100 ONE SAYS

After listening to their debut and feeling rather indifferent about 100 Onces' harsh-sounding instrumental guitar rock, I gave their new 2013 release called 100 One Says a listen and was remarkably impressed. The duo of Barrett Tuttobene (guitar) and Richard Ray (drums) this time incorporated bass into their sound. This really improved their overall sound. But that wasn't the only improvement. Compositionally, the instrumentals on this album are much more thought out, much more intricate, use repeating themes effectively, and are just a thrill and enjoyment to listen to.

The harshness of the previous album is missing almost entirely and is replaced with a complex heavy sound interspersed with calmer sections and rather intricate melodies and riffs. The drum work keeps up with the frantic pace of the guitar work. Each song is packed with toe-tapping energy. When one is looking for a good instrumental guitar rock album, this one fits the bill very well.

I'm really at a loss at finding comparable groups worth mentioning. Sometimes I get that Swedish vibe (think Anekdoten's guitar work), but sometimes it seems like what Gentle Giant would have put together if they were a hard rock instrumental band. Tuttobene's guitar work is on par with some of the greats in today's prog world and if he continues making albums like this, the prog world ought to take notice.

An enjoyable listen. Easily worth four stars.