After playing in various bands across the south coast of the UK, the singer/songwriter and musician who calls himself, or rather his solo project, Stompy Woodstock makes his debut with Stormchaser – an acoustic, stripped down EP which focuses on themes of love, loss and self-loathing... The short collection was recorded in his flat in Brighton using only a digital recorder and a microphone – can’t get much simpler than that I imagine.

His voice on the opening titled song to the EP is big and bold like Cash’s, the guitar up front and commanding with a great strumming rhythm. There’s an air of mystery about this song too – like a fable or legend-type story. An accompanied backing vocal rounds out the song nicely. “Lock In” has an old style feel to it, like a folksy Waylon Jennings. From what I gathered after a listen or two, it’s a tender goodbye song.

Stormchaser is not all sad and gloomy though – according to Stompy Woodstock. “Bottomfeeder” somewhat offers the listeners a “glimpse of hope and backbone.” It’s a rambling number with a protest message. The guitar style of rhythm reminds me a little of the blues and middle eastern influences that Jimmy Page fused together so well during his years in Led Zeppelin. So in that regard, this tune feels more lighthearted to me. “Dark Days” is a fantastic song – a universal message with relevant lyrics during any age life – “they say it’s just a phase /it’s just a phase / but I don’t think that that everything’s gonna be all right, this time” – sounds all too real to me.

​Stompy Woodstock’s vocal on the last number “Never Did Do” sounds like it was recorded differently and his guitar too, perhaps done outside? No matter to me though. I liked what I heard and I think it adds more depth to the stripped down sound he wanted to explore. His vocal range sounds higher as well. And, his style of playing feels more like a freestyle jam rather than the standard verse-verse-chorus-verse-chorus template. Overall, Stormchaser has a genuine feel about it and it seems to me that Stompy Woodstock has been shaping these songs for just the right moment in time. I’ll be looking forward to the next storm he chases.

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