Originally recorded and released back in 1999, Bearings is the first all acoustic guitar album from the legendary Ronnie Montrose. Now, a year after his death, Bearings has been remastered and reissued with different cover art, and it will be a real gem of a discovery for those who didn't get a chance to hear it the first time around. Featuring Ronnie on acoustic guitar, mandolin, and acoustic bass, keyboard player Ed Roth, Michele Montrose on percussion, and C. J. Hutchins on acoustic guitar on one track, this is a stripped down, laid back affair, complete with tasty picking and lush, memorable melodies. Montrose always had a way with creating memorable songs, even on his instrumental albums, and that knack is in full force here. "All Aboard", "Solid Ground", "Breathe Deep", and the bluesy "The Map Is Not the Road" all jump out at you with catchy melodies and sensational guitar licks, showing that Montrose was as impressive an acoustic player as he was on electric guitar. "Morning" is just a lovely slice of breezy jazz, with Roth's majestic piano right there alongside Ronnie's intoxicating guitar, and the passionate "Lunarization" is just beautiful, with lush organ and magical arpeggios creating pure magic. There's a swinging Latin jazz feel to the upbeat "Three Wishes", and "This is Only a Test" reminds a little of some of Steve Hackett's acoustic explorations, with Roth again providing some effective accompaniment on the Hammond.
It's little albums like this that really remind us what a huge loss Ronnie Montrose's death was to the guitar & rock community. Though he will forever be remembered by his work with Montrose, Gamma, and Edgar Winter, it's on his many solo albums where all those little intricacies to his playing really came out. This is a lovely little album of acoustic richness, back in print and ready to be enjoyed over the holidays. We miss ya Ronnie!
Track Listing
1. All Aboard 2:50
2. Breathe Deep 2:46
3. Solid Ground 3:52
4. The Map Is Not the Road 4:20
5. Morning 4:49
6. The Whole Truth 4:55
7. Lunarization 4:14
8. Forever Is Now 4:10
9. Three Wishes 3:20
10. She's Watching 5:12
11. This Is Only a Test 3:56
12. Line of Reason 4:40
13. Lighthouse 2:45
14. Soul Repair 3:37
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