INVENTIONS FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR

It's amazing to think that one guitar player created this great album. I have heard Ash Ra Tempel's/Manuel Gottsching's material in the past, but this album is my first actual purchase. IT seems to me that this album is fairly underrated by most proggers. Most of the criticism I hear towards the album is negative. I think that for what it is worth, this is a great album.

Manuel Gottsching is a guitar wizard. He creates passages in the compositions that flow from one to another. The sound is very electronic obviously and quite spacey. The pieces also seem to put the listener in some sort of hypnotic phase or trance. It is hard to pick a favorite track on this album because the whole is very solid and made up of only three long compositions.

This album may seem like a bore for some, but to me, it is an excellent listen. Sure, it is relaxing and can easily induce sleep, but some of the best music is like that. Take, for instance, Brian Eno. Much of his ambient work puts me to sleep (that is, when I am tired!!!), but these pieces still show how great he is at composing and creating musical sketches. In this case, I recommend this album to someone looking for a hidden electronic music gem. It is truly amazing that one guy played all this stuff.

It's an excellent addition to any prog lover's collection as long as they know what they are getting into before they go out in get it. They might actually enjoy it. While not a masterpice, this album still deserves four stars and is strongly recommended!!!