- Audio CD (29 Sep 2008)
- Number of Discs: 2
- Format: Limited Edition
- Label: Warner
- ASIN: B001D60VTU
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 94,750 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Album Description
In the spring of 2008 Seasick Steve recorded a new album in a studio at Wymondham in Norfolk. As well as Steve and his drummer Dan Magnusson from the Level Devils, "Started Out With Nothing And Still Got Most Of It Left" features guest performances by Nick Cave and his Grinderman group. Steve, who detests what he calls "the blues police" and considers anyaccolade from the purist community "the kiss of death," is delighted to welcome all young visitors aboard. "The kids who come to my shows don't know nothin' about Charley Patton or Son House, " he observes, with some satisfaction. "They just know it rocks."
About the Artist
.... "Every time I walk out in front of these thousands of people, think ` Goddamn, how can someone who's not young, and didn't used to be famous already have all this success out of the blue?' My belief is I've come at the right time. People are tired of everythin' bein' so fancy. I guess they kinda like hearin' me with an acoustic guitar stompin' on a box." Seasick Steve
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Seasick Steve is a fantastic bluesman, I'm a huge fan, and I listen to Doghouse Music constantly, but I'm really sorry to say that this album just doesn't quite do it for me.
Doghouse Music is a superb album - simple, straightforward, totally un-produced and packed with real feeling and passion. Thats what Seasick Steve means to me - his views and experiences of a different world, (one I hope I'll never know) are powerful and honest, and he can really play that guitar too.
It was obvious that this album would be more commercial, more produced, because Steve is now a massive worldwide phenomenon (rightly so) and so there is alot more at stake. There are some great tracks on this record, and Steve does his best to shine through, but the band are wrong for him, the arrangements are wrong for him, and the mix is wrong for him too! If you listen really carefully, you can hear the fantastic rolling rhythms of doghouse music in the guitar riffs, but almost every song is drenched in bass and drums, and it is they who set the rhythm, NOT Steve! At times you have to strain to hear his guitar at all, due to the terrible mix, and even the vocals are too quiet on several numbers.
For me the problem is that this is just a blues record with Seasick Steve in the band. If you took him away, all you would have is a bunch of session players jamming the blues, and since he's drowning in the mix half the time, thats all you have got on some of the tracks. No band can ever accompany Steve as well as he can accompany himself, and with such a polished, managed sound it ends up sounding rather clinical. A waste of a unique talent!
On the other hand, Steve seems happy with it, so good luck to him...but it just isn't anything like what I was hoping for.
Doghouse Music is a superb album - simple, straightforward, totally un-produced and packed with real feeling and passion. Thats what Seasick Steve means to me - his views and experiences of a different world, (one I hope I'll never know) are powerful and honest, and he can really play that guitar too.
It was obvious that this album would be more commercial, more produced, because Steve is now a massive worldwide phenomenon (rightly so) and so there is alot more at stake. There are some great tracks on this record, and Steve does his best to shine through, but the band are wrong for him, the arrangements are wrong for him, and the mix is wrong for him too! If you listen really carefully, you can hear the fantastic rolling rhythms of doghouse music in the guitar riffs, but almost every song is drenched in bass and drums, and it is they who set the rhythm, NOT Steve! At times you have to strain to hear his guitar at all, due to the terrible mix, and even the vocals are too quiet on several numbers.
For me the problem is that this is just a blues record with Seasick Steve in the band. If you took him away, all you would have is a bunch of session players jamming the blues, and since he's drowning in the mix half the time, thats all you have got on some of the tracks. No band can ever accompany Steve as well as he can accompany himself, and with such a polished, managed sound it ends up sounding rather clinical. A waste of a unique talent!
