John Kline – Rixile Elixir
John Kline – Rixile Elixir – Album Review
Joyful stuff! John Kline has always been an expressive artist/musician for as long as I’ve had the honor of listening, and I’m quite positive that he’s been that way for much longer than I’ve been around for. Many of you out there will recognize the name from his past work in The Music Therapy Experiment, which we’ve featured on these pages of ours in a variety of ways from reviews, to appears on the SBS Podcast, to spotlights on SBS Live This Week, to tracks we’ve snuck into the SBS Secret Stash Of Stellar Singles…you get the point, I’m a fan. I mean, you only have to merely push play on an album like Rixile Elixir to gain an understanding of why. Dude’s not only naturally gifted, but he’s gone on to put the work in to really refine his skills too. That’s the thing I think I love most about John and his approach to making music – this guy walks the walk, you know what I mean? He’s never simply rested on his laurels or the strengths of his skills. He’s in his studio, happy as a clam, making music & keeping his tremendous abilities sharp as often as time allows him to, and it’s because of that, that the results continually speak for themselves. You listen to a song like “Neurogenesis” as it plays and you can hear the awe-inspiring level of skill he takes to a fret-board; it’s really quite something to experience. Mind you, that’s coming from a listeners perspective – I can only imagine what it would be like to be John and look down at my fingers doin’ all that incredible stuff. It’s gotta be like one of those good ol’ out of body experiences we all read about I figure. Suffice it to say, I’d be willing to bet that any time he wanted to record a new album he could, simply by flicking the switch as he steps into the studio…whatever he’d be jamming on would be more than entertaining to the fans of guitar-based instrumentals out there I’m sure. “Neurogenesis” is as well-played, lively, and vibrant as you’d expect from this man’s music, but more importantly, it communicates his joy in playing.
In a way, “Made It Home” might appeal to an entirely different crowd than a track like “Neurogenesis” would, but having it appear as the second track on Rixile Elixir also opens the door of opportunity even wider, allowing John to basically do what he wants to do throughout the course of this record and go wherever the music might take him. What I really like about this track is that the piano/keys are just about as stunning as the guitar-playing is…and of course, if you know Kline’s remarkable abilities on the ol’ axe, you know that’s really saying something. The combination between those two elements alone is exceptionally beautiful…there’s a really comforting, warm, and inviting feeling being transmitted to us all on “Made It Home” that I feel like will have no problem at all connecting to the hearts and minds out there. As for the bass in this tune…I was never really sure how I felt about it if I’m being honest with you. Sometimes I felt like it was the right way to fill the rest of the space in and help guide the other two main instruments along, sometimes I felt like it was noticeably too simple in comparison to the way the keys and guitar are being played, and sometimes that simplicity was really nice to listen to. I think it’s really only one of those things we notice more under a microscope…maybe it could have been a tick or two lower in volume so it played more of a supporting role…maybe…but ultimately I think that if you were to just put this on to listen without writing some critique or article about it, you’d probably never even notice anything I’ve just written. “Made It Home” has a friendly & welcome vibe to it, and that’s really all that matters. It sounds relieved; like John just “Made It Home” from a long distance of travels.
Great melodic tones to be found in “Happy Little Echoes,” and stellar detail to be found throughout the background of this track all the way through. John really knows how to lock right into the moment that he’s in, and give it the ol’ ‘be here now’ mentality, you know? He’s right there in the present, focused, and making sure to bring both his A-game and a whole lot of heart to each move he makes. “Happy Little Echoes” is likely to be a universally loved track on Rixile Elixir…I think you’d honestly have to be among the hardest of hearts to not find some joy of your own in listening to this tune. You’ll hear him go for a rip on the frets around the three-minute mark in the midst of this mellower tune, and you’ll actually admire the restraint at the very same time. It’s crystal clear he could be one of those shredders if that’s what he wanted to do, and don’t get me wrong, there’s a time & a place for that kind of stuff too – but I like that he’s added in a piece here & there that reminds us about his range of talent in the music he’s making without having to make a large departure within the material to do that. At the end of the day, he’s doing the right things to serve the song – “Happy Little Echoes” is perfectly tight in that regard, possesses no dead space, and leaves us wanting for nothing more than exactly what we get in it.
