Six Organs of Admittance - For Octavio Paz (2019 Remaster) (2019)

Originally released in 2004 on the fabulous Time Lag label, we are now safe to bask in it's psych-folk sunlight again and let me assure you it's worth it. Ditching the voice almost altogether (save for a few wails), 'For Octavio Paz' sees Chasny focussing on his primary skill - the guitar. This is a collection of some of his best solo guitar work, and keeps that haunting tape-recorded lo-fi quality which has (quite obviously) left his more recent work. In fact at times you think you could actually be listening to a classic Takoma record, all the spirituality and virtuoso skill Chasny evokes is worthy of the genre's absolute finest. Yet he never manages to come off as obviously aping one person's style - there are of course elements of John Fahey, but I wouldn't say any particular track sounds exactly like Fahey, the same with Robbie Basho. This selection of deeply moving home-recorded tracks is a sublime indication of why Chasny is at the top of his game right now and is another essential part of his back catalogue.