Customer Reviews

Third Star

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

 

 

Trey Gunn is probably the best known master of the Warr guitar, but he is probably better known as that guy who works with Robert Fripp. An alumnus of Fripp's advanced guitar craft seminars, Gunn has worked with Fripp in at least 5 different groups (depending on how you count: The League of Crafty Guitarists, The Robert Fripp String Quintet, Sunday All Over the World, Sylvian/Fripp and King Crimson) - normally filling the role of bass player, although without ever picking up a bass guitar. It would be impossible to work through all that and not be influenced by Fripp, and Gunn certainly has been. On Third Star, he sometimes sounds as much like Fripp as Fripp does. He's still struggling to establish who exactly Trey Gunn is, and there's more work to do, although Third Star is a good step in that direction.

In person, TG appears to be an easy-going, gentle, lanky Texan who happens to be equipped with impressive dexterity, but this album reveals a darker side. The complex tracks are atmospheric and at times almost angry. Not blind rage, but a slow burning fury.

There are three tracks featuring different female singers: Toyah Willcox, Alice, and Serpentine. All three work well, but all in entirely different ways. Maybe that's the key: he works most creatively as part of a team, rather than alone.

Of course, the quality of the musicianship is impeccable and the production is transparent. This is, after all, a Discipline release.

I really like this CD - it is a superb mix of electronica, fripp's Soundscape stuff, and rock. I especially like the songs "Kuma" and the title track "Dziban". The only tracks that I'm not overjoyed with are "Indiera" and "Arrakis".

It is also interesting to note that most all of these songs feature 2-3 people at the most. Trey Gunn's Warr guitar handles the bass, the rhythm, the solos.. and either Bob Muller or Pat Mastelloto gets drums and percussion. On the 2nd, 5th, and 10th song, there are female singers too, the first being in English, the second (Italian?) and the third, what I can only imagine as being Latin or Greek.

Anyways... if you enjoy Soundscapes, Powerful and emotional ambient, or rythmic electronic rock, get this.

Mr.Gunn, Warr guitar player for the most recent incarnation of King Crimson, weighs in with a cd of complexity and intelligence. Very melodic, more akin to fusion than "new age", this rocks in a big way. The production is crystalline and provides a reference cd for testing of big money sound systems. State of the art in every way. Highly recommended.

I bought this CD three times, and all three times my various cars were burglarized and my CDs were stolen. Gunn is the most fluid and native sounding of all the Warr-guitarists I've heard, and the tracks on this disc sound just that: native. I'd buy it again, but I'm afraid someone will see me do it and then break into my car.

I have been a King Crimson fan for many years now and from following them and their varied band members over the years has spun me off to many of the players in past (and present) incarnations of that band. Trey Gunn's style of music was somewhat different from the rest of the 'Crims, and his contribution to the sound of that band always proved interesting (check out "Three of a Perfect Pair" from KC, or the KC DVD "Deja Vroom"). His solo career has also proved interesting, and I have collected many (not all...yet) of his works, enjoying them all. If you enjoyed "Live Encounter" you will enjoy this CD.

There is some interesting guitar texture work to be found on the progressive-light album, although a majority of tracks here are better enjoyed as sophisticated background music rather then in depth research.

I'm a fan of Fripp and King Crimson too, but I don't think Trey's similarity in style should be a negative thing. I mean, these guys play together BECAUSE they have similar ideas and taste. This is a fine album. One my my favorite in my entire cD collection, and I have hundreds.

The main appeal of this album is the groovy vibe, with a great percussion section and lots of evolving arpeggios and ostinatos, creating a kind of funky but cerebral attitude, but it also has a somewhat restrained elegance about it, never getting too brash or mathematical (as many prog music often can get).

Well, Trey gun is a master of craft, technicly very good musician, but this suonds much like Fripp(you know, frippertronics, soundscapes, duets with adrian on Discipline), and not in a good way, in fact, it even gets quite boring at times. Track one, and the title track, seem very interesting, and obviously provide a basis, the rest is predictable, and, then the last track, well Iknew that King crimson also means Baalzebub, but this is just too much, interesting voice though, but tooo dark, even sounds pretty much evil, you know stuff that scares children, and most adults(if it doesnt make them laugh). Sorry Trey, two stars, listening to the DGM catalogue, first album sounds better.