On the other hand, Steve seems happy with it, so good luck to him...but it just isn't anything like what I was hoping for.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Seasick Steve is a one off,a throw back to the great Mississippi hillblues.This album his third and the first on a big label,I expected a commercial overload,but no.Sure he's got Grinderman,Nick Cave and a track with K.T.Tunstall(which is an absolute treat),but its still SSS doing his thing and doing it his way,so this is an album of pure delight,from a very Eric Bibb type song in Walkin' Man to the cracking track with Grinderman(Just like a king) to some classic blues as well as his chat and stories for good measure.All in all another slice of musical magic from the man.The bonus disc has a couple of pretty good songs and a whole lot of filler,Train is recorded on a train but SSS voice is almost impossible to hear,the track recorded in a diner well is a waste of time,as is the one called Lunch.Surely Warner could have done better than this as a bonus disc ,some live material would have been great,but this is so disappointing for the extra cost,or was the extra for the pull out packaging,very nice but again not worth the effort.So in all a fabulous main album but a wasted bonus disc.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is my first forray into blues but I must say I'm liking the cutaway sound of Seasick Steve. The problem I have with this album stems purely from the bonus disc, which is a complete waste - how Warner could warrant such an extortionate price is beyond me. The bonus disc consists of 3 completely pointless filler tracks containing mostly non-descript background noise with some spoken audio. There are only 2 songs on the CD which I don't think come close to matching those of the main CD. The packaging has a foldout section of a train travelling along a cityscape, which cleverly forms a picture when folded down or out. This is a novelty but again not worth the extra money - and where is the booklet???? There are also 3 extra tacks on the main CD not found on the standard version, of which I particularly like Levy Camp Blues. But again, not worth such a hike in price. Perhaps the minimalist packaging and bonus content fit with the style of music on offer here but I can't but help to feel short changed. If I'd known all this before purchasing I would have been persuaded to get the standard version of the album instead.... isn't hindsight such a bittersweet thing. Very good main CD though, just loving Walkin Man in particular. But I can't hide my discontent at the bonus content and extortionate rise in price.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
This is Music
Better than most modern music even with half his strings missing. Real musician, doesn't need some electonic contraption to make music fot him
Published on 11 Feb 2010 by Overpriced Camerak
Still got most of it
Still, in my opinion, the best, although I suspect fans would have preferred a couple more "stompers" to the long story
Published on 14 May 2009 by jj stewart-bennett
good but not great
Seasick Steve is a bit of a legend that you cannot help but love, for his life, his musical history that gives him every reason to sing the blues. Read more
Published on 17 April 2009 by Mr. M. L. Hawes
Seasick steve a new view old country blues
Seasick Steve comes up with e new a revived approach to the blues. Not only does his music rapout some great bues licks he has gives some original lyrics. Read more
Published on 16 April 2009 by Mr. W. J. Waine
lose the backing vocalists Steve
great album,although not sure about having backing vocalists.Steve still sounding brilliant though,with the title track a great start. Read more
Published on 23 Mar 2009 by A. BEESTON
old one but good one
I Started Out With Nothin And I Still Got Most Of It Left. -Seasick Steve.
Many good blues performers (like painters) only get recognised some time after they have died. Read more
Many good blues performers (like painters) only get recognised some time after they have died. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2009 by frankbof
Seasick steve deserves reconition based on this release!
Stumbled across this gem while looking for something else, just like we used to do when we rummaged for hours in specialist record shops.
A great set of tunes.
A great set of tunes.
Published on 4 Feb 2009 by Kevin James Cross
one of the finest albums ive ever bought
this album has got to be the most enjoyable pieces of music i have ever had the pleasure to listen too. Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2009 by biker steve
' Bonus Disc ' ...missing the point !
This 'Bonus' disc is meant to show Steve on his travels..i.e. bumming around, eating, catching a train, telling a story, getting a feel of his life on the road. Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2008 by K. L. Smith
Steve's back with three strings on his guitar and KT Tunstall & Nick...
Recently a reviewer in NME gave Seasick Steve's new album two stars out of ten, why such a low score? Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2008 by M. K. Sutton
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