Sluggo! Deluxe Edition (Exowax, 2013)
Sluggo! Deluxe Edition brings well deserved attention to an excellent out of print album by innovative American guitarist Mike Keneally. The original Sluggo! came out in 1997. The album went out of print and Keneally was not very satisfied with the original recording mix. At the time, Mike Keneally, a superb guitarist was touring with the Steve Vai band.
I discovered Mike Keneally recently so it’s great to go back in time to discover more of his fine music. The new edition of Sluggo! sounds current with an unbelievable modern recording sound. The material on Sluggo! Deluxe Edition consists of a mix of masterful guitar virtuosity, progressive rock and fusion along with classic rock and zany/humorous Frank Zappaesque lyrics and odd time signatures.
The highlights in Sluggo! Deluxe Edition are the instrumental piece ‘I, Drum-Running, Am Clapboard Bound’ where Keneally plays practically everything: guitars, piano, Moog synthesizer, drums and bass. Bass solo is provided by Bryan Beller. This is a perfect example of state of the art progressive rock with symphonic and avant-garde nuances.
Another highpoint is the bizarro song ‘Looking For Nina ’where Keneally again plays most of the instruments and introduces surrealist vocals.
‘Chatfield Manor’ has a timeless anthemic classic rock feel with catchy hooks and dazzling guitar work. This is the stuff FM radio should be playing.
Funk jazz, Gentle Giant-style and an engaging jazzy guitar solo signatures characterize ‘Beautiful’, where Keneally uses a trio format.
Scorching instrumental track 12 ‘Egg Zooming’ has a Zappa and Canterbury jazz-rock essence that recalls bands like Hatfield and the North and Soft Machine.
The song ‘Cardboard Dog’ morphs from a rock ballad into terrific jazz-rock fusion.
Sluggo! Deluxe Edition contains a new stereo mix, a DVD-Audio disc with a 5.1 surround mix of the main album program, and a DVD video featuring more than two hours of vintage late-90s live performances, studio footage from the making of the album. Other goodies include additional bonus audio (including the original 1997 album mix) and secret music hiding in the various DVD menus.
Sluggo! Deluxe Edition features an extraordinary array of sounds and musical genre; a first-class album by a great American multi-instrumentalist and composer.