A successful pseudonym might sound different. Under the stage name Cuthead one rather imagines a reckless buccaneer of the 18th century than a stylistically variable musician of 2022. To become the latter remains a dream for Dominik Rüegg for years:
After 5 years of classical individual guitar lessons (until 16) and years of electric guitar in bands, the Swiss doesn't quite know how to go about it.

For the sake of embarrassment and usefulness, he does an apprenticeship as a carpenter (the desired path to becoming a guitar maker would only have led to years of training as a violin maker, even after the strictest selection) - and then, because the musician in him keeps knocking ("I wanted to make music professionally after all") - something quite radical:

For one year he soaks up the "unbelievably intensive guitar input day and night" as if in a frenzy at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood between very good students and outstanding teachers like Frank Gambale.
Admittedly, the theoretical discussion comes only when he is back home; but a great versatility and an even greater motivation are now laid out.

In fact, since then he is what he always wanted to be: an independent musician. In studios and on countless stages he earns his living as a sideman with a meanwhile almost endless list of references; Besides 130 concerts a year in this function, he also compiles and produces soundtracks for film and television (here, too, the list of references never ends), still teaches and finds time for his own musical projects like now "The Second Look".

This new album consists largely of pieces that he had always put aside, mostly for reasons of time. In its production, two conflicting developments come together: On the one hand, "one becomes more selective and demanding with increasing age." On the other hand, he feels "calmer and less self-critical, no longer so much with the high virtuoso claim". And that is exactly what `The Second Look` sets out to do.

These are partly 30-year-old pieces on which he now takes a second, somewhat milder look, and which he still likes. Composed to the greatest possible extent, with rather little improvisation and with a restrained self-demand, he plays them ("and nevertheless a lot of time went into it"), mainly on 4 instruments.

A fairly standard Yamaha nylon string ("it intonates well, sounds nice and feels good in my hand"), a flamenco guitar by Hermanos Conde, a Takamine steel string and - by far the most unusual instrument - a Gibson L-00 from 1937, as it is basically still built today. "Very centered, very good for picking, very direct and loud for such a small body, pleasantly thick neck. A tractor to play, but with a lot of character, which you then have to be able to handle. but such old guitars have more character for me than a present one."

And in the end there is a quiet to lively record, incredibly well produced, but not with exaggerated perfectionism, in whose mostly gentle, beautiful sounds you can slide in without ever having to fear drowning in kitsch.

Michael Lohr

German Magazine -Akustik Gitarre- issue 1/23