Steve Louw – Traces Of The Flood

Release date: 15th May 2026 | Label: BFD/The Orchard | Catalogue number: BFD1146 (CD), BFD1147 (LP)
Produced by Kevin Shirley.

Steve Louw - Traces Of The Flood
Tracks
Credits
Musicians
Track by Track
Lyrics
Press & Playlists
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Tracks

  1. Traces Of The Flood [3:24]
  2. Tumbling Down [4:36]
  3. Echo Dream [3:10]
  4. Angeline [3:48]
  5. CBGB Xmas [2:35]
  6. Light Of Day (Woody’s Blues) [4:29]
  7. Across The River [2:45]
  8. Dark Pony [3:44]
  9. Into The Night [3:00]
  10. Time To Move [3:28]

All songs written by Steve Louw
©2026 ASCAP/Slosongs/Sony Music Publishing

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Credits

Produced by Kevin Shirley

Mixed by Kevin Shirley

Engineered by Philip Smith

Mastered by Bob Ludwig, Brian Lee and Bob Jackson at Waygate Mastering

Musicians

Steve Louw: Acoustic Guitar and Vocals

Bob Britt: Electric and Acoustic Guitar

Doug Lancio: Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar and Mandolin

Kevin McKendree: Keyboards

Greg Morrow: Drums and Percussion

Alison Prestwood: Bass

Backing vocals: Chris Cheney, Jade McCrae

Track by Track

Traces Of The Flood

In this panoramic tale, set in the barren South African Karoo landscape, we are on an exploration, traveling from the sea to the source of an African river.

In a timeless landscape, cut through by wind and water, we meet renegades and rebels, lawmen and ladies, on a journey which becomes one of self discovery.

In this song, you’ve got to keep moving. The law is on your back, storms are brewing, and fires are raging. You are heading into the high mountains with a way to go.

Horses, Cadillacs and Bonnie & Clyde Whippets cross the empty plains, leading you through where a river quivers and disappears into a desert forest.

The spirits of the dead are all around you, in the high plains and on moonlit gravel. You’ve landed on a deserted beach and sought redemption in the river’s heart.

Tumbling Down

Would you still know me, have I ever crossed your mind? You’ve sure been on mine.

Maybe it’s an illusion, but you always seem to be waiting around the next bend. I’ll be coming up Main Street while you’ve turned left at the Crossroads. Fate, chance, or dumb luck? I wouldn’t know.

Echo Dream

Three acoustics wound tight together by a single sinewy electric guitar take off into the high lands, dreamlike and bleeding into days not meant to be.

Angeline

Angeline, Angel, ….Evangeline when Ma was mad.

Honky tonks, horses, cards and spilt dreams fade into the harsh light of day. One more roll of the dice, and she’ll be on easy street. One for the road, get on the bus, the future is wide open.

CBGB Xmas

A song to pull off a heist by and a song to celebrate the spending of the loot. 

We made it, honey, hit the big time; it’s all plain sailing from now on. Pull on your high heels, get on your finest feathers, and let’s party like tomorrow is Christmas!

Light Of Day (Woody’s Blues)

Nobody comes around no more; you can no longer tell night from day; a stray rooster tells you the time of day. 

That incessant knocking ain’t the postman that is for sure; it’s weeks since you’ve seen him.

That woodpecker has got himself into a state, rapping out his lonesome beat. Nothing left around here, so I’ll be moving on to see what’s on the road ahead.

Across The River 

Across The River

Trapped in a life that will never set him free, desperate for his nirvana, free of locks, keys and chains.

Freedom in a different time and place, one more river to cross, one last hill to climb, and a valley waits, back to the days of running wild. You will be there with me, in my arms.

It is a song of longing… for release, for freedom, for love and for peace.

Dark Pony

Funny thing about horses is that they seem to tolerate humans and their bad behaviour. They seem to enjoy our company: Don Quixote and Rocinante, The Lone Ranger and Silver, Annie Oakley and Buck.

These two seem like they are past their prime. Two wandering friends on travails of cold rivers, rocky mountains, and wanderings through a bleak landscape.

I’ll ride with you; take me where you will, we will be guided by stars. You’ve got me, I’ve got you; out of the deep water, we can turn and head for the riverside. It’s another day on the road, and we’ve got each other’s back.

Into The Night

You’ve been riding too long, but you’ve got to keep going, day becoming night, the half-light penumbra where spirits waken, better look straight ahead, better look all around you, who knows what is waiting around the next bend.

Beam in a shortwave station, some pirate DJ, jacked, cloudy with shadows is the weather report for this night. Keep your eyes open; there are a couple more miles to go.

