Steve Gunn: Live At The Night Light (digital release, Three Lobed Recording, June 2011)

I first came across Steve Gunn earlier this year by way of a couple of collaborations (which I may write about sometime later, or I may not). I was intrigued enough to investigate his previous work. After extensive research, I can reveal that by far my favourite recording of his is this 2011 digital-only live album. I guess you could describe this as psychedelic folk with influences from blues, classical guitar, and notably Indian sitar music. The dense, cyclic, swirling acoustic guitar picking is hypnotic and wonderful. Vocals are scarce, and his voice is frankly not fantastic, although it fits the music quite well. I'm ambivalent about what I've heard of his studio albums, mostly because I find his electric guitar solos irksomely self-indulgent. But here the playing is virtuoso yet understated and utterly thrilling.

I bought this on Google Play.

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