Truce 2 by Markus Reuter
Markus Reuter has worked in several formats for recent albums. On Truce 2, he’s on fire. At first, I misread the cover, thinking he was credited with “torch guitar.” It’s actually touch guitar but torch well describes his sonic assault. Accompanied by bassist Fabio Trentini and drummer Asef Sirkas, Reuter navigates rocky waves of sound, his guitar crunching and metallic, riding pounding yet fluid rhythms. Calling it school of Robert Fripp for a shorthand description in no way demeans the originality. “The Rake” opens the album like a choreographed shrapnel barrage. “Rounds of Love” and “Melomania” are moodier but no less intense (they’re neither love ballads nor mellow). Truce 2 was recorded in a spurt of energy over two days with minimal overdubs. The trio succeeded in catching lighting.
