Reviewed this month: Megadeth Endgame, Porcupine Tree The Incident, Jim Davies Electronic Guitar, ANDREAS KAPSALIS & GORAN IVANOVIC Guitar Duo, CHEVELLE Sci-Fi Crimes, and more...

CDs

METAL
MEGADETH Endgame (Roadrunner) *****

In short, Endgame is one of the best metal albums of 2009. Beginning with the blistering shred of instrumental opener “Dialectic Chaos,” and all the way through album closer “Nothing Left to Lose,” Dave Mustaine and new guitarist Chris Broderick bring the pain like no one has since, well, Mustaine and Marty Friedman did on Rust in Peace. The pace is downright frenetic, the riffs are heavy, and the solos are scorching. Endgame is thrash guitar at its best.

While it’s true that Mustaine goes through lead guitar players faster than Oprah does diets, he’s found his man in Broderick. Though the former Jag Panzer and Nevermore guitarist has chops to spare, his nimble lines never deviate from the over-arching Megadeth song structure. Unlike some of the younger guitarists with similar speed capability, Broderick — like Friedman before him — maintains control at all times. His time is impeccable, matching Mustaine’s uncanny rhythm sense.

It’s almost unreasonable to pick out album highlights, as there are so many. But the record’s opening guitarmageddon of “Dialectic Chaos” segueing into “This Day We Fight!” truly is Megadeth at its finest. It’s non-stop, fast, menacing, and Mustaine’s vocals are in top form, while Broderick will leave longtime fans asking “Marty who?”

Other standout tracks include “1,320,” a reference to the length in feet of a 1/4-mile drag strip, which judging by the searing solos that close the tune, Mustaine and Broderick are shooting for the track record. The first single, “Headcrusher,” is a classic up-tempo thrasher, replete with Mustaine’s vitriolic vocal snarl, while “How the Story Ends” puts Broderick’s formidable arpeggio-sweeping technique on full display.

Highlights: “Dialectic Chaos,” “This Day We Fight!,” “1,320,” “How the Story Ends”

PROG-ROCK
PORCUPINE TREE The Incident (Roadrunner) ****1/2

Porcupine Tree’s 10th studio album, inspired by a sign that read “Police – Incident” at the scene of a horrific traffic accident, is a decidedly darker and more experimental turn for the band’s founder and frontman Steven Wilson. Like Fear of a Blank Planet, the band’s previous effort, The Incident is a concept album— a 55-minute musical journey fueled by guttural riffs, strummed acoustics, shifting meters, epic cacophony, and a dynamic range as wide as the lyrics are deep. Notable also is the album’s amazing production. Listen to this one with a good pair of headphones, and if you have the means check out the 5.1 surround sound version.

Highlights: “The Blind House,” “Time Flies,” “Octane Twisted,” “Circle of Manias”

INSTRUMENTAL
JIM DAVIES Electronic Guitar (Mascot) ***1/2

Although this new release from ex-The Prodigy and Pitchshifter guitarist Jim Davies is a guitar instrumental record, it’s eons away from Paul Gilbert or Vinnie Moore. Apart from the drums and bass synth, all of the sounds of Electronic Guitar — and there are myriad honks, squeaks, gurgles, ripples, whistles, belches, and blips — were created with a guitar run through harmonizers, filters, envelope followers, and other cool effects. The result is an instrumental guitar record equally at home at a rock festival or a European rave. If you’re having doubts, relax — there are enough “traditional” shred-worthy guitar lines to make you wonder why he hasn’t trumpeted his chops a little more often.

Highlights: “Empire,” “Hot Shot,” “Rockers vs. Ravers”

WORLD-ACOUSTIC
ANDREAS KAPSALIS & GORAN IVANOVIC Guitar Duo (Indie) ****

Combining the sounds of steel- and nylon-string acoustic guitars in a stew seasoned with multifinger attacks, percussive beats, and heavy Serbian and Greek influences, Kapsalis and Ivanovic have created one tasty experimental dish. From the opening ostinato of “Shadow Thief,” the record sounds huge. Throughout, Kapsalis’s two-handed steel-string parts frequently create the illusion of three guitars instead of two. It gets even better on “Vertigo,” where his dizzying eight-finger nubs do justice to the song’s title. Ivanovic is no slouch on the nylon, either, wringing out lithe melodic lines throughout.

Highlights: “Shadow Thief,” “Vertigo,” “Improvisation for Satie,” “Prorok”

ROCK
CHEVELLE Sci-Fi Crimes (Epic) ***1/2

Of the spate of “modern metal” acts from the early 2000s, only a few have evolved with the changing scene. You can count Chevelle among them. Relying more on groove than on just sheer power, the Chicago-based trio embraces exploration and the changing music soundscape on Sci-Fi Crimes, all while staying true to their heavy roots. “Letter to a Thief” is a clear highlight, with its propulsive rhythm and Brit-rock-inspired chorus, while “A New Momentum” is an energetic, drop-tuned throwback to the band’s roots. Album closer “This Circus” even drinks from the ’70s-classic-rock well, with a hint of electronica.

