What does it sound like?:
I have to declare my bias here before proceeding with my review. I consider Tom Russell to be currently the greatest living songwriter in the genre we describe as Americana. In short he has no equal. This is the third in a trilogy chronicling the West that started with The Man from God knows where and continued with Hotwalker. It is his magnum opus, his raison d’être for the last few years and is an absolute joy from start to finish. It should be listened to in one sitting but at 2 discs long and with around 140 minutes of music it may not be possible to devote that much time in one go. Bitesize chunks do not detract from the enjoyment and it is clear that this is a labour of love that he must surely be proud of. How can anyone be this good? It tells the story of an Irish immigrant who left the shores of the Emerald Eyes as a young boy. The narrator is 90 years old and looking back on his life. A life of Cowboy hustlers, barroom brawls, gamblers, roustabouts and ne’er do wells. The whole set is interspersed with spoken commentary, traditional Irish songs such as Carrickfergus and the Fields of Athenry plus traditional cowboy songs such as The Streets of Laredo. However it is Tom’s songs that soar and guests are a veritable who’s who of Americana. Includes appearances by Gretchen Peters, Barry Walsh, Eliza Gilkyson, Johnny Cash, Huddie Ledbetter, Ian Tyson, Fats Kaplin, Jimmie Dale Gilmour and countless others. Tom has crafted this with a love for the land of his origins and a longing for people to immerse themselves in the ways of the West. It is a disappearing time in a disappearing place and he wants it enshrined. The Smithsonian should ensure this work is preserved for future generations to enjoy. However it is not a museum piece it is a living, breathing thing of great beauty.
What does it all *mean*?
The Blues was an historical part of the American past. This music is as important and should be revered by all.
Goes well with…
any situation – there are moments to suit all moods. The whole album is a broad canvas and I don’t think there will be any work this year that matches it in terms of craft and ambition.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
Everyone that has a remote interest in American music will be overawed by this. Just stunning.
Absolutely Steve. It is magnificent. I’ve only heard it a few times to date but it is easily a contender for album of the year. It’s an unalloyed joy from beginning to end.
I have managed to have the time to listen to this tremendous piece of work on three separate occasions all the way through. Tom Russell is a man at the top of his game and `The Rose Of Roscrae` deserves to be listened to by a wider audience.
Great review Steve. I will definitely investigate further!
Sorry. I find this kind of music suffocating. Great review, though.
I love him. He sang this one at Cambridge Folk Festival a few years back and it was the song of festival. All the sessions were singing it.
I’m gonna check out this new one right now.
Bugger, it’s not on Spoty…..
Not yet @jorrox. But it could well turn up.
on now !
I absolutely agree about Tom Russell’s standing as a songwriter and bought the new album from Amazon on pre-order. Whilst I am really enjoying the new album, I’m not sure that I prefer it to The Man From God Knows Where. It may be that I’ve lived with that album for the last fifteen years and know it intimately, while I’m still getting to know The Rose….
It may also be that I want to hear more of The Streets of Laredo, Carrickfergus and so on and want to hear the whole of Gallo del Cielo and Guadelupe (which is my single favourite Russell lyric – a potential thread in its own right, so brilliant a lyricist is he). I know how Gallo del Cielo ends but every time I hope for a different ending – maybe on this album Carlos Zaragoza returns in triumph – we will never know because the song fades out too quickly.
Don’t let this dissuade anyone from exploring the album – and if you get the chance to catch him in concert in September/October, do go and see him as a great night out is guaranteed. I’d just suggest that you also check out some of his earlier “non-concept” albums as well. Borderlines is a particular favourite of mine, along with Blood and Candle Smoke which contains the aforementioned Guadelupe !
Oh – and great review Steve – I’d have checked the album out even if I’d never heard of Tom Russell on the basis of that!
Thanks for your comments walker1. I agree about the non-concept albums and specifically Borderlines. I also agree about Guadelupe which might be my favourite song ever but then again he writes something like Nina Simone and you are there with him in a sleazy border town hearing Nina Simone’s voice echoing out of a jukebox in a bar you shouldn’t be in.
I wil be at one of his gigs later this year and you are right seeing him live is a great night out.
I`m taking an oxygen tank when I go see TR just in case.