Tim Easton Reissues Two Classic Solo Albums

Special 20 and Not Cool are available now on Black Mesa Records

November 9, 2023February 19, 2024 Ron Hart 0 Comments Akron, Black Mesa Records, Chrissie Hynde, Devo, Lux Interior of The Cramps, Not Cool, Ohio, Special 20, The Black Keys, The Waitresses, Tim Easton, Wilco

Akron, Ohio is home to some of rock’s greatest names, including Chrissie Hynde, Lux Interior of The Cramps, Devo and The Waitresses (The Black Keys, too, I guess).

But one would be foolish not to add Tim Easton to that mix of Akron’s finest music talent. And if you’re uncertain of the name or where to start in his catalog, the Americana rocker has recently reissued two of his finest albums on the Black Mesa Records imprint with updated editions of 1998’s Special 20 and 2013’s Not Cool. Both titles have been long out-of-print and it’s great to see Black Mesa, with whom Easton has been signed since 2021, give them a second chance to find their way into the record collections of Americana fans with an ear for rootsy rock ‘n’ roll.

Tim Easton Special 20, Black Mesa Records 1998/2023

Special 20 found Easton reminiscing about the romantic abandon of his college days and the time he spent in the post-grad years busking on the streets of Europe as producers Brad Wood and Robin Eaton made a cozy sonic couch for the singer’s songs to kick up their heels from the confines of Nashville’s Alex the Great Recording studio. Moving seamlessly between rock and folk, Special 20 is buoyed by the strength of songs like “Torture Comes To Mind” and “Sweet Violet,” which indicate why New West Records was quick to sign Easton and the members of Wilco joined him on the album’s 2001 follow-up The Truth About Us.

Originally released on August 20, 2013, Easton would return to small label land for the release of his seventh solo album Not Cool, which Easton considers to be his finest studio endeavor.

“Not Cool is the record, from start to finish, that I call my best album,” he said.

Tim Easton Not Cool, Black Mesa 2013/2023

Once again recorded at Alex the Great in Nashville with Wood and Eaton, Easton had Sun Records on his mind when he was cutting the record based on the honky tonk rock that was crafted. His aim was to veer away from the standard singer-songwriter fare and closer to something that really cooks. So he called in a crew of Nashville cats, including veteran studio players Joe Fick on bass, slide guitarist JD Simo and drummer Jon Radford, as well a couple of newcomers in violinist Megan Palmer and guitarist Sadler Vaden to bang out Not Cool in record time. And at an economical half-hour, Easton wastes no time getting his ya-ya’s out on cuts like the fuzzed-out “Crazy Motherfucker From Shelby, Ohio” and the Chuck Berry-evoking “Little Doggie.” Other songs like “Four Queens” and “Gallatin Pike Blues” showcase his deft aptitude for dusty modern blues, while the title track and tearful closing number “Knock Out Roses (For Levon)” proves beneath the bluster there’s tenderness to spare.

“Any one of the twenty songs on these two albums still rings a bell in my book,” Easton proclaims about Special 20 and Not Cool. “No disrespect to any of my albums, but these two are my favorites.”

For more information on the new editions of these two Tim Easton classics, visit Black Mesa Records or Tim’s site at www.timeaston.com.