In 2008 I though Justin Townes Earle had everything his daddy Steve Earle had lost over the years. On Justin’s first album The Good Life, songs to die for, humor and a great voice. “South Georgia Sugar Babe” is everything a funning country boy should be singing and at Joe’s Pub later that year? All of the above and then some. And if, say, “Who Am I To Say”, a lovely ballad, he is solemn and sad, he is also simple and poetic.
But last year’s Midnight At the Movies was as sophomoric as a sophomore album (hint to Justin: if you find you have written “Jesus ride beside me” CROSS IT OUT). this leads me to his terrible Daytrotter session. The music is fine country shit and Justin has a great voice, but just awful awful songs. If he ever writes anything worse than “They Killed John Henry” I won’t be around to hear it and the other three songs?
If “Mama’s Eyes” is his attempt to come to terms with Daddy please ask him to save it for the fucking couch, ‘we don’t see eye to eye ” indeed. Shut you’re fucking face. Is this the most self-centered song every written. Has he joined Kings Of Leon.
Daddy Steve had been at it 20 years before he became a bore. His son didn’t waste any time in following in his first steps.