The new BJ Cole album, "Transparent Music 2"

[Susan Alcorn (deceased)]

Lately I've been listening to BJ Cole's new "Transparent Music 2" CD, and must say that I am enjoying it immensely. On this album BJ's playing, as always, is the quintessential embodiment of lyrical musicality. No small feat for a steel guitarist.

The production on this record is the best I've ever heard on any album with steel guitar on it, and each song is like a gem. His playing on every track has a calming but also effect, kind of like they used to say about Miles Davis, a lonely voice coming out of the fog, - even on the more "steel guitar" oriented song, "Country Vibe". The arrangements are spot on, and everyone involved plays tastefully On the last track, I thought the slide guitar might have been BJ (though it wasn't).


This recording ranks, in my opinion, as one of the best "pedal steel" albums ever recorded, though that is quite subjective. I think of the Buddy Emmons black album as a milestone, perhaps because of where we (and our instrument) were at the time. BJ's "Transparent Music 2" is of the same import. This is music will be enjoyed, and remembered, for a long long time.

[Mike Neer]

Thanks for the head's up. I like what I heard of the first one (I need to get that, too).