Steve Earle The Revolution Starts...Now

Well, love him or hate him...agree with him or disagree with him...Steve Earle is once again exercising his right to free speech on his new album 'The Revolution Starts... Now", just as he did on his last politically-charged pronouncement, ' Jerusalem '.  Earle has always been a nonconformist, activist, and eccentric.  He don't just sit back and accept nuthin', pardner.  Hard liver, hard player, ex-con, and not too long ago on the brink of really dead from drugs and liquor, Steve Earle will flat get in your face and tell you exactly what he thinks, like it or not...decorum (dare we say political-correctness?) be damned.

Now, we walk a rather thin tight-rope here, as this is not a political site...we talk about music.  But, the fact is that "The Revolution Starts...Now" deals almost exclusively with Earle's take on all things political in George W. Bush's America (and the world affected by same).  Let's just say that Earle is not at all a fan of Mr. Bush or his administration's policies, and he populates his songs with people and stories illustrating this fact (like the long-haul trucker who just pulled out of Bazra... with a Bradley on his back door...sayin' 'God get me back "Home to Houston" alive, and I won't drive a truck anymore.').  "Rich Man's War"'s title is self-explanatory.  There is a lovely, totally non-political duet with Emmylou Harris called "Comin' Around".  We state here and now that we will try our best to remain neutral as to Earle's political leanings (and our own).  We are not trying to show any bias for or against Steve Earle's political stance, but only to review this latest album.

Steve Earle is a mightily revered country/alt-country/roots-rockin' artist, and has released numerous critically and publically acclaimed albums over the last 18 years.  His first shot outta the gate, ' Guitar Town ' (1986), immediately heralded a new king of the alt-country roots-rockin' hill.  Everybody loved that disc!  'Copperhead Road' kept the rep goin' through 1988, then the live 'Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator (1991)...and then Steve Earle found himself in a passle of trouble - with the law, drink and drugs.  After barely cheating death and wising up, the now-thought-washed-up Earle released his resurrection CD, 'Train a Comin' (1995 - and, again, it was loved by everyone), and, ever since, has been the ornery, loner, no bullshit bad-ass [albeit a thinking-man's bad-ass] MF of roots-rock country (the good stuff, not that shiney, shallow, watered-down Nashville crap).  Discs like 1996's 'I Feel Alright' (a personal favorite), '97's 'El Corazon', 2000's 'Transcendental Blues' (another personal favorite), 2001's glorious 'Together at the Bluebird Cafe', a live disc with Earle, the late, great Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark sittin' around playin' and talkin' and jokin' (one of the best archival discs ever released!), and 02's 'Jerusalem', with its politico statements (and infamous song "John Walker's Blues") have cemented his place in history.

Now Steve Earle's talkin' 'bout a revolution, and he wants it to start...now! (Thus, the discs name...)  But it's not a physical or violent revolution...it's a revolution of involvement and action.  Earle's own liner notes suggest that the disc was rush recorded and released so as to have time to make a difference before the November 2004 election.  This does make objective sense.  If you're gonna say negative things about an administration that you want removed, saying them after the election is, well, too late.  Also from the liner notes:  "The Constitution of the United States of America is a REVOLUTIONARY document in every sense of the word...designed to evolve, to live and to breathe like the people that it governs.  As long as we are willing to put in the work required to defend and nurture this remarkable invention of our forefathers...it will continue to thrive for generations to come.  Without our active participation, however, the future is far from certain...Without the lifeblood of the human spirit, even the greatest documents...are only words on paper or parchment, destined to yellow and crack and eventually crumble to dust."  No matter your political affiliation, I think we can all agree on that.  On our homepage, you will find a Voter Registration button.  Please use it.  It just might be the most important thing you have ever done.

'The Revolution Starts...Now' is Steve Earle's last ditch effort, before November 2nd, 2004, to encourage change and eliminate ennui and inertia regarding our rights and duties and, indeed, obligations as American citizens to have our votes count and make our feelings heard.  As a Steve Earle album, it's right about in the middle (no pun intended) - not his best, not his worst.  It's your choice - every bit of it.

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Release Date: August 24, 2004
Tracks: 11 - Time: 39:35
Produced by: Steve Earle
Format: CD
Website: www.steveearle.com

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Steve Earle:

Steve Earle - Vocals / Guitar / Organ / Harmonica / Harmonium / Mandola
Eric Ambel - Guitar / Vocals
David Angell - Violin
Kelly Looney - Bass / Vocals
Will Rigby - Percussion / Drums / Vocals
Emmylou Harris - Vocals
David Henry - Cello
Dr Edward O. Henry - Violin