ANCHOR DROPS

"Anchor Drops" is my first experience with UMPHREY'S MCGEE; a band that I had never heard before and thanks to the internet revolution we are experiencing now, this band has been reviewed in many sites on the net. They deserve it because they play excellent music with their own identity. I'm truly impressed with the music quality and musicianship of this album; the music is neatly arranged and the musicianship of the musicians involved are really excellent. I thought that it's the name of the musician / artist but in fact Umphrey's McGee is the name of a band from America. What's so unique about Umphrey's McGee's music is that it combines many styles which have been available in the market: jazz, rock, pop, country, funk, R&B, and even power metal - blend them together in a cohesive way as Umphrey's McGee's music. The band admits that their music is heavily influenced by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and also they share a love for the music of Yes, Gabriel-era Genesis, King Crimson, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, and Jaco Pastorius. Influence from Frank Zappa and Phish music also obvious here in this album. Enjoying this album at the very first time reminds me to a unique marriage between jazz/rock fusion with funk as well as classic rock style. The vocal quality is very similar to Audioslave lead singer.

The album opener "Plunger" (5:59) blast the music off with a fast tempo rhythm section combining drum, bass, guitar (dominant) and keyboard. The guitar style sometime reminds me to Trey Anastasio (Phish) but in some short segments I find a kind of Yngwie Malmsteen guitar-playing. The rocking vocalist sounds really similar with Audioslave' vocalist combined with Supertramp vocal quality. There are many tempo changes demonstrated here whereby in some changes the band add transition pieces using acoustic guitar fills in relatively fast tempo. "Anchor Drops "(4:48) and "In the Kitchen" (3:58) are very similar in composition. All of them were composed neatly and the songs were energetic in style. Sometime I can sense the kind of jazzy pop music like the music performed by The Leon Haines band in the eighties (remember the band who played "Another Clown" sometime in eighties?) Yes, it was quite popular jazzy-pop-r&b kind of music which was common at that time).

"Bullhead City" (4:32) is truly a country pop music that provides a temporary switch into another style of music. I have to admit that this track reminds me to Kenny Rogers and Doly Parton collaborative work as it features female voice as well. Even though this track does not really favor me but the acoustic guitar work is truly stunning. What's truly a wonderful composition music is track 5: "Miss Tinkle's Overture" (5:37) - an instrumental track that features excellent combination of speedy guitar work, dynamic drumming, keyboard and bass guitar. It's I think one of the best tracks in this album.

For those of you who really want to venture into various kinds of progressive music, this album is one of the best under jazz/rock fusion category. The virtuosity of guitar player Jake Cinninger and wonderful composition are the important attraction points of this album. Those who love The Flower Kings will also love this album even though the music is not exactly the same. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

AS THIS IS THE ONLY ALBUM I HAVE ON UMPHREY'S MCGEE AND THIS IS THE FIRST REVIEW IN THIS SITE, I INVITE YOU TO PUT YOUR VIEWS HERE. OTHER SITES HAVE FEATURED THIS EXCELLENT BAND.

Umphrey's second studio album is sort of a progression from their first album , but not quite as fun and goofy. It seems to be a more commercial outing , but more proggy and less arty and jazzy . The album also concentrates more on rock and riffs . The album still consists of all very amazing creative music . "Mulches Odessey" maybe the strongest well balanced prog tune going back and forth from tight prog-rock , to goofy jazz fusion lounge music . Miss Tinkles Overture is the most stereotypical prog song . It's an instrumental fugue-riff song . That almost sounds as if it might be tongue and cheek because it certainly goes well over the top almost to the point of annoyance .Wife Soup is another key track being the longest it also has some of the most creative amazing guitar work , which is also very controlled . Thats one thing this band has a lot of , that is control. This is a more serious minded release then "Local Band Does OK" , but remember that all of Umphrey's music is a lot less serious then all the other newer prog bands . This is a great addition for any prog fan or music fan in general . They have something for everyone.

These guys need to be experienced live, period. I saw them this summer and they blew me away. It was only an hour set but they stood out against the others at the big summer classic. They have a heavy metal intensity with chill vibes and long jams. They are possibly the best touring band right now and are making huge strides in the jam band genre with innovations galore. With that said, its usually risky to get a studio album from a band like Umphreys or phish or SCI, who emphasize the shows more than the studio. But this is a really a good cd with precise playing. They mix in so many genres: straight up rock, prog, heavy metal, jazz, but jam band is at the forefront. I heard they study tapes of shows much like a coach would do for games. It defiantly seems that way from the few shows I have downloaded off archives as they seem to expand and improve in leaps and bounds....and very quickly at that. Pick up what is sure to be one of the best jam band cds..of the decade!

