STEVE EARLE GUITAR TOWN
As I’ve always threatened to nominate a country album,here it is yeehaw!
I’ve always had a somewhat eclectic taste in music I like Glam Rock,Rock, Pop,Punk Rap, Soul, Blues ,Jazz etc .However I always hated Country music ,that was until I first heard the ‘ Guitar Town’ single on radio 2 in 1986 on either Bob Harris or Roger Scott’s show.It changed my musical life prior to this I always associated country music with men with hats, line dancing and gingham dresses.Steve Earle changed all that in one song.I immediately went out and bought the LP and I wasn’t disappointed.Whilst it’s probably not my favourite SE record it’s his most country and it’s the record that got me into a whole new genre which is now my preferred choice .SE was one of the artists that changed Nashville being part of the New Country scene along with Nancy Griffith ,Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen but he was much closer in sound to his heroes of Outlaw country Waylon and Willie and songwriters Guy Clarke and Townes Van Zandt.There’s a lot I could write about Steve, not least his skill of mixing country,rock, folk,blues and bluegrass on his albums, his seven failed marriages that make me look like an amateur!He’s a novelist,playwright ,poet ,actor and activist among other things.Along with Springsteen,Mellencamp and Reed he’s one of my musical heroes,i love his Texan drawl.I also had the pleasure of meeting him briefly in Nashville.It was this album that made me discover the whole new world of Insurgent Country,Rebel Country, Alt Country ,Outlaw country etc or as it’s now packaged as Americana.Bands such as UncleTupelo,TheJayhawks,Whiskeytown, DBTs and many others.My favourite country artists of today Jason Isbell and Zach Bryan were heavily influenced by Steve.
Anways on to the album I suspect a number of you either own or have heard this album.
It starts with the aforementioned single a song about life on the road, a great acoustic intro and then Richard Bennett’s twang comes in and you know it’s a country song.It contains some great lines my favourite being ‘got a two pack habit and a motel tan’.Next we get one of many of Steve’s love songs a classic country song again featuring that guitar twang.
Highway ,follows ,a semi autobiographical song with a repetitive acoustic riff.
Good Ol’ Boy ,A rocker and one of his first political protest songs about the Reagan era, but it still sounds relevant today.
My Old Friend The Blues ,has been covered by a number of artists as it show cases what a talented songwriter he is.It’s got just a hint of Bucky Baxter’s pedal steel.
Someday ,my favourite song on the album you can hear the small town angst in the lyrics and vocals and a nice bit of pedal steel.
Think it over ,sounds like old school country a bit of a filler for me but well played musically.
Fearless Heart, almost a country power ballad no wonder he was married so many times!
Little Rock n Roller ,a lullaby to his son the late Justin Townes Earle,sounds particularly poignant now.
Down The Road, this was the last song on the a vinyl album I bought on its release and it’s definitely a closer.
State Trooper is the live Springsteen cover and a bonus track it’s not part of the album as far as I’m concerned, but Steve was heavily influenced by Bruce and is a big fan.
Enjoy Y’all
