Well, can you say “guitar-led”? Outcry Collective certainly can and do with some style and hints of substance on their debut album Articles (Visible Noise). It sounds like it’s led by guitarist Chris Phelps as it’s his sound that dominates over Steve Sitkowski’s vocals, Robert Pryor’s bass and Sam Burden’s drums. It sounds at times like a guitarist who knows what he’s doing with a backing band who might or might not keep up as the mood takes them. It’s interesting in places (what I’ve heard of it) and there are times when the band do seem to work as a band, seeing to be be happier with faster passages. Guitarist Phelps does seem to have something individual to say which is the key to listenability. Their Myspace page is over at Outcry Collective, go have a listen. Phelps’ style lends itself to rhythm more than lead, maybe he should listen to British legend Mickey Green who long ago earned an enviable reputation for seemingly being able to play both rhythm and lead at the same time (good luck to Mickey, looking his site up I see he hasn’t been doing too well). Maybe some early Bernie Torme too, the singles he did when he was working with punk bands when he first came over here from the Emerald Isle. The link’s to a guitar clinic he did a while ago as I can’t find anything relating to the singles, makes the point though I hope.
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