Highlights: “Sleep Apnea,” “Letter to a Thief,” “Fell into Your Shoes”

BOOKS

INSTRUCTIONAL
BLUES DELUXE
Dave Rubin
Book/CD [Hal Leonard, $24.99]

As we look forward to the next generation of blues guitarists in this month’s cover story on Joe Bonamassa, it’s important to take a lesson from Bonamassa and learn as much about the genre’s roots and pillars as possible, then use that knowledge to impart our own original musical ideas. As daunting a task as that may seem, it just got a little easier with the release of Blues Deluxe.

In this book from the Guitar Masters Series, author, guitarist and walking blues encyclopedia Dave Rubin examines 10 classic blues recordings from blues guitarists not named B.B. King (for a change), including Luther Allison, Albert Collins, Hound Dog Taylor, and Magic Slim, among others.

Each song is transcribed note-for-note in standard notation and tab, and comes with an informative biography on the artist as well as an extensive lesson on how to play it. Rubin also includes a “Performance Tip” for each tune and a breakdown of the gear used by each guitarist.

Finally – and unlike virtually any other guitar tab lesson book – Blues Deluxe comes with a CD that contains the original recordings of every song in the book, which, when combined with the lesson content not only provides a theoretical insight into the tune but also allows you to hear the artistic nuance that is so much a part of great blues music.


WHAT WOULD KEITH RICHARDS DO?
Jessica Pallington West
[Bloomsbury, $16]

Sure, we may joke that the post-apocalyptic world will contain only two species — cockroaches and Keith Richards. However, the latter is arguably the greatest rock ’n’ roll survivor of all-time. And in this new book, author Jessica Pallington West provides enough Keith-inspired beliefs, declarations, and wisdom to get you through the good and bad times. All you need to do is ask the simple question: What would Keith Richards do?

The book starts out with the 26 Ten Commandments. But whereas God delivered his commandments directly to Moses, here, Ms. West more or less infers Keith’s commandments, and does so with adequate support using direct quotes spewed by the guitarist over the years.

In other sections, Ms. West juxtaposes Keith with philosophers such as Rousseau, Locke, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche, providing affirmations on topics ranging from fame to failure and from the guitar to stage fright. Perhaps most entertaining is West’s special bonus section on Keith’s insults, featuring his favorite targets Chuck Berry, Elton John, George Michael, and of course, Mick Jagger. An informative timeline of Keith’s life and career serves as the penultimate chapter, before closing with the recipe for Keith’s mum’s shepherd’s pie (yum!).

DVDs

ACOUSTIC
THE SUPER GUITAR TRIO
Di Meola, Coryell, LaGrène and Friends in Concert (Art Haus Musik) ****

Back in 1981, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco de Lucia — unofficially dubbed “The Guitar Trio” — recorded A Night in San Francisco, an incendiary live acoustic performance that went on to become the one of the most influential and important acoustic guitar performances of all time. Almost a decade later, in Cambridge, Mass., Di Meola teamed with fusion master Larry Coryell and gypsy jazz great Biréli LaGrène for a live acoustic recording of “The Super Guitar Trio,” which has now been leased on DVD.

From the first track, a Coryell-penned piece called “PSP,” Di Meola takes centerstage — literally and figuratively. The liner notes use the phrase “first among equals,” and that about sums it up. Two of the six tracks — the medley of “Orient Blue”/“Rhapsody of Fire” and “Mediterranean Sundance” — are all Di Meola compositions. A third, “Tango Suite,” was written by Di Meola collaborator Astor Piazzolla, and a fourth, “No Mystery,” is a Chick Corea tune written while they were in Return to Forever together. The penultimate song of the performance, Corea’s classic “Spain,” is also from Di Meola’s breakthrough era in the ’70s.

While Di Meola indeed holds court here, Coryell and LaGrène certainly hold their own — particularly on “No Mystery.” The show is almost generational in nature, as LaGrène was a mere 23 years old at the time of the performance, and Coryell is widely recognized as a founding father of the jazz-rock-fusion movement. The trio is supported by a fourth guitarist, Chris Carrington, who gets respectable and well-deserved screen time in a duo performance of “Tango Suite” with Di Meola, as well as percussionists Arto Tuncboyaci and Gumbi Ortiz.

The Super Guitar Trio doesn’t match the fireworks of A Night in San Francisco, but in fairness the latter was such a special once-in-alifetime event that the original trio themselves could not replicate it on two subsequent efforts. It’s certainly a must-see for fans of blistering yet soulful acoustic guitar music, and particularly fans of Di Meola, who never ceases to amaze.

