7.25 out of 10"The Glass Bead Game" is James Blackshaw's 9th release in about 3 years (yeah he's ambitious). James Blackshaw, a 12-string guitar virtuoso/prodigy, plays strikingly gorgeous folk euphonies that have been compared to John Fahey, Glenn Jones, Leo Kottke, etc. His finger plucking is that of a god.
On "The Glass Bead Game" Mr. Blackshaw expands on his genius a little more by adding piano, keyboard samples, strings and a few other complementing surprises. This is my favorite piece of his so far. The first track "Cross" starts off with Mr. Blackshaw plucking away on his highly under appreciated instrument of choice and is promptly accompanied by piano, strings, and vocal samples to match the melody. Probably one of the best tracks I've heard all year. Track 2, "Bled", stands up to it's name. As fast as he is playing (and as intricate) it wouldn't be a surprise if he was bleeding all over the strings. I wish this song was on Guitar Hero (it'd be way tougher than Dragonforce). Throughout the rest of the album James shows off his impeccable skills with a guitar that I'm sure would make even the most skilled of guitar players jealous. I really like that on top of playing a mean guitar he has the ability to also play two of the most gorgeous piano tracks I've ever heard (Fix/Arc).
If you're looking for a terrific melancholy instrumental album that displays boundless amounts of raw talent and emotion James Blackshaw's "The Glass Bead Game" is waiting for you.
Standout Tracks: Cross, Bled, Fix, Arc (it would be ok if this song didn't end..)
No comments:
Post a Comment