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Acoustic blues, folk, roots, songwriter-singer, Chepstow.

Chances are good you’ve not heard of Steve Payne or his latest musical ensemble, SP3, before now. Born Bristol, England, his home base is in Chepstow, Wales, where he prefers the reduced levels of hustle and bustle. A veteran of multiple British bands (The Payne Killers, The Parole Brothers, Crawdaddy, The Candy Run), this skilled singer, songwriter and guitarist has also rubbed shoulders with known acts like David Knopfler, Paul Brady, Dr. John, Jerry Donahue, Steve Tilston and Bert Jansch. Starting out in’72, Payne’s trajectory over the years has evolved his skills in all departments – beginning with R&B to punk, folk, rock and blues – resulting in a mind-numbing versatility as he continues to follow his muse. The more mellow lifestyle of Wales has been positive for woodshedding with a clear focus – which has given birth to the formation of SP3 – a fresh take on Payne’s strengths as an expressive singer, masterful songwriter and – especially – distinctive fingerstyle guitarist. He’s the SP. Payne has added multi-instrumentalist and singer, Lyndon Webb and harpist, Billyboy Miskimmin, into the mix and the release of this 6-track EP is a bit of a ‘welcome back’ for Payne and the launch of his talented trio, SP3.

Clearly a veteran of the then- burgeoning folk boom in Britain, Payne was quick to add elements of blues and even rock to his craft as he perfected his guitar-playing and took control of his singing voice, his poetic gift for words and his understated, soothing vocals. He would complement this with some exceptional harp-playing, as well.

Payne has always been difficult to pin down as either folkie or blues man, yet his work contains strong elements of both. Reinvigorated by the chemistry of this progressive trio, the lead-off track “Lot ‘o Rain”, is a sensational starting point. High energy and highly percussive, all three players have created a full-on charge as Miskimmin’s harp provides sharp contrast to the delicate, flowery guitars of both Payne and Webb (who also adds drums and bass here). The picking is a highlight while the harmonica cuts through to match the power of the song’s aggressive rhythm.
The buoyant “Fire On The Hill” sits back by comparison, injecting a more laidback – yet still highly-spirited energy with dancing, double acoustic guitars (Payne adding slide) and Miskimmin’s animated harp (with a sound reminiscent of Toots Thielemans’ tone on the theme for “Midnight Cowboy”). Payne’s voice is as stand-out on this track as the lyric is head-turning…”Burning bedlam down”…

The somewhat less impressive “Ragtime Suzie *2” is a harmonica-driven boogie which works the band into a froth yet falls a little flat when compared to the dramatic starting tracks. Still, Payne has some fun with the character and both guitars and harp deliver an urgent, still-notable jam.

“Angelina” is the money shot. A spectacular, more reflective composition, it intros with a touch of Spanish-sounding guitar and builds a darker feel than its high-energy counterparts. Payne’s in fine form and sounds like he’s been drinking in the back alleyways of Willy Deville. Everything works and power chords (slightly recalling The Who’s “Tommy,” if not Mangione’s “Hill Where The Lord Hides”) drive this robust track while Miskimmin’s harp punctuates every move. Webb provides additional background vocals, adding body to the song. Goosebumps abound.

“21st Century Blues” is a bit of a throwaway blues track – still sporting incredible chemistry between the players as it chugs away with multiple flourishes of standout fingerstyle guitar and juicy harp, pitted against a 3-dimensional backdrop of beefy B3 (Webb).

Possibly saving the best for last, the title track “Almost Blue” should be heard by everyone as an introduction to this understated superstar and his trio. Slowed down, with more opportunities for the guitar lines to shine and for Payne to strut his velveteen, vocal prowess, this could be the best 5 minutes and 20 seconds you could ever spend. Moody guitars complement Payne’s expressive, heartfelt vocal, accenting superlative lyrics as Miskimmin’s harp comes in at the halfway mark – boasting that Thielemans-like tone which, itself, stands way out from the norm. Exceptional music.

Why Steve Payne isn’t better known is beyond belief. The people he has played with, or for, makes for a standalone bio while these two fellow musicians serve to amplify his abilities as a songwriter. The way Payne, Webb and Miskimmin merge as three passionate players – each showcasing their own distinctive talents – is all the better for the seamless blend they achieve as a trio. SP3 was simply meant to be. At only 6 songs, here’s hoping the next outing follows right behind this one as they further perfect their singular sound.

To put SP3 into a nutshell? Simply exhilarating.

Tracks:
01. Ballyronan Maid
02. Gleanntain Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair
03. County Down
04. Cavan Girl
05. My Belfast Love
06. Sweet Omagh Town
07. Dobbins Flowery Vale
08. Buachaill on Eirne
09. Banks of the Bann
10. The Shady Woods of Truagh

Staat er compleet op, 10% pars mee gepost. Met zeer veel dank aan de originele poster. Laat af en toe eens weten wat je van het album vindt. Altijd leuk, de mening van anderen. Oh ja, MP3 doe ik niet aan.