4 out of 5

Label: supermegacorporation / self-released

Produced by: Geoff Soule (recorded by)

As written in the Bandcamp notes, these ‘sketches’ – approximately 2 to 5 minutes tracks of guitar or piano or other – were selected from hundreds, recorded live and presented to us without any production dressing. That would suggest something of demo quality, or a scattered set, and yes, this isn’t necessarily my favorite Soule album, or something I would point to as indicative of his works. However, if you take a look at the tracklist, you’ll note they’re sequenced; that is, this isn’t just a chronological selection. And consider that the songs have structure, individually, and together: some are more noodly or drone than others, but they’re paired such that it’s never too much of one or the other, and ordered so that the instrument focus changes. These “sketches” are thus considered as part of a whole picture – it is a compilation that works amazingly well as an album, and once you’re familiar with its paces, can become very immersive.

The two longer tracks, topping five minutes each, do perhaps stretch things a bit, but I’d circle back around to how they are sequenced to accommodate this, and also sink into the experience the more go-rounds you give it.

An appreciated slice of the inbetween musical going-ons in Geoff Soule’s life, packaged and presented with care.