Here is a mix awesome dude Steve Lowenthal offered me for my mixtape blog, + | + a few months ago. That blog was designed for me to offer listeners solid mp3 mixes. It started with only ambient mixes, but slowly things began to change. I asked Steve to supply me with a killer soli guitar mix, and what he sent in became my favorite of all the mixes on that blog. You may know Steve as the homeboy from Swingset Magazine (site's currently down, new one coming soon), and former columnist for The Fader's Freak Scene. (Dig back, you'll find homey's contributions.)
Steve is straight up in the know when it comes to all this ridiculously awesome soli guitar stuff, so I knew he could shape a mixtape that would define the genre. He certainly did that. Listen and learn. The mix was partially in honor of Jack Rose, who has passed shortly before I requested Steve curate the mix.
Here's the tracklisting, and what Steve had to say about each track:
“Drinking With Jack” by SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE –
Live radio performance.
“A Geranium For Mano-a-Mano” by GLENN JONES –
Glenn comes into his own on the Barbecue Bob In Fishtown LP. Best guitar LP this year.
“La Playa” by CHRIS BROKAW –
Listened to this several hundreds of times. Brokaw has a unique style that's standing in no one's shadow.
“A Second Chance” by MATTHEW MULLANE –
From his forthcoming VDSQ Vol 4 LP. A new voice.
“Maime” by WOODEN SPOON –
UK acoustic player who's been overlooked. Hopefully he'll release more soon.
“You Smile When Trouble is Coming” by AARON ROSENBLUM –
From the minimal Son of Earth comes this rich acoustica.
“Shiawassee Flats” by SIR RICHARD BISHOP –
Love it when he plays straight.
“Spiral Wave” by CHEIKO MORI –
Koto player featured on Blackshaw's soli comp, standout track.
“Shiner TX”- by JOSHUA EMERY BLATCHLEY –
Heard this demo and decided that I had to work with him. Epic Americana.
“Knoxville Blues” by JACK ROSE –
RIP.
Steve also did a mix for this gnarly website, Solider's Disease, run by Greh of Chrondritic Sound & Hive Mind. It pretty much slays and you're a dummy if you don't get it.
I'd like to thank Steve Lowenthal again for being a radical dude.
