|
6/01 Terminal 5 . New York, NY %
6/10 Contemporary Arts Center . Cincinnati, OH * 6/11 Wexner Center for the Arts . Columbus, OH * 6/12 Mr Smalls Fun House . Pittsburgh, PA * 6/13 Town Ballroom . Buffalo, NY * 6/14 Pearl Street Ballroom . Northampton, MA * 6/19 The National . Richmond, VA # 6/20 Orange Peel . Asheville, NC # 6/21 Bijou Theatre . Knoxville, TN # 6/22 Cannery Ballroom . Nashville, TN # 6/23 Headliners Music Hall . Louisville, KY # 6/24 20th Century Theatre . Cincinnati, OH # 8/31 End of the Road Festival . North Dorset, UK 9/06 Hopscotch Music Fest . Raleigh, NC % with tUnE-yArDs, Micachu and the Shapes * with tUnE-yArDs # with Yeasayer Read More Delicate Steve, who I couldn't wrap my head around an all-instrumental spacey surf band playing with this Africana-rock sound of Khaira Arby and Her Band. But as I watch Steve and his band play, I realized that Steve's music fits perfectly with Arby's band.
|
It’s taken a little while but Delicate Steve is back with a brand new album set for release on the 15th May on the “Luaka Bop” record label which is run by Talking Head’s front man extraordinaire David Byrne. Byrne had, for some time, wanted to set up a label that summed up the best in world music as a whole and Steve’s sound seems to fit with his ethos perfectly. A few moments of your time given over to listening to him will show you why.
What Does He Sound Like?
Delicate Steve (his real name is Steve Marion) hails from New Jersey, and is only twenty three years old; incredible when you hear the talent he has.
According to the man himself he likes to channel bands like 10CC and Yes. Maybe throw in a little Stevie Wonder and you’re pretty close to finding what he sounds like. Comparisons have been made with acts like Pavement and really off on a tangent – the Allman Brothers! (Remember Jessica?).
His performances are largely instrumental, very little in the way of vocals but that should in no way put you off. The new album is more or less shrouded in secrecy with not much in the way of track releases given out for sampling. There is however, this one little gem available for preview in which you can certainly hear his awesome style:
Delicate Steve - Afria Talks To You
It’s a really good, solid track that showcases his guitar style so well and gives you a really intense flavour of what he’s about. He has soul in bucketfuls and such a laid back way about him. In another age, in another time this might have sounded totally wrong or out of place – not here, it just sounds so fresh and cool. In a way maybe as if Carlos Santana was reborn as a fresh out of college kid with edge and attitude!
The track listing for “Positive Force” reads as follows:
His Debut Album
His debut album came out in January 2011 and was called “Wondervisions”. According to press for the record it was written and recorded at his parent’s house in New Jersey. It caused what you might call a minor stir among musos who were very taken by his sound and what he was trying to achieve. Strictly speaking that album was a synthesiser and guitar driven festival of pop. Tracks like “Sugar Splash” have such a feel of acts like Paul Simon about them. Beats that you can’t help but want to tap your feet to. You can have a listen to that here at Steve’s Soundcloud page:
There are elements of all sorts of styles in his work; reggae, pop, Afrobeat, psychedelia, funk. Some say he sounds almost cosmic. The joy of what he’s doing is there’s no wrong way to hear it, to assess it, you can take from it what you want. It’s his music but you can put your own personal spin on it. In tracks like “Don’t Get Stuck” there’s a real Beatles-y edge to the guitar work, you suddenly feel like you could be in India with the Maharishi drifting away on a cloud of psychedelia:
Where Can I Buy His Stuff and More Importantly Can I See Him Live?
The new album will be available from all the usual online outlets like iTunes – it’s already up for pre-order on Amazon, therefore all you need to do is make sure you have secure broadband packages so you can browse and download his music safely. Another good place to check him out before you buy is his bandcamp site, which allows you to listen and decide before you commit your money! Always a worthwhile path to take.
You cal also go see him live. He’s got a few dates lined up for early May, but then has a big gig lined up for the 1st June at Terminal Five, New York. He hops over to the UK for a date in the county of Dorset and then back to play the Hopscotch Music Fest on 9th September in Raleigh.
If you really want an unusual new musician to try out and have a new listening experience with, if you’re prepared to be open to having lots of different styles almost thrown at you in an edgy and contemporary way, then Delicate Steve is the artist for you. At the relatively young age of twenty three he can only improve, which really bodes well for any future records he makes. Give him a go – you really won’t regret it.
What Does He Sound Like?
Delicate Steve (his real name is Steve Marion) hails from New Jersey, and is only twenty three years old; incredible when you hear the talent he has.
According to the man himself he likes to channel bands like 10CC and Yes. Maybe throw in a little Stevie Wonder and you’re pretty close to finding what he sounds like. Comparisons have been made with acts like Pavement and really off on a tangent – the Allman Brothers! (Remember Jessica?).
His performances are largely instrumental, very little in the way of vocals but that should in no way put you off. The new album is more or less shrouded in secrecy with not much in the way of track releases given out for sampling. There is however, this one little gem available for preview in which you can certainly hear his awesome style:
Delicate Steve - Afria Talks To You
It’s a really good, solid track that showcases his guitar style so well and gives you a really intense flavour of what he’s about. He has soul in bucketfuls and such a laid back way about him. In another age, in another time this might have sounded totally wrong or out of place – not here, it just sounds so fresh and cool. In a way maybe as if Carlos Santana was reborn as a fresh out of college kid with edge and attitude!
The track listing for “Positive Force” reads as follows:
- Ramona Reborn
- Wally Wilder
- Two Lovers
- Big Time Receiver
- Touch
- Positive Force
- Love
- Redeemer
- Afria Talks To You
- Tallest Heights
- Luna
His debut album came out in January 2011 and was called “Wondervisions”. According to press for the record it was written and recorded at his parent’s house in New Jersey. It caused what you might call a minor stir among musos who were very taken by his sound and what he was trying to achieve. Strictly speaking that album was a synthesiser and guitar driven festival of pop. Tracks like “Sugar Splash” have such a feel of acts like Paul Simon about them. Beats that you can’t help but want to tap your feet to. You can have a listen to that here at Steve’s Soundcloud page:
There are elements of all sorts of styles in his work; reggae, pop, Afrobeat, psychedelia, funk. Some say he sounds almost cosmic. The joy of what he’s doing is there’s no wrong way to hear it, to assess it, you can take from it what you want. It’s his music but you can put your own personal spin on it. In tracks like “Don’t Get Stuck” there’s a real Beatles-y edge to the guitar work, you suddenly feel like you could be in India with the Maharishi drifting away on a cloud of psychedelia:
Where Can I Buy His Stuff and More Importantly Can I See Him Live?
The new album will be available from all the usual online outlets like iTunes – it’s already up for pre-order on Amazon, therefore all you need to do is make sure you have secure broadband packages so you can browse and download his music safely. Another good place to check him out before you buy is his bandcamp site, which allows you to listen and decide before you commit your money! Always a worthwhile path to take.
You cal also go see him live. He’s got a few dates lined up for early May, but then has a big gig lined up for the 1st June at Terminal Five, New York. He hops over to the UK for a date in the county of Dorset and then back to play the Hopscotch Music Fest on 9th September in Raleigh.
If you really want an unusual new musician to try out and have a new listening experience with, if you’re prepared to be open to having lots of different styles almost thrown at you in an edgy and contemporary way, then Delicate Steve is the artist for you. At the relatively young age of twenty three he can only improve, which really bodes well for any future records he makes. Give him a go – you really won’t regret it.
