Thank you Geoff Stephen from the 1002nd Album for this chance to talk about Steve Earle’s immensely great I Feel Alright album.
Welcome, Mike ‘LeBrain’ Ladano! Join Mike & I as we discuss quadratic relation-esque running orders, why we avoid skipping so-called skippable tracks, and the ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes certain albums magical.
Enjoy on Youtube below!
STEVE EARLE – I Feel Alright (1996 Warner)
One of the greatest albums of the 90s might never have happened if Steve Earle didn’t get addicted, go to jail, and finally clean up. Earle was always a formidable songwriter. “Ain’t Ever Satisfied”, “Someday”, and “The Other Kind” (to name only three) dripped with emotion and a certain perfection, insofar as art goes. Steve’s songs were always about life, but in the 90s, life got intense. I Feel Alright is the resultant album, a masterpiece that serves as the prototype for several more of Earle’s later works.
I Feel Alright was actually preceded by an acoustic album called Train A Comin’, made up of songs written from 1974 to 1995 In the liner notes, Steve tells the story.
“When I was locked up, I was getting ready to go off on this boy that stole my radio. My partner Paul asked me where I was going. I said, ‘To get my radio, and then go to the hole for a little while.’ He looked at me like I look at my 13 year old sometimes and said, ‘No, you ain’t. You’re gonna sit your little white ass down and do your little time and then you’re gonna get out of here and make me a nice record.’ SO, I MADE TWO.”
“I Feel Alright” opens with defiant chords, hands hitting the strings unrelentingly, and then Steve opens his mouth. It’s the same voice but somehow, now it feels like he really means it. “I feel alright tonight,” he sings reassuringly. Because we were worried about him! The worldly lyrics are backed by shimmering layers of guitar.
Fun hits hard on “Hard Core Troubadour”, classic guitars chiming away. Singing about a girl who’s seeing another guy on the side, Steve threatens him with the epic line: “Wherefore art thou Romeo, you son of a bitch?” It’s over and out in under three minutes, but the enduring adventure will be worth a repeat spin.
A blast of harmonica enters for the sentimental “More Than I Can Do”. Upbeat and unforgettable. Simple, impeccably constructed, and effective. Three perfect songs in a row.
The first ballad, “Hurtin’ Me, Hurtin’ You”, is the kind of song Steven Tyler has been trying to write since about 1993, except done right. This is what he’s been trying to write — the bluesy country heartbroken ballad with punch. Sorry Tyler, Steve’s got you beat. This song has “Crazy” beat by a country mile.
Upbeat harmonica enters the fray once again on “Now She’s Gone”, the story of a wild child. Something Steve probably knows a thing or two about. Vivid storytelling. “She met a boy up in Kentucky, Charlie was his name. Just when he thought he got lucky, she stole his watch and chain.” Most of I Feel Alright is short and sweet and this is no exception. With rough and weathered voice, Earle sings it with intent.
Side one closes on “Poor Boy”, traditional country a-la Johnny (Cash or Horton). Strong beat, light twang, and seasoned singing. This is the kind of country Steve would have grown up on.
Opening side two, “Valentine’s Day” is a somber apology. It sounds like Earle has made quite a few apologies in his day, and this represents them all. Gentle, with subtle country backing vocals and light strings.
The clouds give way to a fiery blaze in “The Unrepentant”. Steve’s hunting the devil himself this time, with a “bad attitude and a loaded .44.” He concludes his threat with, “You got your pitchfork and I got my gun…somebody’s gotta do it.” Fans of “Copperhead Road” will enjoy this song cut from a similar electrified cloth, though at a slower, more deliberate pace.
The only track on I Feel Alright that might be out of step is the blunt blues “CCKMP” (“Cocaine Cannot Kill My Pain”). It’s obviously dark, raw, and intense. Clearly born from Steve’s own experiences, and completely relevant to the journey. Will you enjoy listening to it? Difficult to say. What can be said is “CCKMP” is the dark point of this ride, the scary part in the tunnel. It has its place. It would have been wrong to leave out this crucial part of Steve’s journey.
“Billy and Bonnie” is a classic outlaw story, mandolin singing away while a driving beat takes us on down a dusty dirt road. A Cadillac, a gas station robbery, and a day in court make for a killer story (literally)! Then it’s a little bit of traditional country bluegrass on “South Nashville Blues”. Looking for a little company, with money in pocket.
