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Thread: FEATURED CD: Lyle Workman - Harmonic Crusader

  1. #1
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    FEATURED CD: Lyle Workman - Harmonic Crusader




    Today's feature suggestion comes from Ernie (No Pride). I remember this getting some praise a few years back. I'll have to investigate...


    Review from Amazon:
    It has been a long time since I have been this impressed with a piece of work from composition to performance and top drawer production. Lyle previous works of art stand on their own as classics. Harmonic Crusader is the real payoff combining so many approches styles and crisp performance with a dramatically unique, new and extremely satisfying music, song after song. His previous two albums took quite a few listens before I captured the nuances and found the true excellence. This hits you immediately and though most songs I like immediately wear out fast for me, these have not. Every playing they get better as you realize where he is going with the environment. As usual his genius is how he writes and arranges the songs but no doubt his guitar pieces are fantastic. Many parts of his songs remind me of other great music and guitar masters but then I realize he can do it all and isn't emulating anyone. He just has such a wide range of skills he can blend them layer after layer in the same song. This is a must buy album if you are a fan of Lyle's but more so if you are not. This is a suberb piece of work that actually has universal appeal without being mainsteam in any way.

    Scott Nokleby

    Full song samples can be heard on the player at Lyle's site here:

    http://www.lyleworkman.com/
    WANTED: Sig-worthy quote.

  2. #2
    I don't own any of his solo pieces, and I've been meaning to. I love what he's done with rundgren, very tasty style indeed. Thanks for the reminder!

  3. #3
    Greetings,

    This is a great album for sure, as are the other (two) earlier solo releases Lyle put out. Very thoughtfully composed and expertly performed--and, from a stylistic perspective, very American-sounding and definitely progressive. I really hope that Lyle puts out another solo album soon.

    Cheers,


    Alan

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    Killer album as are all of his rekkids. Amazing production too.

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    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    Great player, but this album's tunes got samey on me real quick.

    Although the production and mix is expertly handled, its polished "wall of guitars approach" just isn't my thing.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

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    Boo! walt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nosebone View Post
    Great player, but this album's tunes got samey on me real quick.

    Although the production and mix is expertly handled, its polished "wall of guitars approach" just isn't my thing.
    Pretty much my take,as well.
    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poisoned Youth View Post
    Today's feature suggestion comes from Ernie (No Pride).
    Yay! I wasn't expecting that; thanks, Cozy!
    Quote Originally Posted by AdventAlan View Post
    This is a great album for sure, as are the other (two) earlier solo releases Lyle put out. Very thoughtfully composed and expertly performed--and, from a stylistic perspective, very American-sounding and definitely progressive.
    Absolutely! If forced to categorize, I'd put it in the "prog/fusion" box; lots of improvisation, but lots of composing and arranging too. Some of it is very dense and angular, but there's always some highly melodic material too. And though Lyle can and does "shred," this is far from your typical shred guitar album; it's really more about the writing.

    If it wasn't for the drum machine, his debut, "Purple Passages" would be my favorite of his three albums because the playing and writing on that one is incredible! But even though the drum programming is some of the most ambitious I've ever heard, it's still a machine and stands in the way of the album's near perfection.

    Quote Originally Posted by nosebone View Post
    Great player, but this album's tunes got samey on me real quick.

    Although the production and mix is expertly handled, its polished "wall of guitars approach" just isn't my thing.
    This stuff isn't "wall of guitars" like a Vai or Satch album. Granted, Purple Passages was almost all guitar or guitar synth, but even on that album, his range of tones and textures and his arranging and orchestrating skills keep things interesting. And though there are certainly multiple guitar overdubs on "Harmonic Crusader," there's enough instrumental diversity; a few great keyboard solos from our beloved Mike Keneally and Jeff Babko and some outstanding (accompanied) drum solos from Vinnie Colaiuta and Simon Phillips. I dunno, Workman's definitely got a writing style of his own, but I can think of many albums that are more "samey" sounding than this one.

    BTW, my favorite track is "Nothing Left Unsaid." I think it's a highly emotional composition and performance. Not only that, but there's some amazing non-cliché slide playing on that one!

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    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    "This stuff isn't "wall of guitars" like a Vai or Satch album."

    Ernie, there's at least twelve guitar tracks on each tune.
    This thing is way overproduced imo.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  9. #9
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Did Keneally sing a tune on this one or was it something earlier?

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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nosebone View Post
    "This stuff isn't "wall of guitars" like a Vai or Satch album."

    Ernie, there's at least twelve guitar tracks on each tune.
    This thing is way overproduced imo.
    Yeah, but surprisingly, none of those guitar tracks get in each other's way; they're all there for a reason. Some might consider the production to be too "slick," but I love the way it's engineered and produced. Different strokes!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    Did Keneally sing a tune on this one or was it something earlier?
    It's on his second album, Tabula Rasa and it's called "Inhale." The tune was a collaboration between Mike and Lyle and it's really good! It's on YT, but I don't have time to embed it right now, got errands to run. Sorry!

  12. #12
    Inhale is also on Keneally's Wine & Pickles CD.

    I pretty much burned out on these guitar intensive type records in the 90s, so I don't listen to Workman that much, but I was very impressed with his phenomenal abilities as a writer, player, producer.

