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Title: time to refill the tank
Review: I'm a huge Steve Earle fan - of both his CDs and his concerts. But being a fan doesn't automatically make every song/CD a good one. TB has little to hold my interest. Occasional cliches are OK, but they're spread across the lyric sheet like wild fire (pun intended). And the music just lies there - bits and pieces of earlier songs pop up all over, but never establish a singular identity. "Until the Day I Die" shows he can still approach the good stuff. Maybe true art really does come from pain, and now that Steve's "feeling alright" perhaps he's lost the edge. But I doubt it. I've been with him since "Guitar Town" first made me an Earle addict. I prefer to think TB is just a lull. Afterall, I've got years of great music listening to thank Steve for. For now, if you're a newcomer, buy "Essential SE," listen for a week, and then buy his last four CDs - and wait for his next one.
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