I think that pretty much everything about this album, or the band, that could be said, already has been said. All of these tracks are quality songs (I believe that "In the Kitchen" won the band a "Jammy" award). Some people might be turned off by the fact there are no "epics." However, do not be confused. If you thought for any reason this wasn't prog-rock, just listen to "JaJunk. pt1" The riff that the guitar and the keys play are in 7/8 time, while the drums keep (what sounds like) a half time feel ( I know it sounds confusing, so do yourself a favor and listen to the song yourself). I can't wait for their next release, which I've heard is coming out April 4th.

P.S. If you like the studio stuff, you NEED to see this band live. I haven't experienced anything as intense as "Mulches Odyssey" live.

There is something about studio albums which gives finality to musical works. Since most bands produce a studio album first before any touring, there is immediately the feeling that it has been done, and that even if performed better at some point in the future, it cannot be the "real thing". Umphrey's McGee takes the opposite approach. They tour extensively (over 100 shows a year for the last 4 years), as their hundreds of songs continuously morph musically and lyrically. The result is Anchor Drops, a tight, "best of" studio album of songs at the peak of their evolutions.

Anchor Drops is nothing like a Umphrey's McGee live show; it is rich and full and perfect. There are none of the extended jams that are typical of UM. Umphrey's McGee is a jam band without question, but at the same time Anchor Drops is without question a progessive rock album. The songs on this album have quite literally progressed themselves over the years, and the content is very progressive in a casual sense (naturally progressive, not strained and intentionally progressive). All six musicians are incredible and have vision and focus. I could not recommend this album more highly.

Was all the best progressive rock released in the 70s? Not quite. Would you like to get into some fine new progressive music, that's quite able to stand beside the 70s classics in your collection? If so, have I got a band and album for you!

Umphrey's McGee were formed in Indiana in 1997, and in 2004 they released their fifth studio album. ANCHOR DROPS is a very strong recording, from an obviously seasoned band of accomplished and highly creative musicians.

Categorizing music can be difficult, and Umphrey's is an excellent case in point. Though they are listed here as a "jazz rock/fusion" outfit, the diverse music on ANCHOR DROPS transcends that genre - there is also a strong "Canterbury" element in the marrying of often quirky lyrics with jazzy, "jammy" music, and there is even one track with a pronounced country feel. Umphrey's are not a band to be pigeon-holed!

Categories aside, the fourteen selections on ANCHOR DROPS provide almost sixty-five minutes of top quality, ever-interesting listening - "it's all good," as they say!

Opening number "Plunger" gets matters going with some synchronized, powerful guitar riffs, and a very tight rhythm courtesy of bassist Ryan Stasik, drummer Kris Myers, and percussionist Andy Farag. There are several sections to the song, including one with acoustic guitar, piano, and some Latin-feeling percussion. Never a dull moment!

Next up, title track "Anchor Drops" advances the overall eclectic, intelligent tone with an easy groove, a funky bass line, and some jazzy keyboards. The vocals are solid (four of the six band members sing), and the lead guitar is notably good. Canterbury fans will find themselves in fun and friendly territory here, as this winsome song progresses seamlessly through multiple infectious themes and changes. Simply great, but certainly not "simple" or predictable!

The rock side of the equation rises to the forefront on the superb "In the Kitchen," which just might be my favourite from this stellar set. It starts out with a fast and funky bass riff, and a strummed acoustic guitar, before the vocals and the remainder of the band come in. Again, there are many themes and transitions here, from jazz, to near-metal "rocking out." A particularly pleasing section accompanies the lyrics: "I don't expect to smile when I get home. The blankets that I stole should keep you warm." Then there's the driving chorus: "The TV's on too much, and I don't ever think enough about the things that matter most - complacently replacing a melody with smoke." This one "smokes" -- no mistake!

"Bullhead City" is the disc's country/folky piece. The listener is treated to a male and female vocal duet, in a very catchy song that further highlights this great band's amazing musical range. This one also provides a nice break from the prevailing complexity and intensity.

Any lingering doubts about the group's prog credentials should be dispelled via the whimsically-titled instrumental "Miss Tinkle's Overture." As the word "overture in its name suggests, this number covers a lot of territory in a five-and-a-half fleeting minutes of pure proggy pleasure. A driving, near-militaristic snare, and some superb, soaring lead impart extra distinction here.

"Uncommon" is just that (but then, so is the entire album)! This is a wonderfully tight, quirky number, with memorable, darkly-humourous lines such as "Something about me stinks - something about me smells. I don't want that to be how you remember me - some thing about me stinks. If I was not so strange, if I could only change, I wouldn't be so far, from standing where you are, if I was not so strange."

