A fantastic take on the blues for the uninitiated
Seasick Steve, aka Steve Wold is a curious fella. Since performing on Jools Holland’s New Years Hootenanny show back in 2006, he’s created quite a buzz on the UK music scene and this year he performed at more festivals than any other act. But he’s as far away from the typical muso darling that you’d usually see journo – types clamouring over themselves to gush about, as you could imagine. Rather than the latest art school rocker he’s actually a 50-something-year old blues singer with a real past instead of a persona created by a publicist. Even if you’ve never listened to a blues record in your life (that’s us, then) there’s something compelling and wholesome about Steve’s music that keeps you listening intently. The spoken intros between each song really give you a feel of storytelling and we reckon he’s got more than a few tales to tell. From moving to Paris in the 70’s with just $10 in his pocket, to living below Kurt Cobain from Nirvana, Steve’s led a past more colourful and interesting than most artists around today, and therefore his music really does tell stories – and lots of them. Happy Man see him duet with a female soul singer and their two voices together- his raspy and raw and hers powerful and smooth, makes the perfect combo. Fly By Night is a much gentler track, the simple blues guitar taking centre stage, whilst Chiggers is a toe-tappingly excellent ode to a type of bug, called a chigger. Bonkers. Steve’s simple, stripped down sound is such a massive breath of fresh air, that for curiosity alone you should check this album out – immediately. |
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