Steve Gates
Black Guillemot
2012-02-28
Recorded with a large cast of friends, this full-length from Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Steve Gates (Caledonia) is as spare and beautiful as anything touched by either Neil Young or Daniel Lanois in his solo work. Gates is at his most soulful on “Bright Blue Candy Suns”, his most honest on “Five White Tigers”, the title track, and “Godforsaken”, and at his best throughout. We never lose our connection with him as a vocalist but his voice transforms throughout, easily moving between the late-night soul singer and the north woods oracle when the song demands, lending each of the 12 here a unique character for maximum impact.