Ambient Guitar Solos

From Patricka

Ambient Guitar Solos is Patrick Aei's fifteenth album. The record developed from an idea originally conceived almost a year before the recording process. Benji and Mei is a slight return to this album.

Recording took place through a short time in early January 2011; Patrick was less concerned with guitar sounds as much as textures. A Digitech guitar processor was used for the many layers of effects and reverb; such processors are usually frowned upon by most professional guitarists. Each song had a unique effects configuration, which took several days to manipulate and create before recording began.

The cover is a picture of Courage, Patrick's second small dog who was killed by a bobcat. Smidge, Patrick's first small dog, is also paid tribute to in the Subtitle.

"I wanted an Ambient album that was just guitar solos, but that's hard to do without some careful planning. That's why it took almost a year before I figured out how to do it. It's not a guitar album as much as it is just a collective noise. It starts simply, and end with a bang."

"Eno was a big influence, as he has been before. Before I recorded the album, I was doodling on a digital piano, which had chorus and reverb. I found that with those effects and the right amount of sustain, I could emulate the Budd/Eno records. I then got the idea to do that same effect with guitar."

Released 5/1/11

"Ambient Guitar Solos had been in the making for a long time, but actual recording didn't take long at all. I think everything turned out good, or better, than I had hoped. For one thing, I had doubts I could attempt such a thing. You have players in Post-Rock doing what they think, or call, is ambient, but it's not based in Eno, who created that genre. Usually players will put on some chorus and reverb, maybe a volume swells, but not something like this. I went from clean to filthy in terms of my sound, and distortion isn't something you hear in most players who call themselves ambient, but I've been doing it since Chester. Instead of trying to sound like background music, I made something more in Eno's vein, where it can be in the background, but it's really impressive on a musical standpoint. By the end of the album, you can't just put it in the back of your mind. You're totally engulfed. That being said, it's not my favorite album of mine, but I think I did a fine job." - 11/13/11

Track Listing

1. Big Band Break

2. Care Cannot Care

3. Directly

4. Means to An End

5. Less Direct

6. Never Listen

7. Post - Post

8. The Mountain Men Surf

9. Rick

"I wish I would have used more reverb on Directly, and a little less on Never Listen."

"Rick was a joke, which combined Richard Thompson with the blues. I had an idea to make an ambient blues album, but decided against it."