Alan Sparhawk - Solo Guitar (Silber)

The guitarist of LOW has made an instrumental album with no other musicians involved – no prizes for having figured that out (but with overdubbing, so in a sense it’s not exactly solo). There are many precedents by acoustic guitarists, rather fewer by electric guitarists (there’s a bit near the end of “How a Freighter Comes into the Harbor” where a loop somewhat recalls Frippertronics, but what Sparhawk does over it is nothing like what ROBERT FRIPP would do), but certainly this slowcore great has a sensibility suited to the task.

Thus, thankfully, this is not an indulgent effort showcasing fast fingers, nor a collection of pretty tunes, except for “Eruption by Eddie Van Halen,” which is simultaneously a joke and an interesting extrapolation. Instead, it’s a collection of dark, frightening landscapes turned to sound, pushing listeners to really focus on the emotional, physical quality of timbre and the way it can create a sense of space – or, on occasion, a claustrophobic lack of space. Sometimes the means are simple, almost elementary – “How the Engine Room Sounds” is half industrial racket, half blips of feedback and hum and thrum dripped into silence. Five of the tracks are under two minutes, but even the two epics (13:25 and 17:52) don’t overstay their welcome; Sparhawk gauges the viability of his material well.

Anyone with any sense of listening adventure should check out this compelling disk. Listen to a track here.