Yes, Steve Earle is one of those guys who seems incapable of making a bad album. Even on my least favourite of his albums, he beats most songwriters on the best day they ever had.

My copy of the new CD's not arrived yet, but I'm looking forward to hearing it very much. The New Orleans strand you mention that's emerged in his songs lately presumably springs from his involvement as an actor in David Simon's series Treme.

Earle's books are worth getting hold of too - one novel and one collection of short stories so far. The settings and characters are very much like those he uses in his songs, they've got a real ring of truth about them and his prose is very fluid. I hope I'll get a chance to see his seldom-performed play Karla on stage one day too.