My name is Earle...

I'll always remember a well-lubricated Lucinda Williams at the Newport Folk Festival shouting out to the crowd, "Hey, y'all give it up for Steve Fucking Earle!"  Well, that has nothing to do with this article, 'cept that Justin Townes Earle is Steve's son.  Garrett and Yvette saw him open for Dan Auerbach (of the Black Keys) awhile ago.  Justin will be appearing on October 19 at NY Webster Hall (7PM, $17).  Jessica Lea Mayfield supports.

  

JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE  MYSPACE
Justin Townes Earle is an anomaly. He’s tall as the day is long, all angles and elbows and a hard stare, both welcoming and deadly serious. He’s Nashville North, all set up in lower Manhattan now, just like his hero Woody Guthrie, with twang and charm intact.  That hard working earnestness has paid off, to say the least. Justin won the Best New and Emerging Artist at the 2009 Americana Music Awards. His record, Midnight at the Movies, was named one of the best records of last year by Amazon, received four stars in Rolling Stone and found a sweet spot in the blackened hearts of fans and critics alike. GQ Magazine named him one of the 25 best dressed men in the world in 2010. He also appeared on HBO’s Treme with his dad, troubadour Steve Earle, on whose Grammy Award-winning Townes record Justin also guests.  The aforementioned Woody Guthrie once said, “Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.” On Harlem River Blues, Justin chose the simple route. The record’s not a wall of sound produced to the rafters. It’s rockin’ and reelin’ at times, sweet and slow at others—and it’s great. Like good fried chicken, a well-cut suit and a handmade guitar, there’s heaven to be found in the beautifully crafted simpler things.

Below is a very positive review of his latest album, Harlem River Blues:

Justin Townes Earle, "Harlem River Blues" (Bloodshot)
By CHRIS TALBOTT, AP Entertainment Writer

Seems like Justin Townes Earle's backstory gets all the ink — enfant terrible, former heroin addict, fired from his own father's band.  With his third album, "Harlem River Blues," the son of Steve Earle should finally be free of the shadows cast by that past and his father's legendary career. The album's 11 tracks capitalize on the promise Earle showed on his previous releases, "Midnight At The Movies" and "The Good Life," and push him to a new level.  While it's still true the songwriting gift runs in the family, the younger Earle shows an emotional depth and subtlety that makes him a unique artist.  The album is packed with flavors — gospel, rock, folk — and ideas that seem to mostly swirl around Earle's move to New York City.  "Harlem River Blues," with a chorus performed by a choir, is perhaps the most upbeat song about suicide to come along in a while (though it also could be about immersing yourself in big city life). "One More Night In Brooklyn" has that climbing-the-walls feeling of a long day in the city and "Workin' For The MTA" could be a modern version of those old Dust Bowl laments, with Paul Niehaus' steel guitar adding a lonely lament.  CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: "Move Over Mama" comes the closest to capturing the energy of Earle's vibrant live show. It's got a rockabilly feel and bounces along on Bryn Davies' standup bass, Jason Isbell's snarly electric guitar line and Earle's clever lyrics.