SCOTT REEDER – Tunnelvision Brilliance

Through the years, Scott Reeder has been a journeyman of sorts. As the onetime bassist for The Obsessed, and later for Kyuss, he has made a small place for himself in the annals of Hard Rock music. Since Kyuss disbanded in 1995, Reeder has made notable appearances as a guest on stage with Tool, and when auditioning for the coveted Metallica gig; he appears in the documentary, Some Kind Of Monster. Although not a household name by any stretch, Reeder has maintained a foothold in the music biz.

Now, some eighteen years in the making, Scott has released a solo disc, Tunnelvision Brilliance. A true solo outing, Reeder actually performs all of the instruments as well as all of the vocals … no guest performances here. Described as an intimate soundscape, this disc falls more to Reeder’s “Stoner Rock” performances than it does his Doom Metal days.

The album reflects a lot of the sounds that were big during the late 70s and early 80s. Very noticeable is a Pink Floyd comparison from the Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon era. Reeder himself sounds oft like Roger Waters, although he sings the tracks that David Gilmore would have performed. “The Silver Tree” is a great example of this; you might even think you’ve heard this track before, it is so reminiscent Dark Side of the Moon. “Away” sounds like something Genesis or YES would have produced. It is a short instrumental number, more for ambiance than an actual song, but it definitely captures a period of time. “Thanks,” which is one of the peppier numbers on the disc, sounds like Diamond Dogs-era Bowie with its chugging guitar riff. “Queen of Greed” is an interesting track that has a staccato strumming bass riff, with vocals over the top; very Grunge inspired. Reeder makes nice work of using open space and slower tempos to create a sense of fleeting and desperation; leaving the listener anxious for what is coming next.

Although not an easy disc to categorize, there is definitely a distinctive vibe to this recording. The tracks seem well-paced and hold together as an assemblage; which is surprising, given the fact the disc was put together over such a long period of time. The tonality of the record suggests a nod to the glory days of analog recording, but the mentality is rooted in the current state of the industry.