Customer Reviews

Together at the Bluebird Café

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Apparently, these three underground folk / rock / country greats walked on stage together for what sounds like a nearly impromptu benefit for a proposed Interfaith Dental Clinic (for the "working poor," Van Zandt explains, "who can't get insurance"). Each performs several of his own songs, accompanying himself on guitar with a minimal amount of harmony vocals.

Earle and Clark give strong performances. The stories told between songs are sometimes hilarious -- Townes' story of losing his gold tooth in a game of cards, or Earle's recounting of how his roommates were too dumb to even steal pizza.

But the thing I find really striking about this recording is Townes Van Zandt. Townes died only a couple of years later, the proximate cause being complications following hip surgery, but his alcoholism no doubt contributing. In his performances you can hear his slipping concentration -- missed chords, forgotten lines, etc.

His performance of "A Song For" is heartrending. He forgets parts, and the spare accompaniment accentuates his croaking, corroded voice. "Too late," he sings, "to wish I'd been stronger." A song for what? For a dying poet, a wanderer with no strength left to roam. A song for whom? A song for Townes Van Zandt. Touching.

If you're reading this review, you're probably already familiar with at least one of these legendary songwriters. Get the album -- its intimate, warm, funny feel is delicious even if you already have recordings of all these songs.

... I quickly bought the album and liked it immediately. It was recorded in 1995, not long after Earle got out, appears to be after Train A-Comin' but before I Feel Alright. It follows the same quiet, acoustic folk sensibility as Train A-Comin'. It is not a rowdy album at all, more like Earle, Van Zandt and Clark are sitting in your living room trading off songs with nothing but their guitars. The three obviously know each other very well and are very relaxed, so the songs flow very easily and naturally, and that by itself is a huge benefit to the album. Included are a few Earle standards like "My Old Friend the Blues" and "I Ain't Ever Satisfied", though the one drawback is a clipped version of "Copperhead Road", which is the finale and the rowdiest this album gets (which is really not at all). The best songs in my opinion are "Valentine's Day", this version of which I think far surpasses that on I Feel Alright, "My Old Friend the Blues", "Mercenary Song" and "Tecumseh Valley", Van Zandt's song that Earle did on Train A-Comin'. Townes's songs are very touching and you can easily see his influence on Earle. Clark not quite as much, but the variety is great, and he of course is another big influence of Earle's. Another nice touch is the introductions to songs - they are funny and add to the atmosphere.

If you are an Earle fan (or Van Zandt or Clark), then buy this immediately, you won't regret it. You get a good dose of Earle and his direct influences. I'd rank it better than Transcendental Blues, but not quite up there with the other four recent albums. But then again, it's different, so not directly comparable. If you have never heard Steve Earle before, this is not the worst place to start, but not the best either. It all depends on what you are looking for - if it's more towards folk, get Train A-Comin', then maybe this one; if you're more of a rock fan, go for I Feel Alright, then move to El Corazon. I recently created a new Earle fan out of a friend at work who plays guitar - I played him "Taneytown", as another reviewer said, "the best Neil Young song ever, not written by Neil Young". Long live Steve Earle!

This CD, capturing a 1995 guitar pull with Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, is as great as you would picture. The sound quality is excellent sound quality and the song selection is great. Earle and Van Zandt, in particular, are in great voice and spice up several of the songs with charming banter. For Earle, this is a far more satisfying concert snapshot than his full-length SHUT UP AND DIE LIKE AN AVIATOR from years ago. Standout cuts: Earle's Mercenary Blues; Van Zandt's Tecumseh Valley; and Clark's Randall Knife.

Three living legends: Steve Earle, Guy Clark, and Townes Van Zandt (at the time of this recording - Townes has since flown away) sittin' around, pickin' and grinnin' and story-tellin' - and you are there. You can't help but love everything about this set, and if you've never known anyone in your life with the good ol' Texas troubador personality shown here, you'll sure wish you did. I've had the good fortune of knowing like-minded folk over the years, and it's just as much fun and just as precious as it sounds.
Buy this disc. You'll have three instant new friends with talent and humor and sorrow and humanity overflowing.
And, for Townes, to paraphrase Lucinda Williams...you were too sweet for this mean ol' world.

