Tate, Geoff - Geoff Tate

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Sanctuary
Catalog Number: 84555
Format: CD
Total Time: 49:51:00

Geoff Tate, immediately recognized as the lead singer for the progressive rock group Queensrÿche, has released his own solo album. Make no mistake about it though, this solo release is nothing like anything that Tate would do with his full time gig. His voice is as strong as ever and more flexible than most of us would have realized prior to the release of this work. The 'Ryche faithful may be disappointed with what they hear on this album, but too bad, this is Tate's album and the entire reason an artist records a solo album is because they want to express themselves through a different setting and music without identification with any other sound or group. Tate succeeds in coming up with a variation of styles that will please many different listeners. Bordering on crossover, I still found it much too dissimilar to place in that grouping, thereby making it tricky to surmise. It is like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

It has taken me several months to finally sit down and write about this CD. I actually feel ashamed that it took me so long because Tate is such a high profile singer. The reason the process ended up as a drawn out affair is that this music really does defy any categorization and I have been a bit perplexed as how to address it. After at least six listens, I can honestly say that I like what I have heard in many different ways. On tracks like "Forever," "Off The TV" and "Grain Of Faith," he rocks in an alternative way (opposed to the Queensrÿche style), which he does best. He wraps his provocative vocals around a variable modern rock sound, which is the reason I think he will find a new audience that was previously unapproachable. On "Forever," he uses a quirky rock-pop style then on "Helpless," a delicate acoustic Latin flavored guitar pushes his vocals out so they resonate with an echoing effect. It seems like something that a Latino pop star like Ricky Martin may sing, not a legitimate rock star like Tate, but then again that is what makes this album so wonderfully different from a lot of the mainstream crap that you hear filling the airwaves and blasting in people's car stereos as they drive by.

I think that by recording such a diverse blend of styles Tate has proven that there is much more to him than meets the eye, or ears I should say. While this is not a classic album that will be talked about for years to come I think with the passing of time and his continually evolving work with Queensrÿche, work such as this will be fully realized and put him a class all by himself, which I think he already is. While this album may be scrutinized, analyzed and picked apart based on what he has done, I think it needs to be looked at for its face value, a Geoff Tate solo album. It displays one of the most gifted vocalists in music today and it needs a closer look so it will not become another great effort that is lost and forgotten.

Tracklisting:
Flood (5:24) / Forever (4:14 ) / Helpless (4:50) / Touch (4:07) / Every Move We Make (4:24) / This Moment (4:50) / In Other Words (4:52) / A Passenger (4:49) / Off The TV (4:00) / Grain Of Faith (3:35) / Over Me (4:41)

Musicians:
Geoff Tate - vocals, backing vocals
Eyvind Kang - viola
Evan Schiller - guitar, drums, backing vocals, loops, digital editing
Chris Fox - bass, fretless bass, upright bass
Scott Moughton - electric guitar
Jeff Carrell - electric guitar, backing vocals
Howard Chilcott - synths, Steinway piano, backing vocals

Discography:
Queensrÿche - Queensr?che (1983)
Queensrÿche - The Warning (1984)
Queensrÿche - Rage For Order (1986)
Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
Queensrÿche - Empire (1991)
Queensrÿche - Promised Land (1994)
Queensrÿche - Hear In The Now Frontier (1997)
Queensrÿche - Q2K (1999)
Queensrÿche - Greatest Hits (2000)
Queensrÿche - Live Evolution (2001)
Queensrÿche - Classic Masters (2002)
Geoff Tate (2002)
Queensrÿche - Revolution Calling (2003)
Queensrÿche - Tribe (2003)
Queensrÿche - Art Of Live (2004)
Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime II (2006)
Queensrÿche - Essential (2006)
Queensrÿche - Face To Face (2006)
Queensrÿche - Mindcrime At The Moore (2007)
Queensrÿche - Extended Versions (2007)
Queensrÿche - Sign Of The Times: The Best Of Queensrÿche (2007)
Queensrÿche - Take Cover (2007)
Queensrÿche - The Best Of Queensrÿche (2007)
Queensrÿche - The Collection (2008)
Queensrÿche - American Soldier (2009)

Queensrÿche - Live In Tokyo (VID) (1985)
Queensrÿche - Mindcime (VID) (1989)
Queensrÿche - Building Empires (VID) (1992)
Queensrÿche - Live Evolution (DVD) (2001)
Queensrÿche - Operation LIVEcrime (DVD) (2001)
Queensrÿche - The Art Of Live (DVD) (2004)
Queensrÿche - Live (DVD) (2007)

Genre: Rock

Origin US

Added: February 1st 2003
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.geofftate.com
Hits: 2124
Language: english