Thanks in Advance

Thanks in Advance

by Bryan BellerBryan Beller

Overview

Bryan Beller's online liner notes explain the genesis of Thanks in Advance and how it's the story of a very personal journey told through music (check it out at www.bryanbeller.com). That being said, this is an almost entirely instrumental album that starts out pretty much where his last album left off. Beller writes jazzy guitar rock tunes not too far removed from Steely Dan. Yes, Beller is a bass player, but he writes for guitar, and he's got a bunch of talented, guitar playing friends to draw on to bring the tunes to life. "Snooze Bar" starts things out with a nice, slow groove but quickly progress from there. "The Cost of Doing Business" gets really busy and synthy, then "Blind Sideways" takes a turn toward the jazzy but with a really knotty melody. Then things start to get ugly. "Cave Dweller" is downright nasty thanks to a lurching groove and Griff Peters' guitar. "Play Hard"'s lyrics (the only ones on the album) paint a portrait of someone with a sense of entitlement so odious that one can't help but hope that someone will beat the hell out of the protagonist. Then things change completely. "Love Terror Adrenaline/Break Through" is compositionally so far beyond anything else Beller has released, that you might think a different CD had come on. It's an amazing, complicated piece that really gives Mike Keneally a chance to rise to the occasion.The first part is thoroughly composed and intricate, then it opens of for some guitar improv and Keneally kills it on both counts. The title cut is like coasting home and it's a pretty nice ride with more guitar from Griff Peters and some tasty Hammond organ from Jeff Babko. The set closes in uptempo party mode with some great sax courtesy of Scheila Gonzalez. Thanks in Advance is a solid album, but "Love Terror Adrenaline/Break Through" alone is worth the price of admission.

Product Details

Release Date: 11/25/2008
Label: Onion Boy
UPC: 0643157398141
catalogNumber: 3981
Rank: 101588

Tracks

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bryan Beller   Primary Artist,Synthesizer,Bass,Guitar,Percussion,Piano,Drums,Rhythm Guitar,Keyboards,Vocals,Soloist
Bruce Dees   Guitar,Rhythm Guitar
Steven Herrman   Trumpet
Jim Hoke   Clarinet
Clayton Ivey   Hammond Organ,Hammond B3
Mike Keneally   Guitar,Piano,electronics,Electronic Vibes
Doug Moffet   Baritone Saxophone,Tenor Saxophone
Joe Travers   Drums
Jeff Babko   Hammond Organ,fender rhodes,Hammond B3
Nick D'Virgilio   Drums
Roy Agee   Trombone,Bass Trombone
Toss Panos   Drums
Mike Olekshy   Guitar
Rick Musallam   Guitar,Rhythm Guitar
Mark Niemiec   Percussion,Drums,Vocals
Marco Minnemann   Drums
Griff Peters   Guitar
Ann Marie Calhoun   Violin
Kira Small   fender rhodes
Marcus Finnie   Drums
Jody Nardone   Piano
Jude Crossen   Vocals
Chris Cottros   Guitar
Jude Crossen   Vocals
Scheila Gonzalez   Saxophone

Technical Credits

Bryan Beller   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Engineer,Audio Production
Bruce Dees   Engineer
Jeff Forrest   Engineer
Erich Gobel   Engineer
Mike Keneally   Composer
Joe Travers   Composer
James McLoughlin   Engineer
Mark Niemiec   Engineer
Marco Minnemann   Engineer
Michael Mesker   Art Direction
Griff Peters   Composer,Engineer
Tom Trapp   Arranger
Rory Rositas   Engineer

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