Review by Phil Rozier for MPM
Steve Morse Band’s Triangulation is a genre-defying, soul-stirring instrumental odyssey. Nine tracks of pure musical telepathy, where slap bass grooves, rhythmic wizardry, and fretboard fireworks converge in a masterclass of style-less mastery.
I first saw Steve Morse live with Deep Purple in the early 2000s. I was a music school kid then (even though I was in my 20’s), wide-eyed and hungry. My guitar teacher asked which player he should use to demonstrate different styles. I said, ‘Steve Morse’. He paused, then laughed ‘but he has no style. He’s all of them’. That’s the Morse paradox: a multilingual guitarist whose native tongue is everything. And Triangulation, released 14 November 2025, is a testament to that boundless fluency.
Can you deconstruct Triangulation? Let’s try.
Break Through
Opens with Morse’s signature riffing, but it’s Dave LaRue’s slap bass that steals the spotlight. Melodic, percussive, and utterly infectious. Van Romaine’s drumming is tight, locking in with Morse’s Ernie Ball Music Man (I assume!?) tone that slices through with crystalline clarity.
Off The Cuff
A funk-fusion playground. The rhythm guitar is all staccato jabs and groove, while the slap bass returns with a vengeance. LaRue practically talks through his strings. Morse’s lead lines are playful, darting between modes like a jazz cat on espresso.
Texus (feat. Eric Johnson)
A bluesy, sun-drenched jam. Johnson’s creamy bends meet Morse’s angular phrasing in a duet that feels like two old friends finishing each other’s sentences. The rhythm section lays back, letting the guitars dance.
The Unexpected
Aptly named. Shifting time signatures a plenty. Romaine’s drums are a masterclass in controlled chaos, especially the cymbols. Morse’s lead is exploratory, almost cinematic. The bass here is quieter, punctuating the track’s twists with rhythmic exclamation points.
March of the Nomads (feat. Scott Sim)
A haunting, almost Eastern-tinged piece. Sim’s bass glides like a caravan across dunes. Morse layers ambient rhythm guitar textures beneath soaring leads. Romaine’s tribal tom work gives it a cinematic pulse. A standout for mood and atmosphere.
Ice Breaker
The funkiest track on the record. Morse’s rhythm guitar is chunky and percussive, while LaRue’s bass is front and centre, snapping, popping, and grooving like it’s 1987 in Minneapolis. Romaine’s hi-hat work is precise.
Tumeni Partz
Morse goes full shred, but never at the expense of melody. The trio is locked in. LaRue’s bass is a blur of tapped harmonics and slap fills, while Romaine keeps pace with machine-like precision.
Triangulation (feat. John Petrucci)
The title track is a maelstrom. Morse and Petrucci trade solos like heavyweight boxers; each punch more technical than the last. The bass here is thunderous, anchoring the chaos. Romaine’s double-kick patterns are relentless. It’s prog, it’s fusion.
Taken by an Angel (feat. Kevin Morse)
A heartfelt closer. Kevin’s guitar work is tender, echoing his father’s melodic sensibility. The rhythm guitar is ambient and lush. No aggressive bass here, just warmth. A tribute to Morse’s late wife, it’s a moment of stillness after the storm.
Final Thoughts
Triangulation isn’t just an album, it’s a clinic. For listeners, it’s a joyride. For musicians, it’s a challenge. Every track is a triangulated point between groove, melody, and technical mastery. And for me, two decades after that Deep Purple gig, it’s a reminder that Steve Morse still speaks every musical language. Fluently. Effortlessly. Style-lessly.
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