BROKEN ORANGE

Once again, the privilege is mine to have the first review for another from this great man's catalog, this being Marco's fourth solo studio album, Broken Orange (2003). From the get-go, I have to admit, I was hoping this was far less like what came directly before, the singer-songwriter and minimal Orchids, and more like his first two, Green Mindbomb and Comfortably Homeless. Seriously check those out (and my reviews, if it helps). And right from that very get-go here, it seems I'm in luck: morning blessed. Perhaps not intrinsically like them in style, but in virtuosity.

"Kate" opens things up with a very fresh and bright, modern rhythm from Marco and features, once again, excellent female vocals. It's jazzy, but also weirdly has (vocally) a very Japanese feel(?) [I feel I'm regretting even having this very specific thought haha]. One of those times where I hope people understand what I'm putting out; it's an inflective, compositional sort of something. Very cool song. I think a more modern equivalent to this would be the duo Knower (drummer/composer Louis Cole and vocalist Genevieve Artadi). Around minute 3, enter an amazing piano solo! Fantastisch!

Continuing in the drum-and-piano-led Jazz is "Crack in the Muscle". A very very cool song that I swear could fit so naturally in old-school racing games or something (for the apparent few who know, I played a lot of PGR2 when I was younger). I wanted to look up this pianist, because I am so impressed: Steve Hamilton, a once Berklee student who'd gone on to perform with Freddie Hubbard(!), Bill Bruford's Earthworks, Gary Burton(!) and is apparently currently the pianist/keyboardist for Billy Cobham's band(!) going on 9 or 10 years now! It's just great hearing Fusion being effectively fronted with acoustic piano. Excellent, excellent song; great bass solo too, if that appeals.

The affair continues on most appropriately with the bright "Friday Midi". And here we have the bass solo! This is Fabio Trentini, who had appeared on Marco's Comfortably Homeless. Just a very fine tune. Following this is probably the most quirky of the bunch thus far (and throughout), "Diddles". Very forward driving, but crazy rhythms. Also, finally, we get more of a glimpse into the guitarist: Surprise! It's Marco himself! Minimal as the guitar has been thus far, is this not a testament to this man's general well-roundedness and, why not, virtuosity?! I'm so impressed.

Vocals return on "The Beauty of One Note"; straightforward yet increasingly complex in its performance. This is juxtaposed by "Bread-Fish-Dance"... what I find to be overly hokey compared to the sheer beauty which preceded it. Some interest for sure, but I can't say I wasn't immediately turned off [I will admit, there are many times where I am indeed won over by hokey, but this wasn't quite it]. I actually quite like what I would call the main theme, though. Certainly picks up from the start.

Then it's back to business with "Rim", a rolling Fusion number, apparently featuring our first synth solo herein (again, apparently Marco himself). I like what's going on here. Far better to my ears is our title track, "Broken Orange": driving Post-Bop goodness. Then, wow! Some riveting heavy Fusion, featuring Marco's best guitar performance here thus far! Very progressive. A certain highlight.

"One Little Moment" starts off low, slow and feeling; returning here is featured vocalist Jasmin Teutrine. Another one of those Marco moments that is showing its age (not so much that it's super dated, but that it just sounds very early-00s to my ears). What I assume to be vibes roll in for (finally?) this album's first (and only) taste of what my ears perceive as 'Zappa'. But ultimately [and not contradictorily], this feels like one of those acoustic numbers you'd find on an Alt-Metal album; any fans of (early) Sevendust? [Gonna take a stab in the dark there and assume accordingly.]

Continuing in this general vibe, but (of course) more jazzy, is "Nein-Too". Rollin' right along, are we? Fairly static though. Much more appealing off the bat is "Mr. Kempinski" (I'm assuming not some guy Marco ran into one time up in the Skook). [Reading this back two years later, I should probably clarify, "the Skook" is Eastern Pennsylvania shorthand for the Schuylkill River--and the County of the same name--which runs from Pottsville, home to America's oldest brewery, Yuengling--best consumed from can--into Philadelphia, where it spills into the Delaware River.] Good song. Then is the solemn(?) "Waiting for Boys and Girls", a real softie if there ever was one. And finally, "Forgot Your Name" [It's Dan. Hey.], continuing, at first, for the first 2 minutes or so, in this same solemn vein, it's then off to the goddamn races! It is mostly solemn and soft, yet the composition itself is very tasty.

Significantly weaker in its second half, Broken Orange is a fine album featuring, at times, really excellent material by [always] very excellent musicians. Not as strong nor as interesting as his first two: can't recommend them enough.

True Rate: 3.5/5.0