I stumbled across Stephen Gates record quite by accident (can't even remember how I got there. All I know is I'm grateful this rabbit trail transpired!
Gates offers a worship record unlike any I've heard. It's quiet, powerful - just one man and his guitar, yet it never feels sparse or empty. I don't know why it's not available anywhere else on the internet except for a single blog - it seems a shame not to give this artist the coverage he deserves (note to Stephen: put your music on www.noisetrade.com at least!)
"I know You don't take a broken heart lightly
I know I can trust you to stand by me
So have mercy on my heart and soul
I know I've been running hard and getting cold
But there's nowhere to go when my heart is in pieces
I know I've been living my life without reason
So I'm asking now
Take me, take me"
These are all songs of redemption, songs of hope. Coming across like a mixture between Jack Johnson (his guitar style) and Jeff Buckley (his vocals - listen to Buckley's "Lover, you should've come over" for a comparison - it's quite striking), Stephen Gates does something special. He manages to sing songs of repentance without slipping into a dirge - the emphasis always seems on hope. His effortless guitar style is a balm to the ears, and his beautifully understated vocals hint at restrained power. I would like to hear Gates really showcase his vocals off now and again (to see if the Buckley comparison bears out in the louder side of the musical register), but then that wouldn't be true to the timbre and flow of the musical style he obviously excels in.
I think this is a fantastic record, and you can check it out (and download it for free) by clicking on one of the pictures above.
Gates offers a worship record unlike any I've heard. It's quiet, powerful - just one man and his guitar, yet it never feels sparse or empty. I don't know why it's not available anywhere else on the internet except for a single blog - it seems a shame not to give this artist the coverage he deserves (note to Stephen: put your music on www.noisetrade.com at least!)
"I know You don't take a broken heart lightly
I know I can trust you to stand by me
So have mercy on my heart and soul
I know I've been running hard and getting cold
But there's nowhere to go when my heart is in pieces
I know I've been living my life without reason
So I'm asking now
Take me, take me"
These are all songs of redemption, songs of hope. Coming across like a mixture between Jack Johnson (his guitar style) and Jeff Buckley (his vocals - listen to Buckley's "Lover, you should've come over" for a comparison - it's quite striking), Stephen Gates does something special. He manages to sing songs of repentance without slipping into a dirge - the emphasis always seems on hope. His effortless guitar style is a balm to the ears, and his beautifully understated vocals hint at restrained power. I would like to hear Gates really showcase his vocals off now and again (to see if the Buckley comparison bears out in the louder side of the musical register), but then that wouldn't be true to the timbre and flow of the musical style he obviously excels in.
I think this is a fantastic record, and you can check it out (and download it for free) by clicking on one of the pictures above.