Steve Earle Album: “The Revolution Starts Now”

This is an important record, no matter which side you are on. It is unfortante that this country is so split down the middle, as most will be on this record. When it comes down to it, these are just flat out good songs. They happen to have a message attached, which in not a bad thing. Steve Earle is a true American, and i feel as he does, that we all need to work together to make this country work. The last three songs are amazing, "Comin' Around", "I Thought You Should Know", and "The Seeker".

The revolution does start now, indeed.

Steve Earle is on a roll like no one else in recent history. Beginning with Train a Comin', Earle began a string that, in my opinion continues with this record. I'll start with the obvious; the record is short and contains 2 virtually identical versions of the same song. I have no problem with this, but it does mean the songs better be of top quality from beginning to end. He falls a bit short; the record is admittedly rushed, but along the way still manages to have a fair number of potential classics included.

The record begins and ends with Earle's statement of purpose, "The Revolution Starts Now". It's a fine, psychedelic double tracked vocal somewhat reminiscent in sound to "Everyone's In Love With You" from the "Transcendental Blues" record. It certainly sets the tone and I could see it getting some airplay on the radio, quite frankly. I wish it had been changed more for the repeat at the end (I understand an acoustic version exists and I imagine that could have been a fine closing track). "Home to Houston" follows up the opener with a typical Earle story song, reminiscent in sound to Buck Owens or early Dwight Yoakam. The story is about a trucker who finds himself driving in Iraq, over his head and hoping to return home alive. It's a solid track, but the record really takes off with "Rich Man's War". This song has some of Earle's best writing. It is basically a statement about the world that war is fought by the poor to benefit the rich. The inclusion of a verse from the perspective of a Palestinean suicide bomber really universalizes the point.

The record continues with "Warrior" a spoken word track that many will hate, but I find the groove infectious and the lyrics enthralling. "Gringo's Tale", which follows is another patented Earle story song. This one is likely my favorite track on the record. It includes a well-utilized string section in a story of a soldier who gets in over his head (possibly inspired by Abu Gharib) and is sold out by "the colonel" who got him involved in criminal behavior.

Earle shows his sense of humor with "Condi Condi" a fairly lame attempt at a calypso love song to the National Security Advisor. He continues his ranting with "F the CC" a real snarling anthem railing against the FCC's current attempts to limit what's available over the airways.

The pace changes again with a duet with Emmylou Harris, "Comin' Around", which has some success, but even better is the follow up, "I Thought You Should Know", a real country ode to an unbreakable heart. "The Seeker" is Earle's state of me song, which is reminiscent of "Jerusalem", the title track from his most recent studio release, although it is not nearly as good a song, musically or lyrically. Then Earle winds up with version 2 of the title track.

Maybe with a few more months putting this record together, it could have been the perfectly put together 40 minute classic that Earle has been able to do in the past, but as it is, it's merely another solid effort from Earle.

I'm hoping the next record will be with his buddies Tim O'Brien and Darrel Scott, aka the "Bluegrass Dukes", but for now, I'm enjoying the revolution.

This is yet another supreme offering from America's bard. It can rouse rabble or soothe the savage breast. It opens with "Revolution Starts..." one of those Earle anthems featuring a hard-bass underpinning and laced with Byrdsesque guitar jangles and harmonic vocals that recall Revolver-era Beatles (think "Transcendental Blues" or "Amerika v. 6.0").

These are songs for people in tune with the news, but it doesn't talk down to blue-collar comrades who aren't so plugged to Buzzflash and Alternet. It rocks, hard, and it sometimes twangs, in the tradition of real country music. Guthrie and Seeger are saints, and their songs stand the test of time. But we (anyone under age 60) who were weaned on rock n' roll need some amplified crunchy guitar in our folk music.

While he can rock out with the hardest rockers, Earle can also twang. "Comin' Around" is a duet with Emmylou Harris worthy of the best of Gram Parsons. Indeed, Ms. Harris is every bit as crisp as was on "Sleepless Nights."

As for those put off by "protest music" -- Earle's songs are not boring, pedantic diatribes. Listeners' feet WILL tap. This is, in part, because Earle is a master of his craft, but it's mostly his songs from the heart. Earle walks his talk.

So if you've go that sinking feeling that the corporate regime is about to pull off another coup, you need a remedy to refuel inspiration. If not -- go listen to the Marine Band or the latest Nashville Inc., canned hat-music product.

Every American era has its troubadors -- average people writing songs that reflect the sentiments of, while inspiring the working-classes to get off their asses and hit the streets. Joe Hill, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger...

Our era is graced with Steve Earle.

This may be the most important rock and roll record made since Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young recorded Ohio three and a half decades ago. Nobody will ever accuse Earle of being objective, but he certainly is passionate, and that's more important. He does get playful on Condi, Condi, and romantic with Emmylou Harris on Comin' Around, but the heart of this record is in the title cut, as well as within the tracks Home To Houston and Rich Man's War, both of which describe the helplessness of the men and women who have been put in the line of fire overseas. Whether you agree with Earle's idealogy or not, we ARE supposed to be living in a democracy, where the exchange of ideas is a good thing. Unfortunately, there aren't too many artists out there with the fire and eloquence of Mr. Earle.If you hear one record from 2004, this should be it.

Steve Earl has taken his place with artists that are able to express moral, religious and political views without wrapping it in insipid, mediocre music (think U2, Dylan and Woody Guthrie).

For those who find that this is not their cup of tea please help yourself to the other 99% pf the "product" being shoveled at us every day.