Delaney Davidson Unveils New Album 'Baby Heavyweight'

What does a multi-award-winning Aotearoa artist, hailed by critics and peers alike, do after releasing ten studio records? In Delaney Davidson's case the answer may simply be: anything he likes. Master of his own domain, there's an ever-questing spirit inhabiting the Lyttelton icon's eleventh album Baby Heavyweight. A sonically playful, twelve tune collection produced with Mark Perkins (Merk), Davidson shares his songwriting pen with such fellow travellers as Marlon Williams, Barry Saunders, Tami Neilson, KOMMI, California desert rocker / skateboarder Sean Wheeler (The Rubber Snake Charmers) and Voodoo Rhythm alum Pierre Omer.

Casting himself as a shamanic, shapeshifting figure on Baby Heavyweight, Davidson take on board "themes of trauma, loss, heartache, poison and cynicism and love", rolling around the possibility of personal redemption like the devil himself in Milton's Paradise Lost. A regular collaborator with Davidson over the years, Williams lends golden tones to early standout ballad 'Holy Slave', and rapper KOMMI commands the mic on this week's booming mutant hip-hop / blues single 'Tumbleweed', while 'Deathwish 25' happily echoes Davidson's ruff 'n' rowdy Stink Magnetic pedigree.

Unmistakably Davidson through and through, Baby Heavyweight feels like a fresh start and a reevaluation of old ways of doing, a new horizon unfolding for the now veteran songwriter. Look forward to our interview with Davidson about his multi-faceted studio long player, grab the vinyl LP / CD edition from good record stores, and be sure to catch the artist with band sizzling up stages on tour at the following dates...

Delaney Davidson - Baby Heavyweight Album Tour

Friday 3rd July - Wintergarden: The Civic, Auckland Live Cabaret Festival
Saturday 4th July - Wintergarden: The Civic, Auckland Live Cabaret Festival
Wednesday 8th July - Last Place, Hamilton
Thursday 9th July - 4th Wall Theatre, New Plymouth
Friday 10th July - St. Peter’s Hall, Paekākāriki
Friday 17th July - The Boathouse, Nelson
Saturday 18th July - Meow, Wellington
Sunday 19th July - War Memorial Centre Concert Chamber, Whanganui
Friday 24th July - Hanover Hall, Dunedin 
Saturday 25th July - James Hay Theatre, Christchurch
Thursday 30th July - The Small Hall Sessions, Hawkes Bay (Duo)
Friday 31st July - The Small Hall Sessions, Hawkes Bay (Duo)
Saturday 1st August - The Dome, Gisborne (Duo)
Sunday 2nd August - Ātea, Whakatāne (Duo)

Tickets from banishedmusic.com

'Baby Heavyweight' is out today on major streaming platforms via Rough Diamond Records.