The other day a CD arrived on my doorstep. I didn't know what it was, who it was by, or what type of music to expect. I opened it up and found this album by Swedish guitar player Mattias IA Eklundh. I also found that it was on Steve Vai's label, Favored Nations, so that gave a little hint of what I could expect. Of course, i wouldn't know until I actually played it.
I popped the disk into the CD player, hit play, and was blown away. I found myself ear to speaker with a bold instrumental voice. It is nearly one hour of solid guitar virtuosity told in 23 parts, or songs if you will. Mattias Eklundh is one of most impressive guitar players I have heard in some time, and if you like instrumental shredding that crosses genres and simply has some fun with the instrument, this may be something you'll want to check out.
Each of the songs have a different feel and distinct sound, yet all can be identified as coming from the same voice. There are some heavy riffs, lightning fast runs, some mellow acoustic sounds, and even some humor.
I've listened to the album a few times now, and the only song I felt was weak was also the only one with lyrics, "Happy Hour." It works as a mellow interlude at roughly the halfway point through the album, a point to catch your breath and contemplate what has come before and pause in anticipation of what is yet to come.
Something that I found refreshing was the relative lack of effects. For as much as I love, and I do love, Steve Vai's work, he is much more experimental in his use of effects, Eklundh, by comparison, is pretty much just him and his axe. He has chops to spare, speed like no one else this side of Yngwie Malmsteen. It is refreshing to hear this, what I consider to be anyway, fresh new voice.
Article comments
1 - Chris
This is a very nice review! Hopefully, some people who see this will be inclined to check out this music themselves. Mattias is indeed a sensational guitarist and overall musician. While I have yet to hear either of his solo albums, of which the above reviewed is his second, I look forward to after having heard his discography with Swedish progressive rock/metal/pop act Freak Kitchen, which he also sings for and fronts.
An interesting thing to note about him, aside from the fact that he does not use effects in the way Jeff Beck does not use a pick, is that he creates bizarre noises through his range of tones, harmonics played in unusual places, and household objects, like dildos. Go Mattias!
2 - John Pratt
For those that haven't heard it yet - this is one of the most incredible pieces of work you will set your ears on. For those guitarists in the audience, you will find just by listening that Mattias IA Eklundh's influences sound immediately like a mixture of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Morse, and Django Reindhart among others.
The album is an incredible collection of music, and the fact that IA arranges, writes, and produces all of it on his own is asounding. Aside from that - from a guitar player's standpoint, the music leaves you with a lot of "how the hell did he do that?" (since he uses no effects at all).
Find out what "the other side" of music really is - listen to Freak Guitar. Mattias has nearly a dozen other albums as well, from another solo record to ten or more with his band "Freak Kitchen", which has several videos you can watch from their web site at www.freakkitchen.com. I will be very suprised if Mattias IA Eklundh is not on the cover of every US based guitar magazine by years end.