As I am fond of saying, the past is the new black and Old Sledge provide yet more evidence of my powers of philosophical deduction as they have that old timey sound down to a tee. I don't just mean faux Americana – whatever that genre might actually be – but a near perfect rendition of the good old days. Of course Chance McCoy has won many an award for his fiddle playing so the odds were in this band's favour.
Your ears will no doubt delight at the sheer authenticity of "Liza Jane" and "Johnson Gals" and even a much visited classic like "St James Infirmary" sounds like it was recorded decades ago. In addition, I have to admit that I took a growing fondness for Sabra Guzmán's vocal contributions possessed, as they were, of an easy, laconic charm that sold the good old days to even these cynical and jaded ears.
That said, the out and out traditionalism of this album might prove to be something of a stumbling block for, no matter how elegantly and affectionately the past is recreated, it is still the past.