Allan Holdsworth: The Things You See

Track

The Things You See

Artist

Allan Holdsworth (guitar)

CD

All Night Wrong (Favored Nations Entertainment FN2330-2)

Buy Track

Musicians:

Allan Holdsworth (guitar),

Jimmy Johnson (bass), Chad Wackerman (drums)

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Composed by Allan Holdsworth

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Recorded: May 5, 2002

Albumcoverallanholdsworth-allnightwrong

Rating: 89/100 (learn more)

At first I thought I was listening to the opening of "In a Silent Way." Maybe I was. But on this live performance of Allan Holdsworth's golden oldie "The Things You See (When You Haven't Got Your Gun)," the introduction quickly changes character from its spacey opening to the more familiar tune. Boy, can Holdsworth play some beautiful chords! He should take out a patent on those things. Soon all semblance of chord structure is gone and Holdsworth takes flight. The man soloing does not believe in texture as best I can tell. If there is a space, he needs to fill it. That's his way and it has worked for him even if it has cost him many fans within shouting distance of the mainstream. You can't help but be caught up in the whirling dervishness of his explorations. His bandmates sure are. Screw texture and screw subtlety. Then again, Holdsworth's chord playing is full of both. It's the yin and the yang, I guess. Either way, it is the thing we hear with or without our guns.

Reviewer: Walter Kolosky

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