Search - Rainer Ptacek :: Worried Spirits

RAINER LIVES!

B. Ingvoldstad | somewhere west of Copenhagen | 11/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first (and, unfortunately, the only) time I ever saw Rainer Ptacek play live was in 1994, opening for Jonathan Richman at Club Congress in Tucson. He was so unassuming as he came onstage, wearing jeans and a ballcap with some BigOil logo on it, that I first thought he was a roadie up to tune his guitars.That thought was nixed right away.At that time, Rainer was using a digital delay to capture a sonic base of chord progressions (2 or 4 bars) to build off with a second guitar. I've never heard anything quite like it, before or since.Unlike earlier albums, WORRIED SPIRITS is a true solo effort. It's sparse in terms of instrumentation, yet dense in terms of feel. Ptacek has a playing attack that gracefully lurches between picking and slide. If that sounds awkward to you, it's only my choice of words.For so many years, Rainer was more celebrated internationally than at home. I remember reading about several European tours he did with Das Combo, without even a record contract in the USA; I also remember my dad relaying memories of seeing him numerous times at Tucson coffee shops....I probably am guilty of praising him more effusively now than I did while he was alive. I'm not the first, and I won't be the last. All the same: if you have enough interest to have read this far, I can assure you that you won't be disappointed you picked this one up. A ganga at any price."

Rainer Ptacek: Worried Spirit

B. Ingvoldstad | 11/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is not a conventional music; it is a blues but not the usual one. This is an unpolished acoustic music; one slide quitar is sampled over another. Rainer creates an atmosphere which is difficult to describe, but the impression lasts long. It is rough and warm. Lots of blues feeling. I have heard this album (and his other ones) many times, and every time I think what a pity that Rainer died."