STEVE MORSE BAND – Out Standing In Their Field

Steve Morse has made quite a name for himself. He first rose to recognition with the Dixie Dregs back in the 70s. His prominence was solidified after he became a member of Deep Purple. For over fifteen years, he’s been playing alongside the likes of Roger Glover and Ian Gillan, but he’s also had his own band on the side. With Out Standing In Their Field, The Steve Morse Band gives us it’s twelfth release.

The band is a three piece comprised of Van Romaine on drums and Dave LaRue on bass. There are no vocals on this album, just a lot of professionally performed music. Right from the get go, Out Standing In Their Field conveys a sense of proficient playing. “Name Dropping” sees Steve’s guitar sounding shred-like, but also features quieter interludes. “Here And Now And Then” feels reminiscent of Tones-era Eric Johnson.

The comparison between Johnson and Morse is also justifiable when you hear “Relentless Encroachment”. This is both a hard rocking and, as the title implies, aggressive laden track. The song that follows proves to be one of the more interesting ones. “John Deere Letter” has something of a country feel about it, but at a blisteringly fast pace. The addition of a live version of “Rising Power” ends up being a nice cap on the album. It shows that Morse is just as capable of playing great in a live setting as he is in a studio.

As you might expect, this is a release that’s less for shredders than it is for Classic/Hard rockers. That isn’t to say it’s not a heavy or intense release. There’s plenty of ferocity and fire on Out Standing In Their Field, but it’s seated right next to quieter and less harsh passages, too. Guitar aficionados will certainly get a kick out of this stuff. As for the rest, should you need an introduction to the man that is Morse, this is a very nice place to start.