DEREK SHERINIAN - review added 9th August 2011
Instrumental Album Review: Oceana (2011)
For fans of: Progressive Keys
Keyboard player Derek Sherinian last graced these pages with the second Black Country Communion album "2" (2011), and before that the first BCC release (2010), and his previous solo album "Molecular Heinosity" (2009).
His new solo instrumental LP "Oceana" continues the pattern set by his others, meaning Derek leads the way with his mastery of the keyboard, and a load of top notch musicians join the ride adding guitars and more. Want names? Amongst others Joe Bonamassa, Tony MacAlpine, Steve Lukather, Doug Aldrich and Tony Franklin contribute performances.
The result is very nice indeed, as you'd expect, but it's actually a lot less intimidating and anal than I expected. Get together people of this caliber and tell them to impress, the results are often technically brilliant but unlistenable. "Oceana" is the other way round. Okay, the playing is still very good, but it isn't off the scale amazing. You can tell the people involved know what they are doing, but the targets appear to have been melody and emotion, not simply utter complexity.
The album is surprisingly un-progressive. Last release "Molecular Heinosity" was so rhythmically complicated it was only ever going to appeal to prog fans. This one is much more broad in its appeal...meaning more people should like it, but the more die hard Sherinian fans may be a tad disappointed. Song wise, it's all much of a muchness. None of the tracks are duffers, none truly stand out.
In Summation:
"Oceana" is a thoroughly beautiful album that loses character but gains accessibility over past Sherinian releases.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Track List:
01. Five Elements
02. Mercury 7
03. Mulholland
04. Euphoria
05. Ghost Runner
06. El Camino Diablo
07. I Heard That
08. Seven Sins
09. Oceana
Band/Performers:
Other Info:
Label: Mascot Records
Artist's website(s): Derek Sherinian | MySpace | Facebook
