Rob’s Album Of The Week: Delicate Steve’s Till I Burn Up
The term “multi-instrumentalist” has pretentious undertones stemming from the predetermined virtuosity that comes with it. New Jersey musician Steve Marion does away with that notion under the moniker Delicate Steve. On every recording he plays all the instruments and his stunning guitar skills are the highlight of his sound. His fifth album, Till I Burn Up, came out on February 27 on the label Anti- and it shows him embracing more electronic elements than with his previous work. It’s an instrumental mix of new wave and surf rock with a sonic sheen.
Marion has never sang a word on any of his music, but he can really make a six-string sing. He takes an abstract, borderline avant-garde approach while riding a rhythm from beginning to end. The pace can either be fast with the result being him becoming a shredding guitar god, or the pace can be steady with him getting jazzy and experimental. The new album is a great example of how a musician can take the reigns of artistic freedom and literally do whatever that want with it. There’s a sense of liberation that comes along and it can be felt while listening.
Instrumental music often gets the same treatment as a rock duo. Some buffoon will express concerns with the question “Where’s the singer?” much like how said buffoon will ask “Where’s the bassist?” pertaining to the latter. Then they’ll express an attempt at being knowledgeable by telling the band why they need what they obviously chose to go without. Mozart, Beethoven, Coltrane and Davis all wrote music without vocals and they’re pioneers, so maybe a rock band doing something similar isn’t that confusing. To clear up the confusion, here are my top tracks off of the Album Of The Week:
“Selfie Of A Man” instantly gives thoughts of an ’80s action flick where the protagonist drives a red sports car to defeat the thugs causing trouble in the city he holds dear. That might be a bit far-fetched, but it definitely has an old school synth vibe. With funky beats as the foundation, “Rat In The House” has a clashing of electro keys and smooth guitar licks. There’s a distorted aura that’s all over “Freedom”. It might have something to do with the various tones coming from the guitar, but it’s absolutely enjoyable.
Marion will be performing as Delicate Steve with a full band on his upcoming tour starting at the Larimer Lounge in Denver on March 20. Highlights of the excursion include the Treefort Music Fest in Boise happening on March 22 & 23, the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles on March 29, Great Scott in the Boston neighborhood of Allston on April 24 and Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia on May 10. It’ll be interesting to see how he is live with a full band, so go check him out if he’s coming to your area. While you’re there, grab a copy of the new album. It’s an album for both the electronically inclined and the rock purist.