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Time To Move

Steve Louw - Time To Move

You’re in a tight spot, your backs are against the wall and no way out of here, but it’s time to get the hell out. 

One more failed jackpot. It will be better next time. Let’s get ourselves straight, cleaned up. 

It’s time to move, but I’ve still got something up my sleeve. We can pull this off, and we’ll be back on the sunny side of the street.

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Lyrics

Traces Of The Flood

I watched him coming on with a rifle in the back
Dust is blowing up from his dirty Cadillac
I think we might have met before once twice maybe more
I’ve been sent here by the law

If you leave now you can make it to Richmond in the light
You don’t want to be caught out here tonight
When the wind turns it will surely bring rain
And If it don’t this place is going up in flames

I’m following a river
All the way up from the sea
I think I might have cracked my destiny

On her horse looking down at me
Sir I can help you cross if you need
’Cause there are things around here you can’t understand
But I know this place like the back of my hand

In the grass blowing in the hot summer sun
Across the tracks glowing where trains used to run
This water’s never going to reach the sea
Flowing through a forest of Quiver trees

I’m following a river
All the way up from the sea
I think I might have cracked my destiny

My father’s father took a horse and rode to war
My father crossed in a pan-head model Ford
And I’ve been down one of these roads before
I don’t know which one or what I was looking for

Across the plains of cracked dry mud
I can still see the traces of the flood
Faces in the rocks down there
In this place you can feel the fear

I’m following this river
I’ve come up from the sea
I think I might have cracked my destiny.

Tumbling Down

You could never see through the clouds
That always came tumbling down
But I could see my way so clearly then
Through this darkness I can’t see it now

When I called out your window
You were always glad to see
Me standing in the darkened night
We were meant to be

Did someone I know maybe have had word of you
Or were you in a town I might have passed through
I wouldn’t know if I have ever been on your mind
Or if you have been on mine

When I called out your window
You were always glad to see
Me standing in the darkened night
We were meant to be

Was fate the one who held the cards we couldn’t see
Or was it chance that led you away from me
I can see you, down on the sand
Amongst the wreckage holding driftwood in your hands

When I called out your window
You were always glad to see
Me standing in the darkened night
We were meant to be
Oh when I called out your window
You were always glad to see
Me standing in the darkened night
We were meant to be.

Echo Dream

Wild beauty scattered in the cold spinning stream
Love walked dusty patterns
Into one more
Echo dream

And the radio playing
In my mind again
Turn your lamp down slow
As you draw the shapes
I remember forever
And it won’t fade away

Needing you is easy
And leaving hard to do
All the colours are bleeding
In echo’s of you

I see you, you’re so far
I feel you, then you’re gone
Light up the flame and burn the night

Oo oo ooo
Oo oo ooo
Oo oo ooo
Oo oo ooo

Needing you is easy
Leaving hard to do.

Angeline

Call me angel Ma calls me Evangeline
In snakeskin boots, torn jeans she’s no more’n 5 3
She don’t drive a car but she can ride anything
Angeline, Angeline queen of the rodeo scene

Angeline, an angel with a broken wing
Roll me with you baby, right down to New Orleans

She called me angel, showed me her shaved deck of cards
And she told me, her faded dreams of being a rodeo star
She played loose, but she’s always played hard
Angeline, Angeline dreams of a rodeo queen

Angeline an angel with a broken wing
Roll me with you baby right down to New Orleans
Angeline, Angeline angel roll me so we swing
All the way down the road, back to New Orleans

Angeline, an angel from Baton Rouge
Gonna clean up maybe, maybe lay off the booze
I heard that Reno is the place you wanna move
Angeline, Angelina bad luck all that you got left to lose

Angeline, angel with a broken wing
Roll me with you baby, all the way back to New Orleans
Angeline, Angeline, angel roll me so we swing
All the way down the road back to New Orleans.

CBGB Xmas

Pull on your Christmas stockings and your red hat
Pull on your Christmas stockings and your red hat
There’s a party baby we gotta be at

We’re going down down down down down
We’re going down down down down down
There’s a party going on ’cause Santa’s in town

Pull on your high heels and your velvet wrap
Pull on your high heels and your velvet wrap
There’s a party baby we gotta be at

We’re going down down down down down
We’re going down down down down down
There’s a party going on baby Santa’s in town

Bring that snakeskin bag and your feather stole
Bring that snakeskin bag and your feather stole
’Cause there’s a party going on and we gotta roll

We’re going down down down down down
We’re going down down down down down
There’s a party going on ’cause Santa’s in town
There’s a party baby Santa’s in town!

