Hide and Seek - Stickman - New Release Review

I just received a new recording, Hide and Seek by Neil Haverstick who goes by the name Stickman. This recording is a guitar players daydream. It explores every type of sound that can be made with a fretless guitar, Oud, 12,19 and 36 tone guitars, slide, fretless banjo and 12 and 19 tone bass when complimented by vocal, Djembe and drums. I mean I myself have thought of creating things like this when you start a theme and add textures to it with different instruments. Goin' To Memphis opens the recording with an Oud and is supplemented with what to me sounds like a flute. Very primitive and tribal sounding to me. I like it. Blue Delta is a slide lead track with an eerie swamp sound from Oud and Fretless Guitar. Very cool. Blues Ain't Nothing is a more conventional blues rock style song with a 12 tone Tele, vocals, bass and drums. There are some more conventional blues guitar riffs for those of you who are less open to experimentation. Big Ol' Train has a bluegrassy sound with fretless banjo and vocals although this turns into a full out rocker on 19 tone electric guitar and full band compliment. Cool concept. Wolf at the Door has a drone note that plays under the melody of an 36 tone tele and 12 tone bass. It has a primitive blues sound and is quite interesting. Then a straightforward contemporary but still primitive continuation with vocals. Stickman gets some really great grinding tones on this song. Lenny Bro is a solitary blues guitar instrumental type song with deliberate melancholy melody using 12 tone Tele and Pimentel classic. Charlene is a grimy blues rocker with 19 tone guitar that has a very conventional structure. I think just about anyone could relate to it. Hide and Seek is a quirky nursery type song developed into a textural acoustic number with experimental string instrumental sounds on fretless guitar and Oud. Blues For North Africa starts off with the African drum and is joined by textural fretless guitar instrumental sounds. Animal Boogie begins with a trap drum solo which sets the scene for a Freeway Jam type song. In this case instead of going the entirely primitive Stickman takes it in the experimental or improvisational jazz direction on 12 tone tele and bass. Last Night is an ethereal vocal chant. Although this may not appeal to the mainstream blues fan, I really think this recording merits the attention of anyone who is interested in guitar, textural music and soundscape. I really found it a pleasure to listen to although it's difficult to explain. Possibly that's good!
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