BLACK LIGHT SYNDROME

Black Light Syndrome is the debut album from all star band Bozzio Levin Stevens. As the name suggests the band consist of Terry Bozzio ( Frank Zappa, UK, Missing Persons, Steve Vai) on drums, Tony Levin ( King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Liquid Tension Experiment) on bass and Steve Stevens ( Billy Idol, Vince Neil, Derek Sherinian, Steve Lukather, Joni Mitchell, Peter Criss, Michael Jackson and others. Steve also performed the Top Gun Anthem featured in the film Top Gun) on guitar. Prog heads will recognize both Terry Bozzio and Tony Levin while Steve Stevens at this time wasn´t someone you associated with progressive rock. That would change with this album though.

The music is obviously created while jamming in the studio but unlike other jam session albums this one really seems to work for me. The album is fully instrumental. Both Tony Levin and Terry Bozzio create some great rythms and Levin provides the powerful and colourful notes for Steve Stevens to play over. Even though both Tony Levin and Terry Bozzio delivers some great interplay it´s Steve Stevens that is the biggest attraction here for me. I would never have thought that someone like him could play so many challenging and beautiful notes.

The music is very influenced by King Crimson Red period and instrumental prog jazz/rock. Actually there´s little jazz in the music but I guess it´s the best way to describe the music for a lack of better words. The songs that remind me most of King Crimson are Dark Corners and Falling In Circles while the latin and mostly acoustic Duende is a nice melodic break. The opener The Sun Road is a great 14:37 minute long jam with lots of great sections. The most jazzy track here is the title track which has a jazzy beginning and a beautiful and fast played guitar climax. Excellent.

The musicianship is excellent and if these songs are invented while in the studio they are pretty impressive. There are many great sections here and even though it´s obvious that the songs are created while jamming they are generally very cohesive and structured.

The production is powerful and really gives us the oppertunity to experience a power trio on the loose.

I´ve had this album for quite a while and never really got into it before now. It´s hard for me to listen to this kind of music and normally I wouldn´t be too thrilled with the style but it seems that there are exceptions from the rule. This album is way above average and fully deserves 4 stars. Cold and sharp when it needs to be and beautiful, emotional and melodic when that is required.