For an early-twentysomething, Daniel Bachman has roots buried deep. His approach to the American Primitive style of acoustic guitar — a sonically vivid fingerpicking technique developed by John Fahey and expanded by the likes of Robbie Basho and, later, Jack Rose and Glenn Jones — is conversational and uplifting, much like the man himself. After a rousing performance of "Honeysuckle Reel" from a forthcoming seven-inch single, however, Bachman turned beet-red in the NPR Music office and said, "I'm not going to lie. I'm pretty nervous."
Endearing as his admission is, once Bachman zeroes in on the center of a song, it's easy to get lost in it yourself. Strap on a pair of heavy boots and "Honeysuckle Reel" becomes an ecstatic dance tune or, at the very least, a foot-stomping good time. He closes with the reflective title track from one of two great albums he put out in 2012, Seven Pines, whose simple melody dives in and out of low-string chord crashes and tumultuous swirls of dizzying fingerpicking.
Set List
Credits
Producer: Lars Gotrich; Editor: Denise DeBelius; Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Christopher Parks; photo by Ryan Smith/NPR
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