Ending as strongly as it began, I Feel Alright goes out on a duet with Lucinda Williams. “You’re Still Standing There” is the love letter at the end of the story, the happy ending. More blasts of harmonica, backed by impeccable melodic construction. When you filter those melodies through the very human voices of Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams, you get a raw celebration of a closer that just makes you wanna smile.
The celebration is just that Steve survived. That he came back truly a stronger singer/songwriter is the remarkable part. Though he came close to perfection on followup albums like El Corazón and Trancendental Blues, song for song, Steve has never touched the level of I Feel Alright again. It’s one of those magical albums that’s composed of classic after classic after classic; songs you want to keep hearing over and over again. Very real performances, communicating human emotion efficaciously. A perfect record.
5/5 stars
The LeBrain Train reunites old friends — it is what we do! Whether it be Mike Fraser and Andy Curran, or members of the community at large, we enjoy bringing people together. We also enjoy improvisation, both in our music and in the live show. This time, flying by the seats of our pants, we reunited Jacob Moon with old friends from his past. By the stories told, you can call this episode This Is Your Life, Jacob Moon.
Watch as Meat, Trevor and Jacob relive their favourite memories, musical and otherwise. Observe as Meat forgets how to count up to eleven. Enjoy as Jacob performs some of his favourite impressions. Ed Grimley? Check. Tom Waits? Check. Nigel Tufnel? Top ten!
In a LeBrain Train first, Jacob gave us the show’s first full musical performance. Steve Earle’s “Someday”, live by Jacob Moon, is a LeBrain Train exclusive musical performance! He also gave us a partial version of “Downtown Train” with some hilarious impressions.
We took viewer questions and a celebrity guest question from Andy Curran. Discussion subjects included:
Thank you Meat, Trevor and especially Jacob Moon for an awesome Saturday show. Jacob, I am honoured and flattered to have you play live on my little show! I cannot thank you enough.
Iron Tom returns with his 2020 list of awesome, a little bit of commentary, and plenty of Youtube videos for you to check out!
Let the ‘Wheels on the Bus’ take you on a tight funky ride…
Great album for the shit-storm that was the last four years. However, I’m not sure I’ll be partying to some of it four years from now….
The coolest dude on the planet being a one-cool-man-band….
Emphasizing the humanity over politics plays well….
After the quality of the last few albums, I don’t know why I was surprised by how much I liked this one… Keep going boys….
This band has been pretty consistent over the decade and have produced another great thrash album that is as catchy as it is heavy….
1974-recorded and 2020-released and enjoyed…I read that Young thinks that the album is ‘the unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes A Time’ and he’s right….
A pleasant surprise…no gimmicks just solid consistent heavy metal.
A little uneven but the highs more than outweigh the lows… The videos may be unintentionally hilarious but the rock fire remains….
Fans of well crafted rock with tasty twin guitar will enjoy….
A heavy riffy old-school thrashfest that does not let up….
It doesn’t quite match the strength of his last two, but that’s only because Isbell has set the bar so damn high for himself… This is an excellent album in its own right….
Ian’s and Lombardo’s presence help Mr. Bungle deliver little on the experimentation, but some great straight-up thrash….
Riffy modern occult rock with excellent vocal harmonies….
Who knew there were deserts in Sweden? These Kyuss-wannabies make a good case that there are….
Wishbone Ash fans will have lots here to enjoy….
Instrumental Stoner from France… Groovy cool shit… And there are two more 2020 releases I haven’t checked out yet….
A fresh coat of paint on some metal masterpieces and some pretty cool covers….
Yes, Crimson and Gentle Giant fans will find much to like here….
Vintage 70’s guitar rock for 2020 and they are from Brampton….
Whether you know it or not, the only list you should care about every year is Iron Tom Sharpe‘s. If you only listen to 20 albums this year…make them these 20.
Not a great year overall…nothing truly blew me away…these are merely ones that people should check out. – Iron Tom
GETTING MORE TALE #719: Mystery Disc
Cleaning out Jen’s mom’s house after she passed away was very emotional work. Nobody’s been living there since July. One day she got up and broke her hip. We didn’t know it yet but the cancer was in her bones. She never came home again. When we started working on the house in September, everything was more or less how she left it.
