Transcendental Blues

Steve Earle

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 6, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 6, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Artemis Records
• ASIN: B00004S9AN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (118 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,663 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Music > Indie Music > Rock > Singer-Songwriters
  #6 in	Music > Indie Music > Folk > Folk Rock
  #64 in	Music > Indie Music > Country > Alt-Country & Americana

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

While Steve Earle's last album, The Mountain, was an all-acoustic collection of folk and bluegrass, his latest project returns to the trademark stylistic eclecticism that he displayed on El Corazon (1997). Transcendental Blues flows from gentle folk to British invasion pop, from Celtic-flavored jaunts to hard-edged country-rock and bluegrass romps, and as always Earle deftly blurs these lines. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description

Dutch version of the country rocker's 2000 album which combines rock, country, punk, bluegrass, and the blues, as only Steve Earle can. First pressing includes a 4 track bonus live CD which features 'Copperhead Road', 'Galway Girl', 'Steve's Last Ramble' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Is Steve Earle capable of making a bad record?, June 14, 2000

By	Ken Hart (Ironton, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

I'm beginning to believe the answer is no. "Transcendental Blues" is his fifth release since getting clean and sober. I believe that it, and its predecessors, constitute the most impressive body of work by an American artist over the past 10 years. There's not a doggie among the 15 incredibly diverse tracks on "Transcendental Blues." Earle explores musical styles ranging from Irish folk ("The Galway Girl") to garage rock ("All of My Life") to Byrdsian country rock ("I Don't Wanna Lose You Yet") to bluegrass ("Until the Day I Die"). The disc closes with "Over Yonder (Jonathan's Song)", a heart-wrenching recounting of a condemned man's final hours that was inspired by a 1998 execution that Earle witnessed at the request of the condemned man. It is a testament to Earle's songwriting ability that, despite his well-publicized opposition to capital punishment, the song is not the least bit preachy and comes off as much more than a simple anti-death penalty polemic. Well done, Steve. Keep 'em coming!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST SONGWRITER ALIVE TODAY?, November 29, 2002

By	adam david (new york) - See all my reviews

The first Steve Earle album I bought was Copperhead Road. It was good, and what I was happiest about with it was that I was sure that I would never need buy a Steve Earle record again.

Then somewhere along the way I lost it, and rather than replacing it I picked up Ain't Ever Satisfied instead, a greatest hits collection that included the best material from Copperhead Road, as well as a great deal of songs from Guitar Town and Exit O. I became aware of how much I had been missing from this artist, but now that I had the greatest hits collection, hey, I'd never need another Earle album again.

Then I bought a Steve Earle songbook that included a lot of the material that I already had, but also included a handful of songs from albums I didn't. After learning the songs - and quickly appreciating their quality and craft - I picked up I Feel Alright and Train A'Comin. Great stuff, even if now my Steve Earle collection was taking up more space than I originally had planned. Still, now my collection was complete.

Then I heard a co-worker's stereo down the hall a few years ago. I liked what I heard and asked: it was Earle's collaboration with the Del McCoury band, THE MOUNTAIN. Wth no hesitation, I prompptly went out and bought it. Whew...

I've gone on long enough, you know where this going by now: I finally bought Transcendental Blues, and am absolutely blown away. The number of standout songs on here is one thing, but the performances are stellar as well: the attack and bite of "Everyone's In Love With You", the drum pattern on the beautiful "Lonelier Than This", the Pogues-like "The Galway Girl" (Shane Macgowan would KILL to write a song this good these days), the her-honey-to-his-vinegar duet on "When I Fall".

It's funny: there are times I think Earle's material would be better if he'd spend more time shaping and crafting the individual songs. But then when I actually am listening, I'm not sitting there going, "That line needs editing", or "That guitar part needs tidying up". It's nothing short of inspiring how prolific and how good Earle's material is. As much as you've goota respect your Leonard Cohens and Peter Gabriels...I mean, c'mon guys, pick it up!

The best songwriter alove today? Take a listen to this disc and name one better.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Earle's Finest Albums, June 12, 2000

By	Jack Chandler "Jack Chandler" (Opp, Alabama) - See all my reviews

Any fan of Steve Earle and alternative country music in general should buy this album without hesitation. I have listened to this album in its entirety about 20 times since I purchased it a few days ago. Each track on the album is a unique work of art. As he has done on all of his albums since 1995, Earle manages to equate a wide variety of musical styles to produce a compelling collection of songs. From the upbeat rock 'n roll songs of "Everyone's in love with you," "Wherever I Go," and "Another Town," to the Irish rooted track "Galway Girl," Earle proves that he is truly in his musical prime. In "The Boy Who Never Cried," Earle uses Christian inspiration and Eastern musical influences to crank out a tune that is one of the album's best. I'm glad to see that this album currently ranks as #5 on Amazon's best-sellers. Do yourself a favor and buy the album.