Following 2009’s Blood and Candle Smoke (review here), legendary singer/songwriter Tom Russell is back with a new release, Mesabi. Russell explores his passion for Tex-Mex in new ways; gone are the constant backing sounds of Calexico (although they make a great guest appearance with Lucinda Williams on a cover of “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”) and in its place are odes to border towns and reflections on Bob Dylan and Hollywood greats through a Southwestern lens. On the surface it seems like a mish-mash of unrelated elements, but the seasoned troubadour blends the concepts skillfully and seamlessly, resulting in a uniquely magnificent and erudite album. Standouts include “Farewell Never Never Land” about child actor Bobby Driscoll, known as the voice in Disney’s animated “Peter Pan”, “Furious Love (For Liz)” which imagines Elizabeth Taylor when she lived in Juarez, and the above-mentioned Dylan cover. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Dave Alvin, Guy Clark, Slaid Cleaves, Rodney Crowell, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard