MARCO MINNEMANN (feat. Joe Satriani) – Borrego (2017)

MARCO MINNEMANN – extraordinaire drummer, multi-instrumentalist of Steven Wilson, The Aristocrats, Levin Minnemann Rudess, Joe Satriani fame, just released a new double record called “Borrego” featuring legendary guitarists Alex Lifeson of Rush (playing on 3 songs, co-writing 1) and Joe Satriani (on 4 songs), plus bass master Tony Levin on one of the 4 bonus tracks exclusive of this CD version.
The album is inspired by the beautiful and mysterious desert town in Southern California, Borrego Springs. (First 1,000 CD-pack autographed by Marco).

You can tell Marco Minnemann is a prolific musician. This is a fact well established over the past few years and albums such as Schattenspiel, Above The Roses, Celebration, and EEPS – to name a few.
Of course, on top of those projects you also have to add in Marco Minnemann’s work as a sideman to the likes of Joe Satriani and Steven Wilson, as well as his position as one third of The Aristocrats and Levin / Minnemann / Rudess.

That’s a lot of work, enough to keep any musician occupied to the point of burnt-out, overstretched insanity. With that in mind, “Borrego” enters the picture, comprising almost thirty tracks of uncompromising music.
After all that’s already come before, this is a hefty double album worthy of the name.

Borrego’s title refers to Borrego Springs, a South Californian desert town. The music contained within naturally evokes the appropriate vibes, everything from limb-tangling drums to surreal fusion leanings, Steve Vai-chords, plenty of dark and nasty tones, and Minnemann’s inimitable vocals – in short, everything that makes Marco Minnemann, Marco Minnemann.

The vast majority of “Borrego” lives up to the intimidating standard Marco Minnemann has set and matched throughout his career to date, which is a remarkable achievement in itself considering just how much material we’re talking about here.
All of that said, this double-CD contains some real level-up moments from an artist already several levels above absolute mastery.

Opening pair ‘Sandstorm’ and ‘The Healer’ start things off with the aforementioned desert rock approach and (on the latter) some filthy ZZ Top grooves amid an awesome Satriani solo.
‘A Random Place’ is a modern proggy song while Marco duets with female vocalist Brigitte Roka; ‘North Bound’ sees Marco and Satch compliment each other’s guitar leads; and there are still more highlights to come.

In ‘Cutting It Short’, acoustic and lightly overdriven guitars blend into some sick funk stuff before tipping into a completely surreal pitch-shifted fusion section.
‘Mirage’ is a low-key but serious Prog track complete with deep, dark, and clearly personal and heartfelt lyrics, while ‘One Margarita (and the Milky Way)’ features Marco’s heavily effected vocal and a darker (and bass-heavy) turn. Distortion, bizarre dynamic shifts, a hilariously cut-short guitar solo, and a full-tilt headbanging riff are still to come.

‘Everyday Springtime’ is an upbeat and poppy love song with plenty of Vai-evoking spice and even some dramatic but not overbearing strings.
Co-written and featuring guitar from Alex Lifeson of Rush, ‘Gold Digger’ is one of Minnemann’s most cinematic tracks to date, encompassing everything from haunting piano to wicked guitars. Something that would fit well on a Tarantino soundtrack, which is always a bonus in my book.

The second disc of “Borrego” still stand up in comparison to Marco Minnemann’s earlier efforts – but hearing this guy continue to improve is always mind-boggling.
So many musicians hit a point far below Marco’s and decide they’re good enough – and then of course stagnation sets in and it’s all over.
This is, if you also include the EP’s worth of CD bonus tracks – which are also immense, especially ‘Hometown’ (feat. Joe Satriani), and super-tight rockers ‘Walls’ and ‘Why Should I Care?’, an insane amount of music with virtually no filler in sight.

As always, more aspiring musos would do well to follow in Marco Minnemann’s footsteps. Nobody knows what will happen if you just keep going, but it’s clearly fun to find out.
“Borrego” is an epic, mind-stretching excursion double CD record that contains 24 tracks (+ 4 bonus cuts exclusive to this CD version) and a complete 24 page booklet packed into a luxury digipak.
Highly Recommended

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

DISC 1:
1. Sandstorm
2. The Healer (feat. Joe Satriani)
3. Thunderstorm
4. Sculptures
5. A Random Place
6. North Bound (feat. Joe Satriani)
7. Palms Inn Blues
8. Cutting It Short
9. Mirage
10. Gold Digger
11. On That Note (feat. Alex Lifeson)
12. Everyday Springtime 2017
13. South End (feat. Alex Lifeson)
14. One Margarita and the Milky Way

DISC 2:
1. Horsepower (feat. Joe Satriani)
2. What Brought You Here?
3. 3 Ghosts in a Saloon
4. Homicide
5. Lady in White
6. Vallecito
7. Hometown (feat. Joe Satriani)
8. Roadrunner
9. What Can I Hide?
10. Broken Part

Exclusive Bonus Tracks for CD version:
11. Walls
12. Why Should I Care?
13. And Over Again
14. OTN (Remix) (feat. Alex Lifeson & Tony Levin)

Marco Minnemann: vocals, drums, bass, guitar, keyboards
Alex Lifeson: electric and acoustic guitars, effects
Joe Satriani: guitar solos
Tony Levin: bass
Eli Carlson: violin
Brigitte Roka: vocal duet on A Random Place
Giorgia Vanni, Donna Zed: backing vocals
thanks to leontk

BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Borrego-Marco-Minnemann/dp/B074755ZQS
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