Jahfin Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 http://harpmagazine.com/news/detail.cfm?article=12339 Randy Harward Inside Tracks: Alejandro Escovedo ALBUM TITLE: Real Animal (Back Porch) RELEASE DATE: Spring 2008 PRODUCED BY: Tony Visconti NEW SONG TITLES: “Slow Down,” “Real Animal,” “Sensitive Boys” Real Animal doesn’t exactly describe Alejandro Escovedo, who despite his punk pedigree is far from feral—the picture of mellow. So why is it the title of his seventh album, a journey through the singer-songwriter’s “musical life?” “‘Real Animal,’” explains Escovedo, “is a song I wrote about Iggy Pop because he’s always been real important, very inspirational for me.” Escovedo also writes of when he lived at New York’s storied Chelsea Hotel—1978, at just the time when Sid Vicious’ girlfriend Nancy Spungen was murdered (“Chelsea Hotel ’78”). And in “Nuns Song” and “Sensitive Boys,” Escovedo sings of his past bands (The Nuns, True Believers) and pals the Replacements, Hüsker Dü and Green on Red, whose Chuck Prophet co-writes and plays on the album. When Escovedo decided to write about “all the bands I’ve been in, characters I’ve known, [and] some of the places I’ve lived in and things that have happened,” Prophet was an easy choice. Each flew to the other’s hometown—Austin and San Francisco, respectively—when their schedules would allow. “[it was] hard to coordinate, but we always got really great stuff and it was a hell of a lot of fun to be around each other.” To produce, Escovedo tapped Tony Visconti, shepherd of Escovedo favorites like T. Rex’s Electric Warrior and David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs, Scary Monsters and Heroes. Escovedo calls them both a “perfect match” for the project. Real Animal was recorded at St. Claire Recording Company in Lexington, Kentucky—with Escovedo’s touring band and Prophet. Escovedo says it lives up to its name in that “the band played everything, so it has a very live feeling.” At the same time, and rather appropriately, it reflects the mien of its creator. “[it] sounds very rocking and relaxed.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirchzep27 Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Everything i've heard by alejandro escovedo on the radio has been really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 Everything i've heard by alejandro escovedo on the radio has been really good. This is just a short clip of Al at Antone's in Austin doing Castanets but it's one of my faves: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 More with Alejandro here in this Creative Loafing article where he discusses his new album, the demise of No Depression magazine and how he felt about George Bush, Jr. having his tune Castanets on his iPod. Alejandro Escovedo: Back to living again Musical journeyman dodges death to continue his quest By James Kelly NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT: Alejandro Escovedo has come full circle. Bloodshot Records The last five years have been excruciating and enlightening for Austin, Texas-based artist Alejandro Escovedo. As his health deteriorated due to previously diagnosed hepatitis C, he collapsed backstage in 2003 after a performance and spent close to a year in treatment for advanced cirrhosis and other vascular problems. A working musician with no health insurance who depended on steady gigs to make a living, Escovedo saw his life falling apart around him. You can read the rest of the article here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hammer of the Gods Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Might have to check this guy out... The descriptions of his music and his influences sound interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Might have to check this guy out... The descriptions of his music and his influences sound interesting. I need to expand my Alejandro collection myself but he definitely goes back a long way in the history of alt.country. I love Whiskeytown's cover of The Rain Won't Help You When It's Over from his True Believers days that was first available on a Whiskeytown EP and is now included on the Deluxe edition of Strangers Almanac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Escovedo Ready To Rock On 'Real Animal' Alejandro Escovedo Gary Graff, Detroit On his upcoming album, "Real Animal," veteran singer/songwriter Alejandro Escovedo got to do something he hasn't done since his days in Rank & File and the True Believers. "I finally got to make a rock'n'roll record; I don't feel I've done that as a solo artist," Escovedo, who's been putting out albums on his own since 1992 -- save for the 1997 rock side trip in Buick Mackane -- tells Billboard.com. "I've always claimed that I was borne of rock'n'roll and that I was essentially a rocker, but I think that I've never really just made a rock album." Click here to read the rest of the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglejim Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Escovedo Ready To Rock On 'Real Animal' Alejandro Escovedo "I finally got to make a rock'n'roll record; I don't feel I've done that as a solo artist," Escovedo, who's been putting out albums on his own since 1992 -- save for the 1997 rock side trip in Buick Mackane -- tells Billboard.com. That's the name of a T-Rex song off of The Slider. If the article mentioned it, sorry, I hadn't read it. I sure thought that was cool though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted May 20, 2008 Author Share Posted May 20, 2008 That's the name of a T-Rex song off of The Slider. If the article mentioned it, sorry, I hadn't read it. I sure thought that was cool though. Yes, it is. As is the record itself: This one's pretty cool too: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted June 28, 2008 Author Share Posted June 28, 2008 From RollingStone.com Alejandro Escovedo Lights Up Venerable Austin Club Alejandro Escovedo’s Thursday CD-release show at the venerable Continental Club in Austin was as much about celebrating the 57-year-old Hep-C survivor’s career-defining album Real Animal as it was about honoring the Continental, a 51-year-old venue that just this week gained designation as a historical landmark. Shortly after midnight on the first of back-to-back nights, Escovedo, ever dapper in a pinstripe suit, began his set for the 193-capacity crowd with “Put You Down.” It was a slow-building, curious opener for the six-piece considering it wasn’t from the scorching new album, but it nonetheless set the tone for the forthcoming dynamic interplay between the three-headed guitar section and strings duo comprising cello and violin. Soon enough, Escovedo showcased what the people came for: deafening new tracks like “Real As An Animal” (which he noted was homage to Iggy Pop) and “People (We’re Only Gonna Live So Long),” its lyric “We still got time/But never quite as much as we think” ostensibly a nod to both his late-blooming career and the club he first started playing nearly three decades ago. Set List Put You Down Always A Friend Everybody Loves Me Sister Lost Soul Chelsea Hotel ‘78 Swallows of San Juan Rosalie Sensitive Boys People (We’re Only Gonna Live So Long) Chip ‘n’ Tony I Was Drunk Real As An Animal Castanets Encore Smoke All the Young Dudes Beast of Burden [Photo: Todd V. Wolfson] Michael Hoinski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirchzep27 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 They keep playing -always a friend on the radio, think i'm gonna have to buy this cd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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