Justin Townes EarleHarlem River Blues

Acoustic blues shot through with rockabilly, country, and gospel across eleven lean tracks. The title cut is the heartbreaker, a bright, hand-clapping gospel melody hiding a far darker lyric underneath, the joy and the dread pulling against each other the whole way. Sparse backing keeps everything close: acoustic guitar, upright bass, organ, vibraphone, cello. Earle passed in 2020 at thirty-eight, and this stands as his masterwork. Spin it and miss him.