The latest releases reviewed
T BONE BURNETT
Tooth of Crime
Nonesuch Records
****
The origins of this rich and dark collection of songs
lie with the American playwright and actor Sam Shepard. He asked
the much- lauded guitarist, songwriter and producer to write songs
for the 1996 restaging of his 1972 play,
Tooth of Crime, a surreal plot in which two musicians, a
rock star and a wannabe, engage in a verbal battle to decide who
will occupy the rock'n'roll throne. That background is key to
getting a handle on these 10 tracks of varying intensity and
colour, which draw on Burnett's encyclopaedic knowledge of American
music. Apparently Burnett, currently leading the Robert
Plant/Alison Krauss live band, did not like the 1996 versions, but
12 years of work later he seems happier with their dystopian
character. It's not easy listening, but it is intriguing and
strangely compelling.
www.tboneburnett.com
JOE BREEN
Download
Dope Island, Swizzle Stick
STEVE EARLE
Live from Austin, Tx
New West
***
Steve Earle goes through musical styles the way some people
change clothes. This collection, culled from a TV show in 2000,
shows him in fine form, stretching songs from his recently released
Transcendental Blues, the title track of which kicks off
this set. This was a good band, with plenty of edge but enough
flexibility to carry the softer side of the Texan's songwriting,
such as
More Than I Can Do and I Can Wait. Basically, the guitars
are turned up loud for the first half and the acoustics are pulled
out for the second, closing with a nine-minute version of his
classic
Christmas in Washington- though methinks he might like to
review his belief that whoever gets elected doesn't matter for the
ordinary man.
www.steveearle.com
JOE BREEN
Download tracks:
Christmas in Washington, Another Town
