When country-rock icon Steve Earle teamed with blazing bluegrass act the Del McCoury Band, the result was more invigoratingly intense than even die-hard fans could have imagined. These energetic songs somehow sound innovative and timeless at the same time...more.
Even if it does begin with a jokey incantation of the Mickey Mouse theme song ("M-I-C-K-E-Y..."), The Mountain is Steve Earle's most traditional album, pairing country rock's most notorious miscreant with the best working...more.
"My primary motive in writing these songs," Steve wrote in a press release for this disc, "was both selfish and ambitious--immortality. I wanted to write just one song that would be performed by at least one band at every bluegrass...more.
It's hard to imagine an artist slipping so seamlessly into a genre that it sounds like he created it, but Steve Earle pulls it off. I would encourage everyone to buy it despite their probable fears that it's going...more.
This is some of the best music you can get your hands on. And I don't even really like country. It's one of the ten albums I would want to have with me on a desert island.
....that Steve Earle is capable of succeeding in whatever genre of music he tries (except for maybe reggae). The Mountain never gets boring to listen to, which pretty much holds true for all of his albums.
Favorite tracks are "Carrie Brown...more.