Michael Spriggs is one of the unsung greats of Nashville guitar, having played with everyone from
Faith Hill to
Elton John,
B.B. King to George McCorkle. With
Without Words,
Spriggs turns in an exceptionally beautiful album filled with variety and precision guitar work.
The veteran Nashville guitarist is joined by Steve Brewster on percussion, Jonathan Yudkin on classical strings and mandolin, and Richard Brannan on bass to create an album that can only be called contemporary country. There are no twangs, plucks, or sawing fiddles, but instead a mixture of classical and rustic strokes painted against a country background. There are even Celtic nuances. It's almost a Windham Hill approach to guitar, filled with imagery and warmth.
With the release of
Without Words,
Spriggs' songwriting (he has enjoyed over 60 album cuts) and guitar playing are sure to be taken to yet another level of awareness, and, hopefully, an ever larger audience of appreciative fans. ~ Michael B. Smith