Among Allan Holdsworth’s references are jobs with Tony Williams’ Lifetime, Soft Machine, Bill Bruford and John Stevens. In recent years he has led his own bands and the latest edition of this is to be heard on this six-cut mini album. Typically, it has not been released here in his home country but is imported from Holland. (Try the Virgin Megastore in London’s Oxford St.).
Holdsworth’s facility on the guitar is a matter of legend and he’s lost none of his ability to spin rapid legato lines without apparent effort. His speed is matched, when he’s at his best, by great melodic flair and lyricism.
The compositional framework here is not dissimilar from those he has worked in before. Holdsworth belongs to the British jazz-rock tradition (not jazz-funk – his music has little of blues or soul) and the lineage of these tunes is obvious. There are some heavy-metal riffs (as on the title track) and plenty of those dissonant harmonies beloved of the jazz-rocker. In fact, Holdsworth appears to have turned really sour, harmonically speaking, on this record. Tokyo Dream is the nearest to a pretty melody.
The rhythm section basically plays a rock beat, and the would-be rhythmic colour is in the tricky time signature and shifts rather than in subtle swinging.
On the evidence of this album, Holdsworth may not be a great composer, but as an intuitive improvisor, he’s peerless. Now an émigré to the USA, where he has attracted a cult following, he remains the most original guitarist ever produced by this country.
Discography
Three Sheets To The Wind; Road Games; Water On The Brain – Pt. II (11.02) – Tokyo Dream; Was There?; Material Real (12.45)
Allan Holdsworth (g); Jeff Berlin (b); Chad Wackerman (d); Jack Bruce, Joe Turano, Paul Korda, Paul Williams (v).
(WEA 92-3959-1)