El Corazon - Earle, Steve (CD 1997)

Steve Earle's music leaves no room for waffling; either you appreciate his candor and soul, or you don't. "Corazon" (Spanish for 'heart') includes some of the finest country-rock-folk moments in musical history. "Fort Worth" is a heartfelt ballad set over vibrant acoustic guitar. A tribute to the late Townes Van Zandt, the song describes how the great artist suffered under a barrage of personal demons.

"NYC" is as hard a rocker as you'll ever find. The understated verse, which is softly song over acoustic strumming, explodes into catacysmic fury with layers of hard electric guitars. Rumor has it that Earle puts 11 gauge strings on his guitars to get a thick, molasses-like tone. The other gems on this album exhibit Earle's confidence with bluegrass, folk and blues.

The production on "Corazon" is rugged and raw. While not always crystal clear, the warmth of the album astounds me. As a musician, I can appreciate how Earle puts feel before technique. Every note is full of sober truth, every lyric is painfully rendered. Few today show the range of emotion that Earle can. I liken his music to perhaps Ben Harper or Joe Henry.

Steve Earle, by the way, has also written a remarkable book of short stories called "Doghouse Roses". It is a fabulous book and stands without any help from Earle's musical accomplishments.