Almost a fortnight ago, Jason Richardson and Tim Henson put the guitar world on standby when the pair announced they were poised to release a collaborative single, titled Upside Down, which would also feature drummer Luke Holland.
Well, that single has now officially been released, and – as if there were ever any doubt – we’re pleased to report it’s been totally worth the wait.
Accompanied by an arcade-themed music video, Upside Down puts the trio’s mesmeric musical powers on display. It’s all Holland and Richardson for the opening exchanges, with the All That Remains electric guitar player bounding from box to box with a series of gravity-defying melodies.
As teased in the initial announcement, Richardson is strapped to his Ernie Ball Music Man Jason Richardson 7 String Cutlass signature guitar, and uses it to nail some fiery fretboard pyrotechnics, before briefly switching over to a nylon-string acoustic for an equally frantic reprieve.
Henson joins the party at around the three-minute mark, custom Ibanez AZ in tow, and offers a show-stopping solo that demonstrates why the Polyphia player is widely regarded as one of today’s most forward-thinking guitarists.
It’s harmonics aplenty for Henson’s contribution, which shines a spotlight on left-field, string-skipping licks that could only have been conceived by his mind.
You can hear the track – and marvel at the pair’s unquantifiable creativity – in the video below.
Upon the release of Upside Down, Henson posted a video on YouTube that gave us a closer look at his solo, as well as a better shot of his custom Ibanez AZ – the one first shown in the Neural DSP Archetype: Tim Henson reveal – complete with an intricate vine fingerboard inlay.
The pair have also put the tabs to their respective parts on their official websites –$3.99 on Richardson's, $2 on Henson's – meaning those of you brave enough to tackle Upside Down can have a stab at it, if you so desire.
Now, we did speculate that Upside Down would be the lead single from a potential Richardson solo album, and while there’s been no official confirmation just yet, we’ve not given up hope.
Earlier this month, drummer Holland replied to a tweet labeling him the “GOAT” – Greatest Of All Time – for his efforts on Richardson’s Tendinitis by tagging the guitarist and teasing, “Man that was 4 years ago. Wait until you hear the new album.”
To keep up to date, head over to Jason Richardson's website.
