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Carl Verheyen

Alone: Solo Guitar Improvisations Volume 2

Review by Gary Hill

I don’t know if this fits into progressive rock. I’d say some of it does. Besides that, particularly given his solo album I reviewed before and his work in Supertramp, I’d generally include Carl Verheyen under that heading. This album is an instrumental album of solo guitar pieces. Of course, the second part of the title gives that away. Whatever you call it, I like this set a lot.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2015  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Last Train Home

This acoustic guitar solo is intricate and complex. It’s also at its heart an accessible kind of groove. There is some bluegrass in the mix at times.

Mercy Street
With more classical music in the mix, this is such a beautiful piece. It’s definitely rooted in the kind of thing you expect from progressive rock. I can make out some jazz stylings here, too. As good as the opener was, this takes the listener soaring to new heights. It’s quite evocative, too.
Darn That Dream
This is much mellower. It’s more or less a jazz exploration.
The Gentle Rain
Jazz is delivered with a bit of a Spanish guitar flavor on this number.
Good Morning Judge
Blues and jazz are merged on this killer guitar solo.
All You Need Is Love
The intricacies of this song really show up with the vocal lines delivered on guitar like this. It’s quite a pretty rendition.
Norwegian Wood
Another Beatles song, this is a bit more of a rocker in some ways.
In My Life
Since guitar soloing is the main concept to this whole set, having some solos that rise above th rest is a little tough. This one manages it. There is a folk rock meets progressive rock kind of vibe here. It’s one of the best pieces of the disc, too.
Nordenham

This feels a bit more like fusion to me.

Wheels
More of a mellow and folk styled number, this is intricate. It’s also pretty and rather delicate.   
Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero
This is another gentle and mellow piece.
Last Days of Autumn
A change of pace, this gets electrified and echoey.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
I'm a big fan of Elton John. I love this guitar solo rendition of this classic EJ song.
Over the Rainbow
I really love this guitar rendition of the classic song. It might be my favorite version of this ever. It has some jazz and some folk music in the mix. It’s just so fun and pretty.
 
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