Ellis; Brett: Reflections Of Electrified Music

I think we can all be guilty of presuming what something's all about before we really investigate the evidence for ourselves. Hence when I saw the word 'shred' used in conjunction with the name Brett Ellis, I thought I had this guitarist sussed. How wrong was I?

Yes, Brett Ellis, who also sings and on occasion provides bass and groovebox on the album Reflections Of Electrified Music, can play, and yes he shreds; touching points even including Eddie Van Halen or Joe Satriani at times. However what's in Ellis's heart is the blues – hard hitting, riff fuelled, intense blues, but still, the blues. Hendrix meets EVH, anyone? I thought so! So call what this man does shred-blues or blues with attitude, in fact call it what you want, because under any name the conclusion is the same, Reflections Of Electrified Music is a damn fine album rammed with stunning skills and frills, yet also crammed with songs you can and will sing along to (provided you've finished picking your jaw up off the floor, that is).

That Ellis has a voice that adds almost as much energy and verve as his guitar playing and that when he's not multi-tasking on all the assembled instruments, that his supporting cast brings the fire his music needs, results in a rare thing – a guitar shred album with real songs, that you can sing and that you'll want to listen to again and again. I love the sentiment behind "Listen", the next time you're at a gig, take the message on board, while the howling stomp of "Make It Rain" will have you wishing to be soaked to the skin. Throughout, Ellis balances great song writing against fiery six string histrionics and when it works as well as it does on the self explanatory "Jimi Cool", towering "Rise Up", or wishful thinking of "Guiltlessly Free", the results really are something to be admired.

In terms of his guitar prowess, Ellis is a master, the surprisingly eclectic "Stratocaster", a powerful, intricate instrumental that proves great fun, while the solos on "Stone Cold Killer", "Space Blues" and "Built For Speed" are simply magnificent.

Think you know shred? Think again, for in the hands of a hard hitting blues master, the genre suddenly turns into something different and a whole lot more interestingly entertaining.

Track Listing
1. 20 IN 5

2. LISTEN

3. JIMI COOL

4. SPACE BLUES

5. ELECTRIFIED MUSIC

6. STRATOCASTER

7. MAKE IT RAIN

8. BUILT FOR SPEED

9. STONE COLD KILLER

10. RISE UP

11. FIREHORSE

12. GUILTLESSLY FREE

13. DREAM ON

Added: May 21st 2016
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Reflections Of Electrified Music at the Grooveyard
Hits: 2191
Language: english

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