Galactic Tide Feat. Andy Timmons ‘The Haas Company Vol. 1’ Review
By Jim Hynes
The promotional statement, which typically reek of hyperbole, reads “Galactic Tide’s The Hass Company Vol.1 is one of the most powerful rock/fusion albums of recent times.” That’s right on the money. The inventive, powerful, aiming-for-the-heavens guitarist Andy Timmons has his stamp all over this record.
Known by many as the guitarist for glam metal band Danger Danger, Timmons toured the world opening for Kiss and Alice Cooper, sold over a million records worldwide, had two #1 videos on MTV, and amassed a discography that includes seven solo releases that range from guitar instrumentals, to blues, and even a Beatles/Elvis Costello-inspired collection of pop tunes. An even more confounding aspect of his resume is his stint as musical director for Olivia Newton-John. All that poses the question as to why he is appearing on a jazz/rock fusion record in the presence of such players as the late Wallace Roney.
Timmons’ more under the radar work consists of jazz fusion between 1997 and 2015 with drummer/bandleader Simon Phillips. His fret work here will rip the chrome from any Cadillac’s best finish. The bandleader is drummer Steve Hass with all the music composed, arranged, and produced by keyboardist Pete Drungle. Kirwan Brown and Al MacDowell share bass duties as do Pete Gallo and Jay Rodriguez on saxophone. Roney appears on just one track “Stockholm Syndrome” along with percussionist Mauro Refosco. The album was recorded at one of the most hallowed studios in jazz, NYC’s Sear Sound. The key to that opening quote is “recent times” but fans of the genre will immediately invoke past albums from the likes of John Mclaughlin, Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham.
This is LOUD from inception with Timmons fiery, soaring excursions above a dense backdrop that mark the opening “Leather Pajamas.” The epic “1979” unfolds as a suite, gentle at the outset, certainly compared to the previous, but it’s not long before Timmons launches into another rocket fueled, head spinning journey amidst changing rhythms with bass and keys exerting a stronger presence in the second half. “Good Lieutenant” tampers down the pace with Drungle dialoguing with Timmons who wields sustained, bluesy lines. If you haven’t grabbed your headphones yet, you need to as engineer Chris Allen does a superb job with reverb, echo effects, and blends best appreciated with your favorite headgear. Timmons digs in deep here, his guitar lines seemingly ricochetting in multiple directions.
“Stockholm Syndrome” is the most overly jazz piece here, featuring percussion from Refosco and two spots from the revered late trumpeter Roney, who as a major acolyte of Miles Davis, sounds like his mentor in this scalar piece led mostly by Drungle’s keys. A funky groove develops, and, of course, Timmons gets his heated licks in too.
The latter half of the album consists of shorter pieces in the five-to-six-minute range and two of the five are more spacy and melodic than the earlier material, especially the lush but dense “Ballad for Andy” and the title track. However, this group of musicians, Timmons chief among them, refuse to be hemmed in for long, breaking out with the fierce, merciless all out assaulting metal-like rock in “Magic Log” and the equally heavy, relentless pounding strut of “Tower of Babel” which features a rare saxophone solo from Rodriguez. Naturally they wail away with a take no prisoners approach on the closer, “Arrow of Time” too, where the twin saxophonists factor a bit more prominently in the mix. Throughout, however, the focus remains on Timmons, an absolute beast with his axe.
Timmons and his Galactic Tide bandmates go for the jugular, and rarely, if ever, ease up. There’s enough power here to supply a decent size village.
Listen to “Galactic Tide Featuring Andy Timmons” Here
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