The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: THE MARCH DIVIDE – “KING OF THE LOST CAUSE”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD
SPILL NEW MUSIC: DIANA ROSS FT. TAME IMPALA RELEASE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW SINGLE “TURN UP THE SUNSHINE”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: HOUSEWIFE SHARE BRAND NEW TRACK “PATRICK BATEMAN”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: STILL EIGHTEEN – “KEEP ROCKING”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: COMING UP ROSES – “WOULD YOU EVER”
SPILL FEATURE: SONGS FROM PEOPLE ARE ALSO SONGS ABOUT PEOPLE – A CONVERSATION WITH DARI MAKSYMOVA OF 6TH CROWD
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “LOSERS BEWARE”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: FÉNIXDION – “SUGAR”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BIBLIOTEKA – “TICK TOCK”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: GWAR HAVE GONE BERSERK! CHECK OUT THE NEW SONG “BERSERKER MODE” OUT NOW
SPILL NEW MUSIC: QUEEN KWONG RELEASES HER TAKE ON A ‘POP’ SONG “WITHOUT YOU, WHATEVER”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: ART D’ECCO – “MIDLIFE CRISIS”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: YUNGBLUD ANNOUNCES SELF-TITLED THIRD STUDIO ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2 VIA LOCOMOTION/GEFFEN RECORDS
SPILL NEWS: CANADIAN PUNK LEGENDS DAYGLO ABORTIONS HIT THE ROAD WITH CITIZEN RAGE FOR A CROSS CANADA TOUR
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
1
415
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE OLYMPIANS - THE OLYMPIANS
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE SEAMS - MEET THE SEAMS

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO – BURN SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

Alejandro Escovedo

Alejandro Escovedo
Burn Something Beautiful
Fantasy Records
RATING

Where do you see yourself at age 65? Early morning breakfast at Burger King, rummaging through the morning paper while the waitress waddles over with your Early Bird Breakfast Special? Well if you are Alejandro Escovedo, hopefully you are still writing beautiful songs, touring with one of the best backing bands in Texas, and releasing albums that carry on the troubadour tradition. Escovedo’s latest album Burn Something Beautiful is no exception. The album is a wonderful mix of soft acoustic songs with meaningful lyrics, sprinkled with a flurry of rocking, feet thumping tunes that keep you moving.

Born in San Antonio Texas to Mexican immigrant parents,  Alejandro grew up in a family of musicians. His brothers Javier and Mario were all members of hard rock or punk bands throughout Texas. His uncle Peter is father of percussion legend Sheila E. Alejandro himself started out in San Francisco punk band The Nuns. Not until the 1980s, when Alejandro moved to Austin, Texas, did he adopt his roots rock/alternative country style.  As Austin is considered one of the greatest music cities in the USA, especially for live music, you really need stand out to make it.  Alejandro had the gift.

Today Alejandro is an Austin legend, along with such greats as Tom Russell, Guy Clark, Doug Sahm, and Phil and Dave Alvin. These great songwriters may not have the country or world wide fame that they well deserve, but they most certainly have the respect. In 1997, Alejandro collaborated alongside Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown on their album Strangers Almanac, where he sings vocals on three tracks. In 1998, No Depression magazine named Escovedo Artist Of The Decade – there’s good reason why.

On Burn Something Beautiful Escovedo taps into the Texas troubadour songwriting style that he’s adapted over the years, but here he’s added gritty distorted guitars to great songwriting.  On some tracks, such as “Luna De Miel” and “Horizontal”,  you can really hear his punk roots.  He then alternates between that gravelly guitar style and acoustic beauty, as in “Suit Of Lights”,  which gave me huge chills with the first few guitar plucks.

If there is one song that should be listened to first on this album to really open your mind to the world of Escovedo’s writing style, to really appreciate him, it is “Suit of Lights”. It has become one of my favorite songs lyrically, with lines piercing your skin such as ” Watched you shower, Watched you bathe, Put everything I have in every kiss we made. Brought you silk, brought you jade, A bucket of blood in every note I played.”

Get the album and listen to  music that really means something.

Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016 soundcloud_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO – BURN SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

Author

Steven Phillips

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
9.9
8.0
Total Spill Rating
9.9
Total Fan Rating
2 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewsalejandro escovedoburn something beautifulconcord music groupfantasy recordsshave the catsuit of lightssunday morning feeling
album reviews, alejandro escovedo, burn something beautiful, concord music group, fantasy records, shave the cat, suit of lights, sunday morning feeling
About the Author
Steven Phillips
The Spill Magazine is a Toronto-based online publication dedicated to covering the independent music scene with a strong focus on our thriving hometown talent. Our writers bring you up-to-date news, in-depth features on musicians and reviews for the latest CD releases. We also travel to the front lines for all local festivals including Canadian Music Week and North by Northeast.Don’t forget to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for all daily Spill updates.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewsalejandro escovedoconcord music group
 
8.0
Thomas Dollbaum

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 20, 2022
Thomas Dollbaum Wellswood Big Legal Mess “I grew up in a small town between nowhere and nothing. By reputation, people move to Florida to run away from their problems, but instead of [...]
 
8.0
Avi Caplan
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 20, 2022
Avi Kaplan Floating On A Dream Fantasy Records One thing singer-songwriters can impress their potential audience with is their vocals. It can be any specific characteristic, from [...]
 
9.0
On-U Sound
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Various Artists Pay It All Back Vol. 8 On-U Sound Master producer/songwriter/artist Adrian Sherwood has been behind all things On-U Sound since 1979, and since then he and [...]
 
8.0
Say Sue Me

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SAY SUE ME – THE LAST THING LEFT

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
Say Sue Me The Last Thing Left Damnably Sumi Choi (vocalist, guitarist) and her band Say Sue Me are from Busan, Korea. If that tells you that you would be in for some K-pop on their [...]
 
8.0
John Inghram

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN INGHRAM – JOHN INGHRAM

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 13, 2022
John Inghram John Inghram CD Baby John Inghram built a name for himself as a musician’s musician, particularly among artist that try to get the gist of the music that has anything [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM
8.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SAY SUE ME – THE LAST THING LEFT
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN INGHRAM – JOHN INGHRAM
8.0

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL FEATURE: CRUISE TO THE EDGE 2022 – THIS YEAR’S PROG CRUISE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. A WHOLE LOT OF NOISE.
688
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMUS – CONSPIRANOID
444
 
SPILL FEATURE: DANCE TO THE PERFECT MESS – A CONVERSATION WITH CARL MARSH OF SHRIEKBACK
410
 
SPILL FEATURE: DON’T YOU FEEL CLOSER? – A CONVERSATION WITH CY CURNIN OF THE FIXX
394
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MEN WITHOUT HATS – AGAIN (PART 2)
326
 
SPILL NEWS: BARENAKED LADIES TO RELEASE LIVE TRACKS FROM SOLD-OUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL SHOW | DELUXE EDITION OF ‘DETOUR DE FORCE’ OUT JUNE 3
325
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – UNLIMITED LOVE
315
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL w/ LOLA COLETTE @ HISTORY, TORONTO
288
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “L.O.S.T.”
273
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TANGERINE DREAM – RAUM
272
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAZARETH – SURVIVING THE LAW
258
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VR SEX – ROUGH DIMENSION
257
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: VENUS BEMUS RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “STORMS”
251
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES