Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Justin Townes Earle, redux

On Sunday I saw the Decemberists for the second time this year. They were great, even though the rarefied setting of the Holland Performing Arts Center might have dampened the crowd's enthusiasm.

But. But, but, but! I've been a J.T.E. fan for about six months: when Kevin told me that he'd be opening for the Decemberists at their Omaha show, I nearly ran off the road.

THIS is the song that hooked me. He didn't play it on Sunday night, although his rendition of "Mama's Eyes" was abundant recompense. Close readers of this blog will understand my attraction to "Rogers Park's" themes of geographical entrapment and temporal panic. He also alludes to the Allegory of the Cave from Plato's Republic, which I evidently explained pretty well when I was a sophomore in college all those years ago. (Yes, Tiff, that bit's about you)

If you like Americana, alt-country, roots rock, or folk--or whatever the hell any of those appellations mean--buy this record.

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