The shortest track on this record also happens to be its title-track and conceptual centerpiece, “Rixile Elixir.” Up to this point on the album, I feel like John has flexed some solid muscle in terms of his songwriting, but had played down a bit of his superhuman abilities and well-known ingenuity so far. “Rixile Elixir” felt like he balanced the scales more by digging deep into the wildness of his creativity and discovering a genuinely stunning main hook & some parts that’ll straight up blow your mind. Like, the spot around the forty second mark for instance…that’s nothing short of genius! Or how he starts to create the finale around the two-minute mark, seeming like he’s going to mellow it out into serenity before he begins rippin’ it up again only twenty-seconds later. Everything about this track is likely to jump out at listeners…it’s a song that sounds like it was concocted straight in the lab and brilliantly brought to life by its creator. As you’ll find with a whole lot of the music on this record, the interest, joy, and fun is ever present – I feel like the album’s title-tune is another cut that the people are sure to love.
If we’re talking about tracks that appeal to my own personal taste though, I’d readily tell ya that “Friday Song” has that magic, and you can feel it from the very first seconds it starts to play. John’s got his own PhD in life – for real – so I’m sure he has a much greater understanding as to why a track like “Friday Song” moves our brainwaves and seems so naturally endearing to listen to than I could ever tell ya. As always, I just know what I like to hear y’all, and this is that. Is it because this review is getting released on a Friday that “Friday Song” is that much more appealing to me? No! If that was the case, I’d actually like The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love” at the end of every week, and even though they’ll forever be one of my two favorite bands, I’m still not falling for that trap. I feel like the true reasons are both obvious and obscured here. Obvious because we likely all feel the same uplifting feeling when we discover the melody of a track like “Friday Song,” and yet obscured because a feeling really isn’t something that we can ever truly describe. This is that song you put on with other people in the room, and simply nod at each other as you acknowledge its greatness. We might never be able to properly describe why a track like “Friday Song” is as moving to our hearts and minds as it is, but even I’d be the first to tell ya that’s not anything that actually matters, and I write about music all day, every day! The only thing that ever matters between what is played and what we hear is finding that connection – “Friday Song” has that specialness to it and we can all feel that when we listen…it’s a known unknown, and defies description.
As I see it, the only thing us music-critics ever really have to accomplish is to try and have everything both ways. So like, for example, I thought the bass on “Made It Home” was a bit too simple before, but now here I am on “Agent Of Change” and I’m like, nah – now you’re doing too much John. You see how that works folks? We’re such fun to have at parties, lemme tell ya folks. Anyhow. We’re workin’ with a double-edged sword here, if not a triple-edged one…is that a thing? “Agent Of Change” ain’t a bad tune, but it’s got the challenge of coming after an undeniably great one, switches up just about everything in terms of style & sound, and yes, I do think that Kline’s probably added in a bit too much in this particular song as well. I think we’ll all get what he was going for here – “Agent Of Change” sounds like that avant-garde underground Jazz club you wandered into at 3am mixed with the soundtrack to one of the top three finalists at the Beatnik Slam Poetry challenge…and if that’s your jam, then right on – you’ve got something you’ll truly love in “Agent Of Change” & I’ll happily supply you with a high-five. For myself personally, I can appreciate it…heck, I think there’s outstanding skill on display throughout this whole song when it comes right down to it – but for me, it’s probably not until John mellows out for the final minute that “Agent Of Change” makes its most profound connection to my ears…I love the ending of this track and feel like the last transition & chapter of its story carried the most significant weight to it.
Would I rather have the instantly friendly vibes of a song like “Drive To Mobile” instead? Honestly, it’s hard to say. I’d be the first to acknowledge that the accessibility of a song like “Drive To Mobile” is something our ears immediately recognize – but I do appreciate the art-factor in a track like “Agent Of Change” too, and certainly support any artist or band in their attempts to do something different. In the case of “Drive To Mobile,” we’re probably looking at one of the most standard & straightforward types of songs you’ll ever here from Dr. John Kline – but in that Occam’s Razor type of way, sometimes the answer we’re looking for is the one staring right back at us. Things don’t always need to be ridiculously complex to make an impression on us…in fact, when it comes to the art of making music for the masses, complexity of any kind can often get in the way and become an obstacle in between the creators and listeners. That’s not to say “Drive To Mobile” doesn’t have its own complexities to it – good gravyboat lighthouse y’all, have a listen to the incredible talents of Kline as he rips it up on the axe with such sweet melody & skill on this track, you’ll know it takes a supreme amount of effort to get a song like this as right as it is – but fundamentally, it’s an easier vibe for our brains to process with more tangible melody. It’s got that comforting aspect of familiarity even though we’ve never heard it before and it’s new to us, but it’s what really makes it work. “Drive To Mobile” is another song that will be universally loved by all.
