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THIS eagerly awaited second album from the Belfast solo guitar wizard highlights his talent as a composer for other instruments besides his own. Reid received a New Voices commission from Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival last year and some tracks here are the result. Icarus is a beautifully executed suite for guitar and string quartet, while Variations delivers an exquisitely fertile blend of folk, chamber-classical, jazz and ragtime. Some may bemoan the relative backseat role of Reid's guitar, but it is subtly present throughout, taking an occasional virtuoso turn in the spotlight. As a fledgling composer's calling-card, Tilt is outstanding. The beauty of the melodies reveals further levels of grace with repeated listening, while the overall experience is nicely rounded out by two songs with vocals by Eddi Reader and Boo Hewerdine.
