| The
Review |
Somewhere around the age of thirteen
or so I decided that the only thing wrong with "Tarkus" was
its almost total lack of guitar playing. In the ensuing years
I have heard a few versions of "Tarkus", even one or two with
wall to wall guitar playing, yet still, when I saw that this
latest release from the Carl Palmer Band (a guitar, bass and
drums power trio) included an adaptation of "Tarkus", I had
to have it.***
Palmer's new trio, which includes
guitarist Shaun Baxter and bassist Dave Marks, perform a set
of familiar Emerson, Lake & Palmer tunes along with one other
familiar composition, "Carmina Burana" by the German composer
Carl Orff, and one effort, "J Section", penned by all the
members of the trio. The band favors an aggressive, muscular,
heavy metal sound with just a pinch of jazz expressionism,
and brings a power to the ELP classics that will thrill old
progressive traditionalists as well as today's progressive
metal heads. Baxter is a demon on the electric guitar and
is sure to please most listeners. His two handed tapping technique
is the equal of any other guitarist's that I can think of
offhand, and his lead work is generally pretty impressive,
though he brings nothing really new to the instrument, sounding
to me much like the Joe Satriani of yore.***
This live set begins with Copland's
"Hoedown", long an ELP concert opener, and though presented
here with substantially the same arrangement as that used
by ELP, the piece fails to catch fire, perhaps because the
predominant melodic line of it's theme requires some awkward
picking on a guitar. Also a factor, Baxter's tone is derived
from the use of his bridge pickup and a ton of mid-range from
his amps, and the main theme of a tune like "Hoedown", with
a predominance of roots and fifths, just sounds mushy to me
with this type of timbre.***
The next number the band cranks
out is an immensely, hugely successful version of "Trilogy".
This tune was written for the guitar, umm…ok, not really,
but one might think so after hearing the stirring arrangement
of this 1972 masterpiece. The piece becomes a platform for
Baxter's tapping technique and glissando lines which he uses
to great effect, playing way, way out of the envelope on the
works opening theme, and for bassist Dave Marks and his six
string bass. Marks has the considerable portfolio, not only
of filling the shoes and bass lines of Greg Lake, but to comp
some of Emerson's rhythm work as well, which he does in "Trilogy"
by playing bass chords beneath Baxter's fluid, legato lead
lines. This, I think, is the best transformation of ELP material
on this release and the whole group is at their best on this
track.***
"J Section" is a jazz guitar workout,
similar to a lot of the music of guitarist Alan Holdsworth.
Baxter abandons his molten overdrive for a while and cops
a tone that sounds like a buzzing electric piano as he displays
some nice chromatic licks that will certainly grab the attention
of any jazz aficionados. Palmer's drumming is heavy, yet loose,
expressive and free, and his playing has never been better
than with this new trio.***
Next is "Tarkus & Aquatarkus" which
unfortunately yields mixed results. Emerson's complex chord
inversions and dissonant progressions, especially in the first
movement of "Tarkus", do not lend themselves to transposition
to the guitar, and I find some of Baxter's interpretation
of this classic brittle and annoying. His attempt to duplicate
some of the more rapid fire diatonic chord changes results
in an avalanche of screeching triads, though Emerson's single
note lines, which constitute a large part of the first movement,
are more suitable for guitar, and are played with a fiery
abandon that does this cannon of keyboard wizardry proud.
All in all, it is a noble effort and I'm glad they tried it.***
"Carmina Burana" should sound familiar
if you've ever seen the movie "The Omen" or any of about a
hundred other films and television shows that have used this
piece in their soundtracks. The band's arrangement is sleek
and raw, and this rivals 'Trilogy" as the albums high point.
Dave Marks's bass playing dominate the early proceedings,
and as a soloist he is a wonder to behold, playing Hendrix
like double stops and spitting out ripping triplets. Shaun
Baxter lays out another jaw dropping solo, and he throws in
everything including the kitchen sink, with slick sweep picking,
glissando slides and more tapping than a performance of "River
Dance".***
The set ends with "Fanfare & Drum
Solo", Palmer's adaptation of ELP's adaptation of Copeland's
heroic work. Again, the band begins with a fairly faithful
reading of ELP's arrangement before Baxter indulges in another
slippery, anything goes guitar solo, and by this time I sadly
realize that I've had my fill of blazing, wrenchingly emotive
sixty fourth notes. Palmer's drum solo comes to the rescue,
filling up a good six or eight minutes that would otherwise
be devoted to yet another guitar solo. Palmer is now the brutal
master of an impressively large double bass kit and leaves
no doubt as to his percussive intentions. A large chunk of
his solo consists of a mad cacophony of cymbals, bells and
wood blocks before the obligatory bass pedal insanity. His
playing is as tight as ever and even more energetic, if that
is possible, than thirty years ago. Carl Palmer is still the
man, and the man still has a thing or two to show the youngsters.***
This is an unrelentingly ferocious
release from the band, and that may wear thin on some listeners,
but for those looking for unabashed displays of shameless
virtuosity, look no further.***
RATING: 4/5***
©Thomas Karr April 15, 2005
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