Seth Walker’s latest effort takes a slightly different path, mixing blues with soul and a group-driven R&B feel.

Old-school horn charts dominate “Can’t Come With You,” where Walker’s vocals take on the soul/bluesman persona. His soulful slide guitar here is as sublime as it is different from the fingerpicked acoustic of his last effort. The tones on most solos here are very well done – thick and creamy – and transport the listener a few decades back in time.

Most cuts sound primitive (in a good way!) and the songs cover a range from the swinging shuffle of the title track to the acoustic soul/gospel of “Lay Down (River of Faith).” The very fun “I Don’t Dance” is plain ol’ boogie-woogie with tasty playing and singing. “Something Fast” is a smooth R&B that lets the listener know how imaginative a guitarist Walker is. While a lot of this music would make it easy for players to fall into clichés, he never does. “Memory Pain” is a funky, horn-driven blues with slinky guitar fills that drive the song throughout. The dirty, percussive solo is the perfect fit for the song.

Walker’s vocals are a pleasant surprise. He makes an honest effort to sound like a soul singer. It’s the kind of performance that helps you appreciate what an all-around talent he is and what he has to offer.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s May. ’09 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.