Search - Mike Portnoy :: Prime Cuts

Prime Cuts
Mike Portnoy
Prime Cuts
Genres: Pop, Rock, Metal
 
  •  Track Listings (9) - Disc #1

"Mad March", Mike Portnoy accompanies Dixie Dreg?s bassist Andy West. The drummer comes up from underneath, firing off barrages of double bass drums in challenging patterns that seem to complexify and invert themselves, in...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Mike Portnoy
Title: Prime Cuts
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Magna Carta
Release Date: 6/28/2005
Genres: Pop, Rock, Metal
Styles: Progressive, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 026245100428

Synopsis

Album Description
"Mad March", Mike Portnoy accompanies Dixie Dreg?s bassist Andy West. The drummer comes up from underneath, firing off barrages of double bass drums in challenging patterns that seem to complexify and invert themselves, injecting urgency into the apocalyptic vision. We don?t get far into Liquid Tension Experiment?s "Freedom of Speech" before we?re lighting up the wooden matches, especially as Petrucci?s first guitar solo nears its peak! This is romance-epitomized and, for Mike Portnoy, his finest hour. His drumming is built for the arena. Rapid-fire sixteenth notes on closed hi-hats are the showers in "Acid Rain", the pitter-pattering echoed by Levin and Petrucci at various junctures. "Endless Enigma" alternates from gentle to chaotic. The church-like cadence around the 2:00 point is a clever device, providing sanctuary and calm. A drum roll sets us up for "Chris and Kevin?s Excellent Adventure". Mike?s rollicking half-time shuffle is the perfect jaunty groove to complement a light-hearted, whistling theme. "Working Man", from the Rush tribute album of the same name, is as heavy as heavy gets, a musical migraine spiked by Lee?s seamless scintillating guitar. Portnoy chooses his spaces, filling them with double bass drum/tom clusters. All the while, he forges ahead with the heavy touch of his mentor. "By-Tor and the Snow Dog", another hats off to Rush, evolves into a screamer (at least once the vocal takes over) that is equal parts Geddy and Ozzy. Note the drum solos, ever increasing in intensity, interspersed between ensemble themes. "Another Dimension" is an effective Gage remix in which chattering snippets of instrument voices and atypical snare drum timbres provide a haunting backdrop. The Vapourspace remix introduces a steady stream of unusual undulating tones, then slowly pulls them back, dissolving them into a mist of white noise. "Three Minute Warning Edit" begins as a funky, organ laced jam, and graduates through various movements in the same key until it winds down?perhaps due to a warning that the two-inch tape is at the end of the reel! Portnoy?s opening contribution is joyfully bouncy, while his handling of the various transitions is brilliant. Such freedom, such compositional latitude! It reminds us why Mike Portnoy is the envy of the working drummer who enjoys no such free reign.
 

CD Reviews

The name guaranties perfection...The label no honor
nandofer | 07/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I first came across this CD, I was confused. If you do not know yet, Mike Porntoy, when recording his DVD, asked permission to include some LTE and Dream Theater songs in it. Elektra Ent. gladly said yes for DT, but Magna Carta (Prime Cuts label)told him he had to pay them royalties for Liquid Tension. Unbelievable! Portnoy said that Magna Carta would never make another penny with his name, but apparently, they managed to do so with this CD. I would also like to point out that in Porntoy's website, Prime Cuts is not in the discography.

Despite the fact that this label has no respect to such a drum god, the CD does fulfill expectations, the majority of songs being from Liquid Tension Experiment. The first song, which was a project of Andy West (Dixie Dregs) called Rama 1, was recorded when Porntoy was initiating to have issues with the label. Once the rivarly began, Mike told Andy not to include his name on the cd, thanks to MC.

The two Rush covers and one ELP is Portnoy at his best, respecting the work of the two legendary drummers, but giving it his special signature.

The rest of the songs of LTE are masterpieces, with unsurmountable performances from Portnoy, Petrucci, Rudess and Levin. Although the Another Dimension re-mix is horrible. The original song is a classic, but the mix is dull, you can barely understand what you're listening to. The only low-point of this album.

******Bottom Line******

-If you are interested to know this prodigy's work, buy it. It's a good place to start. Although I should recommend also buy the Liquid Tension cd's, and check out from Dream THeater Scenes From A Memory and Images and Words.

-If you are a die-hard fan, and are familiar with all his work, it's your call. You've probably heard most of what's here; nevertheless, I remind you that Magna Carta has no shame, no honor...they're only interested in making money for themselves, not even the musicians."
Mike Portnoy's Prime Cuts
Ethon | Chicago, IL USA | 08/03/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mike Portnoy shows his stuff on this album. Great collection of tunes, showing musicality and taste. I recommend to anyone!"
Mike portnoy's prime cuts???
joe | nj,usa | 07/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I give this cd 5 stars only because it's MIKE PORTNOY!!! A good mix of songs (original and covers) performed by top players in music.You might be better off making your own mix of Mike's performances instead of this one,but otherwise a decent purchase.Also,NOT ENDORSED BY MIKE HIMSELF.SHAME ON MAGNA CARTA!!!"