Logikal

Logikal is the second release from Irish guitarist John O'Connor's eclectic group EKO. The sound centers around O'Connor's guitars as he cooks up an old-world folk music hybrid that extends to Andean, Celtic, Irish and Caribbean influences. Gutsy finger-picking gives way to laidback island flavorings and easygoing changes. Several musicians with rock and folk backgrounds are heard, like percussionist Hossam Ramzy, Bob Loveday from Penguin Cafe Orchestra and the versatile Danny Thompson on double bass. The sound is ethnically based and highly charged with large doses of clean, lighthearted fun.

You can't keep a bad pun-maker down (EKO's John O'Connor was responsible for "Star Trekkin'," amongst other humorous sins) but the good news is that you wouldn't want to, at least this time. Alter EKO is an excellent album of acoustic/Celtic-oriented instrumental music, with all kinds of delightful flavors mixed into an excellent production. It sounds as though O'Connor and crew had a great time making this album; it's a terrific time listening to it.