Chris Caffery 20 Years of the Music Man CD Review
Chris Caffery
20 Years of the Music Man
METALVILLE Records
If you were to look at the career of power/traditional/symphonic metal guitar hero Chris Cafferty closely, one would assume he's given the world more than enough. From Savatage, Dr. Butcher, his solo work, Metalium, Spirits of Fire, Big Mouth and perennial holiday extravaganza theatrical band Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the man has literally done it all. With such an impressive resume, you'd think the guy wouldn't need to prove himself to a single soul. However, he does, continuously. His latest, 20 Years of the Music Man, is a further testament to his legacy and boasts the length of a double album to boot. Let's get into it!
First, these are not new songs, but rather a career-spanning retrospective, a collection of choice cuts through Chris’s solo career and unreleased tracks from his many projects throughout the years. Cafferty has never been shy of being diverse, and these tunes are no exception. Disc one of two treats us to borderline thrash in “The Jester’s Court”, soulful balladry in “Music Man” and what would make for a fine outtake for Fight in “Pisses Me Off”. Next, unreleased song “Do You See What I See Now?” ramps up the tempo and brings us back to thrash territory not unlike Testament. I'm drawing a comparison here, to make those of you reading understand that the palette is diverse and catchy and memorable, even just four songs in! Other highlights here are the ethereal acoustic laments of “Forever We’ll Be” and CD1 closer “Glitter”.
Moving on to disc 2, opener “Seasons Change” is a galloping power metal tour de force replete with massive vocal harmonies, gratuitous double bass and more than enough guitar shred to satisfy fans of Shrapnel Records releases of old. “My Light” follows with what is best described as melodic but gutsy pop metal. 90’s groove metal follows a couple tracks later in “Last Time” and the off-kilter time signatures of the drums and the busy guitar riffing are definitely hallmarks here, as is some impressive wah pedal abuse in the solo section. My absolute favorite track here is “Why”, which has a plod not dissimilar to prime Dio and the later Savatage albums Cafferty had a heavy hand in creating. The chorus is especially fist-pumpingly potent and anthemic. Cafferty’s vocals also deserve mention here, as they fall somewhere between Jon Oliva, Dio and a raspier Bruce Dickinson from the first song to the last.
With the 22 songs in this collection, you not only get a glimpse into one of metal’s most endearing and enduring artists, but you begin to understand why words such as “underrated” or phrases like flying under the radar exist. If you're unfamiliar with Chris Cafferty (and shame on you if you are), this is a perfect place to start as there is literally something here for everyone to sink their teeth into.
-TB