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Yeah...about that new Steve Earle album
Honestly, at this point, I probably shouldn't write about Steve Earle. I've written about him a fair bit, spent a little more time around him than might reasonably lead to any sort of dispassionate reckoning of his music, and I think of his wife as a friend, albeit a friend I don't know all that well, though I've written a fair bit about her and, back in Nashville, was a tiny bit in her orbit. Which is to say I knew which night her old crowd might be at Sherlock Holmes.
Caveats aside, and despite the fact that I know it doesn't come out until May 12, I've gotta tell y'all how good Steve's album Townes really is. Because it's really, really, unexpectedly good.
Nobody makes this kind of record anymore, records like the Louvins saluting the Delmores, or Merle Haggard saluting Bob Wills. And even when they do (Jeffrey Foucault has a new one out, all songs by John Prine, for example), the results tend more to be about how much we all love these old songs than what can still be done with those old songs.
And there's the prejudice among those of us who prefer that singers to perform songs they've written to assume that an entire album of interpretation from one of our best songwriters is a kind of...easy way out, say.
Yeah, that's not what this is. First, Steve is way too close to Townes to have put this out unless he thought it measured up. Second, Mr. Earle has done a stunning job finding new ways into these songs, teasing out meaning layered upon each other. The settings vary, the approaches vary, his care with the words never varies (and Steve can mumble and grunt with the best of 'em)...and, I dunno...I gotta go back to work, but this record...it's real good.
Caveats aside, and despite the fact that I know it doesn't come out until May 12, I've gotta tell y'all how good Steve's album Townes really is. Because it's really, really, unexpectedly good.
Nobody makes this kind of record anymore, records like the Louvins saluting the Delmores, or Merle Haggard saluting Bob Wills. And even when they do (Jeffrey Foucault has a new one out, all songs by John Prine, for example), the results tend more to be about how much we all love these old songs than what can still be done with those old songs.
And there's the prejudice among those of us who prefer that singers to perform songs they've written to assume that an entire album of interpretation from one of our best songwriters is a kind of...easy way out, say.
Yeah, that's not what this is. First, Steve is way too close to Townes to have put this out unless he thought it measured up. Second, Mr. Earle has done a stunning job finding new ways into these songs, teasing out meaning layered upon each other. The settings vary, the approaches vary, his care with the words never varies (and Steve can mumble and grunt with the best of 'em)...and, I dunno...I gotta go back to work, but this record...it's real good.
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Comment by Bill Perkins on March 31, 2009 at 12:03pm
- Great. Ten minutes ago I didn't know about this. Now I can't wait until May...
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Comment by Ron Frankl on March 31, 2009 at 5:53pm -
Nice piece. I am really happy that Steve recorded this album, and that it apparently turned out so well.
It's no secret that Steve idolized Townes and Guy Clark from early on, even playing in Guy's band at one point. And the CD that the three artists recorded live at the Bluebird is terrific. But I've always wondered what Townes really thought of Steve. Did he record him as a worthy peer? A bit of a wannabe? A brother by a different mother and father? I suppose the only person who might actually know at this point is Guy Clark, and he's probably not talking.
In any case, any opportunity to remind the world how great a songwriter Townes Van Zandt was is welcome, and Steve Earle has always done his best to advance his mentor's reputation. No way he was going to mess this one up.
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Comment by Dangerbird on April 7, 2009 at 5:26am -
i'm halfway through my first listen as i type. i'm not sure what i think just yet.
Townes had so much more colour in his voice than Steve.
the tracks chosen contain lyrics that steve could probably relate to well (esp. Brand New Companion), so the sentiment's there.
hmmm... perhaps sitting in front of the pc isn't the best place to listen to this stuff. i might go elsewhere to take it all in....
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Comment by JohnySaskatunes on April 10, 2009 at 10:41am - I downloaded a four song EP from iTunes last night. Really enjoying it. Nice mix of styles/interpretations too. But it is short and sweet and has left me wanting more! So there's going to be a full album Townes covers out in May?
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Comment by DEADDRUNKANDNAKED on April 22, 2009 at 10:28am -
I got a promo copy the other day. Its good (not great- yet for me). Some songs work better than others, I am not a big fan of the Dust Brothers production ("Lungs"), but the bluegrass tunes work great. I particularly like Earle's treatment of "Colorado Girl", "Brand New Companion", and "Delta Momma Blues". Kudos for not doing "If I Needed You", which would have been real easy to include. Overall the disc holds up, which is almost the best you can expect from this sort of record.
Townes songs will probably always sound best by him (I think the same of Dylan), but if anyone could put together a record of his songs without totally screwing it up its Earle. I hope he plays some of these tunes on his upcoming tour (I ain't never gonna be able to see Townes play 'em, so next best is Earle or Clark singing).
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Created by No Depression Feb 17, 2009 at 9:06pm. Last updated by Kyla Fairchild Jan 18.
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