Back From the Desert
06/07/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I guess all those years on the road and hard living seemed to have taken their toll. His range has dimished, his voice cracks.He sounds brittle, dry as kindling. Prematurely old some would say, but others would argue that Townes Van Zandt was always ahead of his time.
Lyrically speaking he's as sharp as ever. Think of this one as a kind of comeback record after years of wandering the desert with nothing but amnesia and a bottle of gin for company.
Next to woeful classics likes "Tecumseh Valley" or " Waiting Around To Die", "Marie" has to be one of the bleakest & most heartwrenching songs Van Zandt has ever penned. "If I Were Washington" shows he hasn't lost his sense of humor while, " Billie Bones & Ma" coupled with "The Hole" rank as two of the oddest & most grotesque songs in his formidable catalog. Each unforgettable in their eerieness.
"Katie Belle Blue", " A Song For" & " Lover's Lullabye" are ample proof there's more than a few ballads left in him. " Blaze's Blue" is a fitting tribute to friend and fellow songwriter, Blaze Foley. Like Townes, a troubled soul who's end came too soon.
As far as I can gather, NO DEEPER BLUE is the last record of original material Townes laid down before his death. In light of his erratic output throughout the 80's, it serves as a more than decent final word.
Still, despite my enthusiasm, I wouldn't recommend this one as a fitting introduction to his work. You're much better starting off with REARVIEW MIRROR,or some of his earlier fare. For those well acquainted, this one's kind of special. The scars may show, but he hasn't lost it."
There is No Deeper Blue - this disc is great!
Willie Boy | 09/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"
I've heard all of TVZ and this album is wonderful!
1994-1995 were very good years
this one is a must have!
"