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Artist:Gordon Giltrap
Label: Voiceprint
Length: 15 tracks / 64 mins
Many have heard Giltrap's music without realizing it – whether his acoustic guitar playing on Larry Norman's The Outlaw, or various TV theme tunes.
This excellent compilation offers a well-proportioned account of most of his work, weighted in favour of the popular tracks. So little is shown of his origins in troubadour folk, but plenty appears from his key albums from the late '70s, when his single "Heartsong" made the charts, was often heard between programmes on the BBC and became the theme tune for its Holiday programme.
His style is quite unique. It has a hesitant jerkiness close up, but a smooth, string sense of melody overall, all wrapped up in a warm approachability that makes him so suitable for mass consumption.
Perhaps he is well-described as an English Phil Keaggy, with his mainly instrumental and accessible guitar work, blend of pop and classical guitar, wide-ranging approach and easily recognisable style.
This is a superb collection of his work, which features several key tracks, including "Heartsong" and "Robes and Crowns" from Visionary, his album based on the works of William Blake, and "The Deserter" from the follow-up disc, Perilous Journey.
There are plenty of his more baroque pieces here, mostly his own, but also including "Greensleeves."
The only piece that feels ill at ease here is the one vocal track, Giltrap's version of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well," let down by a half-hearted brass arrangement. But the value is still here. You could see "Under This Blue Sky" as a generous bonus track, as without its beautiful three minutes and 48 seconds this would have been sixty minutes exactly.
Once tried, newcomers are likely to want to discover more of this master guitarist, rightly admired by the likes of Brian May.
Derek Walker 5/17/2007
