Man, when I heard this album for the first time a few weeks ago I just about fell out of my seat. Everything in me wanted to come straight home and tell y’all how awesome this dude was. Instead, I decided to let it wait until the beginning of 2009. Well, here we are and lemme tell y’all…this Seasick Steve fella is fucking awesome, but then while doing a little research for this posting I’ve started to discover that most of y’all already know that.

While I’d never heard of Seasick Steve prior to his fourth album, I Started Out With Nothing And I Still Got Most Of It Left, he’s been cranking out albums and playing festivals and sold out shows since 2004. While Steve’s music falls under the label of “blues”, he’d prefer you just call him “a song and dance man” and I can go for that. Hell, you can’t help but to dance when his album is playing.

As good as I Started Out With Nothing is, Steve’s credentials are equally impressive. He was born in 1941, learned to play guitar at the age of 8 and left home for the life of a hobo at the age of 13. He has worked as a carnie, a cowboy, a migrant worker and a producer, producing several of Modest Mouse’s albums in the latter role. His songs are seemingly tales about life and the people he’s met via these jobs.

In the end I’m glad I held off writing about this one till now cause I can now make it the first Essential Listening album of 2009. Check it out.

Seasick Steve - St. Louis Slim
Seasick Steve - Thunderbird
Seasick Steve - Chiggers

Seasick Steve’s Official Site, Seasick Steve on myspace, Buy I Started Out With Nothing And I Still Got Most Of It Left