Faint At the Loudest Hour

Based on his debut album, Alexander Turnquist is that rarity, a young solo acoustic guitarist whose work bears no audible influence by John Fahey. Faint at the Loudest Hour has a faint raga feel, sometimes akin to solo albums by ex-Sun City Girls stalwart Sir Richard Bishop, and at times it descends into mere hypnotic prettiness in the manner of first-generation Windham Hill artists like Alex de Grassi and Michael Hedges. But Turnquist cleverly adds other textures and instruments to his playing, subtly enough to keep them from sounding intrusive, but with just enough presence to change the dynamics of what would be just another solo acoustic guitar record. Closing track "As the Sun Sets, We Think of Days to Come" is the highlight in this regard, with Turnquist's effortlessly flowing, cyclical guitar figures meshing perfectly with the repeated tumbling piano figure in the background. The aptly titled opener "Amongst a Swarm of Hummingbirds" is less subtle in its manipulations than the rest of the albums, sending Turnquist's guitar through a Frippertronics-like phalanx of effects and processing before the initial solo theme re-emerges at song's end. Those with little use for solo instrumental showcases won't have their minds changed by Faint at the Loudest Hour, but for aficionados of the form, this is a compelling and encouraging debut.