ATTENTION DEFICIT

Not unlike some other guitar-centered power trios, Attention Deficit delivers a very energetic jazz rock, including flashes of fiery psychedelia and getting pretty wicked at times. This supergroup's particular value relies on the special touch delivered by each individual member. Tim Alexander's jazz leanings have always been clearly stated from his Primus days (in fact, his drumming proved essential for that band's overall sound during the time he was a member); Michael Manring articulates his Stanley Clarke and Les Claypool influences with a sense of energetic exquisiteness; and, last, Alex Skolnick absorbs the combined heritages of Holdsworth, Fripp and Beck with a renewing energy and a fearless urge to explore the expressive potentials that can be created by multi- varied guitar effects. The fact that the album's material is ordained as a continuum helps to build a sense of sonic power all along: all compositions are largely based on jamming, so the musicians' main aim is to invite the listener to let themselves go according to the various moods successively conveyed by the repertoire. The use of brief interludes helps to create a solid inner connection for the overall repertoire's structure: some of these interludes are really short, like the 22-second 'Snip' and the 10-second 'Festivus'. It's interesting how all three musicians manage to intertwine their respective inputs while exposing their particular skills - this group works magically well as both an ensemble and an assembly of individuals. Anyway, I'll mention a number of individual tracks in order to go deeper into my personal impressions about this album. 'An Exchange of Niceties', 'Febrile' and the 'Wrong' interlude are really aggressive and delirious. On the other hand, the 11-minute 'Fly Pelican, Fly', expands on a jamming that incorporates a number of sonic variations fluidly taking place while it keeps on riding. Although it is not a particularly explosive number, 'Fly Pelican, Fly' turns out to be quite energetic, as well as one of the album's definite highlights, due to the perfect integration and intertwining dialogues that are built up by all three musicians. 'Scapula' is a funky-based jam with an overtly disturbing twist delivered by Skolnick's wild guitar passages: another highlight, indeed. The 'ATM', 'TMA' and 'MAT' interludes are eerie exercises in psychedelia, which convey an evident though self- constrained sense of aggressiveness, disturbing without ever getting overtly oppressive: a similar ambience is delivered in 'Ill Fated Conspiracy'. 'The Girl from Enchilada' gives a warm hint to old-fashioned jazz fusion. Details could go on and on. but I'll stop it right here - all in all, this is an excellent recording that would make an excellent addition to any good prog collection.