Later this month, guitar virtuoso James Blackshaw will release yet another breathtakingly beautiful record. Titled Holly, it’s a 12-inch EP with only two tracks, but boy is it lovely. After last year’s epic eight-part masterpiece (All Is Falling) and an intensive tour, the 29-year-old Brit has cooled off a little to record some more mellow, summery stuff.
Like the album art clearly resembles, Side A, the 13-minute title track, has a rather impressionistic feel (like a lot of Blackshaw’s work). His whirling guitar work along with Debussy-esque piano lines paint a dramatic scene without getting too detailed. Side B contains the romantic “Boo, Forever” and is more of a nod to his finger-plucking godfathers from the Takoma Records days (Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Robbie Basho).
This EP will be released on September 30 by Important Records (Blackshaw’s second with Important, taking a break from Michael Gira’s Young God Records). Oh, and check out his fingernails; THAT must be why he is so freaking good.
• James Blackshaw: http://www.discogs.com/artist/James+Blackshaw
• Important Records: http://importantrecords.com
