Trainsong : Guitar Compositions 1967-2010

Englishman Michael Chapman (b 1941) is a folk-ish singer/songwriter/guitarist. This 2CD compilation is just solo guitar work, and he’s a very good guitarist indeed (both finger picking and flat picking). Guitars and tunings are listed in the notes: most tracks are on acoustic guitars; a few use two different resonator guitars; just a couple are electric.

Solo guitar. No FCC issues.

Disc 1
1 Mid-fast. Heavy on the bass strings. Circular, mesmerizing theme. (5:26)
2 Mid-fast. Similar to #1. Even heavier bass runs. Shimmering sound on treble. (8:51)
3 Mid-fast. Using a slide on a resonator in a flattened tuning. Sounds like practice. (4:08)
4 * Mid-slow. Layers of different sound and technique make this one interesting. (5:04)
5 ** Mid-tempo, bluesy, soulful. Call & response b/t different ranges on the guitar. (3:30)
6 ** Fast. A slightly country-ish toe-tapper. Very technical. A lot of fun. (4:00)
7 Mid-slow. New Agey & pastoral. Lots of dreamy arpeggios. (4:14)
8 Slow, bluesy crawl on a Fender Stratocaster with knobs set to maximum hum. (3:22)
9 Mid-tempo, then faster. A playful little ditty (a few bars long) played over & over. (2:37)
10 Mid-fast. Similar to 1,2. Foggy, shimmering amorphousness, goes round & round (6:44)
11 ** Fast. Finger-style tour de force reminiscent of “Classical Gas.” Impressive. (2:23)
12 * Mid-tempo. Pretty, singable folk-style melody backed up with a lot of depth. (3:45)
13 Mid-tempo. Heavy bass line, lots of string bending, some harmonic overtones. (5:06)

Disc 2
1 *** Mid-tempo. Country blues like Taj Mahal’s “Fishin Blues.” Very nice picking. (2:45)
2 Mid-tempo. Pleasant background music. More a calm, soothing feeling than a song. (3:38)
3 ** Mid-fast. A fun, bluesy lick played on a resonator. Played a bit loose. (3:38)
4 * Fast & fun. Funky on bass strings, showy on treble up & down the neck. (4:33)
5 Mid-tempo. Lazy, hazy, and all mellowed out, as the name implies. (5:14)
6 Mid-tempo. Yet another piece of nice, mellow background music. (3:09)
7 ** Mid-fast, powerful & compelling. Middle section played with a slide. (4:07)
8 * Slow. Like an old English folk song. (Think of “Greensleeves”) (2:16)
9 * Mid-tempo, lively. Like the accompaniment of a folk song. (3:12)
10 * Mid-tempo. Bluesy. Hard, dramatic playing on a resonator with a slide. (2:17)
11 Fast, yet still peaceful & calming. Impressionistic (but I can’t say of what). (3:38)
12 Mid-tempo. Dirty, funky, swampy, bluesy riffs on electric guitar. (5:20)
13 Mid-fast. An unusual blend of feelings. Opens with a somewhat Classical style (though on steel strings), then adds some real bluesy string bending. (7:53)