"Perspective" reviewed by Nick Martinelli @ The Shred Zone

The Shred Zone

    Return of the shred no doubt!  Whoever said "leads suck" is going to die, and T.D. Clark will be pulling the trigger!  This newly released CD shoots down that quote.  So where do I begin on this star shredded review? "Perspective" is the second release from TD Clark, after his debut "Personalities", which was a phenomenal first release from an instrumental standpoint and just was repressed for the third time!  This CD is definitely a move in the right direction for Clark.  There are four vocal tracks on the CD, which help make it friendlier to a wider audience.  Yes, you got it, "sing along songs!"  I do have the pleasure of owning both of Clark's releases.  I got this one the day it was released. It was a very anticipated purchase.  This  disc was three years in the making.  For being a self-release, it's great.

"Perspective" is a large step from his first CD. T.D. has became a more mature song writer.  These songs are very well developed, lots of thought went into their making. Don't get me wrong - "Personalities" was killer but this one surpasses it. Right off the bat you can notice the quality of recording that went into this disc. Again, this is not a $50,000 budget release. In fact, the shred god Michael Angelo Batio (Holland, Nitro and solo fame) produced and engineered the CD. So it sounds great.  No 4-track sound here!  A lot of time went into the mixing and mastering of this monster.  One of the things I love about his CD is the quality of the recording.Everything sounds crisp and smooth, no annoying distortions or noise. Best part is the guitars are always in your face, never drowned out. This is the key for a guitar driven release. All the leads stand out that's for sure, you'd have to be deaf not to hear them! On to the play by play...  

Track one, "Avalanche" is a great opener. It picks up and sets the stage for the rest of the disc.   Very nice melody the whole way through. Keyboards help keep the song jumping and upbeat.  T.D.'s leads are great. No, let's get something straight right off the bat here. T.D. is not your conventional instrumental guitarist by far! He just doesn't write eight minutes of mindless, no point shredd, like many others do. I WILL NOT REVEAL ANY NAMES, BUT AFTER HEARING THIS DISC YOU'LL KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT!  T.D. uses normal pop/rock song structure: Intro/ Verse/ Chorus/ Verse/ Chorus/ solo/ chorus, ending, etc. These songs can actually be hummed along to. His repeating guitar lines get stated and restated all over the song like in every other track on this CD. In another words, he uses tons of hook lines.  This is what makes T.D.stand out form the crowd. I'd have no problem telling that to the "old timers" in this field that they all forgot how to write songs. I can't stand songs that just go off with no point, no hook, line and sinker, if you will. Anyways, back to "Avalanche". Keyboards are a great accent in this track again. The main guitar line is really killer, starts smooth and builds upon itself every line after. Then progresses into a nice "Chorus Line" with a cool section at 00:38.  Check out the 1:03 section. Again another killer repeating lick at 1:25.  Then comes the lead! Sit down, buckle up and shut up! 1.48 hits the beginning with a killer bend phrase. At 2:06 he hits a cool descending line.  I recommend 2.20 for some fast arpeggios. Right after that comes the hook line again.  Overall, a great track. Finally, listen to the ending harmonies starting at 3:02 - simply tasteful.  

    "The Fugitive" (track 2) ROCKS! This has to be one of my favorite tracks on the disc.  Fast rhythm guitar throughout the whole song. Makes ya feel like Harrison Ford running away from Tommy Lee Jones in the streets of Chicago. I haven't figured out who T.D. is fleeing from in this one!  More like T.D. and his guitar are chasing that Fugitive... Anyways, Clark starts in at 00:26 with the main line of the song, lots of harmonics and speed. After that, he goes into some great revolving leads. Very sharp. Cool line at 1:08. Then the Chorus line at 1:14.  I love it, its one of the best T.D. hooks! OK, let's forget everything and take a look at the solo section starting at 2:39. OH MY GOD! I HAD TO BE PUT ON HEART MEDICATION AFTER HEARING IT! I kid you not. Solos start with a cool sounding phrase then moves into some cool climbing ideas. Some wah wah gets thrown in at 3:03 - a tasteful use of it to help accent notes. Then comes the chirp assault in at 3:16. Brad Gillis move over, there's a new chirp king in town. Then it finishes out back into the main lick. Overall, this song just carries itself from the very first note to the end; definitely a memorable one.

