Singles I Steve Louw – Killers and Streets Of Rain
Legendary South African blues rock, country, and Americana singer-songwriter and guitarist, Steve Louw releases “Killers”/“Streets of Rain” double single.
Both songs are taken from Louw’s highly anticipated third solo album ‘Between Time’ released by BFD Records on Friday September 6th.
“Killers” reflects the madness of waging war on each other. The song was written after hearing an audio clip of intercepted radio chatter in the first few weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the intense guitar-driven track’s energy evokes feelings of helplessness and rage.
“I wanted the song to feel spiritual, powerful, and cutting and exist on different time planes,” says Louw. “When we recorded Killers, it felt like we were stepping across into an earlier flickering time.” Doug Lancio’s overdriven Harmony Rocket guitar locks with Steve’s acoustic and Rob McNelley’s soulful slide guitar to create a powerful sonic statement of rage and grief.
“The sound of this track is what I love about making records,” says producer Kevin Shirley. “Worldclass musicians together, creating art. Capturing those moments and being part of that experience never grows old.”
The evocative Hammond organ playing of B3 wizard Lachy Doley and the chorused electric guitar and acoustic teases out the melancholy of “Streets of Rain.” “It’s a song about loss,” says Louw. “Although our pain is personal, you are not alone. When it’s coming down on you, it feels like you’ll never get out of there, but you will.”
“Lachy is one of the greatest Hammond players in the world, right up there with Steve Winwood and Booker T,” says Kevin Shirley. “When I was finishing off Streets of Rain, I knew his playing would be perfect. His beautiful solo captures the essence of the song.”
Between Time arrives decades into a long career, stretching back to the 1990s, when Louw partnered with South African record producer Kevin Shirley while fronting Big Sky, his vehicle to acclaim in his native South Africa. Louw broke back into the music scene rousingly with his 2021 solo album Headlight Dreams, which Shirley helped push into existence, telling Louw after a decade of silence that it was time for him to make another record.
He assembled a crack band, including keyboardist Kevin McKendree (John Hiatt), drummer Greg Morrow (Billy Gibbons), bass player Alison Prestwood (Buddy Miller), guitarists Rob McNelley (Hank Williams Jr), and Doug Lancio (Bob Dylan).
Headlight Dreams received solid reviews and earned him his third South African Music Award nomination. Thunder and Rain followed hot on its heels, a rich and natural album of muscular folk and insistent rock, a blend that Louw has refined throughout his career.
Website: https://stevelouw.com/
