Chris Thile - Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Set free from the bluegrass and folk conventions of Nickel Creek, Generation X's most prodigious mandolinist doesn't so much stretch out as explode. Yes, the barely legal Thile is surrounded by the most dominant players in acoustic music--Stuart Duncan, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas, and Bryan Sutton--but this 12-song suite of "newgrass," Celtic, and old-timey instrumentals has Thile's searing stamp all over it. His lyrical, almost liquid style, even on the hottest seven-minute jams, accents melodic continuity over attack, intricate counterpoint over frenetic collision. And his compositions, as open-ended as post-bop jazz and as jiggy as a sweaty contra dance, inspire these genuinely great musicians to performances both refreshing and profound. --Roy Kasten Amazon.com

Outstanding!

I echo the comments of previous reviewers. I am an avid Nickel Creek fan and am on the prowl for more "newgrass" music. Chris Thile's music on this album is clean and impressive - in the same style as his work with Nickel Creek, but with no vocals. Highly recommended - you won't be disappointed. January 2, 2008

Thile fan for life

This album contains my favorite song of all time, which is saying a lot because I am a huge music fan. Big Sam Thompson is the song. I have heard Nickel Creek do this song everytime I have seen them live. I love the way it starts out slow and then almost stops then the tempo increases. I know this is going to sound strange, but I want this song played at my funeral. The slow part can be to allow mourners grieve, then forget that grieving crap and celebrate! Celebrate my life and theirs and celebrate that I have gone home!! Thanks Chris for giving me this song! October 2, 2007

Never left my CD player after I bought it

Every once in a while I come across a CD that stays in my CD player for months at a time. This is one of those CDs. It is so intricate and complicated, I feel like I hear something new every time I listen to it. Thile's blend of jazz, classical and bluegrass eludes classification- that is, it's one of a kind. I have Thile's other two albums, Deceiver, and How to Grow a Woman from the Ground, which tend to be more rock inspired and bluegrass inspired, respectively, and they are excellent albums in their own right; however, I think Thile did it best on this album. Not All Who Wander Are Lost is a must have for music connoisseurs of any genre. August 13, 2007

Amazing Instrumental Album

Being a big fan of Nickel Creek and Chris Thile, I had no doubt that I would like this album. The other instrumentalists are all top notch players and of course Chris is amazing as always.

There's a nice amount of variety in musical styles presented on Not All Who Wander Are Lost. Fans of Nickel Creek will find several of the tracks very similar to songs like Ode to a Butterfly, Scotch and Chocolate, or Stumptown. Other tracks branch out into jazz, blues and various other experimentations.

If you like listening to very talented and skilled bluegrass instrumentalists, you can't go wrong with this one. July 8, 2007

This may never come out of the CD player.

I liked Nickle Creek, and had a little trepidation about Thile's solo project. Don't solo projects usually involve self-indulgence and self-conscious 'spreading out' into areas of music unlike the ones that drew you to the artist in the first place? Don't prodigies always sour?

No. And NO. Noting the presence of dobro god Jerry Douglas, banjo god Bela Fleck, and big cuddly bass god Edgar Myer, I decided it couldn't be bad. And much as I liked these guys, and Nickle Creek, I was unprepared for how wonderful this collection is. It's been in the car stereo for three months and hasn't come out.

Besides the virtuoso musicianship one would expect from the lineup, the wonderfulness comes from that rarity of rarities, a prodigy who is growing and becoming better all the time. Thile's tunes demonstrate a compositional skill almost equal to his unbelievable mandolin prowess. After an intial stunned listen-through driving across the desert at dawn, my son pointed out examples of counterpoint and inversion, rondes and scale and time changes worthy of classical composition. (things I would know nothing of)

This is about as wonderful as I can imagine. If there's better music, I'm probably not sophisticated enough to appreciate it. The first five songs are absolutely mind-blowing. About the only disclaimer I can think of is if you need noise, dissonance, or atonality to feel music is worthwhile, you will be disappointed. This is all pretty melodic, and Thile is unafraid to follow a composition all the way to beauty.

From surprise at the roaring power a string band is capable of as "Raining at Sunset" proceeds to the "How many guys are playing there?" intricacies of the Fleck/Thile duet "Riddles in the Dark", this is delicious stuff. March 9, 2007

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