Morse, Steve - Major Impacts 2


Year of Release: 2004
Label: Magna Carta
Catalog Number: MA 9070-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:34:00

There are tribute albums and there are tribute albums. Most of the time artists just cover songs of the one they pay the tribute to. But not Steve Morse! Although he is quite busy playing in Deep Purple, the Dixie Dregs, in his own Steve Morse Band, and in addition to that also in Living Loud (with Uriah Heep member Lee Kerslake), he still found time to do his version of a tribute album, as by request of Magna Carta, his record label. Instead of just covering songs, he wrote his own tribute to the artists that have inspired him over the years, using his long term musical memory to add the references to the bands. It seems Mr. Morse has a wide variety of influences, as bands like ELP, The Who, The Yardbirds, Genesis, Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd and even Deep Purple pass by, but also styles, like Country, Bluegrass, Cajun ,Celtic and classic (Bach) are "covered."

The result is a very interesting mix of songs, of which in most cases you need the booklet to see who or what style are paid homage to. A few obvious ones are "Errol Smith," where you can hear distinct traces of Aerosmith classics, such as "Love In An Elevator" or "Walk This Way," and "Air Of A 6 String," where the guitarist's favourite composer, Bach, is honoured. But also in songs like "Try County Barn Dance" (Bluegrass) and "Ghost Of The Bayou" (Cajun), where Morse even plays the fiddle of his late grandfather, the inspiration is not hard to tell. But for example "Cool Wind, Green Hills" is not that easy. If you listen closely, you might hear it: it's inspired by the music of Enya and Clannad, the Celtic atmosphere.

Major Impacts 2 is the second album, where Morse gets to pay homage to his all time heroes and the bands that influenced him as a musician. He really enjoyed making these albums and so I can only hope you will enjoy them. If this album shows one thing, it is that Steve Morse is one hell of a great musician, not just a guitar player, but also a great composer. This album will not be my favourite album, but that's a personal opinion. Apart from that is a class album, with 13 different instrumental tracks, that each breathe their own atmosphere and well played by Steve Morse. So visit his website, listen to some samples and if this is your kind of album, then make sure you get it.

[This review originally appeared May 2004 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
Wooden Music / Where Are You? / Errol Smith / Cool Wind, Green Hills / Organically Grown / 12 Strings On Carnaby St. / Zig Zags / Abracadab / Tri County Barn Dance / Air On A 6 String / Motor City Spirit / Ghost Of The Bayou / Leonard's Best

Musicians:
Steve Morse - guitars, keyboards, "various extraneous instruments"
Dave LaRue - bass
Van Romain - drums and percussion

Discography:
Dixie Dregs - The Great Spectacular (1975)
Dixie Dregs - Free Fall - (1977)
Dixie Dregs - What If (1978)
Dixie Dregs - Night Of The Living Dregs (1979)
Dixie Dregs - Sex, Dregs & Rock ''n'' Roll (1979)
Dixie Dregs - Dregs of The Earth (1980)
Dixie Dregs - Unsung Heroes (1981)
Dixie Dregs - Live In New York (1981)
Dixie Dregs - Industry Standard (1982)
The Introduction (1984)
Stand Up (1986)
Kansas - Power (1986)
Dixie Dregs - Best Of The Dixie Dregs (1987)
Dixie Dregs - Off The Record (1988)
Kansas - In The Spirit Of Things (1988)
Dixie Dregs - Divided We Stand - Best Of (1989)
High Tension Wires (1989)
Southern Steel (1991)
Coast To Coast (1992)
Dixie Dregs - Bring ''Em Back Alive (1992)
Dixie Dregs - Full Circle (1994)
Structural Damage (1995)
Stress Fest (1996)
Deep Purple - Purpendicular (1996)
Deep Purple - Live at the Olympia
Dixie Dregs - King Biscuit Flower Hour (1998)
Deep Purple - Abandon (1998)
Kansas - King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Kansas (1998)
Deep Purple - Total Abandon (1999)
Deep Purple - Major Impacts (2000)
Deep Purple - Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2000)
Dixie Dregs - California Screamin'' (2000)
Major Impacts (2000)
Split Decision (2002)
Major Impacts 2 (2004)

(amongst others)

Genre: Rock

Origin US

Added: December 18th 2004
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: www.stevemorse.com
Hits: 1845
Language: english

  

[ Back to Reviews Index | Post Comment ]