Ace impressionistic guitarist Carl Weingarten continually finds new wrinkles in his innovative style of “ambient Americana” that is both avant-garde and accessible. But in a recording career going back almost three decades, it’s sometimes refreshing to take a glance back to some of the stops he’s taken along the way.
Hand in the Sand: A Collection 1990-2004 is an excellent primer on Weingarten’s music, but the just-released escapesilence and Local Journeys is a bargain twofer for completists who missed these lower profile records that came out at the tail end of the era that the compilation covered. escapesilence — originally released in 2002 — and 2005’sLocal Journeys find common ground in Weingarten’s core supporting cast of drummer Brian Knave and bassist Michael Manring, with the leader mixing and matching guest players who help provide contrast from track to track.
Whether the rule is ‘more is better’ or ‘less is better,’ Weingarten’s arrangements hit the mark: the brief “A Life In The Family” is Weingarten alone on dobro where he shows that even on an instrument heavily linked to folk and blues, his music defies such easy categorization. On the other side of things, a cello was added to the main trio for ten of the combined twenty-four tracks, and the results have their own, lush appeal.
Nonetheless, these companion albums aren’t twins: escapesilence is mostly unplugged and thus, the more ‘rootsy’ of the two. Local Journeys features Weingarten’s electric guitars as well as some synthesizers and samples. But the technology used is leverage to mold sounds that are just idiosyncratic enough to grab your attention, just familiar enough to sooth you (“Gravity Steps” is one of those tunes that stand out in this way).
Both albums — escapesilence and Local Journeys — capture Carl Weingarten at his best, making soothing music that’s far from boring. The ‘escapesilence/Local Journeys bundle is now available from Weingarten’s Multiphase Records.
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