Rodney Crowel — TEXAS (Aug. 15th, 2019) 
• Klasika se může stát klišé. A klišé, jako whisky, nostalgie a ortodoxie, umlčí mysl. Nemůžeme se poučit z toho, co víme. Takhle to nefunguje. Ale pokud to, co víme, morfuje, mění se a omezuje se na pravdivou podstatu, můžeme najít potěšení a inspiraci. To se děje tady, v Rodney Crowellově nejneobvyklejších retrospektivách. Jedná se o písně, které chce zpívat a hrát a hraje je tak, jak je chce zpívat a hrát. Není to nic jako shrnutí mimořádného života v psaní skladeb a samotný akt vydání alba „klasiků“, které nezahrnuje „Til I Gain Control Again“, „Voila, An American Dream“, „Song for the Life,“ „Stars on the Water “, „Ashes by Now“, „Bluebird Wine“, „Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream)“ ... a všichni ostatní jsou buď aktem pokory, nebo kapacity hrudníku. Těžko říct a možná na tom nezáleží. Jako vždy, Crowell běží směrem ke svému pravému já, i když nás ujišťuje, že neběží dostatečně rychle. „Slyšel jsem, že to tisíckrát říkalo, že tvé vlastní já je pravda,“ zpívá. „No, není to pro nedostatek pokusů, že to je něco, co nemohu udělat.“ Koukni na tohle . . . zpívá to ve skladbě nazvané „Shame on the Moon Redux“. Jedná se o retrospektivní znovuobjevení filmu „Shame on the Moon“, píseň napsal Crowell a Bob Seger zaznamenal velký úspěch. Originál byl hitem. Bylo to rozbití. Crowell nikdy neměl rád poslední verš, o odrazivém světle na starých prstech. „Kdysi jsem nechal projít spoustu věcí,“ říká. „V té době jsem se do práce nezapojil, aby ta píseň byla právě tím, čím by mohla být.“ A tak jako omluvu Crowell znovu napsal písničku s vysokým umístěním v grafech jako zpověď a přiznání. „Byl jsem opožděný ve svých dvaceti letech a hladověl po chvále,“ zpívá. „And waxing like crazy when I wrote down that phrase/ ‘Oh, blame it on midnight . . . ooh, shame on the moon.““
• Crowell už nemá hlad po chvále. Chválili jsme ho čtyřicet let, od dob, kdy Guy Clark — důrazná a akrobatická postava otce několika hudebních generací — zdůrazňoval nadšeného génia v „Bluebird Wine“, písni, která se stala úvodní písní na druhém celovečerním albu Emmylou Harris „Pieces of the Sky“. [její skutečně první písní byla „I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight“ od Boba Dylana] Ocenili jsme Crowella jako skladatele hitů, jako zpěváka s umístěním v grafech a jako drsně se usmívajícího člena Síně slávy Nashville Songwriters. Ocenili jsme ho až do bodu nasycení a nyní je Crowellova poskoková poezie jeho vlastní odměnou. Jiný básník, Donald Hall, identifikoval jeho nejhrubnější atributy psaní jako „unavený, obyčejný, zrádný nebo falešný“. Rodney Crowell by nebyl za tyto zločiny odsouzen porotou vrstevníků. Toto album klasiků není vítězné kolečko. Je to polní sprint, následovaný kruhem ohně. Rodney Crowell hraje na kytaru a zpívá s přáteli, živě a v reálném čase. Zjevení jsou v odporném a v radostném vlastnictví Crowellových písní, které se staly drahými společníky. Přijíždíme jako čestní hosté, abychom zde poslouchali skutečné já Umělce.
