FRACTURED AIR

“The main theme of ‘Way out Weather’ is about being all over the place and trying to maintain and remain at peace. Being lost while both accepting and enjoying it I suppose is the goal.”

—Steve Gunn

Words: Mark Carry, Design: Craig Carry

The flawless North Carolina-based independent label Paradise of Bachelors has yet again been responsible for a string of modern-day Americana masterpieces, not least the latest tour-de-force from the ever-prolific, Brooklyn-based guitar prodigy and songsmith, Steve Gunn. Last year’s ‘Way Out Weather’ feels like a natural culmination where every aspect of Gunn’s deeply-affecting songs — poignant story-telling quality, immaculate instrumentation and intricate musical arrangements — is heightened as the towering eight creations hits you profoundly and stirs your soul. 2013’s ‘Time Off’ was the starting point of Gunn’s song-writing path, having collaborated closely with Kurt Vile, Michael Chapman, Mike Cooper, The Black Twig Pickers and a host of others in recent times.

A timeless feel permeates every corner of the record. The recording sessions took place at Black Dirt Studio in Westtown, New York, featuring a formidable cast of musicians (and Gunn’s long-term collaborators) further adding to the widescreen, cinematic sound to ‘Way Out Weather’s sprawling sonic canvas. Longtime musical brothers and kindred spirits Jason Meagher (bass, drones, engineering), Justin Tripp (bass, guitar, keys, production), and John Truscinski (drums), in addition to newcomers Nathan Bowles (drums, banjo, keys: Black Twig Pickers, Pelt); James Elkington (guitar, lap steel, dobro: Freakwater, Jeff Tweedy); Mary Lattimore (harp, keys: Thurston Moore, Kurt Vile); and Jimy SeiTang (synths, electronics: Stygian Stride, Rhyton.)

On the utterly transcendent album closer, ‘Tommy’s Congo’, shades of Sonny Sharrock beautifully surfaces beneath the artefacts of time. The deep groove and rhythm interwoven with this vivid catharsis is nothing short of staggering. The cosmic spirit captured on the closing cut — and each of these sublime recordings — permanently occupies a state of transcendence. As each song-cycle unfolds, the shimmering worlds of Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue or the Stones’ ‘Exile On Main St.’ fades into focus. ‘Way Out Weather’ is dotted with captivating moments from the ways of a true master.

Released earlier this year – on the pioneering Thrill Jockey label – came the eagerly awaited arrival of ‘Seasonal Hire’; a special collaborative album between Steve Gunn and The Black Twig Pickers that combines Gunn’s meditative guitar playing and the Twigs’ energetic mastery of old-time instrumentation. ‘Seasonal Hire’ collects four original tunes and one traditional piece, with Gunn and The Black Twig Pickers’ Mike Gangloff and Sally Anne Morgan all taking turns with lead vocal and songwriting. Like all of the Twigs’ albums, it was recorded live, without overdubs or amplification.

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For upcoming U.S and European tour dates, click here.

‘Way Out Weather’ is available now on Paradise Of Bachelors.

http://steve-gunn.com/
http://paradiseofbachelors.com/

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Interview with Steve Gunn.

Congratulations Steve on the sublime new record, ‘Way Out Weather’. It feels like it’s the natural progression on from 2013’s ‘Time Off’ where your song-writing comes to the forefront. Also, the record is a real band album that could be placed alongside the likes of Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue or the Stones’ ‘Exile On Main St’. Please discuss the cast of musicians you have on board and indeed how these songs – that I presume started as solo demos – transformed and evolved into the fully bloomed and fully realised sonic creations on ‘Way Out Weather’?

Steve Gunn: Thanks! ‘Way Out Weather’ was a natural progression for us from the last album. ‘Time Off’ was pretty much a live record, and we didn’t get too deep in talking about the arrangement aspect of the songs all that much. We had been playing those songs on ‘Time Off’ for a long time before we went to record them, so everything was in place and it was mostly cut live. Going into the studio, we kind of knew the songs well and how we wanted to record them. The drummer and I made some instrumental albums at the studio before, and ‘Time Off’ was more or less a sonic continuation of that. ‘Way Out Weather‘ is much more of a studio album, where the songs were arranged and recorded pretty much at the same time. Leading up to the session for ‘Way Out Weather‘, There were a lot of discussions and demoing leading us into it, and snippets of ideas were passed around. There were also talks on how we wanted to approach the recording in the studio, with what kind of gear and what kind of improvements we wanted to make. A lot of hanging around and deeply listening to records happened leading up to the session, followed by long late night chats on how maybe some of those sounds were created. We’d pontificate things like Clarence White’s lead on the Byrd’s song ‘Change is Now’ from the Notorious Byrd Brothers album —‘How in the hell?’ Or we’d pace around the room closely listening to Eddie Hazel’s guitar playing on the ‘Maggot Brain’ album.. Is that two echoplexes on that track? And that wah tone? Dang..

The songs for the new album started as solo demo ideas, and I sent them around to the engineer, Jason Meagher of Black Dirt Studio, and the players who came to the session. Most of the ideas were recorded on a handheld device while I was on tour, and when I got home and had some time I sat down and cut and pasted everything together. We had a lot of back and forth regarding what we wanted each track to sound like, and people brought some great ideas to the session. We fleshed the songs out when we all arrived at the studio together, and we cut most of the tracks in less than a week. Collectively everyone involved in the session worked non-stop, and we were workshopping things in another part of the studio while tracking. We had a limited time frame and budget to work with, and we worked long days and went through the tracks one by one without much stopping.

