Search - Steve Earle :: Live From Austin Texas (Dig)

Excellent recording ... incorrect reviews

David Adams | Centennial, CO USA | 08/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Don't be confused by the other reviews here, including the "editorial review," which all are inexplicably transferred duplicates of the Amazon reviews linked to the first "Live From Austin" CD (& DVD) recorded in 1986 during his "Guitar Town" and "Exit-O" years. THIS disc (and attendant DVD) were recorded in 2000 during Steve's excellent Transcendental Blues tour. The music rocks harder (with a much more bottom-heavy electric mix for one of the quibbling transferred reviewers here) and features a truly encompassing song selection from Steve's entire career -- pre and post substance-abuse troubles. Included, finally, is the terrific early composition "Someday" from Guitar Town not performed in the 1986 show, along with selections from the transitional Copperhead Road album and notable inclusions from just about all of his prolific, post-rehab releases from 1995 until 2000. Although it is not always the case with former hard-living performers and artists, to my mind Steve has exploded creatively as a songwriter since his 'bad ol' days' churning out one excellent release after another, ever expanding his own repertoire and thereby the definitions of the Americana musical genre in the tradition of Dylan, Fogerty, Parsons, The Band, Springsteen, and, of course, his original mentors Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. Although his recent output has slowed somewhat from the nearly album-a-year pace we all enjoyed during the mid to late nineties, this year's "Washington Square Serenade" from and about his new home in New York City is a fulfilling reaffirmation of his continually evolving talent and inspiration. I hope that now that he's all moved in to his new neighborhood, we all get to hear more from him -- both on record and on tour (you need to swing back by Denver soon, Steve)."