Location: Nashville, TN
Album release: August 15th, 2019
Record Label: RC1 Records/Orchard Music
Duration: 41:56
Tracks:
01. Flatland Hillbillies (feat. Randy Rogers & Lee Ann Womack) 3:05
02. Caw Caw Blues (feat. Vince Gill) 3:12
03. 56 Fury (feat. Billy F Gibbons) 3:51
04. Deep in the Heart of Uncertain Texas (feat. Ronnie Dunn, Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack) 3:18
05. You’re Only Happy When You’re Miserable (feat. Ringo Starr) 3:25
06. I’ll Show Me 4:04
07. What You Gonna Do Now (feat. Lyle Lovett) 3:17
08. The Border (feat. John Jorgenson) 5:35
09. Treetop Slim & Billy Lowgrass 3:01
10. Brown & Root, Brown & Root (feat. Steve Earle) 3:40
11. Texas Drought, Pt. 1 3:48
℗ 2019 RC1 Records
Review
David Nowels, August 12, 2019
• If I were to challenge you to name a more authentic, living voice of Texas than Rodney Crowell who would you say? Willie Nelson? Lyle Lovett? Steve Earle? Well, if you named one of those, perhaps you’d have a valid point. My answer leans more towards Rodney Crowell, but it’s a win/win discussion to be sure. What makes it even better is that they’re all present and accounted for on Crowell’s newest effort, aptly named TEXAS, available August 15th via RC1 Records/Orchard Music.
• TEXAS is an aptly named collection of songs featuring the Lone Star State as the main character and a supporting cast that includes cars, oil and gas companies, border tensions and all things Texan. The collection is presented impeccably by Crowell and co~producer Ray Kennedy as well as a collection of artists like only Rodney could assemble. Crowell’s authenticity is distinct and convincing. These songs travel Texas from the Rio Grande border to the Piney Woods of East Texas and everywhere between, and they’re rendered masterfully.
• The Texas tales commence with the witty quality of “Flatland Hillbillies”, featuring Lee Ann Womack and Randy Rogers, and gets followed by “Caw Caw Blues” which showcases the crafty guitar work and harmonies of Vince Gill. The guitar theme continues, and with no disrespect to the previously mentioned Okie guitar slinger, there’s no guitarist more Texas than Billy F Gibbons. Proof lies in the rollicking and fun “56 Fury,” which is ‘built for comfort, built for speed’. It’s distinctly Gibbons, yet more importantly, it remains distinctly Rodney. Even with all of the guest appearances throughout the album, it’s never lost on the listener that this is a Rodney Crowell record. As do all of his albums, TEXAS contains a constant, hard to define component to it that is undeniably unique to Rodney Crowell. That component is never more apparent than in the star laden “Deep In The Heart Of Uncertain Texas” (Ronnie Dunn, Willie Nelson, and Womack again). It’s a fun, ramblin’ song that perfectly sums up the allure of Texas. “I tried hard to leave here, but never did could.” The song suffers slightly from a distant and remote sounding vocal from Willie Nelson, but it’s a small and solitary grumble.
• Crowell’s songwriting prowess is most prominently displayed with “You’re Only Happy When You’re Miserable” (featuring Ringo Starr) and the bluesy saloon~style piano fueled “I’ll Show Me.” Both songs display Crowell’s special ability to capture the best and worst of human nature. These are inward looking, and deeply personal songs that accentuate Rodney’s masterful songwriting style, as well as his zen~like persona. That style and ability continuously weaves its magic through the second half of the album, which proved to contain the majority of my favorite tracks. “What You Gonna Do Now” features my other favorite Texas songwriter, Lyle Lovett and immediately became my favorite cut. “The Border” allows the accordion and Mexican styled guitar to set a scene, as Crowell recites a story of anger, fear, corruption and desperation from a border agent’s point of view. Things begin to wind down with the Piney Woods outlaw tale “Treetop Slim & Billy Lowgrass, and the history lesson of “Brown & Root, Brown & Root” which simply shines with the deep rasp of Steve Earle cutting deep like he only can. Lyrically, Crowell’s words grab your attention, painting a vivid portrait that again touches flawlessly on the human condition: ‘Pa was mean when he drank, and he always drank, and he never said three words to me’ .
