Artist: Michael Harris Album: Orchestrate (2006) Label: Lion Music Website: http://www.michaelharrisguitar.com Reviewer: Bill Knispel

Track List: 01. Opus Conceptus 02. String Theory 03. The Mad Composer’s Rage 04. Notes from the Kursk 05. Battle at Storm’s Edge 06. Guiprice 07. Mysterioso 08. Octavian II 09. The Anti Shred 10. Schizo Forte “Neoclassical” needn’t necessarily be a bad word. While it conjures up images of guitarists or keyboardists playing at speeds nearly inconceivable to the average listener, with huge hair and egos to match, the fact of the matter is that neoclassical music is much like any genre. Within the fairly narrowly defined style, there are musicians who break the mold and push the boundaries back. Michael Harris’s Orchestrate is an excellent example of this. Says Harris: “I didn't intend on writing around any particular "culture" of music stylistically, but when I listen back, I hear many different styles, even some Russian/Slavic themes. I also wanted to create a record that breathes with a lot of dynamics, also with at least one tempo descelerondo, and some free time tempos.” The album meets those goals, offering up a little bit of everything from gentle acoustic pieces through more jaunty bits that keep the energy flowing and the feet tapping. One of the highlights for me is the wonderful acoustic piece, “Guiprice.” If I were to say that it sounds like it were excerpted from the soundtrack of an Ultima video game, it might sound an insult, but the piece is incredibly evocative, baroque in construction, and a piece worthy of inclusion in any classical guitarist’s repertoire. At an all too brief 1:27, it leaves me wanting to hear more. And more appears in “The Anti Shred,” a wittily titled piece with both classical guitar and sustained electric guitar lines over subtle orchestration. It’s humorous to note a musician in this genre poking fun at listener’s preconceptions, and shows Harris willing to add some levity to what can often be an overly serious genre. “The Mad Composer’s Rage” showcases the other side of Harris’s playing. A powerful metal instrumental, Harris’s guitars still fit the music, showing a willingness to offer restraint and subtlety where lesser guitarists might add a few more 300 BMP solos just to show they can. Also of note is the song’s orchestrated keyboards; Harris recorded the keyboards in much the same way individual string parts would be recorded, rather than as layered chords. This adds a richness in sound often lacking in this style. Listeners afraid to check out the neoclassical scene for fear of out of control shredding should check out Michael Harris’s Orchestrate. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air, and should place Harris in the upper echelon of neoclassical guitarists. Michael Harris - Electric, acoustic, synth, nylon string, bass guitars and keyboards. Matt Thompson – Drums