Impossible Truth

Dreamy folk-rock instrumentals with a keen eye for dynamics and harmonic complexity, the kind of stuff Crosby & Stills could only dream of making. We’ve heard William Tyler’s more abstract side on Three Lobed’s guitar compilation “Eight Trails, One Path” along with heavyweights such as Sir Richard Bishop and Steve Gunn; he’s contributed to recordings by Wooden Wand, and is currently on tour with Hiss Golden Messenger. Diverse instrumentation keeps stuff soothing and interesting throughout. RIYL fingerpicking, David Crosby’s wordless songs, any artist mentioned above.

1. (8:59) sweeping, majestic arpeggios take us on a journey, accompanied by gentle bass and nostalgic lap-steel guitar
2. (6:22) dark bluesy wandering gets neoclassical, brightens up into a folksy romp
3. (6:37)** bright lilting melodies dancing around, driven by a strong fuzz-bass bottom
4. (6:17) brooding, pensive, yet somehow sunshiney acoustic fingerpicking; when the electric guitar comes in, the fingers pick up the pace a bit
5. (5:53)* solo acoustic picking, elegiac and bittersweet, just what your heart wants to hear when it’s down instead of your go-to breakup song; ends on a positive note… a silver lining, maybe…
6. (4:26) happy electric guitar theme rambles along, sounding not unlike an Irish folk tune with some hillbilly touches
7. (5:15) soft, melancholy, rapidly winding electric guitar lullaby with some eastern harmonies thrown in an otherwise very western composition
8. (10:15)*** wandering finger picking builds into a steady theme, joined around ~4mins by additional guitars and a drumset(!); doesn’t get too wild, but definitely a case of ending the album on a high note.