ALBUM REVIEW: Sir Richard Bishop – Hillbilly Ragas

Drag City

Released: 26.09.25

Bursting open with a thunderous eruption of rolling acoustic guitar, Sir Richard Bishop’s latest release is an unapologetically original collection of nine instrumental pieces. Characterised by its stripped-back production of solely acoustic guitar, the album exhibits a wild, enchanting adaptation of American primitivism, aided by a raga-inspired approach. Rooted in the concept of a mountain man exploring a world of sonic possibility, unconfined by rules imposed by musical tradition, each of the album’s nine tracks represents a distinct solitary excursion he makes.

Sir Richard Bishop, best known as the guitarist of Sun City Girls, has always embraced the experimental. Hillbilly Ragas, whilst simple in its instrumentation, marks a thorough, heartfelt embrace.