ACOUSTIC

The late 1970s and 1980s kicked both progressive rock and the Celtic revival to the shadows. This was especially hurtful to artists who occupied both worlds so comfortably as Dan Ar Braz. While he was less prolific during these dark years, he managed, in "Acoustic", to produce an uncompromisingly beautiful and stark oeuvre. While firmly in the prog folk realm, and less overtly Celtic, it also straddled new age and jazzy moods with ease and confidence, especially in "10 Annees Deja". In addition, the sense of space and acoustics in the brilliant production proves sympathetic not only to his established guitar style but also to his yearning and endearingly rough edged vocals in English or French, especially on tracks like "Les Marins" (reminiscent of early Alan Stivell) and the bluesy "Public Inquiry". Then there are the more overtly progressive if stripped down "Les Tisserands" and "Vers les Iles", the latter featuring plaintive lead guitars. Synthesizers provide background color here and there without detracting. A decade ahead of the unplugged craze, Dan Ar Braz showed how it could be done with original material and a genuine gift for acoustics.