"IT'S A ROUGH TIME," veteran blues guitarist Walter Trout attests. "The whole world feels like it's in a dark place, with the wars going on. In this country, the political polarization definitely feels like we're very divided. It feels like a very scary time for the world."
That sense of fear was heavy on Trout's mind as he set out to write the dozen tracks on Broken (Mascot), his 31st solo album since he left John Mayall's band in 1989. But far from wallowing in dread, Trout's new songs take the listener on a journey out of the darkness and into redemptive light. "I feel like we're at a pivotal moment in world history," he tells Guitar Player. "Which way are we going to go, you know? I think there's some concern that's reflected on this album, but I believe that the overall theme, by the end of the record, is that there's still some hope. I've got to hold on to hope."
Trout sounds convincingly committed to that goal on Broken. The energy, passion and fire that he brings to his playing, both live and on the new record, belie the fact that just 10 years ago he underwent a liver transplant that saved his life but left him unable to play guitar, which he had to relearn from scratch. His emotively expressive fretwork on Broken fulfills all the expectations set by his stellar past work, but the record throws a few curve balls into the mix as well. "I tried a couple of new approaches and went a little out of the box on this record," Trout explains. "And I'm really excited about how well it turned out."
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Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Guitar Player.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Mother Folker
Dubbed the Queen of the Beatniks, Judy Henske ruled the roost on High Flying Bird.
An ES for Less
Offered by Silvertone and Harmony, the H63 Espanada was the poor-man's version of Gibson's ES-175.
DEATH BECOMES THEM
Tik Tok gave Mother Mother a second lease on life. Now they take on the Grim Reaper with Grief Chapter.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
West Coast luthier Ron Thorn took a trip to the Big Apple. He came back with his stunning new Florentine Empirial.
NEVER BE THE SAME
Four decades in with Crowded House's ever-changing lineup, Neil Finn takes a trial-and-error approach to music - and guitar. \"The mistakes make it interesting,” he says.
THEMES FOR IMAGINARY WESTERNS
Estevan and Alejandro Gutiérrez weave haunting guitar instrumentals evocative of spaghetti-western scores. With Sonido Cósmico, they show why they are the most exciting guitar duo of our time.
TIP SHEET
How did Peter Stroud become the right-hand man to Sheryl Crow, Don Henley and many others? It took talent - and these five rules.
MY CAREER IN FIVE SONGS
Four decades down the road with Winger, Reb Beach sheds his hair metal past with this quintet of metal and fusion cuts.
THE SESSION WHISPERER
Shred like the best of them with these 10 techniques gleaned from Steve Lukather, the legendary studio ace and Toto guitarist.
WONDER WOMEN
With her new solo acoustic One Guitar Woman, Sue Foley pays tribute to guitar's female trailblazers, from Elizabeth Cotten and Lydia Mendoza to Maybelle Carter and Charo.