Got a favourite Holdsworth album (or two)?

axisus

I have a couple of his solo albums plus a few others that he plays on. I've always liked his style and I figure it's about time to start picking up some more CDs, so I'm wondering if there are any particular faves out there? Either solo or in other bands.

Lodious

My favourite playing is on Expressso II by Gong....he's on fire on that album. I also like Atavachron, but the production in a bit jarring these days. 

Philly_Q

I think the only things I've got with him on are the first UK album and the first Tempest album.  They're probably not much like anything he did later in his career but they might be interesting.

Must admit I prefer the second Tempest album, with Ollie Halsall.  For a while I thought "Allan Holdsworth" and "Ollie Halsall" were the same person and they were making some kind of strange pseudo-anagrammatical joke. 

blobb

Bundles

.... and Igginbottom's

bigjon

Hard Hat Area is the pinnacle for me, as he was at the peak of his peers in the early 90s - all instrumental, great tracks including the phenomenal Low Levels, High Stakes (linked below, the ultimate guitar solo starts at 4:50), and use of Synthaxe dialled back into the background - pretty much every full-length track has a proper guitar solo.

JohnCordy

16 men of tain and Secrets

Megii

Hard to pick any out, but I do like Sand - not everyone's favourite, as he was very much in his Synthaxe phase at the time. Personally I don't dislike the Synthaxe, and the compositions are great. And what an epic, gorgeous solo in this track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU_sdOxvBvk

bigjon

A close second for me is the live album Then! - again dating from the early 90s. His tone is monster, including on baritone guitar for some tracks, and the soloing is inspired. Gary Husband is on fire on the drums as well, which lifts the whole thing up a level.

If you think you're a good guitarist, try playing the intro motif of Non-Brewed Condiment (he wrote it in fifths tuning, but re-learnt it in standard tuning for these gigs) after you've had a pint or five!

drwiddly

Almost everything he did is touched by genius. I love his earlier stuff - I.O.U., Metal Fatigue, Road Games and Secrets from his solo work and Bundles, Expresso II, One of a kind (Bruford) and the first U.K. album from his 'band' work.

MrBump

+1 for both Sand and Hard Hat Area.  Both really different, both really good.

octatonic

Secrets.

SidNewton

octatonic said:

Secrets.

Yep, mine as well. Spokes in particular is an amazing piece of music.

uksaint7

Another vote for Secrets, a masterpiece.

To those not familiar with Holdsworth I recommend checking out Level 42's 'Guaranteed' album from the same era, is a bit less to get your head round with him playing pop in 4/4! Great rhythm section too with Mark King & Gary Husband. Standout tracks 'If you were mine', 'With a little love' & 'Seven Years'.

prowla

Philly_Q said:

I think the only things I've got with him on are the first UK album and the first Tempest album.  They're probably not much like anything he did later in his career but they might be interesting.

That's just what I was going to post!

BahHumbug

+1 for Sand.  My knowledge of AH’s work is very limited but I had heard a bit of his stuff and bought this album when it came out.  I still have the vinyl.
I think it’s entirely synthaxe apart from one guitar solo.  His inventiveness on the accompaniments is as astounding as his solos.  Brilliant.

littlegreenman

Secrets for me as well is a favourite AH album, but Expresso II and Gazeuse are also personal highlights. The Road Games era stuff was a game changer though, Tokyo Dream is still my favourite warm up chord progression.

I did have the great fortune to share a beer with him on occasion after a Queen's Hall gig in Edinburgh in the very early 90's, we talked about bicycles and whether a Zappa collaboration was a go-er. On bicycles, Allan favoured titanium over carbon fibre, and on Zappa, alas Frank was already too sick for that kind of stuff, but did say he would have loved to.

And then again at a Liverpool Guitar Festival gig where he came out to a bottle of Timothy Taylor left mid stage and declared "Thanks for that, I'm a bit scared!"

Phenomenal talent, and a lovely bloke to boot. After FZ, the only time I ever felt genuinely upset when a guitar dude died