Audio CD review:
Townes Van Zandt, Townes Van Zandt - Live At McCabe's

Townes Van Zandt, Townes Van Zandt - Live At McCabe's

Band: Townes Van Zandt, Townes Van Zandt Title: Live At McCabe's Rating: Release Date: 18 November, 2003 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Pueblo Waltz 2: Pancho And Lefty 3: Short Haired Woman Blues 4: Shrimp Song 5: Snowin' On Raton 6: Katie Belle 7: Dollar Bill Blues 8: Lungs 9: Banks Of The Ohio - Kelly Joe Phelps 10: Wabash Cannonball - Kelly Joe Phelps 11: Two Girls 12: Marie 13: To Live's To Fly 14: I'll Be Here In The Morning

Customer Reviews Townes' last stand... His guitar skills had deteriorated considerably since his early recordings and his voice was showing the wear from years of alcohol abuse and constant touring. I get mixed feelings as I listen to this late career recording of Townes Van Zandt at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, CA on February 10, 1995. It saddened me that his once precise fingerpicking skills were nonexistent and that at times he seemed to be barely able to strum his guitar. His voice was also occasionally reduced to a croak. While some songs aren't exactly easy on the ear and have a somewhat sloppy feel (which is fitting I guess, considering the laid back feel of the performance), other songs do benefit from Townes' vocal style and guitar arrangements. In particular, Townes' version of "Two Girls" touches my heart each time I hear it, much moreso than the studio version. His gruff voice really adds to the wistful melody of the song. "Lungs" is another song that he really nails on this disc. Especially noteworthy is "Marie", one of his later songs, which is also one of the bleakest songs I've ever heard. When one hears Townes sing of the narrator's life on skid row, without a job and struggling with poverty, you can't help but feel that his lyrics on this song were partially autobiographical. The haunting end of the song is chilling. On a more upbeat note, "To Live's To Fly" is a song that benefits from Townes' road worn voice and the sparse guitar part included, and remains his eternal statement of hope. His duet with Barb Donovan on "I'll Be Here In The Morning" is also a standout. Overall, this CD is one that I wouldn't recommend to those unfamiliar with Townes' recorded work, but if you are a fan of TVZ this is a valuable document of his playing from the year prior to his death. . Live concert from the aging troubadour The artist was only 50 at the time, but his voice is heavy with the wear and tear of years of hard living. This live recording was made at McCabe's in Santa Monica, CA, on February 10, 1995, less than two years before Townes' untimely demise. You really feel the passion of Townes here and the banter between songs is charming (though occasionally difficult to hear and a bit too self-deprecating). In addition to a good mix of his newer and older material, he plays some folk classics ("Banks of the Ohio" and "Wabash Cannonball"), as well as a track penned by one of his musical idols, Lightnin' Hopkins. Brent J. Brown's "Shrimp Song" provides some light moments. The contrast between Townes' weathered, deep voice and Barb Donovan's fresh, clear alto on the bonus track "I'll be here in the morning" is almost by itself worth the price of the album. This said, I would recommend "Live at McCabe's" for seasoned Townes Van Zandt fans, as the roughness of some of the cuts may turn off the first time listener. For an introduction to Townes, I highly recommend "Live at the Old Quarter", the two-CD set that was recorded in 1973, when Townes was in his late 20's. Once you've grown accustomed to the beauty of his poetry as expressed by the young, exuberant Townes, the tired, idiosyncratic sound of the mid-90's Townes will be better appreciated and more endearing. A Note From The Producer Their raw emotion cuts deep and thick, right to the bone. Townes Van Zandt's plaintive compositions are among the most affecting ever put down by a songwriter. The immediacy of his lyrics has appealed to a substantial audience and a remarkable cross-section of fellow musicians. The intimate environment of McCabe's was perfect for this 1995 performance, an engaging blend of some of his best-known classics, then-recent compositions and well-chosen covers. Versions of his trademark songs "Pancho And Lefty," "To Live Is To Fly" and "Pueblo Waltz" reveal the songs aging beautifully, the years and Townes' weathered voice improving their initial power. As presented here, the raw honesty of newer songs such as "Katie Bell Blues" and "Marie" show they can stand alongside any of the standards Van Zandt has written. A special bonus studio cut included on this release is Van Zandt's "I'll Be There In The Morning," a duet with Barb Donovan, one of Austin, Texas's most renowned artists and Van Zandt's favorite female singer-songwriter. The studio track initially was recorded for a compilation CD intended to be given away with the German edition of Rolling Stone and was released on New Year's Day, 1997-the day Van Zandt passed away. . You can see a complete list of all Townes Van Zandt, Townes Van Zandt discography, or go back to the Townes Van Zandt, Townes Van Zandt tabs