Search - Greg V :: Tailgate Troubadour

Greg V: Triumph of the Antiguitarhero

J. Dantzig | New Hartford, CT United States | 05/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What would have happened if Van Halen had grown up listening to bluegrass or if Roy Buchanan had been a rocker? Although Brad Paisley has attempted to meld the worlds of country and hard rock, his combo platter of high-speed country pickin' seems more like a Don Rich session channeled through a Mesa Boogie than a true hybrid. On "Tailgate Troubadour" guitarist Greg V approaches the same set of influences in a much more holistic manner.



On this showcase album, the incomparable Mr. V rounds all the stylistic bases seemingly without actually touching them. Instead, his influences remain just that--they infuse his songs with texture without dominating them. Here, the melodies and songs are the point. Flowing seamlessly from laid-back country that borders on New Age to hard driving trucker-rock, you never get the feeling that he's trying too hard to impress. It's only after repeated listening that you begin to appreciate the dexterity that creates the seemingly simple textures.



There are very few instrumentalists who can be identified in a single measure or by a single lick--Greg V is one of them. This is the kind of recording that grows and grows on you--the kind that you can recommend to anyone whether they are a musician or not. That's why Greg V's debut "Tailgate Troubadour" is such an important recording. Not because he is a musical gymnast, but because he tells wonderful stories with sound."