Acousticity

New England Performer Magazine

Music for Twenty Fingers is an eclectic, authorative display of guitar composition and fretboard wizardry.
The finger slap country-funk intro of "While You Were Sleeping" morphs seamlessly into a beautiful new age-style melodic motif. Anchored by the rhythmic chordal work of Young, Ringstad stretches out with lead runs that effortlessly touch on jazzy, melodic lines and bluegrass picking, all the while syncing up like clockwork with the song's percussive underpinnings. A playful take on the Beatles' "Ticket To Ride" begins with blues-licks being traded back and forth, touches briefly on the song's distinct melody and transforms into a straight up frolicking blues jam.
Much of Acousticity's music defies categorization. So complete and unique is the duo's meshing of styles that often by the time a certain influence can be identified, something completely new has entered the picture. The music is colorful and mischievous. The playing is top flight; percussive, melodic and tastefully restrained. Ringstad and Young play as if they were four hands in one body. And you won't find any self-congratulatory Friday Night in San Francisco- style shredding on this album. Just masterful, wonderfully arranged guitar music played by two premier musicians.
- Scott Chesley, September, 1998

Acoustic Guitar

Acousticity's potpourri of folk, bluegrass, new age, and jazz on dueling Ovations is masterful. Tom Young, a fingerstyle specialist, and Erik Ringstad, an aggressive flatpicker who doubles on five string banjo, cover such classics as Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rhondo a la Turk," Glen Miller's "In the Mood," and my personal favorite, the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride." Their original compositions are innovative and tightly arranged, and they sound like they're being performed by one virtuoso with a double-neck guitar and four hands.
- Charles H. Chapman, July, 1998

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