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Product Description
Review
If you had to write a list of phrases describing Seasick Steve (real name Steve Wold), "self-deprecating" would probably rank pretty high on the list. It's just one of the unusual characteristics attributed to the silver-bearded American bluesman that has had the UK slowly falling in love with him over the five years since his breakout record Dog House Blues of 2006. And how we've fallen for him: his albums consistently perform better on these shores than anywhere else, and 2008 saw him sell out London's illustrious Royal Albert Hall. That's quite a career arc for a man who learned his musical craft while riding the rails and looking for work as a casual labourer in the US.
Wold's wry sense of self-deprecation is literally written all over his latest record. With the album's title, he seems to be acknowledging his own limitations, or at least challenging outside perceptions of his unswerving brand of distorted, down-home blues, usually played on clapped-out, improvised instruments. "Never need to change my style / Been this way for a long, long while / Maybe there's a few things I oughtta fix," he hollers on the title-track. It feels like a declaration of intent, and the rest of the album bears out the threat.
You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks is still recognisably a Seasick Steve album, but it also marks a distinct broadening of the guitarist's style. The album stretches to new band members too, with erstwhile Led Zep bassist John Paul Jones and drummer Dan Magnusson joining Wold on several tracks to provide a punchy rhythm section he has hitherto denied himself. It's an effective partnership; the extra power on Back in the Doghouse pushes the Seasick sound ever further into rock'n'roll crossover territory. Elsewhere, opener Treasures embraces the sombre atmospherics of the great country and folk miserablists, Wold's rumbling sigh - an appealing cross between Johnny Cash and Mark Lanegan - accompanied by violins that wouldn't sound out of place on a Nick Cave/Warren Ellis collaboration. Throughout, Wold seems to be making a concerted effort to find new gears within his rattling crankshaft of a voice.
Old Dog New Tricks is hardly an overhaul - the likes of Don't Know Why She Love Me but She Do ensures there's plenty here for adherents to the tried and true. But it's clear that this old dog is stretching his legs more than on any previous album. As much as Wold might like to put himself down, his work speaks confidently for itself.
--Chris Lo
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Product Description
1-Treasures 2-You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks 3-Burning' 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-Party 11-Days Gonde 12-It's A Long Long Way (2011 'PIAS')(56:10/13) Der Tramp und Hobo, der sein Image pflegt wie kaum ein zweiter Bluesmann auf Erden und der sich nie( ) bei Bluesfestivals blicken lässt, schreibt starke Songs, die er in der Regel selbst umsetzt (oder mit dem einen oder anderen Begleiter). Stark, wie immer
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a great blues album from Seasick Steve, beginning with the introspective and quiet 'Treasures'. Then the fun begins. The title track is a real stomper with heavy blues slide guitar. 'Burnin' Up' is surely one of Steve's best songs and reminds me of John Lee Hooker - it begins quietly and conversationally then develops into this wonderful toe-tapping number. 'Don't Know Why She Love Me But She Do' is a rhythm-driven masterpiece (the percussion on this album is superb) a bit like early Led Zeppelin complete with slide guitar. 'Have Mercy On The Lonely' and Whiskey Ballad' are on the quieter side, then 'Back In The Doghouse' comes bursting in with thumping drums and electric slide. And it goes on! There is not a duff track on this album; Steve's vocals are terrific - I'll stick my neck out and say this is the best album he has ever released. Boy can he rock! This deserves to be a massive hit and is one of the best things I've heard all year. Highly recommended.
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Since first hearing him about three years ago, Seasick Steve has now become one of my favourites. This, his latest album has all the tracks written by Seasick himself, except track 6 'Whisky Ballad', which was written by Paul Martin Wold. Playing the banjo, along with his selection of guitars, all the tracks here are yet more great blues music.
Joined by the likes of Dan Magnusson, John Paul Jones, Gerogina Leech and others, there are some fantastic riffs, and your feet will start stomping. If you have never listened to Seasick before, it is about time you did, and find out what you are missing out on. The booklet accompanying this cd has the lyrics, and also about the cover photo of the album, Twm, a Labrador Collie cross.
If you are a fan of blues, then this is an album for your collection. Although there are 12 tracks on this, there is in fact 13, but the last one is just Seasick Steve reminiscing.
Joined by the likes of Dan Magnusson, John Paul Jones, Gerogina Leech and others, there are some fantastic riffs, and your feet will start stomping. If you have never listened to Seasick before, it is about time you did, and find out what you are missing out on. The booklet accompanying this cd has the lyrics, and also about the cover photo of the album, Twm, a Labrador Collie cross.
If you are a fan of blues, then this is an album for your collection. Although there are 12 tracks on this, there is in fact 13, but the last one is just Seasick Steve reminiscing.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Another great recording from Seasick Steve, one of the true blues greats. Bursting onto the scene in 2006 with his patented brand of up-tempo blues played on a variety of homemade instruments, accompanied by spoken word stories of his life as a hobo, he has released a series of essential records.
