Steve Earle wears his politics on his sleeve on his new studio album, “The Revolution Starts… Now,” due Aug. 24 via Artemis. The 11-track set finds the outspoken singer/songwriter advocating his most blatant anti-government stance on the guitar-driven “F the CC.” Earle pulls no punches in his assault on the Ramones-esque track, which boasts the chorus, “F*** the FCC /f*** the FBI / f*** the CIA / I’m living in the motherf***ing U.S.A.”
The album kicks off with the brief call-to-arms cut “The Revolution Starts…,” which ends suddenly before segueing into “Home to Houston.” A full version of the song, titled “The Revolution Starts Now,” closes the set.
Elsewhere, National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice comes directly under fire in “Condi, Condi,” while Earle also airs his frustrations on “Gringo,” “Rich Man’s War” and the spoken word track “Warrior.”
Lest fans thing Earle is operating with a one-track mind, he eschews politics and bares his tender side on the mid-tempo “Comin’ Around,” a duet with longtime friend Emmylou Harris. “Revolution” also includes the heartbreaking ballad “I Thought You Should Know.”
The artist and Ray Kennedy produced “The Revolution.” Kennedy has collaborated on several Earle’s albums since 1997’s “El Corazon” (Warner Bros.)
In advance of the album, Earle will be on tour beginning with a June 22 show in San Diego. Along with his own headlining shows, he’s also slated to take part in a pair of Gram Parsons tribute concerts. As previously reported, those events will also feature performances by Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam, the Mavericks’ Raul Malo and Jim Lauderdale.
Here is “The Revolution Starts… Now” track list:
“The Revolution Starts…”
“Home to Houston”
“Rich Man’s War”
“Warrior”
“The Gringo’s Tale”
“Condi, Condi”
“F the CC”
“Comin’ Around” (featuring Emmylou Harris)
“I Thought You Should Know”
“The Seeker”
“The Revolution Starts Now”
Here are Earle’s upcoming tour dates:
June 22: San Diego (Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay)
June 23: Saratoga, Calif. (Mountain Winery)
June 25: Reno, Nev. (Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater)
June 26: Laytonville, Calif. (Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival)
June 28: Portland, Ore. (Aladdin Theater)
June 30: Seattle (Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre)
July 2: Jacksonville, Ore. (Britt Pavilion)
July 3: Quincy, Calif. (High Sierra Music Festival)
July 9: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara Bowl; Gram Parsons Tribute)
July 10: Los Angeles (Universal Amphitheater; Gram Parsons Tribute)
Aug. 8: Portland, Maine (State Theater)
Source billboard.com.
