BOZZIO LEVIN STEVENS
Situation Dangerous (Magna Carta Records)
Reviewed by Bill Holmes

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The second recorded collaboration between the trio is more far-reaching and creative than their Black Light Syndrome debut. This time around, the band had more time to work on structured material instead or relying on the spontaneous combustion that erupted from their initial jams.

The surprising element to this trio might be Stevens, who not only proves to be a versatile guitarist but also a proponent of acoustic and Flamenco guitar stylings. Bozzio, of course, might be this generation's most adaptable drummer, occupying the throne for artists as diverse as The Knack and Frank Zappa. And Levin, who has bettered artists from Chuck Mangione to Robert Fripp, is in a league of his own. (Ironically, he looks quite alien in the photo on the CD, but those are just his Funk Finger devices, not foot long fingers).

The eight one-word titles make Situation Dangerous read like a punk record, but the fusion based "Endless" and riveting "Dangerous" will call to mind classic early seventies influences like Led Zeppelin and King Crimson, respectively. "Crash" could be a ten-pace duel between Jeff Beck and John McLaughlin on a speeding train. Levin's pulsing pace could raise your heart rate if you are sitting too closely; you almost need the more relaxed acoustic framework of the next couple of tracks just to settle back down.

The reason Situation Dangerous works so well is that these three artists play like jugglers tossing pins back and forth; always busy leading yet never unaware of where the others are at any given moment. I believe they call that virtuosity.

© 2000 - Bill Holmes