Criminally unknown and underappreciated, Allan Holdsworth is one of
the greatest musicians ever to pick up the electric guitar. Here, on
1985's Metal Fatigue, everything finally comes together for him. For the
majority of this record, Holdsworth is joined by bassist Jimmy Johnson
and drummer Chad Wackerman, and these two musicians, virtuosos in their
own right, complement Holdsworth beautifully (check out Johnson's
wonderful part in "Home" and lovely solo on "Panic Station"). The leader
is known for his extremely legato phrasing and rich harmonic
vocabulary, both of which are on display in the solo and frantic fills
of "Metal Fatigue." Anchored by Paul Williams' vocals, the song is
marvelously constructed, with a strong verse melody supported by
Holdsworth's upper-register guitar chords. The guitarist's much-vaunted
whammy bar work is also on full display here. Certain fills in "Metal
Fatigue" are almost queasy sounding, as Holdsworth bends and slurs in
impossible ways. His use of the tremolo bar comes out not only during
his melodic playing, but also during his rhythm playing, where he allows
his chords just a trace of shimmer, enough to lend body to his playing
but not enough to blur the harmonies. The influence of Holdsworth's
unique style is evident in the work of such rock guitarists as Eddie Van
Halen and Alex Lifeson (listen to VH's "Drop Dead Legs" or Rush's "YYZ"
for a taste of this connection), but the watered-down and otherwise
assimilated adaptations of his style pale compared to the unadulterated
stuff. One of the most important fusion records of the '80s is also
Holdsworth's best work. Absolutely essential for those who like their
rock with a healthy dose of jazz.
Daniel Gioffre Tracklist :
1 Metal Fatigue 4:54
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth, Williams
2 Home 5:29
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth
3 Devil Take The Hindmost 5:33
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth
4 Panic Station 3:31
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Chad Wackerman
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Williams
Written-By – Holdsworth, Williams
5 The Un-Merry-Go-Round 14:06
Bass Guitar – Gary Willis
Drums – Gary Husband
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Keyboards – Alan Pasqua
Written-By – Holdsworth
6 In The Mystery 3:49
Bass Guitar – Jimmy Johnson
Drums – Mac Hine
Guitar – Allan Holdsworth
Vocals – Paul Korda
Written-By – Holdsworth, Korda
