Pete Webber
Album: Until The Water Runs Clean
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.petewebbermusic.com

Bristol-based, Pete is an accomplished guitarist and songwriter with a distinctly bluesy turn of phrase who, in tandem with percussionist collaborator Simon "Jack" Carver (mostly on cajon and djembe here) conjures a precise rhythmic drive, complete with often explosive riffing, to back his original songs. These comprise the entire menu for his debut CD, and are as driven as they are insightful. Pete's guitar style is intricately frenetic (Song For Lily), yet any flashiness therein is no mere thrashiness or attention-grabbing device but instead an embodiment of involvement. A certain resemblance to the percussive slap of Jamie Roberts is recalled through Simon's busy insistent cajon, while there's no denying the sheer muscular energy and deftness of technique in Pete's own playing, whether in acoustic, slide or electric mode.

He turns to banjo for the gloomy title song, and plucks a pretty effective mandolin on Evangelina which also cleverly brings in some electric guitar, and the resulting groove is really infectious. Black Rider Blues has an eerie, fuller-textured and more doom-laden ambience, and What's Left Is Mine has an early-Hendrix tone and feel to the guitar work (but this is the only track where the vocal is probably too far down in the mix). The disc also contains some further instrumental embellishments, courtesy of cellist Sam May (on One Percent) or Billy Fuller (bass, keyboards or percussion on four or five tracks), all used to good effect.

I really like the sound of this record, not least for its sheer individuality and great sense of presence, while the abundant power and thrust and cracking good-time energy of the performances proves a good match for Pete's songwriting (which itself might be in danger of being underestimated, which would be rather a pity). Little wonder, then, that his work has already been heartily endorsed by Michael Messer.

David Kidman