Sound of the police

Long before Soderburgh called, David Holmes would wile away the hours by scoring sultry backdrops to tales of urban mischief. This, it seems, is a not uncommon trait amongst Northern Irish instrumental musicians if Colin Reid is anything to go by. Colin, you see, is another Belfast text-fiend drawn to the ‘imaginary soundtrack’. Unlike Mr Holmes, though, he doesn’t have any Hookers, Pimps or Johns in mind while he writes. But, while Reid adopts a more pointedly literary approach, the world he’s been drawn to by his latest muse is as darkly labyrinthine as any East Coast alleyway. The guitarist and arranger’s most recent composition is a suite inspired by The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien.

“It’s an Alice In Wonderland thing,” he says.” A twisted, comically black, murder story. I’ve read the book about three times and it just fascinated me. A few years ago I wrote a suite based on the story of Icarus and Daedalus and I was really happy with it. This time I just wanted to write something a bit closer to home. It’s a peculiar book, so it was very much a case of going through it and trying to pick out the sections that would work best. But it’s strange. Even though it’s mostly instrumental music, I often use visual images when I’m writing, and you’d be shocked at how many people come up with the same things when they’ve heard the piece.”

Reid has just performed the piece to wide acclaim at Belfast’s Elmwood Hall – an example of an apparently risky idea paying rich dividends. But then, anyone familiar with the arc of his career thus far, will maybe be conscious of a theme emerging. His first, eponymous, album, released in 1999, was a sparsely beautiful collection of acoustic guitar songs, written, he admits, “in a complete bubble. I’d no idea anyone would listen to this kind of stuff.” It earned him a support slot with John Cale at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

Despite making a name for himself as a solo acoustic guitarist on the debut LP, in 2001 Reid used his second album Tilt as an opportunity to make “a negative of the first record” – meaning that finger-picking gave-way to much lusher arrangements that fused jazz sonics with near classical string arrangements.

“I’ve no interest in being in a niche. When I was a kid and I got the new album from my favourite band, I’d race home and have no expectations other than it would be good. I saw it as the band’s job to come up with something different from what they’d last put out. And I see that as my job. To always do new stuff and not just put the same record out over and over again.”

It’s an attitude that has won him many admirers. Bert Jansch has commented that Colin, “reminds me of myself and John Redbourn fused together”, while the British rock and folk press have been effusive in their praise. A new album – This Broken Rapture – is nearing completion. Expect the accolades to continue.

Colin: “It’s all instrumental, and all original – it’s not more of the same, it seems much better. I’ve loads of electric guitars sitting around and I’m thinking that they’re going to get used a lot on it. I’m just beginning to realise how lucky I am to have an appreciative audience. It’s not the most straightforward kind of music – you either get it or you don’t. I’m just very fortunate that a lot of people do seem to get it. It’s not been easy to get in this position; I’ve had to stand my ground on a lot of issues. But I’m happy where I am at the minute: people aren’t necessarily sure of what they’re going to get from me – but they’re prepared to trust my judgement. And that’s great.”