Album Feature – Justin Townes Earle – The Saint Of Lost Causes

By Joshua Wallace

Justin Townes Earle is back with his new LP The Saint Of Lost Causes.  It’s his first release since 2017’s Kid’s In The Street and eighth full length LP overall.  With his eighth record, Justin Townes Earle has honed in on his sound which is a mix of country, blues and folk.  There’s always a bit of that classic rock n roll sound present on his records as well.

The album kicks off with the title track and the first thing you notice is that bass line.  It’s smooth and serves as a backdrop to this track which sounds like it belongs in the smallest blues dive bar you can picture.  I love the guitar solo and how it plays with the atmospheric riffing done across the rest of the track. Another favorite is the more rockin’ blues number “Flint City Shake It”.  Flint, MI is used in songs a lot, but not quite like this. This rockabilly track references the cities troubles with GMC, but paints the people of the town as too tough to give up.

Another great track is the honky tonk number “Pacific Northwestern Blues”.  This is a traveling tune which features the great pedal steel work you can hear throughout this album.  The murder ballad “Appalachian Nightmare” is one of my favorite songs on this album. Justin writes good story songs and this one is one of his best.  Finally, another great testament to the song writing skills of Justin Townes Earle is the track “Ahi Esta Mi Nina”. This is a beautiful one sided conversation between a father and his daughter.  Both this and “Appalachian Nightmare” are new Justin Townes Earle favorites for me.

I highly recommend giving this record a listen.  It’s his strongest effort since 2012’s Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now.  It doesn’t quite hit the highs of Harlem River Blues, but there are plenty of highs here and no real lows.  Justin’s incredible knack for storytelling through song comes through here with a couple of his best. The Saint Of Lost Causes is out everywhere you can find good music on New West Records.  Check out Justin’s website for a full list of touring dates and go to a show.

Favorite Tracks : The Saint Of Lost Causes, Flint City Shake It, Pacific Northwestern Blues, Appalachian Nightmare, Ahi Esta Mi Nina

Justin Townes Earle – The Saint Of Lost Causes (2019)

1. The Saint Of Lost Causes
2. Ain’t Got No Money
3. Mornings In Memphis
4. Don’t Drink The Water
5. Frightened By The Sound
6. Flint City Shake It
7. Over Alameda
8. Pacific Northwestern Blues
9. Appalachian Nightmare
10. Say Baby
11. Ahi Esta Mi Nina
12. Talking To Myself