John Fahey - AmericaI find it somewhat odd when people discuss great guitarists that acoustic players are almost universally overlooked. The discourse will usually be about Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, etc, etc. But seldom do the likes of John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Bert Jansch, Paco De Lucia, Andres Segovia, or Django Reinhardt receive attention. I very much enjoy the acoustic guitar, and one of my favorite players is John Fahey. He once described his music as "American Primitive" but it really defies classification. His compositions and playing style are clearly informed by several uniquely American idioms, most notably blues, country, and American folk. But Fahey's music is like nothing else you have ever heard. He employed a three-finger picking style with alternate tunings to achieve his sound. And what a glorious sound it is. Fahey died in 2001 from complications during open heart surgery, and he left behind a huge recorded legacy.
America, while not my favorite Fahey album, is a great place for those new to his music to start. It is a wonderful recording with terrific sound quality. The performance and songs are likely to stay with you long after your first listen, and repeated listening is rewarded. Highly recommended.
--Jerome