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| Alejandro Escovedo's 'Big Station' Alejandro Escovedo will release his 11th solo album 'Big Station, ' June 5th, 2012 on Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group. Produced by Tony Visconti, 'Big Station' finds the ever-evolving Texas rocker highly-charged with spirit and purpose. The album's hard snap and sharp arrangements recall much of the great music Escvovedo absorbed as it blasted out of AM and FM radios throughout the 60's and 70's. Largely co-written with frequent collaborator Chuck Prophet, the album's 12 songs bristle with tension and hope as Escovedo fights to keep faith in a changing world and hold onto love. 'Big Station' follows Escovedo's critically lauded 2010 album 'Street Songs of Love, ' which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and earned rave reviews from Rolling Stone, The NY Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, and many more. Earlier this month, Escovedo took SXSW by storm with a slew of stellar performances including two appearances with Bruce Springsteen. Escovedo, undeniably on the short list of celebrated Texas songsmiths, brings the entirety of his hard-won poetic gift to 'Big Station's' 12 songs. He artfully chronicles his hometown and own personal decline in "Bottom of the World, " saying "Austin's changed, it's true/Show me what hasn't" as he watches "the cities of the world reduced to ashes" on television. Similarly, on the ultra danceable pop number "Party People" he intones, "One time I knew just how to get around knew all the secrets in this dirty town." The evocative "Sally Was a Cop, " vividly wound together by a single muted trumpet, paints a grim portrait of Mexico's violent drug wars and political corruption. "Seems like everybody's trying to sell me something I don't need, " Escovedo sings on the whole-hearted, exquisitely melodic "San Antonio Rain, " adding "But the last thing I need is something that'll dull my pain." The super-punchy "Common Mistake" primed with crackling horns and Joe Jackson-like staccato is existential new wave fun of the highest order. Salvation is found in Escovedo's wide and deep roots. He looks to the sacrifice of his parents for strength on "Can't Make Me Run, " and he closes the album with his first ever recording in Spanish: "Sabor a Mi." Written by the late Mexican composer Alvaro Carrillo in 1959, the song's title translates as "Be True To Me." write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Jazz News :: home page |