Her music collection was small with a few gems. One disc that I kept was Cat Stevens’ Icon. I had to take it for “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out.” As told in Getting More Tale #702, that song seemed to make a connection with me when she was sick. One day we went to see her in the hospital, and she was unconscious. No longer able to communicate. That song was stuck in my head for reasons I can’t explain. I like to think she was sending me a message. Not to be sad. It would have been like her to say that to me. I get tears in my eyes thinking about her lying there dying, and that song playing on repeat in my head. I had the song played at her funeral. It just seemed like such a “mum” song, even though I have no memories of us ever listening to it together. When I found out that she actually owned that song, I got the chills again. Finding Cat Stevens made my heart swell.
We also found a number of CD-Rs that I made, but had no labels or covers. For today’s chapter I’m focusing on one specifically. I can’t figure out why I made it, or who I made it for, or what it was doing at Jen’s mom’s house!
It is a lightscribe CD, and burned into the top is the old background from my website. It’s a photo of some model guitars and guitar picks. The 15 song track listing is most bizarre and I can’t figure out what I was doing!
Track 1: Craig Fee saying “LeBraaaain”. This dates the CD to 2012 at the earliest. I liked to introduce my CDs with something amusing, so this works.
Tracks 2-4: “Whiskey in the Jar”. The first is Metallica’s studio cover from Garage Inc. The second is Thin Lizzy’s take from 1972. Last is a live Metallica version, possibly from the CD single. That’s a lot of whiskey – 15 solid minutes worth. Listening back, the Metallica live version absolutely kills their studio cut. Yeah-hah!
Track 5: Steve Earle – “Home to Houston”. This track is from Steve’s political 2004 album The Revolution Starts Now. I haven’t played that album in years and I don’t remember this song. Why it stuck out enough to put it on this mystery disc, I haven’t a clue. Good tune, but I don’t know it anymore!
Track 6: Jeff Bridges & Colin Ferrel – “Fallin’ & Flyin'” from the 2010 soundtrack Crazy Heart. Now, memories are starting to form. I can remember driving around with Jen and her mom, listening to this song in my car. Did I make this CD for her mom? If so, why the Metallica?
Track 7: Johnny Cash – “The Man Comes Around”. One of the greatest Cash songs, from the best American album in my opinion. Goosebumps, still to this day. Jen and I love Cash and had him played at our wedding.
Track 8: Me doing a song intro! The backing track sounds like Motorhead’s acoustic version of “Ace of Spades” with the main lick looped and no vocals. I made this for a past Sausagefest countdown! The track I’m introducing: “Renegade” by Styx! I mention that it was covered by Daughtry and then add sound effects of Nicko McBrain burping and farting. I have to admit it’s a pretty great (and funny) intro! It was #30 on the 2013 countdown. From that I can now assume I made this CD the same year. Which is strange because I wasn’t really making mix CDs anymore in 2013.
Track 9 is a personal favourite, “Rock An’ Roll Angels” from Whitesnake’s 1982 album Saints & Sinners. I’ve always been into rock and roll songs with boogie woogie piano. I have loved this song for three decades. Then Track 10, another Whitesnake classic: “Slow An’ Easy” from the landmark classic Slide It In. That’s another personal fave, because of the slide riff. It’s incredible and I spent many hours as a teenager playing air slide to it. Not to mention air drums! Cozy Powell was so fucking cool.
Then more slide! Track 11: The Black Crowes – “Twice as Hard”. I was clearly trying to make the CD flow. Indeed I used to spend hours shuffling track order until I had it “just right”. With all this slide business going on, I wonder if the next song is going to be some “Travelling Riverside Blues”?
Nope! A total surprise to me, Track 12 is The Tragically Hip! “50 Mission Cap” is Jen’s favourite, for reasons you’ll understand.
Bill Barilko disappeared that summer,
He was on a fishing trip.
The last goal he ever scored,
Won the Leafs the cup.
They didn’t win another till nineteen sixty two,
The year he was discovered.
I stole this from a hockey card,
I keep tucked up under.
I think the lyrics are brilliant because they tell two stories at once. First, they tell the true tale of Toronto Maple Leaf Bill Barilko, who tragically died in a plane crash in a remote part of Quebec. Nobody knew what happened to him until his body was found 11 years later. The second tale is that of a young Gord Downie who read about it on the back of a hockey card.
