Alejandro Escovedo - Street Songs of Love

"A band record" is how Austin roots-rocker Alejandro Escovedo succinctly describes his upcoming tenth solo album Street Songs of Love (June 29, Fantasy/Concord), a point driven home from the moment the guitars ring out and the drums kick in on lead track "Anchor." This is clearly an album powered by a fine-tuned band cruising comfortably on all cylinders and light years from Escovedo's earlier jagged, punk-fueled alt-country work. As a follow up to 2008's Real Animal, the new project shares some inescapable comparison to the more recent work of Bruce Springsteen in more than simply the liberating, fist-pumping, air-guitar anthems comprised of equal amounts of journeyman sweat and poetic grace: both Escovedo and Springsteen now share Jon Landau as manager. The Boss even shows up on the song "Faith" to trade some rough-and-ready riffs.

Escovedo relies on his excellent band The Sensitive Boys to flex some musical muscles, well-toned from countless nights roadtesting and hammering the Street Songs into shape. He also gets solid collaborative support from well-respected songwriting partner Chuck Prophet, legendary producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, U2) -- who also handled Real Animal -- and famed Springsteen engineer Bob Clearmountain.  After some personal struggles -- including an debilitating illness a few years ago -- Escovedo is in a good place and shining some light into previously dark corners. "It ended up being an album about love," he sums up, "the pursuit of a feeling that is forever elusive, mysterious, and addictive." Recommended.

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Alejandro Escovedo - "Anchor" (from Street Songs of Love)

Photo credit: Marina Chavez