Ah, that songwriting. It's right up my mid-life alley. The first cut, "Something's Got a Hold on Me" is a companion to Steve's "American in Me," as both deal with the deep-seated pull of American restlessness.

Carolina looks real good if I'm in East St. Paul
Oklahoma looks alright if I'm in Montreal.
Something's gotta hold on me,
tugging on my heels and toes,
something's got a hold on me and it won't let go.

Something's got a hold on me
and it calls my shots
I don't want your golden rings
Or your forget me nots
I throw out my ramblin shoes,
can't get a full night's sleep.
Anything I think I've got
I know I just can't keep.

"Strange" details the peculiar feelings of estranged friends. "Your Own Hero" strikes a note of compassion for anyone who's dealing with "those times when there's no one but God to call on, those times when you barely get through." "It Doesn't Matter Much" offers: "what kind of car you drive won't keep your love alive."

"Now You Come Back" proves, again, that Forbert has a deft touch for the 3-minute pop song. The song passed the true test of toe-tapping pop: my daughter danced around the den, unable to resist.

In "Rose Marie", the truly standout track on the CD, the song's protagonist crashes "a deluxe uptown gala quagmire" wondering "what's the wine like? What's the beer?" but really hoping - no, needing — to see the light shining in Rose Marie's eyes.

And the horns kick in, and then Steve brings up the "shoo-bop-a-dooo-dah" background vocals, the electric guitar finds that simple yet powerful note and it all adds up a benediction of sorts for my "Trusting Old Soul."

PS: Steve has just released a new album: Any Old Time, a collection of covers of Jimmie Rodger's songs. If you are into old-time country and blues, and country blues, it should be a satisfying record.