One thing about controlling their own releases is that they can ensure that each album’s packaging gets the love and attention it deserves. Yet again we have a fold out digipak with a nice booklet and is a wonderful thing to look at and study. For this 2012 release the guys have taken a different road to the one they normally travel, and here have deliberately mixed acoustic and roots influences from both the States and the UK, bringing together some folk, blues and country. They have also brought in a whole host of names to assist, including Martin Simpson, Seth Lakeman, BJ Cole, Andy Cutting, Paul Sartin, Cormac Byrne, Leonard Podolak, Paul Downes, Phil Henry, Hannah Martin, Rex Preston and Jenna Witts.
Seth is one of those who assists with opener “Haunt You”, which is co-wrote with Steve, and I saw one reviewer who commented that Richard Thompson would have been proud of the result, and I’m sure he was right as this has his influences written all over it. But, the next one is almost bluegrass with some lovely banjo, and we’re off as the music then moves and swells through many different styles. The result is another strong album (I don’t think they can ever release anything I don’t enjoy), but this is a long way down the list of my favourites as I’m not such a fan of some of the styles they are pushing to the fore.
