Customer Reviews

Stories W/o Words

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

 

 

First of all, I am a HUGE Spyro Gyra fan. With that being said, Stories Without Words is their finest collection of tunes- EVER. Cayo Hueso does start off the Latin feeling. My favorite tune on the album and of Spyro's is Del Corazon- what a romantic tune, such movement and feeling. The album has a groove to it that not all Spyro songs have. I'd say it is Spyro's most harmonious album in the way that it flows. If you are interested in Spyro Gyra- this is where I'd start.

Maybe a better title for this CD would be Instrumental Prowess Without Melodes. I always enjoy listening to the musicians in Spyro Gyra feed off each other while they jam. There are many nice fusion and jazz touches on this Stories Without Words recording.

However, whereas the CD is growing on me with each new listen, I just do find many of these melodies to be memorable. Del Corazon has a nice guitar passage and other tracks have a delightful Carribean flavor. However, the lack of consistent strong melodies on this CD cause me to give it a 3-3 1/2 star rating and recommend that readers of this reveiw seek out Morning Dance, Three Wishes or Catching The Sun before this recording. However, there is no denying the talents of this band.

This is one of their better albums. All songs have Latin overtones and are pretty upbeat. Only the last song, Pyramid, seems out of synch with the other songs (maybe hinting to their first album in 1978). Definitely able to put you in a "feel good" mood.

Este cd es un gran trabajo del grupo Spyro Gyra liderado por un grande del saxofón como es Jay Beckenstein. Magnífico los solos del tecladista Tom Schuman en todos los temas. Gran ensamble y excelentes arreglos. Muy interesante el último tema "Pyramid", de gran virtuosismo e intensa interpretación. Un cd recomendable.

I see the main reason for Spyro fans disregarding this album as a masterpiece is its lack of melody. I think they think that only because, the last track, Pyramid is so anti-melody, when they're missing the real truly magnificence of Del Corazon, Cayo Hueso, Nu Sungo, and Early Light. The group works well together here. This is a real classic Spyro album. Most Spyro fans I know don't really have a strong opinion on it, but none of them really dispize it. I see where the title of this album came from, but it's a bit unaccurate. When you think of it, all their albums are "stories without words." The band tells wonderful stories without the use of "words," or vocals. Perhaps the cd should read, New Exciting Stories, or a title more on the line of that. Never-the-less, this was an exciting package.

Stories Without Words is an exuberant Spyro Gyra record. It was released in 1987. It's one of their best recordings that I have ever heard from them. It ranks up their with the best of them. Exs. Point Of View, City Kids, Fast Forward. It seems to place its musical emphasis on the drums/percussion section and the vibes/marimba. It's a terrific cd with extraordinary melodies.

My top 3 favorite songs from this particular album would have to be tracks 4,7, and 8. Early Light features a great beat and fascinating guitar part. Joy Ride is an awesome track with cool keyboard parts and a great guitar solo. Pyramid is a tight, strange, and cool song. It has many great playings by the musicians. Most notably Jay. Every song on this cd is a hit for me and I love this record. It's very jovial and uplifting.

If you don't have this cd yet, or aren't that familiar with Spyro Gyra, then you should definetly purchase this superb recording. It is well worth the risk and you won't regret it. It's a classic. Trust me. Thank you for taking the time and generosity to read my review.