Steve Earle’s tribute to his son, who died last year in a tragic accident, feels like something he had to do, writes Scott Stroud of The Associated Press
Steve Earle & the Dukes, “JT” (New West)
Steve Earle has previously recorded acclaimed records, to Townes songwriting consultants Van Zandt and Guy Clark. But this one is different.
Maybe that’s because he started recording it just months after his son, Justin Townes Earle, died alone in his Nashville apartment of an unsuspecting exile at the age of 38. It feels like something to he had to do it, his father’s way of mourning.
“JT” includes 10 of his son’s songs and one original writing, “Last Words. “Strangely, the same new song feels impersonal even as it recounts their last phone call. The details are intimate but somehow, and Steve Earle reveals more about their relationship in web notes and interviews.
But how can you blame his father for not being vulnerable enough in his grief? The injury could be too crude to be so long out there, as Steve Earle has been all his life.
However, the more moving obedience comes in the careful curation and performance of the son’s songs. The passion of Steve Earle and his band, who once brought Justin into the ranks, pours into them is evident. One can imagine a father with a broken heart, working his way through his son’s elegant catalog but suddenly finished, making careful, loving choices.
Some songs, including “Far Away in Another Town” and “Champagne Corolla,” shed new light on their craft compositions. Steve Earle ‘s singing is heavier and harder than his son’ s work, but his treatment of his son ‘s work only shows how good he is. He lives completely in each last song.
Ultimately, “JT” does what obedience records do. It elevates the artist’s work, reminds us of the wonderful songs he created, and somehow begins the sad process of sorting through infertile loss.