Review: Parts I – X| by Ian Doig – Phaneuf

Parts I – X | Ian Doig – Phaneuf.

When I reviewed Ian Doig-Phaneuf’s Memoriae 2001-2005 last year, I complained that it was too long.

Ian’s most recent release takes album length to the opposite extreme. It clocks in at about 11 minutes but every single moment is filled with gorgeous music. Nothing in here is redundant and when you reach the end you are left wanting more.

I’ve always admired how effortless Ian sounds when he is playing guitar and this is him at his best, organic without being meandering. Each track sound like a snippet of a longer jam, centered around a guitar but sometimes with interesting accompaniment (at one point I think he plays a saxophone). The tracks flow together beautifully and capture a soothing melancholic vibe. Totally suitable for Canadian winter.

This is the sort of music that expands in your brain, crowding out all the other thoughts. The first time I put it on I wandered around the grocery store transfixed for the entire duration.

Listen to this album; you’ll probably forget to buy toilet paper, but you’ll be a better person (plus, it is free). 4.5/5