1 Nov 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

Cy Winstanley - Gig Review: Cy Winstanley @ Freida Margolis, Auckland - 26/01/2022

27 Jan 2022 // A review by roger.bowie

Zone red, and everything is being cancelled except the smallest of gigs, and best of all, an impromptu one at that, as Nashville based Cy Winstanley ventures out solo at the suggestion of old covers band mate Dave Khan. Which means of course that he’s not actually solo, just not Tattletale.

It’s masks on as you wander around Freida’s, but masks off if you stay seated, so naturally, there’s not much movement and attention is guaranteed. And it’s been a Tattletale day as I contemplate last night’s gig and listen to the album I missed, Dancing Under the Dogwoods, winner of last year’s Tui for Folk Album of the Year. What an oversight, it’s very sweet, and very typical and very good.

So it’s great to be able to catch Cy on a flying NZ visit to see family and friends, and avoid the Tennessee winter. I’m catching up with Cy over the next couple of weeks on Zoom to have a more in-depth chat. But for the moment let me tease you with the news that Cy has not stopped writing catchy folk and Americana songs, and has also branched out as a children’s song and book writer, all the while staying true to his Australasian roots with songs that talk about coming home to your partner after a long period on the road, and needing to get a little more direct and down than “no wuckin furries”

Dave Khan’s short set is well under way when I arrive, but you all know the musical dexterity of the man, and when he’s solo, he plays gentle Americana with immaculate covers of lesser-known songs. Such as The Gambler by Don Schlitz, recorded by Kenny somebody and The Hobo Song by Jack Bonus, which I have on vinyl by Old and in the Way. Musicologist, is Dave. Cy does some harmony before there’s a break and Cy starts his part of the show.

This not the Tattletale Saints, but more of an alt-folk version of the covers band Cy and Dave had in Vulcan Lane centuries ago. Cy’s sweet songs and voice, reminiscent of, you know who, but he’s sick of hearing it, so if you don’t know, go listen, and Dave on his various strings coming in at times melodic, at times aggressively angry in Covid blues style. Harsh contrast makes for great sound and Cy is no slug on guitar either, so duelling picking enhances the pathos of listening to fine music in the middle of aerosol missiles.

Lots of new songs, She Had The Dumplings, a song about craving for Cantonese food, very rare in Nashville. A song about getting secretly stoned, which he sings to the percussive support of Auckland Transport trucks outside doing traffic management, and the poor anxious dog in the ute whimpering harmonies. Some well interspersed covers from pretty much the same era, John Martyn’s epic May You Never and Neil Young’s Walk On, no longer on spotty-fi. A lot of humour, a lot of fuck it if we can’t take a joke (but we can, Cy, we can). A lot of commentary which we can deduce is about living in the paradox which is America.

Some Tattletale Saints’ songs, the sublime Sonoma County Wine, and the more recent D.I.N.K and Bobby Where Did You Learn to Dance, from Dancing Under the Dogwoods. And the song from the book, by Simon Stanley which is a supremely ironic pseudonym, about the kids floating down the river.

A fine night in the height of summer, no late-night chill, just the warmth of one of New Zealand’s finest exiles, our loss (but at least he comes back) and Nashville’s gain. Thank you, Cy!

Set List (approximate)

1. Honest Work

2. She Had The Dumplings

3. One More Trick In The Box

4. Tired of Talking You Down

5. Secretly Stoned

6. She Loves The Honey

7. Came A Long Winter

8. No Worries (Fuck Them Away)

9. May You Never (John Martyn)

10. Sonoma County Wine

11. How Do You Live (With Yourself)

12. Floating Down The River

13. D.I.N.K

14. Bobby Where Did You Learn to Dance

15. Walk On (Neil Young)

 

About Cy Winstanley

Cy Winstanley is a New Zealand born, Nashville based songwriter, guitarist and singer. His band Tattletale Saints has released 3 albums, most recently 2020's Dancing Under the Dogwoods. The band's release How Red is The Blood won the New Zealand music award for Folk Album of The Year 2014.

