Guy Buttery - Songs from the Cane Fields (20ᵗʰ Anniversary Edition) (2025) [Hi-Res]

Guy Buttery's album Songs From The Cane Fields (2005) successfully fulfilled the potential suggested by its debut, When I Grow Up …, while avoiding the "difficult second album" syndrome. Released three years after his debut, the album shows significant musical growth, as Buttery, the youngest nominee in the history of the South African Music Awards, took his time to develop his technical and compositional skills. In Cane Fields, the guitarist begins to find his own voice, where the sound of his instrument becomes as characteristic as the notes he plays. The composition 'December Poems' with its memorable motif and the introduction of sitar improvisation, reflecting the connection to Indian music and the cultural heritage of the cane fields, serve as key examples of this development. The album also showcases Buttery's pianistic proficiency and his exploration of more experimental sonic landscapes.

According to Steven Hawes, the cane fields of coastal KwaZulu-Natal where Buttery grew up served as a deep well of inspiration, encouraging him to experiment and step outside of musical conventions. Songs from the Cane Fields emerged during the special period of the mid-2000s, when South African artists, shedding the legacy of Apartheid, were working with renewed energy. The album is considered a foundational contribution to South African music of that era, fusing styles and showcasing astonishing quality in acoustic instrumentation. It remains inspiring and relevant 20 years after its release.

Guy Buttery - acoustic guitar, classical guitar, sitar, piano
Baz Corden - acoustic guitar
Angus Kerr - violin
Nibs van der Spuy - acoustic guitar
Ellis Pearson - double bass

Tracklist:
1. Guy Buttery - December Poems (remastered)
2. Guy Buttery - Driving North For The Sun (remastered)
3. Guy Buttery - I Feel Like I'm Standing in the Rain (remastered)
4. Guy Buttery - Nectarinia Amethystina (remastered)
5. Guy Buttery - Spontaneous Combustion (remastered)
6. Guy Buttery - Foot-Tapper II (The Sequel) (remastered)
7. Guy Buttery - Renwot (remastered)
8. Guy Buttery - Mad Scientist Ritual (remastered)
9. Guy Buttery - Room 23 / Awkwardosity (remastered)
10. Guy Buttery - Nail Problems (remastered)
11. Guy Buttery - Wet Feet (remastered)
12. Guy Buttery - Kogelsberg (remastered)
13. Guy Buttery - December Poems (live in Durban)
14. Guy Buttery - Driving North For The Sun (alternate take)
15. Guy Buttery - Nectarinia Amyesthinia (alternate take)
16. Guy Buttery - Spontaneous Combustion (live in Durban)
17. Guy Buttery - Making Warm (unreleased experiment)
18. Guy Buttery - Room 29 / Awkwardosity (031 demo)