Classic Country Albums
- Thread starter Kumquat May
- Start date
MyFriendTaz
New member
No Other - Gene Clark (1974)
In my top 25 of all time.
Classic
In my top 25 of all time.
Classic
Johnny Cash - Blood, Sweat, and Tears (1963)
1.The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer
2.Tell Him I'm Gone
3.Another Man Done Gone
4.Busted
5.Casey Jones
6.Nine Pound Hammer
7.Chain Gang
8.Waiting For A Train
9.Roughneck
1.The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer
2.Tell Him I'm Gone
3.Another Man Done Gone
4.Busted
5.Casey Jones
6.Nine Pound Hammer
7.Chain Gang
8.Waiting For A Train
9.Roughneck
A true epic tale of the American working man in the early 1900's, and one of Johnny Cash's best themed concept albums. It tells the tale of an American railroad worker in the beginning of the century, and does a great job of doing so. Covering everything from the legend of John Henry to the details of harRABhips faced by the American working class during the time. Johnny Cash delivers a powerful performance on this record, showing his two best sides, sympathetic emotions, and working man frustration. A major turning point in Cash's career as his biggest hit since he released 8 albums on Columbia recorRAB before striking big with this album, which was to be followed up by the next year's 'I Walk the Line' one of the best selling country albums of the 60's. This album shows the true nature of country music more real than any other, and is why it has been chosen by me as a Classic Country Album.
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Yeah, that's right, I just spent the last hour reviewing a Ringo Starr solo album 
:
:Ringo Starr
Beaucoups Of Blues
1970
1. Beaucoups Of Blues [Rabin]
2. Love Don't Last Long [Howard]
3. Fastest Growing Heartache In The West [Kingston/Dycus]
4. Without Her [Pickard]
5. Woman Of The Night [Pickard]
6. I'd Be Talking All The Time [Howard/Kingston]
7. $15 Draw [Pickard]
8. Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs [Kingston]
9. I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way [Howard]
10. Loser's Lounge [Pierce]
11. Waiting [Howard]
12. Silent Homecoming [Pickard]
Ok, so I know what you're thinking and, funnily enough, I agree with you. Yes, Ringo Starr is a bit of a joke of a human being, especially after his hilarious youtube plea for fans to stop appreciating him ('I am warning you with peace and love' - always makes me giggle). Yes, he's as far behind the times as a stopped clock too. But, lest we forget, a stopped clock is right twice a day, which is basically a very pretentious way of saying there is some merit to Ringo's singing career. While it's true that Liverpool 8 is very probably the worst song of the decade and, not only that, but also, Back Off Boogaloo and It Don't Come Easy aside, I do despise the rest of the guy's solo career. On the other hand, though, I do like a good number of songs Ringo sang with the Beatles (Boys, Don't Pass Me By, Octopus's Garden and With a Little Help From My FrienRAB are favourites of mine) and, more importantly (and relevantly), I'm quite the fan of this album.
This album being Ringo's second solo effort, his first being the pretty bland Sentimental Journey - released earlier in 1970 while the Beatles were (technically) still going. In the May of that same year, during the recording sessions for George Harrison's monolithic solo debut, Ringo met the session steel guitarist Pete Drake. Upon finding out about Drake's connections with country music in Nashville Ringo, himself a long-time country lover, asked if he was up for a collaboration. Seeing as this was a Beatle he was dealing with, it probably didn't take a lot of thinking for Drake to come up with an answer. After laying down 12 instrumental and backing vocal tracks, Ringo arrived in Nashville about a month later to overdub all his vocals.
From the oRABet, the title cut of Beaucoups Of Blues in this case, it's plain to see that Ringo's vocal style worked so much better over the top of country songs than the old standarRAB he'd recorded for Sentimental Journey, as from start to finish his soft, soothing voice really gives a very miserable bunch of lyrics a strangely uplifting and warm vibe about them. This is the case even on a song about a triple suicide like Love Don't Last Long, to the extent that it's rendered as one of the highlights of the album. Fastest Growing Heartache In the West keeps the thread of very faithful and traditional-sounding country and western music going, in this case being a slightly livelier cut, propelled by very neat fiddle that punctuates it.
