WHOOPGNASH

I don't think John Erickson, WHOOPGNASH's guitarist would mind me calling his playing Holdsworthian, with the legato and fast runs, but he steers well clear of the Holdsworth-clone pigeonhole. (There are a number of professional jazz guitarists who are happy to be known to playing in the style of Wes Montgomery without being slavish, so let's avoid any hassle when somebody adopts and adapts a Holdsworthian approach?) This album is a much more exuberant, extrovert album than recent albums by Holdsworth - who IMHO has been more cerebral/intellectual with his jazz fusion output through the 90's. Whoopgnash as a listening experience, has to be taken as a work by all three members of the band, not simply that of an excellent guitarist. The drums and bass are a real treat, adding synergistically to the whole, sounding unlike any Holdsworth rhythm section I remember, while giving an energy similar to that heard with Wayne Krantz's rhythm section on Greenwich Means. One nice bonus, is in that I've found myself whistling several of the main themes of tunes on this album - and I can't remember doing that for a long time!!! Check out my favourite track 'Too Hammered To Be Legit' for where the Holdsworth similarities start and finish.

An excellent debut album. A most strongly recommended album.

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