FINGERSTYLE GUITAR AT IT'S BEST!
Plook | 12/17/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"WOW! What an incredible album. This is definitely Fingerstyle Guitar at it's best! Richard Gilewitz's original piece called "Dirt to Dust" makes the listener feel emotionally like he is a participant in an old Clint Eastwood western. His ethereal piece, "Synapse Collapse", will transport the listener out into the stratosphere and then brings you back down to earth! Richard Gilewitz is joined by famed percussionist, Gumbi Ortiz and pianist David Webb on several cuts. This album is definitely a must have on the Christmas list of any amateur or professional guitarist. I would highly reccomend this album.Thanks."
Synapse Collapse
Plook | UK | 06/19/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Acoustic fingerstyle music just doesn't get any better than this. If you are searching around for an acoustic guitarist whose focus is the composition - the tune, the melody and then a dazzling display of guitar - the journey ends here. When you hear fantastic music the instrument sort of fades away and you just hear great timeless music. Gilewitz plays with so much taste and leaves loads of space, in fact sometimes you can crawl in between the notes and take a nap. I used to rate Kottke as the best in the business but for composition, taste, chops - it's Gilewitz all the way.
I first discovered this album after years of listening to Kottke and i happened to visit a friend in Madison, Wisconsin who played it to me. I was just blown away with how good it was. It seems I'd spent a small fortune on CDs in an effort to have a new 'armradillo album' experience but found that most other guitarists just sound like they are plunking and noodling very technically on the guitar and you quickly find your eyelids getting heavy - the likes of Emmanuel, Dykes, Grossman, et al - all amazing guitarists, but have you ever listened to any of their CDs more than twice? No, that's right because they are technically superb but lack soul. Gilewitz's CDs have it all. Remember when you first heard Dark Side Of The Moon and all you heard was incredible songs - until you zoned in to hear the instrumentation - this album will do the same to you, so do yourself a big favour and check it out. There are so many acoustic fingerstyle guitarists to spend your money on out here, but in my experience there are only 5 worth bothering with in this order: 1: Gilewitz. 2:Hedges, 3:Kottke and 4: Fahey, 5: the wonderful newcomer Erik Mongrain. File the rest as noodlers."