Pat Metheny Group - Speaking Of Now (2002)
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The best way I can describe this album, is that it's a safe album by Pat Metheny Group. It's a very good album, one of the better albums in Pat's discography, but something about it just feels... safe. The music continues the dense composed style of Imaginary Day, but brings back some of the South American sounds and influences heard on the Group's 80s and early 90s releases. With that, there is a sense of "we've been here before", which is contrast to PMG's discography of always looking ahead, trying to break new ground. I also don't consider this album as exciting as those albums from the 80s/90s. Having said that, there is some great material here, and it is an easier listen than the Group's last few albums, for sure. The mood is a feel-good mood, perhaps brought on by the new vocalists who add a warmth to the sound, unlike someone like Pedro Aznar, where there was a sort of sadness that came from his voice, to my ears at least.
This is also an important one, as it is the first album to feature then-new drummer Antonio Sánchez, who has become Pat's "sidekick" in a way, appearing on almost all Pat Metheny releases since 2002 to the present day. His style has a more 'updated' sound than the previous PMG drummers, as Sanchez doesn't rely on rock rhythms very often. Instead he is a much busier drummer, with lots of chops, and not sticking to slick beats. Not that the previous drummers weren't technically proficient, but Antonio definitely plays like he means business, and probably wants to show he can hang with guys like Jack DeJohnette and Roy Haynes, as he is 'the young new guy' here. He is also, at times, lighter as well. His playing is very dynamic.
Musically, this album includes some new sounds we haven't heard on a PMG album, like trumpet, from another new member Cuong Vu, and multi-instrumentalist Richard Bona. Of course Pat, Lyle, and Rodby are back, and play as great as ever. It's just this album, while it has all the PMG trademarks, catchy melodies, great solos, lush orchestration, it just doesn't rise above most other PMG albums for me. It doesn't move me like most other albums do, it's just a nice, pleasant listen. Which is great, but makes it so I don't reach for this one as often as I should. When I do listen, though, I'm never less than impressed with how Pat and Lyle could put this beautiful music together. Ironically, I think the best tune here is the song "Afternoon", a song sung by Richard Bona in a mix of Spanish and English, but I'm not totally sure. The song itself is quite catchy, with a lovely swinging rhythm, something not heard often from Pat and co. It's also incredibly fun and easy to play along to on guitar. "Proof" became a live staple for a while, and the last tune "Wherever You Go" is a classic PMG tune, highly underrated. The Japanese import also contains a bonus track, "Epilogue" which is a solo acoustic guitar piece.
Topic: The Pat Metheny Discography Thread: Unity Band (2012) (Read 14675 times)
