I agree that it is missing some fire or pizzazz, but that does not bother me so much. There are Ripps CDs that I like much better, but I still like this one enough to listen to it. Peace and goodwill.

I appreciate the candidness of the comments. I was going to go buy this cd today but I think I will take a pass or take a chance on Chuck Loeb's new one instead.

I don't understand the heavy use of programming when there are so many bandmembers. What is the point? I particularly don't care for their style of slow balads or any singing and find I only care for about 1/2 the songs on recent releases. Sounds like this one may appeal even less. I know we hate to label with genres but I guess they have abandoned c-jazz for cookie cutter smooth jazz.

Who would have thunk Ken Navarro would evolve to making more exciting cd's than The Rippingtons? You go, Ken!!

I've been pretty quiet, because sometimes the newer folks think that my opinion is being voiced as the moderator - rather than a Ripps fan.

I would agree that this CD doesn't have the overall vibe of Killimanjaro, or even Sahara. But music and the times and the age we were and our age now - make everything different. Even the rock today doesn't resemble what we heard in 1994.

I'm not sure why Black Diamond always gets the "mark" - but I think sometimes it's because the CD marks the point at which both Jeff and Steve moved on - and the sound started to change.

I wasn't surprised or disappointed with Modern Art, it met my expectations.

Do I want another Sahara or Brave New World? Yes, I'd like to re-capture that feeling when I would first get the CD and rush home with it. These days, with all the pre-release sampling and hype - I just don't feel the excitement and anticipation anymore - but that has little to do with the music.

Yes... I'd like to hear Russ more on electric guitar, and I'd like everything to have more rock and edge, less soft. But that's "just me" across the board - just because I'm older, doesn't mean I'm ready for something softer.

Think about this - we used to classify hard rock vs soft rock in the 70's. I loved Led Zeppelin, but Bread just left me wondering what the point was.... so I don't want my music to be watered down like Bread - just because I'm older.

Sadly, Modern Art is SJ formula music. It’s an even bigger disappointment (re: Woody’s point, above) because fans have been waiting for this one for two and a half years.

In the October ’06 SmoothViews, Russ said this to Shannon West: “The other thing that really impressed me on the tour this summer and really hit me with having Jeff and Steve in the band is how much our fans want this to be a rock band. This is a rock band.”

Russ is, needless to say, a very capable guy, but this time he phoned it in.

Even with all the programming I LOVED Black Diamond! Perhaps it was the added touch of Mark Williamson on the scatting type vocals or the wickedly lively Angelfire but I played the daylights out of that cd. Very unique I thought.

Steve, I love it, too -- now. The first couple of years or so I had it, I didn't play it much because of the programming. But even then, I enjoyed the title song, North Peak and Angelfire right off the bat. Oh, and this may surprise some of you. But despite my misgivings about anything that is heavy on programming or is generally described as "catchy," I've always liked In Another Life. It's right up there with If You Will from Spyro Gyra's Got the Magic, in that realm of: Songs that, based on well-established aversions to programming and catchy, should be hated but I enjoy anyway.
And let me be clear, I do like Modern Art. I just find it lacking pizazz for the reasons stated earlier. I couldn't say that about Black Diamond even when I didn't care for it much. Angelfire made sure of that.

Yeah, Steve, I'll have to chiome in on Black Diamond also- after ignoring it for several years, it's become on of my favorite Ripps albums....there's spots of repetition here and there, and the programming is a bit too obvious in stopts, but overall it was very well crafted AND had passion to it. Goes to show acoustic guitar can move you there too....Russ didn't use much electric on that one.
Angelfire. Great stuff. North Peak. also.

Back to this one- I really am feeling a bit manic depressive on this one- there are moments when Billy H is smoking the keys, Russ is throwing out riff after riff, everything is working; but then there's a long wait before that kind of passionate fire comes around again, and it gets a bit boring, same-sounding as most other SJ artists out there. Jeff and Russ clearly enjoy playing together, ditto for Russ and Billy- it shows in those moments.
I guess I was just hoping for more of that and less of the formula "sound" to some of the songs.
However, I won't go so far as to say Russ and Co "phoned it in"...they are that kind of people- it may not have come out of the box with everything I'd hoped it would, but I'm sure they worked hard at it. The end result is still a very high quality disc, especially by comparison to the rest of this genre (which, by the way, I've totally abandoned.)

Maybe in a couple years when I drag this one back out, it'll sound fresh. But for now, it sounds too similar to the rest of this marketplace.

Later
TonyY

Hi there,

Received my copy 2 days ago and now I feel 'Artyfied' to express my opinion here.
A great produced cd with Ripps tunes as you would expect. Overall catchy tunes, with fav's so far: Opener Modern art, paris groove, I still believe and body art. I have to agree with doctor woody on the drum programming... don't like the electric sound of it. Also no somewhat heavier guitar parts are most welcome here... but no.

Not t sound negative, all in all a great addition to my ripps collection (all of them... :D)

Regards from Holland
Edward

On the subject of percussion in general, I think it adds a lot to the music. Just saw Greg Adams on the Smooth Cruise and his fave percussion dude Johnny Sandoval just was hot - and added to the sound of the other artists.

I know many of you long for Steve Reid, and I'll agree that he added a lot to the early tunes. I just think that in the later years, he got too wrapped up in all of his gadgets and eccentricities - and stopped adding to the musical vibe. People would watch him and hear with their eyes.... meanwhile,I was trying to hear the percussion in all the flash. I never heard it... and it bothered me, it was present with Ramon and Scotty - but the fans wanted Steve Reid....and so he was back.

Just my 2 cents... I don't think the vibe that some folks are looking for would have been present with percussion and non-programming.... Modern Art is a melody presentation, not a rock-fusion presentation.