I find it hard to believe that no one has reviewed this beautiful album. So I'll give it a go.

If you're a fan of one or all of these artists, you'll love this album. The intimacy of the live performance in what sounds like a very small cafe is perfect. These guys write personal songs. Songs that are sometimes very, very close to the heart.

Guy Clark, for some reason, is an unknown treasure. His songs have no peer. Steve Earle is a rebel with a cause. And Townes Van Zandt is the drunken angel and poet that Lucinda Williams sang about.

My advice: listen and learn.

And thanks to the reviewer above regarding my Drunken Angel comments. I stand corrected.

But Townes was a bit of a drunken angel himself, I would say.

I cant believe any of you whiners that dismiss this album as poor. Sure, Townes is loaded, but do you want the truth or do you want some polished puke? Townes Van Zandt is spreading the love on this one, and you can hear how the audience responds not only to his songs, but his stories, which by the way, make me laugh over and over again.
This is honest, not perfect, and beautiful.

I've seen Townes van Zandt criticized as unable to carry a tune. Guy Clark takes hits for limited vocal range and sounding like a back porch amateur. I once saw Steve Earle criticized as provincial in outlook. Such quibbles miss the point.

This album is rough-edged, if you only enjoy a polished production. It is recorded "warts and all," with no plastic overlays, in an intimate real-audience setting. Listen to van Zandt's outrageous tale of how he lost a tooth, or to Clark's intro to a version of his "Immigrant Eyes" made more powerful and real by the lack of plastic, and you'll be struck by the sense of immediacy that runs all through this album.

This collection wouldn't have worked half as well from inside a studio, where the words these poets string together, the emotional connection, the easy way they communicate with the audience, the honesty - it all would have been muted or lost. Here, they come through with wonderful clarity. This is one of those "little albums" that wind up at the heart of the collections of people who enjoy and follow American roots music.

This CD captures an incredible intimate performance by three of America's greatest singer-songwriters. Acoustic and delightful, the songs--and even the between-song banter--are a joy to listen to. If you enjoy Earle, Van Zandt, or Clark, you've gotta have this album. And if by some chance you haven't heard music from any of these three legends, this is the perfect introduction to their wonderful talent. (Note: Don't worry that this album is being released by a small label...the sound quality is A+.)

I can't believe anyone familiar with any of these three legendary singer/song writers won't love this cd. It's not a live concert from a big arena, it's three friends swapping great songs and great stories in a small, cozy atmosphere. The sound is not perfectbecause it's live after all and yes Townes does forget some lyrics here and there. But what a tremendous time capsule to leave behind. Townes was close to dying when this was recorded and he sings some of his best works on the cd. "Katie Belle Blues" is particularly strong as is the story that precedes it. Guy Clark is in fine voice and his selections are some of his most powerful and memorable, especially "The Randall Knife", "Immigrant Eyes" and "The Cape". However, as much as I love Townes and Guy, I think Steve Earle steals the show. His work is brilliant as is his story telling. "My Old Friend the Blues" and "Valentines Day" are especially remarkable. I also enjoyed "I Ain't Ever Satisfied" especially when Steve gets the audience involved. "Copperhead Road" is a great closer, even if ii is an abbreviated version. If you like Texas music or enjoy any of these three fine artists, I highly recommend this cd.

Great album, bringing together three of the great songwriter-poets of our time, who along with Blaze Foley constitute a world unto themselves. They got together to perform this benefit for a Dental Clinic! Townes even comments that he can't get dental (or any) insurance. All three are tight and brilliant, but the most heart rendering songs in this collection belong to Guy. The man is a treasure - he plays one of those guitars that he made himself (yes!!), it sounds beautiful..the same care and thoughtfulness is present in the songs..buy this...today!!

Oh..one correction to the other review on this page: Lucinda Williams' Drunken Angel isn't about Townes, but about Blaze Foley.