Goldmine - "Review of the week"
By Conrad L. Stinnett

As a guitarist, Steve Morse ranks right up there with Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Chet Atkins. Morse's musical influences are vast, and he possesses an uncanny ability to play and compose tunes that effectively cross the boundaries that separate rock, classical, jazz and folk with seeming ease.

This diversity is very much apparent on the Steve Morse Band's second project for Magna Carta Records, Split Decision. The album's title is apt. Apparently unsure about whether to do a set of more upbeat material or more melodic, "mellow" stuff, Morse characteristically decided to both, so Split Decision explores several sides of his multi-faceted talent.

The album begins with the hard-driving "Heightened Awareness" and moves into the J.S. Bach-inspired "Busybodies," a very cool blend of "aggressive guitar meets classical motif." The third track "Marching Orders," has a Enya/Riverdance- style Celtic feel, while "Mechanical Frenzy" possesses a strong Led Zeppelin groove and showcases a tasty solo from bassist Dave LaRue.

The album's eighth track, "Moment's Comfort" marks a transition between the band's aggressive stylings that had dominated the album up to this point to a subdued feel that marks the final handful of songs. "Midnight Stylings" is a nice jazz-fusion number that sounds akin to Béla Fleck & The Flecktones or Chet Atkins' early '80s work, while the album's final tunes, "Back Porch" and "Natural Flow," close out this musical experience in an acoustic, folky mode.

While the focus of the band is on Morse, it would be a serious mistake to undervalue the contributions of LaRue and drummer Van Romaine, who provide a dynamic rhythm section that both supports Morse's guitar virtuosity and provides a strong counterpoint to his powerful fretwork. Whether meeting him head-on during the up-tempo numbers or acting as subtle accompanists on the slower songs, LaRue and Romaine provide the anchor that allows Morse the freedom to explore new dimensions of his unique sonic craftsmanship. By keeping most of the album's tracks to fewer than five minutes and resisting the trap of self-indulgent solos, Morse keeps the album moving at a satisfying pace, once again proving that the music of an instrumental rock trio need not be boring. If music lovers buy only one rock instrumental album this year, Split Decision is the one to get.