Will Graefe charts the most diverse pathways imaginable. Having played for everyone from Van Dyke Parks to Okkervil River and Joan as Policewoman, he is clearly a guitarist not contented to rest on his laurels. Volume 1 of Compositions for Guitar finds him examining the possibilities of guitar synthesis, shaping tones and textures, and revealing sounds and sensibilities that seem to be in opposition to the acoustic juggernaut of Volume 2.
From the first synthesized notes of Heartbursts, shaped and shaded notes create dream worlds. Strings waver, but the pastoral sounds blend rather than collide, providing a pathway to explore how these sounds feel. Heartbreaks aches with a sense of solemn sadness, exploring areas where bass notes shape a landscape tinged with touches of grief.
Throughout these electronic moments, Graefe finds intriguing insights. Kyoto, Dec 7 is framed by sounds that emerge from a mist, taking on Asian textures, suggesting a different realm than we are used to hearing. Though Charles Ives offers single notes and chords that blend with slightly off-kilter moments resembling Ives’ own compositions, even in the most peaceful moments, one is caught slightly off balance. In many ways, Harbor in the New England Fog feels like an Ives composition, one offering less rest than Charles Ives.
What begins with single acoustic notes emerging from the Shadow Country on Volume 2, becomes a full-blown Kottke-esque moment from his debut 6- and 12-String Guitar, as Graefe’s fingers dance across the strings. Examining this other side reveals his ability to pick out phrases and expose that, beyond all the synthesis, he is a guitarist who can create magic with wood and steel strings.
Funeral Song in C Minor reveals both the sorrow and sadness of death but also exposes how there are also magical memories that shape the frame. Like the author, Denis Johnson, Pt. 2 exposes the complications of a man framed by runs and riffs before the piece slows, examining the complexities of an author who dealt with his demons, alcohol and drugs. In a burgeoning California, Pasadena, 1903 brings to life rapid-fire guitar phrases that illustrate the city’s grandeur to wealthy Easterners, an attractive alternative to the cold blustery winter.
Exposing two distinctly different sides, Compositions for Guitar Vol. 1 & 2 reveal Will Graefe as an artist whose talent isn’t limited to a single form. He creates music that moves the mind and soul, whether using strings and steel or synthesis.
COMPOSITIONS FOR GUITAR VOL. 1 & 2 (April 25th, 2025) Self Released
Pre-Order via Bandcamp: https://willgraefe.bandcamp.com/album/compositions-for-guitar-vol-1-2
