Guitar Magic (5): More duets

Animals as Leaders

Polyphia:  LIT

Mostly instrumental band from Texas.  This is one of their earliest.  It shows them trying out bits and pieces of different styles of music, and playing with electronic effects. The core element of guitars playing off each other is already baked in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=per9Wz0N-QA

 

Polyphia:  “G.O.A.T.”

A few years later, and Polyphia are experimenting with time signatures, extreme syncopation, and various effects.  The whole thing should be undanceable but it makes you want to try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_gkpYORQLU

 

D-Drive

D-Drive: “Cassis Orange”

D-Drive are an instrumental band founded in 2009, whose special sauce is guitar harmonies and counterpoints that combine elements of jazz, rock and blues.  Here is a demo video they produced to recruit the rest of the band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0_-P1L4ZVo

 

D-Drive: “Unkind Rain”

Fast forward to today, and like most of us, they are working remotely, in this case posting studio sessions.  Here is one of my favorites--listen for the contrast between the voices of the two guitars:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5G3nXJtSzQ

 

 

Nemophila: “Raitei”

The entire piece floats on a dense layer of harmonized guitar leads, especially in the choruses.  The guitarists then uncork two solos that draw in middle-eastern scales, a key change and a shift in tempo, followed by a short harmonized shred.  Players this technical often get carried away; these two keep it short and sweet and make it serve the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh-dVLKP314

 

 

Animals as Leaders:  “Cafo”

The two guitarists play eight-strings, which lets them reach down into the bass registers, so they don’t need a bassist.  This piece is like a mini-symphony, with several movements that evoke completely different sensations.  (The first part also has a synth track playing under the guitars).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmfzWpp0hMc