Customer Reviews

Streets of Sin

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

 

 

Joe Ely has done it again. He's come up with a great collection of new material as well as a couple of Butch Hancock winners. Featured on the disc is a return of David Grissom on electric guitar after a hiatus from Ely's work. Jimmie Dale Gilmore's guitarist, Robbie Gjersoe adds some great work on acoustic, resonator and Dobro guitars, particularly on Ely's "That's Why I Love You Like I Do" and Hancock's kiss-off to lost love "Wind's Gonna Blow You Away". Joel Guzman on keyboards, organ and accordian maintains the tex-mex feel on cuts throughout the disc.

Then there are the songs. "Flood On Our Hands" documents the plight of folks living with the ever present danger of flash floods in the Texas Hill Country. The title track, "Streets of Sin" records the story of a man seeking salvation. "Twisty River Bridge" tells the story of the dangers of mixing "love, wine and gasoline".

This is a disc of very strong new material that will stand the test of time along with other Ely efforts. If you're new to Joe Ely, this will help you understand what the enthuiasm about his work centers on. And if you've been listening to Joe all along, you'll greet "Streets Of Sin" with open arms and you won't be disappointed.

I just picked this up yesterday afternoon and I'm still listening. Having never heard Joe Ely before, I listened to some samples based on an Amazon recommendation. That was enough to get me hooked but when I actually heard the whole album...well, let's just say that I've got another favorite. I agree with another reviewer who said that every song is a potential hit, but let's talk about the opener "Fightin' For My Life" a second. Just listen to the lyrics. Go ahead, just click the sample button up there and take 30 seconds to hear what you've been missing. Also, I love the "it's gonna be a rough night out tonight, I know the kung-fu" bit. When I hear something like that, I just have to smile.

The next track "I'm On The Run Again" is classic outlaw-country at its best. This sounds like it could have been a huge hit back in the Waylon/Willie days. VERY good.

I honestly can't find one weak track on the whole album. To say the least, this guy is great. It's not everyday that I pick up on something this good and I've got some serious backtracking to do here. I'm wishing that I had picked up The Flatlanders' "Wheels of Fortune" to go along with it. In fact, I think I will.

Highly reccommended.

It was 6 years that we had no news of Joe Ely - except his involvment with the Flatlanders - so this CD is really welcome because it stands the test with the best of Joe's catalog.
12 tracks here, all of them written by Joe himself except tracks 1 & 11 coming from fellow Faltlander Butch Hancock catalog: Fightin' for my life is a great opening track and though written by Butch it suits perfectly Joe's voice. Great album, poignant lyrics, simple and beautiful melodies, John's tenor and a lot of good work by a fine ensemble of musicians, especially by Joel Guzman at the organ and keyboards: it's no surprise that since its release this album rules the number 1 spot on the lists of Americana Radio.
If you like Joe Ely buy this one and you won't be disappointed, if you don't know him yet, well this is a good place to start.

I give this album three and a half stars. It's not as good as "Love and Danger" or "Letter to Loredo," but it has its strong points, particularly the hard-hitting opener "Fighting For my Life." Ely does incorporate more organ into his musical mix than on previous efforts, but the album is strong overall.

I saw Ely in concert a few weeks ago as part of the Mountain Stage program and he mentioned the floods in Texas, as well as those in West Virginia. One area saw two devastaing floods in as many years, so "A Flood on Our Hands" was a song that really hit home. The songs on this disc have a strong unity and the message conveyed isn't a happy one. The protagonists have been double crossed by nature, the government and other phantoms seen and unseen.

It's a worthy effort and almost all of Joe Ely's albums have something to recommend them, including this one. There simply aren't enough musicians with his honesty and musical integrity around.This may not be the best starting point for those new to Ely, but established fans will find several songs to savor.

Joe has never been one of my absolute favourites. He's done some really good work, but never made it all the way. Until now. Streets of sin easily puts him up on my top ten of the best albums this year. Every song is a potent hit single and I recommend it to anyone who loves rock and country.

Another outstanding production from Ely. The lyrics evoke images and feelings fully supported by the melodies. While not the rocker I prefer, but more along the lines of the Flatlanders, it is easily a cut above the music that is out there today in country, alt. country or adult alternative rock.

Although Joe would not welcome or need the camparison, he is so much better than any other Texas singer/songwriter/performer it's scary. His latest album is supberb. Not yet ready to be put ahead of Letter to Laredo but this one is sure worth the wait. If you have not seen Joe live, you need to drop what you are doing now and get to his next show if it is the last thing you do. The show will be a rush, to put it lightly. Joe's music, thanks to Joel Guzman, Robie and Joe's never ending enthusiasm and love for the music, really brings his music to life. Thanks for the music Joe and I cannot wait for more.

Joe Ely has been one of my favorite outlaw country musicians for a good number of years now. On "Streets of Sin," his skills as a master storyteller are polished like a fine diamond. My favorite cut is the title track with its slower pace, searing electric lead guitar, Joel Guzman's organ given a haunting quality to the music, and a theme of request for forgiveness, "Would you open your screen, let a poor boy in, if I come back home off the streets of sin." The song could be interpreted as one asking to be taken back by his old hometown, a lover or even a cry for forgiveness to the Creator. It's a sterling track. The Butch Hancock-penned opener "Fightin' for My Life" turns up the tempo full throttle in the best tradition of outlaw rock. "A Flood on Our Hands" is a great ballad about a family dealing with rising waters. "That's Why I Love You Like I Do" is another of my favorites with a great traditional feel, "Because you knew I needed laughter, because it heals the wounded fool, because you saw the near hereafter, that's why I love you like I do." This is an excellent and consistently strong set from Joe Ely. Enjoy!

This CD has ten new songs written by Joe, and two by his friend Butch Hancock. It is as good in its own way as "Letter To Laredo" or his early record, "Honky Tonk Masquerade." If you are already a fan and don't have this one yet, go ahead. As an introduction to Ely, who has had a long career without quite making it to the top of the heap, it will also serve. Joe is, to me, a rock/folk/country/blues/rockabilly almalgam. His intelligence and independence and Lubbock-area roots infuse his albums and make them special. He must be wonderful on stage, but he is good enough in the studio most of the time. This one is a success.

I am a fan of Joe Ely but this cd is boring lack luster no spark with sterile production, stick with love and danger or live at liberty lunch cd's that is the Joe Ely with grit and soul that kick's ass ! J.B.