Allan Holdsworth | 0274

Allan Holdsworth - Sixteen Men of Tain (Eidolon Efformation)

I've fallen in love with the first track on this album, "0274".  The tune itself is basically a string of chords played on guitar and synth, accompanied by acoustic bass and drums.  I especially love Gary Novak's drumming on this.  This is followed by a mesmerizing liquid guitar solo - one that sort of defines Holdsworth's playing, and a surprise trumpet solo by Walt Fowler.

Again, this entire album is fantastic - my personal favorite of Holdsworth's.  He sort of nailed the perfect combination for himself: those strange and airy chords that he likes to explore and soar through with his solos, accompanied by the luscious sound of an acoustic bass.  The latter is the magic ingredient, as I'm not a fan of the post-Jaco rock-fusion electric bass sound on most of his recordings.  He hasn't released an album since.  I sort of hope the next one continues the sound he achieved here.


"0274" (from 1999's Sixteen Men of Tain)


This is an example of the "post-Jaco" bass that I'm not crazy about (although I love Holdsworth's playing on this):

"Peril Premonition" (from 1989's Secrets)

The Sixteen Men Of Tain: