The bones of “Accidental Guitars” were born in Providence, RI at a solo performance in an old building that was once a rope factory. Mullen’s improvised guitar was recorded from across the room. Working from this base layer, Mullen created further guitar recordings. The various tapes were amalgamated and manipulated, with an element of randomness thrown into the mix. The end result is considerably removed from previous Mullen endeavors such as the ultra-atmospheric “Bongo Closet” or the feast of drones that is “Armory Radio”. There is a sense of playfulness at work on this LP that casts those earlier records in a bath of ultra-seriousness. If I were to say that “Accidental Guitars” is the aural equivalent of listening to a Loren Connors album, a Richard Youngs album, and a Bill Orcutt album played simultaneously, I’d only be half kidding. Released in a limited edition on Eli Keszler’s Rel imprint, “Accidental Guitars” is a fine effort from an under-appreciated artist. Guitar fans, grab yourselves a copy, pronto!
