Cargo Records

Sea Changes and Coelanths: A Young Persons Guide to John Fahey

Embodies an artistic essence, with sounds that are undiluted, uncompromised, starkly honest, pure of vision and in every way innovative - just like the man himself.

In the 43 years between his first recordings and his death in 2001, John Fahey stomped across the American soundscape, leaving behind footprints of influence so breathtakingly vast that entire genres now huddle within them.

His mesmeric guitar compositions fused the blues' syncopated rhythms with contemporary dissonance; eastern influences with musique-concrète. He was the first to demonstrate that traditional steel-string finger-picking techniques could be used to express a universe of non-traditional ideas. Playing with versatility and a fierce imagination, Fahey expanded the boundaries of the guitar, and his contribution to American music is immense.

In the early 1960s, a young John Fahey searched out the missing bluesmen Skip James and Bukka White, thereby igniting the acoustic blues revival. By the early 1990s, it was Fahey's turn to be rescued from oblivion by young enthusiasts - and reawakened from his hibernation, he had no intention of pandering to traditionalists.

Invigorated by the contemporary music underground, the man was ready to set minds ablaze. Through his partnership with Table of the Elements, Fahey released a series of extraordinary records, now compiled for the first time as Sea Changes & Coelacanths.

Here is Fahey's trademark American Primitive sound at its most harrowing and resolute. Featuring Skip James-influenced vignettes, deep-sea string-bendings, sonic collages, oaken reverberations and lengthy, impressionistic suites, these recordings - made between 1996 and 1998 - comprise a major portion of Fahey's canon, and are the logical next-step in his life-long journey of exploration. Sea Changes & Coelacanths embodies an artistic essence, with sounds that are undiluted, uncompromised, starkly honest, pure of vision and in every way innovative - just like the man himself.


"Now that John Fahey, the Great Koonaklaster no longer walks among us, it may be possible to review this final period of his amazing trajectory with the requisite objectivity. There is no more New John anymore; no more Old John. There is only John Fahey - Immortal Motherf*cker of the 20th Century.

"And it's time for you to eat his dust." -�Byron Coley, from the liner notes

"John Fahey has created a universe of complexity, emotion and exquisite otherness for acoustic steel-string guitar. His musical inventions match those of John Coltrane and Harry Partch for sheer transcendental American power . . . He is as monumental and singular a musical talent as any this country has produced." -�Spin

"Fahey explored the mystique as well as the manner of roots music, evoking a mythic America." -�Rolling Stone


2XCD and 4XLP SETS FEATURE OVER TWO HOURS OF MUSIC

64-PAGE BOOK (CD) / 12 PAGE LIBRETTO (LP)

INCLUDES NEW ESSAYS BY BYRON COLEY, DAVID FRICKE AND DAVID GRUBBS, AN INTERVIEW WITH AND ORIGINAL TEXT BY JOHN FAHEY; PLUS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED PHOTOGRAPHS (CD ONLY)

Track Listing

LP 1

Side A
1. Sharks (9:20)
2. Planaria (9:54)
3. Eels (6:13)

Side B
1. Coelacanths (7:28)
2. Juana (12:34)

LP 2

Side C
1. House of the Rising Sun /
Nightmare (19:09)

Side D
1. Juana / Guitar Lamento (17:06)

LP 3

Side E

1. Red Rocking Chair (9:26)
2. Song for Sara (6:20)

Side F

1. Son House / Marilyn / My Prayer /
Mood Indigo (21:05)

LP 4

Side G
Hard Time Empty Bottle Blues:
I (2:18)
II (3:05)
III (1:34)
IV (2:23)