Track 13 is another surprise: “The Boys are Back in Town” by Bon Jovi! Don’t scoff, this is actually a really good Thin Lizzy cover from their New Jersey period. Lyrically, Jon and Phil Lynott were on similar wavelengths. This is exactly the kind of tune that Jon was writing. “Wild in the Streets” is Bon Jovi trying to re-write “The Boys are Back in Town”.
Track 14: “Big Foot” from Chickenfoot III. Gotta be one of my favourite car tunes. “Got Houses Of The Holy on the box, got it all cranked up cause, yeah! That shit rocks!” What a groove — you can’t help but stomp along. Joe Satriani has a way with a riff.
I had a guess that Track 15 was going to be all of side one of 2112. The track time was over 20 minutes, so I had an inkling it was either that or side two of Abbey Road. I’ve ended mix CDs with 20 minute epics before, and I think it works. The Beatles did it! Granted, the 2112 epic was a side one, but it still functions perfectly in the closing position. Try it yourself!
Listening to this mystery disc has been enjoyable, but my reasoning still escapes me. It’s such a bizarre mix, with the front loaded threesome of “Whiskey in the Jar”. From there it starts to make a little more sense. But how it did it end up at “mum’s” house?
My best theory is that I made it as a gift for Jen’s Uncle Rick, and it never got mailed. He lived in Texas at the time — maybe that’s why I included “Home to Houston”. Rick is also a Whitesnake fan, and a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. I’m just not sure.
How would you rate this mix CD if you were the recipient? I think I’d give it a solid:
4/5 stars
No commentary from Tom, just rock. Pay attention, as many of these titles are recurring on these lists!
Tom’s Top 20 for 2017
20 Vulfpeck – Mr. Finish Line
19 The Wizards Of Delight – The Wizards Of Delight (EP)
18 Neil Young – Hitchhiker
17 Thundercat – Drunk
16 Mothership – High Strangeness
15 Steve Hackett – Night Siren
14 Deep Purple – InFinite
13 Mastodon – Emperor of Sand
12 Gov’t Mule – Revolution Come Revolution Go
11 John Garcia – The Coyote Who Spoke In Tongues
10 Pallbearer – Heartless
9 Steve Earle – So You Wannabe an Outlaw
8 Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
7 Magpie Salute – Magpie Salute
6 Jason Isbell – The Nashville Sound
5 Fireball Ministry – Remember the Story
4 The Obsessed – Sacred
3 The Atomic Bitchwax – Force Field
2 Five Alarm Funk – Sweat
1 The Necromancers – Servants of the Salem Girl
GETTING MORE TALE #459.2:
2015 Year-End Lists, part 2 – Uncle Meat!
List #2 for 2015 comes from the Uncle of the Meat. He needs no introduction here. Looking for some integrity? Then have a gander below.
Meat, Bucky, Tom
UNCLE MEAT’S TOP FIVE ALBUMS of 2015
5. The Book of Souls – Iron Maiden
4. Meloria – Ghost
3. Terraplane – Steve Earle
2. High Country – The Sword
1. Psychic Warfare – Clutch
UNCLE MEAT’S TOP TEN TV SHOWS of 2015
10. Ash vs. Evil Dead
9. F is for Family
8. Daredevil
7. W/ Bob and David
6. True Detective
5. Mr. Robot
4. The Affair
3. Better Call Saul
2. Game of Thrones
1. Fargo
UNCLE MEAT’S TOP TEN MOVIES of 2015
10. Straight Outta Compton
9. Ant-Man
8. Trainwreck
7. Avengers: Age of Ultron
6. Amy
5. Spotlight
4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
3. The Revenant
2. Jaco: The Movie
1. Love and Mercy
Last list tomorrow! It’s MY turn next….
SOME NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE GUILTY
GETTING MORE TALE #438: Drunken Record Store Shenanigans
2001. Annual Record Store Christmas party. I was designated driver.
It was a great bash. We almost always had great parties. Great — but always safely. I was driving an anonymous buddy home. Getting my buddy out of the bar took some effort. He ran into somebody at the bar, and I don’t even think they knew each other, but this guy claimed to know Steve Earle. He told Buddy that he could get him back stage to meet Steve Earle next time he came into town. Well, Buddy was excited beyond belief! “I’m gonna meet Steve Earle!” he announced to me, and everyone else in the establishment! “I’m gonna get to meet Steve Earle!” It took about 15 minutes for me to drag his excited ass out of that place.
