Sometimes there’s a moment within a piece of music that just “makes it” for you. It can be as fleeting as a single note, a percussion accent, the way a word is sung, or perhaps it’s a slightly longer passage, such as a particularly great instrumental solo.
Here are a few of my favorites:
IQ “The Province” 11:24
IQ is a “neo-prog” band that has been around for over 45 years. This cut was noted in my article about great guitar solos in Issue 123. It comes from their ninth studio album, Frequency, and features drummer Andy Edwards (who has become quite the YouTuber with his cutting opinions on bands, albums, and musicians). I love the whole track, but there is a certain note in the solo that stands out to me, in that it seems like an unexpected choice to finish a run. It took me by surprise at first, and now I really look forward to it.
Montrose “Dancin’ Feet” 2:03
When Sammy Hagar left the original lineup of Montrose, he was replaced by Bob James (not the jazz artist) for their third album. Although some of the material was a notch below that of the first two LPs, this one has a strong riff and a bouncy beat. There’s a “stop/start” instrumental section with drums, guitar, and bass starting at 1:55 culminating in a moment of silence between beats.
Manzanera & MacKay “Another Lost Soul on the Run” 4:25
After the breakup of Roxy Music, guitarist Phil Manzanera and sax player Andy MacKay formed the Explorers with vocalist James Wraith, who sounded not entirely unlike Bryan Ferry.
Studio musicians included bassists Tony Levin and Alan Spenner, drummers Steve Gadd, Jerry Marotta, and Morris Pert, and Paul Carrack on piano. One album was released in the UK, and a second was recorded but never put out there. Two albums of Explorers material, Crack the Whip and Up in Smoke were released in the US on the Relativity label, credited to Manzanera and MacKay. The leadoff track from Crack the Whip is “Another Lost Soul on the Run.” Wraith sings the words “believed you” in a startlingly powerful falsetto that stands out from the rest of the vocal.
Hitmen “Eyes Open” 1:46 & 4:01
This New Wave band from the ‘80s (many have used the name) came from England and might be the subject of a future article in my “Underappreciated Artists” series. The rhythm section is tight and their photo should be in the dictionary next to the word “propulsive.” This cut is not indicative of their usual style, as it’s slower. Vocalist Ben Watkins hits a high note at one point and his voice cracks at another, and those two moments make it for me.
School of Fish “3 Strange Days” 2:27 & 2:36
Here’s another percussion example. This was a minor MTV hit when it came out. There’s a spacy intro that goes into a solid beat with some nasty guitar. At the two points mentioned, there are drum accents that stand out against the rhythm.
Sarah McLachlan “Steaming” 3:15
Most people found Sarah Mclachlan through her second album, Solace, which propelled her to stardom. I find her first album, Touch, more appealing. It has a less conventional sound and more sparse production. This cut, along with “Vox,” did attract some mainstream attention. Her voice is pure for most of the song, but at the spot noted, it changes in tone and processing to an almost snarling, Stevie Nicks-type sound.
Lene Lovich “Too Tender to Touch“ 2:39
Lene Lovich (real name Lili-Marlene Premilovich) was one of the early artists on the seminal punk label Stiff Records. Her vocal style is best described as quirky, not unlike Dale Bozzio (lead singer for the band Missing Persons). She’s a “love or hate” singer. This track isn’t typical of her usually more up-tempo offerings, but the piano solo by Don Snow is one of my favorites.
Dolphin Brothers “Love That You Need” 2:10 & 4:47
The Dolphin Brothers were ex-members of the band Japan, Steve Jansen (drums/vocals) and keyboardist Richard Barbieri. Jansen is the brother of David Sylvian (lead singer for Japan) and sounds a lot like him. Jansen and Barbieri collaborated on other albums as Jansen-Barbieri, both before and after the Dolphin Brothers album Catch the Fall. This cut features female backing vocals, and there are two places where they hit higher notes that sound angelic.
City Boy “Interrupted Melody” 4:35
I wrote about this band and their guitarist, Mike Slamer, in the last issue. There are elements of David Bowie’s vocal style in this, but it’s the guitar solo that stands out for me. I don’t have the musical background and vocabulary to properly describe it, but there’s a pretty cool and unusual bit of playing at the point noted.
Unitopia “The Garden” 13:14
The title track from this Australian neo-prog band’s 2008 album is my current favorite piece of music. It’s 22-1/2 minutes long and goes in many different directions with smooth transitions between them. It’s heavy, it’s soft, it’s jazzy in spots and atmospheric in others, and it’s well-produced with great sound. The only flaw in my book is that the ending is pretty much a dead rip-off of the end of “Supper’s Ready” by Genesis. Those of you familiar with that monumental prog epic will recognize the similarity immediately. There is a very tasty jazz piano solo with excellent rhythmic accompaniment at the noted spot.
I’d love to hear about some of your favorite moments in the Comments section.
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