MoonDial is Pat Metheny’s second consecutive solo guitar album, following 2023’s Dream Box, which featured electric guitar. During the extensive solo tour supporting Dream Box, Metheny reflected on the differences between his solo recordings and felt inspired to explore further. He reached out to luthier Linda Manzer, his longtime collaborator, to create an acoustic baritone guitar that could be strung with nylon rather than steel strings. Finding the right nylon strings to handle the pressure of Metheny’s desired tuning was a challenge, but Argentine company Magma met his needs. This unique guitar, used throughout the Dream Box tour, brought a new dimension to Metheny’s sound. During a break in the tour, Metheny entered the studio with this instrument, recording new compositions, revisiting earlier tunes, and covering standards, show tunes, a folk song, and a Beatles number. MoonDial reflects Metheny’s iconic playing and serves as the third installment in an instrumental trilogy that began with 2004’s One Quiet Night and continued with 2011’s What’s It All About.
The title track opens the album, showcasing the guitar’s wide tonal range as Metheny navigates nuevo flamenco, modal blues, and post-bop influences. The piece unfolds over six minutes with various sections and recurring lyrical themes, resembling a suite. The third track is a beautiful interpretation of Chick Corea’s “You’re Everything,” followed by a tender rendition of Lennon & McCartney’s “Here There and Everywhere,” which Metheny has performed live for years. Without overdubs, Metheny’s unique tuning creates the illusion of two guitars playing simultaneously. Other highlights include the intricate and melodically rich “Falcon Love” and a medley of Matt Dennis’ “Everything Happens to Me” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Somewhere,” showcasing Metheny’s ability to enhance the drama and resonance of both tunes. His interpretation of the traditional “Londonderry Air” focuses on its harmonic essence rather than its lyrics. “This Belongs to You,” originally recorded with the Pat Metheny Unity Group in 2012, is presented here as a solo piece, full of delicate details and natural reverb. The uptempo “Shoga” traces back to the rhythm playing in the title track of Metheny’s 1979 solo guitar album, New Chautauqua. His haunting take on David Raskin’s “My Love and I,” from the 1954 film Apache, is followed by a deeply moving rendition of Matt Dennis’ jazz standard “Angel Eyes.” The album concludes with a reprise of the title track, bringing the listener full circle. Described by Metheny as “a hardcore mellow, dusk-to-sunrise record, full of ‘intense contemplation,'” MoonDial is a deeply nuanced and lyrical album. Fans of Metheny’s acoustic guitar recordings will find delight in this elegant addition to his discography, seamlessly integrating with its predecessors.
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