Audio CD review:
John Fahey - Days Have Gone By, Vol. 6

John Fahey - Days Have Gone By, Vol. 6

Band: John Fahey Title: Days Have Gone By, Vol. 6 Rating: Release Date: 07 August, 2001 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: The Revolt Of The Dyke Brigade 2: Impressions Of Susan 3: Joe Kirby Blues 4: Night Train Of Valhalla 5: The Portland Cement Factory At Monolith, California 6: A Raga Called Pat (Part One) 7: A Raga Called Pat (Part Two) 8: My Shepherd Will Supply My Needs 9: My Grandfather's Clock 10: Days Have Gone By 11: We Would Be Building

Editoral Review His fingerpicking is astounding; surely no stronger thumb ever struck a bass string than the one that drove "Night Train to Valhalla," no surer fingers ever plucked a melody than the ones that coaxed the epic sweep of "The Portland Cement Factory of Monolith, California" from six strands of steel and a wooden box with a hole in it. When John Fahey recorded this album in 1967, he was at the peak of his considerable powers as a musician, writer, and composer. This album includes some of Fahey's best-loved tunes, including the aforementioned songs, the bluesy "Revolt of the Dyke Brigade" (Fahey was tweaking the sensitivities of folk music audiences before anyone knew what political incorrectness was), and the uncategorizable "Raga Called Pat. " The latter isn't Indian music at all, but a sprawling two-part odyssey constructed from train whistles, bird calls, and dancing guitar figures. This well-mastered and lovingly packaged reissue includes two sets of liner notes; Fahey's originals are a hilariously obtuse parody of poetic, philosophical, and historical pretensions, while a new set by journalist and poet Monica Kendrick acknowledges his passing mere months before this record came out by paying homage to Fahey's enduring artistry. --Bill Meyer .. You can see a complete list of all John Fahey discography, or go back to the John Fahey tabs