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CD reviews

The Hard Way

Steve Earle & the Dukes - The Hard Way Audio CD

A fair review of the Steve Earle & the Dukes "The Hard Way" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Steve Earle & the Dukes reviews here, or go back to the Steve Earle & the Dukes tabs.

Band: Steve Earle & the Dukes
Title: The Hard Way
Rating:

Release Date: 1996-02-06
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Other Kind 2: Promise You Anything 3: Esmeralda's Hollywood 4: Hopeless Romantics 5: This Highway's Mine (Roadmaster) 6: Billy Austin 7: Justice in Ontario 8: Have Mercy 9: When the People Find Out 10: Country Girl 11: Regular Guy 12: West Nashville Boogie 13: Close Your Eyes

Four and a half. Four and three quarters.
I like his simpler, less-produced albums better, both the earlier and later ones (so maybe this is more a matter of taste?). This is *so close* to being five stars. But there are a lot of really good tracks on here in between the overuse of synthesizers and backup singing.

Hey Nashville, This Ain't Country
First person, "I am living this song" attitude throughout, it invites you to participate in more than just a casual manner. For all the fog and dim that engulfed his personal life, Steve Earle found a way to take the words and music in his head to the studio and bring it to life with a undefineable mix of growling guitars, flittering mandolins, punctuated snare hits, with his distinctive vocal approach that defies the listener to dare question his honesty. Earle moves closer to his own influences, invoking George Harrison's Gretsch guitar jangle and Beatles harmonies in Promise You Anything, and then on to the current darker places with "Esmeralda's Hollywood"; revealing his own shadows. Included is the masterful "Billy Austin" exploring the intracacies of a murderer's thinking process and the subsequent followup, "Justice in Ontario.

Different from his first offerings, in that pedal steel prominence has been replaced with authoritative six strings attacked with more than a nod to the arm flailing of a Pete Townsend, The Hard Way brings us straight ahead rock and roll. Borrowing a crunch from fellow Texan Billy Gibbons, "This Highway" starts out with a blues rock riff and a narrative that warns of danger and salvation at the same time only to resurface in the apt titled, "West Nashville Boogie". "Country Girl" takes us back to a honkey tonk setting and then he hints at the forebearer of his Celtic fascinations to come, Regular Guy. Earle picks up whatever instrument serves his purpose and cares not one iota if it fits any notion of formula.

An epic in terms of dramatic pacing and tempo, Steve Earle arrives near the top of America's song writing precipace and gives us a look over the edge. A "must have" collection for anyone who is serious about whats behind the music.

my Daddy's worst fears realized.....
The first Earle cd i ever bought. . and still my favorite. Forget Springsteen, Earle is. . . was. . . the true champion of the common man. the downtrodden,the guy caught up in a bad situation whether his own fault or not. He started to change his style after this, and i started losing interest. This is Steve and the Dukes,at times, bordering on Country/Metal. . . and as a Harley rider, his lyrics strike a chord with me. . . NOWADAYS I GOT ME TWO GOOD WHEELS,I SEEK REFUGE IN ALUMINUM AND STEEL,YEAH IT TAKES ME OUT THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND THE YEARS ROLL AWAY WITH EVERY MILE. And Hard Way boasts the absolute best lineup of songs he's ever put together. . Billy Austin,Justice in Ontario,Regular Guy,and Promise You Anything with Stacey Earle harmonizing. An overlooked masterpiece. Really makes me wonder at peoples taste in music when you have to scour the used bins for stuff this good.

Bleak and beautiful
"Hard Way" came to be during the worst of Earle's drug addiction and it's clearly a crucible time for him. Most people don't write or play so well without any impediments. Writing's amazing as always--singing and orchestration are also good. Of course, as many folks way, Steve can't make a bad CD.

"Billy Austin" is one of the hardest songs I've ever heard. Earle can write and sing from the point of view of an outlaw better than almost anyone I've heard. "Justice in Ontario" continues that theme. Ironic Earle himself followed this CD with time in prison.

This CD's labeled country, but I'm seeing too many rock elements to leave it strictly at that.
.

Hey Nashville, This aint country
First person, "I am living this song" attitude throughout, it invites you to participate in more than just a casual manner. For all the fog and dim that engulfed his personal life, Steve Earle found a way to take the words and music in his head to the studio and bring it to life with a undefineable mix of growling guitars, flittering mandolins, punctuated snare hits, with his distinctive vocal approach that defies the listener to dare question his honesty. Earle moves closer to his own influences, invoking George Harrison's Gretsch guitar jangle and Beatles harmonies in Promise You Anything, and then on to the current darker places with "Esmeralda's Hollywood"; revealing his own shadows. Included is the masterful "Billy Austin" exploring the intracacies of a murderer's thinking process and the subsequent followup, "Justice in Ontario.

Different from his first offerings, in that pedal steel prominence has been replaced with authoritative six strings attacked with more than a nod to the arm flailing of a Pete Townsend, The Hard Way brings us straight ahead rock and roll. Borrowing a crunch from fellow Texan Billy Gibbons, "This Highway" starts out with a blues rock riff and a narrative that warns of danger and salvation at the same time only to resurface in the apt titled, "West Nashville Boogie". "Country Girl" takes us back to a honkey tonk setting and then he hints at the forebearer of his Celtic fascinations to come, Regular Guy. Earle picks up whatever instrument serves his purpose and cares not one iota if it fits any notion of formula.

An epic in terms of dramatic pacing and tempo, Steve Earle arrives near the top of America's song writing precipace and gives us a look over the edge. A "must have" collection for anyone who is serious about whats behind the music.

You can see a complete list of all Steve Earle & the Dukes discography, or go back to the Steve Earle & the Dukes tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.