Album Notes

With the release of his solo CD "gathering rust," Steven Jackson has defined his acoustic/Americana/folk/rock sound with a percussive guitar style, snapshot-of-life poetry and an earthy voice reminiscent of Tom Waits, Springsteen and Adam Duritz (Counting Crows).

Ten years spent touring, playing percussion, bass and guitar throughout the Southeast made the 25-year-old a young, but seasoned performer. And his sensitive, yet intense, live shows may be a testament to his upbringing: He played punk music in biker bars at age 14 - all the while being exposed to a steady stream of blues, bluegrass and folk by his family. Then in true rebellious nature Jackson spent college years playing power-pop and
psychedelic soul music before reconciling his roots.

What results from the journalism major's musical ramblings is an intimate writing style that tips its hat to the past while bringing it up-to-date. His subjects are both disarming and endearing - enlightening dark situations, lending charm to the taboo and giving the mundane a vibrance all its own. And with his slightly southern vocals and cordial humor he manages to introduce new songs as old friends. It has been said that he sounds like a young Springsteen and writes like he's 100 years old.