Customer Reviews

Rock Garden

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album is much heavier and more rocking than the 2 previous releases. I guess that's why Ty called it Rock Garden. It's a nice contrast to Safety, which was more focused on melody and even bordered on folk music at times. Don't get me wrong, Rock Garden is definitely not short on melody, but the crunching guitars and blazing solos definitely showcase Ty's rock and roll side and are a testament to his diversity. Simply stated, it's a much edgier album than his other two solo efforts. Rock Garden is a personal album, but not overtly so. For the most part Ty writes in the first person, but the themes are universal. Despite dark overtones, the underlying theme is one of guarded optimism. I highly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys thoughtful lyrics set to thunderous guitars.

I've played through this CD several times over the last few days and I'm happy to say this is just a great, solid effort from Ty Tabor. He's spun around 180 degrees from the Safety CD to deliver an energetic album of (mostly) upbeat rock. And I really liked Safety.

While Safety was an intensely emotional and personal album, this is Ty having fun. While technically dead-on as ever, there's a looseness about this album that indicates Ty has put his demons (and ex-wife) behind him and is just having fun.

Lyrically this is more optimistic than anything he's done in a while, although there are some somber songs. It wouldn't be Ty Tabor if he didn't question and second guess everything he does! But the music is the real uplifting factor here; everything is perfectly arranged and played with some of the best soloing he has done in years. And I've never been much into opinion that he (and King's X) can be "Beatle-esque" but I have to say that on songs like Beautiful Sky and She's A Tree he does seem to tap into some White Album-John Lennon groove to deliver some almost ethereal sounds.

Bottom line, this guy never ceases to amaze me. If you've liked anything this guy has ever done, you need to get this CD.

Rock Garden is perfectly titled. A great place to retreat to with headphones on... a place that really rocks. The guitar sounds on this are, to me, much more King's X-like. While I love The Jelly Jam work of Ty, the guitar nuances on Rock Garden are much stronger. There's some great guitar sounds, riffs, melodic lines, soloing, vocals, song-writing... to me it's got it all. I keep playing these cuts over and over.

Most of the time, I've found solo efforts to be a disappointment, mainly because your expectations are rooted in the parent. This work however, stands completely on it's own. If I'd never heard of King's X, this album would still be awesome. I just love his guitar work... (I hear Phil Keaggy all over it...)

While I'd be hard pressed to rate the cuts, Afraid is the cut that IMHO should be getting serious airplay. Stalker has a great feel, the lyrics are cool on She's a Tree and Thankful. Seems like every song has a unique strength.

Awesome work, man!!! Don't know if Ty sees these reviews, but mega-kudos to him for this project. Hope he keeps doing solos things like this, maybe solo touring as well...

Enjoy!

I own all of Ty's solo stuff and all the King's X discs, plus a few other side projects that Ty has participated in. I enjoy then all. "Rock Garden" is full of great songs that Ty Tabor fans and fans of Rock music alike will enjoy. Cool harmonies, great guitar and some great grooves...Ty Tabor is one fo my all time favorite musicians/song writers. Buy it, you'll like it!

He's done it again. Ty Tabor is a supremely talented artist that can tickle with a Power Pop feather while simultaneously punching you in the face with his Hard Rock knuckles. His ability to continually stun with beautiful music is only surpassed by his versatility. As one-third of the legendary KING'S X, his contributions have raised countless goose bumps during my many extended listening sessions (if you don't know their music, what are you waiting for?). Then he puts together the Power Pop gods that were JUGHEAD and totally knocks one out of the park with their self-titled 2002 release. He also scores continually with his wonderfully tuneful and catchy solo discs, namely "Naomi's Solar Pumpkin" and "Moonflower Lane". And now to top it all off comes his latest called "Rock Garden" and it's just what I wanted it to be...heavy guitars, swirling, groovy melodies and Beatle-esque harmonies. It's powerful, it's pretty and it's hopelessly catchy. Try to stop singing the chorus of "She's A Tree".

As many other reviewers have said, Ty Tabor and the rest of King's X are the most underated group of musicians out there.

Ty speaks to my soul, as do Dug and Jerry, and Rock Garden is another explosion of beauty that leaves me stunned.

I have 3000 CDs in my collection, and in comparing quality, talent and style, Rock garden is the type of work that in my opinion qualifies as a perfect musical expression.

Ty, you are an amazing creator and musician! Thank you for your hard work and the wonderful music.

Love all of his material. One of the best guitarist around. Great live with KingsX.

Ty does it again with another new side project. I honestly wish that when King's X gets together that they would go back to the sound, style and writing of the first four recordings. This project seems to have more of that feel than King's X does. A great buy for any fan of good song writing, recording and the Beatles flavored rock style that Ty seems to always put out on his own.

Fantastic. He is a big reason King's X is such a great band. This album rocks form start to finish.

Ty Tabor, mastermind and frontman for the criminally underrated band King's X, on his third solo release, shows all the hallmarks of his style on this awesome album. His famous fat guitar tone, poppy Beatles-esque warm vocals and vocal harmonies, and interesting fill-embellished chord progressions are all present on this very listenable album....great pop-rock just about anyone would like, with a few prog elements thrown in for good measure. Cool stuff, and much better than his previous album, "Safety". I just wish it had a few more extended guitar solos in it...the dude can play.