Listen To New Justin Townes Earle & NPR Revisited
Man it is fun to be spot on right. But let’s not bury the lead, that being that you can now listen to Justin Townes Earle’s new album Harlem River Blues in its entirety through NPR’s First Listen. These are not previews, this is every song, and they will be available until the release date of September 14th.
Since your lovable, huggable Triggerman is such a titan of the music world, I have a had a copy of this album for a few weeks now, and when I first heard it, all of my fears about the direction of Justin Townes’ music were realized. Since then I have warmed up to it a little more, but what I was hearing was JTE catering his sound to what I’ve characterized many times as the “NPR bumper music” crowd.
This was the inspiration for a story I wrote called NPR’s Adverse Effect on Country & Roots Music. I honestly had no idea at the time that NPR would be the advertising vehicle the JTE camp would use, but simply from just listening to the music, I could tell that is what they were aiming for. A quote from that article:
“Another (album) is Justin Townes Earle’s upcoming Harlem River Blues. I predict this album will be huge, even though there’s a good chance it will get a neutral, or even a negative review from me. There’s just no direct connection with the roots in his music any more. It has been cleansed for top NPR compatibility. As his press release reads, it’s “more mature” than his previous albums. Well I guess that makes me immature.”
And make no mistake, I am a Justin Townes Earle fan. I named his album Midnight at the Movies my Album of The Year last year. I’m a huge supporter of his label Bloodshot Records, and believe it or not, a supporter of NPR. It’s good that JTE and other artists have an outlet for their music through NPR. And it’s not that this album is bad, its just not what I go dumping my bucket into the JTE well for.
I will have a full review coming up soon, but in the meantime give a listen yourself and leave your thoughts below. I want to be wrong about this album, but as the release date marches closer, I just keep being proved right.
August 30, 2010 @ 11:16 am
I’ve been a big fan of Justin’s for a few years and I think this is hands down his best effort. I’ve listened to it a few times today and I think it’s great.
August 30, 2010 @ 11:43 am
It’s an amazing Album & I don’t think it’s catering to the npr crowd because though its not fully country to me it’s less polished then midnight it has a raw sound but justin was going for a staples singers otis redding kind of sound justin makes the albumss that he wants to make kind of like willie with red headed stranger & then stardust to totally different albums but not selling out because it’s what you want to make
August 30, 2010 @ 12:06 pm
I’m gonna wait till my pre-ordered LP arrives, but I liked the song Harlem River Blues better than almost everything on Midnight…which I like all right, but it’s no Yuma. Or The Good Life for that matter. I, too, stumbled across the “mature” tag (which translates to me as “approach with caution”), but that one preview track from a few weeks ago got me excited!
Cheers,
MLP
August 30, 2010 @ 12:11 pm
Yeah, one thing about all the new digital previews and streams and such is if you don’t watch out, it will ruin an album for you. I like the idea of getting a new album, popping it in the player fresh and getting a first feel. When stuff is piece mealed out, sometimes you don’t get the same effect.
Like I said I have been warming up to it some the more I listen. I think I had some pretty strong conceptions of what this album would be before I received it, and the first listen validated those. Its not bad, there’s just no devil in it.
August 30, 2010 @ 6:50 pm
I don’t have his other stuff and this being my first listen, I’m not impressed. He sounds like all those other whiny trust fund hipsters from Williamsburg learning to cry and waiting for the train in Brooklyn.
Triggerman, please recommend a different album of his so I can get this taste out of my mouth.
August 30, 2010 @ 7:56 pm
No better album last year in my opinion than JTE’s Midnight at the Movies. Really all his other stuff is great.
August 31, 2010 @ 5:50 am
I gotta say- none of his music gets me to excited. None of it horrible, just doesn’t do it for me. A good alternative for me is a Michigan band- Steppin In It. You JTE fans might enjoy these guys. I’d recommend starting with their latest live album or Hidden In the Lowlands. Both their website and myspace have plenty of tunes.
August 31, 2010 @ 6:47 am
Thanks for the suggestion Jammin.
August 31, 2010 @ 9:15 am
Apparently Michigan is a hot spot for damn good music. Whitey Morgan and Rachel Brooke too? Dang…
August 31, 2010 @ 4:50 pm
Ian
I tell ya- I get bummed because a lot of the touring bands (not all) just drive right underneath the Great Lakes. The lakes are a physical barrier that keaps them from looping back north again. I think the rust belt peninsula has to fend for itself musically. At least, I’m pretty much guaranteed AT LEAST one .357 Stringband (fellow rust belters) show a year.
Steppin In It has a side project with a Racheal Davis. She does the lead vocal and has a really nice classy sound. Album is called ‘Shout Sister Shout’.
September 3, 2010 @ 3:21 am
I don’t think I’ve been that disappointed by an album in a long time.
His first two efforts are among my favorites, but Harlem River Blues is a complete letdown. Maybe I have to hear it some more, but I honestly don’t think it’ll help.
September 4, 2010 @ 11:00 am
I’m not sure about this one yet. Just gave it a first listen, a bit extra curious because of Triggerman’s notes in the NPR-article, and because I really like JTE’s previous stuff. I liked it, but it never really got me to the edge of my seat. However, I like his songwriting, and I can hear that he has put an effort to make the songs sound right. I think that’s what the”mature” is all about. Not just write good songs, but recording them like you want them to sound to the listener. At first listen, I missed the feeling of urgency that made me love Midnight at the movies, but overall I wasn’t disappointed. And I will certainly give it a chance to grow on me.
September 5, 2010 @ 8:29 pm
As you know lovable, huggable Triggerman I was not a fan of Harlem River Blues (the song) and still dislike it. So I was pleasantly surprised to listen to the streamed album on NPR and really love some of the tracks. Move Over Mama is a super cute (and unexpected) rockabilly track and Christchurch Woman is a nod to a city Justin has toured in New Zealand – actually the location of the earthquake on Saturday. Midnight At The Movies was generally too ‘folksy’ for me, I loved the more country-esk tracks. I didn’t think I would be after hearing the title track but am now VERY excited about the new album. I wonder why Justin always poses with a bird on the cover artwork of his albums?
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