Steve Gunn makes his glorious return to New Zealand, his first since the release of Other You, his brilliant sixth studio album released last year by Matador. A regular visitor to New Zealand, the New York-based guitarist and songwriter will play three solo shows across the country this October marking his fourth visit to our shores. His previous three tours have included headline shows across both islands, performances alongside The Chills, and a festival performance at the Southern Fork Americana fest. His last time here in 2019 was to tour his critically acclaimed fourth album The Unseen In Between.
With a career spanning nearly fifteen years, Gunn has produced volumes of critically acclaimed solo, duo, and ensemble recordings, steadily processing his inspirations into a singular, virtuosic stream. Close listening reveals the influence of blues, folk, ecstatic free jazz, and psych in his continually unfolding output.
Other You was recorded during two visits to Los Angeles in late 2020 and early 2021, the album was made with veteran producer Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliott Smith, Cass McCombs, Kurt Vile) at his Mant Studios alongside musician and longtime friend and co-producer Justin Tripp, whose credits include appearances on Gunn’s Time Off and Way Out Weather.
The relocation was in a way more than geographical – the surroundings, warm climate and tight-knit studio team encouraged Gunn to tap into new approaches, techniques and emotional reservoirs, casting off established notions, habits and hangups. A featherlight touch coasts through the album – from the classical guitar and piano interplay and soulful baritone of the title track, nimble drum brush swing at the heart of ‘Fulton‘ and ‘The Painter’, slow-burn kosmische rock of ‘Protection’, electric piano pulses and majestic tremolo stabs of ‘Reflection‘, to the cascading harps of ‘Sugar Kiss’ – it is easily Gunn’s brightest and most life-affirming work to date.
He is assisted by contributions from friends and fellow artists including Juliana Barwick, Mary Lattimore, Bridget St. John, Jeff Parker, Bill MacKay, Ben Bertrand, Ryan Sawyer and others.
Note – copy for this article supplied by The Label.
Steve Gunn – 2022 New Zealand Tour Dates
October 20 – AUCKLAND – THE TUNING FORK
October 23 – WELLINGTON – MEOW
October 24 – HASTINGS –
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