Steve Strongman - Let Me Prove It To You (2014) Lossless

A Natural Fact was most unusual for Hamilton’s Steve Strongman and not just for winning the JUNO award. It was an acoustic album from an artist known for his electric shows. To say that news of his next disc was eagerly anticipated is a major understatement. Well, here’s the news: it will be released on May 13, it’s electric (mostly) and it’s great. The opener is a stunning rocker – “There’s Something Goin’ On” is a ‘there’s mule kickin’ in my stall’ song with a slide hook to die for and a great chorus (with Emma-Lee). “What I Believe” is a slower & heavier, with some neat little shifts and a section with harp over an acoustic slide. “Get Used To It” is mostly acoustic, again with slide and again with a good tune and Jesse O’Brien on piano. The song says you’re not going to get everything you want. It’s not the only one here about getting older, “We’re Going Out Tonight” has an old friend calling him up and wanting to go out like the old days but our narrator has a wife and kids and things to do. Again with an inventive arrangement and tune. While Strongman plays some pretty mean harp himself, he’s brought along Guy Bélanger from Montreal for “Lookin’ For Trouble”. Somewhat unusually, the song fades in as Strongman sings over his slide, the two have a dueling solo feature. The acoustic “Older” confronts the issue head on and the chorus, rather tunefully, says ‘he’s getting older but not old’- uptempo and optimistic.