Customer Reviews

Fates

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We use the word "unbelievable" for all manner of things, most of which are really quite believable. But in this case it is is not hyperbole.

I have personally played guitar for over 40 years. I have seen many of the greatest guitarists live: from Hendrix to Segovia, from John Williams to John Renbourn, from Pete Townshend to Christopher Parkening to Muriel Anderson to Sharon Isbin. And now from Eric Clapton to Erik Mongrain.

As great as it is, and as is the case with any truly ground-breaking music, the recorded version scarcely does justice to the real thing. Here's how it goes:

M. Mongrain plays a Rainsong, a carbon fibre guitar made in Hawai'i that has a sharp bright sound and is probably the only guitar that would put up with what he does to it. As well as the usual strumming and finger-picking techniques, Erik provides his own percussion accompaniment by rapping, tapping, and plain banging on the soundboard and top of the guitar. So far so good. He also uses extensive pull-offs with the left hand as well as, in time with, and in counterpoint to the right hand picks and strums. Then he raps the strings with I think both the ends and backs of his fingers on both hands to create sound just like a hammer dulcimer. He uses using open strings, fretted strings and harmonics in combinations to do all of the above. Then while he is doing the above, he tunes and retunes his guitar mid way through the songs. Wow.

He does all this all at the same time and really fast with, well, unbelievable rhythms. The CD is intrinsically very good indeed but somehow knowing that he produces all these amazing sounds (including a bass drone that I don't know HOW he can achieve on an acoustic guitar) in one sitting with one guitar and one set of hands makes it even more impressive.

The CD can be heard at an easy listening melodic level or, if you care to invest the attention, a jazz-like depth of interacting layers of music melodies, bass lines and both complementary and opposing rhythms. Some of the tracks, particularly Geometrie d'une Erreur have a Philip Glass symmetry and simplicity where the complexity is realized only over a period of time, while Percussien Fa and Air Tap give the ear a workout and show what this man can do.

Get this.

An incredible achievement. Erik Mongrain has done something original: he has fused amazing technique with grace, style, and feeling - in a word, he is musical!

I definetely recommend this album.

Okay, I'm a little late to the party when it comes to singing the praises of Canadian guitarist Erik Mongrain. Unfortunately, I didn't know of him until this year when a friend sent me a link to a YouTube video.

If you have not yet watched this 3-minute video for "Air Tap" (and more than 5 million viewers have!) then get prepared to be blown away. This song is an excellent example of the two-hand tapping technique Mongraine utilizes to coax some pretty amazing sounds from his acoustic guitar. I haven't been this impressed by a debut album from a guitar player in a long time. [And his 2008 follow-up album EQUILIBRIUM is just as good.] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED [Running time - 41:23]

To the list of fantastic finger style guitarists like Antoine Dufour, Andy McKee, Michael Hedges, and Don Ross I will now be adding Erik Mongrain. As many did I discovered his playing on Youtube, where in addition to the usual "playing" he also provides an excellent example of the form called "lap tapping" in which one lays the guitar on its back and proceeds to tap the soundboard with the fingers...Let it be known, potential customer Mongrain is a master at this. I was awestruck. This Cd goes in with the greats. Buy it.

And you won't hear that word used too often... by anyone nowadays. Erik Mongrain is Michael Hedges and Andy McKnee rolled into but far more percussive. Seeing live is a trip and he does things I don't think anyone else has been able to replicate live (such as retuning certain strings while playing in order to create harmonies that I've never heard of - and yes, his "Air Tap!" live is everything it sounds like on the disc... all done in a single take.

While he's not quite as melodic as the other two guitar viruosos, he's created something that is just as listenable as those two masters and absolutely places a unique stamp on the instrument of acoustic guitar.

This is a real little sonic and musical gem - interesting - melodic - percussive - rhythmic - exciting. Loving every moment of it .

CD arrived in a very quick time frame and was in perfect condition. all ther songs were the perfect length and in the correct order.

This is an album of pure beauty and amazing guitar technique. Eriks feel on the guitar is out of this world and his compositions are both jaw dropping in his technical ability and the beauty. Géométrie d'Une Erreur is a particular highlight for me, but the whole album is superb. This is HIGHLY recommended. If you like this, check out Les Finnigan who is technically as good, and with some beautiful, haunting music. Find him on indiepool.com

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I cannot say enough good about Erik Mongrain. He is simply an amazing guitar player and I am so glad I "found" him about a year ago when I was sent an email linking to a video. To watch him play is to see someone who is truly "one" with the guitar. His air-tapping is awesome, as his his regular playing. I find my emotions rising and falling with each strum, pick, and song. This man is a rising star - keep your eyes on him!

I found a video of Eric when I was searching YouTube for acoustic guitar music and I'm very glad I did. Eric is extremely talented. There's not much more to say than that. If you're questioning whether or not to buy or download this album, search YouTube for Eric's name and you'll easily be swayed. This entire disc is extremely enjoyable and the amount of talented displayed is awesome.