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Product Description
Uncut ****
"...extraordinary songwriter...an epic study of sands and celluloid"
CD Description
A thread runs through its songs, a zigzagging but determinedly solid line that connects the perilous bordertown of Juarez, Mexico to the real and faux glitz of L.A. and the bleak iron range of Minnesota—the Mesabi of the album's title. The broad landscapes created by Tom Russell for Mesabi are inhabited by characters we all know—Bob Dylan, James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor—and some we may not: the now-obscure, once well-known singer Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards, the tragic Disney child star Jimmy Driscoll and the character actor Sterling Hayden. It's a logical progression from Russell's last album, 2009's Blood and Candle Smoke, yet it's like no other album Russell has made in his nearly four decades as a recording artist. Co-produced by Russell and keyboardist Barry Walsh, and recorded in several different studios in Tucson, Texas, Nashville and Los Angeles, Mesabi is the 26th album from an artist whose songs have been recorded by such icons as Johnny Cash, Dave Van Ronk, Jerry Jeff Walker, Doug Sahm and Ramblin' Jack Elliott, among others. No less than Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the legendary poet, has said that he shares "a great affinity with Tom Russell's songs, for he is writing out of the wounded heart of America." Also available: Blood And Candle Smoke (PRPCD049)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I couldn't agree with the previous reviewer more; the album is an organic continuation of what Tom Russell started with Blood and Candle Smoke in 2009.
It is an album steeped in the self-reflective songwriting of a man, now a master of his craft, looking back at the world he once knew (or grew up believing to be true), and how this world has changed and morphed into something almost unrecognisable within his lifetime. This is often achieved through the projection of a displaced viewpoint; usually channeling the identity of a former, fallen icon or star (Sterling Hayden, Liz Taylor, Billie Driscoll etc.).
This is one of the main over-arching themes of the whole album: with the fall of "classic" Hollywood being equated with the songwriter's own failings, and those of the environment around him (especially the destruction of his beloved city of Juarez). Although this has been a commonality with a lot of Tom Russell's albums - for a decade it seems like he has been trying to record the perfect "memoir" in album form - with Mesabi, he has managed to blend all these threads, all these different identities into an almost Modernist work of art; where borders (borders being a favourite topic of his) between fact and fiction; legend and truth; past and present; the importance of the individual juxtaposed with the importance of the community; the borders between folk, country, rock, lounge jazz and "world music" all meet, and are blurred into one, homogenous pot of (seemingly) effortless songwriting.
Here is just one extended example of the mastery of the craft of lyric writing in action:
"Don't stare into the eye of the clown, kid / You might find the a broken heart in there / Aw, kid don't cry / It's just a cowboy lullaby / The songs will live after the legends die / Christmas day is dawning / The Legend's in the kitchen / and he's staring at the phone / Christmas day can break a man in two / When he's drunk in the kitchen all alone / And the children don't call / And love is an old, half-remembered bottle of vintage wine / You created the legend, mister / then the legend rode away and left the man behind..."
What wonderful "poetry". I could go on and on and get lost in the whole thing, but there's really no need. Just buy the damn thing - and all his other records - and go and see him live, while you still can. NOW. (Please)
It is an album steeped in the self-reflective songwriting of a man, now a master of his craft, looking back at the world he once knew (or grew up believing to be true), and how this world has changed and morphed into something almost unrecognisable within his lifetime. This is often achieved through the projection of a displaced viewpoint; usually channeling the identity of a former, fallen icon or star (Sterling Hayden, Liz Taylor, Billie Driscoll etc.).
This is one of the main over-arching themes of the whole album: with the fall of "classic" Hollywood being equated with the songwriter's own failings, and those of the environment around him (especially the destruction of his beloved city of Juarez). Although this has been a commonality with a lot of Tom Russell's albums - for a decade it seems like he has been trying to record the perfect "memoir" in album form - with Mesabi, he has managed to blend all these threads, all these different identities into an almost Modernist work of art; where borders (borders being a favourite topic of his) between fact and fiction; legend and truth; past and present; the importance of the individual juxtaposed with the importance of the community; the borders between folk, country, rock, lounge jazz and "world music" all meet, and are blurred into one, homogenous pot of (seemingly) effortless songwriting.
Here is just one extended example of the mastery of the craft of lyric writing in action:
"Don't stare into the eye of the clown, kid / You might find the a broken heart in there / Aw, kid don't cry / It's just a cowboy lullaby / The songs will live after the legends die / Christmas day is dawning / The Legend's in the kitchen / and he's staring at the phone / Christmas day can break a man in two / When he's drunk in the kitchen all alone / And the children don't call / And love is an old, half-remembered bottle of vintage wine / You created the legend, mister / then the legend rode away and left the man behind..."
What wonderful "poetry". I could go on and on and get lost in the whole thing, but there's really no need. Just buy the damn thing - and all his other records - and go and see him live, while you still can. NOW. (Please)
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Tom Russell has been creating brilliant and original music for years and, like a complex wine, he just gets better with age.
His previous album "Blood and Candle Smoke" was his masterpiece. Literate,passionate and profound, with the sort of wonderful melodies which return to haunt you.
The gap between Russell's songs, and those on the chart, is the difference between TS Elliott and Twitter. Listen to "American Rivers" on that album, as example of the sort of epic/personal song about the condition of America (and much else) that only Russell could write. Had Paul Simon or Bob Dylan produced such wonderful album, it would surely be hailed as one of the best of the century.
So to the follow-up: the themes are darker and more obvious on Mesabi, especially the disillusionment with heroes and legends which make up the first half of the album. These lyrics are surprisingly bleak and intense. The songs are very wordy, sometimes almost spoken and, maybe, lacking the subtle imagery which is one of the hallmarks of a Russell song. The mood brightens by track 9 with the infectious "Heart within a Heart" and hits a peak with the stunning "Goodnight Juarez", a lament for a town whose heart has been torn out by crime and development.
