indy cd & vinyl

JAMES BLACKSHAW—The Cloud Of Unknowing

The Cloud Of Unknowing is London-based James Blackshaw’s sixth album, but first to be widely available stateside. It has immediately started me on the hunt for his other five. An absolutely gorgeous all instrumental work for 12-string guitar, with the occasional sprinklings of violin and percussion, The Cloud Of Unknowing consists of five songs, four of which nudge up to or past the ten minute mark. Blackshaw gives the tunings he used for each song, but woe be to any player who try to imitate his gentle, yet lightning-fast approach. It often sounds like there are three guitars going at once, with one underpinning the tune with constant cascade-like runs circling the chords and the other two picking out melody and bass lines (no guitars were overdubbed). The title track sets the opening tone, with simple, chiming, strummed chords working their way into superb finger-picked melodies and hooks, all the time underpinned by constant glissando-like runs. Blackshaw also slips in experimental interludes and eastern-sounding modalities that add to the overall ambience of the music without diluting its impact. Certainly recalling the heyday of acoustic virtuosos like John Fahey and Leo Kottke, The Cloud Of Unknowing builds on these predecessors to create its own unique space. File under folk if you must, but this music is edgy enough that it transcends such boundaries and has appeal for lovers of rock, jazz, and world music, as well