Guitar Player Magazine

Guitar Player Magazine

June 2006

Rants and Raves

Peter James

Footnotes to Fairytales

Peter James is a singer-songwriter who plays 8- and 10-string guitars. On Footnotes to Fairytales, he is joined by fretted and fretless guitarist David Lofton, Chapman Stick and electric-upright bass player Daniel Panasenko, and cellist Marika Hughes—making for a string-filled listening experience. Rounding out the group are drummer-percussionist Gino Robair and tabla player Jim Santi Owen. This is gentle but subtly energetic music, full of gorgeous instrumental interplay and memorable vocal melodies – and upon first listen, it is easy to miss the intricacies of the interlocking guitars, the delicate yet effective percussive touches, and single-line textural elements that blend seamlessly into a shimmering harmonic whole.

James’ voice has been rightly compared to those of David Sylvian and Morrissey as it contains both the soft-spoken intimacy of the former and the elegant desperation of the latter. His lyrics are compact, introspective, and highly personal—presenting clusters of images rather than opting for the more usual folk narrative style. My favorite pieces are the delightfully buoyant “Angels and Aeroplanes,” and the polyrhythmic “Save Yourself,” which managers to add a 5/4 outro section without sounding the least bit proggy. Peter James Music. –Barry Cleveland

Peter James • 415 860 8202 • • www.peterjamesmusic.com