David Beegle - Clear the track - 1999
intro
Dave Beegle... what?, who?… Well, let us start again. Dave Beegle: "guitarist comparable to Tom Scholz, Brian May or Jimmy Page". And I have not invented it myself, those praises have been given by Guitar Magazine. OK, if I have already make you curious enough, I can tell you that Dave is a guitarist-producer-composer-professor whose works are all presented as solo recordings, multiple collaborations with other bands and countless personal projects (Artifact Simphony, The BOQ Trío, Fourth State, etc). Well, this "Clear the tracks" is a compilation that picks up the best moments in his large career.
review
About his collaboration with Artifact Simphony it is clear that he approaches the experimentation with synthesizers, ethnic rhythms, etc... with the two themes that he presents us here: "Insallah", a very colourful song in which the Dissidenten meet Holdsworth, and "Chivalry is not dead", one of the most original things that I have listened in the last few years: Arabic-Spanish rhythms, electronic parts, rhythm changes and... flamenco singing!. From his solo career we have "All the kings men" (that also appears on his acoustic CD "A year closer"), which is another marvellous Arabic-Spanish song; the crystalline "Routier"; and the moving "A little prayer" (also from "A year closer").
There are more references of the instrumental band Fourth State than from any other one, with songs like the rocker "Kara Kum", more than eight minutes of a guitar lesson, rhythm changes, etc. that will let you completely surprised; "From here to there" is in the style of Alex Lifeson; "The hammer song" is a great track, full of genuine American Southern guitar sounds and astonishing instrumental developments; "Joy", an incredible version of a piece by Bach that we will also find in "A year closer"; there is also a technique lesson called "Mason street shuffle"; a rocker approach in the style of Platypus or LTE (but composed 8 years ago) can be found in "Juggernaut"; and it finished with a look at science fiction cinema with "War of the worlds".
Apart from all that I said, we also find another two tracks: "Monsters", from The BOQ Trio, which is a beautiful acoustic song with an Irish air and whose feminine vocals remind of The Cranberries; and "Goin´ Down" from Blinddog Smokin´, which is just a tremendous live joke full of rocker elements, desperate harmonies, etc... in the style of The Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd including a sharp guitar solo by Dave.
conclusion
We are definitely in front of a good album that includes various different styles and in which each track is as interesting as the other ones. What is evident is that it can be a brilliant presentation card for Dave Beegle, a guitarist who can calmly look into many well known guitarist’s eyes due to his excellent level. For a normal listener this record is worth a lot, but those who those who are obliged to buy it, are the readers –and I am certain that there are some of them – who play the guitar during their time off or in a professional way. You won’t find any better lessons cheaper than that.