Alejandro is a house favorite at Horizon, and his new CD this week is a testament to his artistry and his tenacity as musician and as a human. What a message and what a great rock record from one of Austin’s finest.

Here’s what Matt Grewolb from Crawdaddy.com had to say: It’s rather remarkable that Real Animal, Alejandro Escovedo’s wonderful new record on Back Porch/Manhattan, exists at all. Escovedo nearly lost a battle with Hepatitis C in 2002.

Happily, he’s lived to tell the tale. And Real Animal does just that, chronicling the life and times of one of American music’s great songwriters-and a musician that seems to transcend genre with albums that effortlessly bridge the gaps between rock, country, folk, and Tejano. Real Animal is at once the most collaborative and most personal album Escovedo has made in years. Lyrically, the record is strictly autobiographical, a life story told with the stark and gritty poetry that’s become Escovedo’s calling card. Musically, though, the album reflects the input of his two main collaborators: Chuck Prophet, who shares the songwriting credit, and producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex). The presence of both Prophet and Visconti has the effect of turning down the twang and cranking up the amps, resulting in a record that’s largely built around biting guitar riffs-one of the most straight-ahead rock albums Escovedo’s recorded as a solo artist. But though Prophet and Visconti make significant contributions, Escovedo remains the focus of attention. The 13 tracks here chronicle the stages of his rock ‘n’ roll journey-from the early years on through his solo career and his battle with Hepatitis C (one particularly affecting lyric comes from the first verse of “Golden Bear“, where Escovedo sings, “There’s a creature in my body / I don’t know how long it’s been there or why it’s after us“).

Visconti’s production is lean but muscular with the guitars and drums taking center stage. Working with a minimal palette, he creates and releases tension masterfully, manufacturing emotional peaks throughout. And Escovedo and Prophet’s arrangements are sparse and edgy, heightening the sense that these are songs of substance and significance. Escovedo’s vocal phrasing is sharp and deliberate, as each word demands thoughtful attention. The album’s opener, “Always a Friend“, is a tender but energetic rocker that pays tribute to Escovedo’s wife and sets the tone for the set. It’s followed by the snarling guitars and pointed refrains of “Chelsea Hotel.” “Sister Lost Soul”, with its ringing open guitar chords and propulsive backbeat, is downright Springsteen-esque-aggressive heartland rock ‘n’ roll. The opening trio sets the bar high but Escovedo is up to the task, and the balance of Real Animal is similarly superb. “Nuns Song”, another highlight, is a glam-rock tribute to Escovedo’s first band, a group that would become a seminal Bay Area punk rock act. And the album’s title track oozes with the kind of rawness and punk rock urgency worthy of its name. Even the album’s quieter and more meditative numbers, like “Hollywood Hills” and “Slow Down”, pack a serious emotional punch with an uncommon grace that borders on spiritual.

Recalling his bygone days in Rank and File on the raucous rocker “Chip n’ Tony”, Escovedo sings, “All I ever wanted was a four-piece band / We’re coming on like an accident.” And what a happy accident it was. Out of those accidental beginnings, Escovedo has charted a remarkable course-redefining Americana with grit and grace. Real Animal is no exception, the latest chapter in an extraordinary career and one that serves as a fine working summation, at least for now, of a well-examined life.
—By Matt Gewolb

Alejandro Escoveda – Real Animal / on CD

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