m.mucci - don't be afraid

m. mucci is a guitarist from guelph, ontario that surprises me with each release, applying his own lens to 'american primitive' music. for the opening track 'basta cornuto!' on his latest effort 'don't be afraid', he takes a cue from the great sandy bull and combines his dynamic solo guitar playing with a drummer, and the effect is a heavy, almost rock'n'roll feel.

the song jams and rips for 5 of its 8 minutes, before settling into subtler territory. dylan aycock, the man behind the experimental folk label scissor tail editions (which released sarah louise's field guide, one of my favorite albums from last year), plays a nice pedal steel on the mellow ending. the other preview track, 'starkest darkness', blends silvery acoustic picking with stately piano and droning pump organ. i recommend this one highly.



pre-order it here, digital or limited edition CD.