In Context Music’s jib is cut so clearly and concisely I couldn’t help but fall in love with it right away. Che Chen, of Pilgrim Talk fame, delivers ICM’s second release… And yes, you should make sure you’re one of the lucky 25 people who get their hands on it. I’m having trouble placing this material on Chen’s timeline. Is this what those other releases sounded like? I’m thinking not, and I appreciate the change in direction. The idea of a ‘solo guitar’ record has become such a loaded proposition due to abuse of the term of the last few years, so don’t be afraid to push past the concept and imbibe the anti-shred session afoot. “Saturday (I Just Want to Go To Sleep)” finds time to work a few field-recorded voice samples into its muddy six-string bog, and if you don’t know exactly what to do with “Bus Passes By,” well, that means it’s working. If those old John Frusciante recordings make sense to you, or if you’re looking for something along the lines of Loren Connors and Jim O’Rourke that takes it to the next level of the next level, “Bus Passes By” will suit you nicely. I could spend a few days decoding this one; and how!
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