Tony Levin - Double Espresso
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Free Music Notes for Double Espresso
Free Music Review: good
Hit: 5 Stars
The best way to characterize this album is to think of the band as a prog band that thinks of them selves as a jazz group. I love prog but a lot of the time groups sacrifice texture and creativity for technically impressive shows of force. This has it all. It has some very progy parts, some quiet smooth parts, and a few good old rock parts. It also has some down right fun covers on it.Free Music Review: Great live stuff from one of the top modern bassists
Hit: 4 Stars
This album is the end result of Tony Levin touring with two of the other three members (in Jerry Marotta and Larry Fast) of Peter Gabriel's touring band of the late 70's and early 80's.
I bought this album after seeing them play live about 2 1/2 years ago at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA. The band performs many of Tony's studio tracks from his two solo efforts, which I bought right after seeing this group play, and salivated over the live album until its release. Having not heard their version of "Tequila" prior to seeing the show, it turned out quite hilarious. They also do quite well in covering King Crimson's "Elephant Talk" and Genesis' "Back in New York City". The only bad track on here has to be "L'Abito Della Sposa" - sorry Tony, your English-accented Italian leaves a lot to be desired.
If you are a fan of Peter Gabriel at all, and don't mind listening to music that is primarily without lyrics, you won't be disappointed. This is hardly New Age stuff, as another reviewed dubbed it, but the logical step in the career of a progressive rock bass virtuoso.
It's too bad they don't have any bits on here with Tony actually talking to the crowd. He's quite personable, and really enjoys having fun up on stage.
This album is worth it, especially if you appreciate fine musicmanship.
Free Music Review: Great Project
Hit: 3 Stars
There is a little bit of everything here. Some rather harder electric, to some nearly ambient. The recording quality is good, not super polished, but that makes the recorded document all the more authentic feeling. Excellent snapshot of a true giant in the industry. You can certainly find more cohesive studio projects, but this is an excellent package from Mr. Levin. It definately deserves repeated listening.Free Music Review: Very Nice, but some weak moments
Hit: 3 Stars
This album probably deserves 4 stars, but I gave it 3 because others have overrated it. It consists of 2 CD's, about 55 minutes each. The sound quality is good, but there are some glitches, especially a squeal during Phobos (it sounds like a mouse running on a squeaky excercise wheel).The reason I don't give this 5 stars is that there are a number of mundane, new age type tracks. The music is boring and tedious. The second CD is not as good as the first. I feel the worst track is Phobos, which sounds like something that would come from a tired Windham Hill band.
The band does a number of interesting covers of songs: Led Zeppelin's Black Dog; Peter Gabriel's Dog One; King Crimson's Elephant Talk; Genesis's Back in NYC; Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn. While they are interesting, they are not that great. Black Dog starts out as a boring New Age tune, before it starts to rock. Peter Gunn is done with the California Guitar Trio, but it seems kind of weak. For the other songs, they aren't that much different from the originals, but the originals are better. But, I do give them credit for making the effort.
There are some great tracks on this album. It starts out very strong, and most of the first CD is very good.
Despite what I have said, I still like this album and would recommend it. I just don't think it is as good as others that Levin has done. For a better CD throughout, check out Black Light Syndrome by Levin, Stevens and Bozzio.
Free Music Review: A little bit of everything
Hit: 5 Stars
This album has a little bit of everything for the Levin fan; instrumental, wicked jams, Italian vocals, rockers, Peter Gabriel/Genesis and King Crimson "covers," etc., etc.It's a good introduction to Tony Levin, who has played bass with pretty much everyone, though he's known mostly as Peter Gabriel's and as a onetime (and hopefully future) member of King Crimson. And it's good to see him stepping into the spotlight by releasing more and more solo albums.
Another good live album by Tony Levin is BLUE Nights Live, which was done with Bill Bruford. They're good compliments to each other.