Read Between the Lines

Charlie Read | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 1, 2004)
• Original Release Date: December 1, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: CAR-Tunes
• ASIN: B0006V4D42
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,538,195 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Kweevak Music Portal http://www.kweevak.com/rd_cd_reviews.htm

Edgy licks, smoldering rhythms, spirited keys - Charlie’s instrumental debut is animated, melodic, technically strong. A must for any collection!

Product Description

An electric guitar tapestry that is woven around themes of classic rock, meditative ‘new age’ solos, and touches of jazz/rock fusion – "read between the lines" surprisingly but skillfully combines these styles into a unified whole. West Virginia guitarist Charlie Read, a veteran of the explosive Ohio rock scene of the early 70s, felt " . . . it was about time to contribute my own musical two cents’ worth." And that’s just what he has done. The album's intro 'Why, I Oughta . . .' cascades forth a blistering barrage of distorted harmonic minor notes accompanied by a simple but unusual harmony bass line. But after this initial, tongue-in-cheek attack on the senses, the listener is drawn into one tune after another in a diverse mixture that defies simplistic categorization - though always honoring strong melodic values sadly lacking on many modern instrumental albums. 'Splash Rag', a quirky little piece built around pentatonic, blues, and whole-tone scales, was written almost 25 years ago - while other tunes like 'Circle's End' and 'Then and Now' were completed just weeks before the 2004 recording sessions. And Emmylou Harris’ version of 'Wayfaring Stranger' certainly never sounded like this! Charlie's influences (Hendrix, Clapton, Keaggy, Satriani, etc.) shine through in his debut all-instrumental guitar CD. No need to "read between the lines" though - the musical joy and artistry are plain to hear.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have CD - Bold Living on the Edge Style, March 12, 2007

By 

New Fan! - See all my reviews

This review is from: Read Between the Lines (Audio CD)

Charlie Read's CD definitely has a leading edge that keeps me interested in where his finger styling will lead next.

His brassy living on the edge style reminds me of vintage Lee Ritenaur. Charlie combines his authentic sound with an artistic creative feel like that of Earl Klugh in his ability to push the boundaries.

This CD presents Charlie as an incredibly talented musician who possesses a variety of styles. This is reflected in the diversity of the selections and reflects creativity (all but one were created by Charlie) as well as skill (the skill required for these selections will become obvious once you listen to the CD)!

Favorite songs include:

With God All Things Are Possible
In moments of this instrumental it's almost as if you can hear spoken words from the sounds of the guitar!

Trail of Tears
This is somewhat haunting - has a very interesting feel

Then and Now
The jazz/bluesy section of this piece is amazing and fun!

I'm looking forward to his next offering with great expectations and we can only hope that this will be soon!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great guitarist, January 25, 2005

By 

A. Berry (West Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Read Between the Lines (Audio CD)

I bought this CD and just love the variety of styles on these great instrumentals. Charlie Read is a very accomplished musician! The more you hear the songs on this CD, the better you like them!

5.0 out of 5 stars Read Between the Licks, December 27, 2004

By 

Terry Mansietto (Odessa, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Read Between the Lines (Audio CD)

I got this CD from one of Charlie's former students in Ohio - put it on, and was frankly blown away. First, it's cool that Charlie plays a Deluxe American Strat just like mine; too bad I can't play like him. All the songs on this CD are ones he's written except his arrangement of "Wayfaring Stanger" which happens to be a very moving rendition with lots of energy. The thing I like the most is that this guitarist doesn't play the typical 2000-notes-per-second stuff. Not that I mind that style in small doses, but let's face it - the music that sticks to your ribs needs more than hotshot riffing non stop. There's a lot of variety on this CD which might alienate someone looking for one flavor. Not me; the variety is what intrigued me from the first listen. There's some fast, flashy guitar playing on here; but the emphasis seems to be on good melodic songs which happen to feature electric guitar rather than a vocalist. All the songs are instrumental, so you can imagine your own lyrics as you listen, if you're so inclined. I really like "Then and Now" which starts with a bluesy feel and ends up with some surprising and tasteful changes. It's my favorite, followed by "With God All Things Are Possible." I was humming along with this one the first time I heard it, and the incredible acoustic interlude is like icing on the cake. Like I say, if you're totally into blues, or shredding, or fingerpicking - to the exclusion of everything else - this may not be your favorite. But if you don't like being bored, and if you like tasteful electric guitar by the truckload, "read between the lines" is a great guitar album for all ages and tastes. Oh yeah - killer tone too.