Kid in the Street: Justin Townes Earle Memorialized on Forthcoming Rarities Set
The Americana world was shaken in 2020 by the death of Justin Townes Earle, the talented country/folk/blues musician following in the footsteps of his father, alt-country hero Steve Earle. His songs were rich in guitar, organ and horns (the first two of which he’d played in his father’s band) and featured evocative, personal lyrics inspired by his own personal demons and the stark realities of life in general. His last album, 2019’s The Saint of Lost Causes, was an affecting critique of the American dream in 12 songs and signaled burgeoning promise cut short when he succumbed to a long struggle with drug abuse at only 38 years old.
This summer, New West Records – who released The Saint of Lost Causes and its predecessor, 2017’s Kids in the Street – will memorialize Earle’s tenure on the label with All In: Unreleased & Rarities, a collection of demos and outtakes from this period. Nearly entirely previously unreleased, the album will be available August 9 on CD, vinyl and digital.
The bulk of All In offers material from the sessions that would birth the songs of The Saint of Lost Causes – most of which did not make the final album. Only a work-in-progress version of the title track and demos of “Appalachian Nightmare” and “Over Alameda” – the latter two paired with the released album versions for comparison – indicate what was left on the album, with six demos showcasing songs left on the cutting room floor. Additionally, there are two covers from that album’s sessions: the formative “Rocket 88” and a haunting version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” that serves as the album’s lead single.
Other rarities on All In cover the period surrounding Kids in the Street, including a demo of that album’s “If I Was the Devil” and two live tracks from the period recorded live for the elder Earle’s SiriusXM radio show. The album closes with three rare covers Earle recorded: a 2014 take on Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” for a Born in the U.S.A. tribute album; a 2010 version of John Prine’s “Far from Me,” recorded for a tribute album to that legendary songwriter; and a take on Paul Simon’s “Graceland” that was issued as a B-side/bonus track to Kids in the Street.
You can pre-order All In below; as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases at the below links.
All In: Unreleased & Rarities (The New West Years) (New West, 2024)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
All tracks previously unreleased except where noted
- Cold Comfort (Demo)
- Already Gone (Demo)
- I Know You (Demo)
- Troubled Eyes (Demo)
- Lonely Mornings (Demo)
- All or Nothing (Demo)
- If I Was the Devil (Demo)
- Champagne Corolla (Steve Earle Show on SiriusXM)
- So Different Blues (Steve Earle Show on SiriusXM)
- Dreams
- Rocket 88
- The Saint of Lost Causes (Work in Progress Demo)
- Appalachian Nightmare (Demo)
- Appalachian Nightmare
- Over Alameda (Demo)
- Over Alameda
- Glory Days
- Far from Me
- Graceland
Tracks 1-6, 12-13 and 15 from demo sessions to The Saint of Lost Causes
Track 7 from demo sessions to Kids in the Street
Tracks 10-11 from sessions to The Saint of Lost Causes
Tracks 14 and 16 from The Saint of Lost Causes – New West NW5729, 2019
Track 17 from Dead Man’s Town (A Tribute to Born in the U.S.A.) – Lightning Rod Records LRR25523, 2014
Track 18 from Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows (Songs of John Prine) – Oh Boy Records OBR-042, 2010
Track 19 from “Maybe a Moment” single – New West NW4111, 2017
