Head Of Wantastiquet
Mortagne
Ecstatic Yod e#49e/FYLP98
LP
Edition of 500 copies LP with screenprinted sleeves, this is the first solo vinyl release by Paul Labrecque of Sunburned Hand Of The Man and it feels like the long-awaited follow-up to the classic album he cut with Valerie Webb, Trees, Chants and Hollers on Eclipse. It's a mix of psychedelic banjo hymns - some of which are cut up with glorious widescreen field recordings of thunder cracking and rain pouring down - and ancient sounding guitar instrumentals that would build a bridge between Sandy Bull's settings of sacred music and the most ecstatic Popol Vuh recordings. A ton of atmosphere on this and it beats hands-down virtually any 'American primitive' solo guitar release of the last too many years. This is solo string thought that genuinely bears comparison with the Takoma sound - historically, aesthetically, sonically - while sounding nothing like the work of a 'pupil' and factoring in a bunch of wildcard styles, ranging from monolithic European rock through apocalyptic UK space/folk and drugged 90s underground. A totally fantastic late night transport, a modern classic, highly recommended.
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