• Crowell though has one last trick up his sleeve. Closing the album out is the beautiful Beatle~esque, yet still distinctly Texas flavored “Texas Drought Part 1”. The song gives us one last example of the beauty that is Crowell’s songwriting…. “The blues in the night have a mind of their own”. It doesn’t get much better than that, though Crowell would probably humbly disagree. A star studded album often comes across cumbersome and underwhelming, and that was my initial fear with early reports of this release. I’m extremely relieved to say that nothing could be further from the case with Crowell’s TEXAS. The guests remain just that. Guests, with Crowell effortlessly and seamlessly guiding them through his tales and into their roles allowing them to bolster his talents. As it should be, Crowell’s star shines brightest here, like a sun at it’s zenith.
• The ‘Houston Kid’ will undoubtedly be touring incessantly behind TEXAS, including an album release show at Houston’s Heights Theater on August 15th. Definitely don’t miss this special album or a chance to see the Zen Master of Americana ply his trade live.
• https://americanahighways.org/
Website: https://www.rodneycrowell.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RodneyJCrowell
FB: https://www.facebook.com/RodneyCrowellOfficial/
______________________________________________
• Crowell už nemá hlad po chvále. Chválili jsme ho čtyřicet let, od dob, kdy Guy Clark — důrazná a akrobatická postava otce několika hudebních generací — zdůrazňoval nadšeného génia v „Bluebird Wine“, písni, která se stala úvodní písní na druhém celovečerním albu Emmylou Harris „Pieces of the Sky“. [její skutečně první písní byla „I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight“ od Boba Dylana] Ocenili jsme Crowella jako skladatele hitů, jako zpěváka s umístěním v grafech a jako drsně se usmívajícího člena Síně slávy Nashville Songwriters. Ocenili jsme ho až do bodu nasycení a nyní je Crowellova poskoková poezie jeho vlastní odměnou. Jiný básník, Donald Hall, identifikoval jeho nejhrubnější atributy psaní jako „unavený, obyčejný, zrádný nebo falešný“. Rodney Crowell by nebyl za tyto zločiny odsouzen porotou vrstevníků. Toto album klasiků není vítězné kolečko. Je to polní sprint, následovaný kruhem ohně. Rodney Crowell hraje na kytaru a zpívá s přáteli, živě a v reálném čase. Zjevení jsou v odporném a v radostném vlastnictví Crowellových písní, které se staly drahými společníky. Přijíždíme jako čestní hosté, abychom zde poslouchali skutečné já Umělce.
Location: Nashville, TN
Album release: August 15th, 2019
Record Label: RC1 Records/Orchard Music
Duration: 41:56
Tracks:
01. Flatland Hillbillies (feat. Randy Rogers & Lee Ann Womack) 3:05
02. Caw Caw Blues (feat. Vince Gill) 3:12
03. 56 Fury (feat. Billy F Gibbons) 3:51
04. Deep in the Heart of Uncertain Texas (feat. Ronnie Dunn, Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack) 3:18
05. You’re Only Happy When You’re Miserable (feat. Ringo Starr) 3:25
06. I’ll Show Me 4:04
07. What You Gonna Do Now (feat. Lyle Lovett) 3:17
08. The Border (feat. John Jorgenson) 5:35
09. Treetop Slim & Billy Lowgrass 3:01
10. Brown & Root, Brown & Root (feat. Steve Earle) 3:40
11. Texas Drought, Pt. 1 3:48
℗ 2019 RC1 Records
Review
David Nowels, August 12, 2019
• If I were to challenge you to name a more authentic, living voice of Texas than Rodney Crowell who would you say? Willie Nelson? Lyle Lovett? Steve Earle? Well, if you named one of those, perhaps you’d have a valid point. My answer leans more towards Rodney Crowell, but it’s a win/win discussion to be sure. What makes it even better is that they’re all present and accounted for on Crowell’s newest effort, aptly named TEXAS, available August 15th via RC1 Records/Orchard Music.
