If you like guitars, you will love this.

Simon Fox is a master of that combination of wood and strings, and he brings the instrument to life on A Winter's Tale in a fashion that will entrance the guitar lover and passing listener in equal amounts.

His insert is almost as mesmerising as the playing on the CD, as he gives us generous background information on the tunes he offers. For instance, on "Powderhorn," his revelation that he uses a "banjo finger-picking" technique intrigues even this musical idiot and helps me understand the tune even more. His admission that "Gathering Storm" originated as a "random piece of noodling" must give hope to thousands of guitar pickers out there who love to just play snatches of music but may not expect them to go anywhere.

This is a truly international album as we find his inspirations ranging from Calgary through Sydney and Tromso in Norway. It is also personal, with "A Month of Rain" recalling the month of his wedding, which was just that -- including a wedding day "blessed with horizontal rain." Most of us might curse it -- Fox writes a tune for it.

Simon Fox will delight the lovers of guitar music and perhaps add a few more to their ranks with this album.

by Nicky Rossiter
Rambles.NET
24 February 2007

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