s I write this, the UK is in the middle of a bout of lovely sunny weather. There’s talk of a heatwave. Now, I have friends visiting this weekend. jam session (and yes, I’m fully prepared for the inevitable request – though, now I think of it, where my capo?). Anyway, I don’t know what it is, but there’s just something about the summer sunshine that makes me want to grab my acoustic and get strumming. As you might imagine then, I’m especially happy about all the great new acoustic music around at the moment – and this month we’ve interviewed four artists who are bringing fresh perspectives to our instrument. Cover star Vance Joy has a refreshing lack of reverence for his Martin, Maton and Gibson acoustic guitars. For him it’s all about songcraft. Tash Sultana’s recentalbum sees them reimagining songs on their own terms with part-acoustic/part-electric arrangements. Polyphia virtuoso Tim Henson is both inspiring and awe-inspiring as he breaks new ground on his new prototype Ibanez nylon string. And, with a radical take on bluegrass, Billy Strings is making traditional American roots music relevant to a new generation.
