EP Review: Jon Stickley Trio 'Triangular'

On December 5th, Jon Stickley Trio released the follow up to their critically acclaimed 2015 album, Lost at Last. The new project, Triangular, is an independently released five-song instrumental EP that is rooted in jazz and bluegrass, as well as modern elements, that makes for an exhilarating and intense listen. On the new project, the trio - Jon Stickley (guitar), Lyndsay (violin) and Patrick Armitage (drums) – once again display their precise musicianship beginning with opening track “Blackburn Brothers” which showcases pristine picking, punctuated by drums and a little bit of Motown. That’s followed by the all at once gentle, dramatic, and somber “Plain Sight” which was written after the shooting at Bataclan Theatre in Paris; the joyous, island-flared “Palm Tree” and “Echolocation” a beautifully transportive piece that flows like the tides. The set concludes with the trio’s rendition “Manzanita”, classic composition by Tony Rice, which respectfully and refreshingly pays homage to those who came before.
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As someone who admittedly does not listen to instrumental music often, I found myself pulled into Triangular by its expansive and engaging melodies, the sometimes surprising and always seamless interplay between the musicians and their instruments, and the dynamic fierceness it exudes. For more information visit their official website.

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