By the time most artists approach their 70th birthday, the spark that fueled their earliest work often begins to fade. Not so for Steve Forbert. The man who arrived in the late '70s with the hit "Romeo's Tune" is back with Daylight Savings Time, an album that proves his well of creativity is far from dry. Forbert’s new album gives us a set of songs that are as reflective as they are hopeful. The theme of gaining an "extra hour of daylight" mirrors Forbert’s own journey - decades in the industry, and still discovering new angles of life through his music. Take “Sound Existence,” the lead single, where Forbert sings, “Yeah, to chirping crickets and to daylight savings time! The best ain't yet to come, but you could still get by just fine.” It shows his enduring optimism, laced with the wisdom of years spent observing and capturing the world around him.

The album features an excellent lineup of guests, with Aaron Comess of Spin Doctors fame providing the beat, Rob Clores (The Black Crowes) laying down atmospheric keys, and Lucinda Williams’ longtime guitarist, Gurf Morlix, adding his six-string magic. Byron House, who’s played with everyone from Robert Plant to Dolly Parton, brings the groove on bass, while Layonne Holmes adds some backing vocals. The album, his third collaboration with producer Steve Greenwell, was mostly recorded in Asbury Park, New Jersey, capturing an organic, old-school feel. Morlix’s contributions, tracked at his studio in Austin, add a rootsy feel to the record, balancing the more polished production.

With Daylight Savings Time, Forbert once again taps into his signature style - sharp, observational lyrics wrapped in melodic hooks that’ll have you humming long after the song fades. His words, praised by critics like Robert Christgau for their “omnivorously observant” quality, find the profound in the everyday. It's his knack for uncovering beauty in life’s small moments that helps keep him relevant, even as trends shift around him.

Steve Forbert’s journey from his Mississippi hometown to the heart of New York City’s punk and folk revival scene is well-documented. But what Daylight Savings Time reveals is that the kid who used to busk in Grand Central Station and perform at places like CBGB and The Bitter End hasn’t lost his passion for storytelling. And as he approaches 70, that extra hour of daylight feels like a gift he’s happy to share with us all.