James Filkins
Borderline Normal
© 2007 James Filkins (700261209456)
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Instrumental fingerstyle acoustic guitar with some acoustic percussion, mixing also ambient, Celtic new age, and acoustic folk...
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A finger style acoustic guitar player using alternate tunings. The style is a bit new age, a bit ambient, and a bit just plain hard to describe. Somewhere back 2001 or 2002 he began to dabble with alternative tunings and quickly headed down the path that has resulted in the CD Borderline Normal. The tunes on this CD have evolved over the past few years and were recorded in various rooms of my home; A homegrown project all the way around with the exception of the mastering by Bill Wolf (Al Petteway, Jim Tozier, Brooks Williams, etc.) and art work by Glenn Wolff, a fellow Traverse City, Michigan resident and well known artist and bass player for the Neptune Quartet. New to the music scene and relatively new to finger style guitar, James’ primary guitars are both hand built, one from Irish luthier Dermot Mcilroy and the other from American Simon Fay.
"James Filkins's acoustic guitar CD derives its title from the alternate tunings of its 14 tracks. However, no ability to comprehend cryptic annotations like "DGDGBD" and "DADF#AD" is necessary: the clear, melodic instrumentals on Borderline Normal speak eloquently for themselves.
If you like the sound of fingerpicked acoustic guitar, this CD is for you -- and if you don't, Borderline Normal may just succeed in converting you. Except for some silvery chimes and light percussion on a few of the tracks, it's pretty much just James Filkins and his acoustic guitars for the full 50 minutes of the CD. This turns out to be a very good thing.
His compositions are crisp and confident, yet produce a relaxed, easygoing ambience. The CD opens with the well-titled piece, "Round Lake Leelanau (A Biking Tune)," a track redolent with fresh air and open space. Like a musical game of Marco Polo, the clear, high refrain, slightly evocative of a bicycle bell, seems to call and answer the warmer underlying melody.
The rest of the tracks can be divided into two basic camps: those with percussion and those without. The title cut and "Possibilities" are upbeat and sunny, their sauntering pace accentuated by laidback conga and djembe rhythms. "Early Morning Promises" and "A Bleak December" are slower and more contemplative guitar solos. Because all 14 tracks are more or less mellow and cohesive in tone, it's difficult to pick out favourites. On the upside, there are definitely no clunkers.
Filkins gets just about everything right with Borderline Normal. Part of the charm is the utter lack of pretension: the liner notes comment that the recording was "engineered and produced by James Filkins, if at all." There are no synthesisers or cheesy sound effects, just good, unadulterated guitar music and sound quality so sharp that it often seems like Filkins is playing in the same room. What is all the more surprising is that the tracks were recorded in his own home.
Uncluttered and full of homegrown integrity, this CD is the perfect companion to a summer afternoon on the porch with a good book. Not that it should be relegated to background music; it's unobtrusive but fully worthy of your attention. I've never cared for the word "borderline" with its implications of being only-just-good-enough. Disregard the name: Borderline Normal is very good indeed.
-Jennifer Mo, Rambles.NET
“... a treat for the ears... very reflective ... His guitar music feels like a continuous flow of inspiration of the deeper layers of the soul.”
-Henk te Veldhuis, “Bridge Guitar Reviews” (Jan. 2007)
Borderline Normal is an easy listen... soothing music that calms the spirit. The sound quality is top-notch, which really showcases Filkins' playing and the wonderful tone of the guitars."
- Jim Tozier, Solid Air Records Recording Artist (Feb 1, 2007)
reviews
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Labor of love
author: Mish Mash Music ReviewsJames Filkins is taking us back to the basics, in more ways than one. Not only does he finger-pick his hand-made acoustic guitar with alternate tunings, he also recorded the tracks on this album in various rooms of his home. It's a labor of love, built from the ground up in the truest of DIY fashion. Filkins is not flashy or showy, instead he keeps his focus on the melody and overall feel of the song. The essence of the music is all that matters here. It's an almost impressionistic way of playing the guitar, shifting and drifting through a beautiful haze of sound.
Tour de Force of Acoustic Guitar Playing In Alternate Tunings!
author: GuitarNation.comGuitarNation.com CD Review - "Borderline Normal", James Filkins. Review by Norman L. Beberman, GuitarNation.com staff writer Acknowledging my debt to Mojo Nixon & his song "Elvis Is Everywhere", I have come to the conclusion that while Elvis may not be everywhere, talent & talented people are everywhere. Specifically, there is one VERY talented guitarist in Traverse City, MI; his name is James Filkins. Devoted to his passion of alternative tunings, James' debut CD is song-after-song of stunningly beautiful guitar playing. Breathtakingly elegant & sensitive are just two adjectives that come to mind to describe all 14 songs. It is one of those all too rare CD's where the next track seems even better than the preceding one; such is the case with "Borderline Normal". 14 tracks of excellent, thoughtful & beautiful guitar playing. This is, without a doubt, the best acoustic guitar CD that I have heard in along time. Superlative in every way! James has at least one new fan in me; his guitar playing deserves many more. Rating: EXCELLENT & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
A delightful diversion with an attention to craft you don’t often see/hear
author: Midwest RecordFilkins gently sees how far he can push the possibilities of guitar. Falling under the realm of new age and NAC without swallowing the wishy washy elements of either, Filkins music is along the line of guitar miniatures that tell stories within themselves. A delightful diversion with an attention to craft you don’t often see/hear
A sensitive musical heart on full display.
author: MichaelThis album is excellent for those quiet moments of introspection or when you're sitting out on your front porch enjoying a cup of coffee and watching the early morning awaken the new day. James surely has a sensitive musical heart and it's on full display here in his songs. And he plays them quite superbly, but believe me, you'll get so caught up in listening you won't be focusing on his technical skill. You can safely place this album on your CD shelf next to El McMeen, Larry Pattis and Andrew Jackson.
Quiet, reflective moods dominate the music on this self-produced disc.
author: Patrick Ragains -Minor 7thQuiet, reflective moods dominate the music on this pleasant, self-produced disc. Michigan steel-string guitarist James Filkins' music has New Age qualities, notably, effective use of repetition, resonance and silence. Some of the strongest performances include the opener, "Round Lake Leelanau," "Ambient Noise" and "Autrain River," all of which have well-developed themes in the aforementioned context. Filkins enlists guitarist Matt Harting and percussionists John Tornga and Marc Alderman on the title tune, which has a jazzy tinge and manages to hold the listener's interest without any flashy soloing. "Possibilities" also fits into a comfortable, smooth jazz groove...
"...acoustic guitar folk that relaxes the soul..."
author: Smother.net“Nice finger style acoustic guitar folk that relaxes the soul and rests the imagination for a bit. Not to say that it isn’t an energetic burst of rock, because it is. Roots rock that reinvigorates while it coaxes. Definitely a nifty instrumental listen, especially for those of you that play guitar—or any stringed instrument for that matter.”
Relaxing guitar explorations
author: El McMeenRelaxing guitar explorations in various tunings, creating a pleasant sonic atmosphere