Aural Fixations

RODNEY CROWELL
The Outsider
(Columbia)
It wouldn't be a stretch to say Rodney Crowell is turning in some of his best work these days, nearly 30 years after his career began. But before we waste a single word on The Outsider, let's take a minute to reflect on Crowell's songwriting pedigree. He contributed two tunes to Emmylou Harris' very first record. So, right out of the gate Crowell was hanging with the heavies. Steve Earle, John Hiatt, Townes Van Zandt and Guy fucking Clark were among his running buddies in the 70s. Those are the influences that have been coming through in Crowell's music lately, breathing new life into his career. The 50-year-old songwriter singer has abandoned the idea of making music based on what will get played. Beginning with 2001's The Houston Kid, Crowell took a more personal and artistic approach to recording. The Houston Kid was followed in 2003 by Fate's Right Hand, a wonderfully-developed record which featured "Still Learning How to Fly" and "Earthbound."

That brings us to the third act of this phase in Crowell's musical journey. The Outsider leaves nothing unanswered from its predecessors. The songwriting is first class and Crowell's voice is second to none in the business. The first two tracks, "Say You Love Me" and "The Obscenity Prayer," are old school rock & roll songs and kind of a red herring for the rest of the record. "The Outsider," "Glasgow Girl" and "Things That Go Bump in the Day" are the highlights of the disc. Soft and thoughtful, they represent what Crowell has been trying to tell us about love, life and getting older. Crowell's political attitudes are present here, but come through in more imaginative ways, such as the belligerent drunk in "Don't Get Me Started."

Harris joins Crowell on a cover of Bob Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm", which I didn't like after the first listen. But after hearing the album through a couple of times I found myself drawn to this song. The original was so brilliant and simple. Crowell and Harris don't muss anything up with it, but only add simplicity of their own. It's a different song now, but the heart and meaning are as clear on this version as Dylan's.

Hopefully The Outsider isn't the final chapter of this story. Lance Looper [buy it]