Softloud: Music for Acoustic and Electric Guitars

This is a bold clash of ancient and modern played on acoustic and electric guitars. Shibe, one of the finest young guitarists today, begins his program in the 17th and 18th centuries with delicate, intimate miniatures for lute. Two short works by James MacMillan bring us to the modern era before Shibe picks up a Fender Stratocaster for Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint, a multilayered tour de force blending jazz, pop, and African styles, Shibe negotiating its rhythms with pinpoint precision. Originally scored for bagpipes, Julia Wolfe’s Lad is a screaming, relentless portrayal of grief. And David Lang’s “Killer” is the album’s ferocious showstopper, a fitting end to this thrilling journey.