See also: Roy Montgomery
Double LP
Few weeks pass-by round here without some mention of the name Roy Montgomery (and not just because we've been constantly wondering when these records were going to appear - thanks to all who pre-ordered for patiently awaiting its arrival). No doubt Montgomery's influence and output has observably accelerated over the course of the shop's lifetime, and arguably reaches a summit-reaching like moment with this first time vinyl pressing of 1995 masterwork, Temple IV. Inspired by experiences of ancient Mayan history while visiting Guatemala and dedicated to the memory of a departed friend, there's a highly pronounced elegiac tone to these seven guitar instrumentals that feels uniquely monumental. Montgomery is as emotionally fervent as he is virtuoso here, his playing intense and driven, caught somewhere between the cascading spiritual dance of Manuel Gottsching and the wordless coda of 'Sister Ray'. And while Montgomery performs with great skill, there's also an obvious vulnerability on show, similar, in its own way, to how Vini Reilly manages to capture the sense of a fragile soul inside every expertly framed guitar line. Such comparisons help one build an understanding, but really, Roy's out on his own here, grand in ambition, deeply connnective in its emotional grace. And so another week and another Montgomery, but also this time quite possibly the best Montgomery there's ever been.
