Read/McQueen [CD]

Following their self-released debut album, Western Theatre (2017), guitarists Matt Read and Chris McQueen are proud to join the GroundUP Music family with their eponymous second release Read/McQueen. This sophomore album finds the acoustic duo continuing to explore their cinematic, storytelling approach to instrumental songwriting. Despite the limitations of the stripped-down acoustic guitar setting, the album provides plenty of variation stylistically and emotionally. Moments of thickly interwoven textures, stark simplicity, bluegrass-inspired tunes, and even a quasi-Baroque etude all coexist here. As always, the duo maintain a focus on crafting songs with satisfying arrangements while leaving plenty of room to improvise.