Karl Vincent - VHS Retrospective
Review by Karl Magi
Overall Album Impressions
Karl Vincent’s VHS Retrospective is a retro guitar ride that showcases his playing ability and boundless energy. Bursting energy, rich intricacy and a synth palette that explores a panoply of different tones, timbres and musical textures add more depth and interest to the music.
Of course, Karl Vincent’s skill as a guitarist takes centre stage on VHS Retrospective. He extracts expression and energy from the instrument, weaving intricate solos along the way. His choice of guitar tones also adds to the listening enjoyment, contributing to the overall atmosphere in each track.
However he doesn’t neglect the synth aspect of the album either. His synth selection is broad and carefully interwoven to imbue the music with variety and interest. Every synth adds texture, feeling and tonal colour to the music, making it more pleasing to the ear. I always find some new sound to hear.
I also want to mention the melodies on the album. Karl Vincent has written catchy, engaging melodic content that makes VHS Retrospective a fun listening experience. I feel quite invigorated after listening to the album, making me feel energized and ready for what’s coming next.
My Favourite Tracks Analyzed
“Echo (Prelude)” comes into being as heavy bass glides and guitar swirls and cries out. Karl Vincent’s guitar gyrates with abandon over the drum pulse along with chiming notes. The guitar tumbles and cries out in a passionate voice as drums charge and the huge bass presence makes itself abundantly apparent. I enjoy Karl Vincent’s decision to kick things off with a small slice of what’s to come on the album.
Broad, medium-low synth descends as sirens scream, the synth falling in arpeggiating lines to start “Double Jeopardy.” A quickly pulsing kick drum flourishes and a shining synth pattern radiates active energy over the driving drumbeat.
Karl Vincent’s guitar leaps out, carrying a motivating, propulsive melody. I enjoy the way in which the guitar melody intricately unfurls as its climbing notes add a triumphant feeling. Sharp-edged, gleaming synth trumpets out flying notes over the rocketing drumbeat and solid bass underpinnings.
After a drum fill, an angular synth pattern drives on, adding more speed and life to the music. Flashing, razor-edged synths slice. Chiming synths twinkle as the guitar arcs upward, carrying the energetic melody and sirens fill the track as the cascading notes fade.
“Through the Night” opens with a drum flourish along with funky electric bass. Jagged-edged guitar blooms into the track, bursting and fading rapidly. Slap bass shifts and high chimes glimmer while guitar pulses cut in.
Karl Vincent’s blues-inflected guitar carries a passionate melody an intensely emotive, expressive feeling to which I am drawn. A steady drumbeat and groovy bass imbue the track with a unique energy.
All of the sonic elements move smoothly as the guitar pulses have a slicing edge to them. Karl Vincent’s guitar work is intricate as it unfolds in detailed lines. The main melody is full of yearning desire while the disco-like groove is addictive.
Trumpeting synth blasts out along with throbbing drums and an oscillating bassline to start “Streets of Grime.” Clean-sounding guitar slices in, carrying a melancholy-tinged melody through the music.
Karl Vincent’s guitar has an emotive and engaging tone to which I am drawn. Brassy synths with a victorious, propulsive quality fly along while the drums and bass throb. The guitar solo cascades in whirling patterns as dynamic drums and bass move the music forward.
As flashing synths sing out victoriously, the melody is full of mingled optimism and more pained emotions. The track’s low end flows onward as the flaring elevated synth calls out and the guitar injects more excitement through speeding solo’s interwoven wildness.
“Mach Riders” begins as dense synth, quickly twinkling higher sounds and a steady deep bass flow jump into rushing forward motion as the drums smack into the track. The guitar whirls into speeding, twirling motion and bends out as a thicker, denser string sound strums underneath.
Karl Vincent's nimble, skilled fingers extract uplift and acceleration from his instrument. A new segment moves in as serpentine guitar cries out with feeling. The music surges forward again with the strong drumbeat hitting hard as thicker string sound accents the freewheeling guitar melody.
A sense of open roads and boundless vistas unfolds over solidly throbbing drums and bass. As the track ends, another inventive solo whips through the other musical elements and the track ends.
Wide-sounding guitar flows with a unique melody that has an ancient quality as "High Grounds” comes to life. Bursting, glowing synth leaps out and the guitar rapidly corkscrews. A slightly broken, divided melody rings out while the drums scud through the track.
After a drum fill. Karl Vincent solos with intensity, detail and finger-breaking ability. The music bounces into a segment in which sharp-edged, shadowed notes burst out over deep bass. There’s a dynamic change as the track grows quieter briefly before reaching a crescendo.
The guitar wheels with controlled chaos and the drums and bass cruise on smoothly underneath it. Complexity and a reaching feeling fills the track. As the music ends, the stuttering division of the melody lends fascination to the music.
“Fighter X” starts with luscious natural sounds, airy panpipes and deeply metallic chimes. Xylophone trickles through and the panpipes breathe before the solid drum and bass throb moves the music forward. Ethereal panpipes dance with a faerie feeling that is pleasing to me.
The guitar melody bends and adds positive emotion as densely gleaming chimes flicker and panpipes skip along. A distorting, expressive guitar solo cries out. Karl Vincent creates a contrast between deep notes and screaming highs to enhance the track in the solo. There's a return to jungle sounds and twinkling, trickling instruments to add depth.
Guitar snarls low and shrieks high to open “Smoke In The Mirror.” Coiled energy and muscled motion characterize the guitar melody that launches itself into the track. The guitar breaks into a volleying, twisted pattern before exuding need and yearning.
Karl Vincent’s guitar chops are on full display as he imbues the music with emotion. The main melody has an ominous, victorious feeling as bouncing, churning guitar reverberates. Soaring, swooping guitar shimmers and bends, deep bass throbbing and the drums charging on. For one final time, the guitar soars, exuding a sense of escape before silence falls.
Conclusion
Sometimes music is all about having fun and VHS Retrospective is huge fun to listen to. The album bursts with energy and is full of madly entertaining guitar solos and irrepressible enthusiasm. I find myself relaxing and getting into its positive vibes each time I listen to it.
