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Rating: Rod Morgestein and Jordan Rudess: do these names ring a bell?
The first is the talented drummer of the "Dixie Dregs", an internationally acclaimed Fusion group, besides being one of the best percussionists around; the second is the keyboard virtuoso of "Dream Theater", whose technical abilities are well-known and criticized by many (in my opinion, he is one of the best keyboardists worldwide). After some experiences shared between the two musicians in the Dregs (Rudess was hired as a part-time member in 1994), their musical affinities merged into a project conceived and published in 1998, called the "Rudess Morgestein Project". Their musical synergy flourishes in this album, making it well-crafted: the tracks are a blend of many genres, such as Ambience, Fusion, Rock, Progressive etc., combined with their usual technical and emotional expertise.
In my opinion, the assessment of this album can be categorized, as the structure of the tracks is (in my view) quite similar (this DOES NOT MEAN IDENTICAL: each song is different from the other and has unique features).
According to this criterion, "Don't Look Down", "Tailspin", "Drop The Puck", "Crossing Over", "Cartoon Parade", and "Over The Edge", share more or less the same structure: they all have rather catchy motifs (slightly less "Over The Edge"), more or less complex, on which the solos develop, often joined by interludes or intermediate sections leading back to the main motif. Nonetheless, the pieces are very interesting and refined and nothing is taken for granted. Conversely, tracks like "Never Again" and "Masada" constitute the ballads of the album: despite being simple tunes or melodies, these two pieces are very moving, demonstrating that Rudess is a musician with a capital M: being able to reach astronomical speeds is not everything, one must be able to express oneself and move others (a quality maximized in albums like "Secrets Of The Muse" or "4Nyc"). In my view, this is the purpose of music.
On the other hand, I consider "Sloth" and "Odd Man Out" as separate pieces: their structures are unique and do not fit the previously listed standard. The first is a track supported by Rudess's strange melodies, with added solos and background effects, although I think it is the least refined piece, yet still interesting. "Odd Man Out" is the only track supported by percussion, skillfully used by Morgestein, often in counterpoint, with a light Rudess, featuring timbres similar to percussion instruments, giving the piece a distinctly Fusion touch.
In doing so, the two have produced a great album that deserves to be listened to carefully, and already on the first listen, it amazes with the immediacy with which it presents itself to the listener. Immediacy, not banality, as it is quite easy to listen to, yet equally complex from a musical perspective.
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