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Jeff Aug — Kiss of the Liquid Moon
(Maximum Booking 40 27791 00916 2, 2024, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2024-11-10

Kiss of the Liquid Moon Cover art

We’ve encountered guitarist Jeff Aug before in his band Ape Shifter, an instrumental band that tackles rock riffs with punkish energy and a touch of fusion. But he’s always had another side, and Kiss of the Liquid Moon is in fact his ninth acoustic album, counting his solo work and with the duo Floating Stone. This album is centered around Aug’s acoustic guitar, with some contributions from Francesco Fosati (cello), William Wertlieb (percussion), Thomas B. Berger (upright bass), and Murat Parlak (piano, keyboards). There’s a very live sound about the recording, with the real feeling of a room, and not a lot of studio post-production. Aug’s finger-style playing is fluid and touches on elements from folk, Classical, rock, Spanish, and jazz without adhering to any of them. For points of reference, I’m occasionally reminded of the acoustic work of Steve Tibbetts, Jimmy Page, Richard Thompson, Al DiMeola, Ralph Towner, and Steve Howe - but all of the comparisons seem superficial. The other players’ parts are mostly supportive, though Parlak gets a solo spot on electric piano on “One Way Beat.” The use of overdubs is sparing, with only a few tracks where you hear more than one guitar, and the tracks are short enough to keep things moving along, with only one stretching over the four-minute mark. The overall impression of the album is of being present at a friend’s house where musicians hang around in the living room and play some tunes for those gathered together. While it won’t get the attendees up and dancing, everyone will enjoy the music as they sip their beverage of choice. Anyone who appreciates good acoustic guitar playing should find a lot to love here, and Aug’s versatility is certainly impressive.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Jeff Aug

More info
http://jeffaug.bandcamp.com/album/kiss-of-the-liquid-moon

 

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