More Miles Than Money - Live, 1994-1996

Drawn mostly from Alejandro Escovedo’s first two solo albums, More Miles Than Money presents several of Escovedo’s best-known songs in versions far starker and rawer than their studio counterparts. This is an album that reflects the atmosphere of the road, both literal and metaphysical. “Last To Know” and “Broken Bottle” are not quite angry or urgent — they are simply tinted with the wear and tear of all those miles logged. The blowback of the touring life is made more explicit in “Pissed Off 2AM,” which conveys just how lonely and alienating the late nights of a working musician can be. The two covers fit the mood perfectly: The Stones’ “Sway” encapsulates all the hoarse world-weariness of the touring lifestyle, while The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” becomes a channel for all of the band’s pent-up frustrations and grievances. In this way, More Miles Than Money isn’t just a document of an Escovedo live performance, but a reflection of the author’s experiences as someone who has accepted the toll of being in touring rock bands since his teen years.