Into the parking lot on that snowy cold night.
“I can’t believe I’m gonna meet Steve Earle!”
In the car.
“I’m gonna meet Steve Earle man!”
I just had to laugh and wished I had a tape recorder. His rant was about as hilarious as it gets, if you’re into drunken rants for the purpose of humour.
“Oh man…Steve EARLE!”
Then he decided to tell me that he approved of my new girlfriend, who also attended the party.
“That is a really nice girl and you hafta hang onto her,” he slurred. “But when the light turns green you gotta GO. And when it’s yellow you gotta go, or stop. She’s a nice girl.”
I laughed and tried to egg him into saying more hilarious stuff, which was just repeating “I’m gonna meet Steve Earle,” and “when the light is yellow you gotta go.”
I dropped my buddy safely off at his home, where he tells me he passed out on the toilet talking to his girlfriend on the phone. I’m sure she was also thrilled he was going to meet Steve Earle!
Not that I’m innocent in all this. I usually chose to be designated driver, but not always. One night my buddy drove me from a Record Store get-together. The bartender had cut me off, because (apparently) I was loudly discussing different techniques to masturbate. Allegedly! So I am hardly one to throw stones at anyone. I’m sure there are one or two people who have good Drunk LeBrain stories. I know on my birthday, the Record Store people took me out for drinks and I proceeded to grab a bunch of dudes’ asses.
However, the truth is, I was usually the driver, and as such, usually have the best stories. My memories are more reliable than those who were drinking.
I remember Buddy telling the Boss Man that he thought his mom was “hot”. Buddy later denied this, saying, “I wouldn’t say that because I don’t think his mom is hot.” But I know what I heard, and I was sober!
I remember Tom eating chicken bones at the Heuther Hotel, and then taking the rest home with him to make “soup”. I remember one guy stealing ashtrays from the Heuther at a drunken party, and the Boss making him return the ashtrays to them the next week!
One of my fondest memories from that time happened one summer, after we had gathered for a concert at a place called the Banke in downtown Kitchener. Exiting the venue, one of the guys decided to run into the middle of the street and do a Mick Jagger dance in front of the late-night traffic! It was truly a sight to behold. And it was also a pretty damn accurate dance.
Thankfully, nobody was ever hurt at one of our Record Store piss-ups. We always made sure everybody had a ride. They were a good time, a part of my youth I will always remember fondly and sometimes hazy!
LeBRAIN ON AIR BASS!
Circa 1997. That’s Iron Tom Sharpe peeking behind me.
NOTE: Because of the three Top 15 on the 15th posts today, there will be no posting for Wednesday. A directory to all the Top 15 on the 15th posts can be found here. Browse them all!
Getting More Tale #433.9 presents: A worldwide online event!
THE TOP 15 ON THE 15th – Guest shot by Iron Tom Sharpe
Latest to throw his hat into the Top 15 on the 15th ring is Iron Tom Sharpe, Meaford’s Greatest Athlete. One of the most knowledgeable rock fans in the country, Iron Tom is a national treasure. He is a former Record Store owner, and one of the Jedi masters who instructed me.
His message to me upon completion of his list: “Fuck that was tough…and I know I left off some big ones…I just know it…Ah fuck, The D! Max!”
There may be no Tenacious D, and there may be no Max Webster. But here is one kick-ass #Top15onthe15th.
15. The Sword – Warp Riders
14. Metallica – Master of Puppets
13. Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers
12. Frank Zappa – Bongo Fury
11. Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti
10. Kyuss – Sky Valley
9. Van Halen – Fair Warning
8. Willie Nelson – Phases and Stages
7. Yes – Close to the Edge
6. Iron Maiden – Powerslave
5. Fu Manchu – The Action Is Go
4. Steve Earle – I Feel Alright
3. Marillion – Misplaced Childhood
2. Queen – Queen II
1. Rush – Moving Pictures
Almost made it:
And finally…an extra bonus. Iron Tom’s Top 5 Live!
5. Iron Maiden – Live After Death
4. Jimi Hendrix – Band Of Gypsys
3. Supertramp – Paris
2. Dire Straits – Alchemy Live
1. Eric Clapton – Just One Night
mikeladano.com 