Customer Reviews

Iou

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I met Allan on the beginning of the I.O.U. tour, and stayed through out most of the tour here and around the country mixing the live sound. I've worked with many, many amazing artists, from Classical greats to Jazz phenomes, but I still listen to this disc and am amazed. The melodies, the heart and soul, and the deft fingerings that were captured on the vinyl, and later on CD, is no less than marvelous. The early days had Gary Husband, and Paul Carmichael holding down the rhythms, while Allan would soar on inexplicable leads and chords. Paul had a voice that fit right in, and few could have kept the melodies and grooves going with this sort of playing. Later Jeff Berlin and Chad Wackerman joined up, and the last incarnation I mixed included Jimmie Johnson on Bass. I will never forget what a funny guy Allan is, what a good beer meant, and what a nice "Chasp" added to the mixture.

The night Allan and the band played with Eddie Van Halen live at The Roxy for two shows was a memory that won't fade. That was one night I wish I had taped. Well, I did, but I gave it to Eddie. Maybe some day I can get it back.... :)

Anyways, if you are looking for an eye opening experience into music perhaps you haven't heard before, excellent musicianship, writing that is innovative, daring, and fresh, take a listen. I think you'd like it.

Mark Weldon

I have followed AH since he first appeared on The Soft Machine album, Bundles from 1975. On the first I. O. U. record (this one), he takes chances he had never taken before or SINCE! For those of you that are not familiar with Allan Holdsworth's guitar mastery, he has RADICALLY influenced pop-jazz, rock, hard rock fusion and still have many a musician in awe over his continued musical masterful feats!
Each song of this record is a gem in it's own right, but heed some caution. Honestly, you may not like it on the first listen (I didn't), but it WILL intrige you and you'll come back again... and again.. AND again!
It is a marvelous masterpiece in fusion writing that also has a vocal focus. I never get bored. The songs do NOT contain a typical commercial "hook", but (over time) the songs grab your attention in an intense way. Challenge your mind some and get this record if you can find it. If you are not sure you are ready for this, try Road Games. That is possibly his most "commercial" and it is a good place to start exploring Allan Holdsworth. But this record is THE MAN! Unprecidented spin!

I noticed the description did not contain an original release date, so I looked at my vinyl copy - it was released in 1982.

The guitar playing is absolutely revolutionary -- every guitar fan should own a copy of this record for that reason alone. Holdsworth even plays a nice violin solo on one tune.

The rest of the ensemble is not quite at the same "alien" (as another reviewer described it) level. The drummer (Gary Husband) is occasionally all over the map and doesn't really seem to be listening to what's going on in the rest of the band. The bass (Paul Carmichael) is mostly solid but uninspiring and quite muddy sounding. Paul Williams' voice (no, not that Paul Williams) is a lovely complement to the overall tone of the ensemble, and the vocals are solid, interesting, and quite unusual for the period. Holdsworth is right about the production values -- not the best, so the overall sound quality does suffer.

That being said, you still need to buy and listen to this album until you wear a hole in it (yes, that includes the CD). Not a bad tune on it, and every note from Holdsworth is a potential life-changing event.

I first heard Allan when Road Games came out and then I had to buy his entire backcatalog. Upon first listen I knew this was jaw-droppingly good but I couldn't quite "get it", being a hard rock fan at the time. However I kept going back to it (and still do). And now I've long ago sold all my rock records but this CD (unfortunately my LP had to go due to some over-eager house-cleaning) is a real jewel to me guitar-wise and composition-wise. Allan's gone through many many phases and I love them all but this period was his rawest and most incendiary, tone-wise at least. Also his solos have a more varied attack than on some of his later records. I also think as others have mentioned that this REALLY demands repeated listens. Some of his other records are "smoother" (Sand) or more accessible (None Too Soon and Road Games) but this one is more addictive, intellectual and on fire. If you like LISTENING to music (as opposed to using music as background music for a barbeque) you will take to this like Mr. Spock takes to a space-time anomaly....

