Customer Reviews

Catskills Cry (Dig)

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Although the credits say he also plays guitar, Aaron Comess is a successful session drummer, co-founder of the platinum-selling band "Spin Doctor," as well as a producer. Looking at this as a side-project and listening to the great drumming bumped this album up a star for me. I certainly find it easier to drum to an existing guitar part than to pull a rhythm out of thin air, and it is not so easy to guitar to a drum solo. I have even heard other pro drummers perform under par on their solo projects, but not so with Aaron. Each song has great drumming. Unfortunately, the more rock minded tracks do seem to have pretty basic freestyle-type guitaring which can get annoying when it tries to match the intensity of the drumming. The other guitarist on this album is Bill Dillon, who has played with Daniel Lanois, among others. Not surprisingly, a Lanois-style ambient rock feel comes through on half the tracks, and those are really golden songs. The more structured and casual guitar part complimented by Aaron's ever-creative drumming is a great mix. Typically, a casual guitar means lazy a drum, so tracks like Zapped, Flower, and Ode to Atilla are a real treat. Also, though it's a little low in the mix, the bass work by Tony Levin is equally skillful.

Although the credits say he also plays guitar, Aaron Comess is a successful session drummer, co-founder of the platinum-selling band "Spin Doctor," as well as a producer. Looking at this as a side-project and listening to the great drumming bumped this album up a star for me. I certainly find it easier to drum to an existing guitar part than to pull a rhythm out of thin air, and it is not so easy to guitar to a drum solo. I have even heard other pro drummers perform under par on their solo projects, but not so with Aaron. Each song has great drumming. Unfortunately, the more rock minded tracks do seem to have pretty basic freestyle-type guitaring which can get annoying when it tries to match the intensity of the drumming. The other guitarist on this album is Bill Dillon, who has played with Daniel Lanois, among others. Not surprisingly, a Lanois-style ambient rock feel comes through on half the tracks, and those are really golden songs. The more structured and casual guitar part complimented by Aaron's ever-creative drumming is a great mix. Typically, a casual guitar means lazy a drum, so tracks like Zapped, Flower, and Ode to Atilla are a real treat. Also, though it's a little low in the mix, the bass work by Tony Levin is equally skillful.

I'd not even heard of Aaron Comess before hearing him in heavy rotation on Pandora. Everytime 3:33 am came on I perked up my ears! This is not your typical guitar album, it draws more from Eric Wallo, or Andy Summers' solo work, or Steve Tibbets, than Jeff Beck or most of the other guitar gods we think of when we hear the word "Guitar". He has a wonderful sense of "atmosphere, even though the drumming is insistent, original & pulsing. This is, for me, what makes the album work! The interplay between rhythm & melody is stellar!
Apparently he is a successful session drummer but he also plays guitar. His style of guitar is muscular, confidant & unique. It doesn't hurt to have Tony Levin sitting in on Bass either!
Be prepared for something different, mind expanding & constantly engaging!