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Jonathan Segel

Honey

(Magnetic; US: 1 Dec 2007; UK: Available as import)

While Jonathan Segel’s best known as the fiddler/multi-instrumentalist from Camper Van Beethoven, his solo CD mostly features him playing a crunchy electric guitar that easily may be mistaken for the wild sounds of that other California studio gee-tar wizard, Frank Zappa. On songs like the pounding rock of “Greedy” or the 12-plus minutes of space music of “Interstitial Undertow”, Segel lets his axe venture into places most other guitarists avoid, lest they become overcome by the feedback and noise. Segel’s sense of humor also recalls Zappa. The title “Greedy” sounds like a Mother’s critique of modern America and the punning of “Instititial Undertow” (re: “the prog rock classic “Intersteller Overdrive”) fits Zappa’s tradition of poking holes in pretentious rawk. Segel is ably joined by former Van Beethoven mate Victor Krummenacher on bass, and at times the two become one in a pounding pulse of energy that leaves the listener in the dust.

Rating:

Steven Horowitz has a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Iowa, where he continues to teach a three-credit online course on "Rock and Roll in America". He has written for many different popular and academic publications including American Music, Paste and the Icon. Horowitz is a firm believer in Paul Goodman's neofunctional perspective on culture and that Sam Cooke was right, a change is gonna come.


Tagged as: honey | jonathan segel
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Jonathan Segel - Greedy
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By Brian James
29 Jan 2004
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