James Blackshaw – All is Falling

The ultra savant of 12-string mantra cycles expands further into cinematic, orchestral glory–an orgy of organic, deeply felt and exquisitely played pathways to the sublime…

All Is Falling features James Blackshaw’s first foray into the realm of the electric 12-string guitar and stretches his intuitive compositional acumen to the max. The album is comprised of one slowly evolving, shifting piece of music in eight parts, replete with swirling string cycles and wind instruments augmenting his extended pointillist flurries with clouds of sound, sometimes adding delicate counter-melodies but just as often feeding the implicit waves of overtones until they cascade in an all-enveloping onslaught. Listeners willing to close their eyes and surrender will be rewarded with a pure stream of devotional, relentlessly searching sonic incantation. All is Falling features Blackshaw on electric 12-string guitar, piano, glockenspiel, voice, and percussion aided by Charlotte Glasson who contributes violin, flute, alto saxophone, and glockenspiel, Fran Bury providing violin and, voice and cellist Daniel Madav.

The seeds of this project were sown in the past few years while James was serving as guest guitarist with a friend’s group on tour. This was the first time he’d played electric guitar in nearly a decade. Blackshaw got unexpected pleasure and inspiration from the sheer volume involved, the way the different old valve amps he’d rent for each show would perform, and having to be more pro-active in his fretting; he noted that while a 12-string acoustic guitar “sings” or “plays itself,” that an electric guitar needs a lot more coaxing. James became curious as to how a 12-string electric guitar might sound in his own work and bought an Italia Rimini and a little Fender Superchamp.

Part 7

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The new album was recorded, mixed and mastered by John Hannon and James Blackshaw at No Recording Studio, December 2009 – January 2010 and is being release on Young God Records August 24.

The slimmer neck and the lighter string tension allowing him to play faster and to reach finger positions he’d previously found awkward. At the same time, James acquired a home-recording set up which allowed him to experiment with the arrangements for other instruments, and this became integral to how he wrote the piece with guitar taking a smaller role in the overall picture as a result. Both factors had a huge impact on the new music he was composing as well as the influence of post-No Wave maximalist guitar composers Glenn Branca and Rhys Chatham. – Young God

Purchase from Young God Records here

Full review coming up in the next week or so on the Fluid Radio web site

www.younggodrecords.com
www.myspace.com/jamesblackshaw