One Of Our Heroes

[mp3] Steve Earle: "Waiting on the Sky"

This is just too great not to post. Steve Earle's fantastic T Bone Burnett produced Hank Williams referencing album, Never Get Out of This World Alive is out now. Seriously, how much do you love this guy?

Two Great Songwriters Get Their Due

The younger siblings always seem to have it better. Often making the same mistakes as their elders, but avoiding the pit-fall consequences that inevitably befell those that came before. Such is the case with Steve Earle, the protege of legendary artist Townes Van Zandt. This Sunday, the New York Times sought to give Mr. Earle the proper recognition he deserves, something they may have failed to offer to Mr. Van Zandt. Perhaps realizing their fault, Anthony DuCurtis used adjectives such as "genius" to describe Townes Van Zandt.

While we're not here to re-write Mr. DuCurtis' feature, we're here to direct you to the piece and tip our hat (again) to the genius of both Mr. Earle and Mr. Van Zandt. They lived parallel lives, both struggling with addiction, and for the most part, staying within the shadows of the mainstream music industry. Yet, like the dutiful younger student he is, Earle sought to correct the mistakes of Van Zandt by getting clean and taking the right steps to correctly position himself in the eye of the industry at large. Steve Earle's latest album, Townes, comes out tomorrow and is an amazing tribute to his mentor. Earle's record does its best to reveal mistakes already made and to light the path for younger proteges in hopes that they can avoid the traps that so ensnared two of the greatest songwriters of the modern era.

TOWNES

[mp3]
Steve Earle: "To Live is to Fly" (Towns Van Zandt Cover)

Muzzle of Bees recently posted a new track, "To Live is to Fly" from Steve Earle's up-coming Townes Van Zandt tribute album. Townes drops May 12 on New West. We can't wait to get our hands on this American classic.

As Townes said, "There's heaven, purgatory, hell, and the blues. I'm just trying to crawl up from the blues."

Steve Earle Pays Tribute to Townes

If I ever did one of those Facebook 25 things posts (I won't), one of the facts would be that Townes Van Zandt is my favorite songwriter of all time. In my short career, I've also had the privilege to work on one of Steve Earle's records, meet him, and see him live a few times. That Steve Earle would record a tribute album to friend and hero Townes Van Zandt comes as no surprise to anyone who has heard Earle's now infamous quote: "Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." Needless to say, I'm really excited for this record, even though Earle's last outing Washington Square Serenade left me feeling a little shaky about the direction of his music. Luckily, Dust Brother John King produces only one tune "Lungs" on which Tom Morello guests. Yeaaah. But it's ok, most of the other tracks feature bluegrass favorites and even Justin Townes Earle's first appearance on one of dad's records. Townes comes out May 12 on New West. See the full track list (which is great) after the jump. Pitchfork is streaming "Lungs." Whoo. Weird cover art though.

"This may be one of the best records I've ever made. That hurts a singer-songwriter's feelings. Then again, it's some consolation that I cherry picked through the career of one of the best songwriters that ever lived."

Townes:

01 Pancho and Lefty
02 White Freightliner Blues
03 Colorado Girl
04 Where I Lead Me
05 Lungs
06 No Place to Fall
07 Loretta
08 Brand New Companion
09 Rake
10 Delta Momma Blues
11 Marie
12 Don't Take It Too Bad
13 Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold
14 (Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria
15 To Live Is to Fly

Milwaukee Review: Steve Earle (solo acoustic) w/ Allison Moorer @ Pabst Theater

Steve Earle (solo acoustic) w/Allison Moorer @Pabst Theater
Milwaukee, WI July 20, 2008

Steve Earle came to Milwaukee with new wife Allison Moorer (who did a nice job opening the show,) DJ Neil McDonald, and a collection of stringed instruments including guitar, mandolin, banjo and National Steel guitar. Both Moorer and McDonald helped to accent the show, but Earle and his canon of songs took center stage. As Earle said to his fans shouting requests, "I've made a shitload of records – and those all sound like good ones". He was right. No matter what song he pulled out, they all sounded good. Even his usual rants of liberal politics didn’t overshadow the evening’s music.

