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This is a lengthy review, as it attempts to cover not just this album, but also what makes the PMG itself such a unique and outstanding musical experience in all of their releases. The review assumes you are new to the PMG. If you're already a fan, you don't need to read much further. Suffice to say that this is one of the best of the best of all the PMG's efforts, and it needs to become part of your collection. Skip down to the end if you want for a song-by-song summary of my thoughts. However, if you are new to the PMG, I highly recommend this album as an excellent starting place...and encourage you to read the whole review for some thoughts about why this group deserves your attention.
In 1991, I was thumbing through the CDs in the jazz section of a public library in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where I lived at the time. The selection wasn't all that great and I came across this CD with a strange, busy-looking collage of thumbnail photos and foreign symbols. I was vaguely familiar with the name "Pat Metheny" but didn't even know what instrument he played. In spite of the adage, "don't judge a book by its cover," I was fully expecting something very avante garde and highly improvisational - short on melody and long on the bizarre. Honestly, it was mainly out of curiosity that I checked out the CD and I had very low expectations.
But once I pushed the Play button on this CD, it was all over. Out of perhaps 3 life-changing experiences related to music in my life, this was one of them. Now, I realize that sounds melodramatic, but it's the absolute truth. I became an instant devotee of this guy and his music. I could listen to it hundreds of times (and I have) and enjoy it just as much the 999th time as the first time.
I now own 8 of his CDs and I like them all, but this one remains very near the top of the list for me, due in equal parts to the music itself and also the fond memories it evokes from a period of my life when I was so full of optimism.
From the moment I pushed the Play button, I knew what I was hearing was in a class by itself. Jazz, yes...but neither the traditional stuff (which I like), nor the more pop-oriented mass-appeal stuff that has since become synonymous with the so-called "smooth jazz" genre (of which I'm not too fond...you know, that smarmy Kenny G stuff). To be honest, at that time I would have been hard-pressed to articulate what it was I liked about the music, or why I felt these guys were a cut above the rest of pack in so many respects. I simply knew that I liked - no, make that loved - what I was hearing.
As I write this review, more than 15 years later, my thoughts are no doubt colored by the volume and variety of Metheny music I've listened to in the intervening years, but I'll try to limit them to what I remember from my earliest listening experiences and why I did - and still do - find them to be head and shoulders above so much else that is out there. First, and most important, is the collaboration between Metheny and keyboardist Lyle Mays. Like the cliche "1+1=3," the sum of their collaboration is so much more than the individual talents they bring. I'm so glad these guys found one another, and I'm so glad that Mays has remained the one unchanging member of the PMG along with Pat himself since the group was born in 1978. It just wouldn't be the PMG without Mays.
I first became acquainted with Lyle in the late '70s when he was still a student at North Texas State University and played in their jazz lab bands. I had one of their albums (ugly cover, but great music), and remember being intrigued by this Mays guy who played a large hand in all of the band's arrangements, while also being awed by the guy's obvious capabilities on his instruments of choice: keyboards. I remember thinking to myself (I was still in high school at the time), "now THIS is a guy who's going somewhere." It was with huge delight, many years later, that I discovered Mays was the keyboardist with the PMG. It was the same sense as having rediscovered a long lost friend.
Anyway, back to their collaboration. I can honestly say that there is something magical about the music these guys create. They have a flawless sense of melody...the melodies actually tell a story instead of just filling up space, and more times than not, the melody has an uncanny way of evoking exactly the emotions you would expect from the title of the song.
As one would expect, the melody is most often carried by Metheny, and until hearing his music for the first time, I had no idea a guitar could sound like this. Yes, I'd listened to guys like Wes Montgomery...and classical guitar as well. But Metheny was able to take the guitar to places it seems like it was never envisioned to go, with phrasing sometimes more like you would expect from a horn or sax, and a signature sound that was the epitome of "cool." In other places, his playing was so achingly beautiful that it seems as though the word "poignant" was created specifically to describe what I was hearing.
Another thing immediately apparent in PMG music is not just the mastery of the melodic, but also the rhythmic. These are guys who aren't afraid to venture outside the comfort zone of 4/4. They are all over the map with things that I sometimes can't even count myself...and I've got a reasonably good sense of rhythm. Weird stuff that sounds like 13/4 or 15/8 or whatever. But just like Brubeck was able to make 5/4 totally comfortable with his classic "Take 5", Pat and Co. navigate these unusual time signatures so fluidly that you never feel like you've left the interstate for an unpaved road. It's all smooth and you love every second of it because it's at once familiar and different. There's also a point / counterpoint thing that permeates the music. Never busy just for the sake of it...but not minimalist either. It's rich. Like a painting with beautiful use of color and texture, and when you look at it, you feel like you could stare for hours and still not take it all in. It isn't just music that's highly pleasing, it's *fascinating* music.
Chording and chord progressions are another aspect of the music that makes the PMG such a treat. There's just something about the way these songs can exhilarate, create an indefinable longing, descend into dissonance, or resolve in a way that makes you feel all is right with the world - all through the impeccable crafting of how these guys string chords together. Mays, in my opinion, is the unsung hero that makes so much of this possible. I have always loved his playing, but when paired with Metheny, it is hard to imagine anything more perfect. He's never overbearing or showy - he's just...there. Solid. Like a supporting actor that makes the star look that much better, never stealing the show. It's back to that 1+1=3 thing I mentioned earlier.
