Very good background music but that's it
Jim Clark | Atlanta, Georgia USA | 06/01/2009
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I like Gunn's type of music. In fact, I first learned of him from a King Crimson album.
But this album is just what it says, music for pictures. It's high energy arty rock and I only like it when I'm doing some monotonous task. In the background it's actually kind of fun. But the minute I listen closely my interest evaporates pretty quickly.
I will certainly listen to more of his music. But I'll have to be a bit more discriminating in my choice of it."
Another stunner from Trey Gunn
Loren Claypool | Milwaukee, WI USA | 08/23/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have to admit, I stalk Trey Gunn's website looking for any news about upcoming releases. I have consistently found Trey's work to be interesting and evocative from both the perspectives of performance and composition. "Music for Pictures" excels on both of those fronts.
Trey is best known for his work as a touch guitarist as a solo artist, with the various ensembles with which he works (TU, KTU, Quodia, etc.) and as a former member of King Crimson. His touch work on "Music for Pictures" on both fretted and fretless Warr Guitars is solid as always. Trey adds fretless touch bass and keyboards to the work, too, but the wonderful addition is his use of fretless guitar. The Treyniverse continues its expansion.
As exceptional as the musicianship is, and we've come to expect that of Trey, the real prize of "Music for Pictures" is the compositional excellence. Cinematic is an appropriate term for this release. Trey takes the listener through 29 audio scenes and a wide variety of musical genres. To this listener Trey is very patient on "Music for Pictures", letting the songs unfold in a natural and organic way. Fans of Trey's complex time signatures, world-fusion inclusion, and tonal variety won't be disappointed; there's more there, though, for the listening in large and small doses. The 21 minute ambient piece "The Ghosts Listen" is aptly titled, it is more than a bit spooky!
It's great to see Trey releasing solo music again. "Music for Pictures" may indeed be his strongest solo work yet. Highly recommended."
Track Listings (29) - Disc #1