Les Finnigan shows some restraint on The Fiery Cart

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      Les Finnigan
      The Fiery Cart (String Plunker)

      Despite the title, it’s a relatively restrained Les Finnigan who shows up on The Fiery Cart. While this popular street entertainer and solo finger-style guitarist can rip with the best, here he concentrates more on creating moody soundscapes—some of which are downright eerie. I’m thinking of tracks like “The Fairlane”, which kicks off with a cycling, almost Moroccan-sounding riff before adding a bevy of unpredictably timed slapped harmonics, or “A Sense of Pillow”, which is saved from lullaby softness by its undercurrent of psychic distress. True, the former carries echoes of the late Michael Hedges’s work and the latter sounds a bit like something Bill Frisell might have dreamed up, but those are pretty big names to conjure with in the world of solo guitar, and Finnigan wouldn’t embarrass himself in their company.

      This is also an exceptionally good-sounding record; even through crappy computer speakers it sounds like Finnigan and his instrument are right there in the room. Nice work.

      Comments

      2 Comments

      Spiderant

      Oct 31, 2009 at 9:49am

      I picked up this CD a few months ago when I hear Les playing at Granville Island Public Market. Although some might classify his music as New Age because of its mesmerizing calmness, his music has greater depth and complexity. One evening, when I had some friends over, I put this CD on and just kept it playing on repeat. No one realized it was the same CD playing over and over again, yet everyone became entranced by the mystical mood his music evokes.

      Tyler

      Apr 17, 2010 at 1:52am

      Les delivers once again. I return to Canada once or twice a year and never miss the chance to head down to Granville Island to get lost in Les' guitar playing and leave with the latest CD. This newest CD is a real departure from Things My Guitar Said and Steel String Portraits and I think shows his versatility and his ability to deliver a completely new sound. Definitely not new age. This is simply good music. thanks Les.