Customer Reviews

Endless Road

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Emmanuel's name is not nearly as well-known as his playing. As a session picker in the 70s and 80s he lent his nimble fingers to many hit recordings; as a solo artist, starting in the late 80s, his name has become best known in his native Australia, especially to those who've had the opportunity to hear his awe inspiring live shows. His notoriety among the smooth jazz crowd for 1997's "Can't Get Enough" is well deserved, but barely telling of the range to which he applies his playing.

As a master of both the electric and acoustic guitars, Emmanuel's taken the latter route for this disc - originally released in Australia mid-2004 and just now finding U.S. reissue. His study of Chet Atkins can be heard on tunes like "(The Man With the) Green Thumb" and "Chet's Ramble," but he's also capable of hot-picking (both with his fingers and rhythmically with a pick) at a pace that sounds like multiple guitarists playing at once. Most impressively, he plays with both precision and grace, showing off technical virtuosity without sacrificing the music's soul.

Emmanuel is equally comfortable with the hoe-down styled "Tall Fiddler," the jazz-pop of the title track, and a variety of country, blues and pop sounds in between. His cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" opens with his guitar evoking the strings of a harp before settling into the wistful verses, and his cover of Jose Feliciano's "Pegao" ends the album with percussive Flamenco flourishes. Years of solo tours have forged a playing style that is full and complete, with bass runs supporting melodies on the high strings, and strummed rhythms underneath syncopated picking. It's truly hypnotic to hear how much music Emmanuel can get out of a single guitar.

In over forty-five years of collecting solo guitar recordings, the purchase of "Endless Road" is the best money I have spent so far. This is one of the rare CD's where one finds no duds; every track is worthwhile.

Of particular note are Tommy Emmanuel's renditions of "Over the Rainbow," in which he produces sounds from the guitar that defy the laws of physics, and "Windy and Warm," which he brings to utter perfection in this performance.

"Endless Road" brings us Tommy Emmanuel's impeccable good musical taste by way of incredible athleticism.

This is a collection of the latest stuff I heard Tommy Emmanuel play at one of his current (2004) concerts. (By the way, if you have never seen Tommy Emmanuel live, you are missing something special... his CD's do not prepare you for the energy and musicianship that explodes from the stage and fills the room with smiles and awe). The last two selections on this CD show a maturity in voice and thought that can only come from an enlightened and refreshingly honest craftsman; like someone whose years of performing and seeing good friends come and go, now knows what is really important in life.

For the guitar players out there, one listen to the first track on this CD, and you will never again use the term "guitar riff" lightly without new perspective. You will either be inspired to practice a whole lot harder, or use that old guitar for firewood the next time you get cold. This is a great CD.

My only quibble is this... why hasn't this superb CD been released in the US directly??

The Good
Simply put, Endless Road is made up of a man and his guitar. That's it! Emmanuel brings out plenty of different emotions and music styles on this release. "Endless Road" is a mid-tempo finger-picking exhibition. "Tall Fiddler" has a fast-paced old west gallop to it. "Morning Aire" musically creates that calm feeling you feel inside when the warm sun comes up over the horizon. "Windy and Warm" displays a twangy blues tone. The legendary Chet Atkins guests on "Chet's Ramble", which is probably a left over from the album the two collaborated on a few years back.

"Son of a Gun" recalls that movie scenario where you pass an old guy on his porch strumming his guitar as you try to find your way back home on an isolated country road. The mid-tempo rhythms of "Christmas Memories/Wheels" arouse memories of hitting the road on the holidays to visit the extended family you haven't see over the last year. Tommy's instrumental version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" extracts the same powerful emotions that Judy Garland did when she sang it.

The Bad
Out of the nineteen songs on the album, two of them have vocals. I think that the addition of these two songs break the overall feel and theme of the recording.

The Verdict
Endless Road borders on the line of country music, but is more of an expression of love for the acoustic guitar.

