The acoustic guitar has been a mainstay of popular music through a myriad of genres over the last   150+ years. Through folk, country, blues, jazz and classical music it’s persisted and provided the soundtrack for generations of players, from the back porch to concert halls, juke joints to folk clubs. 

One particular strand that emerged in the 1950s was termed American primitive guitar, a derivative of country blues fingerpicking that was developed initially by John Fahey, who incorporated non-traditional melodic and harmonic elements and took influence from both classical and Indian music.

In the 21st century, the style has enjoyed renewed popularity through players such as Jack Rose, William Tyler, Jim O’Rourke, James Blackshaw and Gwenifer Raymond. Here in Australia we have some local exponents of the form who have carved out their own niche in the primitive guitar realm, most recently D.C Cross (whose new album Wizrad I reviewed recently),and relative newcomer Levi J. Burr.

A resident of the Western suburbs of Sydney, Burr is an accomplished guitarist who takes a more traditional approach to his finger-picked compositions on his debut album Another Domino Map. D.C Cross makes an appearance on one track and Burr also calls on the considerable pedal steel talents of international guests Chuck Johnson, B.J. Cole and Will Van Horn plus local player Jy-Perry Banks, to add a more cosmic twang and ambient Americana feel to his work. 

‘The South Western’ appealingly approaches country music with its elements of twang, while ‘Ego Daze’ utilises soft cymbal washes and “Vested Over’ delights with a backdrop of bird song. ‘In Christ There Is No Inner West’ resembles more of a traditional folk song, or even sea shanty of the English or Irish kind, yet another example of the subtle diversity in Burr’s repertoire – a key ingredient in ensuring the listener stays engaged and inspired. 

The Cole-featuring ’Magpie Drop’ employs percussion as the pair engage in a playful dance with each other before the song drifts to a rewarding close. Burr leaves us with the album title-track, another example of the dynamic, holistic and creative playing across the album, that feels physical and intellectual, both in its creation and the resulting effect on the listener.