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An angry Steve Earle is something to behold, but watch out for the man when he's in love.
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Entertainment WeeklyThis is a love letter to his new home. [28 Sep 2007, p.105]
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While the raw, raging blues of 'Red Is the Color' ranks with Earle's most powerful music, 'Satellite Radio' could well be the slightest (as well as perhaps a plug for Earle's own radio show), but the artist's willingness to take chances attests to a restless creativity that refuses to be corralled.
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Serenade is most compelling when Earle snarls in his irrefutable way at Middle East warmakers ('Jericho Road') and rural drug pushers ('Oxycontin Blues').
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BlenderMovement and change remain his inspiration. [Oct 2007, p.107]
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The prettiest moments here come on less characteristic musings, such as the shifting perspective of 'Down Here Below.'
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Accompanying his gruff voice with a bleary-eyed strum, he's probably more potent and alive on Serenade than many would expect.
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This album proves that when Earle reconnects to the sheer joy of making music the results can be powerful.
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It's all invigorating, wonderful stuff.
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Q MagazineWashington Square Serenade is prime Americana. [Nov 2007, p.137]
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MagnetFor all his anger, the most convincing songs on Washington Square Serenade are about love, devotion, messing up and simply wanting to be heard. [Fall 2007, p.93]
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Even though there are moments in this outing heavy on tried-and-true folk trappings--lots of mandolin, banjo, acoustic guitar--in which Earle sounds more as if he's echoing his role models than joining them as an equal, for the most part he succeeds in moving the dialogue forward.
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Washington Square Serenade is another substantial chapter in what looks like becoming an epic songbook.
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There’s an urban-informed edge to much of the disc.
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Washington Square Serenade ultimately sounds a bit less focused than its immediate predecessors.
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All things considered, Washington Square Serenade is a bit nonchalant by Earle's standards.
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It's still a decent album, but it's also an opportunity lost.
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Earle has come at us with another solid album that further cements his place in modern music as one of the great songwriters still swingin’ his hammer.
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Production by Dust Brother John King notwithstanding, it impacts just like any other Steve Earle record--lyrics first.
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SpinHe's reworking his own territory. Which is why we expected the song about sweaty illegals to have a better twisted ending than "all of is are immigrants," and the tune about meth addiction to fell, well, lived in. [Oct 2007, p.100]
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MojoAside from the occasional mistep this is a finely balanced collection. [Nov 2007, p.92]
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Earle racks up more wins than losses on Washington Square Serenade, but while the high points are in line with his best work, he didn't dispose of his excess baggage before the move.
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The rest of Washington Square Serenade ranges from good ('Days Aren't Long Enough,'a duet with wife Allison Moorer) to merely serviceable ('Red Is the Color').
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Overall, there's very little that's alluring about this Serenade.
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Under The RadarWashington Square Serenade is an utterly unlistenable failure. [Fall 2007, p.87]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 15 out of 15
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Mixed: 0 out of 15
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Negative: 0 out of 15
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BrandonS.Sep 28, 2007
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GeorgeB.Sep 28, 2007
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RichR.Sep 27, 2007