 Tommy
Bolin is certainly one of rock
music' biggest loss when his untimely drug induced death in
the mid 1970's robbed the rock world of one of his most promising
stars. Probably best know for replacing Ritchie Blackmore
in Deep Purple in the bands prime Bolin had already
carved a name for himself with the music nuts of the day thanks
largely to his work with the James Gang and more so
on the Billy Cobham Spectrum fusion album. However, Tommy
during his time was also able to release a couple of solo
albums in Teaser and Private Eyes. What we have in "Whips
& Roses II" is further alternative versions of
music from the Teaser album and unreleased material which
is essential listening for TB nuts. Readers new to the name
Tommy Bolin would be better suited checking out "Teaser".
Essentially "Whips & Roses II" kicks off where
the first left off and showcases a musician in his prime,
taking chances but often being limited by what studios in
his time could allow him creatively - this is the reason for
many of these tracks as today's studios are better equipped
to deal with the laden master tracks. The number of various
guitar tones and styles covered here is truly impressive and
a lesson can be learned by any guitar player that may be reading
this.
Overall Tommy Bolin left an all too light catalogue of work
when he died so any additions are more than welcome and luckily
this is very good listening.
Rating - 85%
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 Three
years after his last release under the "Ferrigno, Leal,
Kuprij" banner Marco Ferrigno is back with more
neo-classical firepower and this, his debut solo album is a
very intricately detailed release with a lot of fretwork but
also a lot of melody. One of the most immediate comparisons
to Marco's very fluid style of play is similar to that of George
Bellas and its not real surprise to discover that Marco
has taught under George. That said you the two are quite easily
separable as you find out on the track Bellas guests on.
The album opens with the progressive "Temple Of Time"
which sees a nice mix of slower melodic lead lines and faster
licks and runs. Musically Marco has a very tight backing band
in the guise of bass legend Tony Franklin (Blue Murder
/ The Firm) and drummer Marco Minnemann. As mentioned
we get a guest appearance from George Bellas on the second
track “Night In Babylon” and this is another more progressive
offering and again a nice mix of fast and slower passages. What
really put the progressive slant into this release in the Marco’s
use of odd tempos, poly-rhythmic lines and time modulations
based on a 16th and 8th note pulse, so there is no real Malmsteen
style harmonic minor burners here with the final track “Closer
To The Wind” getting the nearest to that territory of neo-classical.
Overall Marco has produced an enjoyable album which has a lot
of guitar flash backed up by sound backing tracks and that hold
the interest. My only criticism would be that the tracks all
seem to be around the same sort of tempo but this minor flaw
doesn’t devalue the end product and the album comes recommended.
Rating – 80% |
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