Glenn Jones – The Giant Who Ate Himself And Other New Works For 6 and 12 String Guitar – Album Review

A new album by Glenn Jones is a reason to rejoice for a certain subsection of society! There are very few practitioners of the so-called ‘primitive’ guitar style left recording today, but Glenn is right at the forefront. This new album ‘The Giant Who Ate Himself and other New Works…’ is another trip into the world of instrumental guitar music, in a style reminiscent of the great John Fahey, who was Glenn’s friend and teacher.

While the titles of the songs are fascinating, I’m not sure in what way they relate to the tracks, other than creating a mood or setting a scene. The album opens with the title track ‘The Giant Who Ate Himself’ which has a rich and intricate plucked style, with the bass line being played on the same guitar. It’s an upbeat and cheery affair, with intermittent strumming. ‘Everything Ends’ is a more pensive, slower affair that captures the ennui of its title. The Last Passenger Pigeon is a long track at over 7 minutes, and starts slow but builds over time. River In The Sky starts with the sounds of birds and crickets, with a plane flying overhead until the guitar comes into focus. The album finishes with the Sunken Amusement Park, a short, upbeat track that shows off his admirable skill.

In recent years, Jones has been running the Thousand Incarnations of the Rose festival in the US. If you get the chance to see him live, you can expect as many stories as tunes, as the man is a natural story teller. This is a lovely guitar album, something to fill the background while working or before falling asleep at night. While there is nothing particularly new about this work, it’s very hard to doubt the quality.

Track List –

1. The Giant Who Ate Himself
2. Everything Ends
3. The Last Passenger Pigeon
4. The Was And The Is
5. A Different Kind Of Christmas Carol
6. River In The Sky
7. From Frederick To Fredericksburg
8. Even The Snout And The Tail
9. Elliot Audrey, Born Today
10. The Sunken Amusement Park