Track listing
Show track credits
- 1 Anchor 3:30
-
songwriter
-
- 2 Silver Cloud 3:03
- 3 The Bed Is Getting Crowded 3:16
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songwriter
-
- 4 Street Songs 2:46
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backing vocals
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songwriter
-
- 5 Down in the Bowery 4:17
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guitar
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vocals
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songwriter
-
- 6 Tender Heart 2:26
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songwriter
-
- 7 After the Meteor Showers 4:38
- 8 Tula 3:48
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songwriter
-
- 9 Undesired 4:26
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songwriter
-
- 10 Fall Apart With You 4:19
- 11 Shelling Rain 3:20
-
Kim Christoffsongwriter
-
- 12 Faith 3:23
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vocals
-
songwriter
-
- 13 Forth Worth Blue 2:51
-
songwriter
-
- Total length: 46:03
Rate/Catalog
Catalog
Set listening
Review
To rate, slide your finger across the stars from left to right.
3 Issues
3 Reviews
It's only a few months ago since I saw Alejandro Escovedo live in concert, but it feels so much longer.
The Deaf Institute in Manchester only holds around three hundred people, making its confined, intimate setting the ideal location for Escovedo's brand of no frills roots rock. His convivial, inclusive approach to his audience is akin to being entertained in your own living room by a nomadic storyteller who just happens to have brought his guitar along for the journey. He has the ability to project himself directly to each listener individually. But here's the drawback. Once the "conversation" is over, Escovedo slips back into the inconspicuous shadows ensuring he remains known to only a relative few.
On the night Escovedo was extremely personable, told entertaining stories, interacted well with his audience, and was an all-round good egg. But again, here's the thing. I'm hard pressed to remember exactly what was on the set list.
A new Escovedo album is like a new piece of furniture. Once in your room, it radiates a kind of brightness. The rest of the room's contents appear to fade in the glow of the intruder's presence. However, after a while, the room bleaches out the newness, slowly absorbing the newcomer into its familiar surroundings until it almost becomes invisible. That's exactly what happens with Street Songs Of Love.
The album is the natural successor to Real Animal. Once again a number of tracks have been co-written with Chuck Prophet, the production duties have been taken up by Tony Visconti, and the occasional guest makes a surprise appearance (Ian Hunter – "Down In The Bowery", Bruce Springsteen – "Faith"). The result is a solid, dependable collection, heavy on the rock and roll rhythms with a little Latino twang spicing up the mix.
Escovedo sounds more comfortable when pounding out the livelier stuff, especially "Anchor", "Silver Cloud", "This Bed Is Getting Crowded" and "Tender Heart". The slower tracks such as "After The Meteor Showers" can be overly sentimental and schmaltzy, but closing the album with the lovely instrumental "Fort Worth Blue" is a nice touch.
Street Songs Of Love is Alejandro Escovedo at his insubstantial best. His style is memorable but fleeting, warm but momentary. There is nothing new or inventive to hear but, what there is will keep you content for a little while.
The Deaf Institute in Manchester only holds around three hundred people, making its confined, intimate setting the ideal location for Escovedo's brand of no frills roots rock. His convivial, inclusive approach to his audience is akin to being entertained in your own living room by a nomadic storyteller who just happens to have brought his guitar along for the journey. He has the ability to project himself directly to each listener individually. But here's the drawback. Once the "conversation" is over, Escovedo slips back into the inconspicuous shadows ensuring he remains known to only a relative few.
On the night Escovedo was extremely personable, told entertaining stories, interacted well with his audience, and was an all-round good egg. But again, here's the thing. I'm hard pressed to remember exactly what was on the set list.
A new Escovedo album is like a new piece of furniture. Once in your room, it radiates a kind of brightness. The rest of the room's contents appear to fade in the glow of the intruder's presence. However, after a while, the room bleaches out the newness, slowly absorbing the newcomer into its familiar surroundings until it almost becomes invisible. That's exactly what happens with Street Songs Of Love.
The album is the natural successor to Real Animal. Once again a number of tracks have been co-written with Chuck Prophet, the production duties have been taken up by Tony Visconti, and the occasional guest makes a surprise appearance (Ian Hunter – "Down In The Bowery", Bruce Springsteen – "Faith"). The result is a solid, dependable collection, heavy on the rock and roll rhythms with a little Latino twang spicing up the mix.
Escovedo sounds more comfortable when pounding out the livelier stuff, especially "Anchor", "Silver Cloud", "This Bed Is Getting Crowded" and "Tender Heart". The slower tracks such as "After The Meteor Showers" can be overly sentimental and schmaltzy, but closing the album with the lovely instrumental "Fort Worth Blue" is a nice touch.
Street Songs Of Love is Alejandro Escovedo at his insubstantial best. His style is memorable but fleeting, warm but momentary. There is nothing new or inventive to hear but, what there is will keep you content for a little while.
Published
0888072319226 CD (2010)
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The quality of his work hasn't diminished, still cracking out smart roots-rock. This one's more rocking than usual with less of a country sound, it's his most driven album. The first cut would fit comfortably on a good Richard Thompson album if sung by him, it's got that feel.
Published
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Catalog
6 Nov 2023
15 Mar 2023
21 Jan 2023
8 Jan 2023
2 Jan 2023
21 Nov 2022
7 Sep 2022
3 Jun 2022
6 Feb 2022
21 Jan 2022
2 Mar 2021
4 Nov 2020
23 Oct 2020
1 Jun 2020
-
1
Anchor
-
2
Silver Cloud
-
3
The Bed Is Getting Crowded
-
4
Street Songs
-
5
Down in the Bowery
-
6
Tender Heart
-
7
After the Meteor Showers
-
8
Tula
-
9
Undesired
-
10
Fall Apart With You
-
11
Shelling Rain
-
12
Faith
-
13
Forth Worth Blue
12 Mar 2020
-
1
Anchor
-
2
Silver Cloud
-
3
The Bed Is Getting Crowded
-
4
Street Songs
-
5
Down in the Bowery
-
6
Tender Heart
-
7
After the Meteor Showers
-
8 Tula
-
9
Undesired
-
10
Fall Apart With You
-
11
Shelling Rain
-
12
Faith
-
13
Forth Worth Blue
