Influential Americana singer Justin Townes Earle will be releasing his ninth studio album The Saint of Lost Causes on May 24th. This 12 track album will feature a diverse array of musical styles from blues, folk, swing, traditional country, roots-rock and boogie woogie.
This album was co-produced by Earle and his longtime engineer Adam Bednarik and was recorded at Sound Emporium in Nashville, Tennesse, the singer’s hometown. The Sound Emporium has hosted an array of artists including country legends Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers, as well as influential independent rock act R.E.M.
I was trying to look through the eyes of America,” Earle explained in a press release regarding the album. “Because I believe in the idea of America – that everybody’s welcome here and has a right to be here.”
This version of America is far from optimistic however, as it focuses on the downtrodden and despondent, a tale theme that often occurs in many traditional country and folk songs. Themes of working class struggles will appear throughout the album, as different narratives are displayed through its lyrical content.
A few of these stories are as follows:
“There’s the drugstore-cowboy-turned-cop-killer praying for forgiveness (“Appalachian Nightmare”) and the Michiganders persevering through economic and industrial devastation (“Flint City Shake It”); the stuck mother dreaming of a better life on the right side of the California tracks (“Over Alameda”) and the Cuban man in New York City weighed down by a world of regret (“Ahi Esta Mi Nina”); the “used up” soul desperate to get to New Orleans (“Ain’t Got No Money”) and the “sons of bitches” in West Virginia poisoning the land and sea (“Don’t Drink The Water”).”
Earle has kept a consistent schedule throughout the past two years, touring throughout 2018 in support of his 2017 album Kids In The Street. Despite releasing the album a little under two years ago, Earle explains that his relationship with his past work changes, which is a sentiment that a lot of artists carry.
“That’s(changing relationship) been true with all my songs. The tempos change, or you find these little inner workings that you didn’t find when you recorded them. You find some things you wish you’d had when you recorded them,” Earle explained in an interview with Redline Roots. “That little inner melody, and it’s like ‘Damn it, I wish that was there on the record.’ So I find that with every record I’ve ever made; there’s always going to be this evolution of the songs, especially when you bounce between doing live band, solo, and duo. There’s going to be pretty noticeable differences.”
He also explained how finding connections between contemporaries and past artists has also resonated with him. Earle famously was introduced to blue by way of Nirvana, rather than many traditional blues artists.
“When I listen to The Replacements, I hear Carl Perkins in there. I that’s something we have to look at as songwriters, and realize that our chances of doing something original or writing the great American folk song are slim to none,” Earle further elaborated. “So you have to learn to pay homage to the people who come before you and try to put a new spin on it.”
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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