Whoopgnash: Whoopgnash

Well, the endless axe adventures of Allan Holdsworth down through his helter-skelter career has left dents in the brains of many a guitarist, (my included). Whoopgansh's John Erickson is severely dented by the Holdsworthian monolithic guitar benchmark. Erickson is no copycat but has caught the drift of what happens in a Holdsworth tune perfectly. His band; Bill Paul on drums, Drum KAT/synth and Keith Norton on bass follow along easily at breakneck speeds, stop-n-go time sigs, and accentuate unison jams, rim-shot tight. Erickson's attacks on solos are clean, expressively-driven and fly along at legato phrasings that will make most fusion fans drool.

If you have dug Holdsworth for years, then enjoy this Erickson cat skittering all over that I.O.U./Metal Fatigue era sound. Bass work and drum lines are fine too with Erickson interweaving intricate finger rolls and subdued backing soundscapes in Texan, Eric Johnson's style. We tone down the fusion-fueled, frenzy on "Reunions" and my mind is cast into dreamworlds of chordal ascension to the stairway lit by heaven's portals. Erickson's emotive lead is precisely voiced like a soul crying out for answers to life's myriad of set backs. Wonderful cut! A wealthy amount of exactly the type fusion the typifies the best to be heard is right here folks. And executed with pizzazz. Get this CD and help keep one more unknown fusion group make it big time. Don't believe me? Just sample "Sissy-Boy Slap Party"! You'll see the light too. Highest of recommendations.

Track Listing1. Short Term Memory; 2. Desmo; 3. Too Hammered To Be Legit; 4. Moderately Priced; 5. Reunions; 6. Tony; 7. Sissy-Boy Slap Party

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