All it takes is 3 chords and a dream!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

CD Review: Sundad - The Journey Continues



Sundad – The Journey Continues


2008, Sundad Records

The heart of Sundad is father/son team John Eurell and John Eurell, Jr. Accompanied by percussionist Chet Soares and bass player Eddie Denise, the two acoustic guitarists write and perform some of the most soaring and relevant instrumental guitar music since the early days of Windham Hill. Their 2008 release, The Journey Continues, displays a parent-child connection that extends to their musical expression. It becomes difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins as father & son’s guitars cascade over one another and intertwine in the conjunction of musical spirits and mores.

The Journey Continues opens with The Veil, a Michael Hedges style progressive/new age composition full of musical and rhythmic complexities that can’t be unravaled with just a few listens. Out of Body builds to a release that is dark and transformational before morphing back into the sunlight. The Conquistador brings a very mellow Latin sound that plays like watching a leaf dive and dart in the wind. The rhythm of the moments is always clear but the eddies and currents are unpredictable. Moonlight In Manhattan has a serene yet complicated melody that suggestsa certain tension in the face of what should be an aesthetic delight. Other highlights include Somewhat Celic and Dancing In The Park.

The Journey Continues is a sparkling album full of light moments, complicated rhythms and gorgeous, tight musical interplay. The song The Veil may be one of the best instrumental pieces I’ve heard in quite some time, but it is clear that Sundad shares a special connection that transcends their music and creates the perfect storm for the stretching of musical boundaries. The Journey Continues is a master class for all guitar players, and a must hear album.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sundad at http://www.sundad.com/, where you can purchase a copy of The Journey Continues.

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