Randy George, best known as bass player in NMB, has a new solo album, Beyond Words, his third to date. George is a multi-instrumentalist and so plays the majority of the guitar and keyboards on this mostly instrumental album, as well as bass guitar, drums covered by Dan Lile and Jason Gianni.
“Cappuccino with Max” (one of Randy and NMB road crew member, Max’s daily habits) starts the album with a solid piece of fusion which diffuses any potential expectation that you’re in for an album of bass solos! Randy is superb across the range of instruments and the album boasts many great musical ideas. “Technical Difficulties” follows at a high energy pace, with Neal Morse adding keyboards to this NMB-like track. The title track “Beyond Words” conjures images of a Steely Dan / Genesis hybrid band with some excellent soloing.
Having had our appetite whetted, the album’s one vocal track, “Make Me Real,” is next. Simon Godfrey, who many of you will know from Tinyfish and Shineback does a great job on this track, that also has a cool guitar solo from NMB band mate, Eric Gillette.
For me, one of the keys to an engaging instrumental album is the pacing and balance of music / styles, to ensure that the listener is taken on a journey – and the album is a huge success in this respect. So you’ve got a track like “Pool Toad Redemption” which taps into a fusion style, featuring Eric Gillette on high speed shredding, followed by “Soul Geometry,” a fretless bass electronica / experimental track. “Foam Rubber Monsters” is an intriguing mix of prog rock with bassoon solos – trust me … it works!
Piano features more heavily in “Three Sides To Every Story,” a Toto-like groove to these ears, and “The Good World” which has a jazzy edge. The closing track, “My Technicolor World,” feels almost like a TV theme, and knowing Randy’s love of vintage TV shows, I’m sure this was the inspiration.
Clocking in at 42 minutes, it’s the ideal “album-length” listen. It’s a well-paced collection with a diverse blend of songs and styles, that showcases technical ability without diluting the melodic content. The distinct styles should push you to want to revisit and get familiar with the songs themselves.
Released on Sept. 1st, 2023
Beyond Words
Track list:
01. Cappuccino With Max
02. Technical Difficulties
03. Beyond Words
04. Make Me Real
05. Pool Toad Redemption
06. Soul Geometry
07. Foam Rubber Monsters
08. Three Sides To Every Story
09. The Good World
10. My Technicolor World
Written, Recorded and Produced by Randy George Audio Mixed by Jerry Guidroz
Musicians:
Randy George: Guitars, Bass, and Keyboards – All Tracks
Dan Lile: Drums – All Tracks Except Soul Geometry & My Technicolor World Jason Gianni: Drums on My Technicolor World
Simon Godfrey: Lyrics and Vocals on Make Me Real
Paul Hansen: Bassoon Solos on Foam Rubber Monsters
Eric Gillette: Guitar Solos on Pool Toad Redemption & Make Me Real
Neal Morse: Additional Keyboards on Technical Difficulties
Jimmy McElroy: Alto Sax on The Good World
Pamela George: Shakers & Wind Chimes on Soul Geometry
Available exclusively on bandcamp! To pre-order: randygeorgebass.bandcamp.com
All CD orders will receive a digital download of the album when purchased!
