Dónal Gunning - EP Review: Born To Perform
Dónal Gunning's travels, since leaving his native Ireland, have seen him eventually relocate to Wellington, where he has been regularly gigging as a solo artist, and with backing band The Bucks. The Bucks are comprised of a collective of Wellington session musicians and have also accompanied Dónal on two north Island tours, delivering fun and energetic shows. His EP Born To Perform has just been released, featuring 2023 single Homesick.
The first of the three tracks is I Need You, a heartfelt and plaintive love song, playful and poppy, with fantastic lyrical imagery. The chorus burrows straight through your eardrums and worms its way into your frontal lobes, this will have audiences singing along before they know it, I know I was. I Need You gradually builds in power and pace throughout its 2'37" duration, predominantly acoustic guitar and Dónal's strong vocals, rich in warmth and character.
Homesick is up next, a song inspired by friends and travel. A somewhat more reflective and thoughtful offering by comparison, a song delivering all the poignant longing of a soul missing from its homeland. Once again, his skill as a lyricist is amply demonstrated, and in addition to the vocals and guitar, this time some accompanying strings add extra layers of colour and beauty, all infused with the depth of emotion implied by the title.
Final track Stadium Song has an almost country-like feel to the introduction, which blossoms into a sweet indie-folk song, that superb voice delivering yet another set of wonderfully descriptive and relatable lyrics, over all too soon at 1'52" duration, a song of reminiscence and connection.
For information regarding upcoming shows, check out his Facebook page. To check out this fantastic EP, here's a Spotify link. You'll be so glad you did, trust me.
About Dónal Gunning
Now based in Wellington, New Zealand his debut solo single Homesick released in October 2023. Homesick is dedicated to the masses who have emigrated their motherland for opportunity and adventure. It tells the story of struggle in leaving friends and family.
His EP Born to Perform released in May 2024. The EP was inspired and written while travelling New Zealand, Portugal and Ireland over the last 2 years.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Dónal Gunning
Releases
Other Reviews By Peter K Malthus
19 Nov 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Homemade Pills is a new album by Patients, one of the projects of Christchurch's Aeneas Jones. As well as fronting heavy rockers PhatSak and performing with Chickenyard and When I Was Sexy, Aeneas drew together the collective Patients to play and record this latest effort.
Read More...
Appertain - EP Review: Sideways
29 Oct 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Auckland based Appertain consists of Adam Strang and David Hector, and between the two of them, they conjure up a nice big fat rock sound, "with powerful riffs and soulful lyrics". October 10th saw the release of their debut EP, Sideways, and I had the pleasure of reviewing it.
Read More...
Electric Tapestry - EP Review: Warship Across
09 Oct 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Warship Across is the third EP since their first in 2021 for Wellington-based Electric Tapestry. There is a large and diverse list of musical influences that have gone into making the Electric Tapestry sound.
Read More...
Gig Review: Jan Hellriegel @ The Piano, Christchurch - 04/10/2024
06 Oct 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
It's always a treat to get to go see a show at Christchurch's beautiful The Piano, and sit in its stunning auditorium. Unfortunately, I arrived slightly late due to some teenage hijinks on the home front, so I missed the start of Steffany Beck's set.
Read More...
Goodwill - Album Review: Kind Hands
03 Oct 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Goodwill is the solo project of producer, songwriter, and former nomad member Will McGillivray. Having been songwriting over the last couple of years since the release of the Incontrol EP, Goodwill is releasing Kind Hands, a debut album of nine tracks.
Read More...
Frau Knotz - EP Review: Nextraterrestrial
13 Sep 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Frau Knotz is the performing name of multi-talented Lauren Nottingham, a singer, pianist, producer and composer based in New Plymouth. Having released the first of her singles in 2022, she now bestows her EP Nextraterrestrial upon then planet Earth.
Read More...
Jai Bartlett - Album Review: Echoes
11 Sep 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Jai Bartlett is from Wellington, where he creates his "Alternative Hip-Hop", a description that immediately had me interested. He describes his debut album Echoes as "diverse", and I had the pleasure of discovering what an understatement that is.
Read More...
18 Aug 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Christchurch City Council's Winter music festival, Go Live!, is now in its fifth year.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
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
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
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 Problem
