|
01 |
Dangerous |
|
|
|
06:40 |
02 |
Endless |
|
|
|
10:10 |
03 |
Crash |
|
|
|
05:08 |
04 |
Spiral |
|
|
|
04:37 |
05 |
Melt |
|
|
|
03:48 |
06 |
Tragic |
|
|
|
06:59 |
07 |
Tziganne |
|
|
|
04:27 |
08 |
Lost |
|
|
|
06:24 |
|
Country |
USA |
Original Release Date |
2000 |
Cat. Number |
06-DD405 |
Spars |
DDD |
Sound |
Stereo |
|
|
|
Terry Bozzio, drums, percussion;
Tony Levin, basses, cello, Stick;
Steve Stevens, guitars, effects;
with Marcus Nand, flamenco guitar
Brandon Wu:
As far as I'm concerned, the Bozzio Levin Stevens and Liquid Tension Experiment supergroup projects are the most valuable things by far to come out of the Magna Carta label, and this sequel doesn't disappoint. While it never reaches some of the highs set by the first album ("The Sun Road", "Chaos/Control"), it seems like a somewhat more consistent album overall to me. The focus is less on spontaneous jamming and more on composed music; sometimes I like this, sometimes not, but the end product is pretty good overall.
The album opens with perhaps its weakest number, a rather pedestrian fast-slow-fast-slow hard rock piece that fades into oblivion without any real conclusion. The second track is immediately recognizable as a BLS piece, but carves a new niche. The first part of it much more laid back than anything else these guys have done, accented by Levin's electric cello playing (that might remind many of his solo album Waters of Eden). Bozzio's characteristic drumming - his sporadic snare drum playing and extremely accomplished cymbal usage - is here in spades. And, of course, the nimble and mostly tasteful playing from Stevens that surprised so many on Black Light Syndrome is still just as good.
Overall there's less of an overt King Crimson feel on this album than on the first. There are two of Stevens' flamenco showcases on this album ("Spiral" and "Tziganne"), and I think they're stronger than the two on the previous album, mostly because his playing is a bit more melodic here. Other highlights for me include the sublime opening to "Lost" and the laid-back jam feel of "Tragic".
None of this is going to knock anyone's socks off; the compositions are competent but not great, and the performances are excellent but not transcendent. Nevertheless, it's a solid instrumental rock outing, and there's definitely something to be said for that. I'd put it about on par with Black Light Syndrome, perhaps not quite as good, but still very enjoyable.