Description
Of Riffs and Symphonies is det sophomore (mostly) instrumental album by the American guitarist, songwriter and producer Lanny Cordola, released on ERG in 1992, a division on Essential Record Group, distributed by Brentwood Music. The album was digitally recorded and mixed by Charlie Watts at Front Page Studios in Costa Mesa, California; and was produced and arranged by Lanny Cordola with Watts co-producing. Lanny Cordola is backed by a rock solid rhythm section consisting of Matt and Gregg Bissonette on bass and drums respectively.
Lanny Cordola impressed so greatly with his solo debut, Electric Warrior – Acoustic Saint, that it’s almost instinctive to award his second album, Off Riffs and Symphonies, with the highest possible rank. Once again, this champion of the fretboard exhibits his creativity and versatility as he effortlessly blazes through mind bending solos and glides through smooth chord changes with the greatest of ease. Lanny’s guitar work, along with the superb songwriting and thoughtful arrangements, make this one hard to keep out of the CD player.
«YV» packs up the acoustic and heads for the border, and no, I don’t mean Taco Bell. It’s a relaxing flamenco rendezvous with Scott Breadman on percussion and Tim Heintz on the accordion. Lanny lands a smooth funky feel and a catchy melody on «Play It Again Shem». In fact, Shem, why don’t you go ahead and push that infinite repeat button for me. «Nan» and «Donna Lee» are jazz numbers in the vein of Wes Montgomery and Charlie Parker with, of course, some nice surprises. «For the Brothers» has so much passion I had to buy a box of Kleenex for my speakers. Oh, and if you happen to be driving on the freeway while listening to «The Obstinate Toy Soldiers», check your speedometer and see if you can stay under 75 mph.
Phil Bardowell belts out the lead vocals on «The Real Thing», which combines funk, blues and one man’s search for God while James Christian (House of Lords) is featured on «The Revelation», a rockin’ look at the end times with some punchy horn arrangements and a great groove. Jon Gibson shares the depths of his soul on «Won’t Be Long ‘Til Paradise» and the album ends with «Lo I Be With You Always», a gospel tune sung ever so tastefully by Bret Taylor with Darrell Mansfield on harmonica.
Don’t let this one get by you! Of Riffs and Symphonies is an absolute must for every true guitar lover. [Rich Stevens, CCM, February 1993]
If, like thousands of others, you view Cross Rhythms we-review-EVERYTHING policy as being the Official Guide To An Album’s UK Availability (Who doesn’t? Ed) you may have missed Lanny’s rather nifty ‘Electric Warrior Acoustic Saint‘ album last year because it slipped through the CR dragnet (Oh dear. Ed). On that album Lanny showed himself to be one of THE guitarists in pop-rock, surely the equal to Phil Keaggy with the ability to play a shredding metal solo one second and a Wes Montgomery-style jazz run the next. Here again eclecticism rules, and here again a casual listener is awed by the man’s superlative technique, playing evocative Spanish flamenco on «YV», funky blues on «The Real Thing» (with a vocal by Phil Bardowell one of the three vocals on this set) and the engagingly catchy «Play It Again Shem». There are more hot guest vocalists, the House Of Lords’ James Christian and blue-eyed soulman Jon Gibson, while the lowdown gospel closer «Lo I Be With You Always» features some great Darrell Mansfield harp. But this is a guitarist’s album and nothing is allowed to get in the way of fingers flying over frets. Fine stuff. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, August 1993]
CD tracklist:
01. Kaleidescope – 0:49
02. Armashreddin’ – 5:39
03. Play It Again Shem (That Funky Music) – 4:12
04. Interlude – 0:18
05. The Real Thing – 3:19
06. YV – 4:58
07. Gettysburg – 3:58
08. Won’t Be Long Till Paradise – 4:32
09. The Obstinate Toy Soldiers – 5:14
10. Nan – 5:00
11. The Revelation – 4:50
12. For The Brothers – 5:30
13. Donna Lee – 4:19
14. Lo I Be With You Always – 4:02
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by ERG.
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