    "12 String Thing" (Track 3) is a great example of T.D.'s virtuosity. A man and his twelve string guitar. Great melody line, carries through very well. The tune makes you fell like you're driving down that country road on a bright summer day.

    Track 4, "Runaround" is the first vocal track on the disc.  Its very cool, very catchy.  This is a "radio friendly" tune. So call in and request it! Great guitar riffs the whole song.  John Yeager  (of Tracer X) does the guest vocals on the track. I really enjoy his voice. To see this guy live is also a treat, he's total high energy! He makes a great lead singer/front man. T.D.'s lead in this song is simply awesome. This is one of the best fitting solos I have heard from anyone in a real long time.  Starts in at 2:33. TD backs away from the total shredding and really sets the stage. Solo is catchy, and plows you over the whole way through. He really sets a great groove. This song was written in dedication to the music industry. After listening you'll know why. 

    "Sunrise" (track 5) is smooth! Great title I might add. A really good song to start off your day with. Mental image: wake up, toss and turn in bed a few times, shower, get dressed, sit down and have breakfast and that first cup of coffee, then off with your day.  It's the sound track to the perfect morning! Just if it could make the perfect cup of coffee for ya we'd all be set. This is definitely a mood song. I think the rhythm guitars are one of my favorite aspects of the track.  Nothing super complex, just a good solid riff. As far as keyboards go, they really add to this song.  It helps layer the background as it goes. T.D. again in this song really displays his mood soloing.  He keeps it mellow but tasty.  Cool line at 1:11 that displays what I am talking about.  Great main solo at 1:36. Chirps! Oh yeah!  Then T.D. does a great solo one string climb starting at 1:51. He does a little ripping too. Then the ending is very interesting, it kinda bounces, for lack of better words - listen to it and you'll know what I mean. This song is executed with nothing but grace the whole way through. Actually, the main lead in this tack is probably one of my favorites on this disc. Great song. Cool ending as well on this one.

Track 6, "Mary Love" is the second vocal track.  And yes, it's in D minor - the saddest of all keys really.  Song is about a family that had their child kidnapped.  Gives you cold chills.  The thought of losing someone who's innocent AND that's dear to you is unthinkable.   Great lyrics, lots of emotion. John really can do emotional singing. T.D. highlights sections with various lead accents. The solo is simply breathtaking and very emotional, I swear that guitar is crying out to find that poor child. To bring it back in, John gives us a great metal scream. This would be a great radio track as well. Overall, my favorite vocal track on the CD. For you practicing guitarists out there, this song is great to practice your slower lead playing over.

    "Spiked" (Track 7) helps bring the record back up to speed once more. I have to credit T.D. on this one, he uses the Major key as a basis for the song. Not heard very often these days.  Makes the song very bright, awake and happy sounding. Too many parts worth mentioning, so I'll give you the best. The intro uses a very weird sounding effect that I have never heard before.  Cool use of wah wah at 1:04, that merges into a killer open string hammer-on/pull-off idea that moves around.  He keeps everything very melodic and makes the listener have a conversation with his guitar. Then hits 1:42, ARPEGGIOS GALORE!  Executed with the highest degree. Check out the speed kills run at 1:51. After that, T.D. uses a whammy pedal that makes his bends go up to the sky! Finishes it out very nicely. The Major based riff in this song just rocks.  Again, practice your major work over this one.

    "Still Waters" (Track 8) is very emotional feeling. This has got to be one of T.D.'s best songs.  Lots of guitar harmonies that intertwine with each other beautifully. This song is very soulful.  Reminds me of looking through a photo album at loved ones who moved away or passed on and remember all the good times we had together.  This song really makes you feel secure and warm, it could help you get through a major crisis. T.D.'s lead accents are great in this song, he really shows how emotional his playing can be. His use of the E minor key really makes this song feel the way it does, kind of a sad sound throughout. Cool harmony starting at 2:04 and carries on till the next major section which rings in at 2:39. One thing that I  must mention about this song  may shock you. There is a saxophone solo instead of a guitar solo in this song.  The first time I heard it (in the demo stages) I wasn't sure if I liked it.  Honestly, I think T.D. made the right choice by putting it in. It helps complete that mood that he was going for in this one. There is also a use of a fretless bass in the song that really helps keep a smooth and easy tone. T.D. also accents the rhythm track with a twelve string guitar. This song is very layered with lots of texture. As a liner note, this song was written in tribute to the late Princess Diana.  If she heard this, she would really appreciate it.  It's a very nice tribute.

