Steve Dawson - Rattlesnake Cage [CD]

This is the record that Steve Dawson's growing number of fans have been waiting for, Rattlesnake Cage finally gives them the opportunity to hear Steve interact with his guitar in a way that has never been captured on record before. Until now, hearing the sweet melodies and deep soul of Steve playing solo guitar has been a treat reserved for live audiences in intimate settings. These new simple and unadorned recordings hearken back to the 'American Primitive' sound that John Fahey and other artists such as Peter Lang and Leo Kottke recorded on Fahey's iconic Takoma record label in the sixties – instrumental music informed by the deep traditions of blues, ragtime, jazz and even Hawaiian music, but taking those influences in unexpected directions. The opening track, 'Blind Thomas at the Crime Scene' which takes its title from Fahey's earliest nom de plume is the recording that most clearly communicates Dawson's respect for the American Primitive aesthetic, and gives the listener the clearest indication of what's to come. <p> In the same way you can recognize that it's Bert Jansch, Ry Cooder, or Mississippi John Hurt playing guitar after hearing just a few notes, Steve Dawson has established a voice for his instrument that is as distinct as any of theirs to become one of the most identifiable sounds in modern roots music. The 11 songs on Rattlesnake Cage represent our first chance on record to hear Dawson explore the infinite possibilities offered by his pallet of acoustic guitars – both 6 and 12-string acoustics, a National steel guitar, and a Weissenborn guitar - without any effects, or even a human voice to separate him from his audience. <p> Recorded with a single vintage tube microphone that had recently been rescued from decades of hanging from the ceiling rafters of an old theatre in Detroit, you can hear every detail and nuance of each note. Rattlesnake Cage represents a wonderful return to form that reflects all of the places Dawson has been and everything he's heard, resulting in some of the loveliest melodies of his career as a recording artist.