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REVIEWS: JAMES LaBRIE'S MULLMUZZLER Mullmuzzler 2 back to artists page Discography • Audio • Tour Dates • Links Released Sept 11, 2001 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Ok, I'm going to assume you don't know who James LaBrie is. James LaBrie is the lead vocalist for arguably the premier progressive rock/metal band on the planet. Of course I'm talking about Dream Theater. Since their massively influential 1992 release Images and Words, James has been highly regarded as one of the best vocalists to step behind a microphone in any genre. His smooth tone, incredible range and one of a kind delivery is not easily matched in today's scene. In 1999 James stepped out on his own and released Keep It To Yourself under the Mullmuzzler moniker. The record showed James' depth as a songwriter and lyricist and received critical as well as all-important fan acclaim. A host of high-quality co-writers came on board again for this second Mullmuzzler record, aptly titled 2, and helped James create a truly great record of modern, melodic prog rock. The music is flowing, radiant, grooving, thoughtful and dynamic. There are plenty of odd time signatures to keep his prog audience happy, while not overdoing them. They're used more as accents and transitional spice than as the rhythmic foundation. The musicians, keyboardist Matt Guillory (Dali's Dilemma), guitarist Mike Keneally (Beer For Dolphins, Steve Vai), drummer Mike Mangini (Extreme, Steve Vai), along with additional help from Trent Gardner (Magellan, Explorer's Club - keys) and guitarist Mike Borkosky, are among some of the most respected names in the business. I am going to try and refrain from literally gushing over the brilliance of each individual track and punish myself into actually picking highlights. The opening track, LaBrie/Gardner penned "Afterlife", is a fluid piece finding James free-styling the verses and nailing home the ambient chorus. His vocal prowess is really emphasized on this one, without resorting to self-indulgent wailing. The delivery on the verses is sort of "stream of consciousness" in it's phrasing. Also, Kudos to Keneally and Gardner for the incredible clean guitar tone on the chorus! "Stranger", written by LaBrie/Guillory, is another stand out cut. It begins with a synth swell, leading into a progressive free for all before landing in the melodic verse. The verse itself has a beautiful piano/acoustic guitar melody that leaves ample room for James' voice to do its thing with a fantastic vocal melody. The song itself is a mid-tempo, moody rocker with quick shots of progressive flavor. Guillory's synth solo is perfect in the instrumental section. He uses enough notes to impress, yet not so many as to be considered overblown. The groove in "Save Me" is infectious, as is the melody. The stacked vocals on the opening verses here are haunting and expressive. Keneally's guitar work shines on this track as well with a soulful, elegant solo just before Guillory is unleashed on the keys again. "Listening" is one of my favorites on the disc. Guillory's piano on the intro is the perfect catalyst for Keneally's thoughtful guitar fills. The verse is as emotional as it is melodic. James over a piano sounds so natural that if Dream Theater called it quits tomorrow he could live out the rest of his days in this format and do nothing but gain fans along the way. There are subtle prog nuances before Keneally gives a stunning, heartfelt clean guitar solo. With Mullmuzzler not only does James get another outlet for his non-Dream Theater side, but his fans get even more excellent music with superb vocals, heartfelt playing and quality songwriting. Ok, this review is long enough. This is a record which every Dream Theater fan needs, and no fan of melodic, slightly progressive rock should be without. – Ytsejam.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– James LaBrie with his second spring leak of Mullmuzzler really got to me in a positive way. I'm really not very fond of James voice nowadayds, even though I've been a total diehard fan of Dream Theater, but the thing with this album is, I like it. His voice is somewhat alike the Scenes From a Memory album, while the songs are a bit different. The songwriting has been done by James along with Matt Guillory (keyboards). Friends like Trent Gardner (of course), Gary Werhkamp and Carl Cadden-James (both from Shadow Gallery) has been invited on the writing of "Afterlife" and "Venice Burning". The last mentioned being among the best of the album. Moving on to "Confronting the Devil". I think that this track is among my all time favorite tunes that James has ever put vocals on. It's a bit towards "Home" (Dream Theater), but with a bit more rock feel to it. But in general there's this wonderful Babylon atmosphere to it. "Believe" is also among the better tunes with James, being a somewhat slow ballad mood song. Sort of like a "Surrounded" kind of song, but more down to earth with percussion, and easier song structure and arrangements. James does one thing best around here, and that's his whispering vocals. This is perfectly demonstrated in "Surrounded" as well as in "Believe". His voice sounds clearer than ever and the songs and vocal melodies are great. This album is great, and so is James LaBrie.... and that's a fact! – More Than Music –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– James LaBrie of Dream Theater fame has just released the follow up to his first Mullmuzzler CD called Keep It To Yourself. First of all, anyone expecting some "Loud, Fast and Thrashin" better think again! LaBrie has