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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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Former Sun City Girls guitarist gives a materclass on sixth studio album, and first on Drag City. As instrumental albums go, this is one of the best you’ll encounter. They can often be labouriuos affairs – no such problem here. Best known as an experimental guitarist, drawing on Indian, north African and gypsy templates, Bishop has a habit of using unusual titles. Previously there have been Salvador Kali, Improvika, Fingering The Devil, Elektronica Demonika and now Polytheistic Fragments. Bishop reminds me very much of dazzling duo Rodrigo y Gabriella, as he burns up the fret board on both acoustic and electric guitars. It’s not all blood and thunder though, because he has an imaculate touch, from the Carlos Santana school. Even on experimental moments, which, to his credit, he hasn’t gone OTT, remaining focussed on keeping the listener’s attention. It’s a subtle balance that works to perfection. With a flick of the wrist, rolling flamenco strums open Cross My Palm With Silver, until later mesmerising picks texture the Latino colours. There are moments when he reminds me of Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page on Free Masonic Guitar, though there’s a nod to his hero Django Reinhardt in parts.
Acoustic outing Quiescent Return is beguilingly simplistic, with Rub Al Khali - an ode to the oud, a north African lute, Bishop captures the spirit of the region with empathy and class, wheras Saraswati delves into the Hindustani simple serenity of measured piano and rolling drone-like background instrumentation. It’s his lightness of touch that creates the magic. Again on Hecate’s Dream, a dream-like piece dedicated to a Greek goddess, he creates a mystical mood via improvised and sparce wiry guitarwork. In sharp contrast, Americana styled Canned Goods And Firearms has a more commercial edge, full-on twanging guitar a la '60s Shadows, whilst Tennessee Porch swing possesses a genteel rootsy countrified twist. Catchiest track of the bunch is Elyium Number Five. Ecstacies In The Open Air is an exquisite, light and airy piece to close a really stunning album. A ‘listening’ album in the truest sense of the word.
Weblink: myspace.com/sirrichardbishop
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
