Smith, Sean - Eternal
SKU
SAAH 059
Nice folky/stoner vibe on this one, which mixes with the more 'Takoma-esque' tendencies on display.
"Like the best poetry, Eternal engages from the start and expands with each pass. Built upon Smith's Eastern-influenced acoustic guitar and sparing contributions from four fellow instrumentalists, the disc explores both the form and sound of music through seven joyous, contemplative tracks."-East Bay Express
"Sean Smith is Berkeley, CA's preeminent steel-string slinger. Albums for Isota, the Berkeley Guitar 3-way split (a-la the Fahey/Kottke/Lang classic platter for Takoma Records) on Tompkins Square, and as current co-lead guitarist for Bay Area 'Zep III revivalists / Dead Oceans recordings artists Citay comprise a portion of a very impressive resume. "American Primitive" icon Glenn Jones was an early advocate of Smith's solo music, and since those inaugural strums of his indispensible solo debut, Smith has amassed a loyal following. For those in the know, Smith is indisputably one of the leaders of contemporary guitar soli whose name is passed alongside Jones, Jack Rose, James Blackshaw, Harris Newman, Steffen Basho-Junghans, Paul Metzger...well, you get the picture. As a solo artist, all of Smith's recordings have been solo acoustic steel string explorations firmly rooted in the Takoma tradition. Eternal marks Smith's foray into multi-instrumental compositions, fleshing out astonishing explorations into Eastern-tinged mini ragas, rockers, and ruminations, with fabulous success. Eternal finds Sean Smith in peak compositional form, coaxing sensory-enhancing textures from an ensemble of players. His erstwhile acoustic guitar providing the anchor, Smith provides common links with Eastern and Middle Eastern folk music, folk-rock, Appalachian stomp, and Robbie Basho-esque American Raga that bobs and weaves but never ribbons itself away from its common tether. Especially reminiscent of the tilaka-adorned works of Sandy Bull and Peter Walker, with nods towards the Eastern influenced albums of John Fahey (The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party, Fare Forward Voyagers), Smith has arrived with an elaborately adorned and introspective offering. Softly psychedelic, spiritual, beautiful...Eternal is eternal."