Tom Russell's work is always interesting and intelligent. He is in a class of his own as a purveyor of personal and uncompromising songs. When you see him live, you realise how very witty and entertaining he is, and this is somewhat missing from the intense tone of Mesabi.
It is an album worthy of your attention and, if not guite in the same league as "Blood and Candle Smoke",frankly,what could be?
His previous album "Blood and Candle Smoke" was his masterpiece. Literate,passionate and profound, with the sort of wonderful melodies which return to haunt you.
The gap between Russell's songs, and those on the chart, is the difference between TS Elliott and Twitter. Listen to "American Rivers" on that album, as example of the sort of epic/personal song about the condition of America (and much else) that only Russell could write. Had Paul Simon or Bob Dylan produced such wonderful album, it would surely be hailed as one of the best of the century.
So to the follow-up: the themes are darker and more obvious on Mesabi, especially the disillusionment with heroes and legends which make up the first half of the album. These lyrics are surprisingly bleak and intense. The songs are very wordy, sometimes almost spoken and, maybe, lacking the subtle imagery which is one of the hallmarks of a Russell song. The mood brightens by track 9 with the infectious "Heart within a Heart" and hits a peak with the stunning "Goodnight Juarez", a lament for a town whose heart has been torn out by crime and development.
Tom Russell's work is always interesting and intelligent. He is in a class of his own as a purveyor of personal and uncompromising songs. When you see him live, you realise how very witty and entertaining he is, and this is somewhat missing from the intense tone of Mesabi.
It is an album worthy of your attention and, if not guite in the same league as "Blood and Candle Smoke",frankly,what could be?
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I really enjoyed Tom Russell's last release, "Blood and Candlesmoke", and wasn't sure that he would be able to match that album's quality. Well, he has! "Mesabi" is well worth an hour of anyone's time!
The first half of the album seems to be linked by a theme of faded or lost celebrity, mentioning James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, once well-known singer Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards (who provided voices for Disney, including singing "When You Wish Upon a Star"), the Disney child actor Jimmy Driscoll (Jim Hawkins in "Treasure Island") and the character actor Sterling Hayden. Tom is joined once again by Calaxico and their moody, filmic sound adds greatly to this often meloncholic suite of songs. And then in the middle of it all, there's the song about Cliff Edwards, "The Lonesome Death of Ukelele Ike", which is incredibly jaunty and features a few lines from "Paper Moon", one of Edwards' early successes.
The second half of the album is more typical Russell, with lots of, sometimes half spoken, story telling backed the excellent playing of the Calaxico lads. Stand out tracks on this half of the album are "Roll the Credits Johnny" and "Jai Alai".
Tacked on at the end are two bonus tracks, a version of Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", where he's joined by Lucinda Williams, and "The Road to Nowhere" from the film of the same name. Tom's version of "Hard Rain" is fine but adds nothing to the many other versions I've heard.
So, a great collection! I'm never really sure where Tom Russell fits - is he country? Folk? Jazz? I don't know, maybe he fits all these genres, but I do know that it's difficult not to be impressed by his music!
The first half of the album seems to be linked by a theme of faded or lost celebrity, mentioning James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, once well-known singer Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards (who provided voices for Disney, including singing "When You Wish Upon a Star"), the Disney child actor Jimmy Driscoll (Jim Hawkins in "Treasure Island") and the character actor Sterling Hayden. Tom is joined once again by Calaxico and their moody, filmic sound adds greatly to this often meloncholic suite of songs. And then in the middle of it all, there's the song about Cliff Edwards, "The Lonesome Death of Ukelele Ike", which is incredibly jaunty and features a few lines from "Paper Moon", one of Edwards' early successes.
The second half of the album is more typical Russell, with lots of, sometimes half spoken, story telling backed the excellent playing of the Calaxico lads. Stand out tracks on this half of the album are "Roll the Credits Johnny" and "Jai Alai".
Tacked on at the end are two bonus tracks, a version of Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", where he's joined by Lucinda Williams, and "The Road to Nowhere" from the film of the same name. Tom's version of "Hard Rain" is fine but adds nothing to the many other versions I've heard.
So, a great collection! I'm never really sure where Tom Russell fits - is he country? Folk? Jazz? I don't know, maybe he fits all these genres, but I do know that it's difficult not to be impressed by his music!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Maybe it's a grower?
I like Tom Russell and I like Tom Russell songs but this is a bit disappointing. Can't say it's bad. It's just not up to his high standard. Read more
Published 2 months ago by lonniej
Mesabi, A great album
As a long time admirer of Tom Russell i suppose that i'm biased but this is his greatest record to date. Read more
Published 3 months ago by garcia lorca
Great story telling
The first part of the CD is typical Tom Russell story telling, this time on about long lost heroes of the movies etc. Read more
Published 7 months ago by purse
Mesabi Tom Russells latest
I heard the track "And God created border towns"last month and had to have Mesabi.There are some great tracks ,from Toms gritty vocals I learnt of Bobby Driscoll sad demise of a... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mr Guitar Man
A brilliant songwriter & performer
This is a superb collection of songs with intelligent and thought provoking words, especially if you investigate the stories behind them. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Clevers
MASTERPIECE
Rough Trade pointed me towards Tom Russell about five years ago and I've been an avid fan ever since. Read more
Published 7 months ago by PETER PJANSON-SMITH
Mesabi - Tom Russell
Mesabi is Tom Russell's 26th Album and each one in recent years has been better than the previous one. This is no exception. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mr. J. R. Cadwell
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