Wall Matthews was the guitarist for Entourage, which released a couple of albums in the 70s. You might accidentally know Entourage from the sample of "Neptune Rising" that Four Tet used in its song "She Moves She." Perhaps that reference still a bit obscure. I hear ya.

Wall Matthews Spine River: The Guitar Music of Wall Matthews 1967-1981 (Tomkins Square)

Tomkins Square is releasing four Wall Matthews albums and this overview. If you are a fan of acoustic solo guitar--in any style--listening to this set will probably spur an immediate rush for the full collection. Matthews doesn't sound classically-trained, but he's a meticulous player who often wrote in a manner similar to what these days is called the primitive style.

Which is to say that his melodies come from deep in the folk tradition, but he plays with the style of other 70s acoustic guitar virtuosos. It's an interesting contradiction, one that adds a bit of tension to the listening. Exactly what is Matthews doing? And where is he going?

Actually, that second question is a totally different story. Since recording this music, he's recorded and created music for dance, television, movies and ads. Somehow, he has managed to make a living as a musician and composer, which is almost more astonishing than the works here. This is a snapshot of an artist in time. And what a time it was.

Jon Worley