my favorite songs on the album. The lyrics are strong and the riffs are relentless. Angel in my Nightmare offers a brief acoustic respite to the sonic onslaught, but it quickly builds to an almost djent-like crushing rhythm. The album wraps up with bass-heavy Triskaideka that explores fears of all kinds with great lyrics and precise and intricate guitars. The production and mix are modern and clear, so every instrument sounds great. On the other hand, I did find it a bit fatiguing to listen to for extended periods – that’s partially the modern production, but partially the sheer density of the material. It’s an aggressive and unrelenting record, with each song having more to discover with repeated listening. If you’re looking for metal with a bit more going on musically, while retaining a classic approach to the songs and performance, chase this hydra. B-

From BraveWords Records:

BraveWords Records is excited to announce the new Crimson Glory album “Chasing The Hydra”, the first new album from Crimson Glory in 26 years. The album will be released worldwide on all digital services, CD and vinyl on April 17th. Alongside mainstay founding members Ben, Jeff and Dana, the band announced in 2023 the addition of amazing new vocalist Travis Wills and guitarist Mark Borgmeyer. The band have been touring heavily over the past year… making this album one of the most anticipated releases of 2026 within the Heavy Metal Scene!

Book Review: Heartbreaker (Mike Campbell Memoir)

While I do like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, I can’t say I’m a super fan. They’re the kind of band I don’t go and seek out, but don’t turn off when I hear them. Neither did I know much about Mike Campbell, other than the occasional guitar magazine review. Reviews of his memoir have been outstanding though, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I thought it would be an interesting story, and it sure was. The book is engaging and well-written.

Early On

The first the first third of the book goes into his early childhood, which is an interesting look into growing up in Jacksonville at that time. It’s always fun to learn how these kinds of players got their first guitars, and gave a lot of insight into Mike Campbell’s personality and how those threads come through the entire book. Once he goes to the University of Florida in Gainesville and has experience playing in local bands there the book really takes off, and I love hearing about the story of Mudcrutch and how they ground it out on the on the bar circuit was a lot of fun to read. It was really interesting to hear how much Mike attached himself to Tom Petty’s success, and how much he believed in and supported Tom in achieving those dreams. The respect he has for this brother in arms comes through page after page. This theme of respect and effusive praise is a constant. Mike loved the people he played with, and does not hesitate to call them out for their impact on him and contributions to the music.

Early Heartbreakers

The book is so full of humor. I loved the story he told about how, when they were on an early tour in Europe, someone told him that it’s a rock and roll band, and he needed to be more rock and roll and not just stand there and play. He lifted his guitar up and over his head, poked a hole in the ceiling, and a rat fell down on the floor of the stage! Truly a real-life Spinal Tap moment.

The stories of their studio time making Damn the Torpedoes was incredible. I’m surprised the band made it though that period, especially Stan the drummer, who was fired and rehired repeatedly during the process.

I didn’t realize the Heartbreakers were Bob Dylan’s band for a period in the 80s, and the book gave me a whole new level of respect for Dylan. Mike Campbell goes into detail, but it’s inspired me to dig deeper into the Bob Dylan catalog.

Hitting the Big Time

I didn’t realize how much writing Mike Campbell did. He was always writing. Mostly for Tom Petty of course, but there’s a great story about how just as he and his wife were in danger of losing their house, he was connected with Don Henley and brought the song that became “Boys of Summer.” That song saved him financially. Then other circumstances led the Heartbreakers to be Bob Dylan’s band for the Empire Burlesque album and 1986 tours. Mike goes into detail about Dylan, and I found a new level of respect for him as an artist and guitarist. Obviously one of the great lyricists and songwriters of all time, I don’t know that I appreciated how versatile Bob Dylan actually was. It’s a great part of the bookk. There another awesome story about Tom Petty’s Full Moon Fever album, put together with Jeff Lyne. When they submitted it complete to the record company, they didn’t release it because they “didn’t hear a single.” This is the album with “Runnin’ Down A Dream” and “Free Fallin’.” No singles, huh?

