February 07 2007
Album Review: David Kilgour – The Far Now
posted by Steven Shaw at 4:36 pm
David Kilgour — The Far Now (Arch Hill)
There’s always been something quite reassuring about David Kilgour’s solo work. Way back with his first solo album, 1991’s Here Come The Cars, the songs seemed to drift with the buoyancy of the ocean. And here on his sixth album, The Far Now, he somehow achieves a similar effortless sense of weightlessness.
No doubt this keen surfer, known to most as a musician and one-third of Flying Nun act The Clean, draws a lot of inspiration from the water. It’s clear on songs like “Sun Of God”, a baroque tribute to West Coast America psychedelia that uses layers of acoustic guitar arpeggios. It would sound right at home on a Chocolate Watch band album. “Wave of Love”, is made even more “floaty” with the aid of space echo or synth sounds.
For the folk-soul number “On Your Own” he adds strings, courtesy of Alan Starrett, who has collaborated with Kilgour on other solo albums like Feather In The Engine (and performed with many other old Flying Nun acts like The 3Ds or Pop Art Toasters). “I’m Gonna Get Better Lately” has reverb-soaked vocals, analogue synth sounds and gentle guitar picking, reminiscent of Luna or even Cowboy Junkies.
Kilgour’s ballad-tempo songs — “Under Cloud” is another example — are swirling psychedelic lullabies, but there are some great up-tempo grooves here as well. “BBC World” is one of several songs recorded with his backing band, The Heavy Eights. With a dropping chord progression and gorgeous fifths flying off the bass, it’s one of those signature DK songs where the chorus involves little more than a simple harmony and a damn good groove. He gives himself the space here to step back from the microphone and enjoy that groovy guitar strum.
As anyone who catches him live can attest, that’s a truly magical place, where the music says much more than any words can. Kilgour’s albums are all damn good, and this one seems to get better and better with each consecutive listen.
David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights are currently touring:
Thurs 8th Feb, Dux de Lux, Christchurch; Thurs 15th Feb, SFBH, Wellington; Fri 16th Feb Latitude Live, Napier; Sat 17th Feb Schooner, Auckland; Thurs 1st March, The Metro, Sydney (with Yo La Tengo); Fri 2nd March, Rics Bar, Brisbane; Sat 3rd March, The Hopetoun, Sydney; Tues 6th March, The Corner, Melbourne (with Yo La Tengo); Wed 7th March, The Corner, Melbourne, (with Yo La Tengo)