ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO
With These Hands (Ryko)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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The reissue of Alejandro Escovedo's wonderful transition album is enough cause for celebration, but Ryko has upped the ante another notch with a bonus disc brimming with a live stab at the slab. The bar version may lack the depth and scope of the studio version, but Escovedo presents the tunes with thrilling urgency and vigour. Sometimes the life gets sucked out of the party when tinkering, but comes to life when fed off an audience. Here's 100% proof. Escovedo's writing, previously adequate in the cowpunk vein, has since grown to a sophisticated level that defies categorization; alt-country, Americana, anti-folk, prog-roots, gothic-twang, and this is where it began.

© 2004 - John Sekerka