Pigeoto 2024
Pigeoto
Milwaukeean musician changes approach to allow his slider rest awhile and let it all slide past the point of novelty.
Despite all the seriousness of his instrumental assault, many listeners may find it easy to dismiss the gist of Sean Williamson’s VELOCIHAMSTER – the acclaimed “world’s only lap steel metal band” project – as a gimmick, so, perhaps sensing that, the Wisconsinite decided to demonstrate his prowess in terms of regular six-string mastery. Cue PIGEOTO: the young artist’s parallel project which finds him operate a regular guitar and apply his blinding technique in a traditional fusion setting – if, of course, heavy jazz rock can be deemed traditional. And now, with Matt Turner and Dave Schoepke laying down the rhythm, Williamson offers a vigorous, yet finely filigreed, set of tunes on this EP signaling the start of Sean’s fresh trip into the space between sky-high and down-to-earth sensuality.
Sure, pigeons are also easy to dismiss as shit-machines – but they fly, something humans strived to do for ages, and that’s exactly what opener “Rise” is about in its arresting, multilayered blend of squealing lines and piledriving riffs which aim for the jugular without ever letting go of the incessantly soaring tune. And though “Homing” comes anchored to a bluesy tone before picking up the groovy momentum and mesmeric speed, “Snow Day” basks in sparser stereo panorama where funky twang and folky harmonies reign supreme. And then there’s “Fix” to not give a shit about stylistic frills and simply rock and shoot dynamic figures in the ether, while the mini-album’s finale “Go” throws caution to the wind and bares the guitarist’s chamber flamenco-tinctured leanings in a purely acoustic manner, his exquisite strum perfectly balanced with a resonant ring of bass strings.
Toeing the line, these cuts point to an alternative reality the already-established musician should explore further.
*****
