Steve Earle - The Revolution Starts Now

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Trouble and truth

Artemis/Rykodisc - 2004 - 39 minutes

Earle's anger boiled over on the roots meets rage rock of his last album 'Jerusalem', here it sounds like he's about to explode. And with even more to shout about and against than he had two years ago, his rallying call deserves to be heard by even more people - especially in an election year.

With the exception of his duet with Emmylou Harris on 'Comin' Around' and the ballad 'I Thought You Should Know', every song here squares up to politics and policy with trouble or truth in mind - even Earle's reggae romancing of  Condoleezza Rice on 'Condi, Condi' has menace behind the bassline.

"Democracy is hard work," he says in the liner notes, this record is anything but.

Harry Guerin

Tracklisting: The Revolution Starts... - Home to Houston - Rich Man's War - The Gringo's Tale - Condi, Condi - F The CC - Comin' Around - I Thought You Should Know - The Seeker - The Revolution Starts Now