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Home > Music
 $10.97 
MPN: 6128
UPC: 607396612826
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Washington Square Serenade (DIG)
Artists :
Steve Earle
Tracks :
Tennessee Blues
Down Here Below
Satellite Radio
City Of Immigrants (with Forro In The Dark)
Sparkle And Shine
Come Home to Me
Jericho Road
Oxycontin Blues
Red Is The Color
Steve s Hammer (For Pete)
Day s Aren t Long Enough (with Allison Moorer)
Way Down In The Hole
| Release Date: |
25 September, 2007 |
| Manufacturer: |
New West Records |
| Availability: |
Usually ships in 24 hours |
| List Price: |
$16.98 |
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The title and opening songs of Washington Square Serenade are as much a celebration of New York City--Steve Earle's newly adopted home--as his breakthrough Guitar Town was an evocation of his previous home in Nashville. In fact, the opening "Tennessee Blues," with its acoustic guitar over a digital rhythm loop, bids "goodbye to Guitar Town," as he leaves with "a redhead by my side." That would be wife Allison Moorer, who harmonizes beautifully with her husband on "Days Aren't Long Enough," written by the two; provides background vocals elsewhere; and plainly inspires "Sparkle and Shine" and the bittersweet "Come Home to Me," two of the album's loveliest songs. The result is a new chapter in Earle's career, an album unlike any he's previously recorded, produced by John King of the Dust Brothers (Beck, Beastie Boys). While the raw, raging blues of "Red Is the Color" ranks with Earle's most powerful music, "Satellite Radio" could well be the slightest (as well as perhaps a plug for Earle's own radio show), but the artist's willingness to take chances attests to a restless creativity that refuses to be corralled. Other noteworthy tracks include the Brazilian-tinged "City of Immigrants," the tribute to Pete Seeger on "Steve's Hammer," and the closing rendition of Tom Waits's "Down in the Hole," which will serve as the theme music for Season 5 of The Wire. --Don McLeese More from Steve Earle 
Guitar Town | 
Train a Comin' | 
Copperhead Road |
Customer Reviews
A Mix of the Ordinary and Extraordinary
Rating: 3
It was with great anticipation that I looked forward to the release of Steve Earle's new album, Washington Square Serenade. After the first listen, I was initially disappointed, but subsequent listenings revealed more in the lyrics and music to make this project strike a resounding chord with me.
The album opens up with the track "Tennessee Blues", a sort of retrospective and look forward to the future at the same time. It's a solid opener. The CD quickly changes gears, moving on to "Down Here Below", a foot tapping tale of Steve's experiences and exploits in his new hometown. It's a masterful piece of songwriting from Earle, with excellent instrumentation and backing vocals from Alison Moorer.
The next track, "Satellite Radio", isn't as successful. It's got a driving beat, but the melody seems to drone on and on, never changing from the one or two notes that repeat throughout the song. Thankfully, the outstanding "City of Immigrants" appears next. This is the song Steve has been performing on various programs to promote Washington Square Serenade, and that was a good choice on his part, as it's one of the highlights of this album. Forro in the Dark provides excellent backing music.
Unfortunately, the next two tracks often sound boring and repetitive enough to lull you to sleep. But, no worries! "Jericho Road" is next, an outstanding track that sounds just like classic Earle. Well written, with a pounding beat and wailing harp.
But, following "Jericho Road" is, what I think, is the best track of the whole album. The "Oxycontin Blues". It opens up with clawhammer banjo, which continues throughout the song, with Earle lamenting about how "nothing grows on this mountain, and whats a poor boy to do", and how he's "headed nowhere but downhill with the oxycontin blues". Easily one of the best songs Steve Earle has ever written in my humble opinion.
This track is hard to follow, but "Red Is The Color" lives up to high standards. It's a rocker, with just a mandolin, harmonica, and a drum beat backing Steve's vocals. There's a lot of depth to the songs lyrics.
What follows is "Steve's Hammer", which ranks right next to "Oxycontin Blues" as far as lyrical and musical quality goes. Simply outstanding; Pete Seeger would be proud. Following is "Days Are Getting Longer", a duet with Alison Moorer, that, unfortunately, comes across nearly as boring as tracks 5 and 6. Well, at least we know Mr. Earle is deeply in love with his wife.
The closing track is a cover of Tom Waits "Way Down In The Hole". Steve sings it with emotion, and the at times bizarre backing music contributes much to the songs feeling. Perhaps it ties with "Oxycontin Blues" for the honor of best song. Perhaps it's too hard to decide what the best song is, but bottom line, in my opinion only, of course; 8 out of 12 songs are outstanding material, and that earns this project a three star rating from me.
Buy it; I think you'll like it. :)
Goodbye Guitar Town
Rating: 5
Only one thing was for certain leading up to the release of the first album of new material from Steve Earle in three years: It would be adorned with the similar eye catching, void of the Earle, cover artwork that has encompassed his CD covers for the last decade. I had several concerns that this could be the beginning of the end for Earle. First was an unprecedented post drug/penal three year hiatus from recording. Second, his last album, "The Revolution Starts Now" left no doubt that Earle's disheartened view of America and its politics had reached its Dante's Peak, which was emphasized by the Jim Morrison like spoken track, "The Warrior." Then there was the pre-publicity leading up to this album. He had transplanted himself to Greenwich Village, married again, this time to fellow singer/songwriter Allison Moorer, and said that at this time in his life, he needed to be able to look out his window and see a same sex, mixed race couple walking down the street holding hands and be ok with that. Not that any of this is good or bad, but just un-Earle like. So it was with apprehension that I gave the CD an initial spin. It took one listen to answer the question that, "ok, he hasn't totally lost his mind." And after a second listen, I realize he has created probably his finest work ever. He hasn't let marriage send his career into the lap-sucking whirlpool of toilet creativity like say, Clint Black did. He obviously has met up with some of the ghosts of Bob Dylan, but is not afraid of them, and he is apparently not quite ready to give up just yet. Tennessee Blues opens the album with a catchy percussion hiccup and clearly states the direction of the album, "goodbye guitar town." Down Here Below is a great metaphoric visual and a masterfully written piece. Satellite Radio will catch a lot of ears, and City of Immigrants shows off some Earle mandolin playing. Come Home To Me is classic heartbeat Earle. The emotion without the sap. Jericho Road may have fit well on the last album but fits just well here too. Oxycontin Blues and Red is the Color give the album some additional flavor not heard on previous Earle works. The Days Aren't Long Enough is a beautiful track with wife Allison Moorer, and Sparkle and Shine is a nice chick song as well. The disc is rounded out by the only song on the CD not written by Earle, a cover of Tom Waits' Way Down in the Hole.
Well worth the price is the deluxe version which offers a 35 minute DVD bonus which includes 3 bonus acoustic tracks and an Earle tour of Greenwich Village. This lends some keen insight to the album and shows a side of Earle not seen before.
Bottom line: A masterful work from a masterful singer songwriter. Look for this one to stay on the Ipod rotation `til . . . . well .... Probably Washington Square Serenade pt II.
Brilliant !
Rating: 5
Sometimes less is more.
Bless you Townes Van Zandt. Keep on keepin' on Steve.
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