This album first captivated me for Tommy's sheer technical wizardry. After watching his early 2007 concert in Atlanta, and thereafter reading up more on whom I consider a music phenomenon, I began to understand why I could listen to this album in its entirety on a regular basis (it's become a permanent resident of my car's CD changer). Tommy seems to be able to tell a story with each song, with notes or measures emoted like words. Amazing. I'll venture to say, as a guitarist myself who strives to do so, that Tommy has gone beyond virtuosity to using guitar music as a language.

Some favorites are "Bella Soave" where Tommy slips in contrasty chord transitions, "Angelina" - whose universal likability is confirmed by several guitarists doing it on YouTube, and "Struttin," which creates a 20s imagery.

A musical treasure, in my opinion.

If you love acoustic guitar, this album is definitely for you. Tommy Emmanuel can play with the best of them. Just turn up the volume and let the acoustic sound wash over you.

This is almost a totally solo album, with the exception of backup vocals on "I Still Can't Say Goodbye". Several of the songs follow the fingerstyle of Chet Atkins, and others follow the style of Merle Travis. Highlights include: "(The Man With The) Green Thumb", "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" (this arrangement alone is worth the price of the album), as well as the title track "Endless Road".

If you're a long time Tommy Emmanuel fan and you don't yet have this album, don't hesitate to get it. It continues Tommy's very high standard for acoustic guitar music. If you're not a Tommy Emmanuel fan yet, but you've loved the guitar music of Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, then this album is definitely for you. If you're new to acoustic guitar music altogether, then this is still a good place to start. I recommend this album as well as Tommy's new album "The Mystery". Buy both of them, and if you're not hooked, then, to coin a phrase, check your pulse.

First, anyone who dedicates their album to their mother and calls their own mom their "hero" has to be a standup guy. Mr. Emmanuel is not only a standup guy, but an incredible guitar player as well. This particular album is all solo guitar, no other instruments or vocals except for the two bonus (live) tracks at the end where Tommy sings. The album is well organized, paced, and provides a variation of styles to keep your attention. There are moments where Emmanuel's flourishes are so stunning they will stop everyone from talking in your listening room. There are moments, however, where the album occassionally drags; partly because its a solo guitar album and partly because the album becomes encumbered with an overall smooth jazz feel. The good thing is that these dragging moments are rare and for the most part the album is engrossingly pleasing. I have not heard other Emmanuel albums so I cannot compare, but he is interesting enough to make me want to seek out his other work. It should be noted that the recording and sound quality rank high. Its my own belief that 5 star ratings should be saved for exceptional work and artistic achievement. I would like to give "Endless Road" a 3 1/2 rating, but Amazon doesn't offer half stars; so, I will give the album a 4 star rating with the other half going to Mr. Emmanuel's mother who raised quite an outstanding talent that she may well be deserving of "hero" status.

I got this album way back when it was first released in February of 2002, so I can't speak to the last two tracks. I love this record!! Tommy is my favorite guitarist on the planet, and this record is in many aspects a good follow-up to "Only". Favorite tracks include the title track, Angelina, Morning Aire, The Man with the Green Thumb, and Sanitarium Shuffle. As always, Tommy's playing is flawless and his musicality shines like the sun on the clearest of days. My only complaint is that at times I feel like, especially with Tall Fiddler (which is still a great tune) and Son of a Gun, that he gets almost too flashy and the music suffers at times. I also feel that the recording (at least in the initial release) was a bit dead compared to "Only".

T. Emmanuel is an exceptional picker which is evident throughout the Endless Road CD. Unfortunately, the exceptional is sometimes over-shadowed by the inclusion of out of context ramblings, acoustic box drumming, and an unfortunate vocal. Still, there's enough of the T. Emmanuel that we all have come to appreciate to make this a good, marginal effort.

What can I say about this CD.... There isn't much to say.... Except, when I go for my run amongst the meadows and put on my i-pod playing this cd, it feels like I running into a completely new world. The feelings go deep and few albums bring me so much joy,... Forget about how great this guy is at playing the guitar, forget about all this technical stuff, his music touches me and lifts my spirit. What else can you look for in music?!