Hotel Vast Horizon

In a sense, Whitley returns full circle with Hotel Vast Horizon. This latest will certainly draw comparisons to his debut effort, Livin With the Law, because of its acoustic flavor and roots-rock take on Americana. But whereas that CD was more of a producer's album, this is truly a band effort-self-produced, no guest artists, just three guys going at it. And go at it they do. Whitley and his cohorts, Heiko Schramm on bass and Matthias Macht on drums, truly constitute an acoustic power trio. Although Whitley plays strictly resonator guitar (banjo on one tune) and Macht relies heavily on brushwork to transmit his message, there is a potency to this music that belies its acoustic tone. If I may venture a personal note, I'd say that while Whitley takes center stage and all three musicians share in making the magic, a great deal of the power of Hotel can be attributed to Schramm's husky, chordal bass playing. His contribution to the "bottom line" perfectly accentuates Whitley's steel stylings and Macht's brushes. Hats off, Heiko!

Whitley is one of those rare guitarists who plays to the song, eschewing pyrotechnics in favor of hitting the mark. He could play like a Guitar Magazine poster child if he wanted to, but fortunately for all of us, he chooses to take the route less-traveled and deliver the goods via an understated brilliance that is rare in today's musical universe. These are songs with heart, packaged in a plain brown wrapper, but bearing a precious gift.

"Hotel Vast Horizon" is an especially consistent piece of work: the songs, lyrical themes, instrumentation and mood are strikingly well integrated, creating an atmosphere of sadness and just-missed redemption. In fact, at times the playing here hints at a leitmotif-like approach, and some phrases seem to echo through the individual pieces.

The sound is warm and fat with a great bounce in the bass -- maybe that's why there's a picture of a mic on the CD itself. The guitars have more of an acoustic feel, dobro-like with a ringing, metal string raggedness that makes the music loose and tight, lazy and focused all at once.

It's easy to recall some of the better moments of Tom Waits -- particularly moments in "The Mule Variations". But Whitley's voice gives us more range and more shades of meaning. And the music and lyrics are here more single-minded, more interested in interior perspectives than the world outside. The title "Hotel Vast Horizon" and its bleak winter setting must be meant to act as a metaphor, and more than a few come to mind. But it seems better to leave it undefined.

Whitley's band here -- Heiko Schramm on basses and Matthais Macht on percussion -- play with the same understated authority. The overall impression is one of musicians who have played together for a long time, whose playing interacts in ways that are free of overstatement, ornamentation and sensationalism. Every note is necessary.

So, what are you worried about? Buy this CD and support someone whose work is both emotionally and intellectually aware.

In a sense, Whitley returns full circle with Hotel Vast Horizon. This latest will certainly draw comparisons to his debut effort, Livin With the Law, because of its acoustic flavor and roots-rock take on Americana. But whereas that CD was more of a producer's album, this is truly a band effort-self-produced, no guest artists, just three guys going at it. And go at it they do. Whitley and his cohorts, Heiko Schramm on bass and Matthias Macht on drums, truly constitute an acoustic power trio. Although Whitley plays strictly resonator guitar (banjo on one tune) and Macht relies heavily on brushwork to transmit his message, there is a potency to this music that belies its acoustic tone. If I may venture a personal note, I'd say that while Whitley takes center stage and all three musicians share in making the magic, a great deal of the power of Hotel can be attributed to Schramm's husky, chordal bass playing. His contribution to the "bottom line" accentuates Whitley's stylings and Macht's brushes. Hats off, Heiko!

Whitley is one of those rare guitarists who plays to the song, eschewing pyrotechnics in favor of hitting the mark. He could play like a Guitar Magazine poster child if he wanted to, but fortunately for all of us, he chooses to take the route less-traveled and deliver the goods via an understated brilliance that is rare in today's musical universe. These are songs with heart, packaged in a plain brown wrapper, but bearing a precious gift.