This is the third album by Dutch guitar virtuoso JOOP WALTERS and although I have heard of him before I'll admit to not hearing anything of the previous releases and therefore can't say whether he continues in similar vein with this new all instrumental offering.

Billed as an elegant guitarist, and no argument there on the basis of what I hear, the blog claim is that his work "travels through a variety of moods and styles" and for me this is where the real problem lies with this sixteen track marathon outing that starts well, falls away badly then recovers with four or fives good tunes mid album before a certain patchiness takes over for the remainder.

Give me an album of guitar rock live "American Dance", "Heartline", the excellent "Tied Knots" which is adorned by the talents of drummer VIRGIL DONATI to some effect, and top it off by the album highlight, the superb battery of "Divide And Conquer" and I'm a happy listener. However add in all the jazz-fusion noodlings of the likes of "Cardiac" or the spaghetti western soundtrack soundalike of the acoustic "Harmonic Spheres", good as it is, and I'm getting a little disoriented as I'm thrown between significantly different styles somewhat recklessly. Continuity and hence concentration lost other offerings sounds either too funky ("Bleed"), too of the wall ("Dropout") or simply too over-indulgent ("Sceptic Desire") to grab me again.

I'll take tracks seven to ten, add the first two to the folder and leave the rest for others with more eclectic guitar tastes who don't mind this sort of diversity over the space of an hour or so.

- Leslie

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/joopwolters

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