Escovedo’s rockin’ ‘Songs’ defy time

Alejandro Escovedo’s got a rock ’n’ roll heart. You can almost see it thumping out a dirty rhythm under his buttoned-up black vaquero vest. And pumping blood down to his red-cowboy-booted toes and through his 59-year-old fingers clutching a throbbing Les Paul.

On Monday night, the ex-punk, ex-alt-country singer tore through 90 minutes of rootsy garage rock and touching folk ballads at the Middle East in Cambridge. The half-empty club represented the same size audience the Texan has been playing to in Boston for 25 years.

“Isn’t T.T. the Bear’s around here?” he asked, remembering gigs he played at the club next door. “I think the first time I played in Boston was ’76 or ’77 at the Rathskeller with the Neighborhoods.”

A scatter of cheers went up when he name-dropped local heroes and the long-gone Kenmore Square club. But the applause for the dead past was faint compared to the hoots Escovedo got for his very alive set.

Called “old man’s” music by his 18-year-old son, Escovedo’s tunes felt fresh and timeless. From the choppy-but-poppy opening chords of “Always a Friend,” he sweated energy and showed big love for his trade. Through the punk sneers of “This Bed is Getting Crowded,” “Anchor’s” great big hook and the angry stomp “Tender Heart” – all from his excellent new album, “Street Songs of Love” – he kept up with any teenager’s pace.

The set finally relaxed with “Street Songs.” Displaying Escovedo’s love of New York City’s gutter glam scene, the tune is both sexy and covered in warts, like Lou Reed dressed up in a tailored suit and silk tie.

Escovedo knows that’s how it comes off. This is a guy who wears his influences on his cool, crisp black sleeve. He loves Reed and the Ramones, Mott the Hoople and Bruce Springsteen. And he works hard – even for crowds that aren’t growing – to do his idols (and peers) justice.

Two worthy breaks from the bar band numbers came on “Sister Lost Soul” and “Down in The Bowery.” The slowed-down, acoustic “Sister” was an on-the-verge-of-tears tribute to late guitarist Stephen Bruton, a Texas legend who produced several Escovedo albums. Written for his uppity son, “Bowery” was a ballad challenging his kid to be even more of an irreverent rebel rouser.

Then it was back to the rock. The Sensitive Boys – guitarist David Pulkingham, bassist Bobby Daniel and wicked hot drummer Hector Munoz – and their leader crushed “Chelsea Hotel ’78” with pulsing feedback and pounding skins. On “Castanets,” the club crowd shouted back the chorus – “I like it better when she walks away!” – at the smiling singer. And “All the Young Dudes” – the almost requisite Mott the Hoople cover – had a charged Escovedo begging his fans to sing louder and louder.

“C’mon, I’ve been wanting to do this for so long,” he said egging everybody on.

From the Rat in ’77 to the Middle East in 2010, Escovedo’s rock ’n’ roll heart keeps beating. Even if it’s an old man’s heart.

By Jed Gottlieb – The Boston Herald

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view.bg?articleid=1269177&srvc=rss