From: ddn@cbnews.cb.att.com (david.d.nason)
Newsgroups: rec.music.misc
Subject: New CD Reviews
Date: 18 Aug 92 17:51:42 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T

Ratings based on max of 5 stars (*****).

FISH - Internal Exile (****)
============================

So I go to the CD store to pick up something entirely different,
and I see FISH's _Internal Exile_ in the new CD section.
I've hit the jackpot.  I had unsuccessfully looked all over for
FISH's previous work since leaving Marillion and eventually
given up.  Being more of a "musical listenter" than a
"lyrical listener", FISH was always one person who could
get me excited about listening to lyrics.  Here's a guy who
writes interesting, complicated lyrics and weaves them into
melodies and nice phrasings about as well as anybody I can
think of.  Now having listened to it, I find it refreshing
to hear FISH again.  FISH seems up to par to me, and the
musical backing quickly put behind me any notions that I
would be dissappointed that this wasn't Marillion.  I
really like the contrast in styles that FISH exhibits
and the details that go into the songs.  It remains to be
seen whether my enthusiasm will stick with this CD as it
has over some of the older Marillion.  But for now, I really
like it.

The Dixie Dregs - Bring 'Em Back Alive (***1/2)
===============================================

Steve Morse has just about lost me with his solo efforts.  I have
long been one of his biggest fans, but for the most part I haven't
found a lot that excited me on his latest several efforts.  There's
always some great stuff, but just too much that sounds like stuff
he's done before.  And besides, I miss the old band.  So I approached
this reunion Dixie Dregs CD with cautious optimism.  The lineup
includes fomer Dregsters Allen Sloan, T Lavitz, Rod Morgenstein,
and Morse himself.  Dave Larue, who plays bass with Morse on his
solo projects, fills in for Andy West (and quite well I must say).
Lots of old Dregs classics on the CD, and they are all done to perfection.
The problem is that the CD won't stick around on my turntable for
long, because I've played all these old songs to death - and there's
not a lot new about the live versions.  There is, however, a medley
of various things and a version of Zep's _Kashmir_ that, in my opinion,
are the highlights of the CD.  Musically, Morse and his cohorts are
unequaled.  I just wish there was some variation here that we haven't
heard before.  And I wish this lineup would write some new material.

Joe Satriani - The Extremist (**)
=================================

Well, thank God he doesn't sing on this one.  There's good playing
on the CD, but much less that catches my ear, so to speak, than
what we've heard from Joe in the past.  I like Joe best when
he concentrates on melody and leaves the whammy theatrics to
Vai.  I think he tried to do that, but the songwriting seems
weaker that his past efforts.  Contrary to some of the positive
things that netters have to say about this CD, I have to give
it a thumbs down.

Dream Theater - Images and Words (****)
=======================================

As of two weeks ago, I had never heard of Dream Theater.  But I read
a review of this CD in a local newspaper that said something to
the effect of, "If you liked ELP and old Rush, you better check this out",
and proceeded to give the CD its highest rating.
This sounded like it was right up my alley, so I bought it.  Well,
I was pleased and dissapointed at the same time.  I like the CD, but
about the only parallel I see between Dream Theater and ELP/old Rush
is long songs.  The band has a highly polished sound which I like,
has written some good songs, has a great guitar player, and has scored
some bonus points from me for getting Jay Beckenstein to do some sax
on one song.  I would classify Dream Theater as a modern rock band,
but go further and say that they are more accomplished musically and
with their songwriting than your basic "modern rock band" today.

Shawn Lane - Powers of Ten (*1/2)
=================================

Shawn is a musical prodigy.  If you don't believe it, just read the liner
notes and observe that he did all instruments and produced the CD himself.
Then listen to the CD.  I suspect that you will have no doubts that Shawn
is amazing, but you may also be asleep by that time.  At least I was.
The music is quite varied, ranging from "jazz-rock" (for lack of a better
term) to pure "classical".  There are a couple of interesting tunes
on the CD, but there are a lot that I just didn't find very interesting.
Several tunes went on forever (particularly the classical pieces) and
never said anything to me.  Shawn's playing has matured a great deal
in the past ten years - I enjoyed listening to the CD, but I think it'll
sit on the shelf from now on.
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