Alejandro Escovedo's life reads like a primer in creative renewal. He was around at the dawn of American punk rock in his band the Nuns, which opened the last Sex Pistols show. His next band, Rank and File, virtually invented alternative country. Since then he's been songwriter full of amazing stories, a full-blast rocker, a solo singer-songwriter and a survivor back from the brink of death. He can whip out every one of his songs ten different ways, and they will connect with the gut every time.