Neil Zaza returns after the impressive ‘Melodica’ with ‘When Gravity Fails’ which is home to 13 extremely high quality instrumental tracks.  Anyone that is familiar with Zaza’s work will know that his work is a near perfect marriage of melody and flash and ‘When Gravity Fails’ is perhaps his ultimate exercise yet in this art form.    The album’s title has a nice meaning which in Zaza’s own words reads, "In every artistic endeavour, there are always forces that pull you away and make creating and expression difficult. But when that force (much like the gravity that tries to keep us down) fails, artistic expression and creative fulfilment can rise. So basically, when the CD is completed it is a testament to gravity failing to stop the artistic process."    The album also sees Zaza bring in some big names for guest appearances for duelling guitar and keyboard solos with Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess and Michael Anthony's pounding bass on "Heavyocity".  Consecutive solos by Jordan Rudess, Peter Frampton and Zaza with a backing of strings, horns, and Steve Smith's (ex Journey) driving beat in the epic "Cinematic" and A climatic simultaneous solo with Roger Joseph Manning Jr. on "Ultra”.   Its great to hear that Zaza has really got great performances out of these guests as a number of instrumental releases that have passed through the last year or so with guest appearances all too often sound ‘mailed in’ from the guests.

Opener “Something Anything” fuses modern rock with its baritone riff with orchestral and sublime lead work from Zaza whose tone just seems to get better with each release.  Here it’s reminiscent of Neal Schon at his best with none of the overly nasally quality or honky quality that many of Zaza’s contempory's in this genre seem to suffer from or gravitate to.  Rest assured the lead lines work beautifully over the backing and overall it’s a very impressive opener that begs to be turned up load.  

“Purple Plush” is a strong riff led track that sounds great when you are cruising in the car, again the lead work is the right amount of melody and flash, kinda Satriani in nature (Extremist era) and overall a fun number. 

“Cinematic” was written as if to be used for the credits at the end of the movie, and whilst it would work very well in this context the strength of the music and guitar lead lines are pure class.  Full of depth and emotion this is my favourite track on the album and you can really hear Neil digging deep into his soul to pull this one off – stunning. 

“In My Dreams” is another track that has a very commercial quality to it, again Neal reaches absolute perfection in his note choice and the way the track builds and the lead work plays with this is a master class for any aspiring guitarist with their sites set on captivating instrumental music. 

“Bleed” is one of the most straight ahead rocker on the album.  Again comparison references to Satriani’s Extremist album can be made here and that really is meant to sum up the quality of the track.  Overall Zaza’s lead work is more to my personal preference that Satriani’s. 

“Celestine” was inspired by the book “The Celestine Prophecy” and the slow tempo allows Zaza to get the most from his guitar with a great transition from bluesy licks which build through various progressions, the lead work here really only adds the excellent backing and orchestration. 

“Danza Della Notte”,  Zaza in his own words describes the visual interpretation of this track as “Evoking mental images of  dancing skeletons in cemeteries with pizzacato strings representing the jangling bones”.  The track is one of the most haunting on the album and also is home to some of Zaza’s scariest lead work (to quote Zappa), great work.  

“Heavyocity” is a fuzzed up baritone rifer and home to aforementioned guests of Michael Anthony and Jordan Rudess who delivers some great solos before Zaza plays of these with wah infused bends and scalding runs.  Extra praise must also go to Mark Leach for his impressive Hammond B3 Organ work here and throughout the album.

“My Only Son” begins with Zaza playing off a delay pedal to create a nice ambience over which piano and bass outline the chord progression.  This is then built upon with subtle lead work that has a very nice vintage tone from Zaza. 

“My Dearest” is a minimalist piano and guitar track and the track possesses a very personal vibe.  The stripped down nature of the track again gives Zaza the chance to show what excellent phrasing and note choice he has.  “Ultra” sees a great 70’s rock sound come in, powered along by a great riff and drumming from ex Journey skins man Steve Smith, the 70’s vibe takes on a Zeppelin flavour with some keyboard chords and Kashmir-ish orchestration.  What is particularly impressive about this track is the way each part naturally leads into the next with that theme then being built on taking it to the next, another highlight.  

“The Awakening” is a short 50 second soundscape of Arabic strings and backward guitars which leads into another stunning track in “Before The Throne”.  Based on a traditional church hymn “Before The Throne of God", it as its origins would suggest led by a very strong melody line, yet the real prize of the track is the orchestration that is built around Zaza’s guitar.  This is the kind of track you could imagine being played at any joyous occasion and its an uplifting experience and one that will demand multiple repeat listens.

SUMMARY
“When Gravity Fails” is a superb instrumental album.  Yet to pigeon hole it to this category is possible going to stop narrow minded listeners from hearing it.  I defy anyone to listen to this album and not be blown away.  Zaza really has come up with an ace with this record, and whilst ‘Melodica’ was a very good album, ‘”When Gravity Fails” can be considered to this point Zaza’s magnum opus.  Stylistically it has all the right ingredients, yet there is an element of passion here that is often missing from instrumental works even from the perceived big name instrumental market leaders.  On the basis of this album (not to mention Zaza’s back catalogue), Neil Zaza deserves to be at the very top of the guitar elite.  ESSENTIAL.

RATING : 97%
HOT SPOTS : Cinematic, Celestine, My Dearest, Before The Throne.

Musicians
Neil Zaza - Lead, Rhythm, Baritone & Bass Guitars, Synth, String and Horn Arrangements, Production, Engineering
 Michael Anthony (Van Halen) - Bass Guitar
 Bill Cioce - Drums
 Peter Frampton - Guitar
 Doug Johns - Bass Guitar
 Scotty Kormos - Drums
 Mark Leach - Hammond B-3 Organ
 Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, Beck) - Keyboards
 Bobby Rock - Drums
 Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) - Keyboards
 Steve Smith (Vital Information, Journey) - Drums, Percussion
 T.M. Stevens (James Brown, Billy Joel, Joe Cocker) - Funky Bass Guitar
 David Strieter ("One Silent Night 2005") - Keyboards
 Garry "GMan" Sullivan (Bernie Worrell, The B52's) - Drums
 Heidi Albert - Cello
 Heather Gullstrand - Violin, Viola
 Joe Miller - Brass

Tracks
01. Something Anything
02. Purple Plush 
03. Cinematic 
04. In My Dreams 
05. Bleed 
06. Celestine 
07. Danza Della Notte 
08. Heavyocity 
09. My Only Son 
10. My Dearest 
11. Ultra 
12. The Awakening 
13. Before The Throne 

Official Website

http://www.neilzaza.com

Buy Online

http://www.neilzaza.com/merchandise/merchandise.html