Seasick Steve| You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

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Blues is a relatively honest genre of music by nature but Seasick Steve’s music is so intimate, it almost feels like an audible autobiography. His personalised guitars and lyrics are simply phenomenal.

The album’s opening track Treasure posses a calming folk sound in which Steve uses a deep and somewhat Johnny Cash -like voice. And then straight into the distortion with the second track You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks, a classic sounding blues track and one of the best of this LP.

Steve uses his Cash-like sound again in the ballad like last song of the album, It’s A Long Long Way in which Steve even thanks the listener for taking the time to listen to an old man. Polite as ever from the man who only five years ago made his break through becoming as he said “ the cat’s meow” all of a sudden.

The new album is a fantastic mixture of booming distortion, fine little riffs and catchy acoustic numbers. Tracks like, Whiskey Ballads which is backed up by a whistling tune while Steve encourages people to have a cup of his “happy golden drink”, prevent the album from containing useless filler tracks.

The defining tracks of the album are probably towards the end. Tracks like Day’s Gone and Party have that incredible big come up blues feeling as Steve shreds guitar while in the latter shouting “We’re gonna have a party” (Caution: this track may make you want to party).

“That guy who used to be a hobo and who’s early recordings sounds like they was recorded in a well” was how Seasick Steve was first described to me. But after listening to his new album You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks, the only thing that comes to mind is Blues master class.

This is a guaranteed good listen for blues fans, and is probably the most polished LP Seasick Steve has released to date.

By Declan Marron.

Track Listing:
1. Treasures
2. You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks
3. Burnin’ Up
4. Don’t Know Why She Love Me But She Do
5. Have Mercy On The Lonely
6. Whiskey Ballad
7. Back In The Doghouse
8. Underneath A Blue And Cloudless Sky
9. What A Way To Go
10. Part
11. Days Gone
12. It’s A Long, Long Way

Release Date : 30th May