ST. VINCENT
St. Vincent's 2017 LP Masseduction cracked the top ten in both the UK and the US, and its electro-pop sound saw Clark rethinking the tonal palette of her guitar rather than abandoning it in favour of synths - something more typical of the genre's core sound. Masseduction's title track features heavy, fuzz-centric riffing that sounds far closer to a saw wave synth than an electric guitar, or anything obviously played by a human for that matter. Clark uses a slide to allow a continuous glide between notes that gives the riffs a pitch-bending quality, and the extremely obscure AAAAAE tuning allows her to hit multiple octaves at once for a thick, robotic sound.
Clark's most recent album Daddy's Home channels 70s downtown New York through soul-inspired vocals and a heavy use of a wah. Album highlight Down features Clark on both guitar and electric sitar-guitar, layering variant riffs atop one another before coming together for a harmonised dual-guitar solo that pays homage to psychedelia whilst sounding inventive and unique.
Not just content to stretch the boundaries of her music, Clark's penchant for a bold, original idea is on full display with her signature Ernie Ball six-string, too. The model's light weight and ergonomic shape was designed with female players in mind, whilst still being tonally beefy enough for fellow fuzz abuser Jack White to use it onstage.
As St. Vincent continues to re-write her own guitar rulebook she broadens the minds of many a mainstream pop fan in the process, proving to us all that there is life in our beloved instrument yet.
SARAH LIPSTATE
This story is from the December 2022 edition of Total Guitar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2022 edition of Total Guitar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Ihsahn – "Extreme music lends itself well to experimental arrangements"
In an extraordinary double album, former Emperor guitarist Ihsahn delivers new material in two contrasting versions: metal and orchestral. "It was a perfect match," he says, “because my guitar had the same tuning as the cellos!"
Rosie Frater Taylor – "I Love Guitarists That Started in Jazz but Moved Into Pop"
It's a bold claim, but one that we're prepared to make: there is no other guitarist in the UK right now who sounds quite like Rosie Frater-Taylor.
DIRTY SOUND MAGNET
Swiss psychedelic trio Dirty Sound Magnet have created a unique racket that's both thrillingly expansive and potently evocative.
ELECTRO-HARMONIX PICO POG
You should be familiar with the Electro-Harmonix POG- it's the Polyphonic Octave Generator that set the standard for multistring, multi-octave layering and has graced the pedalboards of legends ranging from Jack White to Joe Satriani.
BOSS KATANA AIR EX
More Air, vicar? Boss pump up their popular wireless desktop amp
FGN BOUNDARY ILIAD BIL2MHS
With Japanese quality and top tones, could this be your next T-style?
THE 2024 GUITAR WORKOUT
Smash your new year guitar goals with our 30-day technical workout
"TAPPING IS THE MOST-USED WEAPON IN MY ARSENAL!"
Jon Gomm's tips for getting more out of your acoustic guitar
"THE BEST GUITAR SOLO IS A SONG WITHIN A SONG"
Ace Frehley: the guitar hero of KISS, and an influence for Tom Morello, Dimebag and many more
"THE SIMPLE PARTS ARE THE HARDEST TO GET RIGHT”
Lzzy Hale's recipe for meaty arena rock and killer tone