As I started to prepare this review, I was frantically looking for a video of Without Her and, to my dismay, couldn't find one, simply because the opening two lines in particular are a couple of the most gorgeously-sung that I've ever heard and really goes to show that Ringo's strength as a performer was much more obvious in his singing than drumming and songwriting. I've probably scared a few of you off just by mentioning the guy's name but, I implore you, find a way of listening to this song as it's fantastic.
Therein lies the strength of this album... kinda. The fact that Ringo sings with the confidence of someone who knows he's not the most talented musician in the world and is simply doing it for the love. It's there for all to see on the cute, lively little love-song Woman Of the Night. From there there's the effective, pedal steel-tinged cut I'd Be Talking All the Time, which boasts both another wonderful fiddle track and the cutely dumb opening lines 'if I talked about the good times, there wouldn't be much to say'. $15 Draw serves as another pretty miserable lyric being given an uplifting kind of life by Ringo's vocal style and the almost jovial musical backing, while the hilariously-titled Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs (story of my life there
) tones the pace down a little bit but has yet another oddly happy vibe about it despite the concerns of the lyric.
The ballad made out of I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way, despite another gorgeous lead vocal track, does nevertheless come across as a lot less interesting than a few of the cuts we've already gone through. Loser's Lounge, on the other hand, is a billious knees-up of a honky tonk number and another album highlight. Waiting makes for another tempo-related U-turn, being another simply marvellous country ballad that gets by like that on the back of another sweet-as-honey lead vocal. Rounding it all off is the anti-war song Silent Homecoming which, despite being a fairly evocative lyric, is another number that's not so interesting as others here.
To sum all this up, I won't pretend this album is an absolute classic like a few country-influenced albums I've mentioned around the boarRAB before (and, seeing as it was released to a fairly unimpressed reception in 1970, not a lot of others did at the time either), and I know that kinda goes against this thread, but there is a very simple reason that you see me posting this review here. It's because, simply, this is one of the first truly traditional country and western album I ever bought and, seeing as it's an area I'm delving deeper into these days, it's therefore a massively important album in my music collection. There's that and the fact that, while it isn't an end-to-end classic, it is still a very very good album, boasting some truly wonderful vocal performances and capable musical backings to give a very miserable bunch of country lyrics a real warmth and friendly kind of vibe.
Basically, whether you're not sure where to start on the road to appreciating traditional country and western music or you're just curious about the genre, this is a vital album to turn to, as it's one that did me a world of good. It's an album I can empathise with too, seeing as (owing to who's singing it) it has a kind of outsider looking in feel about it, a bit like me and traditional country music as a whole. It's an album you need to simply kick back to and just not take that seriously to enjoy it, if that makes any sense.
[YOUTUBE]QI-ep4XBf8w[/YOUTUBE]
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Beaucoups Of Blues
1970
1. Beaucoups Of Blues [Rabin]
2. Love Don't Last Long [Howard]
3. Fastest Growing Heartache In The West [Kingston/Dycus]
4. Without Her [Pickard]
5. Woman Of The Night [Pickard]
6. I'd Be Talking All The Time [Howard/Kingston]
7. $15 Draw [Pickard]
8. Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs [Kingston]
9. I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way [Howard]
10. Loser's Lounge [Pierce]
11. Waiting [Howard]
12. Silent Homecoming [Pickard]
Ok, so I know what you're thinking and, funnily enough, I agree with you. Yes, Ringo Starr is a bit of a joke of a human being, especially after his hilarious youtube plea for fans to stop appreciating him ('I am warning you with peace and love' - always makes me giggle). Yes, he's as far behind the times as a stopped clock too. But, lest we forget, a stopped clock is right twice a day, which is basically a very pretentious way of saying there is some merit to Ringo's singing career. While it's true that Liverpool 8 is very probably the worst song of the decade and, not only that, but also, Back Off Boogaloo and It Don't Come Easy aside, I do despise the rest of the guy's solo career. On the other hand, though, I do like a good number of songs Ringo sang with the Beatles (Boys, Don't Pass Me By, Octopus's Garden and With a Little Help From My FrienRAB are favourites of mine) and, more importantly (and relevantly), I'm quite the fan of this album.
