New Alejandro Escovedo album announced for June 29
I seem to come home from the field and check e-mail just in time to find interesting things.
So here’s this…
I wonder, though…all that co-writing. Seems to be a sign of…maturity, is that it? Guy Clark’s last album (and the one before, if memory serves) was mostly co-written. It sort of blows the auteur theory all to heck and gone, but it also makes me wonder if the zest to create has begun to fade. Or not, of course. The proof’s in the work, and I’ve not heard the work.
ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO DELIVERS ‘STREET SONGS OF LOVE’ ON JUNE 29TH ON FANTASY RECORDS/CONCORD MUSIC GROUP
Texas Troubadour’s New Album Produced by Tony Visconti and Features Guests Bruce Springsteen and Ian Hunter
“It ended up being an album about love, the pursuit of a feeling that is forever elusive, mysterious, and addictive,” said Alejandro Escovedo of his epic new album Street Songs of Love. Long one of America’s most admired poet-rockers, Escovedo’s sometimes tortured path to ‘Street Songs,’ a record that decisively fulfills all expectations, has been full of twists, turns, hard landings and well earned hard truths.
For Streets Songs of Love, Escovedo once again collaborated with producer Tony Visconti (T. Rex, David Bowie, U2, Morrissey) and chief songwriting partner Chuck Prophet. The album’s 13 tracks seemingly distill every broken heart and pierced dream into a determined, soulful, glorious celebration of survival, liberation and ultimate salvation.
A father aches for his son’s struggle to find life’s meaning in “Down In The Bowery,” perhaps the album’s beating heart on which Ian Hunter contributes full-throated vocals. Bruce Springsteen and Alejandro trade lines around a nasty guitar riff on “Faith,” a tightly woven rocker that bores in and never lets go. The lead track “Anchor” explodes out of the speakers, a statement of purpose about that treacherous thing called ‘love,’ that recalls the best of The Band, Tom Petty and Rolling Stones. “A band record,” as Escovedo puts it, Street Songs of Love is performed by Alejandro Escovedo and The Sensitive Boys: David Pulkingham on guitars, keyboards, vocals; Bobby Daniel on bass and vocals; and Hector Munoz, drums and vocals. Karla Manzu and Nakia Reynoso contribute essential background vocals throughout the album.
Alejandro Escovedo, currently on an acoustic tour, will tour extensively with The Sensitive Boys this summer and fall.
04/08/10 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall
04/09/10 Fall River, MA Narrows Center for the Arts
04/11/10 Freehold, NJ Concerts In The Studio
04/16/10 Driftwood, TX Old Settlers Music Festival
Street Songs of Love – Track listing:
1. Anchor (3:30) (Alejandro Escovedo-Chuck Prophet)
2. Silver Cloud (3:03) (Alejandro Escovedo)
3. This Bed Is Getting Crowded (3:16) (Alejandro Escovedo-Chuck Prophet)
4. Street Songs (2:46) (Alejandro Escovedo-Chuck Prophet)
5. Down In The Bowery (4:17) (Alejandro Escovedo-Chuck Prophet)
6. Tender Heart (2:26) (Alejandro Escovedo-Chuck Prophet)
7. After The Meteor Showers (4:38) (Alejandro Escovedo)
8. Tula (3:48) (Alejandro Escovedo- Nick Tremulis)
9. Undesired (4:26) (Alejandro Escovedo-Chuck Prophet)
10. Fall Apart With You (4:19) (Alejandro Escovedo)
11. Shelling Rain (3:20) (Alejandro Escovedo-Kim Christoff)
12. Faith (3:23) (Alejandro Escovedo-Chuck Prophet)
13. Fort Worth Blue (2:51) (Alejandro Escovedo, David Pulkingham)