I never quite ‘got’ Alejandro Escovedo. I had a couple of his records and liked any number of his songs (though unlike a certain former president, “Castanets†was not among my favorites). But I didn’t really get it. How did the editors over at No Depression say that this guy was the Artist of the Decade back in the 90s? That decade saw Wilco’s rise to super (semi)-stardom, Steve Earle’s dramatic comeback from drugs, jail, and rehab, and Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels triumph. Last night in Northampton, MA, at the Calvin Theatre, I think I discovered the answer. They had seen him play live.
I can see why Bruce Springsteen signed Escovedo to his record label. It is because Mr. Escovedo rocks every bit as hard and as with much passion as the Boss himself. Alejandro and the Sensitive Boys (drums, bass, two guitars) blew the doors off the place as they ripped through an opening surge of rockers that began with “Always A Friend†from 2008’s excellent Real Animal. The band seemed to rock with a reckless abandon somewhere between Crazy Horse, the Who, and the Clash.
When the band finally came up for air, Escovedo strapped on an acoustic guitar and dedicated a beautiful rendition of “Sister Lost Soul†to the late great Stephen Bruton (who evidently produced some of Escovedo’s early records). He told us the story of his father’s crossing of the Mexico-Texas border to find his parents as an introduction to the song “Rosalie.†And in perhaps the most touching and humorous interlude of the night, Escovedo told us the inspiration behind the song “Down in the Boweryâ€, which was written for his 18 year old son. The son, a graffiti artist who listens to “hip hop and really loud punk bands,†thinks his dad plays “old music for old people.†Though the relationship seems a bit strained (Escovedo said “maybe I’ll speak to him again when he’s 21â€), the song is a beautiful ode to young adulthood with some great lyrics (“I’d buy you a smile in a minute,/ but would you wear itâ€).
The set list leaned heavy on ‘08’s Real Animal and this year’s rocking Street Songs of Love, and gloriously so, as both albums are as strong and as any in his career. He did find room for “Castanets†(I do like the song better live), “Five Hearts Breaking,†and a couple of other early classics. The encore, however, reserved for something else entirely. Escovedo started with a lightly rendered version of the Rolling Stone’s “Sway†(which can also be heard on Escovedo’s live record More Miles Than Money and is one of my favorite Escovedo tracks). He then set his guitar aside for a glorious take on another Rolling Stones classic, “Beast of Burden.†The band played it like it a soul classic, and Alejandro sang it in a voice worthy of Marvin Gaye or Otis Redding.
The Calvin Theatre may not have been the best venue for this show though. While the sound was good, Escovedo and Kathleen Edwards (who co-headlined) was probably not a strong enough bill on Tuesday night. The Theatre was only half full and both artists struggled slightly to raise the energy level of the crowd.
About the author: Specializes in Dead, Drunk, and Nakedness..... Former College Radio DJ and Current Craft Beer Nerd