Artist: Strunz And Farah CD Title: "Wild Muse" Reviewed by: Nick Martinelli Reviewed: 12/26/2000

    Where do I begin?  This is a great Latin / World music CD.  Its really hard to put them in one music category because they cover so much ground. This is number nine of ten releases. The newest release is a great hits compilation Entitled "Best of Strunz and Farah." This is the latest studio effort from the guitar duo. Its phenomenal.  These guitarists are the heavy metal shredders of the nylon guitar. Great playing and talent.  Such melody, and precision. They both execute runs and phrases in their sleep! I mean, I never heard nylon string shredding before I heard these two guys.  It makes you sick, because you sit there the whole time with your jaw dropped "WOO!"  The first CD I got from the duo was "Americas" and it still is my favorite, but this one is is tied for number two with "Heat of the Sun." This CD was worth every cent of it.

    It also creates a great mood while listening to it. It make your feel like your at a beach somewhere in the tropics, with warm weather, the sun shining, and a tropical drink in your hand. I see my self in swim trunks basking in the hot sun, starring into the crashing waves of the crystal clear ocean with nylon string guitar propped up against the back of my tanning chair. Oh, and you can't forget the coconuts, palm tree, white sand and parrots; their all there too!  Man, I wish I was right there, right now! Thanks guys!

     Track one, Camino Real,starts out with a great arpeggated chord phrase. One of my favorite opening lines one the CD. Then into the main lead line. Its very melodic and ear pleasing. Then on with the main verse; a very cool arranged chordal section. Do I even have to mention the excellent lead lines and runs. I guess I just did! There is a real cool pedal like statement at 3:47. Check it out its killer!  If they had a flying V and a shredder guitar tone you would of thought it would have been a solo section on the newest Racer X CD.  

    Track two,  La Sirena, is a real ear pleaser. This is the dancing on the beach in the tropic song! Very very upbeat, with cool tropical sounds in the into. I can see it now, me and some gorges woman dancing to this wonderful track. Get that groove on man! Very catchy guitar that's restated during the song. Its really hard to believe that they can solo almost the whole song over such an upbeat rhythm pattern and keep your attention. They do...

    Track three, China Moon, another ear pleaser. This is the relaxing track.  Sitting at the bar chatting with your friend song during a sunset in the tropics.  Light up those Teki Torches! Very cool. Slower lead lines and more intricate statements. Cool rhythm section in this one.

Track four, Alisi, is a really neat song. Cool intro. This is defiantly a song I'd want to learn the backing chords from. Very well put together, i really like the backing guitar in this track. Check out the cool shredd run at 1:36, 3:51 and 4:15-4:22 I tell you I can't get over this stuff! They shredd like no tomorrow.  Then at 4:27, put on your seat belts and hold on!!! On of the best lead lines on the CD. Also check out 4:43 - 4:53. The last part of that section is real wild!

Track five, Manzanill, two words super cool! Cool double leads through out the song, very well done. This is the sitting on the tour buss checking out the sights as you travel down the dirt paved road on your way to some ancient ruins.  Check out the cool line at 2':42.

Track six Nuevo Sol, is another dance style song.  I'm grooving in my chair right now! Cool vocal like lead lines through out the whole song like 00:17 - 00:46. Honestly all the main lines that get restated sound like vocal lines. A great mesh of vocal style lines. I really like 1:36 - 1:46, Stuff like that is what I mean when I say tasteful.

    Track seven, Zagro, rocks!!!  Evil sound classical like intro. Then fallowed by a belly dancer or gypsy like rhythm. Then a Arabian style comes in and out, its a cool trade off for most of the beginning of the song, with a sitar like tone. Now where in the middle east somewhere in a, maybe even in the Tajhi Mahlal. Check 3:12 - 3:44 cool trades off with the sitar tone and guitar. Then at 4:46 arpeggios slam in like a scud missile! Ok just listen to the whole thing. The end of the song is really cool as well, lots of trade offs.  I love this track, I can't pick a favorite part!

    Track eight, El Faraon, is wild. Cool drum intro. Neat descending lines in the beginning. Then comes the onslaught f runs and trade offs. A cool pedal run is at 00:47. Around 1:10 the track gets real interesting. Very cool phrasing at  1:36 -1:43. Phrases like that make these two so inspirational. You can really take that idea and apply it across the boarder.  I can just imagine what a heavy metal band would sound like with them playing leads. Check out 2:13 for the evil sounding playing again, then comes in the sitar tone.

    Track ten, Natural Flow, and that name sticks. This song just flows like a river.  Such soothing rhythm lines. The leads don't stray far either.  Imagine two parallel river flowing next to each other. I get the impression that a lot of though was put into this song.  It is pieced together so well, even a violin comes in to the song around 1:22 and makes it even smoother. As far as favor lead lines, there's to many, they are all well phrased and tasteful.  Ok, check out 4:04 - 4:59 so melodic. This would be the, taking a bout ride down an exotic tropic river and checking out the beautiful sites. Oh look there is a waterfall, take a picture!

    Track eleven, Joya Perdida, starts of with a lounge type atmosphere. Now where having dinner a restaurant, and ordering exotic foods. Very different track for me, is a lot different than the others. I'm really not used to this style of music of this song. Its slow and calm. Its almost background music. Don't take that as a bad comment, I just can't think of how to describe it. Its a great song, opened my ears a little to a different aspect of playing that I normally wouldn't try. Give it a listen it really grew on me.

    Manos Del Tiempo finishes the CD off in style.  Its the last song and dance of the night. Extremely upbeat.  It is the only vocal track as well. I have no clue what the singer is singing about, but its gotta be about a woman (my first guess). I probably way off! Hey, I took 4 years of auto shop to avoid a foreign language.  I guess one class couldn't have hurt.

     Looking back, this CD is great.  Every time I put it into my CD player, I start to enjoy it even more. It will suck you in like quicksand, if your not careful.  Getting trapped in the quicksand is highly recommended in this case!  Strunz and Farah have put out another master piece. Grab those sunglasses, towel and a nylon guitar and head of to a tropical beach for this one. Feed the parrots and take a swim in the ocean. Just don't forget to order drinks with the little umbrellas in them! Visit them at: www.strunzandfarah.com  Adios Amigos!