Alexander - Alexander 7"

Long time follower, first time listener of David Shapiro’s Alexander project here!

A member of New Haven mainstays Headroom and Center as well as recentish sideman to Kath Bloom, Shapiro’s playing has been a regular feature on the shop stereo, but his solo records have eluded our grasp so far.

This latest 7” collects four new solo instrumental compositions, two each on the banjo and the mandolin. Both sides buck expected notions of the instruments as bluegrass instruments, eschewing typical styles and approaches for these meditative, almost cyclical compositions that almost approach classical guitar playing.

I don’t really have a musical reference point for it, except to say it’s the kind of music that wouldn’t feel out of place on a soundtrack for a Kelly Reichardt film.
-Mitch