2008 Round Up Pt. 1

There was a lot of good stuff that came out last year that I’ve listened to and loved but never got around to writing about. Sometimes it was writers block, other times the albums got trampled by other releases, but mostly I just had too much school and work. Either way, here is a late, brief shotgun style tribute to some pretty great albums that I know I would never get around to otherwise.

Dungen
4
(09.2008, Kemado)

Swedish rock band Dungen seems to be frozen in an era of classic 70’s psych rock and lush folk. Even before bursting into the indie mainstream with the success of Ta Det Lugnt, the band had always had a retro fitted swagger. So, even though things haven’t changed drastically from the band’s beginnings and 4 is still satisfies with its muted drums, fuzzy guitars, smooth vocals.

James Blackshaw
Litany of Echoes
(06.2008, Tompkins Square)

Finally getting distance from some of those Fahey comparisons, on Litany of Echoes, Blackshaw sounds more like a disciple of Steve Reich. Though not quite as good as 2007’s The Cloud of Unknowing, Blackshaw’s latest builds and invents upon his previous works and promises only good things to come.


Dj/Rupture
Uproot
(10.2008, Agriculture)

Seems like dub has become a pretty fashionable genre in the last year or two, marked by plenty of reissues of dub classics, dub compilations and the introduction of dub aesthetics to hip hop and indie rock alike. And you know what? For the most part I’m not a big fan. On Uproot, Dj/Rupture has provided the perfect entry point with an eclectic mix that proves that there aren’t many Djs at working at Rupture’s standard.

-Mr. Thistle

James Blackshaw - The Cloud of Unknowing

James Blackshaw
The Cloud of Unknowing
(06.2007, Tompkins Square)
8.5/10

As a part of a group of new weird American guitar gurus including Sir Richard Thomas, Jack Rose and Glenn Jones, James Blackshaw is subtly unique. Still harkening images of eastern guitar ragas and incorporating the spirit of John Fahey, Blackshaw playing is unique among his peers because it allows the listener to see the beauty of his compositions before having to meditate on his virtuosity. In fact, if unwanted, Blackshaw’s virtuosity (for documentation of said ‘virtuosity’ see the YouTube video below) never even has to enter into the equation. This has always been the winning factor of Blackshaw’s instrumentals for me. However, Blackshaw has been as susceptible as any of his contemporaries for becoming occasionally tedious in his noodling. This is why The Cloud of Unknowing is such an accomplishment. Progressing ever so slightly from the terrific O True Believer, Blackshaw’s latest outing sees him successfully incorporate supplemental instrumentation into his normally purist guitar ruminations. On “Running to the Ghost,” Blackshaw may have created his most beautiful song to date, incorporating Bells and eventually strings to the equation. The transitional “Cloud Collapse,” in the middle of the five song set, sees Blackshaw exploring a far more dissonant, abstract composition than is usually common of him and the fifteen minute “Stained Glass Window” closes the album with voluminous barrage of collapsed violins. However, even with these progressive elements, the album is distinctly Blackshaw’s and retains his signature guitar mastery. So, it is with just minor adjustments that The Cloud of Unknowing has become James Blackshaw’s best album to date, engaging from start to finish.

-Mr. Thistle