Ian Carr & The Various Artists
Album: Who He?
Label: Reveal
Tracks: 9
Website: http://www.iancarrguitar.com

To avoid any misunderstanding and respond to the album title, this is not Ian Carr the well known trumpet player who might appear at the head of any google search, but Ian Carr the guitarist (who incidentally does play the trumpet but not as well as the other Ian Carr). Hopefully that clears up any possible confusion and potential disappointment for trumpet aficionados who might happen upon 'Who He?'

Having played the guitar since the early seventies and mastering 'Octopus's Garden' Ian Carr has been doing it rather well ever since both with other musicians and finally now on his own.Chris Wood and Kate Rusby, he's finally emerged from a quarter of a century of being a back room boy to taking centre stage with his own The Various Artists band for his debut album.

Rather like Boo Hewerdine's 'My Name In The Brackets', 'Who He?' has that level of humble modesty and understated quality which belies the titles. Also like Boo's work, the songwriting and playing are impeccable. Backed by a band revolving mainly around bassist Stefan Lindfors and the viola d'amore playing of Maria Jonsson together with many other contributors, the record takes twists and turns through a set of songs ranging from bright and lively to the more reflective.

Kris Drever has talked about Ian's harmonies, rhythms and techniques and he gets to demonstrate to the full on 'Who He?' without being showy or flash. The string backing provides a backdrop for some inventive compositions and fleet fingered picking. The title track is an early contender for a favourite tune which shows the clarity and inventiveness working round a simple rhythm yet bear with the album as similar pieces in the charming and intriguingly title 'The Beans War' and 'I've never been to Oxford (Or Is It Cambridge?) allow the guitar playing to shine through. The more ambitious six plus minutes of 'Take Me To Your Leader' allows the band to explore an extended arrangement which moves from a plethora of percussive plucking sounds into an atmospheric moody soundscape with all manner of clockwork sounding picking and quite a departure from the main arrangements on the album.

The testimonials from Eliza Carthy, John McCusker and Kris Drever don't lie and with launching the album at the prestigious Celtic Connections event and a tour with Kris Drever pencilled in for later in the year. It's good to see Ian Carr giving the public a chance to find out exactly who he is.

Mike Ainscoe