Concrete Americana. ATEM

Concrete Americana is an instrumental album, built up around the acoustic guitar of Jan Korbach. Listening to it, images of the famous spaghetti westerns of and before my youth fill my head immediately. Were Sergio Leone to direct a new one today, he could no longer turn to Ennio Morricone but would wind up here instead.

ATEM is the solo project of Jan Korbach. Showcasing his mastery of the acoustic, country guitar, he touches on a few musical styles like the desert sounds of the movies but also (British) folk, all from a metal background. At heart Concrete Americana is a tough album. All accompanying the acoustic guitar play in a tough, firm and loud way. The music is mixed in such a way that the acoustic guitar(s), yes, there are overdubs, is (are) always in the foreground.

There are two forms of instrumental music, to me, that's the kind I cannot listen to and the kind I can. Concrete Americana is in the latter category. The songs could have had vocals. In fact at times I can even hear them in my mind. This is not about endless, complex noodling. ATEM plays lead melodies instead of singing. The result is a very melodic album, with that stark contrast between foreground and background. Not that this is a metal album, far from even. This is a tough instrumental yet ultimately melodic album.

The first song I heard, was the first single released a few months ago. 'The Pilgrim' convinced me immediately that I was listening to something special. The delicacy with which the lead guitar was played fitted in so well with the rest of the music, that I was totally intrigued. Add the imagery I already wrote about above and you know why I had high expectation of what was to come. I was lucky, as Jan Korbach allowed me to listen to the rest of the album and all I can say that it has become an album that is very dear to me already. One I can play anytime of the day and have.

Pressed hard, I would even then have a heard time to come with five all instrumental albums in my possession, if I put aside Mike Oldfield that is. And only 'Tubular Bells' would truly count as a favourite, I'd say. Now return to the previous lines and read my evaluation of Concrete Americana. It seems the album achieved the near impossible. Compliments all around.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Concrete Americana here:

https://throughloverec.bandcamp.com/album/concrete-americana