Singer/songwriter/guitarist Cliff Stevens hails from Montreal but he’s seldom there, being busy touring Europe, Mexico & Morocco. Nobody But You is his fourth solo album since an apprenticeship as a sideman. He leads a power trio, with Sam Harrisson on drums and either Domenic Romanelli or himself on bass for the recording. Eric Sauvé adds piano/organ and Kim Feeney, harmony vocals. This set of originals leads off with a rocking blues: ”How Long” is a leaving song that’s an immediate highlight. He has a talent for injecting fresh life into some fairly standard forms and this is a prime example. Sauvé’s piano is a treat. “Nobody but You” is a well-written grinder lamenting her absence, with a lovely guitar solo and Sauvé on organ. The fine slow blues “Little by Little” has our narrator slowly recovering from her departure. Another highlight is the acoustic “(Got a) World of Worry (but the world don’t worry about me)” with its slide guitar solo and memorable melody. He switches to electric slide for a plea for her return in “Come Back”, if she likes to dance she may well do that. Another rocker concludes, “Truth Don’t Lie”, a parting comment as he reluctantly leaves – it appears he’s a victim of rumours. 

His web site, www.cliffstevens.com, shows dates in Quebec before another European tour but if you do get a chance to see him, you should, he has attractive original songs and performs them well.