This album being Ringo's second solo effort, his first being the pretty bland Sentimental Journey - released earlier in 1970 while the Beatles were (technically) still going. In the May of that same year, during the recording sessions for George Harrison's monolithic solo debut, Ringo met the session steel guitarist Pete Drake. Upon finding out about Drake's connections with country music in Nashville Ringo, himself a long-time country lover, asked if he was up for a collaboration. Seeing as this was a Beatle he was dealing with, it probably didn't take a lot of thinking for Drake to come up with an answer. After laying down 12 instrumental and backing vocal tracks, Ringo arrived in Nashville about a month later to overdub all his vocals.
From the oRABet, the title cut of Beaucoups Of Blues in this case, it's plain to see that Ringo's vocal style worked so much better over the top of country songs than the old standarRAB he'd recorded for Sentimental Journey, as from start to finish his soft, soothing voice really gives a very miserable bunch of lyrics a strangely uplifting and warm vibe about them. This is the case even on a song about a triple suicide like Love Don't Last Long, to the extent that it's rendered as one of the highlights of the album. Fastest Growing Heartache In the West keeps the thread of very faithful and traditional-sounding country and western music going, in this case being a slightly livelier cut, propelled by very neat fiddle that punctuates it.
As I started to prepare this review, I was frantically looking for a video of Without Her and, to my dismay, couldn't find one, simply because the opening two lines in particular are a couple of the most gorgeously-sung that I've ever heard and really goes to show that Ringo's strength as a performer was much more obvious in his singing than drumming and songwriting. I've probably scared a few of you off just by mentioning the guy's name but, I implore you, find a way of listening to this song as it's fantastic.
Therein lies the strength of this album... kinda. The fact that Ringo sings with the confidence of someone who knows he's not the most talented musician in the world and is simply doing it for the love. It's there for all to see on the cute, lively little love-song Woman Of the Night. From there there's the effective, pedal steel-tinged cut I'd Be Talking All the Time, which boasts both another wonderful fiddle track and the cutely dumb opening lines 'if I talked about the good times, there wouldn't be much to say'. $15 Draw serves as another pretty miserable lyric being given an uplifting kind of life by Ringo's vocal style and the almost jovial musical backing, while the hilariously-titled Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs (story of my life there
) tones the pace down a little bit but has yet another oddly happy vibe about it despite the concerns of the lyric.The ballad made out of I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way, despite another gorgeous lead vocal track, does nevertheless come across as a lot less interesting than a few of the cuts we've already gone through. Loser's Lounge, on the other hand, is a billious knees-up of a honky tonk number and another album highlight. Waiting makes for another tempo-related U-turn, being another simply marvellous country ballad that gets by like that on the back of another sweet-as-honey lead vocal. Rounding it all off is the anti-war song Silent Homecoming which, despite being a fairly evocative lyric, is another number that's not so interesting as others here.
To sum all this up, I won't pretend this album is an absolute classic like a few country-influenced albums I've mentioned around the boarRAB before (and, seeing as it was released to a fairly unimpressed reception in 1970, not a lot of others did at the time either), and I know that kinda goes against this thread, but there is a very simple reason that you see me posting this review here. It's because, simply, this is one of the first truly traditional country and western album I ever bought and, seeing as it's an area I'm delving deeper into these days, it's therefore a massively important album in my music collection. There's that and the fact that, while it isn't an end-to-end classic, it is still a very very good album, boasting some truly wonderful vocal performances and capable musical backings to give a very miserable bunch of country lyrics a real warmth and friendly kind of vibe.
Basically, whether you're not sure where to start on the road to appreciating traditional country and western music or you're just curious about the genre, this is a vital album to turn to, as it's one that did me a world of good. It's an album I can empathise with too, seeing as (owing to who's singing it) it has a kind of outsider looking in feel about it, a bit like me and traditional country music as a whole. It's an album you need to simply kick back to and just not take that seriously to enjoy it, if that makes any sense.
