Easily one of the best acoustic albums I’ve heard all year, Mark Vickness‘ Places is just him and an acoustic guitar that he plays in the “modern finger style” method, which involves using the guitar as both a stringed and percussive instrument.
There are no vocals on the record, only songs about and inspired by places Vickness has visited either alone or with his family over the last few decades. The impressive “A Thousand Islands is about a lake in the Sierra Mountains where he proposed to his wife. The almost sad “Wind River” is about a place in Wyoming. The images of “Prince William Sound” and “New York City” are obvious, but Vickness’ skill is anything but ordinary. He makes his guitar sound like chimes, an old clock, a dulcimer, and even a sitar at some points.
“Flight of the Rays” is about seeing manta rays swim through the ocean near Hawaii, and Vickness does a great job at bringing the peaceful yet strange images to find with his guitar. “Bishop Pass” is about another spot in the Sierras and would be great for a drive up there.
“NYC 2.0” is about a return trip Vickness made to the city two years ago. The song is a bit darker and funkier than the earlier track, reflecting his new perspective on the Big Apple. The three-part “Wonder Lake Suite” is his salute to Wonder Lake in Alaska and is almost a meditative experience.
The album ends with “I Must Tell Jesus.” It’s a classic spiritual song that was the favorite of Vickness’ adoptive grandmother, and his imagining of it for the acoustic guitar is both a loving tribute to her and a nice update on a wonderful gospel standard.
Places is a good record if you’re into instrumental guitar and looking for something to chill you out after a day of bad traffic, pointless meetings, and bad coffee.
Keep your mind open.
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