Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Cloud of Unknowing...., 22 Jan 2008
This was a glorious surprise. I was fishing around for some good folky acoustic guitar based stuff a la Six Organs of Admittance and I stumbled across this little beauty. Reviews were disorientatingly vague, yet must have been intriguing enough for me to purchase the music described. I was still expecting mellow acoustic / soft vocal kind of stuff but what I got upon first listen was quite jarring and frantic!
I will explain;
James Blackshaw is a brilliant 12 string guitarist. His songs are completely instrumental and this album is pretty much him and his 12 string with no overdubs, no vocals, the odd string accompaniment, but thats it. Blackshaw picks his strings so perfectly and intricately and sometimes so fast that the sound blurs into one lush, encompassing arrangement. Thus creating this apparrent opaque, frantic wall of sound. Yet his playing and the production is so clear you can hear each individual string being picked and you can dicipher so many combinations of notes and seperate melodies and lines it's quite breathtaking.
If played in the background the intricacies are somewhat lost yet the `wall of sound' thing comes into play and a soothing effect akin to Sunn O))) or Earth drifts over you. Yet Blackshaw will play more notes in one minute than Sunn O))) will play in an entire album!
If you want to listen to some awe inspiring music and indeed musicianship and be completely jealous then get The Cloud of Unknowing.
My favourite album of 2007, it's brilliant.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Otherworldly, ethereal folk, 15 Jan 2008
I wasn't sure about this album, but you've got to hand to him, James Blackshaw definitely knows how to play guitar. But playing guitar is one thing, a millions of kids across the world can probably play guitar, and a whole load of them can probably play it well, like John Fahey style well. And speaking of John Fahey, Blackshaw obviously grew up listening to the legendary American guitarist, and like similar guitar demon, Jack Rose, has built most his music, based on Fahey's infamous style. That said however, Blackshaw has one or two of his own tricks up his sleeve, and they are recounted, almost hypnotically on his new record. The title track really shows off Blackshaw's ability to play the 12-string guitar with a deft touch - like Joanna Newsom's harp playing, after a while Blackshaw's guitar playing starts to become otherworldly and ethereal - you're no longer hearing the guitar, just a sound from somewhere that you could just listen to nearly ad infinitum. And I suppose that's what makes him - not just a good guitarist - but a great musician - this is pop music played to perfection.
Highlights: The Cloud of Unknowing, Running to the Ghost, The Mirror Speaks
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow., 28 Mar 2008
That is the only way I can describe this album.
I first came across James Blackshaw when he was supporting Jose Gonzalez at City Varieties in Leeds. I was really anticipating Jose's performance, but if I'm totally honest, James' performance had already blown me away.
After the gig, I had to get more of James' stuff and I bought this, The Cloud Of Unknowing, as I recognised some of the song titles.
The opening track sets the standard for the whole album, weighing in at over 10 minutes, it certainly is a great start to the album, with some really moody yet relaxing chord progressions.
I tell you what, why don't you find the rest out for your self.
The album is awesome, I (still) find it hard to comprehend the amount of noise to come out of 1 12-string guitar and sound so right and balanced, and I play 12-string.
Mr. Blackshaw - Thanks for the music!
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~ James Blackshaw
~ James Blackshaw
~ James Blackshaw
~ Bon Iver
~ James Blackshaw
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