Reticence is the brainchild of New England musician Aaron Riverwood. His latest release “Suncatchers” is a beautiful collection of colorful guitar improvisations that channel aspects of shoegaze, ambient and psychedelic tones.
Aaron shares some of his favorite songs in this weeks edition of “Five For Friday” but first check out his track “Cosmosis”.
Noveller, “Elsewhere”
This is the beginning: December 2017, Instagram, middle of the night, can’t sleep, somehow via my friend Jeremy’s Insta I find my way to Sarah Lipstate, aka Noveller. I suddenly realize that I, too, could make a lot of noise solo instead of with a band. The album “A Pink Sunset for No One” (and everything since) is a foundational text for me, but this video (I believe the title of the song is correct) is not only one of my favorite tunes, but a great view of what it’s like to play a pedalboard like instrument. I would not be doing Reticence if it weren’t for her example.
Noveller was also my inspiration for switching from my lifelong Les Paul to Jazzmasters, which was life-changing: I was looking for a guitar with more flexibility than the Les Paul had to offer and that wasn’t a Strat, and her example led me to the Squier/Fender J Mascis Jazzmasters. The different scale length and ergonomics turned out to be much better for me than the Gibson, and now Jazzmasters are all I play.
Lisa Bella Donna, “Mystery Rituals”
I found LBD around the same time as I found Noveller, and even though I don’t play synths, her soundscapes and compositions have been really inspiring to me in terms of use of space and improvisation. I probably own as many or more LBD albums as I do Bob Dylan albums, which says a lot. Other electronic performers who have been major influences include Boards of Canada and DARKSIDE.
David Torn, “only sky”
First of all, the sonics of this are just incredible. Atmosphere, tone, playing, delicacy, abrasion; Torn is a total master. Much like the Noveller video, this was one of the first times I saw someone playing equipment like an instrument. Or like instruments, I should say, as he shifts from oud to one of the coolest guitars I’ve ever seen. Plus, he is a looping genius, and for a long time I thought I wanted to be one, too. It turns out I use loops very sparingly, but the influence remains. (I still don’t have an oud, but it’s on my list). Also, the second half of this, where Torn talks about his brain tumor and the process of recovery, is absolutely fascinating and inspiring.
The Cure “Plainsong”
Absolutely iconic beginning to Disintegration, possibly my favorite record of all time (though Seventeen Seconds is a close, uh, second). Intimate lyrics, massive sound. It took me years to realize that Robert Smith is where my obsession affinity for delay and reverb – and Jazzmasters! – really began. I keep a tiny set of chimes near my playing space to evoke this album when I’m playing.
Pink Floyd, “Echoes” at Pompeii
It felt really disingenuous to make this list and leave off David Gilmour, since I seem to spend most of my time either trying to sound like him or trying not to sound like him. I don’t know if I would call this their most influential track, given that, like a lot of people, I grew up with Floyd via classic rock radio in the 80s and 90s (mostly Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, Momentary Lapse of Reason, and Delicate Sound of Thunder) and that I didn’t get into the earlier stuff until middle age, but it’s my favorite song from my favorite Floyd era. What more can I say about Gilmour that hasn’t already been said? Not much, so just listen.
