Album Notes

Higher Than Pope: Gustav's Guitars

Higher Than Pope are primarily a guitar band. Although much more prone to committing the usual heinous pop/rock sorts of guitar mischief, HTP pay homage to both Guitars and Gustav Mahler in this classic. This is not a classical guitar CD. This is a classical CD with rock guitar, bass and drums. This is classical music for rockers. This is classical music for electric guitar fans.

If you have ever wondered how some of your favorite classical music would sound if you changed some of the instruments in the symphony orchestra out as guitar, bass and drums, then this is your album. Gustav's Guitars is definitely more Mahler than Emerson, Lake and Palmer. HTP did not abandon the strings. They did add some amp. They also added some very delicious sounding acoustic guitars--massively moving electrics and the bass passages are truly tremendous and magic.

One can only hope they tackle Mozart (Mozart's Maracas?) or more seriously, a string quartet or a chamber piece. Remember to play this CD at 11 cuz Mahler can shake your lungs through your rib cage.

Meanwhile, you should also try and get a copy of some of their more traditional rockers. Higher Than Pope's usual rhythmic syncopations are some of the catchiest and most infectious guitar songs around. I understand too that they have a new CD coming: EO.