Fat Knuckle Freddy – Alfred Hitchcock Plays Guitar

With a title like Alfred Hitchcock Plays Guitar, how could you not give it a listen?

The Portland, Maine dwelling Fat Knuckle Freddy plays in the style of the bluesier end of the American primitive guitar spectrum. By utilizing his mastery of slide and precise fingerpicking, Freddy creates arid, dusty atmospheres with his instrument in a way that is reminiscent of early bluesmen like Lemuel Turner and Bayless Rose.

Apart from the blues, the songs appear to owe a great deal of inspiration from classical pieces. In that way, there are moments that bring to mind Sandy Bull’s interpretation of “Carmina Burana.” Meanwhile, the compositions themselves are intricate and also highly heartfelt. Many of the tracks just ache the soul and feel born out of moments of pain, beauty and loss.

These emotions are certainly amplified through the use of the specific type of guitar that Freddy uses. For instance, he mentions in the liner notes that he plays a National M1 Tricone, Baritone, Resonator Guitar, which, in his own words, “combines the warmth of an acoustic with the depth of a tricone.” The guitar’s rather unique construction allows for each note to twang and carry, almost bell-like. This natural bit of pure reverberation adds an extra level of melancholia to each song that is just irresistible.

If you’re a fan of Ry Cooder, Glenn Jones or Bukka White, then you would surely enjoy Fat Knuckle Freddy’s Alfred Hitchcock Plays Guitar. Grab it here today.

-KH