Notes from Suburbia

John Sheehan plays the guitar like a man in mid-conversation. On Notes From Suburbia he picks, strums, and sings his way through 13 audio lectures, on topics ranging from self-made men, to imported beer and mushrooms. Sheehan is first and foremost an instrumentalist, and his gifted fingers flip through the pages of six-string history with a dexterity that rivals heroes like Doc Watson and Leo Kottke. His love for classical, jazz, blues, and folk finds its way into almost every piece, allowing for a worldly breadth of emotion that causes self-penned tunes, such as "Cabin Fever," to resonate with the same personality as traditional pieces like "Five Ricercars." As a vocalist, Sheehan employs a dusty croon that brings to mind a less mumbly Mark Knopfler — an obvious influence on his electric guitar work — and filters his wry observations into an easy matter-of-fact dialogue with the listener. The nostalgic "Imprint," a sweet salute to the inspired and inspiring, is among the record's finest offerings, and "It Don't Come Easy" features a first-rate melody and fine harmonies from Jessie Holladay. While "Last Night In a Dream," with its subtle percussion and moody atmospherics, showcases Sheehan's bluesy roots — and is strangely reminiscent of "Books of Moses" by Moby Grape casualty Skip Spence — it's the Celtic-tinged "Lord Inchiquin," and the remarkable "Bader's Field" that place him in the top tier of contemporary folk artists.