Review Summary: Styles don’t count for much. They result from trends, and trends don’t last. The categories blur. A segment, a line, can go anywhere – Leo Kottke
1969 attempted to establish the ideals of peace and free love at Woodstock while simultaneously shattering any remnant of these traits via the stone cold beatings at Altamont, the infamous Manson family killings, and Viet ***ing Nam. During this year an obscure genre defying finger style behemoth by the name of Leo Kottke turned a partially deaf ear to all of this polarizing chaos, tuned in, unplugged and created one of the greatest instrumental acoustic folk albums to ever be released.
6 & 12 String Guitar takes the listener to a time when there were no electronic tuners, online tablature/lessons, Protools etc. A time when labels would not sign an artist off of talent alone; no, nothing like our era of Biebers and Crazy Towns. So, after mailing a demo to Mr. John Fahey, Kottke was soon signed to an obscure label (Tacoma) by the only man in the business with the testicular fortitude to give young Kottke a chance. Kottke subsequently responds by turning the 12 string guitar into a monolithic instrument capable of rocking harder than most electrics plugged into fat stacks, chugging manically like a madman, hellbent on breaking every string or developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome before the song is over.
This album is a time capsule lesson in chops, soul, lyrical playing, hyper speed picking patterns and consistent innovation. From the harmonically charged chorus of The Driving of the Year of the Nail to the bottleneck madness of Vaseline Machine Gun, to my personal favorites, Busted Bicycle and Coolidge Rising, Kottke plays supercharged, melodically infused, funky ass acoustic finger style guitar, comparable to only that of John Fahey during the era.
6 & 12 String Guitar serves as a testament to what can be done within the genre while setting the bar very high for any future takers. If you think you got the chops, be sure to give this a spin and test your mettle first. If you want to hear guitar mastery during an era when this genre was criminally overlooked, give this a listen. Or, maybe you just want to refute any of what I’ve said, that’s great too because I’m sure you’ll find something of value within the album. Nonetheless, Leo Kottke is a master guitar player, and this is his best album. 6 & 12 String Guitar is truly a classic (especially when complemented with a fine glass of whiskey).
