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PREORDER
Ships When IN STOCK.
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ARTIST
TITLE
Unraveling In Your Hands
FORMAT
LP
LABEL
CATALOG #
AMI 063LP
AMI 063LP
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
7/25/2025
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"As long-time admirers of his six and twelve-string wizardry, Amish Records presents the release of James Blackshaw's (kinda) new album, Unraveling In Your Hands. Originally released digitally in November 2024, solely on James' Bandcamp. The album marks the first music James has released since his self-imposed hiatus in 2016. After much personal tumult including a broken shoulder, the loss of his job and the death of his beloved dog Dexter, James finally felt the pull back to music. He begun to work, not even knowing if his injury would allow him to play the guitar, and then Unraveling In Your Hands quietly appeared. The title track is the album's center piece, a 27-minute meditation of precise guitar phrasings and shimmering harmonics, recorded in a single take. In UNCUT, Jon Dale says it's 'an unrelenting, hypnotic stream of shivering strings, tiny flecks of light dazzling as you plunge deep into the repetition, while following a snaky melody through the thickets -- is certainly unforgettable.' 'Dexter' is a somber piece with a minimal organ melody enveloped by droning woodwinds and scratching strings provided by multi-instrumentalist and longtime collaborator, Charlotte Glasson. Finally, 'Why Keep Still?' moves back into familiar sonic territory with fingerpicked guitar accompanied by rolling piano notes. Pitchfork gave the album an 8.0 rating, stating, 'The lucidity and beauty of this music feels hard-won, something to revere and cherish.' Inspired by the '60s Takoma school of American Primitive guitar, minimalist composers and European classical music, James Blackshaw b. 1981 has been highly regarded for his works for solo acoustic guitar since his debut album in 2003, employing fingerpicking techniques to create drones, overtones and repeating patterns, alongside a strong inclination for melody, to create instrumental music that is both intelligent, hypnotic and emotional. James Blackshaw has released eleven solo studio albums, two EPs, two live recordings and appeared on numerous compilations, receiving praise and earning places on Best of Year lists from many online and printed publications. Since its release, the album has received significant critical acclaim, with reviews in Uncut, Mojo, Stereogum, Aquarium Drunkard, Dusted, and Brainwashed."
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