Other You

Steve Gunn

Released on 8/27/21 by Matador
Main artists: Steve Gunn
Genre: Alternative & Indie
Distinctions: Uncut: Album of the Month

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When instrumental virtuosos who've spent much of their career as a hired gun sideman or a serial collaborator head towards a solo career—often making the extra leap into being a singer—the perils are many. The key is to play to your strengths and not try to do too much. Accordingly, as his official bio states, Steve Gunn, who's split his time between musical endeavors like the trio project GHQ and collaborations with Meg Baird and Kurt Vile, has "steadily processed his inspirations into a singular virtuosic stream." Translation: a solo career of increasingly likable singer/songwriter records. Breaking through to a larger audience with his 2014 album Way Out Weather, Gunn, with his supremely textural guitar playing, is a soft, feathery folkie for the new century. When forced to do more than just brilliant guitar playing, Gunn's songwriting is surprisingly conventional as in "Protection" where polyglot drummer Ryan Sawyer (who has played with Thurston Moore and Massive Attack among others) sets a steady beat for Gunn to minimally improvise around; "The Painter" has a cool-to-the-touch lounge jazz vibe. Produced by Rob Schnapf and Justin Tripp and engineered by Matt Schuessler, the sound of Gunn and the low-key accompanying quintet is appropriately detailed and layered. Some of Other You, which was named for Gunn improvising harmonies with a recording of his voice, is downright cheerful as in the lullaby soft "Morning River," where he sings an enigmatic love song: "Celebrate your magic/ Hermit of a sphere/ Floating through the stations with you/ Hear it loud and clear." The instrumental "Sugar Kiss" is a shimmering curtain of stringed textures including the sounds of a harp, electric guitar, upright bass and Gunn's 12-string acoustic guitar. While Gunn is never going to be a great singer, he has improved immensely, and has learned the essential skill of blending his songs with his vocal range, in the process becoming the best interpreter of his own material. In "Circuit Rider," his voice floats above descending chords of the verses with a knowing ease. As for his guitar prowess, Gunn prefers to make his lyrics heard over any string pyrotechnics, confining his guitarisms to short solos like that of his short, scuzzy statement in "Fulton." A quiet, confident folk whisper from a modern guitar icon. © Robert Baird/Qobuz

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Other You

Steve Gunn

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