Various Artists,
Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo

Label: Or Music
Year: 2004

(4½ out of 5)

With a career spanning more than 30 years and accolades like "the decade's most significant musical artist" from No Depression (1998), it may come as no surprise that Alejandro Escovedo has amassed an impressive list of friends within the industry.

When Escovedo was stricken with Hepatitis C in early 2003, he faced an uncertain future. He had no health insurance, and the disease made performing and recording difficult if not impossible.

Dozens of the friends Escovedo made over the decades decided to contribute their artistic talents to a project that raises funds for the singer/songwriter's mounting medical bills. The result, Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, is an excellent and varied two-disc collection that makes a fitting addition to Escovedo's own wide-ranging catalog.

Highlights on Disc 1 include Lucinda Williams's opener, "Pyramid of Tears," Steve Earle with Reckless Kelly on "Paradise," Jennifer Warnes on "Pissed off 2am," Los Lonely Boys on "Castanets," Cowboy Junkies on "Don't Need You," Charlie Sexton on "Dear Head on the Wall," and Bob Neuwirth on "Rosalie."

Disc 2 also features a wealth of solid covers, including The Jayhawks on "Last to Know," the reunited Son Volt on "Sometimes," The Minus 5 on "I Was Drunk," The Dragons on "Gravity," Ruben Ramos on "Thirteen Years," and Alejandro Escovedo himself on "Break This Time."

Even with so many highlights, one track manages to stand out above the rest: Calexico's haunting interpretation of "Wave" from 2001's A Man Under the Influence.

Most compilation efforts are plagued by inconsistent production and mismatched styles. There are a few off tunes here, too: see John Cale's "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" on Disc 1 and Pete Escovedo with Sheila E. on "The Ballad of Sun and Moon" on Disc 2. But overall, the production quality is top-notch and the artists are matched well with the materials.

Por Vida is an outstanding tribute to an iconic figure in the evolution of Texas Music.

Buy: Lone Star Music, Amazon

November 10, 2004