• TEXAS is an aptly named collection of songs featuring the Lone Star State as the main character and a supporting cast that includes cars, oil and gas companies, border tensions and all things Texan. The collection is presented impeccably by Crowell and co~producer Ray Kennedy as well as a collection of artists like only Rodney could assemble. Crowell’s authenticity is distinct and convincing. These songs travel Texas from the Rio Grande border to the Piney Woods of East Texas and everywhere between, and they’re rendered masterfully.
• The Texas tales commence with the witty quality of “Flatland Hillbillies”, featuring Lee Ann Womack and Randy Rogers, and gets followed by “Caw Caw Blues” which showcases the crafty guitar work and harmonies of Vince Gill. The guitar theme continues, and with no disrespect to the previously mentioned Okie guitar slinger, there’s no guitarist more Texas than Billy F Gibbons. Proof lies in the rollicking and fun “56 Fury,” which is ‘built for comfort, built for speed’. It’s distinctly Gibbons, yet more importantly, it remains distinctly Rodney. Even with all of the guest appearances throughout the album, it’s never lost on the listener that this is a Rodney Crowell record. As do all of his albums, TEXAS contains a constant, hard to define component to it that is undeniably unique to Rodney Crowell. That component is never more apparent than in the star laden “Deep In The Heart Of Uncertain Texas” (Ronnie Dunn, Willie Nelson, and Womack again). It’s a fun, ramblin’ song that perfectly sums up the allure of Texas. “I tried hard to leave here, but never did could.” The song suffers slightly from a distant and remote sounding vocal from Willie Nelson, but it’s a small and solitary grumble.
• Crowell’s songwriting prowess is most prominently displayed with “You’re Only Happy When You’re Miserable” (featuring Ringo Starr) and the bluesy saloon~style piano fueled “I’ll Show Me.” Both songs display Crowell’s special ability to capture the best and worst of human nature. These are inward looking, and deeply personal songs that accentuate Rodney’s masterful songwriting style, as well as his zen~like persona. That style and ability continuously weaves its magic through the second half of the album, which proved to contain the majority of my favorite tracks. “What You Gonna Do Now” features my other favorite Texas songwriter, Lyle Lovett and immediately became my favorite cut. “The Border” allows the accordion and Mexican styled guitar to set a scene, as Crowell recites a story of anger, fear, corruption and desperation from a border agent’s point of view. Things begin to wind down with the Piney Woods outlaw tale “Treetop Slim & Billy Lowgrass, and the history lesson of “Brown & Root, Brown & Root” which simply shines with the deep rasp of Steve Earle cutting deep like he only can. Lyrically, Crowell’s words grab your attention, painting a vivid portrait that again touches flawlessly on the human condition: ‘Pa was mean when he drank, and he always drank, and he never said three words to me’ .
• Crowell though has one last trick up his sleeve. Closing the album out is the beautiful Beatle~esque, yet still distinctly Texas flavored “Texas Drought Part 1”. The song gives us one last example of the beauty that is Crowell’s songwriting…. “The blues in the night have a mind of their own”. It doesn’t get much better than that, though Crowell would probably humbly disagree. A star studded album often comes across cumbersome and underwhelming, and that was my initial fear with early reports of this release. I’m extremely relieved to say that nothing could be further from the case with Crowell’s TEXAS. The guests remain just that. Guests, with Crowell effortlessly and seamlessly guiding them through his tales and into their roles allowing them to bolster his talents. As it should be, Crowell’s star shines brightest here, like a sun at it’s zenith.
• The ‘Houston Kid’ will undoubtedly be touring incessantly behind TEXAS, including an album release show at Houston’s Heights Theater on August 15th. Definitely don’t miss this special album or a chance to see the Zen Master of Americana ply his trade live.
• https://americanahighways.org/
Website: https://www.rodneycrowell.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RodneyJCrowell
FB: https://www.facebook.com/RodneyCrowellOfficial/
______________________________________________