CD reviews: Sam Hunt with David Kilgour and the Heavy 8s

Given the loose muscularity and musicality of Sam Hunt's recitals, it's little wonder the Kiwi poet's free-ranging collaboration with Dunedin act David Kilgour and the Heavy 8s makes such sense.

Over 13 tracks, Hunt ranges from the warm coals of relationships (A New Plateau Song) to heated lust (When Morning Comes) and also highlights the work of others (including James K. Baxter).

Attuned to off-the-cuff nuances, Kilgour and the Heavy 8s dig deep, hoisting each piece high with widescreen guitars and gently propulsive rhythms, which sometimes give way to intimate piano and atmospheric noodling.

• Sam Hunt with David Kilgour and the Heavy 8s. Bandit King Records

• Four stars (out of five)  

Single download: The Seventh (by Attila Jozsef)
For those who like: Leonard Cohen

- Shane Gilchrist