Canadian singer-songwriter Steve Dawson produced no less than three albums during his various lockdowns, of which this is the first to be released. Unlike many others, though, “Gone, Long Gone” is not a one-man-and-a-guitar outing but a full-blown band effort, recorded as and when possible, and Fats Kaplin and The Bird’s of Chicago’s Allison Russell are just two of the musicians who contributed. Dawson has a laid-back style and is a master of the groove, as evidenced by ‘King Bennie Had His Shit Together’, a tale of the great Hawaiian steel guitar player, King Bennie Nawahi, and the rather darker ‘Bad Omen’. Dawson’s fascination with Hawaiian music is also evident elsewhere, on the delightful instrumental ‘Kalaniapia Waltz’ and other little snippets here and there. Dawson is a master guitarist and a versatile writer and performer on the likes of the folkier title track, sad love song ‘I just Got Lost’, and the delicate instrumental ‘Cicada Sanctuary’. He also essays a cover of Ronnie Lane’s ‘Ooh-La-La’ which never quite takes off but that aside, this is a solid set from an expert craftsman.
Black Hen Music
×