Gideon King & City Blog take a friendly walk down Skunks Misery Road in their soulful and sincere new single — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Delving into the profound intricacies of friendship, the multi-faceted New York City band’s latest track explores the delicate balance between companionship and judgment, and ultimately reminding us of the bonds that bridge the gaps in our lives. “Friendship — the type of friendship that fills voids and makes one feel judged just enough. That’s what Skunks Misery is all about,” shares King, guitarist and backbone of the band.
Expanding on their vast musical landscape, Skunks Misery Road captures the signature fusion-pop essence of GKCB, melding elements of jazz, soul, pop, and rock into a seamless auditory experience. As with their prior renditions, this latest single embodies Gideon King’s deep-rooted love for varied genres, ranging from jazz and rock to classical.
Skunks Misery Road will be featured on their upcoming Splinters EP, slated for release this fall. It follows two previously released singles that have already captured the attention of listeners. Turn Off The Sky is a melodic exploration into the complexities of relationships, evoking the serenity of a cool spring evening. The song was released alongside an in-studio video featuring the renowned vocalist Michael Mayo. Their rendition of Somewhere Only We Know, originally by the British band Keane, saw the band reinvent the classic with a heartfelt touch, highlighting the evocative vocals of Ashley Hess.
As the founder and primary songwriter, Gideon takes inspiration from the streets of his native New York City, and with artistic input from the band’s core collaborators, channels it into vibrantly varied fusion-pop. “I call the band a ‘blog’ because it is an open-ended dialogue with a lot of people contributing their perspectives. When we create, it’s like controlled chaos. We sift through competing ideas, chipping away at the song until it has discernible features. We refine the madness,” Gideon notes, adding, “the music reflects my love of jazz and pop and rock and classical.”
Gideon is a self-taught virtuosic guitarist whose soul/funk/jazz-fusion juggernaut has been favorably compared to Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder, encompassing funk, balmy 1970s rock, piano ballads, R&B, soul-pop and fusion. He’s a cleverly-poetic lyricist who pens impressionistic songs that don’t rely on linear narratives.
Gideon King & City Blog appear regularly at venerable N.Y.C. venues such as City Winery, Joe’s Pub and the Blue Note. The group also have the rare distinction of being joined by such masterful musicians as John Scofield (Charlies Mingus, Miles Davis), sax legend Donny McCaslin (David Bowie, Bobby McFerrin), renowned “Bayou-soul” singer-songwriter Marc Broussard, and SNL bassist James Genus (Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea), among others.
Gideon conceived of City Blog as having a fluid membership where he would serve as the common denominator and other musicians would rotate in. His approach was informed by Steely Dan, where the right cast of musicians would be summoned on a song-by-song basis. However, over time the band has coalesced around an eight-person configuration featuring three distinctive vocalists: Caleb Hawley is a noted solo artist who has recorded with Vulfpeck guitar ace Cory Wong. Sonny Step has worked with Ricky Martin, Rihanna and Solange, among others. Ashley Hess is a renowned NYC-based vocalist who joined the collective in 2021. Other vocalists have included Alita Moses (touring the world with Jacob Collier) and Brendan Fletcher.
The band are rounded out by A-list musicians that include Grammy-nominated drummer Jake Goldbas (Dave Brubeck, Aretha Franklin), bassist Jeff Hanley (Will Bernard, Morgan James, Doug Wamble), drummer Zach Mullings (Lauryn Hill, Billy Porter), and musical director and keyboardist Bryan Reeder (Euan Morto, Chris Norton).
“I am basically looking for the best musical athletes to serve the song,” Gideon shares. “Our drummer Jake helped me handpick our lineup and we’ve really become a unit with open communication.”
Watch the video for Skunks Misery Road above, sample more sounds from Gideon King & City Blog below, and read all about them on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
