Search - Allan Holdsworth :: Velvet Darkness

Allan's absolute best album I've heard.

R. Sriram | Singapore | 12/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have six of Holdsworth's albums, and have heard many more, but this has to be the absolute best album. Heck, this is probably one of the best jazz/fusion albums I've ever heard, and that includes the likes of John McLaughlin (he played "good clean filth" too), etc.



The guru himself visited us here in Singapore earlier this year (2006) and we were absolutely floored. Listening to the songs on this album is almost like being there at one of his live performances.



It's often said that Allan is a guitarist's guitarist, which you know is so true if you listen to this album. As a guitarist myself, I appreciate this album in different ways each time I listen to a song from it. This album made me respect the man even more! He appears to use a slightly different effects chain on this album, probably a mild fuzz pedal thrown in. Sounds a bit more crisp and well defined compared to his later works.



I read an interview where Allan says:

"The single most frustrating thing for me, is to be in a situation where you can't get a record deal because for whatever reason they won't sign you up, but the same people will take complete advantage of you by bootlegging things and putting out other albums. Sony just did that with that old Velvet Darkness album. They re-released it, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to stop them right away. But they [the lawyers] stopped them eventually and they're not going to make that album anymore, because that whole project was a rip-off in the first place. Sony re-released it and packaged like a new album. So, those kind of things make me go crazy?they make me want to tear my hair out."



No matter - I still love this album, and I'd advise any jazz/rock/fusion fan to just grab this while you can."

Extra tracks?

M. Wood | Chicago, IL | 08/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought the original LP, and it's great!



The original release had only 8 tracks. What are the additional 5 tracks here? Alternate takes? If you know, please post the answer here."