In creating his thematically provocative four EP series “God,” “Love,” “And” and “Death,” introspective and philosophical Nashville based singer, songwriter and guitarist Steven Dunn draws from the kindred storytelling spirit of the legendary Johnny Cash, who once said he only wrote about God, Love and Death.
Rock and Blues Muse praised “God” (pun intended!) as “remarkable opening” to the series, which delved “deep into the human condition with his soul-stirring songwriting.” Dunn’s second EP “Love” tackles the essential human emotion along a spectrum of emotional urgency, from the gentle hypnotic, almost whispery acoustic grace of “Stale Cigarettes” to the poignant family and alcohol saga “Different Ways.” This track begins as a lilting, fiddle laced ballad before the guttural rock intensity of Dunn’s voice kicks in to get the deeper points across. It’s those kind of dynamics which makes his artirstry so compelling.
One minute he’s so soft-spoken and haunting, we’re hanging on each word like he’s a poet, and then, as on “Alone,” the underlying simmer explodes into percussive rock intensity that drives more a more intense narrative. Lyrically, he eases effortlessly from the very personal (the bluesy, image rich ballad “Song For My First Love”) to the intensely expressed universal affirmation that, indeed, “We Need Love.” “Love” will be released June 30.