Review Summary: Summertime boy
By now, anyone accustomed to Seasick Steve's antics is not going to change his opinion on him. This hard working fella has been steadily releasing records every two years for over a decade now. He's got lots of stories to share and fame hasn't changed him a bit. The man still enjoys crafting guitars out of scrap, driving his pickup truck and being a farmer when he's not performing at the biggest festivals and venues all over the world. Nevertheless, Steve suffered a slight backlash the moment he decided to level up the production and release a couple of more accessible LPs. Even so, at the heart of those records lies the same humble and honest soul we came to know from the beginning. Along with his live crew, who happened to include John Paul Jones, crafted some of their most refined material to date.
A couple of years later, returning to the DIY approach, Steve sat down in his own front room with only long time drummer, Dan Magnusson and recorded his latest effort,
Sonic Soul Surfer. To be honest, the overall result is as relaxed as the atmosphere must've been in that house. Having some drinks, the two jammed some of their coolest tracks in a while. Take for example the opener, 'Roy's Gang', a fun track with a groovy rhythm and some swag that shows the chemistry in between the two men. The one string washboard guitar he uses sounds more like a bass, thus creating a slightly different but welcomed sound from the usual treble of his custom-made hubcap guitars or diddley-bos. Also, the manic 'Bring It On' and 'Sonic Soul Boogie' maintain the barn party vibe with their raw licks and slick rhythms, whereas the stomping 'Barracuda '68' features some nice solos over a really catchy riff.
As always, some of the most rewarding tracks here are the moody ones. When the whiskey kicks in, Seasick Steve pours his heart out. On one hand you have the melodic 'Dog Gonna Play', along with the slow burning blues of 'Swamp Dog' which are richer in texture and on the other lie the campy, bare-bones ditties like 'Right On Time', 'Heart Full of Scars' or 'In Peaceful Dreams'. The latter are touching in a more intimate way, managing to evoke some real emotion from this ol' dog who's been through a lot over the years.
Steve called this album a back-to-basics affair. In a way it is, because there's less layering, but the overall sound is still a lot more produced than, let's say,
Dog House Music.
Sonic Soul Surfer is actually the missing link between the raw, early material and the more mainstream-oriented cuts that made up his latest records. Although it might not be his most cohesive or strongest collection, the man manages to cater to every fan. He sticks what he knows best and that's how we want him.
