I first discovered Dawson a few years back, he was one of the main forces behind the award winning Tribute to the Mississippi Sheiks project, and I have been very impressed by his talent. Rattlesnake Cage is one man, four guitars; a Jumbo Larivee, a Weissenborn, a National Tricone and a Taylor 12-string, an old microphone with some history, eleven original songs, and some fingers and slides. Steve includes a variety of instrumentals featuring intricate fingering, ringing tone and the impassioned and skillful playing of a master craftsman. One of my favorite selections is "Butterfly Stunt" with deft slide work, picking, and chording. Another is the spry "Chunky" with its dancing melody and solid rhythm. Fresh, inviting, melodic, complex, and luminous; Rattlesnake Cage is an original reading of the front porch folk blues that is enjoyable and engaging.