[YOUTUBE]QI-ep4XBf8w[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]zFMU4lLQjjE[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]qBP2-t8CqPM[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]zd8rP_8m2v0[/YOUTUBE]
Great review crash! Nice choice with the Johnny Cash. I love that almost train chugging beat they went with in Nine Pound Hammer. I'm going to look more into this album, but from what I've heard, it makes me thankful I didn't have to work on the railroad. Sounded like some hellacious hard work and its good that Johnny Cash did an album like this so we don't forget all that hard work that these Americans put into the railroad.
Feel free to do more man, love reading them.
Feel free to do more man, love reading them.
). It's an album made mostly of covers and the only ByrRAB album to feature Gram Parsons as a member. Definitely worth a shot.Growing Times..
New member
wow you've all done a really great job with these reviews!
i love classic country so much and it's akin to some of my fondest family memories
i started working on a dolly parton one tonight but i doubt i'll get finished before tomorrow
but i plan on contributing here as time permits
awesome thread!
i love classic country so much and it's akin to some of my fondest family memories
i started working on a dolly parton one tonight but i doubt i'll get finished before tomorrow
but i plan on contributing here as time permits
awesome thread!
Wonderful review as usual, Bulldog. Very interesting and brave choice I must say. But you backed it up wonderfully. Loved reading it, very thorough! I have yet to listen to it though, as my school has the youtube videos blocked-- but I will tell you what I think when I get the chance. I'm tremendously curious! Especially about Without Her.
I will say with all sincerity that Country music has always been associated with a certain image and in Britain especially it barely gets the time of day. This is probably because that if Country does make it's way through the musical barriers then it will ostensibly be watered down 2 nd rate crap A la Garth Brooks or Dolly Partons tits!
However, I have been doing my own digging into the genre over the past year or so and have found a rich and diverse genre of music that while it's not neccessarily conducive to myself, I have still come to appreciate many artists and albums.
Some of my picks may not even fall into the category, for which I apologise:
Alison Krauss & Union Station-Lonely Runs Both Ways
Dixie Chicks-Home
Dwight Yoakam- Best Of
Great Lake Swimmers-Lost Channels
Jim White-Wrong Eyed Jesus
Lambchop-OH(ohio)
Lucero-Tennesee
William Eliott Whitmore-Animals In The Dark
However, I have been doing my own digging into the genre over the past year or so and have found a rich and diverse genre of music that while it's not neccessarily conducive to myself, I have still come to appreciate many artists and albums.
Some of my picks may not even fall into the category, for which I apologise:
Alison Krauss & Union Station-Lonely Runs Both Ways
Dixie Chicks-Home
Dwight Yoakam- Best Of
Great Lake Swimmers-Lost Channels
Jim White-Wrong Eyed Jesus
Lambchop-OH(ohio)
Lucero-Tennesee
William Eliott Whitmore-Animals In The Dark
A#1 review Bulldog! Townes Van Zandt makes an excellent, excellent addition to the thread. What a song writer and vocalist! "Kathleen" especially impresses me. His vocals have such a great masculinity about them, and I'm also keen on that empty ghost town-ish vibe I get from his music. I picture tumbleweeRAB blowing around when I listen to it, haha. I have to say his style has quite a different swing on things than my outlaws. Much more traditional Western cowboy music. And I'm really liking it. Great job, and thank you.
Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Almost Blue
1981
1. Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)? [Williams]
2. Sweet Dreams [Gibson]
3. Success [Mullins]
4. I'm Your Toy [Parsons/Ethridge]
5. Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down [Haggard]
6. Brown To Blue [Jones/Franks]
7. A Good Year For the Roses [Chesnut]
8. Sittin' and Thinkin' [Rich]
9. Colour Of the Blues [L. Williams/Jones]
10. Too Far Gone [Sherril]
11. Honey Hush [Turner]
12. How Much I Lied [Parsons/Rifkin]
So then, I've already taken the opportunity to introduce to one gateway album for the delights of country music in the shape of Ringo Starr's Beaucoups Of Blues - not a classic by any means, but a massively important album in my music collection when it comes to the direction my musical journey's taken on. Even though Ringo's album certainly gave me the push I needed to start to fully explore a very rich and totally new area of music to me, it wasn't my first brush with classic country and western music in the form of an album.
