WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO BE
“McKane's landscapes are tinged in ambient atmospheres and pulled by an undertow of psychedelia that makes them some of the most unassumingly mind-bending music of the decade... Sumner manages to touch the nostalgic, wistful side of us, without being remotely quaint or corny. Sumner McKane's new album is What A Great Place to Be and it makes you feel exactly like that, wherever you're listening. It's like the gentlest acid dream in a sun-drenched meadow and it's our CD of the Month for October.” -JOHN DILIBERTO, ECHOES © 2008
“McKane is without question amongst the most talented songwriters, producers, and guitar players making ambient instrumental music right now. Many of today’s breed of post-rock bands are basically the equivalent of punk-rock bands; they do not rely on virtuosity or technique, and their song structures tend to be predicable and owe more to energy and emotion rather than melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic complexity. Because of this, Sumner McKane stands out from the crowd. He is a brilliant songwriter and a technically proficient musician, yet his playing resonates with soul and passion. He has a style that is unmistakably his own.” THE SILENT BALLET 2008
“Sumner McKane, has told stories and painted pictures of his homeland, Maine, in his new record What A Great Place To Be. The tragedy of conceptual draught in instrumental albums is demolished with this record; McKane is still playing the same music but the blue breeze in the new songs creates an image of an American state.More importantly, he has gone under serious progression with his music, he didn't choose to imprison his music in a solid mould, he didn't choose to repeat himself with little change. And that's why he deserves respect; he wasn't afraid of taking new steps.”
ESER E.
TWO IF BY SEA
“When it’s done right—like it is on the latest from Maine based guitarist Sumner McKane—it’s a sublime restful musical experience...McKane’s guitar-based instrumental soundscapes establish him as a vital artist worth hearing in his own right.” - TWENTIETH CENTURY GUITAR MAGAZINE 2007
“..an incredible album filled with skillful guitar playing, beautiful chord progressions, and a slight country vibe. Two If By Sea is an extraordinarily subtle record, one whose layered guitar parts and careful melodies will grow on the listener increasingly with each listen. McKane’s guitar playing has a timeless quality to it, but is nonetheless unique. This record is amazingly different from most of what we hear these days.
Guitar players and studio engineers especially will be blown away by this record. One can immediately perceive the sincerity with which this record was crafted. Climaxes in songs such as “Bring Your Mask and Snorkel” are some of the most skillfully orchestrated in the indie world...” THE SILENT BALLET 2007
NORTH
If Friday Night Lights was Explosions in the Sky actually playing as if they were from Texas as some reviews said, then this is the guy who chews grass on his porch while sitting in a rocking chair, cradling a shotgun, and showing them how to do it right. This is a warm album, exuding the heat and stress-free attitude of the west to keep us relaxed all year round.”
-THE SILENT BALLET 2005
McKane is one of those guitarists who makes it seem simple, but his easy-going fingerstyle on electric and acoustic guitars is deceptive. He's an orchestrator of guitar, creating lush filigree and sometimes searing leads. McKane paints a uniquely American landscape, a travelogue for a cross-country trip from pristine New England winters to the wide-open expanses of the plains.
-JOHN DILIBERTO, ECHOES 2005