I.O.U. is certainly not Holdsworth's best album in terms of sophistication. Compared to the immaculate production finish and crisp arrangements of albums like "Atavachron" or "Metal Fatigue", IOU sounds completely raw. In terms of passion however, IOU is probably Holdsworth's best album. Supported by a team of great musicians who remain constant throughout all these tracks, Allan really gives a taste of what he is capable of. This album is also a must-hear for all Drummers. Ever wondered if a drummer can avoid the simple beat, simply thrash around on his kit yet still keep time? Well, Gary Husband pulls it off!

To add a bit of variety, Tony Williams (the vocalist, not the drummer) guests on a few tracks to add some lyrics; he fits in nicely. If you like virtuoso musicianship, then check out this album. You won't regret it.

There are many guitar wizards in the universe. Some dazzle with speed, others with technical abilities, but what sets Allan apart from others is his ability to do all that plus write great songs. Eight songs, four with vocals, full of fire and wonderful fusion melodies this disc is a classic with absolutely no filler. It should be required listening for everyone.

This is still my favorite Holdsworth solo record and is a great first listen for the novice. The music has aged well and is as exciting today as it was in 1982. The only minor complaint is that it lasts just 39:45, but that should not deter anyone to seek out and devour this disc. Enjoy!

I have pretty much everthing Holdsworth has recorded, and though he's still in peak form ("Sixteen Men of Tain" is magnificent), the charm and off-the-cuff feel of this album make it my all-time favorite Holdsworth product. In fact, it ranks right up there as possibly my favorite album of all time (other contenders are "Todd Rundgren's Utopia," the Beatles' "Abbey Road," Zappa's "One Size Fits All" and Yes's "Close to the Edge").

I hadn't planned to review this album. I figured the file would already be crammed with raves from everyone else. But then I read the review posted just before mine, and I had to respond.

This is, in no way, a boring album. In fact, it's quite possibly the most musically exciting album I've ever heard. I'm a musician, though, and I will admit that to people with less ability to hear complicated harmony, this music may seem boring (my dad took me to see the film "The Godfather" when I was a kid, and I was bored because I didn't understand what was going on--it's the same thing). "Too many notes for the royal ear," as Salieri says in "Amadeus," another great film that would bore a kid.

What this record does like no other is reward repeat listenings. The harmonic complexity, the byzantine logic of the blistering solos and the angular-yet-supremely-cohesive melodies all work together to show me something new every time I put this in my player, and I've been listening to this record since it came out in the 80's.

Yes, it sounds like it was recorded on a budget. The drums, especially, sounded crisper by "Metal Fatigue." But it holds up remarkably well--the homespun feel adds to the adventurous edge. Personally, I prefer the "budget" drum sound to some of the synthetic drum textures featured on "Atavachron" and "Sand." It just aged better.

Also, financial constraints seem to have dictated the trio set-up, with Holdsworth's multi-tracking rhythm parts behind his leads. I wish he'd continued to do this. I prefer the sound of his guitar comping under the melody to the keyboard playing on later albums like "Secrets" and "Hard Hat Area." And the Synthaxxe hadn't even been invented yet when this album was recorded; though I enjoy Holdsworth's Synthaxxe playing, I have to admit that I'd rather hear his guitar.

In fact, I started to call my review "the greatest guitar album ever," but changed my mind, because it's much more than a shred-fest. This isn't just a great guitar album; it's a great music album.

This album is a treasure trove for the harmonically-minded musician. The breadth of chordal knowledge displayed here is mind-boggling and unrivalled. I spent years dissecting this album and learned lots about theory from it. These songs are all poignant in different ways. If you are a new listener, please listen at least 10 times before you judge. When I first heard this album I didn't care for it, but I felt compelled to re-listen. Again. And again. Eventually this album just becomes a mystical experience, and may trigger actual mystical experiences for the listener, as it has for me a number of times (I awoke from strange dreams while playing the LP during sleep, to find that the music was slowing down and speeding up regularly in synchronization with my bedroom walls contracting and expanding, some sort of strange temporal-spatial oscillation, something I had never conceived of as being possible, being of a scientific mind...) So, suffice it to say, powerful stuff!!!

