Imaginational Anthem, Vol. 1-3

Product Description

Imaginational Anthem Vols. 1-3 brings together all three volumes of the essential acoustic guitar series.

Released in October 2005, Imaginational Anthem was featured on NPR's All Things Considered, and received 4 stars from Uncut ("Entrancing"), All Music Guide ("Masterful") and Mojo ("Groundbreaking"). Rolling Stone's David Fricke wrote, "The history and beauty here speaks for themselves, at the perfect volume." Jon Pareles wrote in The New York Times, "Old and new, the music meditates on blues, Appalachian music, raga and ragtime, and traditions are transfigured by a deep love for the sonority of the acoustic guitar." Released in June 2006, Imaginational Anthem Volume 2 opened with the gorgeous "River of Heaven" by Tompkins Square recording artist James Blackshaw, and features unreleased recordings by legends such as Michael Chapman, Fred Gerlach, Billy Faier, Peter Lang, and Robbie Basho. Pitchfork wrote, "(IA2) pairs some of the leading lights of the current avant-folk subculture with unearthed vintage folk rarities." Imaginational Anthem Volume 3, released in April 2008, received wide praise, like this from Uncut's John Mulvey : ""I struggle to recall any recent comps that glide together as seamlessly as these Tompkins Square projects, and 'Volume Three' is no exception. Contemplative, intricate, a simple but ornate school of folk that hangs effortlessly between the ancient and the avant-garde - I could listen to this stuff all day."

About the Artist

Tompkins Square has been steadily mining the genre known as "American Primitive Guitar" with a string of acclaimed releases over the past two years, including reissues of seminal `60's albums by Robbie Basho and Harry Taussig; an album by three young guitarists from the Bay Area, Berkeley Guitar; The Cloud of Unknowing by 27-year old UK trailblazer James Blackshaw; Catfish, the debut album from Austin multi-instrumentalist Shawn David McMillen, and a tribute album for `60's-era Vanguard recording artist Peter Walker, entitled A Raga For Peter Walker.