Terry adams' subtle masterpiece
Anthony W. Rogers | WV USA | 08/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"i really like this album which i confess was purchased later than usual-but im all the better for it. this is not a jazz release (like terrible or the duet album with marshall allen) but a glorious pop masterpiece loaded with great tunes. yes it has those moments of slap happy stoopid fun..like howard hughes(fox or smackeroo type-like clav groove), poncho (a casio solo piss-take), mess (deep groove roots) and girl who loves the stooges...the same funny stuff like housekeeping, i want my mommy, etc..in fact i am referring to the great 99 nrbq self titled release and the simliarity of the tunes in places..but where the funny ends the serious runs deep as it ever has on this q release...its doesnt take a scientist to figure out that terry is spinning a theme of betryal and trust that runs through this album and it is quite uncomfortable listening at times when he delivers lines like on the penultimate (fake hug): "everybody thinks youre so full of love, but i know what youre capable of" "your selective loyalty was so severe" and (on every thing i do) "how can you play when they betray"....this is not to say that bitter and hurt are the exclusive emotions on the cd but to hear them coming out of terry is a first.theres plenty of the usual warm love to go around also..the great obie sounds used on the orchestral one shoe are very remincient of some of the zappa sounds used by tommy mars in places but the chords on this and the bacharach influenced every thing i do is just stellar (what an inventive chord sequence on the bridge)..1400 miles is a great stapling together of two ideas-one being a decending bass style pop number and the country 1-2 shuck on the verses..it really works well...in fact this batch of tunes has the highest ratio of great stuff for me going back to that great 99 eponymus release...its not over just sparkles ala everybody thinks im crazy on mess age..but it is the towering walk-out the door closer outta here that caps it off so beautifully..the highs on the record are as magical as anything the q has done and with t bone and tommy-the rhythm section is spot on...the best eco tune terry has written is included and delvered in a siuthern stomp style with call and response (ala sun ra) one day..(one day)..natures gonna pay you back....just great stuff from front to end..as i said, the closer is a mind blower with parallel lines walking home and out the door on outta here ..as terry proclaims.." straight ahead..dont look back"..theres also the super 50s vocal stylings of umbrella..just great vocals..we all know TA is not known for his voice but here surprisingly shows a great deal of depth and range that suddenly first showed up on the duet album with fergie a year or so back..but here he doesnt miss the S brothers at all and is complimented in places by some guest vocalists that do just a perfect job providing a pinch of contrast in places. i am a long time Q fan and say with all honesty that this album is the modern day place of the spirit of that music..whatever happened between joey and terry now seems to matter much less and i predict it wont be long before we see another roadworthy troupe to play alongside him coming to your town soon..this man never lets me down and once again has blown me away-i have not removed it yet from my player and i dont plan to until i get it all and theres a whole lot of things happening on this cd. of course as the other reviewer said, tommy plays with an economy that only an old master like earl palmer or jim keltner could muster- he is probably the most underappreciated drummer ever to play, his groove is his currency and he is at the top..everyone should know his name...in all respects, the highs on this are so musically high, its dizzying...if you bought it and filed it or if you havent bought..you need it-play it....it is not fragmented and bare like the great but different duet album i mentioned a year or so back..this is the full spectrum of warmth/magic/love and spirit that was always the goal of Terry and the Q..yes the band may be gone, but the spirit is alive and well in the sound of this cd...find it for yourself.. terry carries the flag on high....now give poncho a little kiss, will ya??..buy this...its elixir for the soul...."and i know that love will finally heal"..and this album has lots of it to pass around-come join the party!"
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1