An all instrumental guitar album with a punny title, one that (just) fits with the guitarist's surname. Lots of tracks with weird / zany - but eminently descriptive - titles like 'Baby Dinosaur', 'Chinese Firedrill' and 'Tectonic Plate Shake'.
Another Joe Satriani, Neil Zaza, Gary Hoey wannabe. Right?
Be very afraid. Right?
 
Wrong.
On his seventh album now, Jef Scoto Soto's sometime bassman proves himself once again to be the master of the stringed instrument. Whether it be the four, five or six stringed version. Also, he's not too shabby on keyboards or the studio mixing board.
 
Yeah, I can hear you yawning, switching off, whatever. But that would be a shame.
'Loss 4 Words' is unarguably one of the best guitar instrumental recordings I've heard for quite some time. Fuelled by imagination, lyrical melodies and driven by a strong, deft hand on the production wheel, Schutt strikes gold, if only metaphorically.
 
Those who like screaming, lightning quick playing should look away now, because Schutt isn't a shredder, never a "look, no taste" blur of notes guitar player.
Instead, for the most part, 'L4W' is thoughtful piece of work, presented within a carefully controlled environment. That may sound as if it's clinical, sanitised. Not true. The music is filled with ripe melodies, sweet and sour, moving and flowing. Melodies that capture a mood, reflect an emotion. And when it needs to, it rocks. This is guitar music with passion and depth.
 
If it occasionally strikes a discordant note, it's only because it's impossible to maintain this level of quality over a 17 track, 80 minute recording. Some judicious pruning would have made this album even stronger.
 
Among the more noteworthy tracks are the rhythmic, funkalicious 'Pants Party', the beautifully Westcoast, Toto-esque 'Intentions' and the cleverly titled 'Loss 4 Words', which is as lyrical an instrumental track as you could imagine.
'Reverse Peristalsis' is as down'n'dirty as the album gets and 'Road Trip' is where Schutt enjoys a little help from his illustrious friends, Neal Schon and Oz Fox.
Elsewhere and without exception, Schutt makes sure there's enough going on behind the curtain to ensure our attention doesn't wane, but never so much as to distract us from the main attraction.
Impressive.
 
Included in the package is a DVD with alternate versions of various tracks, plus the fabulous but unreleased 'Aftershock', part of Schutt's 'Earthquake' trilogy. And the moderately amusing, deliberately cheesy, 'Baby Dinosaur' music video.
 
Great deal. Great value. Great music.

Written by Brian
Monday, August 25, 2008
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Ratings

Brian: 8/10

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