“Marching In” Review – www.ultimate-guitar.com

Featured review by: UG Team, on april 14, 2008

Dan Sindel delivers an incredible array of The March King’s compositions, each showcasing his unique talent for instrumental epics: quirky and lovable enough to clutch even the most apathetic listener’s attention, Sindel is a welcome innovation in the Shrek-eared modern music industry.

Sound:
John Philip Sousa, the March King, is buried at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC. His legacy has been celebrated since his death in 1932-perhaps most famously through Monty Python’s use of The Liberty Bell during the credits of Monty Python and the Flying Circus. Dan Sindel is next in line to deliver his take on The March King, but this time, Sousa has been immortalized through the use of myriads of guitar-layered tracks. Sindel excels on world-renowned composition, The Washington Post, first performed in 1889. The beauty of Sindel’s guitar work is the sheer depth of the mix, as he indulges the listener in a truly breathtaking rendition of the timeless classic. Sindel’s work is best heard through headphones; through which the listener can fully appreciate the attention to detail Sindel has gone through the trouble of achieving. Utilising his full board of pedals, Sindel’s sound and tone are achieved through his close collaboration with some of the all time greats, such as Rick Shlosser, with whom notable artists such as Alice Cooper, Rod Stewart, Van Morrison, Cher and Diana Ross have worked. Sindel’s mastery of the instrument is phenomenal; a much welcome breath of innovation in the development of instrumental guitar work is what Sindel has achieved, with guitar solos bouncing off each other, as he incorporates flawless technique after flawless technique in reproducing arguably one of the finest guitar-orientated albums of 2008. Not only do his recordings break the innovation threshold, but his performance at NAMM has to be seen to be believed, and fortunately, you can do just that by visiting his myspace page, which can be found at: http://www.myspace.com/dansindel. // 9

Lyrics:
Despite this being an instrumental album, it is indisputably expressive, as Sindel’s love of what he does resplendently shines through. He Shall Feed His Flock provides the greatest acoustic arrangement of the year; the accompanying lead guitar playing is distinctive, poignant, and sombre: Sindel speaks through his technique and overwhelming brilliance, as his guitar sheds its skin, entering a realm beyond what this world can offer. // 8

Impression:
When the UG editor first directed me to Dan’s webpage, I was initially apprehensive of what I was about to hear. Somehow, a guitarist’s tribute to one of the greatest composers of all time did not stand out to me as anything remarkable. What is remarkable is Dan’s inimitable capacity to completely dispel initial doubts. After listening to Dan’s tracks, I hurriedly contacted him, flabbergasted, touched, both by his sincerity and intensity. A final point to address is where Dan can go from here, or rather where he cannot; it is safe to say that Dan’s unique endeavour and talent should see his ripples transpose from calm waters to roaring storms. // 10