Customer Reviews

Live in Tasmania

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

 

 

very tight solo acoustic guitar work. Great sound. Im pretty sure this is just Fahey even though it sounds like two guitarists. Havent heard much of his other stuff to compare it too, but this one holds my attention throughout. Ranges from upbeat in mood to spooky and meditative.

mid-career album from John Fahey that shows what an amazing talent he was. Some slight editing artifacts don't take away from what this man could do on a guitar given a good audience and acoustics. I'm biased as a longtime Fahey fanatic but a close listen to "the return of the Tasmanian Tiger/Funeral Song for Mississippi John Hurt" makes it evident why Fahey was such an influence on so many guitarists. Beautiful stuff here and more accessible than most of his later work.

I have the vinyl version of this, purchased a long time ago. It is one of my favourite Fahey recordings. There is palpable rapport between the shy, amused, eccentric Fahey and the hearty young male Tasmanian audience; they are bemused to learn that Fahey expected them to be madmen hanging from the trees. They are charmed by his simple performance of that ultimate Australian losers' anthem, Waltzing Matilda. The tunes are all great, particularly Indian Pacific Railroad Blues. The guitar tones are clear and warm, and Fahey plays with typical strength and supple dynamism. It is great to hear them live, with a pulse and 'carpe diem' that you don't get in a studio album.

I've heard a fair bit of Fahey on internet radio stations, but this is the only album of his I was able to get my thrifty fingers on for cheap. It's an honest live album, with a very airy reverberation present in all the tracks (must have been played in a large hall) that adds a bit of charm that you don't get in studio efforts. It's a bit short but seems to be very quality Fahey.