Customer Reviews

Joy of Suffering (Dig)

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

 

 

If you are not already familiar with the Legendary Eric McFadden or his work with The Eric McFadden Trio, this is the perfect place to start, but by no means is it the end of the road. This release Featuring Eric, the incomparable Paolo Baldi on percussion and the masterful James Whiton doing things to the acoustic bass that have never been done before, is a mind-whalloping kick in the a** no matter what your musical tastes are (but it helps if your tastes are hard-rockin'). This one, just as his others, are peppered with flamenco-style guitar, driving baselines, shredding solos and a bit of surf-guitar here and there. There is no room for complaint on any of these tunes. My personal favorites are "The Ghost of St. Patrick" and "Rise of King George". If this album doesn't do it for you, go ahead and kill yourself, because you apparently are half-dead anyway.

Eric McFadden was has played mandolin for George Clinton and guitar for Eric Burden, plus had his own trios, including this one and the Faraway Brothers. Here he joins forces Paolo Baldi on percussion and James Whiton on acoustic bass.

The results are a dark, festive romp that will keep you off kilter and make you wonder why Mr. McFadden is not better known. Perhaps he is just a bit too unconventional or perhaps he pokes around in those recesses of the brain most would rather keep hidden.

Regardless, he brings a madcap energy to his guitar and mandolin playing and sings in a rich, almost scary voice. Baldi whips the drums into shape, and Whiton must be a blur on bass. Good stuff here for those who have a spirit of musical adventure.

Intelegnt, deep and sophisticated, yet raw, powerfull and unpretentious, dark and morbid, yet with a grin. The devil-ish clown on the cover says it all.

From the hard rocking openning track ('Put it down') and the gypsy-circus sound of 'Bury our sins', from the westen-ish style of 'Miranda', through the borderline suicidal 'Is the morning safe for waking', and all the way to the bowed upright-bass solo in 'Fill my cup', Eric McFadden Trio brings their own style of music, their own unique sound. I can't describe what they sound like by comparing them to another band, because no other band sounds like them.

Like every true piece of art, this album is not everybody's cup of tea, but every music enthusiast would appreciate it. I cherish mine.

I had only heard the song "Never Gone Burn" and took a chance with the purchace. I am SO happy that I did.
E.M.T. has a very unique, unconventional and pleasantly dark style.
Amazing work, I will be purchasing the rest of there work.