After my first solo recording in 2007, The Story Of Elston Gunn, I was excited to get back to releasing material again, as the songs recorded on my first record were some of my earliest written. I was eager to show listeners how my writing has evolved, how my sound has grown. Life has a funny way of putting things in the way though. I started acting and things were really picking up, as time went on I found myself picking up my guitar less and less. I'd play a few shows here and there, but hadn't had the time to record any new material. Finally the day came when my friend Andy Parish and I had the chance to sit down and record some of my newer songs.
We had a blast making this, and the addition of electric guitar into my mix, as well as Andy's handiness with all things electronic, lent themselves well to my new sound. We started with the track I'm most excited about "The Weight Of My Words", a newer song I wrote about my expectations of a life as a musician clashing with reality. Next we decided to step it up a bit, flowing from the soft and intimate opening track, to something a bit more rockin'. "Not That I Think" is a song about packing up and moving on, a true story from my last few weeks living in San Diego before moving to Portland. Slowing it down again we blended "Seasons" right into the end of the previous track. A somber and heavy song that follows the natural emotions that come once the anger subsides, "Seasons" is a song true to my heart. Next comes "Carroll and the Crowe". The Crowe in the title refers to Stephanie Crowe, a childhood friend of mine who was taken before her time. The song is a continuation of Bob Dylan's protest masterpiece, "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll", and follows up on where that story is now, some 50 years later. It juxtaposes these two tragic deaths and highlights the feelings we all have who are left behind. Near the end of this short EP is "Bury The Dead" a song about going out with a bang till there's nothing left to do but bury your tired body at the end of the night. Lastly, the "Outro" track is a pleasant little instrumental song to wind down the feelings of the whole EP. It was inspired by some of the gorgeous guitar work that Nick Drake laid down in his historic Pink Moon sessions.
with 6 solid songs, Colyalcolor Or The Great Physician And Jack is one of my best recordings to date. Oh, and ask me about the title some time, there's a story about that.
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