Alex McMurray is a brilliant songwriter, an underrated guitarist, and a New Orleans treasure. His music over the years has included priceless records with Royal Fingerbowl, All That, The Tin Men, and 007, and his presence in the studio and on the live scene, has made all of his collaborators just a bit better.
His new record "The Recent Future" has just been released and it's a powerhouse. The roster of musicians on this new record reads like a New Orleans Hall Of Fame. Brian Coogan, Joe Cabral of The Iguanas, Ashlin Parker, Hellen Gillet, Rex Gregory, the one and only Carlo Nuccio, who just recently lost his battle with cancer and Susan Cowsill who lends her voice to more than half of the record.
If these names mean little to you, just spend two days in New Orleans, and you will have seen all of them perform in one venue or another.
The songs on "The Recent Future" are both dark and strangely uplifting. McMurray's style is somewhere between Randy Newman and Tom Waits, but my feeling about that changes from song to song.
There are no bad songs on "The Recent Future," but "Petty Larcenies" might end up being my favorite lyric of the last five years.
"you can wish on an ancient star
you can beat on a cheap guitar
you can sweep up around this bar
and make it pay
it didn’t matter who you hurt
if you were sweating through your shirt
if ernie only knew you, burt
he’d be gone…far away
‘cause if you can’t make it clean
you can always make it shine
and no one will ever see
your crime is gonna pay this time
you hung around with the boys
once or twice you lost your poise
with the guy who made that noise
on his stratocaster
it’s slippery down in the soil
so who is gonna be your foil?
will it be the one who paints in oils
or works in plaster?
and if you can’t make it clean
you can always make it shine
‘cause no one will ever see
your crime is gonna pay
your crime is gonna pay
if you can’t make it clean
you can always make it shine
and stay right on the scene
your crime is gonna pay this time
so throw down your sword and shield
save it on your reel to reel
sit down to your last meal
and eat your fill
‘cause one day this will all be dust
so do exactly what you must
these rules are for the rest of us
for good or ill
‘cause if you can’t make it clean
you can always make it shine
and no one will ever see
your crime is gonna pay
your crime is gonna pay"
You can buy Alex's music directly from him. Give these songs a spin. This is one fantastic album
17 comments:
Amazing record by my former neighbor. Anyone interested in purchasing the stream, can find it via bandcamp.
Thank you, Sal. Another "hidden" treasure you're giving exposure to.
This is why we love you and Burning Wood.
First rate. I really like the sound, which reminds me of "Rain Dogs", especially on "Petty Larcenies", which also bears more than a passing resemblance to Bruce Springsteen.
Not bad at all
Alex is playing in Red Hook on January 20th. It's going to be great!
Great album, I've been playing it non-stop.
One of my favorites in 2022, along with Tommy McLain's latest.
Dave in SF
That ia indeed a great lyric.
Here at the End of the World is now my song of the year. It is both optimistic and pessimistic at the same time or at least moment to moment. Thanks for this, this is truly inspired music. Reminds me a little bit of Chris Whitley's Living with the Law.
Alex lives in the Bywater section of NO (an area where I grew up and also owned my own house after Katrina and until 3 years ago). Its by the water (duh) with the Mississippi River serving as one of its borders, and a man made canal that feeds into the river serving as another. There's a place where the canal and the river meet that locals refer to as "the end of the world." Nightly there's river watching parties where people just gather around, and enjoy the sunset. Hope this adds to a little more enjoyment of the lyrics for that one song.
It's my birthday and that's the present I've had so far. What a great album Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Wow, this sounds great - can't wait to explore!
You're such a treasure trove of New Orleans music - I sure do enjoy having you around.
Randy
Ordered. Just the kick I needed to buy something of his. I’ve only seen him as a member of Paul Sanchez’s band, so I’m looking forward to this.
Guys - for the uninitiated, Alex also leads a band called The Tin Men; the world's foremost, guitar, washboard and sousaphone trio. They have several lps out, too. Alex writes the orginal music that they perform, but they also cover everything from 1940s blues to Led Zeppelin.
Yes pmac. I mention Tin Men in the post. A must see live!
Lo siento, amigo. Old guys and life - we forget a lot. And, I agree re their live performances. Tin Men and Cleary I've seen over 50 times each.
One more album to listen to as the year comes to a close!!!
Royal Fingerbowl had two excellent albums, I lost track of McMurray after that. I like these songs, I'll be checking out the album and his previous bands. Thanks for the update!
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