released an album of 10 tracks of, he calls "remarkably torrid ballads, traditional grinding prog metal and buoyant post prog". There is a remarkable diversity in the 10 tracks as LaBrie tries to distance himself somewhat from his main meal ticket Dream Theater while at the same time trying not to alienate those who will tune into this CD because of his affiliation with that band. LaBrie is joined on the CD by Matt Guillory (Dali's Dilemma): keyboards, Trent Gardner (Magellan): keyboards, Mike Mangini: drums, Mike Keneally: guitar, Mike Borkosky: guitar and Brian Beller: bass. Trent Gardner helps out LaBrie on the first track "Afterlife". Gardner helped Labrie write this tune which is one of the more traditional prog rock song with a funky rhythm section. Kinda reminds me of RUSH for some reason. "Venice Burning" is bit more rock oriented and is the first song in a two part story of a father whose son has been molested by the man's best friend. He kills his best friend and ends up in prison but realizes that he has made his son's life worse because now he has lost his father too. The song is one of the better tracks on the CD. The second part of the story is found in the track "Confronting the Devil". LaBrie wanted this song to have a definite rock feel in the vein of Led Zeppelin. It succeeds and is in and of itself a good song. LaBrie also has a couple of ballads and on the CD. "Falling" is the first and deals with relationships. It's a simple catchy song that sticks in your head. It is not a true ballad in the slow syrupy sweet sense of the word as it is a mid tempo track but it fits the bill. A highlight of the CD. "Believe" is the quintessential slow ballad. LaBries voice is front and center on this track as there is only minimal instrumentation and he pulls it off perfectly. This CD is quite different than LaBrie's regular gig in Dream Theater. He colours the songs as he sees fit. Everything doesn't have to be a singular style. He incorporates funky rhythmic tunes alongside his straight ahead rockers and ballads to create an interesting CD that shows that he has more to offer than just his vocal abilities. – Metal-Rules.com –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– This CD, released September 11th of 2001, is the second extra-curricular project for Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie. Like many "solo" works, this one has a large cast of sidemen and songwriters working in concert with the guy whose name graces the cover. In fact, many of the musicians on this album are members of other Magna Carta bands. This lends a communal aspect to the album. The sidemen sound like a band, even though they aren't LaBrie's day job, so to speak. Drawing parallels between this album and other modern progressive rock albums is somewhat meaningless. LaBrie favors a tenor vocal style reminiscent of Kansas and Styx, and the music driven by Mike Mangini's powerful drums has that classic feel. Keyboardists Matt Guillory and Trent Gardner give the music incredible fullness; the keyboards drive many of the songs, in fact. Meanwhile, guitarists Mike Keneally and Mike Borosky provide everything from chunky rhythms to exploratory lead passages. Brian Beller's bass anchors the band with aplomb. Keneally's contribution of tones, styles, and techniques is quite impressive; many of the songs wouldn't be nearly as neat if they lacked his input. LaBrie handles all the lead and background vocals, and he composed most of the songs along with Guillory, Gardner, and other Magna Carta buds. The opener, "Afterlife," composed with Gardner, goes from a burbling keyboard-backed opening into a funky rhythmic groove; Mangini's drums push the song along as the guitarists apply both wah-wah and scratchy chording to pull listeners into the musical web. The complex storyline of the following two songs, "Venice Burning" and "Confronting The Devil," concerns mature subject matter; and the complicated, aggressive music matches the mood perfectly. LaBrie's vocal style certainly deserves a bit more print than the above comparison, which we only used as a reader's reference point. The more "ballady" tracks show that he's a master of melody, with a truly impressive range. "Believe" spotlights these vocals by leaving out most of the drums and bringing the beautiful melody up front. The song is quite emotional, and James puts the vibe across without leaning into Michael Bolton Land even once. Meanwhile, Mangini's drums really kick on the more propulsive numbers and add subtle support where mellower movements are called for. Just listen to the push and pull feeling that he creates on "Save Me" as the drums bridge the gaps between vocal and guitar passages. The whole band shines on the dark closer, "Tell Me." Fans of heavy progressive rock will eat this one up, even with a couple ballads on the side. – The Sun Herald Biloxi Marquee –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Have you ever expected something to be one way, and instead received something totally unexpected? That's what I felt when I first listened to the new CD by James LaBrie. This is the second CD by LaBrie, titled Mullmuzzler 2. James LaBrie is the lead singer for Dream Theater, and if you don't get out much, DT is one of the best prog / metal bands out there today. The last studio CD from them was awesome to say the least, which was called Scenes From A Memory. James LaBries solo project, called Mullmuzzler, has recorded two CD's to date; 1999's Keep It To Yourself, and his latest Mullmuzzler 2. Once again, he has brought together an extraordinary group of musicians to play on the new CD. It is a who's who of