01	Arsis						01:59
	02	Muttersprache						06:26
	03	Shaman's Whisper						06:33
	04	Fischer's Gambit						05:43
	05	Grace (live)						08:27
	06	Some Brighter Things						07:34
	07	The Brook The Ocean						04:06
	08	Singing Deep Mountain						09:00

Emergent
Date of Release Jan 14, 2003

Gordian Knot's second album is very much grounded in the British progressive rock movement of the 1970s, particularly the sound of King Crimson. The almost wholly instrumental effort has a couple of very direct links to those good old days in the presence of one-time Yes/King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford on half of the tracks, as well as ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett on three. This doesn't open up territory as multi-instrumentalist and principal Gordian Knot member Sean Malone's inspirations did. It's just accomplished instrumental progressive rock with a heavy fusion flavor and a rather somber, cerebral air, though there are plenty of hard rock dynamics, and occasional traces of other textures, like '70s Soft Machine and flamenco guitar. For those that admire Malone's instrumental prowess, there are a couple of solo showcases for his work on bass ("Arsis") and stick ("Grace"). - Richie Unterberger

1. Arsis (Malone) - 1:59
2. Muttersprache (Malone) - 6:26
3. A Shaman's Whisper (Malone) - 6:33
4. Fischer's Gambit (Malone) - 5:43
5. Grace [live] (Malone) - 8:27
6. Some Brighter Thing (Malone) - 7:34
7. The Brook the Ocean (Malone) - 4:06
8. Singing Deep Mountain (Malone) - 9:00

Bill Bruford - Drums, Contribution
Steve Hackett - Guitar, Soloist
Scott Burns - Producer
Jason Gobel - Guitar, Soloist, Contribution
Bob Katz - Mastering
Paul Masvial - Guitar, Soloist
Sean Reinert - Drums, Vocals, Contribution
Jim Matheos - Guitar (Steel), Soloist, Guitar (Nylon String)
Mark Prator - Producer, Mixing Engineer
Sean Malone - Bass, Guitar, Arranger, Keyboards, Stick, Vocals, Arp Echoplex, Producer, Loops, E-Bow, Soloist
Travis Smith - Visuals

2003 CD Sensory 3016




Gordian Knot - Emergent

Released: 2003
Label: Sensory
Cat. No.: SR3016
Total Time:


Reviewed by: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck, January 2003
Sean Malone is the driving force and creative genius behind the ultra talented group Gordian Knot. With the band's latest release Emergent their heady lineup pumps out tracks of hard driving progressive rock and jazz-rock fusion to satisfy every type of progressive music lover's taste buds.

Malone and many others including Steve Hackett (Genesis, GTR) and Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis), add their many talents and experience to the seemingly endless ongoing development of each composition on this CD. The eight tracks of elating prog-rock come packaged with tight grooves, complicated rhythms, and odd timing and quick changes. To make the circle of events complete, all-inclusive sonics and engineering balance out the perfection of sound you will hear on each track. The discerning and sophisticated listener may be challenged to listen to this CD several times to pick apart all of the complexities found in every song.

Emergent indeed, this is one band you should stand up and take notice of now. Remember the name prog heads, Gordian Knot.

Rating: 5/5

[See also Steph's and Davide's review -ed.]



Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, March 2003
Gordian Knot's second outing, Emergent, is a dark fusiony mix of metal and progressive rock. This time, multi-instrumentalist Sean Malone, with Sean Reinert (drums), has brought in a different mix of artists to help him realize his creation - Jason Gobel on guitars and such guests as Steve Hackett (guitar), Bill Bruford (drums), Jim Matheos (guitars), and Paul Masvidal (guitars). You can easily see how this all instrumental album (will 99 percent instrumental album) gets its character.

You may not be entirely sure what you're going to get at the outset. The debut album had some atmospheric textures, and "Arsis," which opens the album gives you a bit more of the same - a very moody, subtle bass expression from Malone, conveying hopefulness tinged with sadness, all with a great deal of warmth. This is followed by the chunky, heavy "Muttersprache." It crunches like the heaviest metal track, which is contrasted by vaguely middle eastern phrases and jazzy guitar textures - solos come from Gobel, Hackett and Malone, and the liner notes helpfully guide you by indicating who's soloing when (at least for those who can't pick out different guitarist by ear). "A Shaman's Whisper" is anything but a quiet piece, perhaps even heavier than what precedes it. Gobel plays a screaming lead, Masvidal following this up with a very lyrical one, in a very breezy, easy going manner. "Fischer's Gambit" is gloomy, its overall tone color at some point between black and red, smooth as silk, and accented with gold - some beautiful steel-string guitar work from Matheos here. As I write this, I notice the dark red-black colors of the sleeve right at the center: this is that color: it's the color in the center of album sleeve itself (kudos to Travis Smith for capturing well the music found within).

Throughout Emergence is a fascinating listen, one that has you both sitting back and just listening and leaning forward, listening to technique, to each note. And it works at both levels. Few albums can stand up to intense scrutiny, but Emergence can, and does. It's an album that makes you want to speak about it in well-deserved hyperbolic terms, but also with a cool and casual seriousness. Even as they are playing with each other, they are playing against and over each other, an intertwining of textures that seems natural and yet not expected - nothing is predictable about this release. Impassioned guitars scream in the closing track "Singing Deep Mountain:" (a song that also features vocalizations from Malone and guest Sonia Lynn).

Passion. That's what radiates from every single note. A passion for expression, for musicianship, a passion for creating something several cuts above the ordinary. But then given the artists involved: would we expect something hackneyed? I dare say no. The emotions locked into each measure, beat, phrase, are deeply felt: This is an album that you put on "Repeat all" and let is suffuse into you: so that you feel each any every note from Malone's Stick on the graceful and elegant "Grace," for example. It's just Malone, on Stick and Echoplex creating a wonderful and embracing atmosphere.

