Scott Devines new record

[sandy_r]

Scott's new project (he missed a trick there, not renaming himself Scoot Devine) is very clever

 

I can only ever see it being helpful as a soundtrack to help get me through 2 very specific - and (hopefully) remote - circumstances:-

 

a) i am about to drive through the Champs Elysées at rush hour;   OR/

b) a rock has fallen and trapped my leg, whilst i was walking alone in a remote desert, and i am about to cut my leg off with a penknife

 

he's a great guy though, and i loved watching his videos

 

 

Edited October 21, 2023 by sandy_r

[Richard R]

It is, unashamedly,  a fusion album.  Through-composed, very challenging to play, challenging to listen to, and lacking in hummable tunes or much repetition of themes.  Scott's making of documentary is clear on his references and influences- Tribal Tech and Weather Report get named, as do others I haven't heard of. 

https://youtu.be/xFhGLnvilEE

 

 

I've listened through it twice now, while doing other things,and I am beginning to pick out what's going on and start to enjoy it. I don't quite get it, but then I still don't quite get B!tches Brew, Heavy Weather , or several other albums in the same genre.

There's enough in all of them that I keep coming back though.

 

 

Edited October 21, 2023 by Richard R
Typo, profanity f!iter adjustment

[Leonard Smalls]

9 hours ago, peteb said:

A pretty cool effort but nowhere near exceptional enough to transcend what is a very niche genre

I've been listening to it, but agree with Pete!

Good effort, but a bit fusion-by-numbers. The only slightly less formulaic bits are some of the guitar solos. Keys in particular are completely What Is Expected.

I prefer a slightly more leftfield, creative approach:

 

 

[Supernaut]

I liked it. 

[ossyrocks]

I’ve listened to the two tracks he put up on YouTube last week, and I’m halfway through the film about how/why he put this together. That itself is quite interesting. Some of this reminds me a bit of Jing Chi, and that can be fairly challenging, but I applaud the effort and dedication applied to making this, it’s a real achievement, and he should be proud of it. Is it for everyone? No. But I can listen to it and enjoy it for what it is. 
He’s also provided a full bass transcription of the entire album, for free, for anyone so inclined. I’ve downloaded it, but I’ll have a look at it when I’m feeling penitent. 

[Paolo85]

Right, I have given it a first good listen. 

-Scott is a great player and absolutely not a show off. Obviously you don't just play roots and fifths in this genres but he plays for the band

-I think the album is great BUT...

-...I say it is great the way an album of a friend of a friend (or say a Basschatter sharing their music here) can be great. While there have been some extremely rare exceptions, I do not think this will become regular listening for me. The fact is, there isn't much recorded after 2000 that is regular listening for me

- I have one issue with this album. Often times it seems to come straight from the early 90s. That's mostly down to guitar and keys and how they go together. There is nothing wrong with making music heavily inspired by the past. Just I happen to find the typical early 90s fusion sound quite cheesy

- I agree with those saying this album keeps well within the boundaries of its genre so yes I'd say it won't make history

 

Edited October 21, 2023 by Paolo85

[gary mac]

I've not had a listen but it's got to be better than Eric Cantona's new release

[theplumber]

What a racket....it's total guff!!!

[ezbass]

50 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

Some of this reminds me a bit of Jing Chi,

As a Robben Ford/Yellowjackets fan, I bought this, but was bitterly disappointed and I think I gave it away. I like fusion well enough, Return to Forever, Stanley & Al Di’s solo stuff, Jan Hammer with Jeff Beck, Jeff on his own and a number of others, but Scott’s project leaves me cold. I can appreciate the technical ability and artistry but I don’t want to finish listening to a single track and bass solos (unless it’s Stanley) I find unnecessary. That said, there are plenty of other genres that I don’t like, or even certain artists within genres I adore that I don’t like and I’m sure that there enough folk who do like them to warrant going to the effort of producing it in the first place, including Scott’s project. In fact, kudos to Scott for actually doing it, given his medical condition, it couldn’t have been easy for him.

[Bleat]

5 minutes ago, theplumber said:

What a racket....it's total guff!!!

 

 

Well this is "Vol:1", so you know what that means.....

[Richard R]

37 minutes ago, Bleat said:

Well this is "Vol:1", so you know what that means.....

 

We play the next album LOUDER? 😁

[ahpook]

I've listened to a few songs (cuts ? tracks ?) from it now and it's OK. I'm no fusion buff, but it pretty much what I'd expect from a fusion album.

 

Pleasant enough - the excursions keep the ear interested, but nothing much really made me sit up and have a 'Heyyyyy !' moment. All expertly played though, no doubting that.

 

There, that's enough serious Pook for the moment

 

Edited October 21, 2023 by ahpook

[Maude]

It's like aggressive elevator music. 

 

"And here's Scott Devine's new band Rage Against The Elevator with their single 'Know Your Floor'" 

[sandy_r]

1 hour ago, Bleat said:

 

 

Well this is "Vol:1", so you know what that means.....

 

...that the Volumes will go up to 11 ?

 

[Richard R]

48 minutes ago, Maude said:

aggressive elevator music.

 

I shall nick that.  👍

 

On third listening I'm starting to "get" this album. 

[Boodang]

That’s more like it, effing brilliant. Love the Weckl / McLaughlin fusion stuff, of which this is very reminiscent. Like Howard Moon says in his jazz rant, at least it’s not ‘nursery rhyme’ simple with safe boundaries. 

[Woodinblack]

I quite like the first couple of minutes of game theory. Then it gets a bit too random for me. Certainly listenable but I can't imagine going back to it much. I will give the whole album a listen though.

[Bleat]

55 minutes ago, sandy_r said:

 

...that the Volumes will go up to 11 ?

 

 

Well not only does it mean there is more of the same to follow, by Vol:10 they may decide to go to 11 just for that extra little push over the cliff.

[Rayman]

Don’t get me wrong, my OP was not a pop at Mr D, he’s an amazing player and very good at what he does, he also seems like a really nice chap. I stop by his website pretty often.

 

However this self indulgent musical offering is not my bag, that’s really my only point. I’m sure lots of people disagree and really enjoy it, which of course, is great.

[fretmeister]

I quite like it.

 

But I can't help feeling if the keys were replaced with an actual piano and any melody guitar was swapped for a trumpet then it would be an absolute banger.

[Baloney Balderdash]

41 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I quite like it.

 

But I can't help feeling if the keys were replaced with an actual piano and any melody guitar was swapped for a trumpet then it would be an absolute banger.

And the bass with a tuba!

 

[alexa3020]

I quite enjoyed it. I'm not into fusion, but I'm gonna check a bit more of it out. I definitely think he's doing it for the love of it - which is the whole point right? but also It makes perfect sense for him to do. He's getting a load of content - both educational for sbl and entertainment for youtube.

[Bevan7]

I’m loving it.

[Rayman]

There you, horses for courses….

 

 I’m obviously at the wrong race track.

[Barking Spiders]

Considering SD's fave bassists, can't say I'm surprised . This is no worse than any other fusion stuff I've heard but then again to my ears all fusion sounds tuneless and unenjoyable.