Face First
Face First has the sound of four confident musicians finding more possibilities inside a shared style. Tribal Tech move between jazz, funk, blues and rock with strong technical control. Scott Henderson's guitar is prominent, but Gary Willis' bass, Scott Kinsey's keyboards and Kirk Covington's drums make this much more than a guitarist's backing group.
The title track puts that relationship in focus. A lively bass line gives Henderson a flexible setting for guitar phrases that draw on both blues and rock. The playing has plenty of force, yet the phrasing keeps the solo from becoming a simple demonstration of speed. Each change has a clear place within the groove.
There are different ways to hear the band's personality. After Hours gives the keyboards a more recognisably jazzy setting. Boiler Room briefly puts Covington's drumming forward, bringing another kind of energy to the album. These shifts prevent the arrangements from relying entirely on the lead guitar.
Boat Gig changes the mood again through Covington's lead vocal and its playful approach to a cover-band sound. The joke works because the musicians have enough control to make the change convincing. Their knowledge of blues and rock reaches beyond a collection of impressive guitar moves.
The clean production makes the individual parts easy to follow, although some sounds and arrangements feel firmly tied to their period. Not every composition has the freedom or surprise that the best playing promises. At times, the band seem more careful than their abilities require. Even so, Willis' inventive bass and Henderson's expressive lead work keep Face First engaging. It is a strong fusion record whose personality comes as much from the interaction between players as from the difficulty of the music.
