Joe Ely should be famous. Hell, he's famous now, at least amongst those of us who are fortunate enough to have been exposed to his music. But he should be Bruce Springsteen famous. Of course down home in Texas, he's bigger than Springsteen. And why shouldn't he be? He's recorded a dozen or more albums. His paintings have received critical acclaim. Not only does he write songs, he is also working on several books.
I first became aware of Ely through a Marty Stuart recording. Stuart had recorded Ely's "Me and Billy the Kid". Of course I had to search out the songwriter. From there I learned about the Townes Van Zandt connection, his association with Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore in The Flatlanders. I bought Ely's "Live at Liberty Lunch" album without ever having heard any of his music. I was hooked!
Joe Ely is Texas. All of that state's rich musical heritage is demonstrated in his music. Tex-Mex, Gypsy guitar, Rock, Hard Core Honky-Tonk all fused together into a sound that is distinctively Joe Ely. Ely's songs are more akin to painting a picture that just singing a song. Another of Ely's strong points has always been the fact that as good as his songs are, he also surrounds himself with the best musicians. People like Teye, the Dutch musician whose Spanish Gypsy Guitar stylings which so beautifully colored "Letter to Laredo" is back again, or the legendary Lloyd Maines on Dobro and Pedal Steel. David Grisson and Jesse Taylor are here playing electric guitar. Mitch Watkins plays every kind of guitar known to man. Joel Guzman on accordion and Glenn Fukunaga on bass. Just like one of the great painters carefully selecting only the best paints and brushes for his next great masterpiece.
Ely's last MCA album "Letter to Laredo" was a masterpiece that spent two months on the top of the Americana charts. As good as that album was, this one is better.
Twistin' in the Wind starts off with "Up on the Ridge". The interplay between Teye's flamenco guitar, Lloyd Maines pedal steel, and Jesse Taylor's electric guitar create a delightful tension. "Roll Again" with Maines gutbucket Dobro and Mitch Watkins tic tac guitar is a slow blues number. With the chorus of "You get in the game, you pay the price. You lay down your life, and roll the dice. And if you roll 'snake eyes', Roll Again" Ely's vocal delivery is as always intense, without being strained or overbearing. "Twisting in the Wind" comes across kind of Springsteen-ish, but "Queen of Heaven" is a classic Ely romp. "Sister Soak the Beans" is a Funky/Tex-Mex/Bluesy number about coming home. "If I Could Teach my Chihuahua to Sing" is the most definitive song about being broke since Ray Charles' "Busted". The song cuts right into your heart. A song I can really identify with. Man if I could teach my Chihuahua to sing, I'd really have the world by the balls then.
- Jeff Wall