Spitfire by Loren Connors

Loren Connors, now 75, remains an unstoppable force of creative expression. As his vast catalog of recordings continues to be reissued, and his visual art finds new audiences, he still moves forward—improvising in real time, forging his own path through a spectral, mutated form of the blues.

Spitfire is one of two new 10-inch records out now on Family Vineyard, it’s restless and alive with electricity. This is Connors at his most physical, wrenching sound from his guitar with forceful, percussive strikes. Notes crack and fracture, vibrating through the amplifier like sudden sparks. While still carrying his signature spectral quality, Spitfire moves with intent, never settling into meditation. It flickers, erupts, and fades like the last moments of a fire burning out.

Connors music continues to be a world unto itself: delicate yet raw, evoking the ghosts of early American blues while dissolving into an ethereal, near-impressionistic haze. Connors’ guitar whispers, bends, and sighs, carving out space in a way that feels both ancient and entirely of the moment. His spontaneous compositions possess an emotional gravity that transcends technicality, drawing listeners into an intimate, dreamlike state.

Spitfire’s counterpart—Nightfall, another 10” out now, is among Connors’ most haunting.

Loren Connors has improvised and composed original guitar music for over four decades. His music embraces the aesthetics of blues, Irish airs, blues-based rock and other genres while letting go of rigid forms. Connors, who names abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko as his most important influence, also creates evocative print work that arise from the aesthetics of his music.

lorenconnors.net