This leads into the Crimson-esque "Some Brighter Thing," which reminds mostly of the Thrak period, with its chunky rhythm. Here words like angular and throaty come into play, too, when we think of the bass and drum work, though the trio of guitarists play much lighter and more fluidly.

One of the must buys of 2003, if not the the must buy of 2003. Highly recommended.

Rating: 5/5

[See also Keith's and Davide's review -ed.]



Reviewed by: Davide Guidone, March 2003
I was very excited about this release, because I read about the presence of two of the prog- masters: Steve Hackett and Bill Bruford. So I wondered what kind of music will come from them.

This Emergent is the second disc of the group called Gordian Knot, which is, really, Sean Malone's solo creature. From the previous record, called just Gordian Knot, other than Malone, only Sean Reinert remains in the band; and he doesn't play on all the pieces!

However, this is a great disc, a very surprise! It's a mix of fusion, progressive and metal sounds, which makes it a very interesting album. I believe, and a lot of people will agree with me, that Cynic's, King Crimson's, Dream theater's and Liquid Tension Experiment's fans will like it.

Emergent is that disc that lets you understand Sean Malone and what kind of player he is: he has a great technique and his style is very personal. He reminded me of Tony Levin (who inspired him a lot), John Patitucci (a virtuoso jazz player) and Trey Gunn (King Crimson).

Speaking of great bass players I have a question: Who has noted Malone's tribute to Yes' "Heart Of Sunrise" in a bass riff from "The Brook The Ocean?"

This disc permits me to listen to Bill Bruford play one more time and I have to say he is still one of the best drummers in the rock scene. I can distinguish his style among a million others and I'm sure his irregular rhythmic is perfect.

I think it's no use to continue to explain to you how this work is, the only suggestion I can give to you is: run to the nearest CD store and buy it!

[See also Keith's and Steph's review -ed.]

More about Emergent:

Track Listing: Arsis (1:59) / Muttersprache (6:26) / A Shaman's Whisper (6:33) / Fischer's Gambit (5:43) / Grace (live) (8:27) / Some Brighter Thing (7:34) / The Brook The Ocean (4:06) / Singing Deep Mountain (9:00)

Musicians:
Sean Malone - Guitar, Bass, Keys, Ebow, Stick, Loops
Jason Gobel - Guitar
Bill Bruford - Drums
Steve Hackett - Guitar
Sean Reinert - Drums
Paul Masvidal - Guitar
Jim Matheos - Nylon & Steel String Guitars

Contact:

Website: www.seanmalone.net
Note: will open new browser window

Email: code_anticode@hotmail.com

Discography

Aghora - Aghora
Cynic Focus (1983)
Gordian Knot - Gordian Knot (1999)
Sean Malone - Cortlandt
Gordian Knot - Emergent (2003)

and numerous more guest appearances...






Gordian Knot: Emergent


The long awaited second album from Gordian Knot is finally here, and Emergent has been well worth the wait. Former Cynic bassist/Stick virtuoso Sean Malone has assembled a super band once again for this go-round, and the cast features none other than Steve Hackett, Bill Bruford, Jim Matheos, and former Cynic members Jason Gobel, Sean Reinert, and Paul Masvidal. This CD is chock full of chops, melody, and tight ensemble playing.

Malone's funky Jaco Pastorius inspired solo spot "Arsis" kicks things off, follwed by the hectic metallic fury of "Muttersprache." Over a heavy rhythm guitar attack and bubbling keyboards, Gobel and Hackett alternate wicked solo spots, and the former Genesis guitarists' tortured wailings are some of the most inspired he has recorded in quite a while. Malone's Stick work is quite unique sounding, as he moves away from the tone that you normally would here from Tony Levin or Trey Gunn and incorporates more of a keyboard/guitar sound to his solos on the instrument. "A Shaman's Whisper" is another heavy number with great drum work from Bruford and Reinert, plus speedy Stick lines from Malone. The back-to-back punch of Gobel and Masvidal on lead guitars here is quite nice, with Gobel tossing in a jazzy lead to start things off, then a flowing legato run from Masvidal, followed by a flamenco break from Gobel, then a closing shred attack from Masvidal. The group opts into jazzy territory on "Fisher's Gambit", featuring piano from Malone and great nylon string solo's from Fates Warning's Jim Matheos. After the amazing solo piece from Malone titled "Grace" (complete with Echoplex loops and wild Stick playing), the band settles into the crushing King Crimson meets Metallica of "Some Brighter Thing." Malone's ambitious Stick leads come across like a deranged Derek Sherinian, as he is sandwiched between two fiery exchanges from Gobel and Matheos. Bruford plays like a man possessed on this one as well, and it's quite possibly his best playing in years. Some inspiring interplay between Bruford and Malone follows on "The Brook The Ocean", and if you didn't believe my statement about his performance on the previous track, check Bill out on this tune. He and Malone trade off wicked lines at the outset, and I thought I was listening to Jaco Pastorius and Peter Erskine on an old Weather Report album. The last track is an atmospheric and moody number called "Singing Deep Mountain", and features great melodies and tasty guitar solos from Matheos, Gobel and Hackett. The interplay between the guitar lines and Malone's Stick and bass work is quite complex, and makes this a great way to finish this superb album.

Sean Malone is a tremendous talent, and Emergent an extremely enjoyable and fulfilling instrumental release. He has assembled a top-notch cast of musicians here to help put forth his musical visions, and it works on all cylinders.

Added: December 30th 2002
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Sean Malone Home Page
Hits: 924
Language: english