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Escovedo, back where the album began
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)When Alejandro Escovedo seized control of Tuesday nights at the Continental Club for two months in late 2009, the songs off forthcoming album “Street Songs of Love” were still embryonic, verses and choruses in search of arrangements and details. But as Escovedo and band the Sensitive Boys tested them in front of the Continental’s rapturous crowd, the pieces began to fall into place, like a musical game of Tetris.
Tonight, Escovedo brings the Sessions on S. Congress back for a victory lap in celebration of the June 29 release of “Street Songs of Love.” Each Tuesday in May, Escovedo and his band will play at 10 p.m., followed by a hand-picked act at midnight. Escovedo spoke with us by phone last week.
American-Statesman: When you return to the Continental Club, will audiences hear a different version of the ‘Street Songs of Love’ songs than they heard in 2009?
Escovedo: Definitely. A lot of the songs we played during the previous residency weren’t fully developed. They’ve become something else since we hit the studio in January. And a lot of the songs have references to people who were there at that time. The songs developed lyrically around the people that were around and are full of references to things going on South Congress at the time. The song “Street Songs” is kind of about that street.
What benefits do you get from assembling an album week in and week out in front of an audience?
You usually don’t have an audience to play off of when you go into a studio. You’re isolated, you’re in there writing, and you’re not playing those songs in front of people. This way was more interesting for me, because I got to immediately feel what was happening with those songs and what to do with them. When I played “Anchor” for the first time, I could tell people were digging it. They were trying to sing along halfway through without knowing the words! When something like that happens, it’s golden.
You turned to ‘Real Animal’ producer Tony Visconti again to produce this record. What in your and Visconti’s relationship made you want to bring him onboard again?
We already talked about making another record, and I didn’t see why I needed to go anywhere else. I think with each record, we’ve opened up new ideas that are leading to newer things and more interesting things. Man, I kind of feel like that was a Major League Baseball answer. Was it?
A little bit, but it was a vague question. Tell me this: Is his experience with straight rock ‘n’ roll — T. Rex, Thin Lizzy, that sort of thing — part of why he appeals to you so much?
Well, definitely that, because he encourages me to rock harder.
It seems like ‘Street Songs of Love’ rocks harder than ‘Real Animal,’ and more than anything you’ve done in a long time, even. Possibly since the True Believers.
I think you’re right. I mean, there’s always rock stuff on the albums, but they never really sounded like rock records. This is maybe the closest since the Buick MacKane record, “The Pawn Shop Years.” But it’s been a long time since I made the kind of rock that I love to play. I think “Real Animal” was getting there. And this one is starting to. Maybe the next one will be moving even closer.
Why do you find yourself moving more in that direction?
Because it’s fun. Without question, just because it’s so much fun. It makes me feel good and the audience feels good and we all go home exhausted, and that’s perfect.
If you could have seen any album come together in front of your eyes, the way your fans watched ‘Street Songs of Love’ come together, what would it be?
The first album that comes to my mind is “Exile on Main St.” It would have been interesting to see the Rolling Stones’ writing process and how they got that sound. I have a sense that it was pretty primitive, pretty raw. It would have been cool to be in the chateau and hang out and watch that go down.
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