Jim Allchin – Overclocked (Sandy Key Music).
Seattle based Allchin has not taken the usual path to being a full time musician. An early sortie into the music business resulted in him giving up because he was starving. This led him to studying computer science and earning degrees at Stanford and Georgia Tech before joining Microsoft in 1990. He eventually became Co-President of the Platforms & Services Division and is a recognised leader in the world of computer science. However, he suffered a health issue in 2003 and that led him to reconsider his life and he decided to try and do the things he had regretted not following through. So he picked up his guitar again, started touring and released his debut album, Enigma, in 2009. Overclocked (which is, surprisingly enough, a computer term) is the follow up and opens with the eponymous title track. Authentic vinyl scratches make way for a clean, up tempo intro and then onto more fuzzed guitar from Allchin and overladen organ from David Gross. It’s better musically than vocally as shown by Allchin’s screaming guitar. Willow Tree is a mid paced swing blues with a good guitar solo and a better vocal. Back In The Swamp has an Albert Collins feel to it but Allchin’s guitar set up is not as clinical as Collins’. This swinging blues has a lovely piano break by the aforementioned Gross and the now standard classy guitar. Don’t Tell Me What To Do is a classy, strolling electric blues and one of the top tracks on the album whereas One For The Money is sultry with a female vocal and piercing guitar. The use of another lead vocalist is possibly a way forward for him as this has added a bit of passion.
Fall is a slow instrumental and it’s a very good vehicle for his guitar. Scorching slide guitar is added to horns and organ for the high energy impact of Dr J. This is a big track in many ways, only slightly let down by his limited vocal. Mr Unknown has some gentle 50s doo-wop stylings but Flirt has a heavier feel although he is struggling with the vocal to match. Both are satisfying tracks in their own way. Perfect Game is one of the slower tracks and is another with a female vocal, but this time not to any great effect. This isn’t his best song but the quality guitar work shines through again. There’s no mistaking the quality of his guitar work on Just Playin’ With Me, which leans towards R&R. Penultimate track, The One, is a slow night club style blues with the guitar as the star again whereas the instrumental final track, Opening My Eyes To Love, has a Spanish feel with a Santana-esque solo.
13 tracks of self-penned songs that show his song writing skills added to some sublime guitar playing makes for an entertaining album overall and one on which Allchin can build.
http://www.jimallchin.com/
David Blue.
Seattle based Allchin has not taken the usual path to being a full time musician. An early sortie into the music business resulted in him giving up because he was starving. This led him to studying computer science and earning degrees at Stanford and Georgia Tech before joining Microsoft in 1990. He eventually became Co-President of the Platforms & Services Division and is a recognised leader in the world of computer science. However, he suffered a health issue in 2003 and that led him to reconsider his life and he decided to try and do the things he had regretted not following through. So he picked up his guitar again, started touring and released his debut album, Enigma, in 2009. Overclocked (which is, surprisingly enough, a computer term) is the follow up and opens with the eponymous title track. Authentic vinyl scratches make way for a clean, up tempo intro and then onto more fuzzed guitar from Allchin and overladen organ from David Gross. It’s better musically than vocally as shown by Allchin’s screaming guitar. Willow Tree is a mid paced swing blues with a good guitar solo and a better vocal. Back In The Swamp has an Albert Collins feel to it but Allchin’s guitar set up is not as clinical as Collins’. This swinging blues has a lovely piano break by the aforementioned Gross and the now standard classy guitar. Don’t Tell Me What To Do is a classy, strolling electric blues and one of the top tracks on the album whereas One For The Money is sultry with a female vocal and piercing guitar. The use of another lead vocalist is possibly a way forward for him as this has added a bit of passion.
Fall is a slow instrumental and it’s a very good vehicle for his guitar. Scorching slide guitar is added to horns and organ for the high energy impact of Dr J. This is a big track in many ways, only slightly let down by his limited vocal. Mr Unknown has some gentle 50s doo-wop stylings but Flirt has a heavier feel although he is struggling with the vocal to match. Both are satisfying tracks in their own way. Perfect Game is one of the slower tracks and is another with a female vocal, but this time not to any great effect. This isn’t his best song but the quality guitar work shines through again. There’s no mistaking the quality of his guitar work on Just Playin’ With Me, which leans towards R&R. Penultimate track, The One, is a slow night club style blues with the guitar as the star again whereas the instrumental final track, Opening My Eyes To Love, has a Spanish feel with a Santana-esque solo.
13 tracks of self-penned songs that show his song writing skills added to some sublime guitar playing makes for an entertaining album overall and one on which Allchin can build.
http://www.jimallchin.com/
David Blue.
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