SPORTING more tattoos than Lewis Hamilton or Zlatan Ibrahimovic could ever dream of, Butch Walker is every bit the American rock star.

From dusty sleeve photos to good ol' boy lyrics, this album is yee and indeed haw from start to finish. There's even a credit for Ryan Adams as "overall album concept co-conspiritor"... puh-lease.

That said, Stay Gold is perfectly listenable. Competently played, with good tunes and excellent Fender fretwork, this collection of ten songs recalls heartland rock’s glory days with its simple chords and a feelgood factor you just can't knock. Stand-outs are the title track, very Billy Squier or Cheap Trick, and Ludlow Expectations, if just for the name.

A few plays is probably all it needs, but this might well be a handy CD to keep in the car for when the A64 turns into its daily alter ego as a car park and all you want is something to bring a smile to your face as the interminable traffic stretches on and on and...