Search - Erik Mongrain :: Fates

Unbelievable acoustic guitar

Phillip Armour | Deer Park, IL USA | 08/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Brilliant!

Lance Trumbull | Portland | 07/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Not very musical...

Jeremy | Houston, TX USA | 11/11/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I love finding great new new music, and love acoustic guitar, so I bought this album on i-tunes since it was on my 'Genius List'



Erik Mongrain uses a tap and percussive technique (in every song) along the lines of Michael Hedges, Preston Reed, Andy Mckee. Call me a snob if you want, but good technique only gets you so far. Songs still have to be musical, well-written and bring about emotion in the listener. In my opinion, none of the tracks on 'Fate' are any of these things.



To me, this album seems like it is meant to showcase Erik's technique; which is better-than-average, for sure; rather than his music. This is the kiss-of-death for me liking an artist (ala Steve Vai and Joe Satriani).



Perhaps it's not fair comparing two artists objectively, but in this case I think it's justified. Erik is using a similar technique to Andy Mckee, but their music is nothing alike. For one, Andy's technique is better. Secondly, Andy's songs actually have a melody and are very very well-written. Eash song has an identifiable structure, and isn't written to show off. Lastly, Andy uses the style that fits the song. His albums aren't entirely 'tap'; he uses (and very well I might add) orthodox fingerstyle too depending on what the tune calls for. This is one reason I love Eric Johnson over Steve Vai. Eric can play cleaner/faster than almost anyone, but he's more worried about the music.



If you're an acoustic guitar player who is very much into the tap technique; you might consider buying this album. The only reason I'm giving this album 2 stars rather than 1 is that I'm an acoustic player, and he's slightly better than I am.



However, if you're an acoustic guitar player who isn't obsessed with tap; or you're a non-player, who just enjoys good music, you won't find it here. For a more musical, better-executed fingerstyle experience, check out Andy Mckee or Tommy Emmanuel.



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