Customer Reviews

Jerusalem

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

There has been massive criticism coupled with "musical hysteria," concerning the song "John Walker's Blues." Way before the CD titled "Jerusalem" was released, DJs and music critics alike were sitting in judgment of Steve Earle's patriotism. Because the song is written from the perspective of John Walker Lindh, an American youth who recently pleaded guilty to assisting the Taliban in Afghanistan, many spoke Earle's name in the same breath with traitor. "It celebrates and glorifies a traitor to this country," screamed Steve Gill, morning host on WTN-FM. He and others DJ's around the country called for a boycott of the album. With no airplay and lack of availability at stores, their mission would be successful.
What has been pushed to the wayside is the following burning question: Is the song any good or is it just another lame attempt at marketing a dull CD? The answer is simple. This particular tune, though controversial, is good, the CD damn good, and there is a great big difference between explaining a person's actions and just glorifying them. Steve Earle has many better songs on his current release "Jerusalem," especially the hauntingly beautiful duet with none other than EmmyLou Harris during "I Remember You." Nevertheless, it is the track of "John Walker's Blues" that will continue to draw the most attention to this CD. Earle presents Walker's views without passing any kind of judgment. He becomes the troubled young man, searching for answers to questions that he is unable to find in American ideology. Earle stands in Lindh's shoes and views the world from his eyes only. Steve has done this many times before in his long career. He has become a convicted murderer, ready to take that long walk, "the green mile," to the electric chair in "Billy Austin." He is a coal miner, at times lost in his own despair, on the acclaimed CD "The Mountain," recorded with bluegrass greats The Del McCoury Band. Becoming the subject of tunes is nothing new for Earle, just his own way of telling the story and making his art work.
"What Earle is doing is what good songwriters...and good poets have been doing for a hundred years, which is trying to get inside and understand the motivations of people who may not be particularly popular right now," said Charles Wolfe, a popular-music scholar at Middle Tennessee State University. "There's nothing all that unique about Earle's song," he continues, "except that emotions about the Taliban are very strong right now." Earle himself has backed up Wolfe's opinion by stating the following in a press release:
"I don't condone what he (Lindh) did. I'm trying to make clear that wherever he got to, he didn't arrive there in a vacuum...my son Justin is almost exactly Walker's age." Here lies the key to Earle's motivation for writing such an emotional grabbing number. The singer uses his scratchy, ragged drawl to create a bleak picture of an unquestioning belief that eventually led to dire consequences:

"We came to fight the Jihad.....as death filled the air....
And prepared for our martyrdom. But Allah has some other plan...
Now they're draggin me back, With my hands in a sack
To the land of the infidel."

Calling America the "infidel" here is the exact reason that many have reacted with outrage. However, it is a colossal mistake to confuse Steve Earle's personal views with his lyrical references. He has called "Jerusalem" "....the most pro-American record in my entire career." Questioning the idea that politicians deserve our undying support, when it comes to serious issues (like terrorism), is very American to Earle. The 'blind faith' of many over zealous so-called patriots is what seems to scare Earle the most these days. He laments in "Amerika v.6.0 (The Best We Can Do)":

"I remember when we was...talkin' revolution...
Nowadays letters to the editor and cheatin' on our taxes
is the best that we can do."

Doing what he has done best since the impact of "Guitar Town" in 1985, Steve Earle has been a vital force in American music. Always unafraid to broach sensitive issues, from murder and the death penalty to drug dealing, he continues to make those who will listen, THINK and QUESTION. Instead of taking the safe, sappy route of mainstream Nashville, he approaches issues that are unpopular to address, but necessary. While the goal of many current artists is simply to sell lots of product and make tons of money, Steve Earle makes music that is relevant, poignant and vital. His artistic integrity has never been stronger or more intact than with this current release.

When I heard that Steve Earle's next record was going to be "very political", I got worried. Not because I disagreed with Earle's politics, or because I don't like political songs, or even because I don't like Earle's political songs. The reason I was worried was that I expected it to be forced; which I expected might limit the focus Earle would put on the music and lessen the quality of his lyrics. I WAS WRONG!!

