Seasick Steve has never needed much more than a battered guitar, a stomping foot, and that gravelly voice to make himself heard. You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks, the American musician (born 75 years ago as Steven Gene Wold) sang in 2011, playing a few strings on a broomstick. On The Last Season of America, however, the veteran blues troubadour sounds better than ever, with a full band and plenty on his mind. Inspired by a 2024 road trip across the US, the new record takes a troubled look at a country apparently losing its way.
Protest blues is central in these ten songs, but it is expanded towards folk and rock, and there even is beautiful Latin balladry (El Camino, featuring Ricardo Arjona), dark surf rockabilly (Surf’s Flat), and funky rap (Free Man). It’s all captured in perfect production, crisp and considered, but fortunately it never manages to sand the dirt from Steve’s riffs or the gravel from his unmistakable growl, radiating righteous anger (“We got a criminal, running this place // He got lies, written all over his face”). Still, a small but stubborn flame keeps burning (“There’s bad things, but we still can change // If you believe in hope, we can rearrange”), one that embraces us here with warmth.
The Last Season of America—produced by Martin Terefe—is out on cassette, CD and vinyl LP through Eastcote Recordings. Featuring Seasick Steve (vocals, guitar), Dave Okumu (guitar), Martin Terefe (bass), and Dan Magnusson (drums).