Brett Phillips

It's rare that a CD shows up from a guitarist who is 17, 18 or 19 years old that doesn't feature 5000 notes per minute, as the desire to impress overwhelms all common sense and musical sensibility. North Carolina guitarist Brett Phillips' new self-titled CD, Brett Phillips, showcases instead a maturity in playing and deftness of touch that one might not expect from someone his age. Set to pursue a degree in Music Performance at East Carolina University, Phillips has a great calling card with his ten-track instrumental CD, which features rock, progressive and even a bit of country playing. The production may not bowl you over, but it is serviceable, and doesn't get in the way of enjoying the tunes. Phillips even includes a cover of the Mason Williams tune "Classical Gas", played at a somewhat slower tempo than some of the covers done recently by other artists, but in keeping with his CD's overall vibe. A fine job.

- Guitar 9 Records