Jim Horne - Panic Attack (2006)Self-released

When I have read that Jim's first solo album achieved the 6th position in Guitar9 Records shop in the Fusion Category (May 2007), I decided to learn it the hard way with my ears, haha.

I admit that "Panic Attack" shows the height of Jim's creative abilities, not only because of his guitar parts, but also thanks to a better production and more emerged pulsating bass lines. The entirety is strongly settled on improvised parts that rivet our attention of their ingenuity. There is also a guest neoclassical guitar player, Francesco Fareri on "Speed Trip" sounding as if Satch would have been exported to the seventies, haha. An Italian adjusted his style to Jim's and, like a chameleon, blended into the album scenery. "Panic Attack" is a cauldron of experimental ideas, instrumental adamants and Jim's various facets in fusion genre. The things that can amaze us are a virtuosic quirkiness, an ample range of technical skills and well-worked-out arrangements. You can believe me or not, but this American must have steel fingers, iron muscles and titanic tendons to play all these never-ending tones. Because of his long-lasting solos, I dare to call him a wizard of instrumental manipulation, since I don't know if they are the reality or hearing illusion, haha.

The most pinching thing is the album's title. It should be rather titled "Proficiency Attack", haha. I am convinced that jazz/fusion style slots into his musical personality what makes him a competitive player amid other famous fusionists. Yeah, he can vie with the greatest artists with no instrumental interiority complex. I warn you, Dear Readers, if you aren't practised listeners, you can sense a kind of con(fusion) and feel panicked then, haha. Seriously writing, I hope Jim's ideas haven't been run down yet, because he is a promising boy and, since the EP release, has overblown very well!