INVENTIONS FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR

This was Manuel Gottsching's first solo album although he still put ASH RA TEMPEL VI on the album cover as well. Of course what makes this record so special is that Manuel has made it all with his guitar. When you hear this album, that previous statement becomes pretty amazing. He is making electronic sounds with his guitar !

"Echo Waves" sounds like something TANGERINE DREAM put out with the bubbling synth-like sounds which are really a lot of overdubbed guitar ryhthms. It sounds really intricate giving the impression that the sounds are weaving in and around each other. About 15 minutes in Manuel lays down some scorching melodies as he really rips it up ending the song with a blistering attack. Nice. "Quasarsphere" is slower paced and more spacey than the first song.

"Pluralis" is a side long suite over 21 minutes long. For the first 8 minutes it floats along sounding much like synths to me until we get some good,real guitar. There is an ear piercing screaming guitar sound after 14 minutes and the sound pulses late in the song.

As much as I am impressed with what he has accomplished here, I do prefer his guitar work of the past much more.This guy can really play but here it's mostly synth sounding work with a few outbreaks of his incredible solos.