Customer Reviews

West Textures

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Robert Earl strikes again with "West Textures," a perennial road trip, drinking and barbecue favorite.

"The Road Goes On Forever" is the jammin' ballad that turns Keen concerts into revivals, with full-grown men and women frothing at the mouth with a down-with-The-Man fervor. "The Five Pound Bass" is the time-honored search for the fish *thiiiiiiis* big [it's as big as a goddamned BABY], "It's the Little Things" the plight of annoyed married folk far and wide [and adapted by comedian Rodney Carrington in "Little Things" on "Hangin' With Rodney], and "Don't Turn Out the Light" the ever-familiar story of the drunk arriving home after a night at the bar.

In contrast, "Sonora's Death Row" spins a tale of an accidental killing on a cowboy's night off in a Mexican town, the unavoidable weight of a Guanajuato man's separation from his family in "Mariano," and the reflections of first love in "Jennifer Johnson & Me." My personal favorite, however, is "Love's a Word I Never Throw Around," a simple declaration of a man's love in spite of his ending relationship. Robert Earl doesn't often bend to the pressure for a happy ending, and that honesty makes his work stick long after the CD stops playing.

I bought this tape about 8 yrs ago after watching his show in College Station, TX; ever since then I have wondered why he wasn't a HUGE star. I listened to it on a couple of cross country drives and sang along for about a thousand miles before changing cassetes. Get it, listen to it, live it.

This is the best. You must listen to it over and over to catch each subtle lyric. Sonora's Death Row is incredible. It's like a little movie in itself. "The Road Goes On Forever" is on this one, but that is one of REK's weaker songs on this CD. Listen to it and you won't be sorry if you're a true Keen fan. You actually feel every song on this CD. True TEXAS music. If I could only write like that! WOW

Hard to believe it had been nearly five years since Keen's last studio album when "West Textures" emerged fully formed form the dusty plains of the Lone Star State (Keen had issued a live album in the interim but both it and it's studio predecessor, "No Kinda Dancer", had long been forgotten, if ever they'd been truly discovered in the first place; no, nearly everyone who considers themself an "old school" REK fan picked up on him with this album and backtracked over the previous two afterward). Although only having one real breakout hit, "West Textures" set the template for not only Keen's repertoire but a host of imitators, something "No Kinda Dancer" - though near perfect in it's own right - failed to do.But what a hit that breakout was. "The Road Goes On Forever" cemented Keen's legend instantly, being covered immediately by other notable Texas luminaries such as Joe Ely, and even if the mass country audience didn't discover it until a few years later when the live version hit radio, the impact was felt not only on a younger breed such as the likes of Pat Green, but Keen's hardened tales of unexpurgated life on the cowboy edge both informed and validated a generation of his idols and predecessors (is it any wonder Guy Clark experienced a resurgence about this time, not only in popularity but in songcraft as well?). Keen's manifesto was liberal amounts of Steve Earle (whose "Tom Ames' Prayer" he would go on to cover) fused with the irreverent folk of John Prine and maybe a little Rodney Crowell (a fellow Houstonian) as well. "The Road Goes On Forever", for those who remain blissfully ignorant of it's existence, is one of those tunes that sets into the cranium instantly, a brash mixture of ecstatic fiddles and outlaw lyrics updated to feature the modern drug culture (something his fellow Steve Earle must surely approve of). Far from being a mere cautionary tale on the inauspicious fate which meets drug dealers, "Road..." instead goes the far more humanistic route of illustrating what makes a man with nothing to lose resort to things which he may know is not in his best interests, which makes the characters' eventual downfall feel more like the climax of a Greek tragedy than a comeuppance. Though "The Road Goes On Forever" remains the best song on the album, Keen reveals on songs such as "Mariano" the Hispanic influence which would bear full fruit on the "Gringo Honeymoon" record. Similarly, "Five Pound Bass" is a bit of a novelty/party song, blissfully vapid and intended as nothing more than an ideal drunken singalong for his live shows. "Love's a Word I Never Throw Around" is representative of his later mid-tempo ballads, with "Jennifer Johnson and Me" being actually something of an anomaly, rather old fashioned in it's folk leanings and more reminiscint of the high school romanticism of 50s rock, but the emotion is genuine and it remains one of his most gripping tunes.So we've got the second of REK's five star albums - the debut being the first - which doesn't mean that there aren't mediocre songs on board (Keen's CDs always have at least one or two throwaway tracks), but sandwiched between the rest of the masterpieces and near-classics they don't detract much from the overall listen. The prime cuts on "West Textures" soar high enough above the standards of excellence that the few middle-of-the-road stragglers fail to bring the album down to the realms of mere mortal accomplishments. Keen would make better albums but he could never again sound this fresh, this vital.

I've been listening to Robert Earl for years and this is by far one of the better cds. The ballads on this particular cd tell stories that are identifiable and heart-breaking. But, just when you think you're about to cry it rips into a boot-stomping, clap-your-hands song. A must have.

Stellar throughout. Excellent songwriting, with all but two of the songs penned by REK. Of course there is the classic "Road", but this is just chock-full of excellent songs - songs of love, adventure, heartbreak, etc. Hard to beat having Jerry Douglas featured on most tracks. An earlier, simpler Robert Earl Keen. Highly recommended if you are only going to buy 2-3 of his CDs for your collection.

I love Texas singer-songwriters -- Jerry Jeff Walker, Townes Van Zandt. One day I heard this on an indie radio station and when I heard it as what I thought was "West Texas" I instantly made a note (while driving on the highway!) as a "must have". I bought it and have been playing it lots for the past few years. Gringo Honeymoon is also good. REK is a master, and this album is a rare treat.

I know this sounds like the tail wagging the dog but I am thinking that Cormac McCarthy wrote All the Pretty Horses after listening to Keen's West Texture. I have given the McCarthy's book and this CD as a single gift because I think that they parallel each other in some ways.

I have heard that Keen's concerts have become something along the lines of Buffet and the parrotheads - and I haven't enjoyed Keen's music as much as it leaned toward alcohol-themed songs - but this one is a great album and I would also recommend No Kinda Dancer as good listens from the pre-alcohol days.

If I got sent to prison and was allowed 5-10 CD's this would be one of them. This is not faint praise.

I own about 6 or 7 of his albums (dang how many are there) and I have to say this is truly my favorite. I could listen to it on a loop for weeks at a time and never tire of it. It drives my wife crazy.

REK has long been known in Texas, and has a huge college following. He should be a huge star, but shuns the Nashville spotlight. All of his cd's are a must for road trips of all kind for the wonderful lyrics and stories woven into the songs. If you like Jerry Jeff Walker and other Texas folk singers, REK is a must to consider your collection complete.