  13. #13
    Lyle is a good friend of mine. We both played with Kevin Gilbert and I must have met him originally through that. He's very funny, extremely talented and has had a really interesting career as both a musician/guitarist and film composer. There is a track I played on, I believe it was supposed to be on this album actually but didn't make it on there and I don't believe it was ever released. It was really good and it was one of the hardest sessions I ever did. I had to double some crazy guitar parts with keys and I remember doing it live at Lyle's studio and he made me do it over and over. Each time it sounded fine to me and probably to most people but to Lyle it was a hair off! Haha. I was sweating bullets! But, not really because he's such a cool guy and a lot of fun to hang with. Nice to see him get some mention here.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Squids View Post
    There is a track I played on, I believe it was supposed to be on this album actually but didn't make it on there and I don't believe it was ever released. It was really good and it was one of the hardest sessions I ever did. I had to double some crazy guitar parts with keys and I remember doing it live at Lyle's studio and he made me do it over and over. Each time it sounded fine to me and probably to most people but to Lyle it was a hair off! Haha. I was sweating bullets! But, not really because he's such a cool guy and a lot of fun to hang with. Nice to see him get some mention here.
    Cool, Dave! I figured that there was a possibility that you guys know each other, as you've both played with Kevin Gilbert. I don't doubt that the part he had you play was a hairy one; some of his written parts are pretty insane! Too bad the track didn't make it to the album, but maybe it'll turn up on an upcoming one.

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    I got Purple Passages first and played that one to death, then subsequently picked up the rest of his solo albums; I like 'em all! I agree that the programmed drums on PP are about the most ambitious and complex I've ever heard, so I don't find them "off-putting" at all like I ordinarily do - - - - Jeff

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    Member interbellum's Avatar
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    Finally Lyle will release a new album next month, called Uncommon Measures: https://www.bluecanoerecords.com/lyle_workman.html

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    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    That new album, Uncommon Measures, is friggin AMAZING! I had Lyle on my show last year and we discussed the making of it. It is very much in the prog meets fusion camp. He reminds me of Holdsworth in a few spots. Yeah, he's THAT good. The orchestra was recorded at Abbey Road. Stellar talent on this too. Three of the best drummers on the planet are on it, among others.... Already placed my pre order. I got an advance copy via MP3s, but it's so damn good I gotta own it.

    Last edited by Sean; 01-25-2021 at 06:03 PM.

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    His name was totally unknown to me until I heard him in legendary jazz drummer Tony Williams' "Wilderness" CD back in 1996. Despite the presence of such stalwarts as Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock and Stanley Clarke, the album didn't leave a big impression on me with the exception of the tune 'Machu Picchu', Workman's only contribution and appearance (Metheny and Brecker were not featured in it). This song, under a different title, is also contained in his first solo album "Purple Passages" that came out around the same time. Several years later I read somewhere that right after "Wilderness", Tony Williams was planning to start a new electric fusion band/project with Lyle Workman, but he sadly passed away, probably before they could even get together. In 2004 or 2005 I saw Workman live with Sting in the 'Broken Music' tour, but he played mostly rhythm behind Dominic Miller and had just one solo (really weird stuff) towards the end.
    I strongly recommend his first two CDs, "Purple Passages" and "Tabula Rasa". He is certainly a very capable soloist, but there is much more in his music than just guitar playing. Utilizing a variety of guitars he creates huge orchestral walls of sound, but these seem to come from a mostly classical background. Then he adds his prog/fusion rhythms and some controlled and sweet craziness and the result is hugely impressive. His overall approach is definitely cinematic. It took him almost a decade to make another album, "Harmonic Crusader", which was also very good, but just continued on the same path without offering something new. Maybe I am wrong, I haven't listened to it for quite some time, so I need to refresh my memory of it.
    Thanks for the heads-up about his new album. Lyle Workman with the usual stellar supporting cast AND a full orchestra? I can't wait...!

  19. #19
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Check this out!


  20. #20
    Member interbellum's Avatar
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    Got the album today and indeed, it's amazing. You could say Workman has combined his solo-work (which could be described as guitar-orchestrated progressive jazz-rock) with his experience as a soundtrack-composer. The latter is his "real" job and through this he could afford to work with a full orchestra plus some virtuoso jazz-rock/fusion players.

    Here's a recent interview:


  21. #21
    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Had a chat with Lyle today about the new album!

  22. #22
    Great - the trailer snippet (that I was quite curious about after last year's episode) reminds me of a refined version of Shawn Lane in his Powers of Ten (and a bit of Tri-Tone Fascination) phase.
    The guitar playing isn't light years away, either.
    On the buying list!
    τί ἐστιν ὃ μίαν ἔχον φωνὴν τετράπουν καὶ δίπουν καὶ τρίπουν γίνεται;

    εἰσί κασίγνηται δισσαὶ, ὠν ἡ μία τίκτει
    τὴν ἑτέραν αὐτὴ δέ τεκοῦσ` ὑπό τὴσδη τεκνούται
    τίς δὲ κασίγνηται δύο;

  23. #23
    His newest cd is excellent.
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!

  24. #24
    Member interbellum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sphinx View Post
    Great - the trailer snippet (that I was quite curious about after last year's episode) reminds me of a refined version of Shawn Lane in his Powers of Ten (and a bit of Tri-Tone Fascination) phase.
    The guitar playing isn't light years away, either.
    On the buying list!
    Melodic Shawn Lane, yes, that's also someone you can compare Workman's work with. Personally I also think the solo-albums by Brett Garsed have elements I also hear on Workman's albums, especially the layering of guitar-harmonies.

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