James Blackshaw hails from the British wing of the so-called American Primitive school of guitar. Though an avowed fan of John Fahey, Robbie Basho, and various pre-electric blues pickers, he put his own spin on that sound immediately, embracing mantra-like song structures, melodies that disappear and return right when you need to hear them, and a sense of otherworldly mysticism rooted in the historical atmosphere of his home country.
His second album after a decade-long hiatus, Fractures On the Horizon proffers two tracks in Blackshaw’s patented extended-length compositions, performed completely solo. The title track is practically a primer on the musician’s vision: gentle but relentless fingerpicking, chord changes that flow instead of shift, a tune that swirls in and out of its forward momentum, and perfect use of repetition. Blackshaw truly understands how to build a road by knowing when to step off in another direction. “Fractures On the Horizon” doesn’t so much play back as unfold, pulling us right into the center of itself and surrounding us with beauty.
A ten-minute feedback drone, “Three Interlopers” contrasts mightily with “Fractures” – a palette cleanser of sorts. Whether you find it hypnotic or irritating is a matter of mood and taste. Regardless, Fractures On the Horizon is another stellar entry in one of the most consistently rewarding catalogs in acoustic guitar instrumental music.
