Search - Might Could :: All Intertwined

Great instrumental album with acoustic guitars

Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 04/04/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Might Could is an instrumental guitar group that combines the forces of three acoustic guitars and subtle bass work and writes songs characterized by high degrees of instrumental ability and rhythmic complexity. There are no vocals, no keyboards, no drums here. It's just acoustic guitars played by Andy Tillotson, Tim McCaskey and Aaron Geller. Luis Nasser from Sonus Umbra, another great progressive rock band from Maryland, appears on the CD as a guest and supplies bass assistance lending the album a somewhat Sonus Umbra air. His bass is extremely heavy, even when mixed low on the songs, often forcing me to draw comparisons between All Intertwined and Sonus Umbra's last album Spiritual Vertigo. Also the packaging of both albums is somewhat similar, the dark and bleak cover arts seem to complement each other.



Might Could's brand of acoustic songs are slightly reminiscent of early King Crimson stuff without any electric guitars and drumming. The three axeman in the band put forward tight, interlocking guitar parts with fast unplugged riffs, experimenting with various songwriting ideas. There is much diversity on this CD, ranging from the classically inspired pieces "The Miscommunication Suite", a multi-passaged number that embodies several movements and recurring melody themes. It feels like this song was recorded with a giant orchestra behind the band (except that the orchestra isn't playing but just enjoying these amazing musicians's work); it's got a very classical atmosphere throughout. The guitar 'chorus' of the song is amazing, as is the sweeping/tapping runout in the end. "Standoff" must be the most diverse cut - it features intense guitar playing that delves into dark landscapes, unafraid to borrow a slight blues edge in the solo department. The bass is amazing too - there is a memorable solo on "Lapse" right before the break where one of the acoustic guitars begins to play the same melody over and over again, while another one comes up with a sweet counterpoint melody to it.



More diversity is displayed on "Instability" which has traces of jazz elements that interwine with Nasser's expressive bass and the dark progressive rock number "Puijilittatuq". The apex of the album is "Not Every Songs Finds A Name", a song spanning eight minutes, and exemplifying Might Could's cohesive, well planned out songwriting attitude the best. The recording of the guitars is fabulous, as is the mix. Might Could is a very promising band with much more to offer in the coming years. Be sure to check All Intertwined out if you enjoy instrumental acoustic songs with plenty of progressive elements."