Hardcore Troubadour

Let's talk about a record that AP writers called "one of the top 10 best pop albums of the 90s." Right up there with Dr. Dre, Beck, Lauryn Hill, and Portishead. Come on, let's go. This ain't Louisiana. Your mama won't know.

On June 25th, 1996, Steve Earle played a show at the Cold Creek Correctional Facility in West Tennessee, as a condition of his parole. In addition to making a killer live recording, MTV was also on-hand to make a mini-documentary, that included lots of great footage of Steve and the Dukes, and also quite a bit of standard-issue court-mandated war on drugs carceral state nonsense. Come for the tune...

This week we are joined by our good friend, Tom Sheehan (Indecision, Most Precious Blood, Axe To Grind Podcast), who was gracious enough to come hang with us and talk about some of our favorite records. Come hang out as we dig into some classics from Lucero, Emmylou Harris, and Sturgill Simpson, and learn about how a Brooklyn boy came to have such great taste in country music.

We're back with a dive into "I Feel Alright," Steve's first record of all new material since his early 90's "vacation." Come stand with us at hell's door with a bad attitude and a .44

Join us as we discuss the 1976 documentary "Heartworn Highways" and ask the tough questions: Was Riley Gale a Townes Van Zandt fan? Is David Allan Coe a poseur? Will we get off this LA freeway without getting killed or caught?

While it doesn't feel quite right to call this a "comeback album," it was in many ways. Steve is back, he's sober, and he's got an arsenal of great songs that he wrote back in the 70s, along with a few new ones and some covers. Join us as we fight for no country but die for good pay.

This often overlooked and underappreciated live record marks the conclusion of this important phase of Steve Earle's career that began with Guitar Town. Some people say his voice sounds "rough" on this one, as if that's a bad thing. Anyway, sit back and read up on the Kanehsatà:ke Resistance (aka Oka Crisis), because it's 1990 and we're heading up to Canada.

Join us as we examine The Hard Way, Steve's last studio album before he went on "vacation" for a few years. This record has never gotten the shine it deserves, so we hope y'all love and appreciate it as much as we do. There are those that break and bend. We're the other kind.

Part 2 of our journey with The Boss. I guess there's just a meanness in this world.

A slight detour this week as we begin our deep dive into Bruce Springsteen's 3rd through 7th studio albums (we'll explain), what they mean to us, and as always, their connections to Steve Earle. This is Part 1 of 2. Listen to it while you walk these empty rooms looking for something to blame.

Keep your bedroll dry and join us this week as we dive into Steve's third studio album, the heavy hitter, Copperhead Road. If you ain't impressed yet, tell us what you want to hear.

In an alternate universe, Steve Earle might have just been a rockabilly dude. Be glad that we don't actually live in that universe. Still, Steve's pre-Guitar Town material from the early 1980s deserves a listen, especially if you're a nerd like us.

We continue down the Nowhere Road this week with an exploration of Exit Zero, Steve Earle's second studio album. This one's for everybody who ain't ever satisfied.

We told you there would be a few detours, right? Join Tyler and Brian and Del and Neal as we explore the 1987 classic, "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles." And yes, there is a Steve Earle connection here, we promise. It's the holidays, you're probably traveling, and this is the perfect travel movie. Just take my socks out of the sink if you're gonna brush your teeth, alright?

We're taking a deep dive into Steve Earle's first LP. There's something for everyone here- core talk, country talk, dudes with $100,000 pick-up trucks who pretend to be oppressed, and much more. Come hang with us, even if you don't have a two pack habit or a motel tan.

Introductions. How we got to know Steve Earle, how we got to know each other, and why we decided to do this. There are those that break and bend. We're the other kind.