Music

1997 Imaginary Day

Label: Warner Bros.

Musicians: Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Mark Ledford, David Blamires, Mino Cinelu, David Samuels, Glen Velez, Don Alias

This is one of my favorite releases from the Pat Metheny Group. Metheny is a unique guitarist who has been able to take jazz over into the mainstream. His sound is synthesized, but it doesn’t detract from his playing ability. He is still the type that can make your jaw drop with his phrasing and sound. This album is a great tour of Metheny’s abilities. Like many of Metheny’s albums, “Imaginary Day” blends well between songs, making the album very story like. Although songs can be played out of order and enjoyed, it is like taking a quote out of context. Metheny doesn’t only write a song, he composes the entire album. The album opens with the title track, and Metheny playing another one of his guitar inventions, the fretless guitar. This guitar provides a unique sound as Metheny is able to add semitones to his playing arsenal. “A Story Within a Story” has more of a jazzy sound, and “The Heat of the Day” is a little more hectic, but with Metheny’s clear notes ringing through the cacophony of sound. My favorite track off the album is “The Roots of Coincidence,” a hard driving song. It slowly works its way towards a crescendo of guitar and drums, only to back off to a quiet interlude and repeat the process again. The solo between these peaks of music is pure Metheny. —Amazon.com