[rating=4.00]
Steve Earle is all over the place lately as actor, writer, activist, and maintaining his first love, music. The tunes get their proper due on this fantastic new release, I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive. The title is taken from Hank Williams final single; Earle has a strong affinity for Williams (titling his first novel the same thing) and as someone who never shy’s away from his idols (see the album Townes) there is history seeping from these tracks, a lot of personality too.
For this collection Earle has teamed up with T-Bone Burnett to produce and the folksy/country vibe that Burnett is famous for dominates; no hard rock past revisits to Earle’s past this time. The biographical “Waitin On The Sky” is a good example of amped up twang, as is the violin streaks, fiddling and mandolin that supports the “Little Emperor”. Earle loves his story songs and we get some real winners here with “The Gulf Of Mexico” and “Molly-O” but even cooler is the Tom Waits light “Meet Me In The Alleyway” that bangs and warbles.
There are also three tunes that seem to reach even higher then their already stout album mates. “Every Part Of Me” is a gorgeously raw open love letter that’s truly honest and pure. “God Is God” takes different track as thoughts regarding a higher power are discussed, injecting some belief into things while the magnificent closer “This City” is a gem. Earle has a special affinity for New Orleans and this ode to The Big Easy (which closed the first season of Treme) is an all-time great for that town; it should be covered for years to come. None of us get out of this world alive, but Earle can certainly walk tall with what he has produced this go around.
