No Label (label)
06 October 2017 (released)
23 September 2017
Dark brooding and powerful.
Steve Hill is a true one man band and I was amazed to hear that he actually plays all the percussion on this album as well as doing it live onstage as well and all while standing up to play guitar and sing!
Setting aside his obvious talents as a musical polymath, the question needs to be asked “Is he any good?” and I would have to say that he is at least as good as most of the bands around and a hell of a lot better than many Bluesmen who only sing or play guitar.
He has won awards for ‘Guitarist of the year’ and ‘Entertainer of the year’ as well as winning ‘Album of the year ‘ for his first solo album and this has given him a great sense of confidence in his abilities so that he has been able to develop his music in a way that it almost has to be played by him alone.
There are 12 numbers here and they feature his edgy and powerful vocals, strong riffs and syncopated percussion but there is not sense of ‘sameness’ – he has a fine sense of melody and riffs like a bastard on numbers such as ‘Damned’ or full on 12 bar on ‘Can’t Take It With You’ but he also plays some really melodic acoustic Blues on numbers like ‘Slowly Slipping Away’ his harmonica playing fine as you could wish.
Standout track on the album is probably ‘Dangerous’ but they are all good.
He will be touring with the mighty Wishbone Ash this autumn – well worth catching.
WISHBONE ASH - OCTOBER 2017 UK TOUR
WITH SPECIAL GUEST STEVE HILL
Wednesday 18th October 2017
Dorking Halls, Dorking
Thursday 19th October 2017
O2 Academy Islington, London
Friday 20th October 2017
The Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare
Saturday 21st October 2017
Cheese & Grain, Frome
Sunday 22nd October 2017
The Arts Centre, Swindon
Tuesday 24th October 2017
Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham-By-Sea
Wednesday 25th October 2017
The Brook, Southampton
Thursday 26th October 2017
Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne
Friday 27th October 2017
The Hub, Plymouth
Saturday 28th October 2017
The Railway, Ipswich
Sunday 29th October 2017
King Edward VII Memorial Hall, Newmarket
Tuesday 31st October 2017
Princess Theatre, Hunstanton
Thursday 2nd November 2017
Floral Pavilion Theatre, New Brighton, Wirral
Friday 3rd November 2017
The Tivoli, Buckley
Saturday 4th November 2017
Whitby Pavilion Theatre, Whitby
Sunday 5th November 2017
The Lowry, Manchester
Tuesday 7th November 2017
The Flowerpot, Derby
Wednesday 8th November 2017
The Irish Centre, Leeds
Thursday 9th November 2017
Bootleggers, Kendal
Friday 10th November 2017
The Jam House, Edinburgh
Saturday 11th November 2017
The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Sunday 12th November 2017
The Ferry, Glasgow
Tuesday 14th November 2017
Riverside Lodge, Morpeth
Wednesday 15th November 2017
ARC, Stockton-on-Tees
Thursday 16th November 2017
The Layton, Blackpool
Friday 17th November 2017
The Picturedrome, Holmfirth
Saturday 18th November 2017
ASHCON, Clitheroe