That's where Elvis Costello, another Englishman with a real love for country music, comes in with a covers album of his own. Again, the actual album itself is very good but no classic, but more importantly than that, in buying this is some HMV store however many years ago it was, Almost Blue here was officially the first country album I ever owned. Even if it's no classic then, it's certainly one of the most influential albums on my musical taste. On top of all that, I've been listening to Elvis Costello's albums virtually all day, and my opinions of this album have changed quite a bit since I posted the review of it in the guy's discography thread, so it's time for another bite of the cherry!
Anyway, on with the actual review! By 1981, Elvis Costello and his backing band the Attractions had made a bit of a name for themselves on either side of the Atlantic as a result of, upon emerging from the British pub rock scene, a virtually seamless run of six album releases (five studio projects, one live album) in the space of about four and a half years. As great as a lot of that work turned out though, Costello himself hadn't been able to find an outlet to express his love for country music outside of the odd B-side or album track. After the release of his brilliant Trust album earlier that year (which featured a nicely country-flavoured original called Different Finger), upon meeting up with his old buddy and professional steel guitarist John McPhee, it dawned on Costello that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go to Nashville Tennessee and record his own renditions of some of his favourite country songs with McPhee and the Attractions in tow. Legendary producer Billy Sherril was in the producer's chair for the sessions.
A total of about thirty songs (all covers and only one original) were recorded in the space of just six days. Overall, the result is a much more faithful reading of classic country standarRAB than you'd imagine. The exception is the furiously-paced, rollicking, punked-up cover of Hank Williams' Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)?, give us an intriguing kind of hybrid of punk and country rock.
From there though, things follow a much more traditional path, as the slow, syrupy version of the Don Gibson ballad Sweet Dreams should make obvious. Not exactly one of my favourite songs that Costello's ever sung (I'm not a huge fan of those string arrangements and backing vocals), but again, interesting when you think who exactly's singing it. Probably the weak point of the album when all's said and done, which is ok as it's followed up by the brilliant, piano-led rendition of Success (pianist Steve Nieve actually gives one of the best piano performances I've ever heard here as well). Following that is a slightly slower version of I'm Your Toy, aka the Flying Burrito Brothers' Hot Burrito 1. Good enough, but nowhere near as good as the Gram Parsons-led original. Next comes the Merle Haggard number, Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down, bringing the overall quality back up a few notches as it speeRAB proceedings up before the slower, slightly meandering version of Brown To Blue.
It's an album which has a few less interesting moments, but those are easily made up for by the highlights, like the following, anthemic and absolutely beautiful A Good Year For the Roses (a surprise top 10 hit in the UK, incidentally), and the gorgeously twangy, alcoholic ramble of Charlie Rich's Sittin' and Thinkin'. To follow on from those though are a couple more not necessarily bad but merely not-so-great covers, those being George Jones' Colour Of the Blues and Billy Sherril's own Too Far Gone (the latter of which is done a bit better by one Emmylou Harris). Honey Hush (also covered by Paul McCartney of all people) picks up the pace again and has a neat melody, while How Much I Lied is possibly the best cover Costello's ever performed, seeing as I think it beats Gram Parsons' original (and considering that I love all things Parsons, that's quite a thing to say).
All in all, a very interesting album for how faithful all these renditions are to their respective originals, and considering they were recorded by a band that made their name in new wave, that's quite something. Those twelve tracks are only the thin end of the wedge too, as there are plenty of great outtakes from these sessions (my personal favourite being the rendition of Hank Cochran's He's Got You, which you'll find in the bottom video here). More importantly than all that contextual stuff, although it took me a while to truly appreciate it (seeing as country and western was so alien to me when I bought this), this album got me started on the broader-than-you'd-think area of country music. Therefore, like the Ringo Starr album I reviewed a few posts back, it's no classic, but anyone wondering where to start with country should definitely turn to this album. Plus that sleeve art kicks arse, so what more reason do you need?!
