Hmmm, now why did I buy this? You will see from all my other reviews, that this is not really the kind of stuff I like. I generally do not like country. In fact the closest thing to this kind of music that I can tolerate is the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack and Ben Harper. But this album was recommended to me by a friend and I really must thank that friend!

The album is about a guy (Seasick Steve) telling his kids about his experiences of being down and out. Steve ran away from home when he was thirteen and he puts all of his 'life experience' into this wonderful album. Now thankfully Steve is no longer a down andn out, struggling to get by.

So how did he get to produce an album? Well this, is actually his third album, but first produced properly. He started to make people sit up and notice when he appeared on Jools Holland - a good judge of character I am sure you would agree! But this is a great blues record, with a hint of country and jazz mixed in. Steve is a one man band, playing on his self proclaimed 'piece of sh*t' guitar.

So from the fast blues stomp to the ballad 'Walkin' Man' a song that contains not only the line 'my name is Steve and I'm a walkin' man' but with maybe a nod to his now more settled lifestyle 'my name is Steve and I'm your staying man'.

I like the way he gives a little introduction to each song (although the last track is pretty much a narrative story!). 'Thunderbird' is Steve's homage to drinking whether to forget, enjoy or just stay warm its builds and builds into a cascade of belting drums and feedback slide without losing any of its charm.

However, my highlight is 'Just like a king' the brilliant collaboration with Nick Cave and Grinderman, the two distinctive but eerily similar voices playing off each other over layers of Grinderman swirl. I justy listen to this over and over again. Fantastic.