ALL TIME PRESENT Chris Forsyth, Electric Guitar Rich Gross, Electric Guitar Ethan Sklar, Electric Guitar It is not an easy thing for three of the same instruments to occupy the same space together not get in each others way or be redundant. The three electric guitars of All Time Present certainly know how to stay out of each others way, even without the usual conventions of using solos and duos to thin out the sonic thickness. These guys have an affinity for playing with each other and not over top of each other. They never succumb to the volume trap or try to play outside the map of where the musical path is leading. Many times, they employ a two against one approach where two guitars will employ feedback as on the third improvisation while the third takes percussive prepared guitar outing. This creates a forest of guitar sound with gales of single stroke right hand that ambles off into the mist of a Robert Fripp painting. Just when you think you know where you are it goes all wacky again. The CD opens with a frightening guitar glissando and then dissipates into some minimalist staccato stutter steps. Then it softens again with bell-like tones and a flute sounding melodic line until they reengage with a manual version of looping. Although they stay with a straight guitar sound with some distortion and wah pedal thrown in the three do get quite a bit of mileage out of the limited palate and they never resort to clichés so common among guitarists. These are careful and well considered improvisations that resist pounding you on the head with anything obvious.
Joee Conroy
This CD is available fromBottom Feeder
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Brooklyn NY 11238
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