Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
In 2000, Alejandro Escovedo wrote a play with music titled By the Hand of the Father, a moving song cycle that dealt with the Mexican-American experience as families left one home behind in hopes of finding another on the other side of the border. Escovedo is the son of one such man, and By the Hand of the Father was informed by the lives of his own family members. In 2018, Escovedo explores not dissimilar themes on his concept album The Crossing, but instead of telling the story of his father and those like him, here he imagines a story of two expatriates not unlike himself, and what their lives might be like if they made their way to America in these times. In 17 songs, The Crossing follows the journeys of two young men who came to America -- Diego from Mexico, Salvo from Italy -- chasing a dream of the nation they came to love from vintage punk rock, film noir, and beat-era literature. In their minds, America is not only a place of freedom and opportunity, but of ineffable cool, and if the art lives up to their expectations, the reality of daily life outside the American mainstream is another matter. These songs run the emotional gamut from the furious celebration of "Sonica USA" ("I saw the Zeros and they looked like me/This is the America that I want to be") to the bitter rant of "Teenage Luggage" ("America is beautiful, America is ill/America is a bloodstain in a honky tonk kill") to the rueful wisdom of the title cut ("Thoughts and prayers they never last/Don't waste them on the past/We all become history when we make the crossing"). Escovedo wrote these songs in collaboration with Italian rock musician Antonio Gramentiere, with Gramentiere and his band Don Antonio providing the backing, and the partnership proves to be inspired, with the musicians tackling the multiple influences and shifting moods of this music with passion and aplomb. And Escovedo has brought in some impressive guests for these sessions, including Wayne Kramer of the MC5, James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges, Peter Perrett and John Perry of the Only Ones, and Joe Ely (who lends harmonies to a beautiful cover of his song "Silver City"). With The Crossing, Escovedo puts a new and compelling spin on the oft-told tale of the American dream as seen both from a distance and up close. In his hands, this story is both timeless and as up to date as the latest news bulletin, and it connects as great music and outstanding storytelling delivered by an artist who has a unique talent for both.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 12.49€/month
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Joe Ely, Composer - Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Eiffel Tower Music, MusicPublisher
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Eiffel Tower Music
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Alejandro Escovedo, MainArtist - Riff City Sounds, BMI, MusicPublisher - Alejandro Escovedo and Antonio Gramentieri, Composer
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Album review
In 2000, Alejandro Escovedo wrote a play with music titled By the Hand of the Father, a moving song cycle that dealt with the Mexican-American experience as families left one home behind in hopes of finding another on the other side of the border. Escovedo is the son of one such man, and By the Hand of the Father was informed by the lives of his own family members. In 2018, Escovedo explores not dissimilar themes on his concept album The Crossing, but instead of telling the story of his father and those like him, here he imagines a story of two expatriates not unlike himself, and what their lives might be like if they made their way to America in these times. In 17 songs, The Crossing follows the journeys of two young men who came to America -- Diego from Mexico, Salvo from Italy -- chasing a dream of the nation they came to love from vintage punk rock, film noir, and beat-era literature. In their minds, America is not only a place of freedom and opportunity, but of ineffable cool, and if the art lives up to their expectations, the reality of daily life outside the American mainstream is another matter. These songs run the emotional gamut from the furious celebration of "Sonica USA" ("I saw the Zeros and they looked like me/This is the America that I want to be") to the bitter rant of "Teenage Luggage" ("America is beautiful, America is ill/America is a bloodstain in a honky tonk kill") to the rueful wisdom of the title cut ("Thoughts and prayers they never last/Don't waste them on the past/We all become history when we make the crossing"). Escovedo wrote these songs in collaboration with Italian rock musician Antonio Gramentiere, with Gramentiere and his band Don Antonio providing the backing, and the partnership proves to be inspired, with the musicians tackling the multiple influences and shifting moods of this music with passion and aplomb. And Escovedo has brought in some impressive guests for these sessions, including Wayne Kramer of the MC5, James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges, Peter Perrett and John Perry of the Only Ones, and Joe Ely (who lends harmonies to a beautiful cover of his song "Silver City"). With The Crossing, Escovedo puts a new and compelling spin on the oft-told tale of the American dream as seen both from a distance and up close. In his hands, this story is both timeless and as up to date as the latest news bulletin, and it connects as great music and outstanding storytelling delivered by an artist who has a unique talent for both.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 00:59:32
- Main artists: Alejandro Escovedo
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Yep Roc Records
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
2018 Yep Roc Records 2018 Riff City Sounds, BMI
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.