"Dawson brings the unusual titles of his blues to life with artistry that paints sonic pictures encompassed in the sounds he elicits from the strings of his guitars."

"Eleven tunes in total to send almost every other acoustic player on earth back to their bedrooms as he showcases his astounding technique..."

"Dexterous, of course, with a grounding in folk-blues, the record seems unfettered (the title notwithstanding) and relishes in the sound of a guitar for its own sake..."

"...Steve’s picking on these cuts is exemplary, and reminiscent of the Sixties works of John Fahey and Ry Cooder, and also shows what a tremendous talent Steve has for the old-time feel of these tunes."

"Dawson has issued a CD of instrumental guitar tracks that simply must be heard.  I got this disc in the mail last weekend, and I have played it at least once a day since then..."

"...Killer stuff that’s simply a cut above."

"...Dawson’s virtuosity and imagination are front and centre, reminiscent of albums in the 1970s by John Fahey and Leo Kottke..."

"Beautifully and skillfully executed, Rattlesnake Cage should reward the listener with new insights each time it’s opened."

"...The Nashville-based Vancouverite’s first true solo release {is} a wonderful foray into what’s often called the American Primitive style of guitar music."

"It’s a tour de force performance and I can only imagine what the additional layer of seeing him “live” does to upping the artistry even higher."

"Dawson delivers eleven instrumentals, all self penned, that are minor masterpieces of the art of solo finger picking blues guitar with cascades of notes flowing from his fingers."

"Dawson weaves tapestries in song, intricate and beautiful, the sort of thing that could play nonstop and not get old."

 "A solo excursion by Dawson, captured spontaneously and presented without overdubs or effects, it's an absolutely dazzling collection of acoustic explorations."

"Rattlesnake Cage not only shows that Dawson is an awesome talent, but presents a mix of folk and blues style Americana picking that is great to listen to."

 "There aren’t many musicians brave or gifted enough to pull off a purely solo performance like this, which makes its appearance even more noteworthy."

"...Not since John Fahey or Bert Jansch in the 1960s have I been so mesmerized by one man playing one guitar with no rhythm section or even a voice in the mix."

"Ragtime, fingerstyle, slide, gospel, resophonic, country — all manner of old-time guitar is here, recorded and mastered oh so well for optimum enjoyment."

"...Dawson, who recently relocated to Nashville, simply makes use of his array of guitars (six- and 12-string, National tricone guitar, and a Weissenborn Hawaiian guitar) and his fingers to revisit the land of early Americana."

"Meditative at times, explosive at others, you can easily get lost in its winding path, wonder where an hour went, and wonder why you are suddenly uplifted."

"His playing on this all-original set persuasively combines delicacy with gutsiness and a deep sense of traditional roots music beneath which flows an undercurrent of American Primitivism."