VOZERO

Roxy Music's legendary guitarist Phil Manzanera doesn't really need to make music to put food in his pantry, so he takes his sweet time putting out an occasional album that is more out of passion than any commercial lure. That means that he is one of the few rock artists who has remained very true to his personal slant, much like the musicians he likes to hang with (Robert Wyatt, Eno, Roxy pals Mackay and Thompson etc..) . The two first big surprises here is that he decides to grab the mike and sing (certainly better than Hackett or Howe but not as good as his old friend Gilmour), so he names the album Voz (voice in Spanish) Zero = no voice! So self deprecating, a huge wink, Phil ! Secondly, the legions of Wyatt fans will be happy to know that the bearded one is all over this recording, playing loads of strident trumpet, riveting piano, drums and his recognizable vocals. That Phil perfumes the package with the powerful aromas of Cuba and Colombia (where he spent time in his youth) is not surprising, it colors his entire history, both his solo work as well as the Roxy era (Remember "Amazona"?). The album starts off with a shrill trumpet blast , a call to the corrida that will luxuriate the proceedings, segueing into the catchy funk of "Mystic Moon", a simple yet highly atmospheric brew with bass & excellent drum programming , effect-laden guitar frills and caustic trumpet trills Manzanera wailing like a pro, Wyatt helping out with a sparkling duet . "Verdadero" is a marvelous follow-up track with deep croaking bass burps, rain forest and soaring mountain atmospherics with an extended Manzanera guitar solo that keeps soaring to higher and higher elevations, a dizzying display of this man 's musical mind, especially when treating his axe with various effects (one of his calling cards). "Tuesday" aims at lighter fare, a moody duet with Robert where a very Canterbury flair becomes apparent in the smooth vocals (almost as if Richard Sinclair was the inspiration) but with a dense and experimental backdrop as opposed to a contrived pop wrapper. "Rayo de Bala" has Phil singing in Spanish with convincing skill (hey, no heavy Brit accent!), a bluesy and nostalgic look back to his youth when guerillas fired bullets in the night sky and how it remained transfixed in his memory. A short acoustic guitar caress forewarns of a ripping electric lead that is sensational (He could be wild like Fripp, fast like Akkerman and gut wrenching like Gilmour but always very concise). "The Art of Conversation", an erudite love song that has no corny tendencies, save perhaps for a massive chorus that has honesty ringing through each inflection of his voice and again adorned with dissonant arrangements (the jungle outro is wild!), a sultry little ditty that can only please. This disc's crowning moment is next, the sensitive instrumental "Vida", with its tropical acoustic guitar intro, bubbling synths, blaring trumpets and effortlessly deliberate build-up. Flowing directly into the warm and relaxed beauty of "Golden Sun" when the melancholic vocals decide to enter the arena with unbridled passion, a paragon of British rock of the finest caliber has made its mark, a slowly crafted Manzanera fret flight that sizzles and a very cool "song" that sticks in your mind for ever ("Yes, you, are the only one, my golden sun") and ending with another solo that sparkles to a fizzling end. Brilliant stuff! "Mundo con Paz" (World with Peace) is your standard political rant where Phil celebrates South Africa's rebirth (recorded in Durban with Zulu and Spanish lyrics and local choir), more World Music (Womad 99) than anything else on the record but oddly fitting in nicely (a tad like some Gabriel stuff). "Hymn" is another ravishing melody, a superbly sung chorus, a fabulous oboe intervention from the ever reliable Andy Mackay and of course, a series of typical blooming guitar leads full of restrained glory. The finale is the continuation of the earlier "Vida" theme, morphing into the epic "Vida Moderna" (Modern Life), an exalted vocal from Spanish artist Enrique Bunbury (who can certainly hit those high notes) and a towering background of howling guitar storms, dripping synthesizer sprays and five-note piano from Wyatt. Probably the most proggy of non-prog artists out there but only if one pays attention and sees the sheer genius of the man , just like Wyatt when you come to think of it! 4.5 apple trees