Album Review: Justin Townes Earle – The Saint Of Lost Causes (New West)

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Justin Townes Earle’s eighth album finds an artist hitting a new standard for himself, both in terms of songwriting and production.

At age 37 and with seven studio albums under his belt, Justin Townes Earle has had plenty of time to step away from under his father’s shadow.

Until now, Justin’s songwriting has been steeped in his own experiences, whether growing up as the son of Steve Earle, battling addictions or finding true love.

For The Saint Of Lost Causes, Earle turns his gaze outward, looking at life in 21st century America through the eyes of working class folk from coast to coast.

There are no rants against Trump or the far right, but instead character studies of how the current political climate has affected ordinary people.

Throughout the album’s 12 tracks, Earle takes on the personae of a lonely man in Memphis, a black teenager in LA, a Cuban father in New York, and most chillingly, a down and out young man in West Virginia, addicted to speed and pills, who eventually kills a cop while robbing a drug store.

Along with these desperate people, Justin writes about desperate places.

Flint City Shake It highlights the past glories of Flint, Michigan and its once-booming auto industry. Don’t Drink The Water points a finger at the corporate thugs stripping the Appalachian mountains while Pacific Northwestern Blues takes us on a rollicking road trip with a Western Swing soundtrack.

Justin Townes Earle’s storytelling skills are admirable and his ability to put the listener in a specific place and time is masterful.

But what really puts this album over the top is the music itself. Earle and co-producer Adam Bednarik have assembled a crack band that features Paul Niehaus on guitar and pedal steel, Jon Radford on drums, Cory Younts playing keyboards and harmonica and Joe V. McMahan on slide guitar.  Bednarik holds down the bottom himself on bass.

Niehaus’ pedal steel gives songs like Mornings In Memphis and Frightened By The Sound a soulful, country-noir feel, while the entire band kicks up its collective heels on rockers like Ain’t Got No Money and Flint City Shake It.

Hearing these guys play reminds me of Dylan’s 2006 album Modern Times and the way his band was able to touch on all things Americana from blues to soul to rockabilly to country without sounding forced or purposely retro.

They just sound natural. And so does Justin Townes Earle as he writes from the heart and sings from his soul of this, his best record yet.

Marty Duda

Marty Duda
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