..:: audio-music dot info ::..


Main Page      The Desert Island      Copyright Notice
 Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz


Martin Barre: Stage Left

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: RandM Records
Released: 2003.08.04
Time:
 51:06
Category: Progressive Rock
Producer(s): Martin Barre, Mark Tucker
Rating: *******... (7/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.martinbarre.com
Appears with: Jethro Tull
Purchase date: 2014
Price in €: 1,00





 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Count the Chickens (M.Barre) - 2:40
[2] As Told By (M.Barre) - 3:29
[3] A French Correction (M.Barre) - 4:35
[4] Murphy's Paw (M.Barre) - 3:50
[5] Favourite Things (M.Barre) - 4:04
[6] After You, After Me (M.Barre) - 4:34
[7] D.I.Y. (M.Barre/P.Gabriel) - 1:55
[8] Spanish Tears (M.Barre) - 4:32
[9] Stage Fright (M.Barre/R.Robertson) - 4:08
[10] Winter Snowscape (M.Barre) - 4:46
[11] Nelly Returns (M.Barre) - 3:39
[12] Celestial Servings (M.Barre) - 2:57
[13] I Raise My Glass to You! (M.Barre) - 2:06
[14] Don't Say a Word (M.Barre) - 4:08

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Martin Barre - Bouzouki, Flute, Guitar, Mandolin, Producer, Engineer
Jonathan Noyce - Bass
Andrew Giddings - Keyboards
Darren Mooney - Drums

Simon Burrett - Vocals on [14]

Mark Tucker - Programming, Recording Engineer, Producer
John Dent - Mastering

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2003 CD Randm Records RAMCD002

Recorded at Presshouse Studio, Devon, England.

Stage Left is Martin Barre's fourth studio CD, (in reference to his hallowed position on the Jethro Tull stage assignment). Featuring 13 instrumental tracks (and one with vocals, "Don't Say a Word"), the Jethro Tull guitarist moves through a wide range of guitar-based styles including (but not limited to) classical and blues acoustics, progressive rock, and 80s-styled finger picking.



"The first solo album from Jethro Tull's legendary guitarist," reads a back cover note, but that isn't true. Stage Left is actually Martin Barre's third album made up primarily of guitar-driven rock instrumentals, following Trick of Memory (1994) and The Meeting (1996). But it is the first of his albums to earn release in the U.S. Barre's sound will be familiar to anyone who's been listening to his playing with Jethro Tull since he joined the group in 1969. He takes a highly textured approach, playing electric rock guitar much of the time as if he was playing English folk music on an acoustic. Sometimes, of course, he is actually playing an acoustic, and then the music is steeped in tradition while also having rock trappings. Yet Barre is anything but a typical rock guitar god. He has no real interest in soloing. When he does go for a heavy rock tune such as on "Murphy's Law," the melody, while often tricky and complicated, is logical and strictly followed. Barre's playing is always elegant, even when he's rocking hard, and always sounds like it's been worked out far in advance. Employing Jethro Tull members Jonathan Noyce and Andy Giddings, along with Darren Mooney on drums and, on the final track, "Don't Say a Word," Simon Burrett on vocals, Barre often recalls the sound of Jethro Tull, especially when he throws in some of his own flute playing. His music defeats the notion that the band is simply a vehicle for leader Ian Anderson, but on the other hand it can sometimes feel incomplete because one is used to hearing it married to Anderson's voice and lyrics.

William Ruhlmann - AllMusic.com



Whenever I’ve been to a Jethro Tull concert in recent years I have always been impressed by the showcases for their guitarist Martin ‘Lancelot’ Barre. In fact, for me, these are frequently the highlights of a consistently high standard set. Martin is Ian Anderson’s long-standing first lieutenant, a staple in the Tull line-up since the heady days of doh-dohdohdoh-doh----doh (Aqualung, for the unfamiliar). When Barre auditioned for Tull, as a replacement for the great Mick Abrahams, he apparently had no amplifier and Anderson was left listening close up to the guitar belly (or was it Martin’s?) to find out what was going on. Needless to say his judgment was sound, for Barre has since become a crucial part of Tull’s musical style.

In truth, Martin Barre’s previous solo outings ('Trick Of Memory' and 'The Meeting') have lacked the Tull 'wow' factor and the songs, with few exceptions, failed to capitalise on his instrumental interludes with the band. To a large extent, ‘Stage Left’ redresses the balance. There are enough Tull-type tracks to satisfy fans (and the presence of Jonathan Noyce and Andy Giddings is comforting) and guitarists will welcome the nicely annotated sleeve which shows which guitar is featured on each track.

The opener track sets the stage for StagDavid Randall - get ready to rocke Left, a rasping rock 'n' roll number with Barre’s trademark frills and harmonics. At times veering towards jazzy rock-Satriani territory, his approach is simpler, anchored in good traditional English riffery. Barre is a heavy riffer par excellence. He doesn’t appear in Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Guitarists (September 2003) but he should do because his sense of dynamics is always engaging and he has defined in no small way how progressive rock guitar should sound. In full flight Barre is magnificent, and excels when he builds up a slow theme, jacks up the tempo, and then goes hell-for-leather to the finishing post with a deft display of frenetic and fluid fingerwork carrying the listener along with him.

The acoustic tracks are a pleasant contrast, and will appeal to Tull fans because they encapsulate that band’s very pastoral Englishness; they also bring to mind the intricacies of Gordon Giltrap, another great player. The one slightly oddball track is the vocal ‘Don't Say A Word’ which doesn’t really fit with an otherwise instrumental album.

It is on the electric stuff that Barre really cuts mustard: ‘Murphy’s Paw’ and 'Stage Fright' showcase his superb sense of drama, tension, and release. There must be a case for putting out a whole CD of the material Martin Barre has performed in concert with Jethro Tull but in the meantime this is definitely not Exit Stage Left but Enter Centre Stage and take a bow, Martin Barre.

David Randall - get ready to rock



Im Gegensatz zu vielen Soloeskapaden berühmter Saitenwringer ist das dritte Solo- album des Chefklampfers von Jethro Tull seit 33 Jahren offensichtlich nicht auf den Beweis hin angelegt, dass der Star schneller spielen als Lucky Luke schießen kann. Im Gegenteil scheinen viele der mit Daaren Mooney (drms; Gary Moore, Primal Scream), Jonathan Noyce (bss; J. Tull), Andy Giddings (keyb; J. Tull) aufgenommenen 14 Tracks spieltechnisch zunächst so simpel aufgebaut, wie sie har- monisch vertrackt sind. "Count The Chickens" etwa zeigt elektrifiziertes Country-Flair ähnlich sie man es von S. Morse und seinen (Dixie) Dregs her kennt und liebt.

K. Reckert - gaesteliste.de
 

 L y r i c s


Currently no Lyrics available!

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


Currently no Samples available!