prog today. Gary Werhkamp and Carl Cadden-James, both from Shadow Gallery. Matt Guillory of Dali's Dilemma, keyboards, Trent Gardner of Magellan, keyboards, Mike Mangini, drums, Mike Keneally, guitar, Mike Borkosky, guitar and Brian Beller, bass. If you're familiar with his first CD, Keep It To Yourself, and you are expecting more of the same style of music, you will be surprised with his latest CD. Each and every song has a different feel and rhythm to it. James is spreading his wings musically for us and he can soar with the best. We think he's just asking us to expand our own perceptions of his music and also to expand our own minds in terms of music. Let's not get caught in that old grind, I only listen to prog or metal or jazz, you get the point; it's about music. The CD consists of ten tracks of ballads, power prog and jazz/fusion. We believe a couple of the songs should be top 40 hits for Mr. LaBrie, if only they could get some real airplay. Just listen to "Falling" and "Listening" and we think you will agree. James LaBire takes a big chance with this CD and we loved it. Go out and show your patronage, purchase this great disc. You will love it. As fans, we can only benefit, and hopefully more artists will take chances with their music. – Thomas Connolly for Prog4you –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Mullmuzzler first celebrated the talent of vocalist James LaBrie apart from his groundbreaking progressive main course, Dream Theater, with Keep it to Yourself (1999). This album like the first features a talented ensemble of musicians and writers (including artists who have worked with the likes of Steve Vai and Frank Zappa) joining forces for this 10-track release, Mullmuzzler 2. Written mostly with Matt Gillory from Dali's Dilemma and produced by LaBrie, this sophomore solo release offers a blend of progressive, hard, and classic rock with a hint of adult contemporary and jazz-fusion blended for a result that could easily make its way to the mainstream. The first track "Afterlife" is a progressive offering clearly reminding fans of influences like Rush, while songs like "Stranger" offer a soft glimpse at Pink Floyd influenced tranquility, as well as the keyboard sound that Dream Theater fans have become accustomed to. "Venice Burning" the first of two songs that LaBrie wrote with Shadow Gallery's Carl Cadden-James and Gary Wehrkamp for the album stands apart with a heavier edge and begins the two-part tale of child molestation that winds up with "Confronting the Devil." Though, a likely single with be the love song "Falling." Mullmuzzler 2 is a two-fold accomplishment, because it differentiates itself from LaBrie's other music and because that uniqueness lets it stand apart from the countless other offerings in this genre. – The Pure Rock Shop CD Reviews –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The first MullMuzzler album, Keep It To Yourself, wasn't a mere lucky shot at all. The project of Dream Theater's lead singer James LaBrie, has released a second album with the same high quality. It's amazing to see such a great album, since this is the most "song-oriented" side project from a Dream Theater member (including Kevin Moore's Chroma Key), which doesn't focus on experimentation and/or complex soloing. The songs are more "straight to the point," with great melodies and excellent vocals. Of course, James is a great singer, but his songwriting skills deserve a few lines. Counting on the writing talents of great modern progressive rock musicians, James works on some of the best progressive tunes of the year. Shadow Gallery's Gary Wehrkamp and Carl Cadden-James co-wrote with James "Venice Burning," with a warm piano/acoustic guitar duo that leads to a mindless tempo song, with heavy riffs and a catchy chorus. "Confronting The Devil" is another LaBrie/Cadden-James/Wehrkamp song, with a sensational riff and a raging vocalization. Another co-writer is Magellan's Trent Gardner. The opening song, "Afterlife" is a collage of eerie melodies and interesting vocal lines. But most of the album is co-written by James and Matt Guillory, keyboardist for Dali's Dilemma and for the Keep It To Yourself album. Seven songs were produced by this partnership, and the best are "Stranger," very Dream Theater-like; "A Simple Man," with great keyboard arrangements and thrilling high tone vocals; "Listening," and "Believe," an acoustic ballad with passionate interpretation. The band is the same from the first album, with a gathering of former Steve Vai musicians and Matt Guillory on keys. Matt's playing is great – he recalls Kevin Moore a lot in several passages – with remarkable melodies. Mike Keneally is an awesome guitarist, with a wide variety of moods, from dirty riffs to clean, warm acoustic melodies. Brian Beller's bass playing goes the same way, with great melodies and rhythm, completed by Mike Mangini's perfect timing and rhythm sense on drums. For this last part, I must point out James LaBrie's vocals. The guy sounds amazing, using some vocal approaches he never thought of using in Dream Theater, providing several kinds of vocalizations and interpretations. He is on the right track to build a strong solo career, and his Mullmuzzler has emerged as one of the best new progressive bands and surely one of the best Dream Theater side projects. – Detritus –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Click here to order Mullmuzzler, and the 1999 release, Keep It To Yourself. |
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JAMES LaBRIE'S MULLMUZZLER Mullmuzzler 2 Catalog # : MA-9056-2 |
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