For Die-Hards and Musicians
Sloppy D | Saint Louis, MO | 07/12/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Of all the Tom Jenkinson recordings available, this is next to the least essential (the least essential would be disc 2 of "Do You Know Squarepusher"). It's not that it's lousy music, but as a listening experience it's just . . meh. Sounds exactly like you'd expect it to given its title. Tom is an exceptionally talented guy, no doubt, but, in my amateur opinion, it's next to impossible to create a well-developed track out of only one bass guitar.
Seeing him perform these tracks live would have been a kick, but I don't know that I'll ever get that chance. As a document of his talents on the bass outside a studio environment, this does the job. But I can't imagine putting this disc into heavy rotation.
I don't play bass, though if you do this might be useful as a technical blueprint. I am a Squarepusher completist, and as such am happy to own "Solo Electric Bass 1," but I can't say I'm drooling in anticipation of "Solo Electric Bass 2." And if you pony up $36 (Amazon's current list price) for the CD, you've got more money than sense, which is a state I'd like to try sometime."