I must confess, I have a soft spot for Callum Gentleman, having seen him perform several times at my local intimate gig venue, which is a beacon of light for artists, poets and storytellers, the perfect environment for blues / folk noir (with the odd dash of country). A place where the Nick Caves of NZ can come and be heard by a very appreciative audience.

Callum also has a great sense of humour, is an entertaining performer, talented song writer and he can sing. Which is a bonus.

If you want a good over all description of Callum Gentleman, here is a snippet. “He’s a raconteur, trouper, chancer, and murder ballad lover. But above all, Callum Gentleman is a storyteller. People doing bad things, and people who try hard to be good…but often fail. Stories of fallen angels staring to heaven, contrite demons yearning for redemption, down-and-out junkies scrounging for a dollar, the devil gets it on with the wrong hooker.  Stories told in a child’s whisper, father’s tears, and a drunk man’s roar.” I did not dare shorten that description in any way, because it was so well written.

So, the official word is he is a Nick Cave, The Smiths, Bob Dylanhybrid. Throw in Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and moonshine and you might get the picture. The mystery / horror television series famous in the early 1990's called Twin Peaks has been mentioned, that will become clear when you listen to this EP, there are indeed a few Twin Peakish chords. The ambient, dreamy yet eerie sound which weaves its way through a few of the tracks.

So, it is with delight tinged with a touch of melancholy at the prospect of him riding off into the American sunset, that I write this review of his self-titled EP.  Previously released April of 2016 and only available on physical CD at shows or through Bandcamp he has decided the time is right, the future is upon us, and has decided to re-release it across all platforms to reach a wider audience.

Tales told with a silver tongue could not have described this EP better, fluent in verse and passionate in tone; the lyrics are clever and eloquent delivered in his distinct Kiwi accent. 

There are many talented musical artists working with Callum on the EP, adding layers of depth and drama to each track. Two tracks which in my opinion are noteworthy are, Track 2, Black Angel with Reb Fountain, I felt she was a beautiful compliment to Callum with her mesmerising vocals. Track 4, Joseph is sultry and sensual and features the stunning voice of Alayna Powerly.

Captivating and a touch provocative.  This is an exceptionally well written collection of beautiful, dark and seductive stories.

5 Stars

_{Review written by Corinne Rutherford}

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