2009 release from the British 12-string guitar virtuoso. James started his music career by playing in UK Punk bands, but soon branched off into more introspective guitar recordings. James is joined on this record by Joolie Wood (Current 93 on violin, clarinet and flute plus John Contreras (Baby Dee and C93) on cello. Lavinia Blackwall (Directing Hand) is a classically trained singer and contributed vocals Beautiful six-panel fold-out digipak with original art by Nicole Boitos. Young God.
It feels strange to say James Blackshaw has incorporated more orchestration into his new album, The Glass Bead Game. His records barely seem to hold t...
Traviss Cassidy - 06/Jul/2009
It’s helpful to compare the two to gain some context: Afro-beat experimentalists NOMO and 12-string guitar composer James Blackshaw, though wildly dif...
Tyler Parks - 17/Jun/2009
Someone (I can't remember who) once criticized Erik Satie's music for being too literary. Evidently, this someone was certain that it is doubtlessly a...
David Morris - 07/Jun/2009
I recently caved in and bought an MP3 player. What do I mean caved inWell, I like personal CD players. I like only taking two or three wellchosen dis...
Chris Buckle - 02/Jun/2009
James Blackshaw made his name with his prodigious talent on the twelve-string guitar, but eighth album The Glass Bead Game suggests that dexterous fin...
parallelliott - 29/May/2009
James Blackshaw compels his listener to become a detective. His music forces us to do something that we are seldom forced to do: stop, think, and inve...
Joe Tangari - 29/May/2009
James Blackshaw has made quite a name for himself in the post-Takoma school of guitar playing, coming closer than perhaps anyone to fulfilling the gui...
Jeff Perkins - 26/May/2009
If talent is handed out by God then James Blackshaw must have been near the front of the queue. Having said that, no matter how vital natural talent i...
Bill Meyer - 26/May/2009
James Blackshaw?s early records trace an enviably meteoric and apparently effortless ascent. From his debut Celeste through the grand O True Believers...