 |
1994 |
Aftershock |
| Reviews Review by Eric Actually the second reunion of the Dregs after the breakup, this time they produced a studio album and went back to the full name "Dixie Dregs". What I can already tell you, before we go track-by-track is, that this record benefits from the experience and development of the Dregs during the years, as well as the development of the musicians themselves. The music on "Full Circle" bears influences of the Dregs as well as from the Steve Morse Band. It is not just a nostalgic reunion, but a statement that the Dregs and the individual musicians have developed during the years. The album starts with "Aftershock", an uptempo opener with a rocking riff and some hammond-layers. As soon as the guitar-melody kicks in you KNOW who is playing it. We also find the trademark unison runs that made Steve's style very unique. If this song can't make you tap your foot, you better check your pulse, because you may already be dead ! A brief solo of Steve is followed by a little shredding on the violin and some great synth-playing by T. "Perpetual Reality" starts with an unison-beginning , followed by a typical SM-Riff. Lavitz provides some moody organ-playing, while Steve jumps into the quite uplifiting guitar- melody. In this song, the Dregs prove how good they are at playing with moods and dynamics.... you'll see what I mean the first time you hear the calmer interludes =) In this one Dave shows off his unique style a little more. Then the guitar-workout. Starting with some solo-drumming by Rod, "Calcutta" is the playground for Steve, who makes our jaws drop with his awesome, very classical-inspired pedaltone-licks. Very dramatic. And again, Dave gets more, well-deserved spotlight. T's keyboard-solo is followed by another jawdropper of Steve... he really seems to enjoy himself during the solo, and goes directly back to the pedaltone-riff. The main-theme is beautiful and very dramatic. You are waiting for the country-tune ? Well, buckle up, here it comes...."Goin' To Town". A midtempo song, carried by Steve's almost funny-sounding harmonizer-licks. T throws in somegreat piano-fills. Jerry gets another violin-solospot and proves that he is more than just a temporary fill-in. With a wonderful, very uplifiting synth-intro, the band starts "Pompous Circumstances". Slowly the rest o the band enters one by one. Then a great classical guitar/violin-riff, reminding me a little of "VHF". Morse-addicts may get their best shot ever here. The first solo shows why Steve is a "player's player" and more ! Why is it that Dregs-songs are always more than just instrumental show-offs by great musicians ? Time for a cover-version, Dregs-style. That means, expect more than just a note-by- note-copy of the original. This time it's the old Yardbirds-classic "Shapes of Things", which has previously been covered by Gary Moore and the Jeff Beck-Group. But our guys make something completely new out of it.... starting with a typically uplifting guitar-/synth-intro the band enters, and you can perfectly picture them having the fun of their lifetime. You can, of course, recognize the song, but all the subtle little things that the Dregs add make something new out of it at the same time. Steve and Jerry play parts of the famous melody, while they also throw in little things like backwards- guitar and just "resurrect" the whole song. No one needs to smash the guitar, the guys provide enough tension and dramatism with the music alone ! Next one, "Sleeveless in Seattle", a song with quite a lot changes. From a rather rough intro, it goes into a very moody part, with a wonderful melody by Steve. Then another change to a more grooving part with a great solo by T.Lavitz, and then it's Steve's part again to solo over Dave's trademark grooving lines, which is followed by another very dramatic part. One of the best examples of the diversity and variety-of-moods- and-styles that make the Dregs so very unique. "Good intentions" is another rocker, carried by Steve's riffs and Morse/Goodman-unisono lines. In case one of you missed Steve's well-known chromatic riffs and their tension- building effect, listen to this one. Steve's solo in this one is a mix between bluesy and "morsey" ( yes, I'm talking about the unique Morse-style ) Time to hand Steve the acoustic guitar..."Yeolde". Again Steve shows us his love for acoustic guitar in general, an classical guitar in particular. If you need an example for creative use of the counterpoint technique...listen to Dave and Steve in this one. A wonderful, very moody track with some well-placed percussions. Last track..."Ionized". Starting with a quite dramatic lick, in which the virtuosity lays in the detail ( another Steve-trade- mark ), we get to hear him with one of the meanest sounds ever. What follows is another wonderful melody-passage. And if you still need some more "Morse-shredding"...well, buckle up before the solo starts.... Before I got this CD, I was wondering a little....will this be just a "let's remember the good ole times"-reunion ? But I did not get disappointed. This is Dregs at their best. And you really can hear that there are some years of developing and playing in other projects in between the "old" and the "new"Dregs. But the most obvious feel about this record seems to be: They must have had LOTS of fun making it, enjoying themselves and this great gathering of awesome musicians..... |