Steve Earle - Townes
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Free Music Notes for Townes
Free Music Review: Almost as cool as Steve Earle
Hit: 4 Stars
This is his best album since Copperhead Road. It is an excellent blend of blues, rock, and bluegrass. I even liked his version of Pancho and Lefty. What I really like about this album is its stripped down feel. Much of the album is just Steve and his guitar. Drums are more or less hinted at during those songs. He blends the bluegrass in very well. The album makes up a nice cohesive whole, while the songs are strong enough to stand on their own.Free Music Review: Steve Earle not magic, but pretty good
Hit: 4 Stars
Steve Earle...what can you say? My wife hates him and I love his "bluegrass level" stuff. To not exaggerate, Steve Earle has wide range of styles. Townes is a relatively simple CD; if you like Steve, you'll like this one. However, it has not percolated into my most frequently played stack.
I AM going to see him in Golden Gate Park at Hardly, Simply Bluegrass.
Pete
Free Music Review: surprising
Hit: 4 Stars
I liked the album a lot, much better than other albums by Steve Earle. Most of the songs were well done. Definitely a keeper.Free Music Review: Earle Loses Himself ~ And His Voice ~ In TOWNES
Hit: 3 Stars
Having followed Steve Earle religiously since 1986's GUITAR TOWN, I'm pretty much up for anything he'll toss our way, be it bouncy bluegrass, snarling rock or tours of New York. That's why it's hard ~ and sad! ~ to say that his latest, TOWNES, a collection of mentor Townes Van Zandt's songs, is more of a miss than a hit.
Lost in a frequently muddy mix and murky vocals, Van Zandt's words often get dropped, spiraling down to a deep, dark hole by disc's end. Meant as a celebration of Van Zandt's thoughtful, almost poetic, talents, the power and grace is lost in many of Earle's gutteral, raspy mumblings.
Things start out strong enough with a faithful version of the classic "Pancho and Lefty." Earle's vocal is up front and honest, allowing the story to unfold in an honest, easy-going manner. Minimal instrumentation adds to the overall feel, but never overpowers. Consequently, the lyrics just pop!
There's a spirited groove to the arrangement of "White Freightliner Blues", all banjo, fiddle and mandolin...this is bluegrass at it's most infectious! However, this is the first (of many) lead vocal that leaves us wanting....it's almost as if he's straining to keep up with the music, a battle that he eventually loses.
"Colorado Girl" fares much better. Earle's vocal is backed by a lone acoustic guitar, and it just shines. There's a weariness, a vulnerablilty and, yes, a dash of hopefulness, that all comes together beautifully. Tracks like this one showcase both the song AND the singer....as it should be.
"Where I Lead Me" has a nice edge to it, with some killer harmonica and percussion, but once again Earle mumbles his way through the lyrics, pretty much dropping every third word. That's a bad enough thing to do on your own material, but when you're covering someone else's? NOT a good thing!
"Lungs" might have worked better mixed into a regular Earle album, but here it's fuzzy, new-wavish rock edge seems ou of place. Don't get me wrong, it's a cool track, but it just doesn't seem to fit in with all the others. But maybe that was part of Van Zandt's charms...!
There's a lethargic quality to "No Place To Fall" that's felt in both the vocal and arrangement. A song that should be sweet and sentimental comes across as plodding and mournful. And, once again, we have those mushy vocals!
"Loretta" has an easy-going charm to it, sort of a back porch groove. Allison Moorer provides sterling backing vocals, while special note has to be made of Greg Morrow's crisp, gut-punching drums. This one goes right to the edge, but at the same time fits right in. Very nice!
The same can be said about "Brand New Companion." With it's drunken, bluesy vibe, the song just dances in and out of the speakers. Add some smokey harmonica and an earthy lead vocal, and you have one of TOWNES' best cuts.
There's a chilly, forboding quality to "Rake" that's simply mesmerizing. Once again, Earle drops way too many of the lyrics, but a number of the ones heard are sheer poetry: "I covered my lovers with flowers and wounds/My laughter the devil would frighten", "I'd welcome the stars with wine and guitars." Lovely...absolutely lovely! Yet another gem!
There's something about "Delta Momma Blues" that just doesn't work for me...I don't know if it's the cross-gender thing or the pseudo-homespun quality to the cut, but something just seems forced and fake, and those are qualities you don't EVER expect to find on a Steve Earle release!
The poetry returns with "Marie", the disc's strongest story-song. This tale of trying to stay afloat ~ and failing ~ is full of stark lyrics ("Well, Marie, she didn't wake up this morn'/Didn't even try/Just rolled over and went to heaven/A little boy safe inside") that just shine, but, once again, Earle's enunciation causes us to lose out on some of their beauty.
"Don't Take It Too Bad" is a classic Country weeper. There's wisdom, sorrow, resignation and hope here, all rolled up together, with each one coming to the surface at different moments. Toss in minimal, but honest, instrumentation, and you have another special moment.
Up next is my favorite song on TOWNES, the rollicking "Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold." Done as a duet with son Justin Townes, the word play banters and bounces, while the acoustic guitars just sparkle. It's almost like a vocal duel, with both combatants coming out on top. I love, love, LOVE this track!
There's a smooth, casual sway to "(Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria" that's rather touching. Earle's voice wraps around the delicate lyrics ("All the sculptors stand stricken/The painter, he throws down his brushes/When her image comes dancing"), resulting in a true ode to captivating love.
Things end on a slightly downbeat note with "To Live Is To Fly." Earle's vocal generates little steam at best, while the arrangement just plods along. Moorer offers up some nice backing vocals, but things really needed to end with more of a punch. I see what he was going for here...it just didn't happen.
So...while I enjoyed a lot of TOWNES, I'd have to say it was a failed success at best. When you're paying tribute to someone, particularly a noted writer, you need to have the reason for the tribute ~ their words ~ up front and center, and that's often just not the case here. As a strong writer of merit himself, Steve Earle should know this. (As with all my reviews, I'm also docking the disc half a star for not including the lyrics, a cardinal sin for a project like this!).
Free Music Review: On the way back up from WSS.
Hit: 3 Stars
I don't think it's a mind-blowing album but I do think it's good. It's definitely better than I expected.
I disagree that it's a "vanity project" and, for the most part, I don't think it's overproduced. I'm actually relieved that Earle didn't try harder to slavishly imitate his idol. Earle has a long track record of experimenting (successfully, I think) with Celtic, bluegrass, punk, and other musical influences and I'm glad he didn't abandon this just to sound more like Townes. There are enough people out there trying to be the next Townes; we don't need it from somebody like Earle who can clearly stand on his own.
I don't necessarily think he picked the best of Townes' songs to record, but that's more a matter of personal taste.