It would be impossible to talk about the PMG "sound" without also commenting on the way vocals are used. My jazz heritage exposed me to people like Ella Fitzgerald and others who would "scat" rather than sing lyrics. In the same way, the vocals in PMG music are almost never used for lyrics. But neither are they left to carry the melody on their own. Instead, they are more often layered with the melody of the guitar. It's a big part of what I can only call the PMG's signature sound - and it is an incredibly satisfying sound. Once you hear it, you want more.
As to the individual songs, here's a breakdown of my impressions:
> Have You Heard - As the first track, this was my first exposure to the PMG's music. And in hindsight, the title is so fitting. No, I haven't heard...but now that you've got my attention, I'll probably never stop listening. I remember thinking, "Wow...where have these guys been all my life?" This song epitomizes everything I love about the PMG...the deviation from the predictable 4/4 while being totally groovable...the way the vocals are stacked on the guitar and piano to create that signature sound...Pat's amazing solo work and runs that left my jaw on the floor...Lyle's orchestrations, punctuations, and chord progressions that are so exhilarating and just so...so right. And, the intricate cymbal work of master drummer Paul Wertico. It's all good. Very good.
> Every Summer Night - This song features what I think is the melodica (an accordian-like instrument that sounds a bit like a harmonica). The song's melody is best described as "friendly"...like a grinning kid with freckles...you just have to grin back. It's a great example of the acoustic piano sound that is quintessential Lyle Mays that then transitions to the Hammond organ which is equally tasty.
> Better Days Ahead - This song evokes exactly what you'd expect from the title: optimism. A pleasure to listen to. 'nuff said.
> Spring Ain't Here - A sound that's sort of a cross between George Shearing and Wes Montgomery...probably from Pedro Aznar on the vibes. Like so many PMG compositions, the vibes aren't treated as a solo instrument, but as just another layer of the melody with the guitar. For me, this song evokes feelings of warm nostalgia for some reason.
> 45/8 - Like I said earlier, the PMG isn't afraid to embrace some wild time signatures. It has a Peruvian feel to it, thanks to the panpipes played by Aznar. Very short song...more like a bridge...less than a minute in lenght.
> 5-5-7: Like the first track, this song blends all the things that to me are that quintessential PMG sound. But instead of vocals, something that sounds suspiciously like whistling is layered with the vibes and Methany's guitar...and a bit later Aznar's vocals are stacked on top as well. It's a cool sound. And this one explores some unusual time signatures. Sounds like a recipe that could get weird real fast, but trust me - it's tasty.
> Beat 70 - Probably one of my favorite PMG tunes. I'm not sure if it's the melodica or accordion on this one, or a synthesizer, but it again has a harmonica feel to it that's very satisfying. There's also a sweet steel drum thing going on just beneath the surface. Lots of transitioning between Lyle and Pat from keyboard solos to guitar and back again, like a baton being passed back and forth. The drums on this one are quintessential Wertico...lots of intricate and interesting cymbal work. There's a photo on Antonio Sanchez's website (he's since replaced Wertico as the PMG's drummer) that shows his setup for a typical PMG gig...I think there's like a dozen cymbals. It's insane. That pretty much tells the story...lots and lots of cymbals make up the rhythmic texture that is part of the overall PMG sound.
> Dream of The Return - One of the few songs with actual lyrics, sung in Spanish by Aznar. Methany first goes into a jazz guitar solo, followed by some nice acoustic piano by Mays, and later back to Methany again, this time with his synth guitar...which sometimes sounds good, but can also be a bit like the soprano sax when done to excess...grating. Methany doesn't overdo it on this song. Overall, nice, but not one of my favorites.
> Are We There Yet - The most dissonant of the bunch, but still melodic and not total free-form noise (but dang close in a few places). You have to be in the right mood for this one. Features more synth guitar from Pat. Seamlessly segues into the next song without a break in the music.
> Vidala - Another one featuring actual lyrics, this time in English by Aznar. Some nice panpipe stuff (yeah, I know that instrument conjures up images of easy listening "muzak" and Zamfir...but it isn't like that here). This song has an overall contemplative feel to it.
> Slip Away - A really nice 16-beat shuffle going on here. Wertico's phrasing gives it a distinctly locomotive rhythm. Signature PMG sound in full force...vibe/vocal/guitar layer going strong. Nice piano interlude from Mays and then transitioning back in a really nice crescendo to the 16-beat with a smooth Methany solo on jazz guitar.
> Letter from Home - In a word, poignant. This song evokes exactly the longing you'd expect with a letter from home, a bittersweet memory of the happy times left behind and the people you still love awaiting you there. It's a wonderful choice to end the album with. You find yourself wanting to audibly sigh at the end. A perfect end to a beautiful 60 minutes. I think this one has actually brought tears to my eyes more than once.
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It was packaged very well, one small corner ding. Album itself is as good as the day it came off the press! Thanks. You're a trustworthy merchant!
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For listening while driving to and from work every day.
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molondas
Will anyone give this less than 5 stars?
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Guitarrist Extraodinaire wie immer.
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