Justin Townes Earle

[Matt Lyons]

Okay; so this is my first post here on Flyinshoes Review and I'm a little nervous about commiting my thoughts and opinions to digital paper, so to speak. I have recentlydownloaded (only my second ever digital purchase!) Justin Townes Earle's third and most recent album, Nothing's Gonna Change the way You Feel About Me Now after a friend recommended him to me. Are there any fans here among us? I know there is a back catalogue that I have yet to hear and so my impression might not yet be completely accurate, but gee, he is good!

Justin Townes Earle, son of Steve Earle, must have been under some amount of pressure as all musical children of successful artists are, but I admire his seemingly uninhibited approach to songwriting and delivery. Clearly , some of the hang-ups of his lineage feature in his song subjects, particularly in the opening track of this LP, Am I that Lonely Tonight?, but you get the sense that this baggage does not influence his style and essence any more than any other musician who grew up immersed in music at home without the notoriety. I have since discovering him, read up a little on Justin Townes Earle's history and rocky relationship with his legendary father and I am impressed by the fact that after being booted out of his dad's band due to his, shall we say, unreliable lifestyle, only to then go it alone and develop himself into a unique artist.

This latest album, Nothing's Gonna Change the way You Feel About Me Now, demonstrates Earle's seemingly effortless songwriting abilities and how a down-on-luck back story is always a great ingredient for beautiful creativity. My exposure to the wealth of Americana music that exists is shamefully limited at present and so I find it difficult to draw comparisons or give any points of reference, but I can say with confidence that Earle is a legitimate performer in his own right who will no doubt become a leading representative of his genre. On this latest release, he has incorporated some lively Soul into some of his tunes which adds colour and uptempo which  complements his more sullen style of writing.

If you haven't already discovered his music, I strongly suggest that you track some down. If you are familiar with Justin Townes Earle, then please share your thoughts and enthusiasm. I haven't stopped listening to this album since I bought it. Happy listening all!

Stand out tracks (my personal opinion only):

* Am I that Lonely Tonight?

*Memphis in the Rain

*Unfortunately, Anna

A little collage of Earle in the studio and talking about recording...