Fred Frith — To Sail, To Sail

To Sail, to sail  sees Frith using solely acoustic guitar to creating a  varied collection of innovative, atmospheric and harmonic tracks. The 16 tracks here touch down in the blues, folk, classical, gypsy and world music phrasing as well as improvising and rhythmic touches.

Through out Frith shows the vast scope of sounds, vibe and tone that can be produced through such a seemingly basic medium as the acoustic guitar, when it’s in the right masterful  hands. The tracks flirting from earthy tuneful, to playful  angular and bizarre as he adds in all manner of strange picking, neck banging to guitar body rhythmic bangs and taps. Down to ornate and pretty eastern or gypsy camp fire pickings and jigs, up to active and intricate banjo like  tight strums. Thankful the tracks never fall into the ‘look how clever I’m' trap- Firth always makes sure the tracks are entertaining, atmospheric, often active and other worldly.

A real  tour de force of the acoustic guitars capabilities and possibilities. To Sail, to sail mangers to conjure up a myriad of emotions and atmospheres all with real passion, sonic flare & understanding.