“Water Song” might contain a clue right there in the title of the file I’ve got here, which labels it as a ‘remake.’ I’m not gonna be the guy to say that this track is a bit more wandering than some of the rest in search of its main ideas, but it does play a little like that as we listen. There are lots of great things about it without question – like, I love the way things snap together around the first minute mark as the song fills in, and of course, John’s next-level ability to play a guitar is always present in every tune. As to whether or not he’s fully got “Water Song” dialed right into the idea he’s attempting, I’d say there’s still some room for debate there. Again, in contrast to the easily digestible sounds of a song like “Drive To Mobile” right beforehand, “Water Song” sounds like its progressive tendencies almost get the better of it…like art for art’s sake, or overtly ambitious work can often do. Tracks like “Water Song” are the kind of tunes you sit back & listen to and marvel at for the skill it would take to create something as involved as this, but become harder to make that all-important connection to on a personal level – make sense? I think it’s crucial to remember that not every artist or band always makes every song for us as listeners – sometimes you gotta pursue your own wants, needs & desires, and the court of public opinion be damned. To me, “Water Song” sounds like that one for John this time around…a track that he was likely digging on a personal level and wanted to conquer as best he could. As to whether or not he did, or if it reached the level of excellence he was looking for – only he is gonna know the answer to that. For the rest of us, “Water Song” is still going to sound impressive without a doubt, but it’s more of a musician’s-musician type of track in that regard…a song you really listen to mainly for the skill you hear on display.
“To The Sky” might get a similar reaction to “Water Song” in some ways, though I’d readily concede that the design & melody of this song is a lot more tangible and accessible to all. If anything, I think that it could be argued that what we hear on “To The Sky” falls into the more dangerous terrain of less identity – there’s no doubt about its quality, and I feel like the first ninety seconds contains enough uniqueness, but that this song eventually slides very close to the sea of sameness in the guitar realm. You see folks – I’m doing it again! John was too different on “Agent Of Change,” and now he’s too similar…I tell ya, we critics just want it all, and all of the time…we’re such an unruly bunch. “To The Sky” is a very expressive composition and it has a lot of brightness to it…all-in-all, I think people will respond to that & appreciate it. Will they remember it as John Kline, or hear it as more guitar-based instrumental music – maybe even piano-based tunes in terms of how it starts out with that as the dominant trait? Really strong positives to be found here in regards to the musicianship & instrumentation…and overall, I’d expect that people will still really like what they hear on “To The Sky,” it’s just tougher to tag to John specifically is all. Maybe that’s important, maybe it’s not, maybe it’s damn near impossible to do in the realm of instrumental music for most people anyhow…it’s pleasant to listen to and that’s really all that matters. In terms of the relevance of its title, I think that atmospheric & airy vibe is really well paired & executed.
Rixile Elixir ends on one of my favorite cuts from the record, and perhaps from John’s whole catalog when it comes right down to it, the organic & grounded sound of “Illusion (Life’s Dance)” sounds highly remarkable to me, and very unlike a lot of what he tends to usually create. It’s a very down-to-earth kind of vibe, as flawless & seamless as you’ve ever heard from the man…it’s got a jazzy soul and swagger at the heart of its sparkling melody, and it’s the kind of track that’ll subtly win you over without feeling like it’s vying for your ear time. Almost like we’re lucky enough to have wandered into the room where John is happily noodling away, doing what he loves to do, undisturbed. As long as we don’t knock anything over or off a shelf, maybe we’ll be fortunate to witness him doin’ this for ten or twenty minutes – or at the very least, I know I’ve taken the liberty of arranging that myself by keeping this song on a loop as I’ve listened throughout this past couple weeks…I could take an entire record filled with tracks like “Illusion (Life’s Dance)” from John, any time. It’s an understated gem without a doubt – and a mesmerizing highlight on Rixile Elixir that I don’t think people will see coming, but they’ll know when they reach it. Without a doubt one of my favorite songs from the man to-date, and a great note to go out on; the flashy chops and incredible skills of Kline are always spectacular to experience and listen to, but sometimes, like “Illusion (Life’s Dance)” will prove, the best results can be achieved by the simplest means, like how a chef serves up an exquisite meal through the most natural ingredients, you know? This is one seriously tasty final track on this new album from John Kline…I’m in love with this last tune.
Find out more about John Kline’s music from his official page at Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065342176423
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