Rating:   9 Ratings     12345  

Steve Earle The Revolution Starts Now Artemis Records

      Recorded last spring by the Twangtrust (Earle and engineer Ray Kennedy) over a period of 11 days, “TRSN” is an album without hesitation. Infused with a sense of immediacy and purpose, it slashes its way through the war in Iraq and the continued hoodwinking of the country by the Bush administration, and shows its cumulative effect on the nation as seen through the eyes of ordinary people. By using mostly narratives rather than straight polemics, Earle puts his stories in a wholly human context as opposed to just a political one, and the songs are stronger for it.

      That being said, this IS a political album, and Earle declares it so on the opening title track manifesto (which also closes the album) when he sings, “The revolution starts now / in your own hometown / in your own backyard / so what you doin’ standing around?” over a chugging drone of distorted guitars and big drums. It is a call to action that is repeated throughout the album. On the somber “Rich Man’s War”, Earle draws a parallel between poor Americans who join the army and a young Palestinian who becomes a suicide bomber. In Earle’s mind, both are being exploited by an elite few who use them to do their dirty work. It’s powerful and fearless songwriting, especially in a post 9/11 America where any form of dissent is considered an almost treasonable offence. “F the FCC,” with its off-the-cuff choruses, “Fuck the FCC / Fuck the FBI / Fuck the CIA / living in the motherfuckin’ USA,” threatens to spiral out of control as the song progresses to a chaotic and abrupt end. It’s a perfect example of how exhilarating rock and roll can be when stripped down to its basic skin. The track is the sonic equivalent of a long, extended middle finger.

      Earle does a fine job of counterbalancing the more aggressive political tracks on “TRSN” with more personal tales, the best being the Emmylou Harris duet “Comin’ Around.” Given the hurriedness of the recordings however, there were bound to be a few misses, and the worst is “Condi, Condi,” an open lust letter to National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. It’s essentially a one-joke demo song that should have stayed just that. Other near misses are “Warrior,” a spoken-word soliloquy that almost works despite the overblown delivery of the text, and “The Seeker,” which just doesn’t seem to fit comfortably with the rest of the songs.

      Overall, The Revolution Starts Now seems to pick up where 2002’s “Jerusalem” left off, though “TRSN” is a rawer, more immediate affair. Earle is as direct and unapologetic in his views as he’s ever been, and he shows that questioning your country’s direction is not only the right but duty of every American. That an atmosphere of fear and paranoia is not an America on the right track, but rather a nation holding its own democratic principles hostage for the benefit of a privileged few. I doubt whether this album will win over any Bush supporters to Earle’s cause, as he’s mainly preaching to the converted here, but the album is a perfect snapshot of the times we are all living in. The revolution may start now, but this November will tell us whether or not it continues on to Washington.

-Mark Horan 09/07/04