[YOUTUBE]RIoPTcIBj_o[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]jZo4KXc5bWI[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]znhedfGFc8g[/YOUTUBE]
Almost Blue
1981
1. Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)? [Williams]
2. Sweet Dreams [Gibson]
3. Success [Mullins]
4. I'm Your Toy [Parsons/Ethridge]
5. Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down [Haggard]
6. Brown To Blue [Jones/Franks]
7. A Good Year For the Roses [Chesnut]
8. Sittin' and Thinkin' [Rich]
9. Colour Of the Blues [L. Williams/Jones]
10. Too Far Gone [Sherril]
11. Honey Hush [Turner]
12. How Much I Lied [Parsons/Rifkin]
So then, I've already taken the opportunity to introduce to one gateway album for the delights of country music in the shape of Ringo Starr's Beaucoups Of Blues - not a classic by any means, but a massively important album in my music collection when it comes to the direction my musical journey's taken on. Even though Ringo's album certainly gave me the push I needed to start to fully explore a very rich and totally new area of music to me, it wasn't my first brush with classic country and western music in the form of an album.
That's where Elvis Costello, another Englishman with a real love for country music, comes in with a covers album of his own. Again, the actual album itself is very good but no classic, but more importantly than that, in buying this is some HMV store however many years ago it was, Almost Blue here was officially the first country album I ever owned. Even if it's no classic then, it's certainly one of the most influential albums on my musical taste. On top of all that, I've been listening to Elvis Costello's albums virtually all day, and my opinions of this album have changed quite a bit since I posted the review of it in the guy's discography thread, so it's time for another bite of the cherry!
Anyway, on with the actual review! By 1981, Elvis Costello and his backing band the Attractions had made a bit of a name for themselves on either side of the Atlantic as a result of, upon emerging from the British pub rock scene, a virtually seamless run of six album releases (five studio projects, one live album) in the space of about four and a half years. As great as a lot of that work turned out though, Costello himself hadn't been able to find an outlet to express his love for country music outside of the odd B-side or album track. After the release of his brilliant Trust album earlier that year (which featured a nicely country-flavoured original called Different Finger), upon meeting up with his old buddy and professional steel guitarist John McPhee, it dawned on Costello that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go to Nashville Tennessee and record his own renditions of some of his favourite country songs with McPhee and the Attractions in tow. Legendary producer Billy Sherril was in the producer's chair for the sessions.
A total of about thirty songs (all covers and only one original) were recorded in the space of just six days. Overall, the result is a much more faithful reading of classic country standarRAB than you'd imagine. The exception is the furiously-paced, rollicking, punked-up cover of Hank Williams' Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used To Do)?, give us an intriguing kind of hybrid of punk and country rock.
From there though, things follow a much more traditional path, as the slow, syrupy version of the Don Gibson ballad Sweet Dreams should make obvious. Not exactly one of my favourite songs that Costello's ever sung (I'm not a huge fan of those string arrangements and backing vocals), but again, interesting when you think who exactly's singing it. Probably the weak point of the album when all's said and done, which is ok as it's followed up by the brilliant, piano-led rendition of Success (pianist Steve Nieve actually gives one of the best piano performances I've ever heard here as well). Following that is a slightly slower version of I'm Your Toy, aka the Flying Burrito Brothers' Hot Burrito 1. Good enough, but nowhere near as good as the Gram Parsons-led original. Next comes the Merle Haggard number, Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down, bringing the overall quality back up a few notches as it speeRAB proceedings up before the slower, slightly meandering version of Brown To Blue.
