Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0094638241126 Label: Back Porch Manufacturer: Back Porch Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Back Porch Release Date: 2008-06-24 Studio: Back Porch
Rating: - Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
Real Animal (2008, Black Porch/Manhattan) Alejandro Escovedo's ninth studio album. ****
Alejandro Escovedo has a family tree rooted (no pun intended) in music, and while there are plenty of sons and daughters, nieces and nephews who have musical background but have no talent themselves, Escovedo isn't one of them. The album is simple, really; it's merely adult alternative pop/rock, and even though most albums in this genre are beyond mediocre and go fairly unnoticed by anyone under age thirty, Real Animal is wonderfully different. The accessibility of easy-rockers such as the opening "Always a Friend" or the slightly darker "Chelsea Hotel '78" open themselves up to people of all ages. The earnest "Sister Lost Soul" or the closer "Slow Down" reveal Escovedo's ability to be sincere. And it has its rocking moments as well, as the rolling riff of "Smoke" demonstrates in its start-and-stop guitar and bass work. There's nothing complex here, it's just a great package of songs with decent production put out to entertain. Fans of jam bands, chill music, party music, and good music in general will find pleasure in Escovedo's simple elegance. Highly recommended. (Always a Friend, Chelsea Hotel '78, Sister Lost Soul, Smoke)
Rating: - A Great Album
I just discovered Alejandro when I downloaded a duet of the opening track on this album that he performed with Bruce Springsteen. It inspired me to pick up Real Animal and I was not disappointed. An excellent Rock and Roll album that I highly recommend to fans of Springsteen, Tom Petty and the like.
Rating: - Great Album, Great Artist
Like most other reviewers, I've ben a fan for a long, long time.
If you're new to Al's music, buy other albums, starting with
1. Gravity (a download steal at $5.99, and it includes both the studio album AND a live concert)
2. Thirteen Years (a bit slow at first, but really grows on you after repeated listenings)
3. By the Hand of the Father (a semi-autobiographical musical, created for the theater stage, that talks about the Escovedo family journey in the US. More of a Tejano album than rock, with some amazing stories burried in there).
4. Everything Else. They're all really, really good.
But don't stop with the albums--far and away the best way to get to know Alejandro's music is to SEE HIM LIVE. I've seen Al about 6 times over the past 15 years and each show is unique, intimate, and personal.
And whether it's with a four-piece band or a string quintet (don't let the strings fool you) AL ROCKS. If you've seen Springsteen live, it's like a more modest version of that. But instead of 50,000 people in the stands you're more likely to be surrounded by 50 or 500.
I never write Amazon reviews, but Alejandro is so good he deserves 10 minutes of my time. Buy this album--you won't regret it.
Rating: - Real Celebration
After his bout with Hepatitus C, Alejandro Escovedo released THE BOXING MIRROR, an album that examined his place in life after a brush with death. His work including that album, has always been sharply introspective, handling tough subjects with the right balance of despair and hope. With his great new album, REAL ANIMAL, Escovedo now takes the time to celebrate his life and accomplishments to great effect.
He celebrates his musical roots on this on; loudly. Taking inspiration from The Stooges, David Bowie, Mott the Hoople, Lou Reed and late 70's punk, REAL ANIMAL rocks harder than any Escovedo release that I've heard. Songs like CHELSEA HOTEL 78, TONY AND CHIP, REAL AS AN ANIMAL and NUNS SONG are full blooded rockers that would do his influences proud. SESITIVE BOYS quietly comments on artists like himself trying to make their voices heard in the world with a knowing eye for detail
He celebrates the fact that he's still alive and breathing on this planet on great songs like the metaphor for his Hep C GOLDEN BEAR, PEOPLE and the great emotional closer SLOW DOWN. SLOW DOWN perfectly punctuates the total feeling of the album.
He celebrates people that he met along the way in the opening rocker FRIEND IN YOU (which sounds like the type of rocker Los Lobos used to effortlessly kick out circa THE NEIGHBORHOOD), SISTER LOST SOUL and HOLLYWOOD HILLS. These songs all possess the great lyrical touches and musical sense of his esteemed earlier work.
Mostly though, this is a celebration for Alejandro Escovedo fans, and music fans in general. Coming after the moving, but uneven BOXING MIRROR, it's another classic album in a career loaded with classic stuff. From the great songs, powerful songwriting, outstanding musicianship (nods to guitarist Chuck Prophet and drummer Hector Munoz) and superb production by Tony Visconti, REAL ANIMAL is to my ears the best CD that I've heard this year. I'll be pleasantly surprised if I hear a better one
Rating: - Great talent
I first became aware of Alejandro when I saw him perform on a TV show and said to myself, "I've just got to have this guy's album." Since I love the blues, I thought the safest bet would be to get his Bourbonitis Blues CD, and I'm not disappointed. It's got to be one of the best I have ever listened to. Alejandro's got such a curious and successful mix of styles and genres ... I ordered Real Animal at the same time I ordered Bourbonitis Blues - and, again, was not disappointed. I have subsequently ordered three more of his CDs after listening to the preview tracks provided by Amazon. This service is an excellent way to determine whether you will like the album you are thinking of buying ...
Ted Shelton: "Frankly I felt that BlogOn was a waste of time and money."
I think the BlogOn conference was overproduced. In the name of professionalism the organizing firm turned off potential speakers, oversubscribed sponsors, etc.
I would have liked a debatable topic (aside from *blogging = journalism*. Two people slugging it out. Or a devil's advocate taking challenges from the floor.
I would have liked more hard numbers. Facts. Charts. Diagrams. We have the analytic tools to BS-check them; harder on vague opinions and single-points-of-observation.
I found it disturbing how much money was being commanded (from both attendees and sponsors) for a conference at a university. Maybe it was because it was at Berkeley? Maybe we should have taken over a community college or a Cal State or a DeVry. The facilities costs would have been cheaper at least. I heard an organizer apologize and say the next one would be at a hotel, like that would have been better.
Cost wasn't the whole problem. We're at a stage where early adopters are meeting folks who want to leap the chasm. Huge gaps in knowledge, experience, context, culture, vocabulary. It's the gap.
There are huge ideas to be explored, even in the world of applying blogs to media strategy and the enterprise. And most of the big ideas weren't even on the agenda at BlogOn. Probably because it was catering to those who want to commercialize, fund, and otherwise exploit (excuse me, "get in on") the emerging medium.
Let's fork these conferences so advanced topics on business and technology and culture fit the participants.
Microsoft asked a federal judge to dismiss a class-action lawsuit related to its Vista Capable marketing program. But a day later, the judge ordered Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to testify via a deposition.
- Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
- A Great Album