One listen to either of Particle’s albums and you’ll know this is a jam band. They fuse some extremely diffuse elements to create the sound that fans have been studiously campaigning for since the band's inception in 2000.
The jambalaya Particle dishes up is kind of a techno-oriented tribute to Zappa, The Dead and George Clinton meeting chunky gangs of rap and jazz in a darkened alley. And if you’re into this kind of thing, Particle will leave you very satisfied with Transformations Live. The album consists of performances from two shows in late February 2006, one at Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood and the other at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Guitarists/vocalists Ben Combe and Scott Metzger, bassist Eric Gould, keyboardist extraordinaire Steve Molitz and drummer Darren Pujalet have honed their craft through constant touring, and offer a flavorful brew of jams that will have your body swaying to the heavy rhythms in no time.
Transformations Live features some guest performers as diverse as the music itself. Blackalicious and DJ Logic add rhymes to a few of the jams, while electric guitar kingpins Joe Satriani and Robby Krieger contribute some blistering solo work. Anyone familiar with Particle knows they are two bands in one, having worked with Rhythm Devil Mickey Hart in Hydra, so working with Satriani, Krieger, DJ Logic and Blackalicious is just a natural extension of their ability to adapt to almost any sound.
There are some standouts on this album. “Fiyo on the Bayou” is a remarkable piece that incorporates some subtle jazz chording with the fierce techno beats. Satriani’s work on “W” makes an average song outstanding, and the 16-minute rumination “Sun Mar 11” is a fastidious bit of guitar themes laid on top of one another. Less successful is a rambling, tepid version of “L.A. Woman,” which features Krieger’s gutsy rock sound.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
"[et al,] have honed their craft through constant touring"
Larry, the LA show, which I attended and reviewed, he wrote shamelessly, was the first concert with Ben and Scott, who replaced guitarist Charlie Hitchcock. And I think SF was their second, but don't quote me on that.
Just wanted to point out that they didn't hone their craft together, although I'm not sure if that matters.