Steve Topping, Time And Distance Review

Overall Rating

Steve Topping, Time And Distance Adrenalin
Spock
Watercolour
Amongst
Time & Distance
Blueways
Renewal
Fossil
Life Divine

Steve Topping - Guitar
Paul Carmichael - Bass guitar
Mick Hutton - String bass
Gary Husband - Drums

From the blistering opener inspired by John McLaughlin, long time guitar hero of very capable guitarist himself Steve Topping, you know you're in for an explosive treat. Not quite with the same rawness of tone and using more MIDI technology than on his few previous outings, especially "What It Is" also with Gary Husband and Paul Carmichael, we now have a maturing style that displays more song structures, slower tempos and choice harmonies, but with the same fiery spirit as before. If the first track was McLaughlin, then the next is totally Holdsworth. Topping is right up there in matching his electrified champions. But that's not where it ends - we also get to hear his delicate acoustic voice and raunchier bottleneck and more straight-laced blues rock playing. Quite a lot in the space of four tracks!
Topping is certainly a versatile guitarist and more-than-able composer. His preference here is for Holdsworth's detached timbre but he also displays his talents in raw Mahavishnu tones and straight blues, adding up to an album of diversity that actually can be too much in one helping, for example, the closing cover of McLaughlin's "A Life Divine" erupts magnificently from nowhere and so feels incongruous to the rest of the album. A consistent album using the same approach on each piece can be kinder on the audience, but has to work harder to sound apart from its influences. It will be interesting to hear what style he favours on his long awaited upcoming "Late Flower", also recorded with Husband. Meanwhile, there's plenty to delve into on this quality release.