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John Fahey (February 28, 1939 - February 22, 2001) was an American fingerstyle guitarist and composer who pioneered the steel-string guitar as a solo instrument. His style has been greatly influential and has been described as American Primitive, a term borrowed from painting and referring mainly to the self-taught nature of his art. Fahey himself borrowed from the folk and blues traditions of America but incorporated classical, Brazilian, Indian and abstract music into his eclectic oeuvre. In 2003, he was ranked 35th in Rolling Stone's "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
Review by Richie Unterberger
In some respects this was Fahey at his most ambitious; two of the four songs ("Mark 1:15" and "Voice of the Turtle") clock in at around the 15-minute mark, and one of the others is entitled "The Waltz That Carried Us Away and Then a Mosquito Came and Ate Up My Sweetheart." It's actually typical of his work of the period, however: inventive acoustic guitar instrumentals that draw from folk and blues, with a sedate presentation that has a relaxing effect. The CD reissue, however, transforms it into an entirely different work. America was originally envisioned as a double LP, but around half of the material remained unreleased when it was cut down to a single disc; the CD restores the other nine songs that would have been included on the original program, pushing the length of the album to 79 minutes. The additional tracks are pretty similar in feel to the ones chosen for the original release, though perhaps more eclectic, including a Skip James cover, the third movement of Dvorak's "Eighth Symphony," and "Amazing Grace." The song "America" (oddly omitted from the original America album) is a rare example of Fahey on the 12-string, and includes some pleasing passages of muted notes.
Tracklist
1. Jesus Is A Dying Bedmaker - (previously unreleased)
2. Amazing Grace - (previously unreleased)
3. Song #3 - (previously unreleased)
4. Special Rider Blues - (previously unreleased)
5. Dvorak - (previously unreleased)
6. Jesus Is A Dying Bedmaker 2 - (previously unreleased)
7. Finale - (previously unreleased)
8. America - (previously unreleased)
9. Dalhart, Texas, 1967 - (previously unreleased)
10. Knoxville Blues
11. Mark 1:15
12. Voice Of The Turtle
13. Waltz That Carried Us Away And Then A Mosquito Came And Ate Up My Sweetheart, The
enjoy & share :)
Review by Richie Unterberger
In some respects this was Fahey at his most ambitious; two of the four songs ("Mark 1:15" and "Voice of the Turtle") clock in at around the 15-minute mark, and one of the others is entitled "The Waltz That Carried Us Away and Then a Mosquito Came and Ate Up My Sweetheart." It's actually typical of his work of the period, however: inventive acoustic guitar instrumentals that draw from folk and blues, with a sedate presentation that has a relaxing effect. The CD reissue, however, transforms it into an entirely different work. America was originally envisioned as a double LP, but around half of the material remained unreleased when it was cut down to a single disc; the CD restores the other nine songs that would have been included on the original program, pushing the length of the album to 79 minutes. The additional tracks are pretty similar in feel to the ones chosen for the original release, though perhaps more eclectic, including a Skip James cover, the third movement of Dvorak's "Eighth Symphony," and "Amazing Grace." The song "America" (oddly omitted from the original America album) is a rare example of Fahey on the 12-string, and includes some pleasing passages of muted notes.
Tracklist
1. Jesus Is A Dying Bedmaker - (previously unreleased)
2. Amazing Grace - (previously unreleased)
3. Song #3 - (previously unreleased)
4. Special Rider Blues - (previously unreleased)
5. Dvorak - (previously unreleased)
6. Jesus Is A Dying Bedmaker 2 - (previously unreleased)
7. Finale - (previously unreleased)
8. America - (previously unreleased)
9. Dalhart, Texas, 1967 - (previously unreleased)
10. Knoxville Blues
11. Mark 1:15
12. Voice Of The Turtle
13. Waltz That Carried Us Away And Then A Mosquito Came And Ate Up My Sweetheart, The
enjoy & share :)