Customer Reviews

Other True Self

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

 

 

All lovers of progressive and experimental rock, played with real precision and passion, should be flocking to Vernon Reid in droves. And for those of you who are only familiar with his work in Living Colour, he's dropped much of the hard rock and drifted back towards his true origins in jazz fusion, but Vernon's solo albums are stronger and more interesting (if a bit less straightforward) than Living Colour. Backed by the airtight jazz-schooled licks of Masque, Vernon has more freedom than ever to explore his highly distinctive guitar sounds and his love for all genres of modern music. This album has an astonishing level of variety, from ultramodern blues in "Game is Rigged" and souped-up dub reggae in "Flatbush and Church Revisited;" to world music explorations in "Oxossi" and "Prof. Bebey;" to eggheaded prog rock in "Afrerika" and supremely elegant fusion in "Overcoming." (That particular track places Vernon behind only Jimi Hendrix in the ability to turn wild guitar pyrotechnics into subtlety and emotion.) This album also displays an eclectic attitude toward covers and the lost art of actually adding to someone else's songs in order to make them your own, as opposed to the usual rock method of ruining a good old song by playing it faster and louder. Here this includes a menacing aggro-fusion remake of Radiohead's "National Anthem," and a barely recognizable jazz ballad treatment of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." Vernon Reid has a remarkable ability to expand the musical appreciation of his listeners, and his solo works, including this album, are relentlessly fascinating. [~doomsdayer520~]

I prefer Vernon's more imaginative, dynamic offerings from Mistaken Identity and Known/Unknown. Still, for die-hard fans like me there is are a few serious moments on here.

vernon reid got his hendrix on on every cut that's all I can say for all in living colour fans and for thjose who like guitar solos.

Ok....I have been a huge fan of Living Colour since I was a senoir in High School and I just saw Vernon Reid's solo show last year in London and I was blown away. I love this new album. He even does a cover of Radiohead's "National Anthem." It's really a great cd to have and he puts on an equally great live show.

"Other True Self" is the third effort by Vernon Reid's Masque, a band that seems to be an attempt by the guitarist to provide a sense of unity to the stew that is his musical pedigree, from his early days as guitarist for Ronald Shannon Jackson's avant-garde free funk band the Decoding Society to his commercially successful efforts as guitarist for Living Colour and in between. The music is all instrumental, but this isn't Living Colour without a vocalist, it leans heavily on improvisation, but it isn't jazz. It's really quite a unique stew that Reid has conjured up, and it's worth a listen.

Supported by keyboardist Leon Gruenbaum (whom Reid described as a "genius"), bassit Hank Schroy and drummer Don McKenzie, Redi moves between originals and eclectic covers (jazz giant Tony Williams, Radiohead and Depeche Mode all get readings here) backed up by superb playing from all members of his quartet. The band is clearly a feature for the guitarist-- although he lives off subtlety and careful performance more than he does with Living Colur ("Prof. Bebey")-- this isn't to imply there's not a share of fierce playing here ("Game is Rigged"), but rather that Reid seems more focused on melody and style than usual. Still, even with Reid as focus, the rest of the band gets a fine opportunity to shine, particularly Greunbaum, although I find his keyboards to occasionally drift out of my tastes at times (he occasionally reaches for the Keith Emerson-esque explosion).

At it's best, the album is everything from excited, powerful pounding metal with totally unexpected and bizarre solos ("Game is Rigged") or delicate Carribbean melodies ("Flatbush and Church Revisited") or dribbly and laid back ("G") or abstract and quiet to the point of near-ambient ("Kizzy") or angular and explosive ("Whiteface"). In the end, there is no coherent sound, but it all holds together nicely and feels like a concrete statement-- sometimes when reaching in different directions, albums can feel fractured and difficult to understand, but this one holds together.

It does seem a bit overlong-- had a couple tracks been trimmed, I suspect this would be a better album, but "Other True Self" is a fine outing from Reid and company.

I'm a big VR fan, and I found this album a curious disappointment. It lacked the focus, drive, and fire of his previous two releases with Masque. With the exceptions of Flatbush and Church Revisited and Enjoy the Silence, I found the performances and compositions/ arrangements to be weak and uninspired, utterly unlike the live performance I saw shortly before this release. I hope he finds his footing again with the next Masque or LC album.

The Good
Meaty guitar runs and cosmic effects command "Game Is Rigged." Reid and company put a unique spin on Radiohead's "National Anthem" and Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." Not having heard the Radiohead song, I can tell you that the Depeche Mode song is a lot darker and slower. Reid throws in his own little embellishments throughout the track. "Flatbush and Church" mixes piercing guitar runs with church organ, but somehow comes out with a reggae feel. "G" is where the group really leans on the progressive elements. Fuzzy guitars, driving keyboards, and warbling effects control "Mind Over Mind."

The Bad
I have every respect for Vernon Reid as a guitarist, but he's tried way too hard to be different and unique on this album. Some of the effects that he uses are truly things I haven't heard before, but to layer them over each, as well as the other eclectic instruments, does not make for a good musical composition. In other words, the playing and tones are great and different, but they don't make a good song when put together.

The Verdict
I was a fan of Vernon Reid's work in Living Colour, but his latest solo album just doesn't do it for me. Besides not sounding anything like I remember him, Other True Self has some good tunes, but for the most part it's just noise.