Guitar Moderne Record Picks IX and a Surprise Teaser

Summer is shaping up to be a bonanza time of year for new records featuring modern guitarists.

First we have a teaser for a record being released in August. For Terje Rypdal’s birthday, August 23rd, Rune Grammofon is releasing Sky Music: A Tribute to Terje Rypdal featuring – Nels Cline, Hedvig Mollestad, Bill Frisell, Jim O’Rourke, David Torn, Raoul Bjørkenheim, Henry Kaiser, and more. Produced by Henry Kaiser, who does an amazing job on the producing and playing front, this is shaping up to be THE modern guitar record of the year.

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Guitar Modern Top Records of 2016

It’s that time of year again: Trees being decorated, candles being lit, balls being dropped, and, of course, year-end top ten lists. You love ’em, you hate ’em but no publication worthy of the name is without them. So here is mine. There were many great records of modern guitar released this year (read about them in the various Record picks posts) but these are the ones that found their way most often to my virtual turntable.

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Lucky 13: Guitar Moderne’s Top Records of the Year

2013 that is—ten records this year; many more were released but only these seemed essential. Keep in mind that these, listed in no particular order, merely represent the recordings released this year (ish) that I found myself returning to over the course of time.

In the spirit in which Guitar Moderne exists, I list them primarily to excite readers about checking them out. They by no means are meant to be an “objective” list of the “best” recordings of the year, but only the ones that I heard and personally responded to. They very much reflect my own taste and your list will undoubtedly vary. By all means chime in and let me know what you think I missed.

robocaster1

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A Dozen for ’12: Guitar Moderne’s Top Records of the Year

People love lists; at least the majority of publications seem to think so. They stir up controversy, which attracts attention. Thus I feel almost obligated to offer a year’s best list, for this, our first year of publication.

Keep in mind that the top twelve, listed in no particular order, merely represents the recordings, released this year (ish), that I found myself returning to over the course of time. In the spirit of Guitar Moderne, I list them primarily to incite readers to check them out. They by no means are meant to be an “objective” list of the “best” recordings of the year, but only the ones that I heard and personally responded to—my best, if you will. They very much reflect my own taste and your list will undoubtedly vary. By all means chime in and let me know what you think I missed.
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Spotlight: Even Helte Hermansen

It starts with the sound. No matter which guitar Even Helte Hermansen is playing, from Danelectro to Washburn N5, his tone manages to be searing, but warm, aggressive, yet inviting. The telepathic interplay evidenced by his collaborative trio, Bushman’s Revenge—best described as Cream meets Sonny Sharrock in Norway—allows them to deftly dance between chaos and control. Here Hermansen tells of his love for Kiss’ Ace Frehley and his ongoing struggle with staving off boredom.

Despite a bass dropout out from technical issues, Hermansen rips up this Sonny Sharrock cover from the Bushman’s Revenge A Little Bit of Big Bonanza.
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