Justin Townes Earle - Kids In The Street

A Nashville native and Steve Earle’s son, Justin Townes Earle cut his teeth on classics: roots, country, Americana. He’s already messed around with tradition, but on Kids in the Street, his sly stylistic mash-ups are revelatory. He zips between swaggering garage-damaged R&B (“Champagne Corolla”) and sweetly bluesy rock (“Short Hair Woman”). With savvy instrumentation and aching vocals, he freshens up bluegrass-anchored ballads (“Faded Valentine”) and country weepers (“What’s She Crying For”). Earle balances devilish playfulness with the arch outlook of a man who’s lived.