Since the days of Dick, Duane and Hank the twang has never settled on a single sound, it’s been the vehicle for numerous destinations. Link Wray took the rockabilly to hard rock route, Man or Astroman surfed sci-fi, Huevos Rancheros headed for punk rock and Khruangbin continue along the soul-funk highway.
US Guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Gitkin (aka Brian J) is another member of this musical collective who, since his first solo release in 2018, has been at the forefront of the twang’s exciting evolution. He’s a player who’s honed in on the connection between Mr Eddy’s original electric sound and a world of other styles from Peruvian Cumbia to Saharan blues. Now two albums of heady exploration in, ‘5 Star Motel’ from 2018 and 2020’s ‘Safe Passage’, Gitkin is about to release another collection of his own distinctive rootsy tunes.
‘Golden Age’ will be hitting the shelves via the venerable Wonderwheel Recordings on 18th October, carrying with it the spirit of Gitkin’s new home city, New Orleans. It’s been four years since Brian J decided to shake things up and move his whole studio operation plus truck-full of instruments from his familiar Brooklyn foundations. So the promise is that his pulsating global grooves will have absorbed some of those Gris Gris, Mardi Gras vibes for this latest set.
Before grabbing the whole shebang next month you can sample the heat of that steamy mix on the final preview single, ‘The One’. It’s a cut which comes packed with bar-room energy, live and direct. From the boom of a Zam-rock power-chord intro a twirling desert-blues guitar line takes over, whipped along by a chunky disco funk shuffle that’s just for openers. Gitkin then takes the song home on a swinging blues rock blowout sprinkled with ethio-jazz keys plus plenty of twang. That’s a mighty gumbo getting cooked up in three minutes thirty. Want more…get some.
Pre-order your copy of ‘Golden Age’ by Gitkin from your local record store or direct from Wonderwheel Recordings HERE
You can catch Gitkin on solo dates and supporting Say She She at:
UK & Paris Tour Dates
*All dates as support with Say She She. Bold = headline
11 Nov – Paris // POPUP!
*13 Nov – Cambridge // Junction
*14 Nov – Bristol // O2 Academy
15 Nov – Southampton // Heartbreakers
*17 Nov – Brighton // Chalk
*18 Nov – London // Roundhouse
19 Nov – London // Two Palms
*20 Nov – Manchester // Albert Hall
*21 Nov – Liverpool // Content
*23 Nov – Newcastle // Boilershop
*24 Nov – Glasgow // Fruitmarket
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