Letter to Laredo - Joe Ely

(MCA CD MCAD11222, Copyright 1995, Time: 51:50)

Producer: Joe Ely, Engineer: Little Johnny Fader, James Tuttle, Jim Wilson, Tracks: All Just to Get to You; Gallo Del Cielo; Run Preciosa; Saint Valentine; Ranches and Rivers; Letter to Laredo; I Saw it in You; She Finally Spoke Spanish to Me; I Ain't Been Here Long; That Ain't Enough; I'm a Thousand Miles From Home

Ely and his band opened up for the Clash on one of the earliest Clash tours. While Ely's sound back then was spiced with some country, Texas and other touches, it's a fair cry away from his latest. Ely seems to have gone the Austin singer/songwriter route with lots of folksy, country and tex-mex touches. Overall it's an intelligent, if not entirely cerebral, and well-rounded recording. Nice to hear something new from Joe. Note that Bruce Springsteen, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and David Grissom each contribute to the album. http://www.ely.com

Rating : ***1/2