What I got when I played the CD was a record fairly similar to my other Steve Earle records. No, its not a retread of old ideas musically or lyrically, but its a hodgepodge of styles with some topical lyrics and some thoughtful, but not necessarily political lyrics.
The CD starts with Ashes to Ashes, which is only political in that it espouses the world view that nothing is permanent, especially political empires, including this one (USA). It opens withe the whispered phrase, "Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust" and repeats this refrain throughout in a fine rock song.
Next up is another rock song, Amerika v.6.0 which uses the Stones riff from Jumpin Jack Flash to fine effect in another song which is among the more political on the cd. Its basically a lament that this country is failing to live up to its high ideals...the best we can do, being the somewhat sarcastic refrain. This is a great song, maybe the best on the record.
Conspiracy Theory is a nice rnb song with some somewhat surprising female lead vocals on the chorus which at first seem out of place, but on repeated listenings begin to grow on you.
John Walker's Blues is the notorious song about the so-called American Taliban. It is a haunting ballad which puts you into Walker's head without trying to tell the listener how to feel about the subject. It's controversy is obviously overplayed and the song itself is striking musically as well.
The Kind is a low key song which is probably my favorite. Its typical Earle, but again its really not political. The only other song which appears on the surface to be political is the title track, which is actually a pop song about the hope for peace in Jerusalem, and by implication, the world; kind of a modern day Imagine. If radio had any taste whatsoever, this would be a hit single.
The rest of the songs are really not very political;
I Remember You: a gorgeous duet with Emmylou Harris;
The Truth: a haunting song from the perspective of a prisoner, written for the so-called West Memphis 3;
Go Amanda: a Stonesy rocker, co written by Sheryl Crow;
What's a Simple Man to Do: a tex-mex, Sir Douglas Quintet inspired song about a man who is caught smuggling drus across the mexican border.
Its a terrific album, all in all. I'll readily admit to being a big Earle fan, and I'm not sure I'd put it as high on a pedestal as his most recent 3 traditional releases, Transcendental Blues, El Corazon and I Feel Alright. (I'm not counting Sidetracks, which is a terrific odds and sods collection or The Mountain, which is an outstanding bluegrass collaboration with the Del McCoury Band).
If you like your rock with a southern accent and you like a variety of musical styles, you should have all 4 of Earle's latest, including this one. Steve Earle is on quite a run. Enjoy it while it lasts.

I like everything Steve Earle does. So it comes as no surprise that I like this album too. But the one song that stands out above all others for me is "Jerusalem." If you have any interest whatsoever in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this song plumbs it to the depths. Almost no singer-songwriters (except Israelis) have attempted to write about the conflict & I feel enormous gratitude to Earle for taking the subject on and doing it such justice.

There's been much ado about Steve Earle's newest disc, JERUSALEM, specifically the tune "John Walker's Blues". You're standard bunch of right-wing chicken littles have called for Mr. Earle's head because he "glorifies" the so-called "American Taliban". All that ado turns out to be a whole lotta nothin`, as Steve gives us what he thinks - in his own unique way - is a glimpse into the mind of young Mr. Lindh. There's no glory here; just a confused boy looking for truth and finding only hate and destruction.
Now, if that's all there was to JERUSALEM, we'd have problems. As nifty a tune as "John Walker" is - and it is a pretty nifty tune; Woody would be proud - it's nowhere near the best cut on yet another top-shelf record by Nashville's baddest bad boy. Continuing the stripped-down "loud folk" of such masterpieces as EL CORAZON and TRANSCENDENTAL BLUES, JERUSALEM is raw, rocking and defiant. The overly political Earle lashes out with much fear and loathing at many of the hot topics in today's Generic America. The brilliant "Amerika v.6.0 (The Best We Can Do)" takes to task the former idealists of the baby Boomer generation who've sold out the dream for comfort, stability and a big S.U.V. "Conspiracy Theory" asks hard questions, those same questions that will get you branded a "nutball" or "trouble maker" by the mainstream media. Earle even takes The Boss to task with "What's A Simple Man To Do?" which sounds like a NEBRASKA outtake, harkening back to a day when the Jersey Boy wasn't quite so comfortable.
Speaking of Springsteen, Earle's "Go Amanda" has a raw, loose feeling like the best roots rock should, slipping out of the political mode for some good ol' fashioned rockin'. The title track closes the whole affair with questions about the Holy Land that no one seems to want to answer. They're too busy killing each other in God's name to listen to His words, I guess.
Clocking in at around 36 minutes, JERUSALEM's only fault is it's short length. Earle has always peppered his music with his politics - from "Billy Austin" on 1990's THE HARD WAY to his brilliant anti-death penalty song "Ellis Unit One". This current record takes it one notch higher with questions that deserve answers. There's always a danger with political music of getting trapped in a specific period like a fly in amber. Witness Joan Baez, if you will, but only "John Walker's Blues" has that sort of immediacy. Unfortunately, like Woody Guthrie's music, the questions asked on the rest of JERUSALEM will always need to be asked until we all realize this can't be the best we can do.

For the record, I love Steve Earle. The four albums he strung together in the mid-to-late '90s constitute the best musical run of the decade. But I don't love "Jerusalem." Earle is incapable of making a bad album, but he sure gave it a shot this time.

