Browsing Tag

Technical Guitarist

Drench Yourself in the Tonal Bliss of Robbie Lackey’s Single ‘Atoms’

Posted on 19 October 2022

Taken from his first solo instrumental album, Surrender with a Smile, which is due for release on October 22nd, Robbie Lackey’s standout single, Atoms, outlays ambient melodies that absorb you through their intricacy and ability to transplant you into a far spacier realm.

Painting all across the tonal spectrum in vivid yet euphonous colour, the Columbia Falls, MT-hailing musician and producer leads you on a psychonautic road trip that you’ll want to embark on time and time again for the cathartic escapism. With the rising cost of fuel prices, it’s probably best to stay inside and take trips of the mind, led by one of the most tonally-gifted guitarists of our time. His 20 years of playing guitar clearly paid off in Atoms; if we still lauded guitarists as much as Prince and Hendrix, teenagers would have Lackey’s poster on their bedroom walls.

Check out Robbie Lackey’s latest single, Atoms, on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Zach Butler has made his funked-up blues debut with ‘Selfish’.

Posted on 20 November 2021

Some artists try to portray themselves as icons, and some become iconic through their instant accessibility; Zach Butler safely and funkily falls into the latter camp. His debut single, Selfish, is a soulfully rendered feat of experimentalism that finds its vibrancy by grasping at the roots of blues and ripping them out in grooves that are almost technical enough to resonate as avant-garde.

Even though there’s plenty of distinction to grasp through the lyrics and vocals that carry the charisma of a cult leader, the guitars are on a whole other level. As soon as he starts to play in the progressively choppy despite being smooth single, you get the sense that he carries a deep passion for the technicalities of expression. The up and coming Atlanta-based artist takes influence from the guitar styles of Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Mayer. For songwriting influence, he looks to the likes of Stephen Day and Jordy Searcy.

Selfish is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast