Genre: Instrumental Rock
Release Date: June
23, 2015
Label: Music Theories
Neal
Schon’s music career speaks for itself. He
was a member of Santana, fronted by the famous Carlos Santana, while still in
his teens and went on to be a part of hard rock groups Bad English and Hardline,
before finding mega success and fame with Journey during the 1980s. Despite all of that, he still has time to
work on solo projects and his latest solo release is a testament to his skill
as a musician.
Vortex is a two-disc instrumental album featuring
eighteen songs. Featuring Jan Hammer
(keyboards), Steve Smith (drums), and Igor Len (keyboards, piano). Vortex is a stunning, and passionate
ride influenced by a variety of sounds such as rock, pop, jazz, and world
music.
Starting
off relatively strong, “Miles Beyond” is an all-around rocking song. It has great atmospheric opening with the
drums providing a sweltering tribal sound.
There is a sweet change in the sound about halfway through the song when
things get noticeably heavier. I like
the song, and the guitar sounds amazing, but it could have been a tad
shorter. Following it up is “Awakening,”
which is a very intriguing song with its mellow opening. It is dazzling and wondrous rock song with
soft, mystical quality running through it.
“Cuban
Fly Zone” is the type of song where the electric energy is practically
contagious, and the guitar work is flawless, which is the real staple of this release. The sizzling “El Matador” sets itself apart
with its Spanish flair, making it one of the more memorable and distinctive
songs on the double album. The piano
driven “Eternal Love” is a complete change of pace, focusing on being subtle
and emotional for a hauntingly beautiful result.
The
next few songs take a more laidback approach to their sound. “In a Cloud” is a light, upbeat track that is
dreamlike in quality and the music of “Irish Cream” is as smooth as its name
says. “Lady M (Our Love Remains)” is lovely,
serene tune dedicated to his wife. “Airliner NS910” is a great rocking tune that is lively, with
a funky jam quality to it. The guitar
completely tears things up.
“Tortured Souls” begin the second
album and is a low-key tune that I find to be very relaxing. This could easily
be the soundtrack to a picturesque dream. My slight criticism of it is that, with
its run-time clocking in at over ten minutes, I think the song does go on for a
bit too long. “Schon & Hammer Now” is
a stellar rock song. The guitar sizzles
and delights. The changes in the music
happen at the right time to keep the song engaging and prevents the song from
becoming dull.
“NS Vortex” starts with a spacey
opening, before a more manic rock sound takes over. For some reason, I am reminded of a light
show when listening to this. The drums
really heats things up near the end and steal the show. “Unspoken Faith” is short
and serene. “Twilight – Spellbound” is another song with all the right
touches. The tonal shifts keeps the song
exciting and unpredictable, and the guitar really cuts loose during the second
part of the song.
“Mom” is a short and pleasant acoustic
song. “Talk to Me” is a very eclectic song with a variety of sounds but it
manages to work. There are some nice twists and turns in the music and things
really step up in the last few minutes for an intense and breathtaking piece of
work. The somber “White Light” is a
fitting and beautiful ending.
Neal
Schon’s Vortex is nothing short of
excellent and an instrumental tour de force.
The album is showing a master working at the top of his game. Hardly a wrong move taken, save for a song or
two that could have been shortened, Vortex
is sure to please his fans. There should
be a place for this album in every rock fans collection.
4.5/5 Stars
Key
Tracks: El Matador, Irish Cream, Airliner NS910, Schon & Hammer Now, Twilight
– Spellbound, Talk to Me
Tracks-Disc One:
1. Miles Beyond
2. Awakening
3. Cuban Fly Zone
4. El Matador
5. Eternal Love
6. In a Cloud
7. Irish Cream
8. Lady M (Our Love Remains)
9. Airliner NS910
Disc 2
1. Tortured Souls
2. Schon & Hammer Now
3. NS Vortex
4. Unspoken Faith
5. Twilight - Spellbound
6. Triumph of Love
7. Mom
8. Talk To Me
9. White Light
Tracks-Disc One:
1. Miles Beyond
2. Awakening
3. Cuban Fly Zone
4. El Matador
5. Eternal Love
6. In a Cloud
7. Irish Cream
8. Lady M (Our Love Remains)
9. Airliner NS910
Disc 2
1. Tortured Souls
2. Schon & Hammer Now
3. NS Vortex
4. Unspoken Faith
5. Twilight - Spellbound
6. Triumph of Love
7. Mom
8. Talk To Me
9. White Light
Brian McKinnon - Write A Music Review Sr. Staff
August 22, 2015
Review
Provided By Write A Music Review