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(More customer reviews)As you've probably read by now, guitarist extraordinaire Steve Morse's gimmick with this disc was to write all-new songs with elements of the artists that influenced him.. so rather than a batch of tweaked covers, these instrumentals put a new spin on both Steve and the musicians he's giving a nod to. But despite all that, as with every other Morse offering, the real beauty of Major Impacts 2 is the man's exquisite composition skills. He can take any of these modes and make it his own; he effortlessly spins easy listenable melodies that never seem to get predictable; his guitar virtuosity is always solid but never needlessly flashy. What's remarkable to me is the way Steve's music always radiates sunshine and upbeat happiness without ever seeming to get stale from one album to the next. Every offering is continually new and interesting, and every one's a joy.
MI2's range is even wider than its predecessor's. A few straight-ahead rockers are present as always, from the classic-rock stylings of "Motor City Spirit" and "Leonard's Best" to the madly addicting down-and-dirty boogie of "Zig Zags".. but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Keyboards are utilized more than ever before in his homages to the Who, ELP and Genesis. "Cool Wind, Green Hills" masterfully crafts a gorgeous Celtic ballad. The rustic country/western hoedown "Tri-County Barn Dance" could almost be the long-lost twin of "Ghost Riders in the Sky." Some old guy named Bach even pops up in the form of a classical partita, the notes resolving themselves out of a seemingly random stream to create something beautiful once the whole structure comes together.
I can't really describe in more words what a joy this album is to experience. This is the kind of music just about anyone can find something to like about, whether they're looking for impressive musicianship, stellar melodic sensibility, excellent composition or just something energetic and happy to crank up in the car. If you like the sound of any of that.. if you'd like to hear some incredible guitar skill serving the songs, and not vice versa.. Major Impacts 2 is MOST highly recommended. Best enjoyed as loud as possible.
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Major Impacts 2Product Description: This year has been a busy one for rock guitar virtuoso Steve Morse. In addition to his heavy touring schedule with Deep Purple and his own Steve Morse Band, he found time to record "Major Impacts 2", a successor to his stellar Magna Carta debut, 2000's "Major Impacts".
Widely hailed as an innovative alternative to the more standard tribute album, Morse's "Major Impacts 2" concept sees him paying tribute to his influences -- not with direct covers but with original tracks that recall the style of his heroes, filtered through his own interpretive sheen. Not only does it showcase his incredible versatility and inventiveness as a guitar player, composer and interpreter, it also provides a window into how he became the guitar player he is today.
"When Magna Carta came to me with the idea, I liked it immediately because it was such a challenge," Morse recalls.So many people do tribute albums where they simply cover the songs, but this was so totally different:I didn't want to fall into the trap of being derivative, so I tried to come up with a few things that would identify a style and what that artist or composer has meant to me."
In deciding whom to pay homage to on the record he deliberately avoided targeted research, choosing instead to rely purely on his long-term musical memory. As such, we hear flavors of bluegrass and Cajun music Morse heard as a teenager in Georgia (he even plays his grandfather's fiddle on one track, "Ghost of the Bayou"); the swinging '60s sound of The Yardbirds and The Hollies ("12 Strings on Carnaby St."); Bach counterpoint ("Air on a 6 String"); guitar interpretations of Keith Emerson's organ playing ("Organically Grown") and Steven Tyler's distinctive vocal style ("Errol Smith").
Like its predecessor, "Major Impacts 2" features the guitarist's regular collaborators and Steve Morse Band members: bassist Dave LaRue and drummer/percussionist Van Romaine. Morse, who also played all keyboard parts and violin, produced the album, his third on Magna Carta.
Founding member of the fusion rock band, Dixie Dregs, and a member of Deep Purple since 1996, Morse adheres to the notion that his approach to playing and writing hasn't changed over the years, despite the many hats he wears and style bases he covers. Indeed, it's his chameleon-like musicianship that is captured so perfectly on the multi-faceted "Major Impacts 2".
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