Freak Guitar: The Smorgasbord

Freak Guitar: The Smorgasbord is Mattias IA Eklundh's double CD album, released on Steve Vai's Favored Nations label.^[1][2]

The album was released on March 5, 2013, and features almost two hours of eclectic, mostly instrumental guitar music, with a variety of influences.^[3][4][5][6]

The album was reviewed in the April 2013 issues of both Guitarist Magazine, where it was given 4.5 stars out of 5, and recommended for fans of Steve Vai and Frank Zappa. Total Guitar gave it 4 stars out of 5.^[7]

Production

The album was produced, engineered and mixed by Mattias IA Eklundh, and recorded at Apple Horn Abusement, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Special Guests

The album features a number of guest musicians, including:^[8]

• Ron Thal (aka "Bumblefoot", currently with Guns'n'Roses) - Solo on Special Agent Bauer
• V. Selvaganesh - Kanjeera on "Kali Ghat", "Those in Badiyah", "Mandur and Morgan's Camel Safari", "Friedrichs Wahnbriefe"
• Dweezil Zappa - Solo on "Mind Your Step (at Schiphol Airport)"
• Andy Timmons - 1st & 4th Solos on "Peter, I Won't Drive Another Meter", solo on "Those in Badiyah"
• Guthrie Govan - 2nd & 5th Solos on "Peter, I Won't Drive Another Meter"
• Kiko Loureiro - 3rd & 6th Solos on "Peter, I Won't Drive Another Meter"
• Jan Laney - "Peter, I won't Drive Another Meter"
• Björn Fryklund - Drums on "The Smorgasbord", "Crossing the Rubicon", "Peter, I Won't Drive Another Meter", "In the Goo of the Evening"
• Serge Levaillant - Voice on "Mattias - The Beautiful Guy"
• Jonas Hellborg - Bass on "Kali Ghat"
• Gabriel Eklundh - Screams and various oral sounds throughout, on "Blaha Blaha"
• Kevin Fickling - Vocals on "Special Agent Bauer"
• Morgan Ågren - Drums, Percussion on "Meralgia Paresthetica"
• Zac O'Yeah - Zombie Grunts on "Mandur and Morgan's Camel Safari"
• Ranjit Barot - Drums on "Keep It in the Dojo"
• Fredrik Thordendal from Meshuggah - Solo on "Friedrichs Wahnbriefe"

Track listing

CD1

1. "Amphibians Night Out" - 3:32
2. "Musth" - 3:12
3. "Mattias - The Beautiful Guy" - 2:27
4. "Hells Bells" - 3:40
5. "The Smorgasbord" - 2:52
6. "Friedrichs Wahnbriefe" - 3:08
7. "Sexually Frustrated Fruit Fly Flamenco" - 0:41
8. "Daily Grind Disco March" - 2:46
9. "Lease With an Option to Buy" - 2:23
10. "The Swede and The Wolf" - 4:20
11. "Mambo Italiano" - 2:18
12. "Mind Your Step (at Schiphol Airport)" - 3:34
13. "Crossing the Rubicon" - 7:48
14. "That's Amore" - 2:27
15. "Keep it in the Dojo" - 2:41
16. "Infrared Jed" - 0:33
17. "Peter, I Won't Drive Another Meter" - 4:35
18. "Larvatus Prodeo" - 1:15
19. "Blaha Blaha" - 2:31
20. "Lullaby for Gabriel" - 2:25

CD2

1. "In the Goo of the Evening" - 3:12
2. "The Dogs of Delhi" - 2:16
3. "Special Agent Bauer" - 2:07
4. "Mahavishnu John" - 3:34
5. "The Harry Lime Theme" - 1:28
6. "Dark Matter" - 2:48
7. "Trumpet Lesson" - 0:53
8. "Mandur and Morgan's Camel Safari" - 3:13
9. "Shore Thing" - 2:14
10. "Captain Smith's Moment of Truth" - 1:35
11. "Mah Ná Mah Ná" - 2:39
12. "The Nigerian Gynecologist" - 3:25
13. "6 Rue Cordot" - 1:17
14. "Kali Ghat" - 4:37
15. "Safe to Remove Hardware" - 1:30
16. "Did You Actually Pay for That?" - 2:45
17. "Those in Badiyah" - 3:46
18. "The Essence of Emptiness" - 4:37
19. "Meralgia Paresthetica" - 4:51
20. "Guano Afternoon" - 1:46

Credits

• All songs are written by Mattias IA Eklundh, except the following:
• Hells Bells - Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Brian Johnson^[9][10]
• Mambo Italiano - Bob Merrill
• That's Amore - Harry Warren, Jack Brooks
• The Harry Lime Theme - Anton Karas
• Mandur and Morgan's Camel Safari - Music by Mattias IA Eklundh, lyrics by Mattias IA Eklundh and Zak O'Yeah
• Mah Nà Mah Nà - Piero Umiliani
• Kali Ghat - Jonas Hellborg, V. Selvaganesh
• Those in Badiyah - Jonas Hellborg, V. Selvaganesh, Mattias IA Eklundh

References

1. "Mattias IA Eklundh to release Freak Guitar: The Smorgasbord!". Favored Nations. 2013-02-05. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
2. "Exclusive Interview: Mattias IA Eklundh". Volumen11.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
3. http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/the-20-greatest-shred-guitarists-of-all-time-461030/13/
4. "Mattias IA Eklundh to release 'Freak Guitar: The Smorgasbord' March 5". Guitar Player Magazine. 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
5. Jon Bloomer (2013-02-13). "Mattias IA Eklundh to release new album 'Freak Guitar: The Smorgasbord'". Guitarnoize.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
6. "Freak Guitar - The Smorgasbord - Chronique - La Grosse Radio Rock - Ecouter du Rock - Webzine Rock". Lagrosseradio.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
7. Monk, Laurie (2013-03-29). "Mattias IA Eklundh: Smorgasbord loved by UK's Total Guitar". Truth In Shredding. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
8. "New Mattias IA Eklundh Album 'Smorgasbord' to Feature Guthrie Govan, New album will be released on Steve Vai's label in 2013 - Sonic State Amped". Sonicstate.com. 2013-03-05. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
9. Chris Bird (Total Guitar) (2013-03-06). "VIDEO: Mattias IA Eklundh new video out today | VIDEO: Mattias IA Eklundh new video out today". MusicRadar. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
10. Monk, Laurie (2013-03-07). "Mattias IA Eklundh: Hells Bells". Truth In Shredding. Retrieved 2013-10-18.

External links

• Mattias's Freak Guitar Website
• Freak Guitar Facebook page
• Mattias on Twitter
• Favored Nations' Biography of Mattias Eklund