EricV
05-31-2002, 06:57 AM
Hi guys,
here is another list of listening recommendations. This time I wanna focus on "new players". That term might be a bit confusing. What I actually do mean is rather unknown players, or players who just released their debut and are slowly making a name for themselves... or players who try something completely different ( not yet another dude playing Harmonic minor scales and sweeping arps on a Strat plugged into a Marshall ... )... or all of the above
1. Buckethead- Colma
Buckethead is not THAT new anymore, after all he released several albums and also is with Guns N´Roses now. The record that completely took me by surprise is "Colma"... no shred here, just a very quiet album... simple, repetitive chord progressions, mainly played on acoustic guitar or clean electric guitar. It also is great music for meditation. And he plays a VERY inspired solo in "Machete"... it took me a few listens to get into this one, but these days, it´s one of my favorites. Very pretty.
2. Toshi Iseda- Full On !
I met that dude at a trade-show, saw him play workshops for Washburn. He plays a seven-string, and did some great jamming over some jamtracks.
His first album is pretty cool, lots of nice grooves and great playing. Tony MacAlpine plays a guest spot on the record.
3. Mattias IA Eklundh- Freak Guitar
This dude is slowly making a name for himself. And I think, with him it´s a "love it or hate it" thing. He has a very unusual approach to the guitar. His album is full of programmed grooves and loops, and guitar-wise, he plays some WACKY stuff. He´s using a whammy pedal, and does some very fast stuff that almost sounds like a video game.
But you know what ? I like that. I mean, sometimes it´s fun to listen to someone do wild stuff like that, and he also does some beautiful playing on an acoustic guitar in "Time To Breathe".
He sounds like a mix between Vai, Yngwie, Zappa and Buckethead, to me. Quite unique, but might not be everyone´s taste.
4. Warmth In The Wilderness- A Tribute To Jason Becker
This album features a lot of yet unknown players ( Like Eklundh ) but also some "big names" ( like Marty Friedman, Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert... )
And those guys are redoing tunes by Jason Becker ( Cacophony, David Lee Roth, solo-stuff ). Some VERY interesting new guys among them, and some pretty music and wacked-out playing.
I especially like Dave Martone´s version of "Higher" ( arranged for guitar ) and Mattias Eklundh´s original tune "Lydia´s House" ( killer hook-line ! )
5. Ron Thal- Adventures Of Bumblefoot
An extremely talented and creative dude, and one wacked-out album. It´s definitely zappa-esque. Some extremely cool-playing, sometimes just shred, sometimes seriously interesting...
6. Michael Lee Firkins- dto. or "Chapter Eleven"
OK, this dude is not new. Those albums are a few years old, and he also played on Jason Becker´s "Perspective"album.
I think he belongs on the list anyway, cause he definitely tried something new.
Once you listen to him, you´ll think he is a cool slide-player. When you WATCH him, you´ll be surprised to see that he is not using a slide... he does it all with the bar. The music is sometimes extremely bluesy, sometimes a bit Dregs-influenced. Great player, also has very interesting rhythm parts.
Those albums were released on the Shrapnel-label, but there´s no neoclassical stuff to be found here. One of the most interesting players, he also can sound like Jeff Beck sometimes.
Anyway, that was my list for today. Other than Toshi Iseda ( who plays rather traditional instrumental rock, but with lotsa cool grooves and melodies ) those guys really sound refreshing and new, and that I like to hear sometimes.
Anyway, check those out, maybe you´ll find something you´ll like...
Warm regards
Eric
here is another list of listening recommendations. This time I wanna focus on "new players". That term might be a bit confusing. What I actually do mean is rather unknown players, or players who just released their debut and are slowly making a name for themselves... or players who try something completely different ( not yet another dude playing Harmonic minor scales and sweeping arps on a Strat plugged into a Marshall ... )... or all of the above
1. Buckethead- Colma
Buckethead is not THAT new anymore, after all he released several albums and also is with Guns N´Roses now. The record that completely took me by surprise is "Colma"... no shred here, just a very quiet album... simple, repetitive chord progressions, mainly played on acoustic guitar or clean electric guitar. It also is great music for meditation. And he plays a VERY inspired solo in "Machete"... it took me a few listens to get into this one, but these days, it´s one of my favorites. Very pretty.
2. Toshi Iseda- Full On !
I met that dude at a trade-show, saw him play workshops for Washburn. He plays a seven-string, and did some great jamming over some jamtracks.
His first album is pretty cool, lots of nice grooves and great playing. Tony MacAlpine plays a guest spot on the record.
3. Mattias IA Eklundh- Freak Guitar
This dude is slowly making a name for himself. And I think, with him it´s a "love it or hate it" thing. He has a very unusual approach to the guitar. His album is full of programmed grooves and loops, and guitar-wise, he plays some WACKY stuff. He´s using a whammy pedal, and does some very fast stuff that almost sounds like a video game.
But you know what ? I like that. I mean, sometimes it´s fun to listen to someone do wild stuff like that, and he also does some beautiful playing on an acoustic guitar in "Time To Breathe".
He sounds like a mix between Vai, Yngwie, Zappa and Buckethead, to me. Quite unique, but might not be everyone´s taste.
4. Warmth In The Wilderness- A Tribute To Jason Becker
This album features a lot of yet unknown players ( Like Eklundh ) but also some "big names" ( like Marty Friedman, Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert... )
And those guys are redoing tunes by Jason Becker ( Cacophony, David Lee Roth, solo-stuff ). Some VERY interesting new guys among them, and some pretty music and wacked-out playing.
I especially like Dave Martone´s version of "Higher" ( arranged for guitar ) and Mattias Eklundh´s original tune "Lydia´s House" ( killer hook-line ! )
5. Ron Thal- Adventures Of Bumblefoot
An extremely talented and creative dude, and one wacked-out album. It´s definitely zappa-esque. Some extremely cool-playing, sometimes just shred, sometimes seriously interesting...
6. Michael Lee Firkins- dto. or "Chapter Eleven"
OK, this dude is not new. Those albums are a few years old, and he also played on Jason Becker´s "Perspective"album.
I think he belongs on the list anyway, cause he definitely tried something new.
Once you listen to him, you´ll think he is a cool slide-player. When you WATCH him, you´ll be surprised to see that he is not using a slide... he does it all with the bar. The music is sometimes extremely bluesy, sometimes a bit Dregs-influenced. Great player, also has very interesting rhythm parts.
Those albums were released on the Shrapnel-label, but there´s no neoclassical stuff to be found here. One of the most interesting players, he also can sound like Jeff Beck sometimes.
Anyway, that was my list for today. Other than Toshi Iseda ( who plays rather traditional instrumental rock, but with lotsa cool grooves and melodies ) those guys really sound refreshing and new, and that I like to hear sometimes.
Anyway, check those out, maybe you´ll find something you´ll like...
Warm regards
Eric