Terry Allen – Human Remains … album review

When I hear about a Texas singer-songwriter, I have to listen. Terry Allen is no exception, and yes, I love the styles he has and the songwriting. I couldn’t pick one from the album, so I thought, let’s go over the album. I listened to this album this week, over and over, and now while I’m writing this. It’s different, and that is a good thing. 

Terry Allen was born in 1943 in Lubbock, Texas, the same West Texas town that produced Buddy Holly. While Holly went straight into rock and roll, Allen took a different path. He studied art at Chouinard Art Institute in California during the 1960s and built a career as a respected visual artist before becoming widely known as a songwriter.

He has never really fit in one category. He came out of Texas in the 1970s, making records that mixed country, folk, and storytelling. The thing about Allen that sets him apart is that he is a songwriter who thinks like a novelist. By the mid-90s, he released this album, Human Remains, an album that sounded loose but carried the stories of people and places. He made this album with the help of Lloyd Maines, David Byrne, Joe Ely, Lucinda Williams, and many others.

It feels like a set of sketches from the American West and Southwest. The songs deal with memory, loss, odd characters, and the passing of time. It’s not a polished “Nashville” production. The record sounds live, with guitars, accordion, and rhythm sections that set the mood. The album is full of characters, wisdom, and plenty of commentary.

The first song that really caught my ear was What of Alicia. I like everything about this song and the lyrics of two people during a time frame until they met. The album kicks off with a rolling number called Gone To Texas with the lyric Hey I don’t need no chickenshit business man, tellin’ me what to do, Even if you ain’t got no business, same thing goes for you. I thought, well, this is different, and I like it. Another song that is mixed with humor is Peggy Legg. There’s a one-legged woman, On the dance floor, An that one leg’s so pretty, She don’t need no more. I mean, that is imagination and clever. 

Flatland Boogie is an enjoyable song about cruising in a Ford in the southwest. I hope you give the album a try. The songwriting is top-notch, and he has wit to spare. The lyrics fit so well together, and the music makes this album accessible to everyone. 

I saw a review by a user, and he said this. I don’t know what kind of music this is. Okay, it’s definitely country,  but it’s not normal country; it’s something different. Can’t put my finger on it. It’s not “rock & roll” country, and it’s not Neo-Traditionalist Country. It’s not folksy, and it’s not artsy. I don’t think any traditional genre would claim this stuff. It’s just Terry Allen.

That’s really close to what I think as well, and it’s a huge compliment. Allen has his own thing going on here, and I respect and enjoy it. Terry Allen, as I said, is a well-known visual artist, and you can see some of his work here. Some of his art is in museums. 

What Of Alicia

Well he just turned 17
When he left old Abilene
With his bag
And permission from the kin
Yeah but things just weren’t the same
After his Momma signed her name
And let the navy…take him in

Ahhh
What of Alicia
Española
13 years old
Child of Mexico

And he just turned 19 years
When he learned to face his fears
Of growing up
And acting like a man
He just cocked his sailor cap
Stuck his hands down in his lap
Leaned back and stroked them girls in Japan

Ahhh
What of Alicia
Española
15 years old
Girl of Mexico

An he just turned 23
When he finally took his final leave
Anchored in the port of San Diego
Yeah he met this border girl
An he fancied her body’s curl
So he married her
Then carried her to Colorado

Ahhh
What of Alicia
Española
19 years old
An old woman
But out of Mexico