Michio Kurihara’s sublime solo debut is an impressionist concept record that refracts the golden radiance of the magic hour, its nine songs drawing inspiration from nine different sunsets spanning across the calendar year. A largely instrumental effort, Sunset Notes is foremost a showcase for Kurihara’s remarkable guitar work — his leads soar like exotic birds in flight, brilliantly evoking the moods and colors of the solitary moments in time the songs capture. – Jason Ankeny