CD REVIEW: SEASICK STEVE – Keepin’ The Horse Between Me And The Ground

CD REVIEW: SEASICK STEVE – Keepin’ The Horse Between Me And The Ground
Caroline
October 2016
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8/10

Like a weathered old cowboy with a zero-fucks-given ornery attitude, Seasick Steve is a high plains drifter of the blues, delivering deliciously raw and ragged no-frills Americana full of heartache and happiness.

The sparse arrangements and Steve’s ragged vocals revolve around his beat up ole guitar and bring to mind the 1930’s Delta blues originators – the real thing: a renegade outlaw gunslinger with a loaded six string on his back.

Shipwrecked Love is as fragile and tender as the relationship it describes, while What A Thang’s raucous stomp contrasts Grass Is Greener’s near-bluegrass hoedown, before finishing with the country blues of Lonely Road.

Our version of the album came with a bonus disc of lively acoustic material, including covers of Harry Nilsson’s Everybody’s Talking and Hank Williams’ I’m So Lonesome – a heartbreaking duet with Amy Levere. His rogueish charm adds gravitas to the simple arrangements, and though we’re unsure about the old adage “they could sing the phone book and make it sound good,” on Southern Biscuits Steve sings a recipe to great effect.

Category: CD Reviews