Highlights: “PSP,” “No Mystery”

ROCK
ERIC CLAPTON & STEVE WINWOOD
Live From Madison Square Garden (Reprise) ***1/2

For three nights in February 2008, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood took New York City’s Madison Square Garden by storm and cranked out 20 classic rock hits from their respective catalogs. And though it wasn’t billed as a Blind Faith reunion, they managed to include the entire first side of the band’s self-titled 1969 debut — their one and only album. Live From Madison Square Garden captures the evening’s nostalgia, and then some.

Disc one of the two-disc set features the concert itself, including bits of commentary from Winwood and Clapton between each song, as well as an exclusive documentary. Both artists appear quite energized throughout, especially Winwood as he alternates turns on rhythm guitar and keys. The set opens with a fiery take on the Blind Faith classic “Had to Cry Today” before launching into the Buddy Miles–penned riff-rocker “Them Changes.” The duo later hit on two more Hendrix tracks, “Little Wing” and “Voodoo Chile,” each featuring scorching flights of fretboard fancy from a not-so-slow Slowhand.

For such an electric night, two of the real highlights are back-to-back solo performances, first with E.C. front-and-center with a Martin acoustic, a microphone, and Robert Johnson’s “Rambling on My Mind,” then with Winwood alone on the B-3 singing a stirring “Georgia on My Mind.” The set closed with a triumvirate of titanic classics in “Can’t Find My Way Home,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy” (in which Winwood shows off some of his own Stratocaster soloing chops), and “Cocaine.”

Disc two contains an exclusive documentary titled “The Road to Madison Square Garden,” which features interviews with Clapton and Winwood, along with rare concert footage and photographs of Cream, Traffic, and Blind Faith. There’s also a soundcheck performance of “Rambling on My Mind” and bonus concert performances of “Low Down,” “Kind Hearted Woman,” and “Crossroads.”

Highlights: “Had to Cry Today,” “Forever Man,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy”

THE DIGITAL EDGE

The Internet is chock full of guitar sites, guitar blogs, guitar forums… you name it. And while there are some darned good ones out there, many go untended, are outdated, or simply offer bad advice. So in this space each month, we feature two sites that we think are worth perusing.

ThePartsDrawer.com

Over the past 10 years or so, the vintage guitar market absolutely skyrocketed, and at no time in history have the words “all original” carried so much weight. So, what’s the guy with a vintage Les Paul that has aftermarket Grover tuners installed to do? He might want to start with a visit to ThePartsDrawer.com.

Whether you’re looking for tuners, a bridge, pots, harnesses, pickups, pick guards or knobs, if it’s for a vintage guitar, The Parts Drawer is a good place to start. Owned and operated by Jim Pasch, who also runs Hoboken Vintage Guitars, the site offers guitarists authentic parts for their vintage Fender, Gibson, and Gretsch guitars, all of them guaranteed to be the real deal and not reproductions. They state that Fender parts make up approximately 80 percent of their inventory, but they do try to carry all vintage brands as much as possible. And if they don’t have it, they’ll help you track it down.

I have an early ’70s Les Paul Custom with replacement everything — tuners, pickups, pots, pick guard, toggle switch tip and ring. While I have little desire to chase down original parts for it, I decided to peruse the Gibson section for the original waffle tuners (mine has Grovers). Checking current inventory, I was taken to The Parts Drawer’s eBay store, where it does its retail business. Unfortunately, they didn’t have my tuners, but if I really wanted to change them they do have a handy Customer Contact Form on every page of their site. Just enter your name, email address, city and state, phone number, and a description of what you’re looking for, and they’ll check their vast customer base to see if anyone else has it.

As anyone who has bought or sold a vintage guitar can attest, the question of authenticity is, besides price, the biggest determining factor in a successful deal. The Parts Drawer knows that, and with their 100 percent guarantee on all parts sold, you really can’t go wrong starting your search here.


SonicBids.com

Got a killer band but just can’t seem to get the gigs? As long as your problem doesn’t involve talent, you might want to cruise on over to Sonicbids.com. The company proudly states that 60,000 gigs were booked using their service last year, from a pool of over 18,000 promoters and licensors.

Started in 2001 by a Greek guitarist turned music business entrepreneur named Panos Panay, the site aims to be the place where any band from any genre can easily and effectively connect with promoters, broadcasters, and licensing agents.

To get started, you first have to register your band at Sonicbids then set up a Sonicbids Electronic Press Kit (EPK), which tells promoters and booking agents what they need to know about your band — bio, photos, music samples, press clips, and more. Once that’s completed, you can send it out to the company’s network (or outside the network) of gig listings. The gig types run the gamut from parties and weddings to festivals such as South By Southwest, CMJ, Summerfest, and Warped Tour.

The site offers a 30-day free trial, and then you pay just $5.95 per month. Can you successfully do all this on your own without paying a fee to a company? Of course. But at that rate, even if you get just one paid gig in a year, you’ll come out ahead.