Tullworld.com Review of "Stage
Left"
Martin
Barre Takes "Stage Left"
The new solo effort, entitled “Stage Left”, a nod to his position on the Jethro Tull set is unmistakably a Martin Barre production. Martin’s style of writing and his sound has definitely progressed over the course of his three solo albums, yet it still retains that key sound and style you expect from Martin Barre. His music has a certain finesse to it that you don’t really hear that often anymore.
The album starts off with a really fun number titled “Count The Chickens” and then traverses a vast musical range of the guitar, from the sometimes raw “Nelly Returns”, to the soft, laid back guitar lines that flow from “Celestial Servings”, to the fast, upbeat acoustic variations on a theme shown off in “D.I.Y.”. Martin will even meld several styles and feelings into a single piece, such as “After You, After Me”, an easy to listen to and thoroughly satisfying piece of guitar work that brings you from flowing electric lines, to lush acoustic guitar and then back to end with some crunchy fiery guitar licks. As Told By, one of my favorite tracks, takes you on a heartfelt acoustic ride with a wonderful mix of acoustic background textures melding with the melodic line, occasionally augmented by a very effective electric sound mixed in the background.
You can tell Martin really takes some care in putting these tracks together, and although they may not be awash with technically challenging, fingers of fire passages, it makes up for it with a great mix of fun and beautiful melodies. Plus, there’s enough of the fast stuff in there to let you know Martin can still throw down those fiery licks like no one’s business.
Reviewed by Patrick Lydon
August 6, 2003
| ORDER
STAGE LEFT |
Please feel free to e-mail me at patrick@tullworld.com
for comments on this article, as well as questions or concerns about
reproduction of the article.
It is unlawful to copy and or use any information
on this page without author consent and proper credit given.