Opening with “Christmas in Washington” and “Devil's Right Hand,” Earle spent the first 30 to 40 minutes on catalog favorites which highlighted his classic song-writing style that owes debt to Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Woodie Guthrie. He wouldn't play anything from his new album, Washington Square Serenade, for the first 45 minutes of the two hour set.

When he eventually dove into the new album, DJ Neil McDonald joined him adding subtle (and not so subtle) beats and samples to “City of Immigrants,” “Oxycontin Blues,” “Satellite Radio” and Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole.” McDonald’s modern flourishes helped the flow of the solo performance (though some purists were grousing) and he gave the new material a sharper focus – he added some New York (Earle's new home) flair to the more traditional Texas-roots music. One of the highlights was Earle and McDonald’s ability to create a wall of sound during “Transcendental Blues.” Earle stood at the front of the stage, playing his guitar, while the billowing noise of samples and beats washed over him. A huge, approving grin came through his beard as if he'd found the creative crossroads he'd been looking for.

Read more after the jump...


Moorer joined him to sing on a few songs. At one point, after watching her walk off stage, Earle had the quote of the evening saying, "I am seriously over married…" I don’t think anyone in the crowd would disagree.

The show closed with Earle leading the audience in the anti-war sing a long, “Steve's Hammer (song for Pete Seeger).” He came back to encore with “Galway Girl” and the obligatory version of “Copperhead Road” (why isn't everyone sick of that yet…). The crowd seemed to get what they had come for and I couldn't help but think how quickly two hours can go by when there is not one bad song in the bunch.

Micah P. Hinson -"Tell Me it Ain't So" - mp3

Micah P. Hinson caught my attention in 2006 with a terrific record entitled, Micah P. Hinson and the Opera Circuit. It’s full of dark, expanding ballads that underline Hinson's minor vocal tones. A little investigation into the artist revealed that Hinson already had the early Steve Earle lifestyle (drugs, jail, etc.) under his belt by the time he was 20 - A fair explanation for the characters in his music.

Those qualities are evident on this track "Tell Me it Ain't So" from his new album, Micah P Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra. Hinson offers lyrical atonement as a small orchestra (piano, guitar, bass, organ and strings) waltzes on behind him. The music builds to a crescendo while the singer is left with only the repeated meditation, “Please God, Tell me it ain’t so, please tell me it ain’t so…”

It’s easy to make comparisons to Kurt Wagner and Lambchop, but Micah stands on his own with a more direct approach. Hopefully the new album follow suit.
Micah P. Hinson - "Tell Me it Ain't So" mp3

-Mike Bailey - Stark Contributing Writer

Justin Townes Earle - The Good Life

It has taken me a bit to get to the debut record The Good Life (Bloodshot) from Justin Townes Earle, but ultimately I am glad I did. As a listener I have done my best to put aside the fact that he is the son of all-time great Steve Earle, and the that he blatantly uses his middle name "Townes" for what can only be self serving purposes. I prefer his more modest nickname "JT." Let his music be the story - not his name.

With that said, Earle's music surprises with its buoyancy, and distance from the quagmire that the genre "alt-country" has become. With its authentic barroom-country arrangements and generally lighthearted feel, The Good Life comes off as more happy and enjoyable than I'm sure Earle intended. The highlights are the album's title track and cheeky opening tune "Hard Livin'."

One of the album's best songs, the downcast "Lone Pine Hill," captures the spirit of his father Steve to a fault. While the feel of the tune echoes the style of his other namesake, Mr. Van Zandt, the lyrical setting too closely mirrors his father's classic tune "The Mountain." Both take place on a lonesome hill stripped bare by company mines, and yes, both use the word "hollers".

The Good Life makes a solid case for Justin Earle as an emerging songwriter in the Americana genre. The 10 songs on this record breathe a welcome breath of fresh air into what is becoming an increasingly stale music style. Earle needs a few more years under his belt before his work can come close to that of the artists with whom he shares his name. If Earle can let his music be the focus, he will certainly continue to impress with his refreshing, and ok, well-bred songwriting talents.

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