I have no idea why Allan Holdsworth is still largely unknown to the jazz/fusion community. Once a musician has a substantial body of uniformly excellent work, he or she should stop appearing on "most underrated" lists and take their proper place as recognized masters.

"I.O.U." is still my favorite Holdsworth album. The songs are complex and a bit strange, but it's all so compelling that you don't even notice how unique the music actually is. Similarly, his guitar playing is so fluid and melodic that his virtuosity remained hidden from me until I realized he was a favorite of one of my shredder friends. With a guitarist like Buckethead or Joe Satriani, the technique is right out front dominating the music, but with Holdsworth, it's so understated that, unless you're listening for it, all you hear is . . . great music. I don't have anything against shredders - it's fun stuff - but I'm even more impressed with virtuosic technique when it's so musically done.

The album has a variety of textures. It's not as "rocking" as some might expect based on some of the reviews. There are some aggressive parts, but there are also a lot of mellow parts to balance everything out. I suppose I can understand how some people call this a rock album, but I hear it as a jazz album. That may be part of its magic - it can be many things to many people.

His band is tight and although Holdworth's guitar dominates the album, the other musicians do get opportunities to shine, especially Gary Husband's energetic drum solo on "Letters of Marque." Paul William's vocals have a distinct 80s sound with some of the most enigmatic lyrics I've heard outside of an "art music" setting. They're not always easy to understand, but it doesn't matter. Holdsworth uses the voice as another instrument more than as "speaker of a text." Sure, the lyrics matter, but the sound of the voice in general is more important in this context.

With all the questionable jazz fusion available today, it's a shame the *real* fusion records are so difficult to find. I'm sure at any given mainstream CD store I could find dozens of copies of Rippingtons CDs, while nobody even knows about Holdsworth. If you're a fan of serious fusion, you must check this out. It doesn't much matter if you like jazzier or rockier fusion - I.O.U. is such a great balance that you're sure to enjoy it no matter what.

I am a long-time, hardcore Holdsworth fan so trust me when I say to you....This CD and "Road Games" and "One Of A Kind" and "Metal Fatigue" and "Believe It'" are arguably his most definitive album performances, other than rare bootleg's recorded from live dates. But be warned; some of those "boots" aren't well-recorded or as focused a performance as this CD is.

I.O.U. (eponymously titled) from his I.O.U. band features the renown guitarist in the greatest band chemistry he ever had.... the best since he teamed with Tony Williams, Tony Newton and Alan Pasqua on "Believe It"...The best band unity since he teamed with Jeff Berlin, Dave Stewart and Bill Bruford on "One Of A Kind."

The telepathy in the fusion trio of Holdsworth, Paul Carmichael (bass) and Gary Husband (drums) is uncanny on these enigmatic and haunting compositions written by Allan using the uncommon and at times "unholy" chord progressions that Allan is renown for.

This disc features the poignant "saxaphone-like" guitar tone and powerful technical guitar solos over complex and mysterious chord progressions that Allan is renown for inventing.

Those who can't get into this CD are limited by their own imagination. I sincerely mean that. This is music is art. The heartbreaking pathos and technical brilliance of Allan is analogous to the forces Robert DeNiro used in his sensitive and powerful portrayal of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. The uniquely inspired combination of the subtle poignant and the furiously powerful are one and the same.

If you "dis" this CD it's because you missed the subtlely and nuance found in the interplay of this magical trio's interpretation of these profound compositions.

I give this disc 5 stars...it is one of my top five fusion discs of all-time.

Give it a half dozen listens without interuption before you judge it. Only then will you begin to see what is actually occuring within the velvet darkness that is...I.O.U.