John Fahey - Requia And Other Compositions For Guitar Solo

When Fahey was young, he was assigned the job of guitar player in the school band. A position he'd have problems with due to his distaste for simply following the conductors instructions. He felt that not only should he have creative control over his own instrument but that he should also have control over the entire band and would want to be able to create compositions in which every instrument was the guitar playing the different effects that the rest of the instruments created. Many years later, Fahey would create "Requia" in which to some extent, he'd live out this fantasy. All tracks are made of both his own playing and cuts from other guitar players' work. The result of this experimentation is somewhat of a Odyssey. Guitar playing that sounds almost completely smooth, as if just played by one incredibly skilled guitarist, but on closer inspection is in fact a clever use of multi layering and cut hiding production.

Not to label this album as a plod through musical technicality and not to allow it to be considered little more than an interesting concept. There is an incredible amount of melody and an enjoyable nature to this record. My favorite track "Requiem for John Hurt" is such a fantastic reminder of the blues legend himself as well as a thoroughly enjoyable composition. The music here does manage to walk the thin line between a technical exercise and casual listening pleasure. Something for both composition geeks and the person just looking for something to relax to.

John Fahey - Requiem For John Hurt
John Fahey - When The Catfish Is In Bloom

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