There is something beautifully pure about a duo instrumental acoustic guitar album, and Chasing Light by two of our most dynamic advocates of the acoustic is a splendid example of the wonderful magic that can be created by two intuitive musicians operating their beloved string boxes. Henry Parker and David Ian Roberts are both accomplished players with their own established body of work, so it’s no surprise that this eleven-song set is a high-quality recording, bringing to mind releases by Jim Ghedi & Toby Hay, plus Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker and, of course, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, whose Bert and John album is often considered the benchmark of acoustic guitar duo albums.
The songs on Chasing Light have an unshowy appeal, but that’s certainly not to say there is not plenty of skill on display. The pair’s ability is apparent from the first bars of the bright and bouncing title track, a pretty, bucolic number. Elsewhere, songs like the beautifully restrained English Dreamers contain as much charm as the above piece, with an added suggestion of melancholy lurking beneath, a detail that perhaps further enhances its character. I particularly like David’s nuanced string bends here, just adding an extra question mark to the mood of the music.
Landing somewhere in between the title track and English Dreamers is The White Roe, a lovely, delicately played piece that evokes the startling beauty of nature and landscape. This tune is more ethereal in character than songs like the robust and technically impressive Windy Pike Blues, a piece doffing its cap to the prowess of Davy Graham but no less satisfying in its subtlety, and the two sit alongside each other nicely, giving the album a versatile cohesion.
Further on, The March Hare shifts things again, bringing in some 60s psychedelia through fun chord progressions and string bends to create a short piece of magic. Think Alice in Wonderland (according to the informative liner notes) rather than English tradition and you’ll have an idea of the spirit of this song. Heading back to nature is the gorgeous Mayfly, possibly my pick of the bunch. There is something very clean about how this tune plays out, with an understated thumbed bass string running in the background throughout and quietly dynamic licks and runs, giving the feel of the comings and goings of the riverside. Just as affecting is the final minute, when the quick picking patterns give way to gentle harmonics and strummed lines, symbolising the inevitable quick decline of the eponymous creature. It is one of many clever details on a rich, fulfilling work by two players operating at a very high level and seemingly enjoying every moment.
Chasing Light will be available on CD, LP & Digital (out October 4th on Cup and Ring Records). It can be pre-ordered from tomorrow via Bandcamp: https://henryparker.bandcamp.com/
Tomorrow also sees the release of their first single, which you can pre-save here: https://hypeddit.com/henryparkerdavidianroberts/chasinglight
The Duo are also on tour in October/November; see the poster below:
Artist and ticket Links:
https://henryparkermusic.co.uk/home/tour/
https://www.davidianroberts.com
Check out a playlist they did for KLOF Mag back in 2022
