Satisfied At Last

Joe Ely is in a reflective mood on Satisfied At Last. These are mature songs about mortality, acceptance, and the ways in which he’s learned to deal with the twists and turns of life. He makes it clear throughout that he’s not done learning yet, and that he still believes in second chances. On “I’m a Man Now” he sings about finally figuring things out and hitting his prime; elsewhere, he observes that despite the passage of time, “not that much has changed.” And when his time comes he sings of wanting his ashes placed in a shotgun shell and blown across his beloved flatlands of West Texas (“You Can Bet I’m Gone”). Though his talent is deserving, mass commercial success has always eluded Ely, yet he hardly sounds bothered. When he sings in his weathered, soulful voice of being “satisfied at last,” you believe him. Backed by a solid band, the songs are delivered in Ely’s characteristic gumbo of Tex-Mex, traditional country, and roots rock, only mixing up the formula with the light reggae rhythm of “Roll Again.” Satisfied At Last is a worthy addition to an impressive body of work.