PressSound on Sound magazine - September 2008 "It's a lonely business being a fan of country music in England, especially if your tastes don't run to the mainstream. So there's something miraculous about discovering a SOS reader who is not only familiar with the genius of Robbie Fulks, but writes absolutely first class material in the same vein. Like Fulks, Steve McCormick draws on the hard-edged honky-tonk of the '60s Bakersfield scene, yet manages to sound thoroughly up to date. His pithy lyrics strike exactly the right balance between funny and sad, and he never falls into the temptation of writing the same song over and over again. In a field where live playing is everything, it's a shame that Steve hasn't been able to find a band to back him, but all the more impressive that he's concocted such convincing backing tracks of his own. Playing everything himself except the pedal steel, he makes full use of the latest computer tools such as EZ Drummer and Guitar Rig, and his arrangements are absolutely spot-on, as is his singing and guitar playing. There are times when I'd prefer a slightly more gritty, old school mix to the smooth compression and 'nice' reverbs employed here, but Steve clearly knows his way around a desk, and the results sound impressively modern and slick. His is the best reader album I've yet heard, and I only hope he can overcome the Great British Public's indifference to country music to achieve the success he deserves. Sam Inglis" |
