Abaton Book Comp.
M.S.Dagley : Mystery Of THe Guitar (US,2011)***'
Guitarist Mark Dagley from psych-folk/pop band Pothole Skinny finally published his first guitar-only album. Mark Dagley, nowadays owner of Abaton Book Company and a visual artist mostly, once studied blues guitar, then moved to play in some punk bands before returning to the acoustic alternative music of Pothole Skinny. This album reveals an eclectic taste, range from old lute music towards poor man’s old blues and open tunings. At times the mix or combination is raw and roughly patched, although one can recognise the player, The old music court-like’s "Folia", originally a dance which goes mad and up tempo, still waell played only fades out into the next track. Elsewhere a blues guitar inspiration perfectly changed into another older piece, a Renaissance lute piece. In between something like ragtime blues and a slowed down Spanish guitar piece so that it almost sounds like a sad and moody raga. The album reaches towards all serious investigations, I am still not sure if it is a shame there was some randomness involved too, distracting from the details. If this is the first chapter of a much further development this could really be(come) promising.
