I.O.U.

Finally! Allan Holdsworth releases an album as the band leader of his own band--as the master of the outcomes of his songs and playing. (I do not count the previous "solo album" that was released against Allan's will, Velvet Darkness as it is not representative of that which Allan wanted.) I remember buying this in some iteration during the 1980s and having trouble connecting to it: it felt too cerebral and alien. It's taken me a long time to learn to like Allan Holdsworth's impressive language. I will never claim to understanding it, but I now appreciate it and, yes, like it. Very much. (I think it took these three years of nearly exclusive concentration on the history and make up of jazz-rock fusion and, at its core, jazz for me to come to this point of appreciation and small comprehension.)

1. "The Things You See (when You Haven't Got Your Gun)" (5:50) I have nothing to complain or criticize about this song: even the mundane vocals of Paul Williams work--and there are more enticing and deeply satisfying melodies than I expected--and they come from Allan's chord play! As a matter of fact, I'll go so far as to say that, as impressive as his legato solo runs are, I find myself much more under the spell of his intriguing chord progressions. The spacey David Torn-like volume pedal controlled bridge at the end of the second minute leads into a new motif in which the jazzy inputs of bassist Paul Charmichael and drummer Gary Husband play a much more important, integral role while Allan solos in the other dimensions somewhere up in the ether. At 4:10 the band returns to the slower, more chord-centric motif but it was really those first two minutes that won me over. (9.25/10)

2. "Where Is One" (5:32) the sound over the first 90 seconds of this one has quite a little in common with the sounds Pat Metheny had been producing over the previous five or six years: the sounds and chord work. But then things ramp up into a heavier wall of sound over which Allan switches to legato soloing--using melodic phrasing that is nothing whatsoever like Mr. Metheny (or anyone else on this planet--at least, no one that I've ever heard). A return to chord play for the fifth minute (with a few occasional injections of both Al Di Meola threatening riffs and David Torn edgeless sounds). (9.125/10)

3. "Checking Out" (3:34) a more traditional rock palette led by Paul Williams' return to the microphone to provide the vocals that remind me of Carmine Appice, John Wetton, and Frogg Café's Nick Lieto. Cool passage in the instrumental passage around the two-minute mark when Allan duels with himself in two different tracks (and two different channels). (8.875/10)

4. "Letters Of Marquee" (6:57) another awesome Jazz-Rock Fusion song that is set up to support Allan's exploration of his unusual and unique chords and chord progressions. Though the sounds and styles used by Gary and Paul are known to me, they, too, are unusual--which makes them a perfect fit (and complement) to Allan's guitar work. Paul's extended solo takes up about 90 seconds in the second and third minutes before he returns to arpeggiating his own chord progressions while Allan solos and Gary accents and fills space beneath and between Allan's runs. Three amazingly competent musicians each playing extremely complicated music, exploring their own extremely creative and free-flowing inputs, spurred on by Allan's new "leave them alone: let them do what they think they should/want to do" collaborative attitude that he learned from Tony Williams. Gary's solo in the sixth minute feels as if two drummers are playing the same kit: one for bass drum and cymbal crashing, the other for tom and snare play. Allan and Paul return at 5:53, Allan with even more bizarre chords than we've heard before (so much so that Paul seems momentarily stunned into muted simplicity while he tries to recollect his wits!) (13.75/15)

5. "Out From Under" (3:32) on this one Paul tries to find melodies to sing over Allan and Paul's very odd chord progressions. It feels forced--like something from VAN MORRISON. At 1:25 Paul steps back and the others take a turn down a THIN LIZZY-like rock motif--with, of course, Allan's special "out of the blue" lighting strikes of riffs and flourishes. Short-lived, Paul returns to try to help bring the song round to closure. Weird and impressive but not altogether enjoyable or memorable. (8.6667/10)

6. "Temporary Fault" (3:15) a slowed-down and reverberated palette that almost sounds conformist to the Smooth Jazz sounds and styles that have (sadly) taken over the Jazz-Rock Fusion world in the past four or five years. Accomplished as a pianist in his own right, Gary Husband is given a separate track to add a piano solo in the second minute while Allan smooth chords the background and Paul Jacos the low end as Paul's drums seem to respond to himself. Then, surprise of all surprises: Allan takes a turn as a soloist on an electric violin! Very Jean-Luc Ponty-ish! Then the song is just faded out! Done! (8.75/10)

7. "Shallow Sea" (5:51) slow attack and long sustain guitar wash chords play on their own, in their own mysterious progression, feeling like the work John Martyn, Andy Summers, Robert Fripp, and are exploring around the same time. After two and a half minutes, drums and bass join Allan, pushing him to move along--which he soon does: exploring his oddly-phrased guitar runs and David Torn-like note-bending amusements, prodded along by some creative and inventive bass and drum play beneath (or is it beside--or within?) And then there is yet another very odd sudden exit/fast fade out. Weird! (8.75/10)

8. "White Line" (4:50) An odd song that sounds more like something from Frank Zappa-cover band turned eclectic prog band FROGG CAFÉ (owing much to Paul Williams' melody choices and vocal timbre). A tough song to find melody much less placement within but Paul does quite a remarkable job of succeeding to do both. After some less impressive encounters I've had with him (on the Tempest album), he has definitely redeemed himself and more. (8.875/10)

Total time 39:21

Drummer Gary Husband is such a great fit as Allan's sound creator--and Paul Carmichael is nearly as capable to really support and push Allan. An album that started so well grows old as the songs from Side 2 feel less collaborative, less "finished," more like musings and mental exercises for Allan's own study and entertainment, not as much for an audience or for his collaborators.

B+/4.5 stars; an album with the dubious distinction of having a Jeckyl and Hyde presentation: an amazing Side One followed by a rather oblique and nearly-impenetrable Side Two. At the same time, I think Side One alone is worth giving this album my highest recommendation as it contains some of my all-time favorite Allan Holdsworth productions. While overall this album comes up a bit short, the high points are so high (and important) in the history of music, prog, and J-R Fusion that I cannot help but think that this album most certainly belongs in the "essential" category.

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