Dave Alvin

Live from Austin TX, part of a series of CD and DVD releases from the Austin City Limits archive, features former Blasters songwriter and guitarist Dave Alvin recorded on January 29, 1999. On these 13 tracks, Alvin and his awesome backup band, the Guilty Men, tackle three songs from his then-current album, Blackjack David -- "Mary Brown," "Abilene," and the title cut -- along with a few tunes from the 1994 release King of California and, of course, fan favorites "Border Radio" and "Marie Marie," which were initially recorded with the Blasters. The highlight of the set is another Alvin-penned Blasters track, "Jubilee Train," which is transformed here into a medley that incorporates Woody Guthrie's "Do-Re-Mi" and Chuck Berry's "Promised Land." Alvin masterfully weaves these narratives into an engaging slice of Americana, thematically reminiscent of Johnny Cash's concept travelogues such as Blood, Sweat and Tears. It's inevitable that any time Dave Alvin covers Blasters material (all of which he wrote), his vocals will be compared to those of his older brother, Phil Alvin. Since the younger sibling's range is the polar opposite of his brother's, comparisons -- especially at this point -- are insignificant, as his deep baritone is tailor-made for these tunes. All in all, this is a spirited performance and acts as a companion set to Alvin's 1996 album, Interstate City, which was also recorded live. [New West issued a DVD edition of the concert (mixed for 5.1 Surround playback) in 2007.] ~ Al Campbell, All Music Guide