PAT METHENY GROUP - American Garage (1979) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The back liner photo gives the impression of a grungy Midwestern garage band, but no, that doesn't describe this sophisticated jazz-rock quartet, which was simultaneously breaking into mass-market acceptance and away from the contemplative ECM stereotype. The arrangements are more structured, the playing often more intense and searching, with a more pronounced rock influence. On the title track, Metheny digs in and displays some authoritative rock-oriented licks and intensity, and the rhythms on "The Search" have a slight, at times asymmetrical Latin feeling. The nearly 13-minute "The Epic" finds the Metheny group developing some real combustion in the improvised sections as Metheny, keyboardist Lyle Mays, bassist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb grow tighter as a unit. In hindsight, some of the music seems a bit too tightly conceived to allow adequate breathing room, but this is still high-quality jazz-rock for its time. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1     (Cross The) Heartland 6:55
Lyle Mays / Pat Metheny
2     Airstream 6:20
Lyle Mays / Pat Metheny
3     The Search 4:54
Lyle Mays / Pat Metheny
4     American Garage 4:13
Lyle Mays / Pat Metheny
5     The Epic 12:59
Lyle Mays / Pat Metheny
Credits :
Bass – Mark Egan
Drums – Dan Gottlieb
Guitar [6 String Guitar], Twelve-String Guitar [12-String Guitar] – Pat Metheny
Piano, Synthesizer [Oberheim], Autoharp, Organ – Lyle Mays