After a few lesser albums by Steve Earle, I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (2011) was suddenly a pleasant surprise. With the follow-up The Low Highway, Earle manages to maintain the level of that album. The folky title opener is still taking it easy, but Calico County is a solid rocker, on which a passionate and lively Earle can be heard. The same goes for the rousing Down The Road Pt II. The
… Texan is particularly sharp on The Low Highway and keeps his eyes open for what is going on in society. In Burnin 'It Down, for example, his frustration with today's society can be clearly heard. For the first time in a long time, his backing band The Dukes is again prominently featured on the album cover and rightly so. Also with Earle's buddies the sharpness is back and that results in this passionate americana record, which is even stronger than its predecessor in terms of content and music. (BvdV)more