Favourites : T Bone Burnett : The Criminal Beneath My Own Hat

I first became aware of T Bone Burnett as the producer behind early Los Lobos and Blasters Albums. I wrote about him earlier in this blog as one of the producers whose work I have been following for 30 or more years.

Early on he was really championing the new roots style music that morphed over 20 years to Americana or Alternative Country.  Any press about him at that time also mentioned that he was a member of Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review.  Then he appeared with Elvis Costello as one half of The Coward Brothers who released a one off single The People's Limousine and then he produced Costello's magnificent King of America album.

In short for a while he was everywhere.

I picked up a few albums in sale bins and nothing ever quite clicked.  He has a think weedy voice and his stories and songs are generally a little eccentric in subject matter and delivery.  Not that I did not enjoy his stuff -   However this album changed that for me at least.  A very solid album - the eccentricity was wound back - just a little and he pulled together a great set of songs.  Starting with
It's Not Too Late. Humans From Earth was used on a few soundtracks and Tear This Building Down and Over You are just good simple songs.

Since recording the album he has concentrated more on his production (which as he has gotten more famous I seem to enjoy less as the clarity and life he once brought now seem drowned in bass and reverb - notably on the Robert Plant - Raising Sand album) and his soundtrack work with the Cohen Brothers (notably the great bluegrass on Oh Brother Where Art Thou).