Mike Campbell

What this book really reveals is what a cool guy Mike Campbell is. His praise and appreciation for everyone – drummer Stan Lynch, Benmont Tench, his Mudcrutch bandmates, of course Tom Petty. “Famous or not,” he goes out of his way to talk about other musicians’ strengths. One of my favorite quotes in the book, talking about the Mudcrutch reunion, “…what happened with Mudcrutch was never about their talent as musicians.” He’s highlighting how fleeting and difficult success is in the music industry. Being a good musician isn’t enough.

Summary

This is a deep look into an iconic American band and their journey, through the eyes of a kind, thoughtful and interesting guitar player. It’s well-written, engaging, and a fantastic page-turner. One of the best musical memoirs I’ve ever read. A

(Musical) Deep Thoughts

Here is a place to share thoughts and musings about music – little insights that come to me while I’m out running. These are all my thoughts, my words. I will continually update, so check back often!

The title jokingly inspired by the 90s Saturday Night Live “Deep Thoughts” segments.

Music appeals to us all and can touch us deeply because fundamentally music is organized vibrations of air. We are vibration. All matter is vibration, so in a very literal sense, music resonates with the very core of who and what we are.

Pop songs are songs that can be enjoyed on first listen, while doing something else.

The note you’re playing is the present. It adds meaning to the notes you played earlier – that past; and your free will determines the next note you will choose – the future. But all you have is the present, so make it count, make it good.

I think people that like jazz fusion tend to also like sci-fi. They stimulate the same aesthetics.

Don’t play notes trying to fit them into a rhythm, like pouring water into a bowl; play them from the rhythm, like water springing forth from a fountain. https://www.instagram.com/guitarvince73/reel/DXjlzh1kQEV/

I don’t want to just record myself doing it. I want to actually be able to do it. I want to learn it. Know it. I used to just record bits and pieces until i could stitch together something that sounded good. I’d try to get that one take that was solid. That’s not good enough for me anymore. I want to be able to consistently play whatever it is well, and then record, so what I have on tape is great, not good enough… and then be able to do it live.

I think that a lot of times when white bands perform black music (blues, soul, etc), as good as the music is, they don’t sweat enough when they perform it.

When artists complain about streaming royalties, their real concern is that it completely rewrote the economic landscape of being a professional musician. It’s not that streams are equivalent to radio plays, or how many streams per how many CDs sold… it’s that the entire financial picture of the industry was upended, and the artists are the ones left holding an empty bag.

AI-created art is art… but it’s not the human that is the artist. The computer created the art, the human simply commissioned a work.

A lot of getting better at music is developing a sensitivity to smaller and smaller tolerances. It’s building a finer distinction of pitch, time, rhythm, etc. which leads to more control over smaller and smaller differences. https://www.instagram.com/guitarvince73/reel/DX95vV8R2zW/

Improvisation is like a road trip – as long as you get to your destination (the climax, the resolution), you can either say on the main roads (playing inside) or take some back roads and explore (playing outside). https://www.instagram.com/guitarvince73/reel/DYZpksPxC_d/

Don’t be afraid to hit the same note several times in a row . So many time when improvising we’re playing chromatic runs, or arpeggios… but it can be really powerful to repeat the same note. https://www.instagram.com/guitarvince73/reel/DY9tBbYxKh-/

Eddie Van Halen’s solos are like spaghetti – slippery, twisted, tangled groups of notes and phrases… man, I love a good bowl of spaghetti. https://www.instagram.com/guitarvince73/reel/DZSRbzgRsBm/

One of the keys to playing faster is to relax. When you’re trying to learn something, you put your focus on it. You”try hard” to play it. Your body naturally tends to tighten up with this focus. The more you can consciously control that, and learn to play in a relaxed manner, the better. You can’t play fast if you’re tight (pressing down hard on the frets of the guitar, for example). This adds tiny delays between notes, which you can’t afford at faster tempos. Consciously learning to use a lighter touch on the fretboard, and retraining my brain to not grab so tightly while focusing, has made a big difference for me. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ4s2QxxGXL/

I think one of the keys to being a good lyricist is realizing words have multiple meanings, depending on the context of the line, and using that to introduce depth, variety and double entendres. It facilitates the listener interpreting the song THEIR way.