Light Of Day (Woody’s Blues)

Hear the wind moaning calling out to me
Why you let your baby gone on to set you free
A rooster crowing sees the breaking day
Why your baby so far gone, out to play
Gonna get up spitting out my luck
See the mountains glowing red, as the sun’s coming up

When I was with you, I could see the light of day
When I was with you, I could see the light of day
Now that you gone, the light’s begun to fade
Come see me tonight, come and see me again
I can see you, walking towards me in the rain

I can hear a knocking, sure not on my door
This woody calling out, ’cause his baby’s gone he sees her no more

When I was with you, I could see the light of day
When I was with you, I could see the light of day
Now that you gone, the lights begun to fade
Oh come see me tonight, oh come see me again
I can see you, walking towards me in the rain

Oo oo ooo
Ooo yeah
Oo oo ooo
Aaah yeah

My heart bound and chained or it would break
My heart bound and chained or it would break.

Across The River

I hear footsteps coming for me
All I can do
These four walls all I see
And I think of you

We’ll meet across the riverside
And you’ll always be mine, my love, my love

You said we’re from a different time
Only thing that you wanted to
Be running free running wild
We could see through

The truth through the lies
I can see your eyes, my love see your eyes, my love

Won’t you come to me
Take me down to Uncle Frankie’s farm
All that I can see
You lying in my arms

By the light of the moon
I see you my love I see you my love

I hear the footsteps coming for me
All I can do
Hear the locks turning on the key
I will see you

Across the river to the other side
I will be with you, my love, be with you, my love
I’ll be with you, my love, I’ll be with you.

Dark Pony

I’m not changing horses, baby in mid-stream
’Cause I love my pony, when she does her thing
Been riding fast, we’ve been riding slow
Been riding anywhere, she wants to go

Rivers run, so dark and deep
You start swimming, you head for the sea
I got you Pony, I got you now
I can turn you pony, and head for dry ground

I’m up on her back, I can see for miles around
Been riding through rivers, been riding through towns
Pony, take a ride with me
And take a long trip, let’s see what we see

The rivers run, so dark and deep
You start swimming why’d you head for the sea
I got you Pony, I’ve got you now
I can turn you pony and head for dry ground

She can be a mean Pony, she can be sweet as pie
I never know what she be doing
She gets that look in her eye
Pony, take a ride with me
And take a long trip, see what we see
I’ve got you I’ve got you Pony, I got you now
I can turn you pony and head for dry ground
Come on now Pony, come on and ride with me
Come on now pony, let’s see what we see.

Into The Night

Keep my eyes open for deer jumping into the lights into the lights
Keep my eyes open for deer jumping into the lights into the lights
Been a fine morning been a great day riding into the night
Into the night
Been a fine morning been a great day, riding into the night
Into the night
Late night DJ all night station, shadows tonight,
Shadows tonight
Late night DJ all night station, cloudy tonight
Shadows tonight
In my ’83 Camaro, dark side of the road, dark side of the road
In my ’83 Camaro, dark side of the road, dark side of the road.
Road long and narrow, miles behind me couple more to go
More to go
Road long and narrow, miles behind me couple more to go
More to go

Keep my eyes open for deer jumping into the lights into the lights
Keep my eyes open for deer jumping into the lights into the lights

Keep my eyes open, for deer jumping, into the lights into the lights.

Steve Louw
Steve Louw

Time To Move

What’s in the cards can’t be fixed
Time to get out, better get out quick
I got nothing, no doubt about that
Put on your patent leather shoes and your pork pie hat

It’s an illusion running through my mind
Mixed up confusion, time
I got nothing, to say to you
Looks like it’s time, to move

Cracked dusty boots, tie your scarf around my hat
My suits too loose, nothing I can do about that
Always on the trail, of one more score
Maybe I should nail my hand
Hand to the wall

It’s an illusion running through my mind
Mixed up confusion, time
I got nothing, to say to you
Looks like it’s time, to move

Wish I could learn to find some peace
Take the time and tame the beast
We’ll be outta here in a day or two
I can buy you a new dress and a new pair of shoes

It’s an illusion running through my mind
Mixed up confusion, time
I got nothing, to say to you
Looks like it’s time, to move.

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Press & Playlists

Ordered by release date

Interview On CapeTalk 9 July 2026

Interview on LM Radio 15 May 2026

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Discography

The Heart’s The Best Part · The Killing Floor · Waiting For The Dawn · Horizon · Going Down With Mister Green · Best Of The Decade · Beyond The Blue · Collections · Trancas Canyon · Heart & Soul [DVD] · Headlight Dreams · Thunder And Rain · Between Time · Traces Of The Flood