Hillbilly Ragas

Description

Adventurous guitarist Sir Richard Bishop returns with Hillbilly Ragas, a new solo album released on Drag City. Known for his boundary-pushing instrumental explorations (The Freak of Araby, Tangier Sessions, Oneiric Formulary), he here makes a return to his roots: nine acoustic pieces recorded without effects or overdubs, just a man and his guitar. A radically stripped-down approach, guided by a wild and visceral urgency. Inspired by both American Primitive Guitar and Indian ragas, Bishop seeks to disrupt genre conventions by playing with a kind of “reckless abandon.” He avoids all predictable structure in favor of rhythm, movement, and a raw, almost instinctive playing style. Far from a respectful tribute to tradition, the album sounds like a series of incantations from a forgotten corner of America. Hillbilly Ragas thus evokes a fictional character: a musical hermit, isolated in the woods, never having known the conventions of folk. Through him, Bishop creates a sonic mythology where invented folklore, distorted spirituality, and complete freedom of interpretation intertwine. A singular work, carved out of solitude and the unknown.