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Reviews

Bozzio Levin Stevens — Situation Dangerous
(Magna Carta MA-9049-2, 2000, CD)

Situation Dangerous Cover art

Here is a machine gun blast of a recording that looks as if it would fit in with what the heavily metallicized King Crimson has been doing this decade. Stevens seems to have been elected star of the show — his abrasive playing dominates the CD. I hear influences from the likes of Hendrix, Vai, and others. Unfortunately Levin’s bass is often drowned out in the massively thick textures. Not only guitar, but synth-emulating sounds spring forth from Stevens’ wand. (I see no synth player listed so I assume he is supplying this by a MIDI-guitar device). And there is also a guest flamenco guitarist on one track. The drums of Terry Bozzio display his customary phenomenal technical wizardry, and impress in how he follows the melodic lines so intricately with the variety of sound plates and cymbals he uses. Interestingly enough, assuming BLS to be a mere side project, I had predicted quite a bit of spontaneity and maybe even some filler material, or stretching of ideas to fill out the CD’s length. But this was not the case. In fact the entire recording is strictly composed, even down to the drum beats. Perhaps along the lines of what you get from Steve Vai or Jeff Beck (whose one-time drummer Simon Phillips echoes Bozzio to a certain degree) — there is almost no improvisation or free playing happening. While I applaud the attention to detail (it would have been very easy for them to cobble together some inchoate jams and present what would be a second-rate effort), I do have a soft spot for some extemporaneous playing when appropriate, often finding myself anticipating drum fills and off-the-cuff flourishes that rarely happen. Thus in conclusion, I’d say the trio offers a great item for those who want high-tension instrumental rock without any fusion or jazz elements. And it’s sure to be a favorite release of the year for many.

by Mike Ezzo, Published 2001-03-01

For their second outing as a trio, these guys had a little more rehearsal time, and it shows. The eight tracks here come off as real compositions, and there is plenty of great ensemble playing to complement the improvisation. When the first cut, “Dangerous,” starts out with a slight variation on the riff from Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” you know you’re in for a fun-filled ride. Other little references are sprinkled throughout the tunes, be they King Crimson, Yes, or whatever. In this case, this is not a mark of musicians running out of ideas, but little tributes to their favorites and influences (plus a good game of Spot the Phrase for listeners). In addition to the aggressive playing on “Dangerous” and others, there are plenty of quieter moments, where Steve Stevens gets out his acoustic guitar. The interplay between that and Levin’s fretless bass on “X” is truly beautiful. Moving even further afield, the flamenco tune “Tziganne” is a real workout, rather like DiMeola or McLaughlin’s Spanish moods, only with percussion accompaniment.

by Jon Davis, Published 2001-01-01

Situation Dangerous is the second musical adventure from this trio of musician’s musicians who hoped to have another chance to work on another project. The lineup’s first disc, Black Light Syndrome, was not so much a disaster as an introduction to three players who had never played together, jamming for a half week and then releasing a product with an uncertain niche. The group did very little pre-planning, preferring to live in the moment and record over an hour of free playing. The results were not convincing; it appeared that the combination of virtuosos had not done their homework beforehand. Not so this outing, since the real talents of the players come through and in fact shine. Steve Stevens is the hot commodity that benefits most within the eight shorter tracks. As the profile section on the label’s website clearly states, “the acoustic work is positively breathtaking” as indicated on “Spiral,” and I happen to agree. This is one the reasons the disc is vastly more successful in addition to the album being composed this time out with space to balance the shredding. Plus the inclusion of power ballads such as “Endless” or the brilliant flamenco sketches on “Tziganne “ create a balanced palette for the group. Overall, Situation Dangerous fits nicely into the Magna Carta blitz on progressive metal, but with a smarter approach (and almost as good as Liquid Tension Experiment). Now if they would just tour to support the album... but of course Tony Levin is probably too busy!

by Jeff Melton, Published 2001-03-01

The second album from this all-star trio contains some of the best music that’s been released this year. It’s also a bit schizophrenic, as the band alternates between riff-oriented instrumental hard rock and a more melodic approach with distinct flamenco influences. The opening track, “Dangerous,” is a somewhat heavy-handed rocker with licks lifted from Led Zep’s “Immigrant Song.” The lengthy second song, appropriately entitled “Endless,” is an exquisite piece that unfolds to reveal layer upon layer of nuance. Tony Levin’s bowed cello leads into Steve Stevens’ arsenal of guitar sounds that builds from Wes Montgomery-style octaves to Steve Howe-influenced note cascades. The track builds to tremendous climax with some wailing hard rock soloing that Jeff Back would be proud of. While we expect greatness from virtuosos like Bozzio and Levin, it is in fact Stevens’ playing that is particularly impressive (yes, it’s the same guy with the black leather pants that played with Billy Idol). He displays a tremendous sense of taste and melody that all too often is lacking. His love for flamenco is evident in the several lovely acoustic numbers, and Terry Bozzio proves his affinity for this sound with an unbelievable piccolo tom solo that rhythmically and melodically doubles the guitar line! All in all, Situation Dangerous is a tremendous album that is the work of a very self-assured trio of players who utilize their individual instrumental prowess effectively in the group setting. This will surely garner a spot in my top ten list for 2000.

by David Ashcraft, Published 2001-03-01

Filed under: New releases, Issue 21, 2000 releases

Related artist(s): Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin, Bozzio Levin Stevens

More info
http://bozziolevinstevens.bandcamp.com/album/situation-dangerous

 

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