All those fond of gentle, hopeful guitar albums could do a lot worse than listening to the second album from State River Widening. A year after David Sheppard collaborated with Pete Astor on the Ellis Island Sound project and a mere 6 months after a joint effort with Keiron Phelan comes 'Early Music' with Phelan still on board and Jon Steele on percussion. The seven songs bear favourable comparisons with post-rock giant Jim O'Rourke, particularly on the fluid guitar work of 'New Title'. 'For Hessen' begins like 'Classical Gas' but is siwftly steered into a glorious, rambling guitar passage that unwinds in the most beguling way. Proving a willingness to experiment the trio use flute to propel the title track to great heights whilst the 'Highest Point On The Island' boasts fine glockenspiel playing. As a British response to the largely American-based post-rock phenomena, this boasts more melodic surprises than your average tasteful instrumental release.