With this album he shows that this old dog has managed to learn a few new tricks. He starts off with an uncharacteristic slow tempo moody song `Treasures'. The then kicks it up a gear and gets into full swing with the rocking `You can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks', which sets the tone for the rest of the album of scorching foottappin blues. As an added bonus, there is a 12 minute hidden track in which Steve tells more of his hoboing adventures, something that was sadly missing from his last album. He has expanded his musical palette a bit, with the aid of bassist Jon Paul Jones (yes, he of Led Zeppelin fame), who adds a rock steady rhythm and some rock credentials to the album. All in all this extension of Steve's basic sound works incredibly well, making this a classy and classic record.
The key to Steve's artistry is that, like all great blues artists, he has lived a full and eventful life, with much hardship. His writing and singing is inspired and informed by the years of hoboing around America. It adds another dimension to the recording, a touch of realism that sets it apart. It's reminiscent of the great Blues artists in 1950's Chicago, such as Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, many of whom had tough lives before (and after) they found fame. Indeed, there are several occasions when Steve plays guitar breaks that sound a lot like Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker.
This is music straight from the heart. No meaningless lyrics, pointless overproduction or synthesisers, it's real music played by real people with a great deal of skill and a deep love of what they're doing. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys music with feeling. Probably not of interest to fans of Cowell style plastic pop. This record really deserves to collect a lot of awards.
If you enjoy this then check out Steve's other offerings, `I started out with nothing', `Doghouse music' `Cheap' and `Man From Another Time'. I would also recommend `Electric Dirt' by Levon Helm, another record made with feeling.
With this album he shows that this old dog has managed to learn a few new tricks. He starts off with an uncharacteristic slow tempo moody song `Treasures'. The then kicks it up a gear and gets into full swing with the rocking `You can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks', which sets the tone for the rest of the album of scorching foottappin blues. As an added bonus, there is a 12 minute hidden track in which Steve tells more of his hoboing adventures, something that was sadly missing from his last album. He has expanded his musical palette a bit, with the aid of bassist Jon Paul Jones (yes, he of Led Zeppelin fame), who adds a rock steady rhythm and some rock credentials to the album. All in all this extension of Steve's basic sound works incredibly well, making this a classy and classic record.
The key to Steve's artistry is that, like all great blues artists, he has lived a full and eventful life, with much hardship. His writing and singing is inspired and informed by the years of hoboing around America. It adds another dimension to the recording, a touch of realism that sets it apart. It's reminiscent of the great Blues artists in 1950's Chicago, such as Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, many of whom had tough lives before (and after) they found fame. Indeed, there are several occasions when Steve plays guitar breaks that sound a lot like Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker.
This is music straight from the heart. No meaningless lyrics, pointless overproduction or synthesisers, it's real music played by real people with a great deal of skill and a deep love of what they're doing. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys music with feeling. Probably not of interest to fans of Cowell style plastic pop. This record really deserves to collect a lot of awards.
If you enjoy this then check out Steve's other offerings, `I started out with nothing', `Doghouse music' `Cheap' and `Man From Another Time'. I would also recommend `Electric Dirt' by Levon Helm, another record made with feeling.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Buy it...... just buy it.
Honestly, do buy it, it'll make you happy.
Now I could go on and on about how long I've loved this man's work, but you're probably not interested too much in that, or... Read more
Now I could go on and on about how long I've loved this man's work, but you're probably not interested too much in that, or... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Dan
Easily his best work.
I have all of Seasick Steve's albums at this point, and this one is by far my favorite. The sound is a bit more refined on this album compared to previous works, but loses none of... Read more
Published 4 months ago by matt
Does what it says on the tin
You don't come to a new Seasick Steve album expecting any radical changes in direction, but this album is different enough to keep it interesting. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. Bear
an old dog with great tricks
an excellent album definately seasick steve at his bes new to seasick this is a good start takes you through a story of a mans hobo life wicked music als try out in the dog house... Read more
Published 7 months ago by bos1
You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks
Before I give the verdict of 'Seasick Steve You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks' I must confess I am not in any way a die-hard fan of Seasick Steve and have bought none of his... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. S. Merrill
Actually, you can teach this old dog a trick or two...
It's not very often you can genuinely categorise an artist as unique or, at the very least, having a very individual sound. But one musician does immediately come to mind. Read more
Published 8 months ago by R. Muir
New tricks?
Well no new tricks but quite a few excellent new tracks using Seasicks unique techniques. Well worth it's place in your collection of his stuff.
Published 9 months ago by Rodger M. Holcombe
Seasick does it again
I must start off by saying that I am not really a Seasick Steve fan,a bit too "rough and ready hillbilly" for me but my husband is (probably his no. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mrs. J. M. Hodgkinson
what is with the rambling chit chat
OK cd, what is it with the rambling hidden track that went on and on and on 12 minutes of absolute rubbish, liked the cover though!
Published 9 months ago by beedleebee
Still rockin the blues
Steve just gets better every time. This is a masterful piece of work. He is just incredibly good on any guitar he chooses.
Published 9 months ago by Black Prince
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