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I got both Jim Matheos's and Ray Alder's solo albums at rouhgly the same time, and to me it's
pretty interesting to see the completely different approaches the two men take. While Jim's
Away with Words is more of a jazz-tinged new age instrumental album of sorts, Alder has
grabbed onto the "newer" style of bands like the Deftones to produce a "hip" hard rock album
which has the ability to break big in the mainstream. Obviously, I'm stating that this album
has sell out appeal, so why should anyone give it the time of day? Well, for one thing, when
these guys decide to do something, it's gonna be good no matter what it is. I always scratch
my head when veteran musicians "play down" and school the younger kids, thinking that it's
mostly for the sure-fire bucks that this prefabricated stuff will rake in, but Engine seems a
little different, the band exhibiting a little more soul into the songs than other bands I can
think of. The entire thing is pretty accessible, focusing on those start/stop rhythms and
heavy guitar that's so popular on the TV these days, which makes it ear candy, but it's also
got some mean hooks in it. It's good, don't get me wrong, but the more I listen to it, and
looking at the band's choice of apparel (straightfrom your local mall skate/surf shop), I
wonder what's really going on here. I missed the chance to interview Ray to see where his
head was at, and I'd really like to give the guy who created some pretty memorable albums with
Fates Warning the benefit of the doubt, but I can smell big business all over this thing. An
album definitely made for the mainstream generation.
6 1/2 out of 10
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