by Seamus Fitzpatrick
Steve Morse has always written like a craftsman who sees the guitar as a vehicle for speed, tone, and expression. Triangulation, his first Steve Morse Band album since 2009, arrives as a clear reaffirmation of what made his voice so distinct across the Dixie Dregs, SMB, Deep Purple, and Flying Colors: a fusion-rock mind with a composer’s discipline and a player of precision. That framework, equal parts groove, form, and melodic intelligence, drives Triangulation from its first downbeat.
Joined by longtime rhythmic anchors Dave LaRue (bass) and Van Romaine (drums), Morse shapes an album that is about interplay as much as it is about guitar heroics. Each track holds a groove-first identity and a space for spotlight lift-off. The result is a record where fusion and southern-rock leanings merge into a cohesive musical landscape, punctuated by guest voices who expand the palette rather than distract from it.
“Break Through” opens the set with exactly the energy Morse fans crave. Conveying a groove built from rhythmic clarity, melodic direction, and textural layering. LaRue’s bass and Morse carry the melodic architecture; each threads counterlines through the harmony, a signature that blends baroque-rock ornamentation with southern-rock energy. All the layers and feels meld beautifully; the transition from riff to groove shows how naturally this band breathes together.
“Off the Cuff” is a blues-inflected burner that shines brightest in its phrasing choices. Morse alternates between lyrical bends, tight cross-string picking figures, and his unmistakable pick harmonics. The rhythm section sets a simmering pocket that is driven by Romaine’s drumming, which continuously shapes the contour of the space. It’s deceptively relaxed, yet elegant in its dynamics.
“TexUS” (feat. Eric Johnson) is a nod to guitar history and a fresh addition to the album’s sonic identity. Johnson’s phrasing, with its smooth vibrato and singing tone, plays beautifully against Morse’s more angular articulation. The meeting point between Johnson’s smooth legato and Morse’s percussive attack becomes the track’s core tension. For guitarist, it’s a masterclass in how two distinct voices converse without stepping on each other’s timbre or phrasing.
The rhythmic experimentation kicks up a notch with “The Unexpected.” Morse keeps the melody grounded while the band cycles through shifting meters, creating controlled turbulence. It’s rock fusion in the classic Morse sense, with its rhythmic play that opens the door to melodic invention.
“March of the Nomads” (feat. Scott Sim) shifts to an atmospheric, modal, almost cinematic setting. Sim’s presence adds a different bass coloration to the album, offering a different sonorous low-end texture. Morse leans into exotic scales and pedal-tone tension, creating a sense of forward motion that matches the composition’s title. This is one example of Morse the composer and Morse the soloist, grounding the piece in mood and chops.
“Ice Breaker” sits firmly in the classic Morse fusion/southern rock hybrid zone. The rhythmic drive is irresistible. LaRue’s articulations feature his excellent snap, pop, and funk contours, giving the track its propulsion, while Morse’s guitar is moving, percussive, and deceptively complex. Romaine locks into a pocket that is rock-solid, giving the groove a foundation that supports the song’s energy and momentum.
“Tumeni Partz” is the centerpiece of the album’s compositional expression with its long-form narrative. “Tumeni Partz” is a perfect example of how Morse builds composition into performance, not the other way around. The architecture is intricate yet inviting. He weaves baroque-rock sequences, cascading cross-string figures, intervallic runs, melodic statements, and thematic callbacks, but always with a sense of direction. What makes this track so compelling is the balance of technical sophistication and engaging motifs.
“Triangulation” (feat. John Petrucci) unleashes two guitar giants. Petrucci’s tone and playing style create a striking complement to Morse’s sound. Their trading of the melody feels like two heavyweight stylists respectfully pushing the other’s phrasing forward. It is wonderful to hear how each approaches the playing of the same melodic line. The rhythm section amplifies the interaction, particularly Romaine’s shifting accents and LaRue’s cleverly voiced bass figures.
“Taken by an Angel” (feat. Kevin Morse) is a gentle, heartfelt closer. Kevin Morse’s tone is a lovely complement to Steve’s crystalline articulation. The interplay is tender without being sentimental. A fitting ending that brings the album full circle: technical command yielding instead to emotional clarity.
Triangulation is a reflection of Morse’s continued refinement as a composer and player. Morse’s baroque-rock vocabulary, his unmistakable bends, pick harmonics, and cross-string picking, are all present, but deployed with a broader sense of ensemble focus. This is an album built with groove-heavy, compositionally intelligent, and technically alive compositions that never lose that baroque-southern rock-fusion heart that made Morse’s writing so compelling from the beginning.
