Every now and again life throws you something that causes you to take a moment to sit back and go wait a second, I need to think about that. As a songwriting musician I think I get more than my fair share of having to think. Actually I don’t mind thinking. It’s a great thing to do. I enjoy having my own thoughts. It’s even more fun to mold them into something that I can share with others. It’s an exhausting process. Of that I have no doubt. I’ve expressed it before while knee deep in the midst of creating a huge Christmas collection.
I also appreciate being challenged to think from other sources other than creating. Case in point, last night I happened to view There Will Be Blood. Critics have given it big praise, however it’s outside the blockbuster vibe of say something like Cloverfield (which I’ve also seen). Dessert and dinner. That’s the difference between the two. There Will Be Blood is very much akin to a 5 course meal. Much to digest. Much to ponder. Much is presented. Even when there is a lack of action and dialog. Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant. This is an oscar role played with oscar precision. There is no doubt. Cloverfield on the other hand was brilliant in concept and marketing. Much like the Blair Witch. Unfortunately that’s all it was. So much potential with hard to deal with camera shots and too much spoon feeding. One got me to think, the other got me to shut down.
Music can do much the same. Some music is dinner, some is dessert, some is bad lunch. Today’s selection is definitely dinner. Dinner that is steeped in courses of familiarity. There’s spicing of Satriani, there’s dashes of Vai, and more. Fortunately this mix has not be given a lobotomy and thus remains something that can be savored and enjoyed. Pondered, combed through, dissected, and tasted. Not bad when you consider how recently it was created. Far from the heyday of the instrumental guitar god. Can one man bring back a genre? There is hope. If that hope relied on Serj that is.
It’s very obvious how he came to his influence – especially that of Vai. Serj worked for and with Vai for several years. This would be very similar to how Zappa rubbed off on Vai. Working in close proximity to a genius requires that it rub off on you. Provided you have the spirit and talent to pick up on it. I hear that in Serj. So far everything that I’ve heard is very well thought out and very well produced. It’s painfully obvious that Serj spends a lot of time putting his musical pieces together. Of this I have no doubt. His layers are thick, rich and dense. Not to mention he’s got a familiar guitar tone that very much touches of Satriani, not necessarily a bad thing. It’s one of my favorite tones in the world.
Be kind to Serj, listen, think and enjoy. Then procure via legal means and support a talented artist.