PIERRE MOERLEN'S GONG — Time Is The Key (review)

PIERRE MOERLEN'S GONG — Time Is The Key album cover Album · 1979 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
liquidmonkey
While I don’t wholly concur with the previous reviewer some of this is probably out of nostalgia rather than a purely musical perspective. I love this album but I love it because it reminds me of when I first heard it many years ago along with Leave it Open (which I regard as a companion piece). I love it because it reminds me of a more carefree time in my life and when I listen to it now it still brings me joy. Would I love it so much if I heard it for the first time now? Probably not and certainly some of the tracks would sound dated now. I have just listened to the later PMG albums out of curiosity and probably won’t again - they really haven’t aged well (Tribute being the exception). BUT, and trying to put my inherent bias aside, I believe there are some stand out aspects of this album that would still move me on a first listen. The ethereal mallet percussion provided by Pierre’s brother Benoit sets this apart from other fusion artists of the time and still sounds fresh. Alan Holdsworth’s sublime contribution is up there with some of his best work (listen to his solo on Arabesque) and Pierre's not bad on the tubs either. While I can’t be completely objective it is definitely worth a listen. Try and look past the 80’s production and I am sure you will find some gems on here. I am giving it a 5 because it is one of my go-to albums. You might want to adjust this to a 4 to take account of my partiality.

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

About (or On)First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ELLERY ESKELIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
To Walk On Eggshells Avant-Garde Jazz
RUSS JOHNSON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Snakeoil : Snakeoil Ok Avant-Garde Jazz
TIM BERNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Poetry of Place (from the exhibit by painter Karen Allen) Jazz Related Improv/Composition
CHRIS DINGMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hiwar World Fusion
ALEPH QUINTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio Dream a Dream
SATOKO FUJII
js· 1 day ago
Wojciech Jachna Squad - Ad Astra (Promo Teaser)
WOJCIECH JACHNA
snobb· 4 days ago
Nitty Gritty
RUSS SPIEGEL
js· 4 days ago
Never in a 100.000.000 Dreams
SUPERSISTER
js· 5 days ago
Love is a Fire that Burns Unseen
PETER MADSEN
js· 5 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed