Pete Anderson - Daredevil

There's no other word for it. Pete Anderson is cool. With his seemingly effortless, laid-back style and oh-so-impressive guitar chops, he truly is a guitar god. And by guitar god, I mean he belongs in the same ranks with guys like Clapton, Harrison, Hendrix, and Knopfler. Anderson does things to a guitar that go beyond the spoken word into transcendance. Watching him play is truly a holy experience (or perhaps a sinful one)--listening is just as good.

For over a decade Pete Anderson has been sideman to Dwight Yoakam, light-handed producer and killer lead guitarist who provided so much of Yoakam's unique sound it was vibrantly noticeable when it was suddenly missing. Fortunately for us, Anderson has dedicated the last few months to getting some long-awated tasks completed, like finishing off "Daredevil," an instrumental work that magnificently captures the essence of the true artist, a sound which is wholly and completely Pete Anderson.

Listen for a while and you'll begin to hear individual little things Anderson does, signature licks so distinctive you can actually pick out his style when he is backing up someone else, whether it be Yoakam, Moot Davis, or Cisco (or anyone else, for that matter). He can make a guitar whimper with sorrow or shout with delight; his playing is so effortless he makes you wonder how it could possibly be difficult for anyone else. With the slightest movement of his fingers, Anderson can take the music to places you never expected it to go, and eagerly you follow, wanting to see what's around the next bend.

I was sorry, though, that Pete didn't sing on this disc. While I'll admit he's largely an instrumentalist, his first disc "Working Class" had some spirited lyrics. But it's a small beef, and one I don't worry about as I listen to this one. Just keep playin' that guitar, and I'll keep listening.