G is for Ghost and their gorgeous guitars

By Jason Hunter

Ghost

apan's Ghost have the curious reputation of being a nomadic tribe that rehearses in the ruins of ancient temples and lives in abandoned subway station. Even if it's half true, it's a great reputation for an experiemental, psychedelic folk band. I came arcoss Ghost's 4th LP Lama Rabi Rabi when Drag City re-issued it in 1997. That LP is full of druggy folk jams but two song in particular – "Into the Alley" and "Agate Scape" point to the gorgeous acoustic/electric guitar melodies that Masaki Batoh and Michio Kurihara would create on the simultaneously released Snuffbox Immanence and Tune In, Turn On, Free Tibet. Things get a bit heavier and weirder on their subsequent albums released in the 2000s - Hypnotic Underworld and In Stormy Nights. Not to suggest those are inferior released; Ghost is one of my all-time favorites. Starting with Lama Rabi Rabi, every release always amazed me with the new directions they take their psych-folk sounds.

The Gaslight Anthem: The '59 Sound

A recently acquired obsession, that takes over my iPod from time to time. Fun, upbeat, punk that folds strains of Springsteen, The Clash, and Social Distortion into songs that are character studies of hard-luck folks going through hard times. Part of the fun of this album is playing catch the pop culture references of their musical, literary, film influences.