The one man band concept in the blues setting is a great tradition and Lil’ Chuck takes his own stories of difficult times and spins them around that foundation. Resonator guitar in hand, kick drum and hi-hat under foot and some classy harp in his mouth, these songs tell stories we can all relate to. Some of the songs are paeans to his wife and children, others are directly related to living through the Christchurch earthquakes. Then there are others that tackle more homely subjects like shelling peas, and who doesn’t like fresh peas? For me the stand out among so many good tracks is Water Will Find Its Own Level, with a master class of picking and slide guitar it gives a clear voice to what has happened in Christchurch. Recorded at Peel Studios in North Canterbury the sound quality is crystal and production every bit as quality as the songs on offer. The kick drum might have been more prominent on a couple of tunes, but that is small beer in an otherwise champagne set. The packaging that comes with this album should be a lesson to anyone wanting to get an album out. The sleeve is very well designed and offers insights to the origins of the songs. Take note all aspiring stars or journeymen; if you can do half as well as this, you might have a fighting chance. Five stars.