Rodney Crowell's The Outsider is a natural extension of his last two offerings: The Houston Kid and Fate's Right Hand. Where The Houston Kid was Crowell's autobiographical confessional and Fate's Right Hand was deeply philosophical and influenced by everything from Zen to the working through of anger, The Outsider digs deep into social and political consciousness. The album rocks harder than any Crowell record in the past, as evidenced by "Don't Get Me Started," which is an anti-war anthem that takes aim at the war in Iraq. Immediately following is "The Obscenity Prayer," written from the point of view of a hypocritical right-wing pleasure seeker whose positions are not only indefensible, they are, at worst, obscene. Conversely, the Zen-like advice in "Dancin' Circles Round the Sun" is a tough country rocker with killer rockabilly guitar lines by Stewart Smith and Hammond B3 grooves by John Hobbs. It is a testament to personal responsibility and awakening that exhorts and admonishes but never preaches. There is great tenderness here, as well, such as in the acoustically driven "Ignorance Is the Enemy," with its prayer-like cadence and spoken-word vocals by Emmylou Harris and John Prine. "Glasgow Girl" is as fine a country-rock love song as has been written in recent years. The album closes with "We Can't Turn Back Now," a rousing call for acceptance, forbearance, and perseverance, whose guitars and big bassline is graced by a stellar fiddle line and a beautifully delicate tin whistle winding through it all. Crowell -- still writing hits for "Hot 100" country artists to help finance and keep creative control of his recordings -- has matured into an artist who has the of hard-won experience that displays itself as poetically wrought wisdom. His work is full of humor, light, poignancy, and killer hooks. He's now written and recorded three big topic records, all of which surpass his early work. The only thing missing here now is a record on the other big topic: Love. Perhaps that's coming. Until then, The Outsider is the Rodney Crowell recording to listen to, debate with, and be inspired by. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
The Outsider Track ListingTrack# Title time lyrics 1 Say You Love Me 3:32 

2 The Obscenity Prayer (Give It to Me) 3:54 

3 The Outsider 4:23 

4 Dancin' Circles Round the Sun (Epictetus Speaks) 4:32 

5 Beautiful Despair (For James) 3:53 

6 Don't Get Me Started 5:51 

7 Ignorance Is the Enemy 4:48 

8 Glascow Girl 4:43 

9 Things That Go Bump in the Day 4:01 

10 Shelter from the Storm 5:26 

11 We Can't Turn Back Now 4:49 

Credits of The OutsiderJerry McPherson Guitar Buddy Miller Vocals (Background) John Mock Concertina, Tin Whistle Greg Morrow Drums William Owsley III Vocals (Background) Michael Rhodes Bass Vince Santoro Vocals (Background) Randy Scruggs Flamenco Guitar Steuart Smith Guitar J.D. Souther Vocals (Background) Crystal Taliefero Vocals (Background) Randall Waller Vocals (Background) Jonathan Yudkin Fiddle, String Quartet Vic Anesini Mastering Will Kimbrough Guitar, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Electric) Jennifer Tzar Cover Photo Tracy Baskette-Fleaner Art Direction, Design Sam Martin Engineer Marcia Ramirez Vocals (Background) Thomas Petillo Photography Chris Rodriguez Vocals (Background) Brandon Epps Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant, Assistant Trey Landrey Drums Dawn Nepp Production Assistant Deb Haus Art Direction, Artist Development Jedd Hughes Guitar, Vocals (Background), Mandolin, Vocals Brodie Jenkins Vocals (Background) Kacie Jenkins Vocals (Background) John Grady Executive Producer Julie Miller Vocals (Background) Eddie Bayers Drums Richard Bennett Guitar Pat Buchanan Guitar, Vocals (Background), Harmonica Peter Coleman Producer, Engineer, Mixing J.T. Corenflos Guitar John Cowan Vocals (Background) Donivan Cowart Engineer, Recording Chad Cromwell Drums Steve Fischell Guitar (Steel) Kim Fleming Vocals (Background) Shannon Forrest Drums Tony Harrell Organ, Keyboards John Hobbs Organ, Keyboards Jim Horn Saxophone Billy Livsey Organ Beth Nielsen Chapman Vocals (Background) Rodney Crowell Producer Emmylou Harris Guitar, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part, Spoken Word, Guest Appearance John Prine Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part, Spoken Word, Guest Appearance