Steve Earle

In 1986 and 1987, Steve Earle made two great records – Guitar Town and Exit 0 – on which
he established a vivid Southern-working-class identity and melded aspects of country, folk
and rock. Even though his band had a steel guitarist, rock fans saw Earle as a spiritual
cousin of Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar Mellencamp, Ronnie Van Zant and Bob Dylan.
Meanwhile, the barons of country music in Nashville, Earle's home town, treated... More >

This time, it isn't only the heavy beat, loud guitars, and wild-ass vocal mannerisms that make it rock--giveaway's the melodrama that rock set pieces substitute for the flat inevitability of the country variety. So my prescription is simple: more Tom T., less Bruce. Meanwhile, just say his vision of history is more convincing than his vision of personal relations. Which these days is another giveaway. (Grade: B)