Twangy Guitar Silky Strings – DUANE EDDY***

High Noon/Born To Be With You/Secret Love/Unchained Melody/When I Fall In Love/Mirriam/Moon River/Bali Ha’i/Hi-Lili Hi-Lo/Angel On My Shoulder/Memories Of Madrid/Love Me Tender

On Twangy Guitar Silky Strings pop guitarist Duane Eddy attempts to enter the easy listening market with his instrumental interpretations of some well known standards. (US:72 UK:13)

“Lee Hazlewood produced Twangy Guitar Silky Strings, and he helped create a wonderfully lush, majestic sound that allowed Eddy to showcase his romantic side. The twangy guitar can get a little samey, but it's never incongruous on this gem of a record.”

“Adds up to an assortment of period standards and some less familiar selections arranged to showcase Eddy's inimitable guitar pyrotechnics.”

“The album Twangy Guitar Silky Strings is exactly what you’d expect from the title - Eddy’s signature guitar married with the silky sounds of an orchestra. Of the album’s twelve tracks, only one was written by Eddy, the rest are covers of older pop hits. Released in the twilight of Eddy’s mainstream success, there’s more than a whiff of desperation here. With covers of Moon River, Unchained Melody and Love Me Tender it’s obvious that Eddy was desperately searching for a hit.”

“The idea of pairing Eddy’s high-plains guitar and an orchestra is a good one, but the song choices bring Twangy Guitar Silky Strings down. Rather than pick songs that would show off Eddy’s skill as a guitarist, the safe song choices are too sedate and end up sounding a bit too sleepy. The album isn’t helped by the fact that a choir of female singers accompanies Eddy’s guitar playing. As a whole, this album is just too tame, especially when compared to Eddy’s earlier work which framed him as a rock ‘n' roll icon.”

“If one listens hard enough there are a few moments of greatness on Twangy Guitar Silky Strings. One can’t help but admire the dream-like quality of Eddy’s signature guitar tone.”