21 September 2026
Seasoned blues rocker SEASICK STEVE (born Steven Gene Leach 75 years ago in
Oakland, California) has his 14th LP, called THE LAST SEASON OF AMERICA out.
Press info: “In 2024, Steve and his wife Elisabeth took a road trip across America where
he witnessed the poverty and divisiveness in the context of the upcoming election that year. They were in a New Orleans club where a house band leader welcomed two Belgian musicians on stage by saying “welcome to the last season of America.”
This became the theme for the rest of their road trip and led to him writing the title track to the new album. A deeply personal, heartfelt reflection on the state of his home nation, The Last Season of America is a protest record in the truest sense.”
TUTV: The downfall of Trump’s Divided States Of Hate (“We got a criminal running this
place. He got lies written all over his face”) makes Seasick Steve angry, confused, mournful and combative. Except for MAGA almost the whole wide world despise today’s America
for its current failure on many levels and its global, disastrous impact.
That’s the record’ main theme. Dark clouds hang all over Steve‘s doomful grooves
(Bad Things / Above Ground Boogie / Boottraps) and his brooding ballads (The Last
Season Of America / El Camino / Matilda From From Ottawa). He also goes after all
“useless motherfuckers and parasites in the music industry“.
Steve doesn’t rock out much. He spits and sneers on many occasions. He boils inside.
No, this is not a happy album. It reflects the ill-omened signs of this historic, damaging,
and dangerously tumultuous American era.
Yet, in the end Steve still believes in a healing metamorphosis if we all get together and make it happen, as he sings on the funky footstomper Bad Things: “There’s bad things, but we still can change. If you believe in hope, we can rearrange. I still believe in the power of love.” It’s not over yet is Steve‘s underlying belief in a redeeming turnaround.
Again, and it still puzzles me, that ominous times are often a fruitful
inspiration for musicians to write/make engrossing records. One of
the best I heard all year long, musically, thematically and lyrically.
Singles.
– THE LAST SEASON OF AMERICA –
It’s the last season of America
And we’ll never watch again
The show that we loved
– BOOTSTRAPS –
ALBUM