Guitar Techniques

Soft Machine

Hidden Details

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Dyad Records ✪✪✪✪✪

This new album from one of the prog rock’s most iconic bands (Allan Holdsworth was the guitarist back in the early ‘70s) celebrates the band’s 50th anniversar­y; a lot of years indeed. With three of the four musicians from the band’s ‘70s era (guitarist John Etheridge, drummer John Marshall and bassist Roy Babbington) there’s as much that harks back to the early years as looks forward to new terrains. With Theo Travis (solo artist and frequent Steven Wilson collaborat­or) on flute, saxophones and keys, the 13 tracks are explorator­y, experiment­al and rich in ways few modern prog-rock-jazz albums manage; there’s a real sense of interplay and improvisat­ion here. Etheridge has worn so many metaphoric­al hats during his career

that hearing him here is very involving; he can be ragingly fast with picked and legato notes in ways far removed from typical rock shredders, or cunningly coaxing strange burbling noises courtesy of wah, amp or guitar manipulati­ons. And when he delves into his vast emotive tool box (as on the acoustic intro to Heart Off Guard, penned by him), his technique is as expressive as any other major league guitarist. That said, if you hanker for prog guitar shred, opening track Hidden Dreams is pretty stunning.

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