Seasick Steve…. Who is Seasick Steve? His real name Steve Wold… or is he really Steven Leach? He’s a man of many stories. According to his version of events, he is the hobo bluesman who burst onto the scene with Dog House Music in 2006, and a memorable appearance on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny. With stories of living rough and train hopping with just his guitar for company, a myth was born.
Its Blues, baby! and he makes no apologies for that. So, if I was you, I would sit on the porch, pour a bourbon, maybe even spark up a rolly if you are so inclined and close your eyes, put on Love and Peace and you will almost smell the Gumbo drifting across The Bayou.
Love and Peace is 12 Bar Blues at it’s core; wailing harmonicas, slide guitar, the sound of strings being plucked and pulled, fingers sliding on frets and fuzzy guitar solos. It’s all here on this record, and like any self-respecting Blues player, when he starts singing, it’s like old leather; the pain of a life well-lived; tough and grizzled, channeling his inner Howling Wolf.
12 tracks of classic story-telling, that suck you in and at points spit you out, and then sucks you back in again. It’s not perfect and nor should it be, that’s the Blues, man!! Love and Peace proves that the ‘Blues Boogie-Woogie Man’ still has the chops and has produced another top-class record.
This record has an infectious charm and even though I don’t sing the Blues and listen to it even less, I really like it. So, even if you don’t think you will like it, give it a spin I’m sure it will make you smile.
Great Stuff 8/10
LOVE & PEACE track list:
- Love and Peace
- Regular Man
- I Will Do for You
- Clock Is Running
- Carni Days
- Church of Me
- Toes in the Mud
- My Woman
- Ain’t Nothin’ Like the Boogie
- Travelling Man
- Ready or Not
- Mercy
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My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago and married my childhood sweetheart and life is good.
