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The recently deceased Ronnie Montrose gave me my intro into the world of rock instrumental guitar work, much the way Jeff Beck gave many theirs. This was the album that changed the way I appreciated guitar work for life. As primarily a vocalist myself, this also planted the seed to be more than an ok rhythm guitar player. From "Openers/Open Fire" I knew I was into a whole new realm of futuristic feeling music. This was Joe Satriani, Steve Vai styled guitar music some eight years ahead of it's time. "Mandolinia " is a major scaled Synth/ mandocello /guitar song that can't help but make you feel good. Now , the song that sold me, I was a hard rock kid, who had not heard the original vocal version of "Town Without Pity". I was introduced on the Midnight Special to the song via the unsurpassed instrumental version that Ronnie played live on the show. That is the gem on this album played with such wonderful feeling that I had to get to the store and own it.. "Leo Rising" Is a beautiful fingerpicking style song that is absolutely ethereal. "Heads Up" starts out, almost making you feel you might a disco song .. NO anything but! Power chords start slamming into a song that is a mix of fusion and rock, which turns into a full on jam that stays in your head upon two listens.. "Rocky Road" is a funky sort of song that is not something my ears were thrilled with though it is well executed, I'm just not a funk styled listener. "My Little Mystery" Is another beautiful fingerpicking acoustic song that transports the listener to blue skies and green meadows. The closing "No Beginning/No End" Starts off with a synthesizer launch that makes one feel they may go on a rocket ride, however it fades into a very well composed bit of 12 string acoustic that builds into a really pretty crescendo of drums, bass, and Edgar Winter played piano with a beautiful lead played over it beautiful lead played over it.. Again this is a pretty "feel good" type of song that leaves the listener hopeful... hopeful for more but alas that is it.. Until you go back to track one and start the whole thing over again because you just can't HELP it.. The album has instilled itself into your psyche! Isn't that what a really great album is supposed to do? All I can say is, for years I longed for this album, as it was not available on CD and I no longer had access to the good vinyl collection of my youth. I longed for it for no other reason than it is musical excellence. Ronnie Montrose will be forever missed but his legacy lives for me in this album especially.Read full review
The cd starts with openers and open fire! You can tell the edgar winter influence with synthesizers and Montrose does some great guitar work. I also love the remake of Town without Pity and Rocky Road. No beginning/no End finishes this album and it's also a great instrumental. Altogether, a great cd and if you like Ronnie Montrose you'll love this cd!
I bought this because I had it in college and there are 2 or 3 instrumental numbers that are very good. Much of the music is in a romantic style; music for a mellow mood - not the typical Montrose that kicks butt. It was nostalgic to hear some of the old music from 25 years ago. I much prefer the earlier albums: "Matriarch, Jump on It, Montrose, and Paper Money."
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This is a must for the Montrose enthusiast, all excellently executed numbers, and a rare find on CD. I purchased it for those reasons.
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