It's been a while since I've heard a solo guitar record that I really loved, one that doesn't sound like just another Fahey imitation or a loop pedal exercise. Dean McPhee's "Brown Bear" might just redeem a entire genre of music for me, because he makes me believe that a solo guitar record can still be relevant, personal, and emotionally raw in the current stream of underground music. In this brief 12", McPhee utilizes a clean, lightly reverbed electric guitar tone that absolutely melts me when I hear it. His style is melodic and meandering, always finding that sweet spot in a sequence of notes that tugs on your heart in just the right way. Ben Chasny is the only contemporary guitarist that can do that for me as frequently as McPhee does here (and that's saying a lot in my opinion).

McPhee clearly has talent, but his playing is so understated and hushed that it never feels flashy. The mood of this record can be slightly melancholic at times, but more often it finds its way into the unspoken realm of sacred music. "Brown Bear" isn't really like anything I've heard before, even though it uses an instrument that I sometimes feel has had the life squeezed out of it. I applaud Dean McPhee for creating a beautiful record that I know I will continue to enjoy. Do yourself a favor and check out what this guy is doing. 10/10 -- Charles Franklin (20 October, 2009)