Steve Marion, the guitarist known as Delicate Steve, recently announced a new album entitled ‘Delicate Steve Sings’. Due out 16th August on ANTI-, its title might have implied a left turn for an artist known for his five albums of critically acclaimed instrumental music, plus his work with artists such as Miley Cyrus, Paul Simon, Amen Dunes, Tame Impala and The Black Keys. However, as is so often the case with Delicate Steve, the idea has a few more layers than it might initially appear.
Inspired by the Willie Nelson covers album ‘Stardust’, Marion was inspired to make a record on which he takes aspects of iconic music from the past and reinterprets them in a way that carries his own distinctive mark. However, not content to simply record covers, he took a unique approach, blending a handful of faithful reworks with several new compositions on which he channels the voices of other artists.
For the new album’s introductory single, ‘I’ll Be There’ VIDEO, he built a composition inspired by the voice of iconic US singer-songwriter Bill Withers (‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, ‘Lean On Me’, etc). Today, Marion is sharing a second single, this time a cover of ‘Baby’ by Donnie & Joe Emerson.
An underground hit when Donnie & Joe Emerson’s 1979 debut album ‘Dreamin’ Wild’ was rediscovered in 2012 and reissued by Light In The Attic, the original version of ‘Baby’ has a ghostly quality that Marion leans into while imbuing its lead melody with a laidback swagger. A recording full of little details with his guitar singing the lead, Marion’s actual voice can also be heard in the ethereal choir that provides the backing harmony.
“While working on my new album, I only listened to one artist at a time when I listened to music,” explains Marion. “Whoever it was, that was all I wanted to listen to for about a month, until the next artist would find me. First it was Frank Sinatra, followed by Fats Domino, Chet Baker and Portishead. Donnie & Joe stopped by out of nowhere one weekend, and I found myself listening to ‘Baby’ all over again while driving back and forth to recording sessions. It was in one of these moments that I decided to sing it.”
new single
out 15.07.24
(ANTI-)
visualiser
included on
DELICATE STEVE SINGS
new album
out 16.08.24
