Yogi in My House

Originally released in 1995, Stephenson's album finally returns to print, another example of the excellent songwriting (and very tidy playing) of one of England's more eccentric but gifted songwriters. Eccentric usually translates commercially to a cult following, and that's quite true in Stephenson's case. While not his very best work, Yogi in My House does show his strong awareness of traditional music, as on "Gone the Gipsy Davey," and starts off with the powerful one-two of "Solomon" and "In Fire." His development over the decade that led up to this disc is quite apparent, as is his more relaxed approach and an easy, understated skill on guitar. He is, perhaps, one of the very few singer/songwriters to have emerged from the '80s with any kind of longevity, albeit largely under the radar -- and it's a testament to him that this record sounds as good now as it did in 1995. He's always stayed true to his roots in the northeast of England, and those show through on "Bridge of Nae Hope." The reissue adds no new tracks, but simply to have this back in circulation is reward enough. ~ Chris Nickson