Customer Reviews

Devlin

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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How does one convey through a computer screen how good this album is? I don't know. All I can say is that if you like Grisman-type stuff at all, and especially if you like Tony-stuff, please, do yourself a tremendous favor and get this album. Listen to the sound clips. Mar West is a good one to check out, as is Whoa Baby... Just listen to the clips--all of them if you have time. It is incredible, innovative music. And it is much more incredible on CD because you can actually hear everything that is going on--and there is lots of stuff going on.

I don't normally prefer perfection in music but this recording is an exception. Tony Rice can do no wrong. Everything about his playing is just phenomenal. If he has a weakness, I've yet to hear it. His lead and rhythm guitar work is filled with invention, innovation, style, and soulfulness. His tone and articulation are unequaled in the realm of flatpicked acoustic guitar. Most of this material was composed by Rice and it is exceptional. Great melodies abound! I had purchased the Mar West album on vinyl 24 years ago and I'm happy to say that this music has aged well and still sounds remarkably fresh. It's a keeper!

The tunes Devlin, Waltz for Indira, Birdland Breakdown, Within Specs, and all of the others on this disk are just superb. Every solo is like a gold nugget. Tony Rice's guitar work is so beautiful on these tunes, with such perfect tone and articulation, such taste and style. John Reischman plays some of the sweetest mandolin I've ever heard, with his extraordinary clear tone and concise expression, and Fred Carpenter and Richard Greene play absolutely sublime fiddle. Todd Phillips' agile bass drives this music hard. The more you listen the more the music sparkles. This Devlin compilation is a treasure. I only wish it included some tunes left off from the original Still Inside album, most notably "Mr. Diffenbach" which is my personal favorite tune from the Tony Rice Unit. Its a very dawgish up-beat tune with brilliant solos. Also missing is Tzigani, a gypsy tune, which starts very slow, before the band kick it into high gear and deliver some blazing solos. I can't say enough about how great the music on this disk is. If it was expanded to include more of the material from these sessions, it would make it all the better. I wish Tony would put this band back together and tour!!!