Track Listing

1. The Essential
2. Clocks Go Forward
3. I Feel Free
4. Pictures On The Wall
5. There Is A Dog

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63441 in Music
• Released on: 2004-02-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 40 minutes

Customer Reviews

Pure talent
This is the Level 42 bass master's solo album, a lively mixture of styles which, as the title suggests, reflects the music that has inspired him. So we get 'The Essential', an 18-minute track bringing to mind Chick Corea's Spanish excursions, early '70s Miles, the rock/fusions of Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer and the solo bass innovations of Stanley Clarke. I Feel Free is an unashamed tribute to Cream, and There Is A Dog could easily have graced the first album by Return to Forever, with its breezy flute playing, tasty Fender Rhodes and fluid finger-style bass reminiscent of Stanley Clarke's upright playing. Clocks Go Forward and Picture On The Wall are in a Level 42 style and could easily have graced True Colours or Standing In The Light.

But Mark's own voice pops through now and again, particularly on The Essential. He plays superb (very Billy Cobhamish) drums and all the guitars on this album, and, quite simply, you have to buy it to dig a little deeper into the man's huge talent. To date, he has not returned to making challenging Jazz/Rock music, and shows little sign of wanting to now, so this may be our only chance to hear what he's truly capable of.

A fantastic Voyage...
This 'concept album' is a fantastic voyage in intimity and talent of one of the best bass players. For me 'Influences' is a must and surely the best work ever made by Mark King. Really a 'fantastic voyage'... Listen and enjoy !

Distressing at best!!
For a musician who is obviously very talented, the question really must be why? There is a distinct lack of structure to most of the (5) tracks. The first track lumbers from one mood to another (18 minutes of lumbering was more than I could stand) but doesn't really go anywhere. Unfortunately the other four tracks are the weaker ones. If you are expecting anything resembling the pop/funk of Level 42 stay well away from this. But if your idea of a great time is listening to a very talented man go horribly wrong, then this would be a must. To say I was dissapointed would be an understatement. I only gave the one star in sympathy as if this is the best he can come up with now, the name Mark King will never again grace the charts... or was the idea to alienate any lingering fans??? Be warned the King is dead...long live?????