Aside from the questionable politics (Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Bobby Seale, and Abbie Hoffman linked together? Umm, Steve, ya think the goal of the revolution might actually mean something?), "Jerusalem" breaks no new musical ground. There's the generic Steve Earle male/female duet, this time with Emmylou Harris. It sounds fine, but we've heard it about six times before. There's the raging rocker, a la "Taneytown" or "Everyone's in Love With You," but this time it features the unfocused lyrics of "America v6.0 (The Best We Can Do)." There's the obligatory Springsteen homage in "What's A Simple Man to Do." It all sounds very, very familiar.

In short, sonically Steve Earle is starting to repeat himself. I'm usually up for a bracing protest song, and "Jerusalem" has a couple good ones, most notably the title track, a gorgeous, ringing anthem to peace and the vision of a better future. But this is far from Steve Earle's best work. The controversial track about John Walker Lindh turns out to be, of all things, a crashing bore from a musical standpoint. I count no less than five songs that I'd put in the eminently forgettable category. That's a higher ratio than I've heard in any Steve Earle album since the early '90s. Overall, I'm disappointed.

I am not a Steve Earle fan and I know very little about his previous work. I have "The Essential Steve Earle" and don't care for it, but I am impressed by this CD. The lyrics are thought provoking, the Dylanesque songs are catchy, and the edgy production gives the album just the right sound.

I caught Steve on Conan O'Brien singing "Jerusalem", what a fantastic song. It is definitely the highlight of the CD, but, save for one song, the rest of the CD is very listenable. It's one of those CD's you can put in and listen all the way through without fast forwarding by a stinker.

John Walker's Blues is an intriguing song. I heard the talking heads bashing it on the morning talk shows, taking the lyrics out of context. The whole scene reminded me of the press' crucifixion of John Lennon after his infamous Jesus remark.

September 11th was a tragedy, but we don't all goose step to the drum beat of war. Eventually, other voices, those of peace and reason, will prevail. I pray that I am here "when the lion and the lamb will lie down in peace together in Jerusalem."

Earle here deals with: America consumer banality, government oversight of citizens, John Walker Lindh-the American Taliban, prison time and life between inmates and guards, immigrant life in America, love come and gone, female aggression and religion, to name a few.

This album sounds and feels great loud or not so loud. Ashes to Ashes rocks. Amerika v.6.0 is a legit diatribe against the lousy state of American consumer culture. Conspiracy Theory has a terrific melody and eerie contrast between lyrics "Hush now, don't you believe it, cover your head and close your eyes...," and beautiful voices. I think John Walker's Blues is a great song, moving and compassionate, Earle puts a face on an American taboo, a traitor, and uses a beautiful Islamic chant/song to underscore it. I Remember You is a gorgeous song about two people, long since broken up, married away, who happen to think about each other sometimes, a poetic duet about love in the past. And Jerusalem is another beautiful song, against the hypocrisy of religion, the misuse of Jesus and other dieties for political ends, and a prayer for peace. Thats just about half the songs too.
Good album from an important voice.

I enjoyed this album and the straight ahead aspects of it. The last two albums seemed to be filled with variety just for the variety's sake. This album's heavy songs blend well with the more folky songs later on. The only song that I did not enjoy was Jerusalem. I like political songs, but not when they are wielded with such a heavy hand, like on the song Jerusalem and most of Steve's new album. I'd pick the subtler Copperhead Road, Christmas in Washington, and Taneytown as political songs that I like better.

Politcal statements from musicians have become unfashionable in these existential times. Never one to follow the fashion monkeys, Steve Earle comes out with both guns blasting at Babylon, and delivers the best album of the year. Earle has always been country music's angry outsider, and he isn't about to mellow with age. Those who quibble with the message of "Jersalem" cannot deny the beauty of the music here. Earle's trademark "big guitar sound" blows the roof off the joint, as Earle and Eric Amble exhange crossfires of thundering guitar licks. This remarkable album is a bracing blast of fire in the face of the wheeler dealer establishment...Catch a fire, Babylon.

You know, if somebody is closeminded, that's their right, but if you don't listen to other opinions, than you're not going to learn anything or understand where they are coming from. Steve Earle is a patriot, pure and simple. He fights for those who don't have a voice, or whose voice is drowned out by the masses. This is an intelligent, thought provoking work of art, and will question your American identity. Steve Earle loves his country, and he tells us what he thinks will make us a stronger nation as a whole. If you don't like it, that's fine, but you have no right to call him a traitor. He asks you why did John Walker turn to the taliban. What were his reasons? and to be honest, I think Steve hit that one right on the head; Isolated and rejected by our present day society more infatuated by whose this weeks American Idol, who is left on some deserted island to be voted off next week, whose parents are choosing dates for their daughters on Mtv, whose daughters are getting birthday bashes diva style on Mtv, and who gets left behind by our own desires and egos.