(Tony Levin Official Website/ www.tonylevin.com) - Tony Levin, bass players' bassist, has come up with a breakthrough album.
His credits are among the most impressive in modern rock - albums with Peter Gabriel, John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon, Paula Cole, Sara McLauglin, a member of King Crimson since 1980. He's also written a book and released two photography books. His web site was one of the earliest to remove the barrier between audience and performer, and has over two million hits. His last studio album, Pieces of the Sun, had a track nominated for a Grammy in the best instrumental rock category.
On tours with Gabriel, Crimson, Peter Frampton, Paul Simon, Levin must have kept his eyes and ears open because the songwriting depth on Resonator is considerable.
Both the music and the lyrics have been years in the making. This music is rock, but with the unusual and individualistic musical twists you would expect from a long-time member of King Crimson. The lyrics are sometimes deep, often humorous, processing subjects like science and religeon through the unique filter of Levin's art.
There are bass and Stick techniques to please the many fans of Levin's playing. And great playing from his back-up band (includes Peter Gabriel Band alumni Jerry Marotta and Larry Fast, Todd Rundgren guitarist Jesse Gress, and jazz/blues keyboardist Pete Levin) with guest appearances from friends; Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather.
Want unique songs - here's one about jamming with apes (Fragile as a Song - written about Levin and Peter Gabriel's adventure playing music with a Bonobo Ape). The Mars landing, and the theory of panspermia (that spores once carried life to earth from Mars) inspired the humorous Places To Go, which starts off "Hello Mars, it's good to be back".
"My dog Lilly thinks that I am a god" starts off Throw the God a Bone, which explores with humor the idea of men as gods.
Want great rock playing - there is a tour-de-force heavy rock version of the Classical favorite, Sabre Dance. There are great guitar solos by Steve Lukather, Adrian Belew and Jesse Gress. Larry Fast's (Synergy) unique synth playing is featured on some pieces, and there are Hammond B3 organ solos by jazz/blues player Pete Levin. The CD starts right off in a unique vein, with the song Break It Down featuring Tony's unique Funk Fingers on bass. The first words; "So it goes, when science keeps disproving things that everybody knows."