    OK, here comes the jammer! "If That's What It Takes" (Track 9) grooves.  Guest vocals by Jeremy Sparta on this one. He has a good voice.  He has a very in-your-face type voice so studio effects are used over them that really highlight his tone. This song totally reminds me of something that came off of Extreme's "Pornograffiti."  The solo in this song jams out.

    "Red Tide" (track 10) continues on the faster elements of the CD. Look out that red elegy is going to get you! T.D. uses a great blend of techniques in this tune.  Lots of trem bar usage. He uses the wah wah to help accent his points throughout the track. The drums and bass in this song really mesh together well on this song.  They keep the rhythm section in sync with each other on this one. Here comes the pain.  At 2:10 T.D. tears down the house with one of his best chirping runs.  Then speed kills at 2:16, cool runs and very clean I might add, not one bit of choppiness at all.  He executes these phrases like it's natural. Cool ending to this track too - that guitar makes some cool noises.

    "Flying Away" (track 11) is great and its an "airy" or open sounding song.  Percussion work is cool. Keyboards are a nice touch. Cellos even help accent the song song throughout.  John Yeager really shines through on this track, again being a very emotional singer for this one. T.D. uses the twelve string on this track. The rhythm guitar throughout this song is very cool as well. No lead section though. I don't think it could ever use one though. It's perfect the way it is. T.D. even does harmony vocals on this one too!  He's got a good voice, I might add.  This song will really take a hold of you and soar the open skies. The lyrics in this song are very cool.  Overall, this track carries itself very well. I think T.D. made an excellent choice when selecting the singer for this song. Hats off to John on this one. I would also like to mention the ending of this song, it's really simple but neat. Makes you crack a smile.

    Last but not least, "Snake Eyes" (Track 12) opens with speed runs up the board.  My favorite bass line on the CD, total jam. T.D. kicks the verse in with a wah wah.  Very nice touch, really helps accent the song. Check out the cool line at 1:09.  T.D. knocks you off the seat at 1:56, a nylon shredd solo. Can we say Harmonic Minor?  Very Strunz and Farah-ish. After hearing that, I was like, where the hell did that come from? Very cool, I really didn't expect that, especially in this tune because is a very upbeat, faster paced song.  T.D. kicks in a very cool line at 2:12, very upbeat, makes the guitar really stand out.  Cool shred movement at 2:44.  The rhythm guitar in this song is really cool as well, it kind of "hops" around in spots.  Again, T.D. really utilizes the wah wah pedal to accent this song. Itsa great track to end the CD with!

    Looking back, I really have to give this album a 4 star rating. Everything sounds great, production is top quality. No cheap mix job here. One of the major standouts are the guitars, they are always loud and you can't miss them. After hearing this CD you will really fall in love with this guitarist's playing, he's so tasteful. T.D. never strays from the song structure to go off into 8 minutes worth of mush. His songs have a building point, climax and cool-off stage.  He really stands out in the Instrumentalist world today. T.D. never, and I mean never, bores you.  This release definitely can apply to all the masses. This isn't just for guitar players, everyone could jam to this CD, whether you're a rock, pop, or metal fan. T.D. is a virtuoso. He is a master in many forms of playing, classical, rock, metal, blues, pop, Latin, and so on. Some his favorite guitarists are: Adrian Vandenberg, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, John McLaughlin, Peter Frampton, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Joe Satriani, Strunz and Farah, Gary Hoey, Gary Moore, Tony MacAlpine and Vinnie Moore. This is what really blends his sound together. T.D. is a very well practiced musician. His runs are never choppy, always clean and error free. I really hope some fans of other instrumentalists buy his CD, because T.D. could teach the "old geezers," who will remain nameless, some new tricks!  T.D., The Shred Zone tips its hat off to you and congratulates you on a great second release. Great job, and we can't wait for the third release. How about a Heavy Metal record?

Nick Martinelli  The Shred Zone   Spring 2001