Customer Reviews

Definitive Collection

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Don't get me wrong here, I am one of the biggest Steve Earle fans around, and he's one of few artists who you can say has never put out a bad album. Every single album of his is a master work, and not many of his songs are weak. But this collection is a lame and extremely limited collection of mainly his early work; I have to think that's it's coming out to capitalize on the release of his new album, "Washington Square Serenade." Half the collection comes from his first two albums, when his last three albums up to 1997 were undoubtedly his strongest. Where are "The Other Kind", "Hometown Blues", "South Nashville Blues", "Ft. Worth Blues", "Hard Core Troubadour"? These songs blow away early tracks like "The Week of Living Dangerously" and "Snake Oil." To really put out a "definitive collection" would take three CD's. Buy any or all of his non-compilation albums, you won't regret it. If you're new to his music, you can start anywhere, you don't need to buy a "best of".

This collection is a great representation of Steve Earl's music up until 1997. The CD is at a great price and should be had by all fans and those interested in the music of Steve Earle. Be it roots music or country, the music of Steve Earle is great.

A reasonable bunch of songs, which however can make no claim to offer a definitive overview of Earle's career. The selection of songs favors Steve's early career during which he garnered more mainstream country airplay. The handful of post-jail selections by no means represent the best of later Earle's work and aren't even the best songs from Train a Comin', I Feel Alright, and El Corazon. The 1997 date is an odd terminus as well since Steve was riding a creative wave with The Mountain, Transcendental Blues and Jerusalem all following in quick succession.

Steve Earle has written some amazing music and the musicians who have helped him execute it have been exceptional. Of course, "Copperhead Road" and "The Devil's Right Hand," the latter covered by Waylong Jennings, Johnny Cash, and also, throwing Willie Nelso in the mix, by the trio of all three known as The Highwaymen. His politics, of course, famously or infamously tend toward the far left and he currently sports a patriarchal beard worthy of either a role in amoview about Geneisis or perhaps one about some polygamous Utah sect. As regards music, none of this matters much. Musically, of course, none of this matters. Though perhaps his best years may be behind him, though as long as he is alive this is an open question, he has made some great music at times. Much of this music is included on this collection though not everything is of the quality of his most famous compositions listed at the start of this review. Of course, who could write an absolute masterpiece like those two songs every single time?

I bought this cd for the Telephone Road song (I live one mile from there), but found I like a lot of the other songs as well. Fearless Heart, is awesome and fits my life today to a tee!

I never like all songs on an album. I thought three were great and the rest not very destinctive.

Love this CD by Steve Earle. His best songs were put on this CD.