Gungor

Gungor
Genres Baroque pop, folk, experimental rock, contemporary worship music
Years active 2006–present
Labels Brash, CD Listening Bar/Hither & Yon
Website gungormusic.com
Members

Gungor is a musical collective formed by husband and wife duo Michael Gungor and Lisa Gungor. The group's music has been compared to the music of Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver and Arcade Fire.[1]

Michael renamed the group from The Michael Gungor Band to simply Gungor in 2010. The first album release under the new name was Beautiful Things in 2010 that features a short gospel-blues jam featuring Israel Houghton titled "Heaven". In 2011, the album and its title track, "Beautiful Things", were nominated for the Grammy categories Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and Best Gospel Song, respectively.

In 2011, Gungor released Ghosts Upon the Earth. Gungor followed up with a live album, A Creation Liturgy in 2012. The band's third studio album, I Am Mountain, was released on September 24, 2013.[2] On October 24, 2013 the band began its 60-city headline tour across the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.[3][4]

Though Gungor's music is filled with Christian themes and language and is spiritual in nature, the collective has attempted to distance itself from being labeled simply a "Christian" band due to the problematic way the term is often used.[5][6] Michael refers to Gungor as a collective because at any given time the group is composed of 3-10 members. He and his wife believe that their music transcends one genre.[7][8] Gungor write songs that are a mix of Indie Rock, Post Rock, Prog, Soft Rock and more. If asked, Michael describes his song style as "alternative, folk, textured and experimental."[9] They performed at SXSW 2014.[7][10]

In 2015, Gungor embarked on their most ambitious creative project thus far: One Wild Life. The band will release three full-length albums - Soul, Spirit and Body - over the next 12 months. One Wild Life: Soul kicked off the trilogy on August 7, 2015. While each record will carry a distinct vibe, the album series presents a body of work that celebrates the adventure and challenges faced by Michael and Lisa Gungor since the release of their previous album "I Am Mountain".[11] One Wild Life: Soul charted on multiple Billboard charts the first week of release, including Billboard 200.[12][13][14][15][16]

The Liturgists

In 2014, Gungor and friend "Science" Mike McHargue, together with Michael's wife and sister, began collaborating with other artists and releasing music as "The Liturgists", which he calls "an experimental art collective".[17] This is also a podcast that discusses topics through the lenses of science, art and faith.[18]

Personal life

Michael Gungor grew up in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He is the son of pastor and author Ed Gungor. He began writing and playing music at a young age and went on to study jazz guitar at both Western Michigan University and the University of North Texas while also touring and working as a multi-instrumentalist musician.

Lisa Gungor grew up in Deming, New Mexico.[19] She came from a "sports-crazed" family and didn't fully commit to her musical abilities until her senior year in high school.[19]

Michael and Lisa met at Oral Roberts University during their first year.

In 2007, the couple founded a non-denominational church community called Bloom.[20]

Michael and Lisa lived in Denver, Colorado with their two daughters, Amelie and Lucie.[7] In 2014, Michael and Lisa relocated to Los Angeles, CA. In May of that year, their second daughter, Lucette, was born. She was diagnosed with Down Syndrome.[21] In their album release One Wild Life: Soul, Michael and Lisa wrote a song dedicated to Lucie.[22]

Discography

Gungor

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[23]
Beautiful Things
  • Released: February 16, 2010
  • Label: Brash Music
 —
Ghosts Upon the Earth
  • Released: September 20, 2011
  • Label: Brash Music
 43
A Creation Liturgy (Live)
  • Released: October 9, 2012
  • Label: Brash Music
 194
I Am Mountain
  • Released: September 24, 2013
  • Label: Hither & Yon Records
 50
One Wild Life: Soul
  • Released: August 7, 2015
  • Label: Hither & Yon Records
 118
One Wild Life: Spirit
  • Released: March 25, 2016[24]
  • Label: Hither & Yon Records
 —
One Wild Life: Body
  • Released: September 30, 2016
 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

The Liturgists

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "Song debut: Gungor's 'I Am Mountain'". Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  2. ↑ Irvine, Nate (August 22, 2013). "Gungor's Long Awaited New Release: I Am Mountain | Connect. Experience. Grow.Metro Youth Network". Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  3. ↑ Mansfield, Brian (August 16, 2013). "Song debut: Gungor's 'I Am Mountain'". USA Today. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Song Premiere: Gungor, "Wayward & Torn"". American Songwriter. August 26, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Gungor". Gungor. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Gungor Talks With FaithVillage - FaithVillage | MOVE YOUR FAITH HERE". FaithVillage. May 14, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Puga, Kristina. "Grammy-nominated Gungor, label-less in music and life". Nbclatino.com. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Music: Gungor". Citybeat.com. October 22, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Alt-Folk Collective Gungor Launches 60+ City Headlining Tour Oct. 24 at The Madison Theater". Cincy Groove. October 9, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  10. ↑ "SXSW 2014". SXSW LLC. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  11. ↑ One Wild Life Soul, retrieved August 26, 2015
  12. ↑ "Gungor - Chart history - Billboard". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Gungor - Chart history - Billboard". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Gungor - Chart history - Billboard". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Gungor - Chart history - Billboard". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Gungor - Chart history - Billboard". Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  17. ↑ "The Liturgists | Gungor". Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  18. ↑ "why". The Liturgists. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  19. 1 2 "Lisa Gungor's Biography – Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and pictures at Last.fm". last.fm. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Interview on music and Bloom community". The Collision Podcast. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Gungor Music Blog". Gungormusic.com. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  22. ↑ Light - Gungor [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]. YouTube. July 14, 2015. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Gungor - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  24. ↑ "One Wild Life: Spirit by Gungor". iTunes. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  25. ↑ "12th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced!" Independent Music Awards, June 11, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.

External links

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