The Goats hosting Gunner and Smith at the Mann Art Gallery
Gunner and Smith A
sound that easily defied their original “alt-country” tag. Now carrying a fuller and harder-hitting sound, the group began to pay greater attention to pop flourishes in addition to taking on more diverse influences such as psychedelia.
more on their upcoming album
On, He Once Was a Good Man, Gunner & Smith find themselves with their most realized sound to date despite taking several different directions. It wasn’t until the band hit the studio that things became apparent and cohesive – a concept that was unintentionally synonymous with the band’s own journey into maturity. While working with Boldt, the band kept the sessions spontaneous, using live off the floor takes in order to find their sound.
Despite the increased warmth and beauty of the record's arrangements and tones, Smith is still a master at producing dark and haunting songs that are informed by powerfully bleak lyrics – even his sunniest moments are still shadowed with drama and the lingering baritone of his vocals. While it has been a restless artistic road for Smith, Gunner & Smith have reached something of a creative peak with He Once Was a Good Man. There's no question that the journey has been an interesting one.