PAT METHENY GROUP: WE LIVE HERE

The epitome of jazz fusion, with a progressive tone throughout. I remember hearing this for the fist time. It was like nothing I had ever heard before. "The girls next door" is a kind of urban shuffle. Tracks such as "To the end of the world" and "Episode d'Azur" can be spun forever without getting tired of them. Pay close attention to the muted piano playing of Lyle Mays on "To the end of the world", he is unbelievable. Were this a fusion site, I would give it 10 stars.......however, for progressive elements only, I will have to give it only 4 stars. Enjoy.

This one is much more than Jazz. It's different.. Here, there are some funk influence, and also something of 80's and 90's pop music. Drums (acoustic and electronic) are cyclic, recurrent. Keyboards are always behind with full chords (in complex harmonies) or, often ahead playing melodies. Pat's guitar has got the classic sound of Gibson guitars. When he plays his solos, themes become more 'jazzy'. Sometimes, a little choir appears and sings melodies (usually without lyrics), like in many Weather Report's works. The bass/double-bass is less important here than in another Metheny's albums.

'We live here' is a great album. Some tracks are highly recomendable. I really enjoy: 'Here to stay': a very rhythmic theme; 'Episode d'Azur': probably the best track, with a nice duet guitar/keyboard, and a nice ballad part; 'Something to remind you': an emotional ballad; 'Stranger in town': the faster work in this album.

This is Jazz-Fusion by excellent musicians. This is not a masterpiece of its sub-genre, but it's an excellent addition to any collection.

Pat Metheny's We Live Here is a strange album. With a collection of styles: lounge jazz, funk, a tad of the ethnic influence he has carried with him since Secret Story, and Metheny's personal style, pulled together with a progressive overtone. Unfortunately, the result isn't as charming and compelling as is his standard, and sometimes grows dull, repetitive, and without direction. Musicianship is not as high: the cosmic piano that Metheny's later outputs offered is still under development here, his solos are not as gripping, all percussion sounds insipid and maybe even synthetic at times. In the end, this album is moderately without character.

Compositions lack the spice, and the emotional resonance that I came to associate with Metheny. However there are a few screaming exceptions: To the End of the World sounds as if it stepped right off Speaking of Now to save this album from utter ruin (adopting, of course, the percussive style of the rest of the album). Half (or at least some division) of the album is the sort of jazz that metalheads and classic rockers find tedious (if not all jazz), but the other half exercises Metheny's more celestial and enthused side. However, the two don't mix well, and the end result is not overly pleasing. Especially because Metheny's standards are so incredibly high with me, I am sorry to deem this album the first of all Metheny albums to earn two stars.

The Pat Metheny Group, co-led by guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Lyle Mays, released We Live Here in 1995. This instrumental jazz fusion album contains plenty of interesting music and remains a good release despite the handful of faults it has.

Virtually all of the music on this record is highly accessible and will appeal to casual fans of Metheny who enjoy the more mainstream side of his catalogue but may have difficulty digesting the music that is a bit more "out there". Just because the music is accessible doesn't mean it's bad, though; almost every track has a lot to offer and is rich with good ideas, even if there are times when the music gets a bit too smooth for my liking. Metheny and Mays' songwriting skills, as usual, do not disappoint, and the album is packed with lengthy, musical melodies and interesting harmonic structures. This time around the Pat Metheny Group have also added a healthy dose of world music influence to their usual blend of jazz fusion.

Given the wealth of talent in the Pat Metheny Group's lineup it's no surprise that the playing on this album is exceptional. As expected, Metheny's guitar and May's keys form the core of the band's sound and provide some of the album's best solos. The fantastic piano solo and guitar synth solo on the track "To the End of the World" are highlights and really showcase the musicians' improvising abilities. While the other members of the band definitely don't get as much time in the spotlight, their contributions are invaluable to the atmosphere of the songs. Some added percussion, backing vocals, and the occasional trumpet part add a wealth of texture to the music.

While most of the instruments here have great parts, there is one exception: the drums. The intricate and responsive drumming expected of Paul Wertico is nowhere to be found on this release, instead replaced by a series of static and fairly basic drum loops. This was a very poor choice and in many ways it kills the music, making the songs sound like cheap muzak when in reality the compositions have a great deal of integrity.

Although this album never quite reaches greatness it will still please most listeners with its well-written melodies and a host of great solos. Despite the banal drum loops and the occasional section that is a bit too smooth, We Live Here does come through as a good album. While this record is recommended for fans of the Pat Metheny Group - and crossover jazz in general - some of the band's other, more ambitious albums may prove more rewarding.