It's an album which has a few less interesting moments, but those are easily made up for by the highlights, like the following, anthemic and absolutely beautiful A Good Year For the Roses (a surprise top 10 hit in the UK, incidentally), and the gorgeously twangy, alcoholic ramble of Charlie Rich's Sittin' and Thinkin'. To follow on from those though are a couple more not necessarily bad but merely not-so-great covers, those being George Jones' Colour Of the Blues and Billy Sherril's own Too Far Gone (the latter of which is done a bit better by one Emmylou Harris). Honey Hush (also covered by Paul McCartney of all people) picks up the pace again and has a neat melody, while How Much I Lied is possibly the best cover Costello's ever performed, seeing as I think it beats Gram Parsons' original (and considering that I love all things Parsons, that's quite a thing to say).
All in all, a very interesting album for how faithful all these renditions are to their respective originals, and considering they were recorded by a band that made their name in new wave, that's quite something. Those twelve tracks are only the thin end of the wedge too, as there are plenty of great outtakes from these sessions (my personal favourite being the rendition of Hank Cochran's He's Got You, which you'll find in the bottom video here). More importantly than all that contextual stuff, although it took me a while to truly appreciate it (seeing as country and western was so alien to me when I bought this), this album got me started on the broader-than-you'd-think area of country music. Therefore, like the Ringo Starr album I reviewed a few posts back, it's no classic, but anyone wondering where to start with country should definitely turn to this album. Plus that sleeve art kicks arse, so what more reason do you need?!
[YOUTUBE]RIoPTcIBj_o[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]jZo4KXc5bWI[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]znhedfGFc8g[/YOUTUBE]
That turned out a lot longer than I thought...
Bravo, Hank, well reviewed.
Always been a Marty Robbins fan myself, thought I was about the only one in the world until you.
He does have a bit more of a country & western tumbleweed vibe to him, and I like it. Sometimes I get a little stuck on my Texas men, and guys like Marty Robbins are a nice change. He almost reminRAB me of a much jollier Townes Van Zandt.
Always been a Marty Robbins fan myself, thought I was about the only one in the world until you.
He does have a bit more of a country & western tumbleweed vibe to him, and I like it. Sometimes I get a little stuck on my Texas men, and guys like Marty Robbins are a nice change. He almost reminRAB me of a much jollier Townes Van Zandt.As usual Bulldog, excellent review! It never ceases to amaze and please me when I hear artists like Elvis Costello have been brave enough to test the country music waters- and succeed at it like he did! I really admire artists who are so open minded and appreciative of other genres outside of their own, like Costello is.
I really find the songs off the album I've listened to very entertaining because of how unmatched Elvis really is with the genre, and I'm blown away with how easily and naturally he makes it all work. He definitely put his own personal spin on the situation. I really liked 'Sittin and Thinkin' much more so than Charlie Rich's version (I've always thought Charlie Rich was pretty bland personally) and love how his band really gets down and tears it up on this song twanging the hell out of that steel guitar I never thought a country twang could have so much attitide and I love it. Again, great review and thanks for the wonderful contribution! That ones going to be hard to top, you know.
I really find the songs off the album I've listened to very entertaining because of how unmatched Elvis really is with the genre, and I'm blown away with how easily and naturally he makes it all work. He definitely put his own personal spin on the situation. I really liked 'Sittin and Thinkin' much more so than Charlie Rich's version (I've always thought Charlie Rich was pretty bland personally) and love how his band really gets down and tears it up on this song twanging the hell out of that steel guitar
I never thought a country twang could have so much attitide and I love it. Again, great review and thanks for the wonderful contribution! That ones going to be hard to top, you know. Here are some more worRAB and pictures for you to look at. I've got one more review for this thread lined up as well, so I'll probably get that in the can over the next week or so...
