Customer Reviews

Full Circle

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 1994 CD was the Dregs' first (and so far only) studio album since their breakup in the early 80s. When it first came out, I dismissed it as a rehash of earlier Dregs' material, except for the excellent "Sleeveless in Seattle". But after enjoying the three tracks from this album on 2000's live "California Screamin'", I've gone back to "Full Circle" and found it a lot better than I'd given it credit for. The music is still catchy and intricate, though this sounds more like a Steve Morse Band album with violin and keyboards added than the old Dregs. Morse has always used multiple guitar parts on Dregs albums, but I notice them more here. In addition to longtime Dregs Steve Morse (the world's best all-around guitarist), drummer Rod Morgenstein, and keyboardist T Lavitz, bassist Dave Larue (Steve Morse Band) takes over for Andy West, and Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra) steps in on violin.

This is the hardest rocking Dregs album -- the only moments of jazziness are on the one country tune, "Goin' to Town". The trademark Dregs sound of guitar and violin wailing in unison is in top form, and Morse adds more fuzz than usual to his backing guitar parts. Morgenstein's driving beats are a long way from the jazz-trained drummer you heard on 1977's "Freefall". "Sleeveless in Seattle" is the standout cut, but rockers "Aftershock", "Perpetual Reality", "Calcutta", and "Ionized" are all very good. There's no funk tune or ballad this time around, though there's still a semi-classical piece ("Yeolde"), as well as a cover of the Yardbirds "Shapes of Things". I like this rocking Dregs CD more than the fusion-heavy early albums "Freefall" and "Night of the Living Dregs"; if you're a fusion fan, you may have the opposite reaction.

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)

This is another great inspiring album. It embodies the unmatched guitar playing of Steve Morse, and the unbelievable playing of the rest of the band(Dave LaRue, Rod Morgenstein, Jerry Goodman, and T Lavitz). The open track "Aftershock" is an awesome display of their developing styles. "Sleaveless in Seatle", and "Yeolde" are heart felt tunes that could result in uncontrollable tear shedding. (which has caught me a few times). The album also includes an instrumental cover of the song "Shapes of Things." Lastly, personally my favorite song off the album is "Ionized" which is totally mind-blowing because of the quick arpeggiated lines and the harmonized violin and guitar passages. Truely astonishing! I've been a big fan of Steve Morse and Dixie Dregs for quite some time now, and the first time I saw them live they played material from this album and it was truely remarkable.

I stumbled across a cassette of this, and bought it on a lark. Was I ever surprised. Even though I have several Dregs albums (Unsung Heroes, Industry Standard, Dregs of the Earth, and FreeFall), this one topped them all. I just keeps getting better, and I know I ruined some speakers when I played "Ionized" the second time. I smiled so hard you could see all of my teeth! And it ended, and I slumped in my seat and said "Wow!!!"

Also loved "The shape of things to come".

This 1994 CD was the Dregs' first (and so far only) studio album since their breakup in the early 80s. When it first came out, I dismissed it as a rehash of earlier Dregs' material, except for the excellent "Sleeveless in Seattle". But after enjoying the three tracks from this album on 2000's live "California Screamin'", I've gone back to "Full Circle" and found it a lot better than I'd given it credit for. The music is still catchy and intricate, though this sounds more like a Steve Morse Band album with violin and keyboards added than the old Dregs. Morse has always used multiple guitar parts on Dregs albums, but I notice them more here. In addition to longtime Dregs Steve Morse (the world's best all-around guitarist), drummer Rod Morgenstein, and keyboardist T Lavitz, bassist Dave Larue (Steve Morse Band) takes over for Andy West, and Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra) steps in on violin.

This is the hardest rocking Dregs album -- the only moments of jazziness are on the one country tune, "Goin' to Town". The trademark Dregs sound of guitar and violin wailing in unison is in top form, and Morse adds more fuzz than usual to his backing guitar parts. Morgenstein's driving beats are a long way from the jazz-trained drummer you heard on 1977's "Freefall". "Sleeveless in Seattle" is the standout cut, but rockers "Aftershock", "Perpetual Reality", "Calcutta", and "Ionized" are all very good. There's no funk tune or ballad this time around, though there's still a semi-classical piece ("Yeolde"), as well as a cover of the Yardbirds "Shapes of Things". I like this rocking Dregs CD more than the fusion-heavy early albums "Freefall" and "Night of the Living Dregs"; if you're a fusion fan, you may have the opposite reaction.

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)

Disappointment. I love the Dixie Dregs and Steve Morse's compositions of that era, and his early solo albums. But his solo albums (such as Southern Steel) since High Tension Wires have lost the spark of inspiration. There's nothing egregiously wrong with them... they are just pounding the same turf. So, a new Dixie Dregs album is just what I was waiting for. Only this album is more like a Steve Morse solo album than a Dixie Dregs album. It sounds as if the material was intended for Steve's next solo album (still pounding) and was subverted into a Dregs album at the eleventh hour. The other instrumentalists don't get enough of a go, therefore the album doesn't have the shades of colour and the subtlety of the Dregs. Jerry Goodman makes an appearance but he might as well not be there. (Have a look at the band photos... with his improbably big hair, he now looks younger than on the Mahavishnu albums 30 years ago!)

It's time for a real Dregs album or another part-acoustic album like High Tension Wires.