After moving to New York and recording 2007's Washington Square Serenade , Steve Earle is now headed to Texas. At least in song, anyway. Earle's new album, Townes , finds him paying tribute to his long-time friend and mentor Townes Van Zandt by covering 15 of the late Texan's best songs. The disc features contributions from Earle's wife, singer Allison Moorer and his son Justin Townes Earle, as well as less likely help from former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello.

 

Anyone who saw clips of Steve Earle discussing Van Zandt in the documentary Be Here to Love Me knows that Earle clearly understood Townes and all his demons just as much as he admired the man as a songwriter. So this set of covers just might turn out to make up one of the most revealing and affecting album's Earle has put out. He's clearly fond of the material, since he's already claimed, "This may be one of the best records I've ever made." If he's right, then Townes is sure to be a hell of a thing. And, as if that weren't reason enough to pick it up, there will also be a two-disc deluxe edition and a limited-edition, 180-gram vinyl pressing of the album for those of us who can't get enough Steve Earle. Or Townes Van Zandt, for that matter.