SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAT METHENEY – SIDE-EYE III+

PAT METHENEY
SIDE-EYE III+
UNIQUITY MUSIC

Since Pat Metheny burst onto the jazz scene in 1976 with his debut album, Bright Size Life, he has continued to dazzle, influence, and impress a great many people with his individual and unique style of guitar, music, and compositions. His playing is dynamic, melodic, and inspires many guitarists, both in the jazz world and outside of that genre. As a member of The Pat Metheny Band, or Pat Metheny Unity

Band, or collaborating with other artists or as a solo artist, he has released dozens of groundbreaking and brilliant albums (not to mention his soundtrack work). Side-Eye III+, his most recent album, continues the tradition.

Side-Eye III+ is his first major studio album in six years and his first release on his own Uniquity record label. It is also a new chapter in the series of Side-Eye concepts, originally conceived as a platform for collaborating with exceptional younger musicians. For Side-Eye III+, Metheny worked with the other two members of his touring trio, keyboardist Chris Fishman, and drummer Joe Dyson. This trio of musicians has created a powerful album that plays out in a peaceful yet forceful manner. The music is warm and Metheny creates an almost otherworldly experience with the songs.

The end result is a fascinating, (mainly) instrumental album full of strong melodies and tight playing. A song like “Urban and Western,” which features some vocals in the background works on a great many levels. I am not a musician, and do not pretend to understand the intricacies of jazz, but this song, for example, starts slow and sparse and builds to a powerful ending that stirs the listener’s core emotions. While “Risk And Reward” highlights the interplay of guitar and keyboards. Although Metheny is known as a guitarist, he is not given enough credit for his synthesizer playing. In “Risk And Rewards,” Fishman provides some amazing keyboard and organ playing but Metheny adds a few synthesizer accents and the whole song comes alive.

Dyson does a great job with his solid, steady drumming. He is a creative drummer and uses a lot of percussion along with his stellar drumming. He brings a great deal to the proceedings and provides that right playing at the right time. In combination with the keyboards and guitar, the drumming consistently grounds the music.

The album closes with the very mellow and laid back “So Far, So Good,” which lets Metheny shine, but the other two members gradually make their presence felt. It all comes together and breaks into a segment that would not be out of place as part of the soundtrack, but then, just as quickly returns to the peace and mellow. It is wonderful.

Metheny has won and earned 20 Grammy awards during his career. Side-Eye III+ just might earn him some more Grammy statues next year. Metheny, and his band, are extremely talented and have produced a ‘jazz’ album that is accessible to all. One does not have to be a jazz aficionado to appreciate and enjoy the music. It is well produced and as accessible as it is, it gets better with each listen. Side-Eye III+ is great company while wanting to sit and focus on some fine music rather than the problems of the world. It takes one away into a beautiful musical landscape that one will want to be returning to often.

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