More Than I Need – Leigh’s new studio album ‘More Than I Need’ was released on August 31, 2012. It was recorded at Atlantis Sound in Port Melbourne, Victoria, engineered by Dave McCluney and produced by Nick Charles. In making the album Leigh was joined in the studio by Les Oldman (drums and percussion), Louis Gill (double bass), Matthew Arnold (violin), Alex Burns (harmonica) and Lisa Baird from ‘Lily and King’ (backing vocals). Nick Charles plays second guitar (acoustic, electric and resonator) on many tracks as well as mandolin and six string banjo. As always with Leigh’s albums there is no shortage of lap-slide guitar and for the first time he’s included a cover song – Bob Dylan’s, ‘I Am a Lonesome Hobo’.
More Than I Need
Release Date: 2012-08-31
Album Review
~ More Than I Need ~ Leigh Sloggett
Review by Jason 'Jinx' Zwoerner
I must admit from the outset that I'd never heard of Leigh Sloggett before I was given his cd "More Than I Need". I was asked to write a review by an acquaintance from that fine folk rag called, The Folk Rag, after a Saturday arvo of chummy, folky, beery, frivolity at an inner city Brisbane quaffery. He thrust the CD into my hand and bellowed,"Ya can keep it if you give me 300 words for the folk rag!!"
My ears pricked up immediately,"Free stuff? You bloody beeyooty!!" I found a hifi post-haste and chucked it on, and was delighted to hear something not only new but familiar and nostalgic at the same time. Leigh Sloggett has drawn together some very inspired and talented musos for this project who really know their stuff and he's managed a pretty good result that to my mind should be copping high rotation over the wireless.
The album kicks off with a couple of infectious ear worms like "Feeling Good Today" and "Dog Line" both of which are rich in impressive and soulful old church hall harmonies. The party keeps rolling with the title song "More Than I Need" offering subtle Leo Fender vibrato. This being the only electric bit I can find, and rightly so, because this album is unashamedly full-bore acoustic and I'm a pushover for resonator and lap steel slide. I particularly love the violin and mandolin arrangements and this album administers all of that in ample quantity and dress circle quality. The acerbic lyrics on "No Room at the Top" provide the listener with a cautionary tale, to take nothing for granted, see everything for what it is, appreciate what you have and understand that all tyrants petty or powerful will fall.
This album proves that Leigh Sloggett is no slouch when'd it comes to hard work for it's bursting at the seams with eleven songs. The man is a talent and should be proclaimed as such. I hear nuances of Ed Kueper, Xavier Rudd, Steve Earl, Junior Wells, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder and perhaps even Springsteen, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash or a dozen others who may or may not be influences to Sloggett. Really none of those comparisons matter at all because Leigh Sloggett has an obvious passion for writing and is someone who likes and plays excellent music. His reworking of the Dylan penned "Lonesome Hobo " is a shining example of how to nail a cover and claim ownership of the version. This is a fine album with, to use an old vernacular, all killer and no filler, and deserves close attention by anyone who enjoys folky well played blues, tinged with penetrating solidly constructed lyrics. Should you get this album? Only if you have a taste for contemporary honest to goodness, cheek by jowl blues/folk fusion music.
As for me, I'm keeping this one in the player, and sending my thanks to the bloke from The Rag. Cheers and make mine a double (no ice) - Jinx