GAJOOB Review by Bryan Baker, 12/2/2000:
Five years in the making, hometaping demigod Dino DiMuro delivers the expected in delivering something completely unsuspected here. With computers becoming ever-present in hometaping circles you might think Dino would return to the scene with an opus of progressive magnitude. But true to form, DiMuro continues to surprise. This “rock album” contains, as Queen was fond of saying in better days, NO SYNTHESIZERS. And the guitars come at you thick with crunching riffs to rival Lou Reed with a clean power that pummels out of the speakers like a monster. The meat of the album is pure Dino on guitar and bass, along with Terry Rodman on drums and Tony Lamberti on digital drums. Lots of guests make appearances as well, notably Kevin Fowler on lead vocals on two tracks, lots of guitarists (Alan Rankin, Chris Assells, Mike Reagan, BB Russell) and vocalists (Don Campau, Robin O’Brien, Linda DeFranco, Julie DiMuro), and Jay Richardson on sax. DiMuro has been spinning sound candy for many years and those of you familiar and fond of his kiss-cut album crafting will find it alive and well here as well; notably on wife Julia’s “Surrounded By Love” improvised song to their baby which segues hilariously into “Talkin’ With the Wise Guy” — you gotta hear it, you gotta hear it. Which, needless to say, goes for the entire album — you gotta hear it.
Media: CD.
