Daylight Daylight. Steve Gunn

Late September, I wrote on Daylight Daylight's single and opening song 'Nearly There' and pointed out what the song reminded me of. Hearing it again, and having listened to Pink Floyd's 'Animals' for the first time in a few years, made me realise I had missed something. The sound of Gunn's acoustic guitar sounds exactly like the one on 'Pigs On A Wing'. The sound and the way it is strummed. And when he sings on 'Morning On L Road', it becomes even more pronounced. The songs don't plagiarise, don't worry, it's the mood and sound that brings the comparison to mind.

Besides, it is meant as a compliment. 'Animals' may not be in my personal Pink Floyd top 3, as in my top 10 all around, the album is in close pursuit. This however was not what I liked the first time I listened to Daylight Daylight, when I wrote down the album immediately for a review. No, that is the extremely pleasant listening experience, the songs and Gunn's voice.

In a way this album, Steve Gunn's seventh solo album, is in a line with Nick Drake's. Gunn recorded his voice and guitar and sent the result to his producer and friend James Elkington. He received a carte blanche with one caveat: this is meant to become a small album. The result is, like Drake's albums, a singer-songwriter accompanied by other instruments that mostly take their place in the background. Soft percussion, some keys or a guitar overdub and strings played by Macie Stewart (violins and viola), Ben Whiteley (cellos) and Nick Macri (upright bass). There's also Hunter Diamond (woodwinds).

This soft and small approach allows the listener to truly listen and move along with the flow Gunn and Elkington created for us. The result is an album that is rich in mood, texture and atmospheric. I would almost say new age, the way 'Another Fade' progresses. As a whole Daylight Daylight puts the listener in a relaxed mood for certain. Just close your eyes and submerge into the seven songs. That is all you need to do and enjoy your half hour with Steve Gunn and colleague musicians.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Daylight Daylight here:

https://stevegunn.bandcamp.com/album/daylight-daylight