7/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Nomadic Wavelength - MusicToday.com
Tim Reynolds - Nomadic Wavelength (TR Music)
Tim Reynolds' latest release puts a new twist on the typical solo guitar record, spanning the distance between the more traditional realms of finger picking folk and borderline electronica. The record's (pardon the pun) nomadic feel gives it a fresh, well-traveled, and eminently listenable quality that makes for excellent background or mood music. Unfortunately, an album of this sort rarely gets heard outside of its market niche; hopefully, the veteran guitarist's longstanding association with Dave Matthews will garner some well-deserved mainstream attention for Nomadic Wavelength.
Starting with a child's introduction—"Hi everybody. We're gonna have the goodest time ever"—Tim Reynolds launches into "Fluorescence," an upbeat, catchy stroll that matches the energy implied in its title. This is followed by "Entity," one of a series of melancholy musical excursions (see also "Dissident" and "Los Alamos Is Burning"), which come complete with predominantly minor chord arrangements and dissonant note selections. "Long Distance Caller" showcases Reynolds' percussive ability on the West African ashiko, as well as his flair for dramatic effects. The song creates a strikingly Radiohead-like environment, in which one is transported to the land of interspace that exists inside our country's miles of phone lines. The gorgeous "Stranger In A Strained Land" is the album's apex of guitar technique. Flowing cascades of notes drop gently from clouds of infinite chord progressions, as Reynolds confidently and passionately displays the raw energy and emotion of the acoustic six-string guitar. "Analyze" is perhaps the record's strangest track, utilizing highly-effected guitars and mind bending pitch shifts to set an ominous mood, while the joyous "High In The West" snaps listeners back to reality with a healthy dose of Reynolds' current New Mexico home base.
Nomadic Wavelength is a perfectly titled record, in that its name captures the essence of this collection's restless vision. From delicate and intricate picking tunes to lively and sometimes funky strumming exhibitions, from dirty blues to the furthest reaches of experimental music, Tim Reynolds' latest set shows a seasoned, resourceful artist at his performing and composing peak. Nomadic Wavelength is an entertaining ride through the mind of a brilliant musician and is well worth investigating.
By Paul Rosner