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On disc: Niacin



- Deep - Amir Djawadi - 5 stars
- Time Crunch - Amir Djawadi - 5 stars


www.billysheehan.com/niacin







Time Crunch

Time Crunch
(Magna Carta - 2001)


Okay, at first sight this looks like a typical Magna Carta release. 3 musical super stars together in one studio to present their talent. Bu it ain't that simple! Niacin is a band which consequently continue their musical cooperation on their 5th output. Niacin are Billy Sheehan (former bassist of Mr. Big and Talas and known for his work with Explorer's Club), Dennis Chambers (worked with people like George Clinton and Stanley Clarke; one of the most respected drummers these days) and John Novello (he played keyboard with Chick Corea, Andy Summers and John Petrucci).
The silver disk contains 11 songs - beside their own tracks also two cover versions, one is Red of Crimson Glory and the other Jan Hammer's Blue Wind - and is produced by Sheehan and Novello. Niacin offer a large variety on this release which lasts from jazz elements to junky parts to bluesy ones and some more rocking parts. The musicians themselves would label their music as retro. And if retro sounds this way, it's welcome!
The opener Elbow Grease is a quite complex and grueling track, but there are more mellow ones like Invisible King. So tempi changes and different styles make this album interesting. Well done!


5 stars

Amir Djawadi
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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Deep

Deep
(Magna Carta - 2000)


"What a line-up!" Everybody who knows the music scene will say when reading the line-up. Drum icon Dennis Chambers takes care of the beat while bass hero Billy Sheehan (ex-Mr. Big) grooves and John Novello whisks over the keys of a piano and a Hammond B3 organ. This is the 4th release of the band and this time they recorded 12 songs - plus the bonus track Bluesion - for more then 65 minutes running time.
One of the tracks is a Van Halen cover which is well done and they choose for covering Mean Streets. On Things Ain't What They Used To Be no one else then Steve Lukather plays guitar and Glenn Hughes added the vocals. It's the only song on this album which is a little guitar-dominated vocal track and not one of the many instrumentals. A large variety is offered, from slow to heavy thrilling tunes.
In my opinion it's impossible to label their music with just one word or to categorize their style. They have everything from bluesy parts to jazz influences to rocking part and pop passages. Definitely this CD has moving and grooving compositions. The quality is indubi­table - anybody expect something else from this musicians? - even if partly not easy to listen to.
This is music from musicians fro musicians or at least for lovers of ambitious music. This is not a CD to listen to and relax, this is a CD which is demanding your attention to discover the complexity and intelligent musical arrangements. No easy listening, but a pleasure.


5 stars

Amir Djawadi
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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           ©2008-2010 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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