Reid is a guitarist of many facets, stylistically riffing. He handles that Eric Johnson/ Hendrixian sound very well. He creates those moody chordal progressions and compositions mirroring Allan Holdsworth. He can do that Stevie Ray Vaughan bluesy rock ballad. He even mellows out blissfully, serenely, and full of that pristine, hollow-body electric jazz standards mood. If this short album is to showcase Reid’s solid songwriting and guitar technique, then it does just that and Reid is impressive. The guy even sings on one cut and manages to decently pull that off — a rare gift for most instrumental guitarists.

Here’s hoping to see Reid do more Eric Johnsonesque work but from Johnson’s Electromagnets fusion phase and to also crank out some more Holdsworthian legato with a Scott McGill crunch. From what I hear on this release, Reid can probably do it all, just like I am imagining. He is that good. If Reid keeps improving and releasing better and longer works, then this release will probably become a collectors’ item in a few years. Bravo, Curtis — ya done good!

Cyberhome: http://www.curtis-reid.com

Track listing: Reciprocity, Application for President, The Ghosts of Narcissism, Somewhere between Theory & Forgiveness, Time Won’t Change for Places to Wait, James Marshall, (They Say) the West is Nice this Time of Year

Personnel: Curtis Reid - Axe/synths/vox, Mario Mendivil - Bass, Gary Bruzzese and Dan Tomlinson - drums, Guy “Nathan Mahl” LeBlanc - Hammond Organ, Aimee Davis - ethereal jazz vox

Style: Fusion/Progressive Rock
Published: March 01, 2002

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