Mike Glendinning Random Acts of Grunge Jazz Review by Jeremy Seffens
With a unique sound that is entirely his own, Mike Glendinning sets up the perfect face for “grunge jazz.” The inspirations for this disc are as numerous as the sounds portrayed, giving the listener an overall feeling of relaxation without worry.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2008 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Fade This cut blasts into the CD sounding almost like blues, but the jazz takes over with some great guitar riffs. The upbeat tempo proves itself a solid ground for what's to come.
Dead Red Summer This one has a more mellow, Jimmy Buffett-type feel to it. It nearly throws you off from the morbid lyrics, such as “He's a waste of life/Cutting his wrist would be a waste of a knife.”
Swine Here's where the grunge comes into play - not in the Seattle Grunge fashion, but in a way that only Mike Glendinning can portray. Sticking with the laid-back feel, this number feels much like Deep Purple's “Lazy.”
I Left My Heart in San Francisco An interesting little ditty, this acoustic instrumental reminisces days gone past.
Sun King Sticking to the mellow tone, this track has an overall feel that reminds the listener of BB King meets Santana.
Cold Heat Grunging forward into his new sound, Glendinning shows the harder sound that seems inspired from the psychedelic seventies.
Misterioso Another instrumental, this one is a bit harder and sticks to the psychedelic side. The awesome guitar riffs keep on wave after wave.
Home Softening up again, a sound of longing and loneliness is sung here.
Vinvent Adding a little funk to the mix, this instrumental has its roots in Jimi Hendrix. The guitar never seems to let up, giving the listener constant change to an ongoing groove.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow This track slows back down to end the album on a note of outlook to the future. One of the more interesting takes on this well-known classic, the solo guitar creates a smooth finish.