Jim Elkington:Guitar
Justin Tripp: Bass, Guitar, Piano, etc.
Nathan Bowles: Drums, Banjo, Piano
John Truscinski: Drums
Jason Meahger: Bass, Synth, Engineering  

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I love the abstract story-telling and striking narrative that runs throughout ‘Way Out Weather’. I would love for you to discuss the writing process? I envision it’s a sort of stream-of-consciousness akin to Dylan alone at this typewriter as I listen to the compelling songs unfold. Also, the album-title perfectly embodies the flood of music – gripped with emotion and intensity – beautifully captured.

SG: With most of the songs I try to take an anonymous narrative role in telling a story; using a list of visual snapshot descriptions. I travel around and take a lot of notes; either in a notebook, with a camera, sound recorder, etc. Some of these ideas/notes can be pretty banal, and other ideas more intense. I like to play with that mix of day-to-day boring details & heavy emotional subject matter. I really enjoy mixing these kinds of themes together and seeing what kind of story I can tell with them, sometimes the meaning and intentions flip and often that’s the goal. Sometimes the real meaning gets construed later without me even realizing it at first. I really value what meaning others can get out of the descriptions in the songs. It’s often surprising and different from what I am thinking, which is great because it’s nice to keep it personal. I like to throw things out there and see how they circle back.

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In many ways, the songs stem from the world around you; the Brooklyn neighbourhood, the communities that inhabit the space and indeed the stories that unfold around you. Please discuss the inspiration that Brooklyn and New York serves for you, Steve? I recall Damon of Amen Dunes telling me how their latest album ‘Love’ is their New York record. Would it be a similar case for ‘Way Out Weather’?

SG: I like living in New York because the city has a certain vibrancy and energy unlike any other place (particularly in the US) that I have ever been to. I never get tired of taking long walks in different areas of the city and observing the day-to-day activities and craziness of existing in such a place. NYC serves as a big inspiration to me, and is a rich environment for someone to walk around and get lost in. Some people fail to realize how big the city actually is, and how much it really has to offer. It’s its own universe, and even after being there so long I am constantly discovering new things. With that being said, I also like leaving New York and being in other places. ‘Way Out Weather’ is not a New York record. I travelled a lot last year, and I wanted to widen the scope this time. The main theme of ‘Way out Weather’ is about being all over the place and trying to maintain and remain at peace. Being lost while both accepting and enjoying it I suppose is the goal.

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The diverse styles and sounds contained on ‘Way Out Weather’ is another aspect of the record’s timeless feel. Please take me back to the sessions at Black Dirt Studio in Westtown, New York. Were a lot of these songs borne from jams and how much of the songs stemmed from live improvisation? It must have been an enriching experience to be part of such a dynamic and formidable ensemble. How long did the recording sessions take?

SG: It was definitely an enriching experience to be in the studio with all of those players. I was very careful with who I wanted to come to the session, and everyone involved brought their own important stamp to the music. Everyone who came to the session are the best musicians I could have asked for to attend the session, and I am super grateful for what they brought to the record. Improvisation is a big part of my musical life, and I think it’s an important thing to embrace if you are a travelling musician. All of the people involved in the session have all kinds of experience playing in so many different contexts, and all our collective knowledge and ability was used in a really great way. The session was also a testament to ourselves with what we are capable of doing in the studio.

For us every environment and live situation is different, and quick adaptation is really key to not letting things go off the rails. We’ve all been playing in bands in many different contexts and styles, and doing things that are inspired and off the cuff are where we often find are best material. We relied on these kind of instincts for the ‘Way Out Weather’ session and we kind of rolled with the songs without scrutinizing it too much.

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There are an endless array of utterly transcendent moments dotted on the new record, such is its greatness. At the moment, ‘Fiction’- – which begins part B of the record – is my favourite. I particularly love the meandering guitar licks that forms a gorgeous rise in the song. Can you talk me through this song please and indeed your memories of writing and laying the tracks down?

SG: Thanks. That song came about in the studio when I messing around with this cyclical guitar line and Jim Elkington was accompanying with Dobro. Every song on the album was cut in a very loose fashion, and it’s interesting to you that this one is your favourite because this one was the loosest. The words and vocal arrangement were sort of a made up on the spot, all of the vocal tracks were stacked on top of each other, and the rhythm part at the end was a very last-minute addition as we were listening back to the song trying to figure out what to do with it.

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The album closer ‘Tommy’s Congo’ epitomises the bold, creative spirit that lies at the heart of ‘Way Out Weather’. Shades of Sonny Sharrock beautifully surfaces beneath the artefacts of time. The deep groove and rhythm inter-woven with this vivid catharsis is nothing short of staggering. Please discuss the narrative to ‘Tommy’s Congo’? As album closers go, this is one of those defining moments, “from the ways of a master”. 

SG: I came up with the idea for the song after hanging out in a few Congolese bars in Belgium with my friend and bandmate Tommy. I more or less put together a few memories and inspirations from being there and watching these amazing musicians do their thing. The guitar players always kept their eyes on the party and socialized as they were playing these incredible rhythmic guitar lines — totally badass and kind of unbelievable…

 

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For upcoming U.S and European tour dates, click here.