Gordon Giltrap: Visionary (Electric)

CYNICS STOP here. Rarely has an album invited scepticism so shamelessly as this, where an acoustic guitarist takes on strings, synthesizer, complex arrangements and the works of poet William Blake. Yes, Giltrap's got the big production fever, and it undeniably smacks of pretentiousness, superficially seeming like a belated aftermath of Tubular Bells. And that's sad because Giltrap is a highly individual guitarist with exceptional sensitivity.