I give it props just for being Macedonian and getting my attention. 

 On_The_Beach wrote: 

I warned you kids about drinking too much coffee.

 terrapin52 wrote: 

 terrapin52 wrote: 

that was pretty insane - love it

Awesome! I played this same song when I was five on a guitar I made from a Kleenex box and rubber bands.

A technical masterpiece that is boring as shit.  This is the kind of thing that one guitar player plays to impress the crap out of another guitar player. 

It's like a very high brow dueling banjos.

NOT a good morning song.

 whtahtefcuk wrote: 
This is a highly sophisticated method to test ones patience

OVER PLAYED

 dima wrote: 
Not only Macedonia, but far wider , my friend. :)
Браво Влатко , браво Македонија! :) 

 CWKeeney wrote: 
That's a true story! Mark said that in a speech after being named the best guitarist in the world (for that particular year). And Miroslav Tadic is a professor of guitar at the California Institute of Arts. This stuff they did together is their own (brilliant) interpretation of old Macedonian ethnic music pieces (which I personally find  the most beautiful ethnic music of the whole region), mixing it with jazz, flamenco style etc.
The outcome of their collaboration....well, to sum it up; one has to be musically blunt not to recognize top quality here (not to mention those speaking BS about it). Sorry, but this is a pure 10.

Bring the vodka - quickly!  Also, give me a potato and beet to fling at the guitarists.

Sorry gotta disagree with you. it takes two hands to play this and only one hand to masturbate
 lemmoth wrote: 

 cherjr wrote: 
Thank you for this. I especially enjoyed this other piece by Ivan Smirnov: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmSgbZt41rs&feature=related

(I'm taking your word for the musician's name, as I do not read Cyrillic!) There are pyrotechnics, but also attention to time and space in his performance. (Identifiable elements of that magical quality called "Soul").

I suppose I'd better confess: I do not care much for this piece by Stefanovski and Tadic. It sounds like they are in the process of winning a contest for playing fast, and the music suffers for it.  As a non-musician who much admires the competence of musicians, I am reluctant to criticize the result, but there it is.

musical masturbation to me - sorry

kind of like keith emerson - only with stringed instruments

i'm so not in the mood for this

My god, I thought i was the only non-Macedonian (or Serbian) to have this album!  I could hardly believe what I heard when this came on.  It was sold to me at a CD stand in Belgrade back in 2000 by a guy who said "Mark Knopfler says that Vlatko Stefanofski is the best guitarist in the world."  Who knows if he ever said that, but it was enough for me to buy the CD.   Kudos, RP!

 nagsheadlocal wrote: 
Sometimes it's really nice to be ignorant. I know too little to criticise, and can only say I like this a LOT.

 derekd wrote:
 obviously, part of the soli erupting from my left speaker sound a lot like flamenco

Shades of Coryell/Catherine. Not for everyone but deserves its place.

 nagsheadlocal wrote: 

I see what you mean. It seems to lack some technical finesse, too. On the other hand, what they have done musically is fascinating, in my opinion. So I still give this a 9.

 nagsheadlocal wrote: 

Totally agree!

Vlatko Stefanovski is the best guitarist from Republic of Macedonia.
Браво мајсторе. (mac language) 

I would recommend on this occasion Russian guitar virtuoso Ivan Smirnov (Иван Смирнов), who use very distinctive Russian harmonies melodies with a lot of soul: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=PO3srBs9a6A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fLJC_hPGl8 
Pity, he's not very well known outside Russia...

I got blisters on my fingers- from listening!!!!!

I like it.

 ick wrote: 
Alas, me too. I found it too fast, too harsh, and their touch lacked any sense of respect for the instrument.

I mean, Leo Kottke plays blazing fast at times, but you always feel warmth in his tone and approach.

 Stingray wrote:
Do you often feel as if your wallet were missing?  You made this same comment yesterday.