Customer Reviews

Time Is the Enemy

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow! Another awesome album from the men who gave us "Temporal Analogues of Paradise." The focus seems to be slightly more on Shawn Lane than on the their last album, but that's just fine with me. He is one of the coolest players I've ever heard (and I've heard a LOT). He uses a more mellow jazz-type tone, but he can tear it up with the best of them (Too bad his solo album "Powers of Ten" is out of print). Jeff Sipe also does an excellent job as usual on drums, though he doesn't get as many spotlights on this one. Jonas is as rock-steady as ever and the sound level on his bass is definitely higher than on the last one. As for the songs themselves, holy mac! Everything they do is fresh and original and cover a broad spectrum; from slow and moody to fast and furious. This is an amazing album and can be appreciated by young and old alike.

Three virtual unknowns in the comercial music world can play batter than anyone on earth. Jeff Sipe has the chops of a recently released mental patient. His speed and musicality across the drum set make him one of the best Ive ever heard. Shawn Lane must be seen in order to be believed. Lane has the ability to outplay anyone in his field, and Jonas Helbourg holds down the group with mood setting basslines and killer slap lines. Listen to track six to hear the sickest chops on the market. These are world class musicians.

My 1st listen just finished and I'm........These guys aren't illegal yet? What a blitzkrieg! And not just noise. Read about them in some guitar mag, got Abstract Logic, impressive too, but this is absolutely over the top wizardry. I won't rave on about this too long, but since I'm a DJ here, the quiet community will experience the majority of this tomorrow night. A new San Andreas fault may appear. I've ordered the other one as well. These guys need to be encouraged to persist in this sort of behaviour for a long time to come. Thanks,Jonas, Shawn & Jeff for a wonderful hour of very focused mayhem!

As a guitarist and bassist, I always enjoy musicians who are better than me...so I can improve myself. That is why I avoid listening to FM radio. Anyway, I had the privilege and pleasure of attending a concert in the mid 80s at Toad's place in New Haven, in which guitarist John McLaughlin's group Mahavishnu played. McLaughlin always assembled the finest musicians available and this was by far the best concert I had ever attended. At that time, Jonas Hellborg was on bass and when he did his solo, he started with his trademark interpretation of Jimi Hendrix Little Wing and then that the incredible funk/slap style on his custom double neck bass. When he was done, he heaves the instrument off his shoulder onto the stage, as if saying, next victim please. I was looking from some of his recent work and found this CD. The guitarist, Shawn Lane is great also...it sound like he listened to a lot of John McLaughlin material and he ads refreshing notes that prevent it from heading toward the Eastern influenced scales McLaughlin is famous for. The drummer is smashing cymbols just like he should. It is a great musicians album.

Amazing. I'm a big Jonas Hellborg fan but holy frijoles, Shawn Lane and Jeff Sipe can play. Not just chops, but imagination, creativity, energy and emotion... each of the members of the band could carry a band on their own, but together they have a rapport that leaves not a single dull moment. I am not surprised that after a number of wierd, interesting experiments with different sounds and musicians, Jonas has "hooked up" with Shawn Lane.

When I heard >>Time is the Enamy<< for the very fist time, I almost felt ashemed to play an instrument myself. Theese three phenomonal players have done it again. Temperal Analougues of Paradise had it all I thought but this is just extra ordinary and using a phrase like that when mentioning Jonas Hellborg and Shawn Lane is not an every day thing. This is an act of guiniuses nothing less, you may not like the style or sound, but never say that they cannot play. I will now be silent in awe.

Man, Shawn Lane is so good it's sickening. If you dont have this, youre missing out bigtime. This is by far the best fusion Ive heard since Holdsworth's Secrets CD and Im sure its only gonna get better.

Keep your eye on Shawn Lane cause hes the best player Ive heard in years. Im going to get his video "Power Solos" too, I cant wait, and either should you, musician or not!

Out of 5 stars it deserves 6!

I wish that four and a half stars was an option so that I could give them to "Time is the Enemy". This release falls somewhere inbetween "Abstract Logic" and "Temporal..." because the songs are somewhat improvised (obviously the solos are pure improv) but there seems to be some form of structure for each song that the improv is derived from. The disc ,for the most part, is Jonas laying down a slap-laden bass line, Sipe joining in and then Shawn and Jonas playing leads over the rhythm. "Heretics" follows this formula and Shawn even plays some pentatonic and other bluesy scales during his solo, and then Jonas simply slaps his bass silly. "Wherever You Walk" also follows the same formula. Jonas and Sipe establish a groove and Shawn plays over it, then Jonas slaps out again, and finally another groove is established for Shawn to play to. The improv in Shawn's soloing also has some Blues/Rock roots and provides evidence that Shawn has influences other than Mclaughlin and Holdsworth. "Space Time Continuum" is more of the same but Shawn plays in a different style than on the previous tunes. "King's Letter" is more of the same formula to which Shawn and Jonas fly over. "Barua a Soldini" has Jonas soloing first in his slap mode and then Shawn lets loose with an amazing solo. The highlight of this disc is the title track. It is really a live/extended version of "Stellar Rays" from Michael Shrieve's "Two Doors" disc. It starts out with a Holdsworthesque chord progresion, then Jonas and Sipe lock together and Shawn lets loose. The playing by Shawn on this is beyond description but I'll try anyways. Insane, boderline impssible, ridiculous,etc. are all adjectives that could describe Shawn pulling out all of the stops. This jam is something that every Shawn fan should hear and is worth the price of the disc by itself. Shawn and Jonas are their usual selves on this disc but there isn't nearly as much room given to Sipe as there was on their previous effort. "Time is the Enemy" is not as much of a complete band effort as "Temporal.." but it is still another example of fusion done right.

I am a huge Shawn Lane fan which is why I got this CD. It is not as good as his "Powers of Ten" which unfortunately is out of print, but it is good. My main complaint is Hellborg's bass tone and overplaying. If you like heavy progressive music with ripping guitar, this is for you. Few guitarists can keep up with Lane. He not only can "shred," but he knows his music and has creativity (and sensitivity) for days.

I don't have to say a lot. Shawn Lane is awesome. However, He must be seen to be believed. I have seen him live in Memphis. Trust me, even though you don't know me, this cd is worth every penny.