I could continue with the track-by-track analysis, but in the interest of keeping this review to a more manageable length, I'll wrap it up by saying that you'll certainly get your "walletsworth" (that's the name of the tenth track) with this fine CD. Progressive rock is most definitely NOT dead, and Umphrey's McGee are at the forefront of more recent acts that are bravely taking the music to new and wonderful places. ANCHOR DROPS is one of the very best latter-day discs that I've had the good fortune to hear. Adventurous listeners, and especially fans of fusion and Canterbury, should really enjoy this excellent album. Top-notch musicianship, tight, varied compositions, great vocals, smart and often-amusing lyrics; ANCHOR DROPS is the complete package. Unreservedly, whole-heartedly, gleefully recommended -- you HAVE to check this one out! Play it and smile, prog fans!

Even though they say that Led Zeppelin and The Beatles are they main influences, the sound that UMG offer is really personal. Although you may say they are progressive, they have some jazz-rock influences, funk and a bit of modern sounds (Spin Doctors, for example). But the best is that you can hear lots of those influences in one single song. And we're not talking about 20 minute suites here, they offer short and intense songs, just as Saga have been doing (in a more commercial way), or It Bites, or A.C.T. The musicianship is incredible, the voices sound fresh, the guitar parts are reminiscent of Francis Dunnery's or the legendary Allan Holdsworth. Well, that's enough. Anchor Drops is one of those records that are really difficult to explain. It's impossible to translate the emotion and good vibrations that one gets listening to this album. They are original, they play great, they have new ideas, they are fun. In a Best of prog rock compilation of the 2000's it should appear Miss Tinkle's Overture, for instance. Enjoy it!

Umphrey's McGee seems to have a small but very loyal following here on PA. This album weighs on at 4.31 on 16 ratings prior to mine but I am afraid I am going to have to be the voice of dissent. Otherwise, people may be duped into buying this album thinking they are getting a good album for their prog / Jazz Fusion tastes. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If you are a Phish or Grateful Dead fan, then by all means check this out. Those bands do nothing for me and certainly do not in the slightest scratch my prog itch. And while I enjoy a band like Return to Forever, a band that can legitimately be included in a prog discussion even though their intent is to play jazz, UM cannot make that same claim. UM is good at what they are trying to do: be a jam band that is mainly guitar oriented and has plenty of keys filling in. But their sound is just hollow to me and does not fill up the speakers with any type of lush sound that you find in prog. It all just seems stripped down and the vocals have that indie 90's feel that reminds me of Pavement, a band that did not trip my trigger either. They write some decent melodies but nothing that gets my heart rate up. And I think it is a stretch to even put them in Jazz Rock/Fusion. I don't get that feel at all so that really shoots down how they got on the site in the first place.

These are the type of albums that rankle me because I get duped into buying them due to glowing reviews on prog sites. I cringe every time I see it with my CDs and it reminds me why I have to be a lot more selective since there is so much stuff out there to buy. In this case, my money could have gone to hundreds of other titles more suited to my taste. This is certainly among the bottom ranking CDs I have purchased since my reintroduction to prog, so 1 star is my ranking.

Yes I am a huge Phish phan. Are these guys like Phish? Not much from what I hear. Sure there are a few occasional similarities, but not enough to be considered a copy or a rip off. The biggest difference is Umphrey's McGee is a lot more progressive, especially on this album. I love this album. I am not going to say much about it, because there are already some long reviews of the album and I honestly think most of what needs to be said has been said. Now it's time for you to experience the album for yourself. At times, this is very complex and progressive, at other times some songs are simpler and more standard, but never boring. The mix of the styles works here. There are many surprises throughout. That's all I'm going to say about the album. Get out there and discover these guys now! They are not getting enough attention!

If Umphrey's in 2002 was considered doing OK, then Anchor Drops is doing fantastic. This album's a bit of a tie for loose ends hanging out on the prior album, ironing out most of the amateurism and lack of focus that was at all featured on it. The variety of unique instruments don't over-exert themselves and become cluttered nearly as much, giving the band a renewed sound of a seasoned progressive jam band. The dilettante voice of Brendan Bayliss (like on 'In The Kitchen' and 'Walletsworth') derives a particularly organic feel from the album, and even more interesting when juxtaposed with the complex percussions of Andy Farag and Kris Meyers. The band even strikes a few heavy chords every one and awhile, evoking a powerful presence that it doubtless better when enjoyed watching them do it in action.

Anchor Drops marks a point for the band as an indication of their moving away from their influences and becoming their own unit. All I can say is, godspeed!