Search - Various Artists :: Sounds of Wood & Steel

John T. from LACONIA, NH
Reviewed on 10/24/2010...

Excellent playing, in a variety of styles. The sound of those beautiful guitars is rendered clearly and powerfully.

A fine collection

timothy1146 | Lake Woebegone,Minnesota | 12/07/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Every track on the album is at least pretty good."The claw" by Clint Black is a tricky piece deftly handled."Java man" by Michael hedges is a work of virtuosity."Liquid Amber" by Laurence Juber has all the dreaminess the title implies."Marina" by Skip Ewing and B.J.Walker Jr. is one the most lovely,sun drenched,yet melancholy pieces of music you'll ever hear.But the most brilliant work on the album has to be "Sadhana" by Steve Stevens.This vibrant,rhythmically manic tour through the possibilities of the guitar has to be heard to be believed.Great sound,balance and superb artist selection."

Not bad, not great

timothy1146 | 12/12/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this album in the hopes of getting some exposure to a lot of different American fingerstyle and acoustic stylists. In that respect, I think the album does a decent job. It's helped me narrow down what my own personal likes and dislikes are for future purchases. I think that a lot of the songs on this album are good...I particularly like "Who Lives Up There" by Snuffy Walden. According to the liner notes, he wrote this in an attempt to answer his son's questions about death and heaven after the passing of a family member and a family pet. It's a haunting and beautiful song that I find myself listening to over and over. Unfortunately, a lot of the rest of the album seems like so much filler...and I particularly didn't like the background accompaniments on songs like Alma D'Alma (which sounds like one of those songs you'd hear on a Smooth Jazz radio station). In fact, I think a LOT of the accompanied songs would have been much better off with only the guitarist. After all, this is supposed to be "Sounds of Wood and Steel," not "Sounds of Wood and Steel and Fretless Bass and Bongos and a Windham Hill Mix".Overall, something you could put on in the background at a cocktail party, but nothing to rave about."