Alex Houghton, "More Love," 888-AH04, 2006

Canadian guitarist Alex Houghton's fourth offering, "More Love," is a collection of ten passionate finger-styled instrumentals. A relative new comer to the guitar, Houghton did not take up the instrument seriously until her early twenties. Making up for lost time she fervently studied composition from Carlton and the Ottawa Universities, developing a remarkable proficiency on her instrument. For "More Love," the artist uses a variety of musicians to form rich musical landscapes, resulting in an alluring tapestry of gorgeous tone poems. Houghton has an extraordinary gift for composition. The scope of her musical influences is expansive, ranging from folk, classical, jazz and modern. The strength of this recording lies in her innate ability to creatively integrate these diverse styles into cohesive musical narratives. For the opener, "For Harriet," lush strings accentuate the beautiful melody of this tender ballad. On the jazz inspired "Wynn's Bounce," Kevin Turcotte's supportive trumpet adds interesting melodic textures, while the guitarist eloquently swings with her working rhythm section. Perhaps the most ambitious performance on this recording is the dramatic "Toxicodendron," where Houghton explores minimalist motifs reminiscent of the seminal works of German composer, Steve Reich. The closing solo piece and title tract, "More Love," is an eloquent and introspective ballad, highlighting Houghton's rich musical and emotional vocabulary. "More Love" is an album of exceptional instrumental compositions, all brilliantly conceived and performed, and is highly recommended for any fan of beautiful music.