"MAYBE it's the weather, but the devil is partial to the South," sings Martin Simpson.

The album title comes from an American who told the English guitar maestro that righteousness and humidity was a dangerous mixture after hearing about a fatal shooting by a pro-life Christian fundamentalist at a Florida abortion clinic. Featuring Simpson's virtuosity on guitar, banjo and ukulele, this collection of songs and tunes, mainly recorded in New Orleans, is a homage to the American South where he lived for many years until moving to Robin Hood's Bay. It enhances his reputation as part-British folk troubadour and part-Delta blues artist. Of the 16 tracks, five are self-penned and the remainder are traditional, with the exception of The Devil's Partiality, which was written by Simpson's dog-walking chum Gallivan Burwell. The latter is a strong song brilliantly executed.

Updated: 09:45 Thursday, September 04, 2003