Steve Earle - Calico County

Aperitif 

Because he is so genuinely cool, and writes both the greatest righteous rock struts and sensitive ballads, here’s a listen to Calico County [here] from Earle’s latest album The Low Highway due out in April.

Earle's East Anglia Inspiration

Steve Earle - All My Heart

Just listening to a bootleg recording of Steve Earle Live in the Studio on KEXP Seattle, Washington [7th May, 2011] where as well as talking about his new novel and other aspects of his life/writing he talks about the writing of All My Heart which I have previously commented on as a beautiful ballad.

As Suffolk is very much my spiritual home - having grown up there in the late 60s/early 70s - it was fascinating to hear Earle talk about having to tour on his own when his heavily pregnant wife Allison Moorer couldn't/shouldn't anymore, and that he wrote this song then because 'this is what happens when you're lonesome in the wilds of East Anglia'. So, this touching love song was inspired near my former abode which has a coincidental but nonetheless personal appeal - though I do have to assume he was in 'wild' Norfolk for the actual composition....

Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive

Earle Encore

I'm posting a fuller review of this album compared with my recent previous if anyone is interested - it's because I've been posting reviews on amazon co. too and occasionally, as with this one, write in more detail:

The art of platitude, twice: Steve Earle is a brilliant songwriter; every Steve Earle album is superb. That nutshells the man and his latest album, I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive. Surely Earle has usurped the 'outlaw' mantle from Waylon by now, and this album continues the raw and robust countryblues of his oeuvre to date, adding, as always, folk and bluegrass to complete a full palette of musical narratives. The 'outlaw' tag has more credibility with Earle too in his political commentaries, here represented by the acerbic Little Emperor that places George W in his proper political place [and this isn't satire; it's sincere judgement]; and The Gulf of Mexico which is a more reflective but nonetheless serious observation on the BP oil spill and its consequences.

My personal view is that Earle's finest song to date is My Old Friend the Blues from debut album Guitar Town, and on this latest T-Bone Burnett produced collection - Earle's first since his tribute to Townes Van Zandt - the ballad Every Part of Me challenges in its beauty, both musically and lyrically. It declares a more positive force in life compared with the former where 'Lovers leave and friends let you down'. In a hard life - heroin addiction, time in jail, married 7 times - to now write 'I love you with all my heart, all my soul, every part of me; it's all I can do to mark where you end and I start' reflects that Earle has found a blessing when he 'didn't think this kind would ever find me'.

Other wonderful tracks on this album are Lonely Are The Free, I Am A Wanderer, and Heaven and Hell, a duet with wife Allison Moorer who is the subject, presumably, of the most puissant line from Every Part of Me: 'I can't promise anything except my last breath will bear your name.

Those who might query the 'outlaw' tag would presumably point to his more popular sojourns into cameo performances in The Wire and more recently Treme. This would seem pretty churlish given, as I have already referenced, Earle's clear and sustained commitment to political views and causes. I mention this because of closing song This City written for Treme. However, this also carries the full weight of sincerity and the artist's craft not being compromised by commercial considerations. I watched the final episode of Treme this week and as This City played out the closing credits it was particularly poignant because it empathises so completely with the story. There is a wonderful cameo in this episode where Earle is in the process of completing his writing of the song.

Alive and well

Steve Earle - I'll Never Get Out Of This Alive

The art of platitude, twice: Steve Earle is a brilliant songwriter; every Steve Earle album is superb.

That nutshells the man and his latest album, released on 26th April. All I'll add is that his finest song to date is 'My Old Friend the Blues' from debut album Guitar Town, and on this latest T-Bone Burnett produced collection - Earle's first since his tribute to Townes Van Zandt - the ballad 'Every Part of Me' challenges in its beauty, both musically and lyrically. It declares a more positive force in life compared with the former where Lovers leave and friends let you down. In a hard life - heroin addiction, time in jail, married 7 times - to now write I love you with all my heart, all my soul, every part of me; it's all I can do to mark where you end and I start reflects that Earle has found a blessing when he didn't think this kind would ever find me.

Other wonderful tracks on this album are 'Lonely Are The Free', 'I Am A Wanderer', and 'Heaven and Hell', a duet with wife Allison Moorer who is the subject, presumably, of the most puissant line from 'Every Part of Me': I can't promise anything except my last breath will bear your name.