Stream Tompkins Square’s new compilation Imaginational Anthem Vol. 5, featuring Steve Gunn, Daniel Bachman and more

Curated by New Englander Sam Moss, the fifth installment in Tompkins Square’s Imaginational Anthem anthology brings together twelve of the most talented contemporary musicians to celebrate the age-old tradition of acoustic guitar playing. Though volumes 1-4 of the series were compiled by Tompkins Square’s Josh Rosenthal, he brought in Moss for this edition to get a fresh perspective on the current generation.  Rosenthal explains, “I felt I’d exhausted most of the older guys I wanted to dig up, and I wasn’t hearing that much new guitar that I really liked. I sensed that Sam knew what was going on.”  The result is a record that has its foundation set in the American Primitive tradition of John Fahey and his ilk, but each contribution takes those roots down a dozen unique paths meandering from avant-garde meditations to raga-infused .

Following in the footsteps of the previous volumes, which included compositions by Jack Rose, Chris Forsyth and Jesse Sparhawk, Moss called on a few musicians with ties to Philadelphia to contribute their songs including Eric Carbonara, Steve Gunn and Daniel Bachman.

Imaginational Anthem vol. 5 will be released on Tuesday, November 13th, but it is available for streaming via Tompkins Square’s Soundcloud.  Vol. 5 will also be included in a 6-CD box set, out on Black Friday, packaged with the previous volumes and an exclusive live album from William Tyler.  View the tracklist and stream the full compilation below.

Imaginational Anthem vol. 5 tracklist

01. Temple Walk – Steve Gunn
02. I Think We’ll Be Happy Here- Jordan Fuller
03. Lookout Point- Danny Paul Grody
04. There Is A Place In This Old Town- Nick Schillace
05. Hemet Pine Singer- Will Stratton
06. John Fahey Commemorative Beer Can- Bill Orcutt
07. Confederate Rose- Daniel Bachman
08. Through A House Of Violet Abandon- Eric Carbonara
09. Her Unmediated Eyes- Tom Lecky
10. Standing At The Entrance Of A Hidden City- Alexander Turnquist
11. Modern Man In Search Of A Song- Cam Deas
12. Rivers Gone Badly Wrong- Yair Yona