Customer Reviews

Positively Negative (Remastered-Bonus Trax-W/Guest Ronnie Montrose) [Explicit]

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ANTI-M: Positively Negative: 2005 Remaster (Topographic Productions)
ANTI-M (uncredited photo)When I saw that Ronnie Montrose was involved in this project, I just had to check it out (even if it totally alluded me in its original release). After all this time, I wasn't sure what to expect from Ronnie: Would it be hard rock, a la Montrose? Would it be spacey kinda pop like Gamma or kinda jazzy like some of his instrumental releases? About all I can say is this: I wasn't expecting what I got! Anti-M is John Wardlaw, Ruston Slager, and Mark Rumer, a trio of retro-thinking futurists whose sound is very dark, not something that I would imagine Montrose would agree to playing. But... he did and the results are quite impressive! The imaginative hodge-podge that is POSITIVELY NEGATIVE was originally released in 1995; this ten year anniversary remaster features the original 17 tracks plus two bonus tunes, instrumental versions of "Security" and "Television." Trying to nail down a musical thread in Anti-M's music is like hunting for the proverbial needle in the hay stack: Just when you think that you can put your finger on a certain style ('80s New Wave Electronica, English Goth, '70s metal, '90s hard rock, English pop, etc. ad infinitum), it's gone. The music is generally dark and crushingly claustrophobic, kinda like mid-era Depeche Mode or most of Tangerine Dream's output (even the seemingly happy and innocuous tracks, like "Why" and "Rap This Around Your Head," have an underlying menace that sneaks up and gut-punches you). The vocals by Wardlaw (known to all and sundry as "Wedge") and Slager (and I'm not really sure who's singing on what... I think that the majority of the leads are taken by Slager, though) can best be described as a synthesization of David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Peter Steele, Peter Murphy, Greg Lake, and that guy from Rammstein. The guitars are generally crisp and up-front, though the bass and synths seem to be the forces driving the music. With Montrose only appearing on four of the original tracks (plus the bonus material), that means that the guitar has to come from somewhere. That somewhere is the supple fingers of Steve Weber who, though not an official member of Anti-M, also played on the group's debut, NO WAVES IN HELL; Wedge also adds guitar on several tracks. Trying to describe this release - other than to say that it is absolutely brilliant - has induced a headache the size of Nebraska, so I'm gonna quit trying, except to say this: I don't know if the guys in Anti-M are modern day visionaries or if they just got lucky with this record; whatever, POSITIVELY NEGATIVE is one of those rare beasts that should be in everyone's collection... no excuses! To secure your own copy of this musical masterpiece and to learn more about the band, go to the Anti-M web-site (www.anti-m.com). Do it now! We'll wait for you. - Darren Tracy, flushstl.com

If you like Ronnie Montrose, definitely get this disc. RM's playing is superb, as always, on the six tracks he plays on (four original and two remixes). But don't just listen to those tracks. You might be surprised that you end up liking some of the others more. In particular, listen to "Saltation" and "Silicone Rose".

I discovered Anti-M by searching for Ronnie Montrose. But Anti-M is more than just a band Ronnie Montrose "helped out" by playing on some tracks. He obviously saw the talent this group possesses. His guitar meshes well with the instrumentation and vocals Anti-M generates.

And if you want more info, check out the Anti-M website. John "Wedge" Wardlaw has done an excellent job providing information on RM as well as his own band. There is a great inteview with RM on this site.

I mostly bought it for the Ronnie Montrose tracks, which are excellent and not just because Ronnie's on them. All the songs are well written and performed.
The cd is a mix of instrumentals and vocal tracks, keyboards being the dominant instrument. The first 3 tracks feature Montrose on guitar and are excellent vocal tracks, especially "Security" with it's catchy vocals and driving rhythm. The instrumentals go from loud in your face metal to much quieter mellow songs.
Ronnie should cut more tracks with the band, it's some of the best stuff he's done and the next logical step after Gamma. If you're a fan of Ronnie Montrose solo cd's and Gamma, this is a must have.

"Positively Negative" by the band Anti-M is truly an experience for the senses. Ruston Slager's vocals are reminiscent of Peter Murphy and the music itself incorporates driving rhythms that cruise conjuring images of driving on the open road across a desert, Joshua Tree by full moonlight, or any other such remote and mysterious landscape. The music is very listenable and could be used to close your eyes, relax, and transport yourself to another place or just as well for the soundtrack to anything from a futuristic sci-fi thriller to a modern-day drama dealing with themes of social alienation while living in a large city in Anywhere, U.S.A. A personal favorite of mine was "Lonely" that has a fabulous beginning segueing into a nice melody line with a smooth-moving bass-line. Check out the flowing solo guitar work by Ronnie Montrose that weaves itself intermittently through this gem of a piece. Also note the song "You Only Die Once" from the 1993 Topographic Movies production of the same name--a colorful James Bond spoof filmed in and around Santa Barbara, CA available on Netflix. Topographic Productions, the brainchild of Santa Barbara native, John Wardlaw, continues to crank out imaginative tunes and movies to this day. "Positively Negative" is not to be missed.