Since the early '90s, Alejandro Escovedo's solo albums have quietly cast him as an artist of note. He's come a long way since his bands Rank And File and True Believers, which both looked at roots-rock music in new ways yet only achieved cult status. Slowly but surely, Escovedo is getting his due.
The day before this session on WFUV, he made his debut on The Today Show, and a month earlier he was invited on stage by Bruce Springsteen to perform "Always a Friend" with the E Street Band. In this session, he told me about that experience, as well as the backstory on the autobiographical tunes from his great new album, Real Animal.
More About Alejandro Escovedo
Real Animal is something of a comeback for Alejandro Escovedo — not musically, but physically. While recovering from a near-fatal bout with Hepatitis C, Escovedo sounded like he recorded his previous album, The Boxing Mirror, as if it might be his last. But on Real Animal, he sounds stronger than ever, with producer Tony Visconti (who's worked with David Bowie and T. Rex) bringing back some of the rock that made Escovedo's name.
Originally recorded May 14, 2008.
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Copyright 2008 WFUV
