Steve Earle - El Corazon

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Music reviews of El Corazon

Music Review: Earle's best-and that's saying something.
Rating: 5 Stars

The album opens with the lines, "Its Christmastime in Washington, the Democrats rehearsed; Getting' into gear for four more years of Things not getting' worse." On the heals of the 1996 election, truer words were never spoken. But this is not really a political song; it's really a folk rock ballad about Earle's heroes, which include Emma Goldman, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and mostly Woody Guthrie. The music is basically solo Earle, playing guitar, mandolin and harmonium. It's a great song, which grows in significance each time I hear it.

But of course, the album doesn't continue in that folk rock vein; it meanders all across the landscape of styles which comprise all of rock music. The next song, "Taneytown", is a Crazy Horse style rocker about a young, apparently slow, black man who gets into trouble in a tough white neighborhood. It also includes harmony vocals from the greatest harmony vocalist of all time, Emmylou Harris. It's a classic story song and a classic rocker, which is one of Earle's best songs ever.

The album continues with a great song about the downside to falling love, "If You Fall", a terrific bluegrass number with the Del McCoury Band, "I Still Carry You Around", a catchy radio friendly rocker, with the Fairfield Four, "Telephone Road", and another twisted heartache love song, "Somewhere Out There". "You Know the Rest" is a countryish rocker about revisionist history, with the great verse:

Davey Crockett went out to Texas to fight at the Alamo
Old Will Travis never told him Texas is in Mexico
It's a bloody mess; You know the rest

"N.Y.C." is another great story song performed with the rocking Supersuckers. You've got a country duet with "Poisoned Lovers", Hank Williams inspired old-time country with "The Other Side of Town", an up-tempo rocker in "Here I Am", and finally a heartfelt tribute to Earle's hero and mentor Townes Van Zandt, in the moving "Ft. Worth Blues", my personal favorite track on the album.

All the bases are covered here, other than metal I suppose. For me that's the basis of great rock and roll. Here Earle nails it, with the best record of his career, and possibly the best record of the `90's. What more could you ask for?

Steve Earle has produced his most varied and consistent work. None of the emotion and energy are missing, yet there is a variety of styles here ensuring you'll be surprised at every turn. Since his "vacation in the ghetto" Earle has had maybe the most productive period of any artist in the rock genre ( the Beatles, Dylan, Elvis Costello, The Kinks and The Who are close). Highlights are Fort Worth Blues, Taneytown and Christmas in Washington.

Description of El Corazon

Country CDs

• Music > Styles
• Folk
• Pop
• Rock