Search - Steve Morse Band :: The Introduction

Morse 101, this isn't.. but it almost could be.

spiral_mind | Pennsylvania | 07/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There's a reason Steve Morse is one of the most respected guitarists alive; he's a virtuoso that can speak, sing and cry through his instrument with a sense of melody that touches on the divine. Like seemingly every Morse album I've ever heard, The Introduction is the kind of disc you spin once to give a good first listen, then end up spinning incessantly for the next week just because there's so much to hear. It touches on any style it comes across but leaves no mistake just who you're listening to. As an introduction, though, it's probably not the best one to pay full price for. I'm happy my first buy was the wonderful Structural Damage instead.First off: there's a lot to recommend this album. The opening "Cruise Missile" ranks with the most powerful, blazing road anthems the man's produced. The rock/jazz/country diversity he showed through all those Dregs albums is in fine form, as you can probably guess from titles like "Mountain Waltz" and "General Lee." The playing is skilled enough to make fellow musicians grit their teeth with envy. It's heavy enough to wail out of your speakers and happy enough to bring a bright ray of sunshine into any day. Most importantly, the writing is just as important as the performances themselves; those who like good string-bending and those who look for a good composition will both find a lot to enjoy here. Those who like a good lyric should just be warned that Steve does instrumental work.Then why does it not quite live up to its title? For one thing, it stands at a quick 34 minutes. For another, it's in dire need of remastering - it sounds pretty good if you crank the volume up a lot, but it lacks the near-perfect sound mix of later offerings like Major Impacts. Forgivable, true (it was 1984 after all), but along with the fine remastering treatment some of the Dregs catalogue has been receiving, The Introduction is past due for a sonic overhaul of its own. The guitar world will be just that much better for it. If you know Morse's music already and want to hear more, you wouldn't want to be without any of them. If not, a good starter would be Structural Damage (if you can still find it), High Tension Wires or this year's Split Decision. It only takes one to get hooked.."

A biased opinion...

Jerry Peek | Metro Atlanta, Georgia | 03/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's nice to see positive comments about something in which I personally was involved--especially on the 25th anniversary of the Steve Morse Band. I sincerely thank the previous posters.



It made me a better player, for sure."

GUITAR PLAYERS! PAY ATTENTION TO THIS RECORDING!

Jaime Benjamin Cortez | Arizona, USA | 06/20/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This recording, althouth not of best quality regarding sound, is an excellent start of Steve Morse's post-Dregs carrer. His compositions show great maturity in structure and wonderful involvement of his drummer and bass player. Cruise Missle is extreme fun but also pay attention to the wonderful meter changes in The Introduction and the lighthearted Mountain Waltz is a beautiful exchange between Steve and T Lavitz. Also check out the solos between Steve and guitar virtuoso Albert Lee on General Lee. A must album for guitar players."