Something we have not had much of a chance to review as of late is a good instrumental album. It seems that many times the vocals are pushed forward as the main ingredient in a song lately even if they may be the weakest part. Our most recent find Tommy West chooses to show off his immense talent without the need for a lyrical story.
The artist, composer, and producer calls the music center of Nashville, Tennessee home. His style is not the country mainstream that hails from his locale but instead a guitar heavy mixture of exotic sounds that seem impossible at times. There are some epic 70’s rock sounds paired with layers of instrumentation, odd tunings, and melodic fret performances that will make a jaw drop. Tommy West claims that the music flows from a spirit of compassion, humility, harmony, and unity. This is very evident as you hear his guitar explode as well as gently weep.
The latest record by Tommy West is the supercharged Frequencies Of The Sun. The 11 track album is set to take the listener on a journey through time, space, and guitar mastery. He brught in the talents of Jeremy Warren (drums), Chris DeRosa (drums), Don Barrett (bass), and Dave LaGrande (keys). Right from the start of opener and title track “Frequencies Of The Sun” you know you are in for something different. The whining guitars play against a driving rhythm that seems to attack all the senses at once. The professionalism is immediately evident. Tommy slows it down a little with “Blue Marble Happy”, a playful bouncy song that puts a pep in your step. The ballad sound of “Torn” with its pretty piano opening morphing into some phenomenal guitar work will show the expanse of directions this man can take your ears. By the time you reach the semi-psychedelic closer “Rainbow Bridge” your mind will be melted with amazement at what true music is. We recommend you take the time to listen to the complete record in one sitting at: http://biggreenuniverse.com/
