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The Fouth album by Michael Kelsey released in 2003. A mix of heartfelt songs, and astonishing guitar audioscapes.
User Album Review
CD "November" (released in 2003) finds Kelsey in a more guitar-based environment. He of course shines here, as he is a nimble and moving instrumentalist. He moves from the acoustic funk of "Old Friend" to the deft fingerstyle playing of "Wild Blue Ride" easily. Technical fanatics will be entranced by the "progressive aggressive" aspect of his style (as described on his website), but there's no denying that he can craft a beautiful melody and lyrical chord structure to form his songs.
The works tend to draw from lighter, more airy sources - not quite Windham Hill, but not quite the acoustic power of Ani DiFranco either. "Time" could be performed by a typical folk musician with basic chords, but Kelsey's virtuosity makes it an intricate ballad filled with little details and rewards for the close listener. Like a lot of songs from this CD (on which he wrote, played, and recorded all of the material), it presents the songs with a healthy dose of space, the layers intertwining without overwhelming each other.
Kelsey used these layers and his technological toys to paint the songs he had arrived at in the first place. Given his immense talent on the guitar, these could all be solo guitar pieces. However, the additional tools give him the ability to capture something much more. This is not traditional songwriting, and it doesn't strive to be. These are individual compositions - give them a listen if you're in the mood to try something different or just be wowed by an incredible musician.
Ryan Williams - Indy Review
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