| Seasick Steve - 'You Can’ Teach An Old Dog New Tricks' |
| Written by Mike Tobin | |||
| Tuesday, 27 September 2011 05:05 | |||
 Seasick Steve keeps the blues alive. With a weathered voice, he inhales his exploits and exhales true grit. He's got the all prerequisites of being a bona fide bluesman. He's bummed around on freight trains, he's been ripped off, and he's got his fair share of tall tales. Now, Seasick Steve presents a collection of tunes that shamelessly show off old stories and new perspectives. You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Trick presents Steve in his finest form. Released on May 27, 2011, this album marks the first time that Steve has ever recorded with a bassist. And who better to record a stanky, rockin' blues record than John Paul Jones, bassist for Led Zeppelin. The Swedish drummer, Dan Magnusson offers a loose, hard-hitting style over Steve's grooves. Magnusson is a complimentary drummer – he reacts to emotion, and only plays as much as he should, depending on the vibe of the track. When all three voices come together, the music is less like a conversation and more like a juggernaut - a traveling freight train that only stops to fuel up, and reload its cargo. YCTAODNT commences with a woeful sigh and a few sad strums, before Steve kicks into "Treasures", a ballad about being an outsider in an unfamiliar town. Steve suggests that the townspeople are in fact prisoners of monotony, and he has the freedom to come and go as he pleases. This song criticizes the nomadic lifestyle and the value of permanence. After the sparse and acoustic introduction, Seasick Steve and the boys go from zero to sixty with the title track, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." Steve's impressive versatility is exhibited through his dynamic voice and tasteful guitar playing. It seems that the quicker the band plays, the louder Steve sings. Magnusson and Jones are locked into each other and ready for whatever curveballs Steve throws at them. Other burners include "Don't know why she love me but she do", "Back in the doghouse", "Party", and "Days Gone". He channels Robert Johnson on some tracks, Johnny Cash on others, and John Lee Hooker on "Burnin' Up." The band slowly forms soundscapes over a simple blues lick that continuously builds. Steve ruminates on love and how it affects him, until he can't take it anymore, and the band breaks into a hard-swingin' blues groove that rides them to the end of the track. The album ends with a sing-along, "It's a long, long way". Steve actually thanks the listener for taking the time to check out his music, and tries to pass on a bit of advice in a roundabout way. With heartwarming delivery, he says what really matters – to "not give up on your dreams, or they'll give up on you." Steve makes it clear that he's no saint and that taking advice from some old hobo maybe not the best idea. Though he timidly acts on instinct and feels the need to pass on whatever wisdom he has, now that he's in the autumn of his years. It's a fitting final tune, and will inevitably leave the listener feeling a little nostalgic, and a little hopeful. "It's a long, long, way" has the potential to squeeze into the classic campfire-tune repertoire. It's timeless. There's real variety on YCTAODNT. Steve's acute ear has rendered him an extraordinary producer. On each track, he delicately features sounds that bring out the essence of the song, and it's not always his voice. This album preaches some of life's most important clichés – live life to the fullest, enjoy the time you got, and there's a lot of crazy shit in this world. For more articles like Seasick Steve - 'You Can' Teach An Old Dog New Tricks', please visit the Music/Album Reviews Section of TimesSquare.com
|
