This will be a periodic new offering from Guitar Moderne: an entirely subjective listing of recordings that come to my attention that are momentous enough to make sure they come to yours. These are not reviews. Feel free to submit recordings, but they must be purchasable worldwide, reflective of modern guitar (again subjective, but no blues, classic rock, country, etc.) and on a par with the ones below to rate a mention. Many of these are available from DMG in NYC.
King Crimson [Robert Fripp/David Cross/John Wetton/Bill Bruford] –Starless [Limited Edition 27 CD/DVD/BluRay Box Set] (DGM 671974; UK) From 1973 but still modern.
Ron Miles With Bill Frisell/Brian Blade – Circuit Rider (Enja Yellowbird 7745; Germany)
Bill Frisell With Greg Leisz/Tony Scherr/Kenny Wolleson – Guitar in the Space Age (Sony 30746; USA) Watch for my interview with Frisell coming up in Premier Guitar
Stefano Bollani With Mark Turner/Bill Frisell/Jesper Bodilsen/MortenLund – Joy in Spite of Everything (ECM 2360; USA) Frisell plays jazz-jazz
Arto Lindsay/Paal Nilssen-Love – Scarcity (PNL 20; Norway) The return of the Skronk-master.
Scott Fields String Feartet – Haydn [2 CD Set] (Between the Lines 71237; USA)
Daniel Lanois – Flesh and Machine (Anti) The pure sound, experimental record we have been waiting for.
Anne-F Jacques Tim Olive – Dominion Mills (845audio.org) Anne-F Jacques (rotating devices) and Tim Olive (magnetic pickups). “Rotating devices” refers to small electric motors which are modified, manipulated and amplified. The “magnetic pickups” are the engine of a devolved one-string electric guitar.
I’ll also nominate “Pony Express Record” by Shudder To Think. (1994)
Discordant, operatic, heavy and adventurous.
An overlooked classic.
I would nominate the latest disc from Nels Cline; “Macroscope”.
Weird, beautiful, funny, loud, quiet, bashing and nuanced – sometimes all at the same time.
Great stuff. If I had started the picks back when it was released I would have definitely included it. Trying to keep these current.