Discography
Movable Parts
Released ??
Song 1
Song 2
Song 3
Album Synopsis
Make no mistake, Knoxville’s Stephen Hunley sounds like no else locally, vocally. When you hear a Stephen Hunley song, you know his unique voice immediately. His first album, Wait and See, released about 2 years ago, was a cornucopia of audio goodness, with such a vast array of styles and sonically challenging arrangements that held a ‘something for everyone to gravitate to’ feel to those who listened. Hunley’s song arrangements from Wait and See were so diversely produced and heavily layered, lyrically deep, and showed a seasoned maturity rare for someone of Stephen’s youth and experience, even though he has musical blood flowing through his veins. It almost seemed as if Hunley’s soulful sound and lyrical content outdated him by a few decades on his debut effort.
For Stephen’s second release, the six-song Moveable Parts, Hunley brings the best of his best, all killer and no filler if you will, and a much more cohesively themed package of songs that prove that sometimes, less can be more. Stephen sings with such passion and soul, and that vocal talent is presented much more front and center on this latest collection. Moveable Parts delivers another stellar production, with deep instrumentation and more subtlety layered sounds that do everything to compliment the message of his songs and the sound of his voice. Moveable Parts is a bit darker in mood, and Stephen’s heartbreak and emotions sing so true and relate to anyone that has been jilted in the game of love. His song, “A Matter of Time” has a melancholy flavor so crisp that you can almost taste his inner turmoil as he felt it when you listen to it. It’s not every singer that can bring this kind of passion and emotional fragility into their vocal performance, but Hunley can, does, and succeeds with this song.
For “Third Time’s a Charm”, Hunley brings an almost Jeff Lynne/Tom Petty Full Moon Feverish sound to Moveable Parts. The genius of this song is its simplicity in production and Stephen’s passionate vocal delivery. If you’ve ever felt the way Stephen had when he was writing these songs, you’ll relate instantaneously. The album overall has an almost raw emotional feel and a much more contemporary sound than Wait and See. Yet Stephen retains his subtle, signature, retro feel, and I think that this disc frames Stephen’s vocal abilities and soulfulness more honestly and contemporarily than his debut release. On Moveable Parts, Stephen’s voice is much more the focal point of his material, is presented without distraction, and it works well.
While the album does feature a few down tempo, somewhat somber, heartfelt ballads, Stephen balances the record well with a few tasty up-tempo tracks. For example, take songs like ‘Green Moss’: a fun and poppy acoustic based number, and ‘Speak Easy’: which bounces along with a beat and step reflective and influenced by some 60’s soul and 70’s funk, and highlighted by some amazing brass horn arrangements that I’ve not heard done so well since some early 70’s works from the band Chicago. Stephen makes it work to his advantage, as it amplifies his charm, and proves he can strut smiling confidently as well as he can sulk somberly vulnerably within his performances. I particularly like the really clever lyric, “What your Papa don’t know, won’t hurt Pop” that could have been sung by David Ruffin of the Temptations at the height of their career’s popularity.
In Hunley’s song, ‘No Good For Me’ Stephen sings of coming to the realization that he’s been played by his scheming love, and comes to the conclusion that this person is, in fact, no good for him. Hunley sings of his frustration of putting up with their behavior that hurts him consistently and continually, and leaves him ‘lying in a pool of misery’, lyrical imagery that we all can relate from one time or another in our lives.
My personal favorite track on Moveable Parts is ‘Beautiful Lie’. This song is a very haunting, emotional tale of love’s impression upon a man after it’s lost. I liked the lyric “Love will leave you lonely, without a sound”, and “Love will leave you, bend and break you down…” Stephen delivers such a humble-yet-hurting kind of vocal performance, emotional instrumental production, complete with piano and string arrangements, and even the right sprinkling of guitar, plus, just enough back-up vocals, (at times, in places, they sound like a choir of angels), that make this one a must-listen that anyone can relate to that lost love at one time or another in their lives. It will touch your heart the way Stephen’s heart was genuinely touched.
Fans of Wait and See…. wait until you hear what Stephen has come up with for you on his sophomore effort. This is music that will stimulate your emotions and make you ‘feel’.
This album has many moveable parts, and with multiple listens, Stephen Hunley’s Moveable Parts will move you and touch you emotionally in many ways and make you a fan.
Wait and See
Released March 10, 2009
- In An Instant
- By My Own Admission
- Something I Can Hold On To
- Country Boy
- Good While It Lasted
- Devil In Disguise
- Do the Right Thing
- Outside Looking In
- Every Time I Hear Her Name
- Interlude
- Running Away
- Home
- One In A Million
- Wait and See