Steve Earle
Alone Again (Live)
Howe Sound Records/Missing Piece Records
Steve Earle, after more than 40 years on the road with a band, has decided to go back to the beginning of his long and groundbreaking career. Back when it was just him, an instrument, and a stage where he could showcase his craft. That decision comes with a new live album, Alone Again (Live), and a coast-to-coast tour that also includes dates in Canada.
The 15-track album covers 10 records from 1988-2020 and features performances recorded live during Mr. Earle’s 2023 tour. The album opens with “The Devil’s Right Hand” from 1988’s Copperhead Road before going back to the 1986 pivotal Guitar Town album with “My Old Friend the Blues,” “Someday,” and “Guitar Town.” These performances are what I love about Steve Earle’s music, in that he’s offering his music to you in the way he learned from mentors like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, raw and with purpose.
The album ebbs and flows with emotion as it feels like Steve Earle is telling a larger life story with each song chosen. His introduction and performance of “Sparkle and Shine” is about as honest as an artist can be, explaining that while various women have argued that the song was about them, Mr. Earle states that “…they’re all about me. Even this one.” Following with “South Nashville Blues,” he explains that this song makes the part of his life he’s writing about seem like a lot of fun and felt like to keep things honest, he should perform “CCKMP,” which addresses his addictions and stands for “Cocaine Cannot Kill My Pain.”
“It’s About Blood” is another masterpiece of songwriting, performing, and an artist standing on his principles. He explains he wrote the song to “start a conversation” and show that at the core of what this country is, if we listen and have that conversation, we might have more in common than the things that divide us. While it’s bold to say it might be Steve Earle at his best, this performance is full of raw emotion, and even 14 years after the Upper Big Branch mining tragedy that inspired the song, that conversation he started feels as necessary today as ever.
The album finishes with “Dominick St.,” “The Galway Girl,” and “Copperhead Road,” all performed with just a mandolin. The album is streaming now via your favorite platform. Keep an eye on Earle’s website for Alone Again Solo & Acoustic 2024 tour dates and catch this solo live performance.
