Howlin Wuelf Media :: James Blackshaw

With his ninth album All Is Falling, the ultra savant of 12 string mantra cycles, James Blackshaw expands further into cinematic, orchestral glory - an orgy of organic, deeply felt and exquisitely played pathways to the sublime. 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.

All Is Falling, features his first foray into the realm of the electric 12 string guitar and stretches his intuitive compositional acumen to the max – the album is essentially one slowly evolving,shifting piece of music, “All Is Falling” Parts 1-8, replete with swirling string cycles and wind instruments augmenting Blackshaw’s 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 ever-expanding and 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.

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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.

Blackshaw’s sales and critical reputation have been growing exponentially with each of his eight releases. Press accolades for his last album, The Glass Bead Game include:

…But for his eighth record, Blackshaw moves beyond those confines, melding his mesmeric, masterful technique with cello and violin contributions from members of experiment folk group Current 93 and setting the wordless vocals of Trembling Bells’ Lavinia Blackwall to the driving, haunting opener “Cross.” Then at the piano bench for the poignant ballad “Fix” and the stunning, assured finale “Arc,” Blackshaw makes you forget all about his guitar and your earthly cares. Andy Beta/Spin

… but his newer material, especially the recent The Glass Bead Game, moves more into classical and experimental territory with noticeable tips of the hat to minimalism using drones, piano, and strings. Shawn Bosler/Village Voice

On his transfixing acoustic albums, Blackshaw builds meditative cathedrals of sound, full of modal figures and hypnotic repetitions that call to mind Steve Reich and Terry Riley as much as John Fahey and Robbie Basho. On last year's mesmerizing The Glass Bead Game, Blackshaw broadened his palette with the wordless, angelic vocals of Lavinia Blackwall, with violin, clarinet and flute, and with his own piano and harmonium. He'll be solo at this show, but his 12-string conjures a world unto itself. - Steve Klinge/Philadelphia Inquirer

James used to be in punk bands in England, but then he started listening to people like John Fahey, Robbie Basho etc, and soon locked himself in a room for 12 hours a day for several years and just played his guitar constantly. It takes intense discipline and a religious commitment to get to the place where he's at with his instrument - his soulful and kaleidoscopic ever-shifting mantra cycles are incredibly beautiful. It takes a rare and single-minded courage and commitment to make music with such a powerfully positive force at its heart, especially in these troubled times.

http://younggodrecords.com