Only A Fool Would Play That
Bob McAlpine
Well the 2010 Winter Olympics are over now, but I am still inspired by all of those great athletes that managed to outdo their own personal best in their sports. It is a shame that all of them could not receive a medal for putting so much on the line and doing better than anyone could expect. And this got me thinking about this extraordinary CD by Bob McAlpine, which he titled Only A Fool Would Play That. The title is a play on the Steely Dan song "Only A Fool Would Say That" (from the album Can't Buy a Thrill) and it is appropriate for this incredible collection of Steely Dan songs on solo guitar: I am sure that Bob was only half-kidding when you consider the difficulty of some of these songs.
Like a well-trained athlete Bob McAlpine started this project with determination and discipline but found that the task was much harder than he had first thought. But then like a world-class athlete he kept going and managed to do what at first looked like the impossible. Thus we have this fine CD today.
We are off to a fine start with the moody introduction to Josie, played with a clear rich texture on an electric guitar. A Telecaster has not sounded this good in fingerstyle since Ted Greene's pioneering work. This is a great tune to just listen to but if you are a Steely Dan fan you will love hearing all of the little touches that make this a standout track in both the original version and this one.
Next comes the one I really wanted to hear: Reelin' in the Years. Well I have to say that this arrangement beat my expectations, and the way Bob pulls off the double guitar solo in the middle without ever losing the bass is just delightful. A great arrangement and so well played!
You might think Bob McAlpine would ease up on himself, but he is right back with a challenging arrangement of the classic Rikki Don't Lose That Number. The Tele sounds great here, this time with a bit of shimmer provided by a very judicious application of a harmonizer, just enough to thicken the texture and make the harmonics sing.
A short little cry calls out Hey Nineteen! This one lays down a nice funky groove that the melody slips and slides through. The textures here are a joy to listen to. Just like the original it slowly moves out of the groove only to slide smoothly back in the middle. Nice.
Bodhisattva begins with a laid-back bluesy feel before rocking into the song proper. This song is a wonderful blend of a classic rock riff with Steely Dan's trademark groove and Bob brings both elements out to perfection, this time on his '99 Strat. These songs are so suited to the electric guitar that it is hard to imagine them on acoustic. Of course not a lot of people can play an electric at this level of fingerstyle difficulty!
Then, as if to prove his versatility as well as that of his material, Mr. McAlpine treats us to Dirty Work on his Larrivee D-03. This acoustic guitar has a full, rich sound with still lots of bright highs, and is very well-suited to this song's contrast between the lyrics and their gentle presentation.
RIght from the opening notes you know that Do It Again is going to be a standout. The atmospheric start sets the song up perfectly. For this one Bob returns to a Strat, this time his 1974 Maple Strat for those wondering. Once more the harmonizer puts a lovely shimmer on the guitar. This is one of those songs you will not be able to get out of your head, but you won't be complaining!
Ruby Baby brings another strong groove on the Tele. The slightly quirky melody jumps and dances around the straightforward bass making for a very cool effect. The interplay of the two ideas makes for an unforgettable arrangement. The snappy bass alone will get your body moving, while your ears will be captured by the more oblique motions of the melody.
The aptly named Home At Last brings a more straight ahead song, at the start at least. With Steely Dan half of the fun is wondering where they will go next and how they will get back to the start - back "home at last". As expected this one has all sorts of interesting detours while finally getting us back to where we began. Dancing is allowed - to this or any of the other songs. Strong grooves!
Deacon Blues is another one I was looking forward to, and it more than lives up to expectations. The Tele and harmonizer sound just great on the wonderful harmonies in this song. Another outstanding arrangement, but then again they all are pretty amazing.
Pretzel Logic starts off with some smokin' blues riffs so it is a bit surprising to realize that they are played on the acoustic Larrivee. The playing is so clear and crisp, the recording so pristine that this guitar blends right in with the electric tracks with no sense of disconnect at all. This one is really hot and it shows that Bob McAlpine is no slouch on the acoustic guitar!
We now come to the song that inspired the title: Only A Fool Would Say That. This is a fun song that moves along at a nice clip with a bouncy melody supported by a simple alternating bass. We are back to the Maple Strat here, sounding as fine as ever. Things really heat up in the middle as the bass becomes nice and active even as the melody itself stretches out into new territory. Then as suddenly as it began, it's over. Short but sweet.
To end the CD, Bob pulls out his '99 Strat - this time through a Roland chorus - to give us Aja . This is a mellower tune but so full of Steely Dan-isms that it seems to be a perfect summing up of all of the songs that have come before it. This is another fine arrangement and an ideal ending to an unforgettable CD.
For Steely Dan fans this CD is a no-brainer, but anyone who enjoys good songs well-played on guitar will love it. Fingerstylists will be particularly interested in the richness of tone and inventiveness in the arrangements, and I would be surprised if a few didn't decide to concentrate more on their electric playing.
Bottom line: Great songs, wonderful arrangements, flawless playing. Could you ask for more? Buy it. You will not be disappointed.
Go to CD Baby at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bobmcalpine to listen to previews and buy the CD.
If you are in Toronto you can hear Bob McAlpine play the music of Steely Dan with the band Pretzel Logic. For more information check out their web site: http://www.pretzellogic.ca/