Astounding
When last we visited Tim Pitts, we enjoyed burning scented candles and a hot bath through the sounds of Castle Ghosts. With Shadow of an Owl, Pitts takes us through overgrown green pastures of wildflowers on any afternoon you choose, as well as other places. This is not quite a solo effort, as Ray Yates did contribute keyboards and drum programming. As contemplative acoustic guitar music goes, if there was a band to beat, this CD would beat it.
"Spiral Crystal" begins with a brief shower of drizzling guitar followed by a shorter pause until happy little guitar kids prance about in their carefree world of a meadow. This song has a different melody than Al Stewart's "End of the Day," but in spirit and beauty they are simpatico. "The Gazing Stone" is also pretty, with a stream of tension flowing through some of it. "Cruise Lane" sounds like someone who, though in a hurry, occasionally stops to catch their breath and take stock of things. "Shadows of the Night" is the closest this CD comes to being orchestral. With what seems to be cello, violin (or viola) and bass, it sounds like gorgeous chamber music with a guitar lead. Most of these songs are originals, though Pitts does an excellent, vocal-free cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper." In seventy minutes of emotional and breathtaking acoustic guitar work, there's really no filler here. Cheers for a guy who has been teaching guitar for twenty-plus years, beginning at age seventeen.
Pitts probably experimented with guitars before he learned to walk. He sounds like a master craftsman of his instrument. Once you've heard some of his work, he'd appreciate the feedback at tim@kinetic.distillery.com. His discs are available at www.CDBaby.com, www.Guitar9.com and Ear X-tacy. His Castle Ghosts CD is also available at www.Amazon.com.