Talk about a teaser!
Drag City Records today released “Walt’s,” the first song off a new LP, out Aug. 17, from David Pajo solo project Papa M. And it is a shimmering, devastating little doozy.
The song, a slow instrumental meditation for acoustic guitar (the record is billed as a collection for four acoustic guitars), harkens back to Pajo’s best work under the M moniker, most specifically the hypnotism-inducing Live From A Shark Cage. It also calls to mind his too-brief acoustic collaboration with the outfit Pullman, with a gradually unfurling measure on acoustic guitar that would have been right at home on the understated Turnstyles & Junkpiles.
2016’s Highway Songs, which brought Pajo back to us after many years of silence and a couple near-death experiences, was a hit-and-miss affair, and thrived on its awkward inconsistencies. If “Walt’s” is any indication, the new record, dubbed A Broke Moon Rises, will be a true return to wondrous form. With a cover of Arvo Part expected on the new record, Pajo’s clearly setting the bar high. – Justin Vellucci, Swordfish, May 30, 2018
