David Knudson's debut solo LP is a tour-de-force of progressive guitar pyrotechnics

Already well established as a modern virtuoso through his innovative contributions to the iconic discographies of Botch and Minus The Bear, David Knudson charts his own path on a wonderfully complex debut solo LP, The Only Thing You Have To Change Is Everything. Knudson enlisted the aid of Sam Bell, the technical mastermind that has left his fingerprints on landmark recordings from R.E.M. to Bloc Party and beyond, and a roster of high-powered supporting talent to bring his vision to spectacular life as the next chapter in a storied career.

Knudson's style is instantly recognizable, augmenting the perennially mind-blowing finger tapping technique popularized by certified guitar-god Eddie Van Halen with the highly disciplined compositional structure attributed to the dubiously named "math rock" brand of guitar-based indie. Botch soared to heights not often achieved by other hardcore bands in large part due to Knudson's playing, tempering the band's howling fury with a measured approach that maintained a muscular presence without completely going off the rails. As a showcase for his developing prowess, Minus The Bear gave Knudson the space necessary to expand upon the foundation he built while in Botch, doubling down on the precision playing and becoming an icon in one of the most enduringly distinctive bands of the millennium.

On his solo debut, the common threads woven into the tapestries of Knudson's earlier projects becomes the dominant elements, an expression of an accomplished artist inherently gifted at producing dynamic compositions that press beyond the borders of convention while embracing one's own legacy. There is a tangible kind of serenity born from wisdom and experience at play; a life lived creating on the bleeding edge has provided Knudson with a finely honed sensibility that imbues TOTYHTCIE with maturity extending far beyond youthful experimentation. There's a presence, a heft, that ensures each and every note is perfectly placed with the efficient experience of a master craftsman, individual elements combining to create a breathtaking monument for the senses.

Knudson plays every instrument on TOTYHTCIE, highlighting his versatility beyond the pyrotechnic axe-work that he built a reputation upon. The attention to detail across the entirety of the album is stunning, compositions meticulously arranged but thrumming with the wildness of an organic heartbeat. Sam Bell's production and programming expertise help keep all the moving pieces organized, but ensure that Knudson is always front and center even when joined by vibrant vocal personalities including Bayonne, The Coathangers' Julia Kugel, Minus The Bear's Jake Snider, and frequently Bell himself.

The album's most prominent theme is that of renewal, of acknowledging the past while looking ever forward to new growth and new opportunities. Life is, for nearly all of us, a series of lessons. Failures and success alike teach us to ready ourselves for the next challenge and to grow beyond the person that we were before. For some, these challenges can be great, nearly insurmountable, but the peaks that lie just beyond the deepest valleys can easily scrape the heavens, should we decided to preserve towards the apex. TOTYHTCIE has seen the bottom of the well and climbed forth into new dawn, celebrating personal victory from a brilliant vista - an atlas of possibilities stretching outwards in every direction. But the starting point is always the same, and one needs to know where they came from in order to make the first, often difficult, step on a new journey.

The sudden awareness that our time is finite can be a powerful catalyst for change and with effort, dedication, and talent Knudson exemplifies that we can recapture what jealous time steals - to leverage a lifetime's lessons to embark on a fresh odyssey of discovery and expression, basking in the sound of love returning.

The Only Thing You Have To Change Is Everything is available now on vinyl and CD here. Stream the album on Spotify and follow David Knudson on Instagram.