Video: Justin Townes Earle “Look The Other Way” (Live at WFUV)
If there is anyone that can speak to fuck ups, regret and redemption, it should be Justin Townes Earle. JTE’s notorious struggle with the demons of addiction came to a boiling point during a show in Indianapolis at Radio Radio in September of 2010. That night, Earle was arrested after a drunken dispute with the audience and the venue’s management. Check out My Old Kentucky Blog’s account of the events for further details.
This year, Earle has resurfaced toting a track that deals directly with the tribulations the singer has likely been wrestling with since his public break down. On “Look The Other Way” JTE plays the role of repentant lover, vowing to abandon his lecherous behavior once and for all. Here, he’s begging not simply for forgiveness, but to be held accountable.
I’m lookin’ for the means to pay
for all the wrongs that I’ve done
For the nights I left you alone, in wait
But I’m always gonna owe ya
If you always look the other way
Only time will tell whether Earle’s new song is a genuine commitment to right his wayward ship, or another empty promise before the eventual misstep. When your father is Steve Earle and you are named after Townes Van Zandt, it would seem as if the odds are stacked against you. Regardless of the outcome, it proves fascinating to watch an artist come to grips with what must have been a life low. Watch a clip from JTE’s recent performance at New York’s WFUV studios, below. “Look The Other Way” will be on Earle’s new record Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now, due out next week.
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Written by Rob Peoni
Fresh Track: Dolphins “Compression”
Dolphins is a glo-fi, synthpop project based out of Chicago with its roots in Tampa, FL. The quintet released their self-titled, debut EP yesterday. Founding Floridians Johnny Paglino and Adam Offer have expanded what began as high school buddies experimenting in a garage, into a serious quintet with promising chill wave aspirations. Stream “Compression,” the second single from the band’s debut, below. The track features some addictive synth lines and coheres nicely. Dolphins’ holds on to a more organic sound than most of the electro-influenced bands that come my way. Paglino’s blurred imagery pairs well with the dreamy back beat. The recording is worth a spin, and has me wondering whether the band can pull it off live. Download a copy of their debut for $7 via Bandcamp.
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“Compression”
Written by Rob Peoni
Band to Watch: Shakey Graves
I’ve recently grown infatuated with a one man tour de force that goes by the alias Shakey Graves. Austin, TX’s Alejandro Rose-Garcia explains the origin of this moniker in the video that you can find below. The story is worth a listen, as is the music on Rose-Garcia’s debut LP Roll the Bones. His relentless fingerpicking style, marked by impeccable timing, is the engine that drives this powerful solo project. Listen to the title track, here:
When performing live, Shakey Graves sits atop a jury-rigged kick drum / suitcase, typically decked out in suspenders, fedora and leather boots. He looks as if he has just leapt from a train whose most recent stop was in 1936. The look may be a touch on the gimmicky side, but the music delivers with honest, clever writing placed in front of a retro sound that never reduces itself to a cheap imitation of an earlier era. Even when Rose-Garcia covers Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire”, a song typically relegated to shitty open mic nights, he manages to keep things fresh by stripping the song down to its bass line.
Shakey Graves was featured in a trio of SXSW showcases last week. He has stayed busy throughout March playing weekly gigs at The Hole in the Wall in Austin alongside a rotating cast of local staples like The Gourds. In April, Rose-Garcia will take the project north as part of Pitzer College’s Kohoutek Music and Arts Festival outside of Los Angeles, with plans for a more extensive tour tentatively planned for fall. If Rose-Garcia’s traveling suitcase wanders toward the Midwest, I’ll be running to meet him at the depot. This sound is too much fun to miss. Name your price for a download of Roll the Bones via Bandcamp.
Connect with Shakey Graves via Facebook | Twitter
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 