The Guitar as Ochestra: Experimental Guitar Series, Vol. 1

by Mike DeGagneAs interesting as it may sound, The Guitar As Orchestra rides along a straight track and doesn't offer much by way of liveliness or intrigue. Not taking anything away from Adrian Belew as a prominent guitarist and experimental guru, the flow lacks any colorful meandering or subtle pleasantries, and the novelty wears off after the first couple of tracks. Belew's idea for the album involves replacing orchestral instruments with only a guitar, thus producing classical music with different variations and styles of guitar playing. Using only a Fender Stratocaster and a few guitar synthesizers and processors, Belew creates classical passages and movements that resemble, almost identically, music otherwise made by piano, violin, and the sort. A great idea in theory, but the result is rather humdrum and is absent of any flare. Titles such as "Alfred Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train' Starring Robert Walker" and "Portrait of a Guitarist As a Young Drum" may sound enticing but are compelling in name only. Belew's talents can be much better appreciated on his other solo albums, like Desire Caught By the Tail.