Buy this Album Now!

When it comes to music, I'm kind of spoiled. Having written about music and art for a dozen years now, I've been plied with free CDs and concert tickets numbering in the thousands. I actually have to give away or sell about 500 CDs a year jut to keep my apartment livable. Is it a home? Maybe it's more like a library of music, movies, and books, with a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom added on. There's plenty of listen to, if you can find a place to sit. Seriously, you can ask Patty, who stepped foot in here (once) to borrow a book.

So, that said, I'll add this: If there ever was a fire and I could only grab on CD, I know which one it would be: Alejandro Escovedo's More Miles than Money: Live 1994-96. Escovedo is a one-of-a-kind musician. Basically, you've either never seen him live or you never miss a chance to see him. A former punk rocker -- who opened for the Sex Pistol's "final" show with his former band the Nuns -- Alejandro has since dug into his Mexican roots and the alt. country thing.

The thing about Alejandro is his heart. You hear it in every note. I'm not one for tears, but I cry every time I see him perform. There's a vulnerability and honesty there that's just unmatched. Sometimes he plays with a rock band, other times with a string quartet. He's a man who can perform Iggy Pop's "I Wanna Be Your Dog" with an acoustic guitar, violin, and cello arrangement, and still have it be every bit as ferocious as the original.

I've written a lot about Alejandro, and always feel like I fall short. This is a guy who can play a loud rock club, unplug his instruments, move his band to  the center of the floor, and play unmiked to a crowd so quiet, you could hear a glass clink (not that any did).

You should own this album, especially since it's on the ultra-cool Chicago indie Bloodshot Records, and you can buy it straight from them.

Some sound clips are worth a million words, so ...