When Justin Townes Earle released The Saint of Lost Causes in 2019 (his second for New West Records), he was in as fine a songwriting form as ever. Less than a year later, Earle died at 38 years old. New West Records have assembled a collection of rare and previously unavailable material from his time at the label, giving fans new music and insight into Earle’s art on All In: Unreleased & Rarities (The New West Years). The set includes demos that didn’t quite fit (maybe for thematic reasons), live cuts, and memorable covers. All In is a fitting tribute, as the compilers had hoped, but it’s also a stellar set of music that can be taken in any context.
The first six tracks are unreleased demos for The Saint of Lost Causes and might be the collection’s most valuable material. Earle didn’t make a misstep on that album, and these demos suggest that he had tucked away songs as strong as those he’d chosen for the LP (a point which prompts the inevitable but depressing “what if” questions). With just Earle’s voice and acoustic guitar, these pieces highlight the essential qualities of the songs. “Cold Comfort” and “Already Gone” provide bouncy drives directly into miserableness, the added pain of an ex’s continued love, and the feeling of a partner deciding to leave and actually getting out the door.
No matter Justin Townes Earle’s choice of rootsy style, he discovers a crisis. The struggle is unsurprising, so the bright moments carry extra shine, whether the sharp (and ambiguous) story of “I Know You” or the parenting ballad “All or Nothing”. Adding the bluesy Kids in the Street outtake “If I Was the Devil” shows Earle sustaining his level of songwriting excellence throughout this era. Fans will be unsurprised that he had a stellar 3/4 of an album written and unused.
To help us see more of Earle’s process, the collators of this set include demos for two of his songs – “Appalachian Nightmare” and “Over Alameda” – next to the final album versions. A rarities set doesn’t require these finished renditions, but listening to the tracks back to back proves to be a compelling study. In “Appalachian Nightmare”, the structure and tune remain similar, but the song turns from a dark folk number into the memorably haunting one that made it to release. The comparison reveals the difference between a great “song” and a great “recording”, a point that may be pedantic but relevant to the study of songwriting. The “Over Alameda” tracks almost sound like performances from two artists, one soft and vulnerable and the other built for a shinier and more atmospheric setting. The early version highlights the history of defeat, while the latter projects resilience.
“Finished” can be a relative term, and we get a cut where Earle moves his music in the opposite direction, from band performances back to solo adventure, this time for his father Steve Earle‘s show on SiriusXM. “Champagne Corolla” might be the century’s best (and most contextual) song about cars and women, as funny as it is charming. He also performed Mance Lipscomb’s classic “So Different Blues”. The take moves listeners away from Earle the songwriter back to his own roots, a mix of country, folk, jazz, and – as heard here – the blues. Earle sounds right in his comfort zone, and while the song sounds as old as it is, it’s a fitting place for the singer.
A handful of other covers, some previously unreleased and all difficult to find, add to the compilation. Justin Townes Earle’s take on Fleetwood Mac‘s “Dreams” stands out. Both risky and unlikely, “Dreams” stays close to the original while drawing out particular emotional elements (despondency, for one, comes through). Bruce Springsteen‘s “Glory Days” fits with the first few demos, as the Boss’ song bounces along in hiding its melancholy. Earle drops the tempo and buoyant sound to turn into a sad folk song; the deep sadness has long since percolated to the surface. It pairs nicely with John Prine‘s “Far From Me”, which goes well with “Already Gone”.
The other covers are more surprising but no less well-executed. “Rocket 88”, one of rock ‘n’ roll’s first songs, rips along like it properly should, a sincere take on a foundational cut. Earle gives Paul Simon‘s “Graceland” the folkie treatment, which (obviously) works with its simple picking pattern and strong vocal. It offers a complex set of emotions both within and without the song, not the least of which is gratitude for having more performances from Justin Townes Earle.