*2023 stock* 'A CD of one man improvising on his self-designed and built instruments. Stringboards are essentially hunks of cast-off wood with tuning pegs and guitar strings attached. That description does not prepare one for what they sound like though. Distant bells, odd filings and ratchetings, electrical sounding buzzes, (these are acoustic instruments), giant out-of-tune dulcimers, prepared guitars, warped blues records...all these and more are conjured from these simple devices at the hands of Mr. Knott.

The improvisations range from short sound explorations to longer structurings and build-ups of sound-mass. There is often a rise and fall, or start and stop approach, using not playing as much as playing. The sounds of the space where the recordings took place, (the old anomalous records space in Seattle Washington), can also be heard occasionally. Oddly enough, traffic sounds seem to fit right in, and some banging from the shop next door works as well.

The titles of the pieces give clues to what may have been going through Dave's mind while he was making this recording, and index numbers will help you with what's what. (I believe this is the first time I've ever seen this feature on a CD). I listen to this disc often, and coming from me, that's high praise indeed.' - Jeph Ierman