Roseland

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The trademark innovation and optimism of three-time Grammy nominee's, Acoustic Alchemy,can be heard in abundance on their latest album Roseland containing a plethora of guitar styles and grooves. BROUGHT TO YOU BY ONSIDE RECORDS / ABSOLUTE DISTRIBUTION.

"We're very excited about this recording," says Acoustic Alchemy co-founder Greg Carmichael, who specializes in nylon string guitar. "It represents an entirely new chapter for the band. By establishing a new label, we're taking more control of our own direction, and by partnering with Heads Up and their resources, we can reach the broadest possible audience worldwide."

The UK-based group has crafted a sound that maximizes the potential of not only the acoustic guitar but also its electric counterpart - and in so doing they've explored the subtle corners where jazz, pop, world music and other genres intersect. Along the way - with the help of a massive worldwide following created by consistent touring - they've weathered personal setbacks, dramatic shifts in musical trends, and in recent years, sweeping changes in the music industry.

Roseland was recorded in Gilderdale's newly constructed home studio in York, England, a place where the band could be creative without the pressure of a ticking clock. "We used the studio as a place to write," says Carmichael. "We would just throw ideas at each other. You try things as you go along. That's the beauty of having your own studio. You can try an electric guitar solo here, a steel-string solo there, a trombone solo somewhere else, whatever you like. It may have taken us a little longer, but if something didn't work, it didn't matter. We just tried things until we found what did work."

In the end, it all works very well, beginning with "Marrakesh," the breezy and uptempo opener that positions Carmichael's catchy steel-string melody front and center. The followup, "One for Shorty," is a jaunty shuffle that balances the guitar work with tasty lines from Peterson's Hammond organ.

The quiet and contemplative "Templemeads" is Carmichael's ode to the scholar in his family and the things he has learned from her. "Templemeads is an area in Bristol, not far from Wales," he says. "My daughter just finished studying there. She has a masters degree in chemistry. She has introduced me to quite a bit of music over the years, so I wanted to write a song that gave her a bit of recognition."

Further in, the band heads for the islands - in a technologically enhanced sort of way - with the reggae-flavored "Ebor Sound System," a track that includes some intriguing synthesized guitar sounds. The hypnotic "Sand on Her Toes" settles into a Latin rhythm with a sparse arrangement that allows plenty of room for both the acoustic and electric guitar work to shine through. The title track picks up the tempo, with an energized backbeat.

"Stealing Hearts" veers toward country music, thanks in large part to Frank Mizen's work on pedal steel. "Frank absolutely seals that track," says Carmichael. "He's a British guy, but he really captures that American country sound."

"Right Place - Wrong Time" leans toward straightahead jazz, followed by "A Kinder Loving," a ballad that starts quietly and eventually evolves into a more rhythmic piece full of optimism and promise - the kind of thing one would expect to hear from a musical collective with decades of experience and still plenty of open territory ahead.

Produced by Greg Carmichael & Miles Gilderdale