The Metronome sets the tempo, it does not set the beat … or other words the placement of the beak so the band collectively reset that obviously driven by the drummer and basis, but it’s really the whole band is behind the click. Is it out of the click? That’s really the beat so you can say you have the plane behind the beat for one instrument like drums when everyone else is holding it together.

Most of the time when I get into trouble improvising, it’s a failure to listen. It’s not the playing that’s the problem. I’m often playing too much. It’s the listening. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da5af9VRh25/

A good singer is like a voice actor. They really have to sell what they’re singing, without the benefit of sets, costumes and other visuals. The scene, emotion, drama, character and story have to come through their voice.

Playing a solo is like casting a spell… you’re creating something out of nothing, you’re mixing and testing different ingredients, tones, sounds, intervals, phrases, lines… archaic knowledge put to practical application… and mostly, the channeling of something bigger than you. https://www.instagram.com/p/DcOYyv3RSJT/

Album Review: The Archaeoptimist

Spock’s Beard

Released last November, a review is overdue! I’ve liked Spock’s Beard for a while, owning Day for Night and their first album, but I can’t say I’m a super fan. That said, when I saw they were releasing their first album in 7 years, and heard the first track (Invisible), I had to get it. This was the first album I’ve actually preordered in ages. It was pretty fun to swing by Park Avenue CDs and get the disc, then give it that first, loud listen on the drive home. That’s a feeling you can’t get when streaming everything.

The Songs

If you dig incredible keyboard solos, you won’t be disappointed by the album’s opener, Invisibile, featuring dazzling playing by keyboardist Ryo Okumoto. Strong harmonized vocals, thick bass and powerful drumming kick off the 14th studio album by the American progressive rock band. Next the band brings a bit of crunch in Electric Monk, mixing abrupt rhythms and more soaring keys. Like many of their songs, it’s also a lesson in dynamics and arranging, with a quiet reflective bridge highlighting piano and acoustic guitar, only to build up to a guitar-driven climax. Next up is Afourthoughts, my favorite track on the album. The lyrics struck a chord with me, and are featured in an overlapping, call-and-response bridge.

Time before time, it will change your mind
All the thoughts that you thought you thought
It will all amount to nought
It might seem harmless but there’s danger in this enterprise
It will all amount to nought
We tried to tell you but you can’t be taught
We can’t be bought, it will all amount to nought

The bass groove-driven verse serves as a platform for futuristic keyboard and guirar solos, building up energy before dropping down to a quite, acoustic-driven verse. A jazzy piano solo rounds out the bridge and segues to a set of variations on the chorus. The song is a showcase of harmony vocals and interesting arrangemetns.

St. Jerome in the Wilderness is a bit more guitar-driven than the other tracks on the album, although it does feature a beautiful piano, bass, drums & vocal middle section… before launching into a wild guitar solo.

The Archaeoptimist is a 20 minute futuristic tale of a girl and her father trying to find hope in a post-apocalyptic world. Read along in the liner notes, it would make a great short film or TV show.

Next Step concludes the album with more beautiful keys, softer vocals, acoustic guitar and even a bit of flute halfway through. A modern synthesizer solo climaxes to the outtro chorus

Summary

Overall, this is a fantastic modern progressive rock album. The songs are diverse, interesting and incredibly well-executed. It’s inspiring and fun. If you’re a fan of modern progressive rock, do not miss it. A-

Other Notes

The production on the album is modern, and the mix is fantastic. The bass and drums sound wonderful, and the piano and keyboard parts are crisp and clear. The art and packaging is excellent, and thankfully includes the lyrics – which are worth reading through as you listen, particularly for the title track’s complex and interesting story.

All of the music was composed by Ryo Okumoto (keyboards) and Michael Whiteman (acoustic guitar).

Check out the wikipedia page for the album for more information.