Justin Townes Earle

Justin Townes Earle’s taste for the reassuring corniness of old honky-tonk, bluegrass, and Western swing makes for some captivating deception. Still in his late 20s, Earle uses these velvety sounds to line warped caskets of song. Rather than pour all the hurt out there, Earle’s mannered rasp and rosy melodies throw just enough light on things to provide a glimpse. After his great Harlem River Blues, chock full of drunken charm and aw-shucks bad-assery, comes 2012’s Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now. The songs on the new album were recorded a single live take. They have a little more soul not just because of a horn section, but because of how softly Earle tackles issues that could be hard for him to deal with.

Updated 04/25/2012