Under the pseudonym Simon Stanley, Cy released the kid's song Marley Sitting on a Pumpkin Seed, which won the 2019 NZ music award for best children's song.

Cy works as a studio and live guitarist and has played for a variety of artists including Brandy Clarke, Aubrie Sellers, Andrew Combs, Rachel Baiman, Peter Bradley Adams and many more.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Cy Winstanley

Releases

There are no releases to display for Cy Winstanley.

Other Reviews By roger.bowie

Album Review: Subset BC
16 Dec 2023 // by roger.bowie
Here’s an interesting little thing from Gisborne. A funky little band with three bass players.
Read More...
Gig Review: The Best of Come Together @ The Civic Theatre, Auckland - 9/12/2023
12 Dec 2023 // by roger.bowie
Get your heads around this line-up:  The singers: Jon Toogood, (lead and backing vocals), Julia Deans (lead and backing vocals), Dianne Swann (lead and backing vocals and occasional guitar), Samuel Flynn Scott (vocals and guitar), James Milne (lead and backing vocals), Milan Borich (Mick vocals) The players: Jol Mulholland (guitars and vocals), Brett Adams (lead guitar and vocals), Mike Hall (bass), Matthias Jordan (keyboards), Alastair Deverick (drums), Finn Scholes (trumpet, clarinet and percussion), Nick Atkinson (sax and percussion).  Stopped spinning?
Read More...
A Crude Mechanical - Album Review: Discourse
08 Dec 2023 // by roger.bowie
Shane Warbrooke doesn’t believe in lyrics, because of the risk of lyrics being hi-jacked and meanings bent to suit ideologies which he doesn’t like. Well, such ideologies which most of us don’t like, truth be known, but then again, Beethoven didn’t write lyrics, so the freedom of speech counter argument only goes so far.
Read More...
Gig Review: The Phoenix Foundation @ Hollywood Avondale, Auckland - 24/11/2023
26 Nov 2023 // by roger.bowie
This is a first of many things. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen The Phoenix Foundation play live.
Read More...
Velvet Arrow - Album Review: Songs of Solitude
17 Nov 2023 // by roger.bowie
A Song Of Hope & Fear would normally be a contradiction in terms unless darkness prevails and light shines through, which is an appropriate metaphor for the debut album from Whangarei’s Velvet Arrow and the opening song, with Dan Stenhouse’s husky voice helping us through the night against a ghostly horror wail from Hannah Jane. After all it’s just a song to help you through the night, just the words that speak, it’s not real.
Read More...
Gig Review: Atomic: Women of Rock @ The Civic, Auckland - 11/11/2023
13 Nov 2023 // by roger.bowie
What a feast of nostalgia we’ve had from Liberty Stage (Simone Williams) these past few years, as New Zealand’s finest have Come Together to cover the classic albums which made the soundtracks of our youth. In addition to this, there have also been special tributes like Tami Neilson’s rock ‘n roll party with Dinah Lee, just last month.
Read More...
Dimmer - Album Review: Live At The Hollywood
09 Nov 2023 // by roger.bowie
Wow, not very often that we see alive album these days, an unusual beast, but that’s we have, a 14-track monster from Dimmer, recorded from last year’s sold-out trilogy at the Hollywood Avondale. Which, if you didn’t get to go last year, you can still see on December 2nd at the Powerstation, unless, like me, you are going instead to The War on Drugs.
Read More...
Killergrams - EP Review: Lonely Nights In A Little Town
27 Oct 2023 // by roger.bowie
Someone walked out, and Tom Maxwell has lost his mind, in a gentle, acoustic way. Then his mind explodes in a cacophony of chaos, which might just be what it feels like, losing something that important.
Read More...
View All Articles By roger.bowie

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • APT.
    ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
  • DIE WITH A SMILE
    Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
  • BIRDS OF A FEATHER
    Billie Eilish
  • TASTE
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
    Gracie Abrams
  • ESPRESSO
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • SAILOR SONG
    Gigi Perez
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
    Shaboozey
  • GOOD LUCK, BABE!
    Chappell Roan
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem