Delicate Steve - Wondervisions

Photo: Robert Scheuerman

Somebody started talking about Delicate Steve over the summer of 2010.

The band turned up on Governor's Island supporting Yeasayer. They were from New Jersey but were living together as a band in a shambling house in the woods of Warwick, NY. There was a month-long residency at Union Pool in Brooklyn where it seemed like any Brooklyn based artist not on the road showed up. Members of Dirty Projectors, TV on the Radio, Yeasayer, Javelin, Fang Island, Hella... And strangely, a bunch of best-selling authors. Maybe more strangely, packed rooms of dancing people in a Brooklyn rock club. And record company people. Mostly not dancing. Whether Luaka Bop was dancing or not, we can not say.

We can say Luaka Bop is proud to officially announce the signing of Delicate Steve. While Luaka Bop's history is marked by iconoclastic artists blurring lines of geography and genre, Delicate Steve instead topples the barriers of time and space-- An instrumental band from the future, the present, and the past. The January release of Delicate Steve's full length debut Wondervisions will be preceded by a limited edition 7'' featuring an album track and the band's cover of Peter Green's (Fleetwood Mac) 'Albatross.' On record Delicate Steve offer concise highly lyrical instrumental rock nuggets. Already laying out very serious business on stage-- live, the songs take a more aggressive stance. The soundtrack of a Godzillaesque creature stomping through a city with a giant smile on its face and holding a bouquet of colorful balloons. Delicate Steve will be on tour through fall, winter, spring, and summer.

"Guitar tones from the bottom of the sea." – Bear In Heaven

"Delicate Steve is straight up psychedelic instrumental pop music for fans of, well, some seriously trippy music. You could say it kind of sounds like if Dan Deacon decided to pick up a guitar. It will go from experiential Matmos-style click-clack to masterful guitar driven melodies that get constantly layered until it bursts. At first it's interesting to listen to, then you realize how fun that music becomes. Next thing you know it, Delicate Steve has charmed you into a deep slumber. Much like the intricacies of early Animal Collective, Delicate Steve challenges the listener with rewarding results." -Kata Rokkar

" It reminds me of a modern twist on Doug Martsch of Built to Spill, when he went solo." -- Microphonememoryemotion

"As an exploration of the pop-potential of instrumental guitar music, Steve's vision is unparalleled. Amidst adventurous sonic textures, soaring lyricism, and the technical proficiency of a true virtuoso, Wondervisions emerges as one of the most unique and enjoyable records (a very difficult balance indeed) I've heard in a long, long time." - Greg Bortnichak, The Sparta Philharmonic

"When you first hear Delicate Steve's (aka Steve Marion) a few things pop into your head: Stevie Wonder, Dirty Projectors, RATATAT, Ponytail, Neutral Milk Hotel. Then you keep listening and find that thoughts of these other influences have melted away, and questions have taken their place: What is this music? What is the time signature in this song? Is that really a guitar? It has a sense of adventure, originality, and joyousness that makes you want to know: Where did this music come from? "
--Current TV