Triangulation - the Steve Morse Band

Morse and company play with a joy, energy, and excitement that engages us emotionally while we’re getting our socks knocked off

Triangulation

Steve Morse Band

stevemorseofficial.com  

Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group

9 tracks / 48:15

After waiting an agonizing decade and a-half, fans of The Steve Morse Band can rejoice! At last, there’s a new band album - and the music is as dynamic and intense as it was all those years ago. The project is called Triangulation, which by definition means “a method of using multiple viewpoints or techniques to find a location, validate data, or understand a concept …by forming triangles.” Morse (guitar), Dave LaRue (bass), and Van Romaine (drums) certainly form an impressive musical triangle, forming combined rhythmic and melodic viewpoints with enough technique to leave the listener stunned.

There are, of course, many virtuosic players that have technique to spare but leave the listener emotionally cold. Thankfully, Morse and company play with a joy, energy, and excitement that engages us emotionally while we’re getting our socks knocked off by the rock and roll energy. The nine instrumental tracks are economically constructed, setting the stage for Morse’s stunning and precise playing to explore the musical landscape while Romaine’s crisp, in-the-pocket drumming and LaRue’s articulate, fluid bass playing not only fill in the gaps, but create gutsy textures and grooves. LaRue’s playing in particular, is a revelation. Never falling into typical bass player territory, LaRue supports the song structures while somehow creating amazingly fluid and complimentary melodic runs. The conversations between the two fretworkers shines throughout the album.

Triangulation is definitely a rock album but it flirts with prog and jazz fusion as well – no surprise, since Morse has collaborated with the likes of Neal Morse (no relation) and Flying Colors, Kansas, and Deep Purple! From the explosive opener, “Break Through,” to the wonderfully titled eleven-minute tour-de-force, “Tumeni Partz,” to the moving closing track, “Taken by an Angel” (featuring Steve’s son Kevin and dedicated to his late wife), Steve and his band cover some funky, rocking, groove-infested territory.  

The project sounds great – the production is nicely in-your-face. Of course, Steve provides some crunchy rhythm work as well as soloing, but the dubbing is minimal and there’s a good live band feeling. There are guest appearances by Eric Johnson, Scott Sim, and John Petrucci, each on separate songs but this is essentially Morse, LaRue and Romaine doing what they do best. You know, that triangulation thing…

4  tocks

Bert Saraco

You can see Bert Saraco’s concert photography at: www.facebook.com/express.image