Emmylou Harris
Elite Hotel
1975
Amarillo [Harris/Crowell]
Together Again [Owens]
Feelin' Single, Seein' Double [Kemp]
Sin City [Parsons/Hillman]
One Of These Days [Montgomery]
'til I Gain Control Again [Crowell]
Here, There and Everywhere [Lennon/McCartney]
Ooh Las Vegas [Parsons/Grech]
Sweet Dreams [Gibson]
Jambalaya [Williams]
Satan's Jewel Crown [Eden]
Wheels [Parsons/Hillman]
As a lot of artists did back in the days of yore, 1975 was a year of furious recording and touring activity in a year that saw her release a couple of albums. The first of those was the widely acclaimed (and almost equally-awesome) Pieces Of the Sky and, evidently, Miss Harris' second studio adventure that year saw her come up with this album - one of the true country classics. The songstress who'd had a real hand in the making of some of the finest and most influential country rock albums of all time (again, have a look at the link in my signature) with a certain Gram Parsons really started to come into her own as a performer here, as you may be able to tell from her eclectic choice of old-timers to cover (from the Flying Burrito Brothers and Don Gibson to the Beatles and Buck Owens). At this early stage in her professional career, Harris wasn't the renowned songwriter she is today, but one who'd made a name for herself if not through her association with the fantabulous Gram Parsons then as one of the best cover artists out there too.
Given who she'd been working with, it should come as no surprise that this is an album with the country rock stamp (rather than the more rural, traditional sound) stamped all over it, starting with a song that any lucky owners of the Old Grey Whistle Test DVD would recognise - Amarillo. This uplifting, lively knees-up of a country rocker keeps up the theme of Harris' early albums opening with a real punch and as such is another one of her finest songs. Coming right after that is the torch-lighting Buck Owens ballad Together Again. It's not exactly a masterpiece and as such isn't really what I'd call an album highlight but, having said that, it does its job as a slower, more tender and emotional moment on the album. Along with the more playful Feelin' Single, Seein' Double, it's not really something I'd give the uninitiated to listen to. Like a lot of songs on this album, it's a lot more in the acquired taste court than a few of the albums I've mentioned here already.
A mixed bag on an opening salvo by the standarRAB of the non-country-savvy but, coming right up after them are four reasons I reckon this album more than deserves the praise it gets. Beginning with the slower, beautiful reading of the Flying Burrito Brothers classic Sin City, the album ascenRAB to a higher level of quality altogether. Such a highlight is complimented nicely by its being followed by the mesmerising One Of These Days - a song that's definitely among the most gorgeous country tunes, and one that has most of everything I love about the unique vibe of country music hidden within it. The live version in the video below doesn't quite capture the full glory of its studio version, but it'll do eh. Overall though, the album's started to take us down a slower, more contemplative kinda avenue and, as per norm, Emmylou's voice sounRAB nothing short of beautiful in the following 'til I Gain Control Again, keeping up the soothingly gentle vibe of the two songs before it and serving as another high-point of the album. Standing as yet another one of those reasons I feel this album is as successful as it is in its own right, Harris does another brilliant job with her next choice of a tune to cover, this one being the Beatles' Here, There and Everywhere, with her voice doing so much to both compliment a classic and give it a new edge entirely (as the very best of cover versions do).
Not to play down its quality at all, as it is a very fine number, but the Gram Parons number Ooh Las Vegas doesn't quite live up to the level of quality that'd been set up by the songs before it. Still a very fine, much more uptempo number by all accounts though. Again, a livelier moment in the tracklisting is followed by another ballad, this one being Sweet Dreams - a song written by Don Gibson and one that'd been made famous by a certain Patsy Cline, and would be even more so by the one and only Elvis Costello some six years later. True to its being a Hank Williams song alone, Jambalaya is another superb, more uplifting and catchy little number, this one featuring a wonderful piano solo at its mid-way point, not to mention the vocal harmonies with Rodney Crowell that do this album so much good. Yet another ballad follows that kinda song in the form of Satan's Jewel Crown which, yet again, shows off Harris' talent for really elevating the slower songwriting form with her beautiful voice. Putting the lid on the album is another absolute highlight, this being a frankly brilliant re-reading of one of my very favourite Flying Burrito Brothers songs, this one going by the name of Wheels. While I'll admit it doesn't quite stand up to one of the best vocal duos in music history (the Gram Parsons/Chris Hillman one), Emmylou Harris and Jon EdwarRAB still do this magnificent song justice in a faithful re-reading. The video I've found of it has Harris holding up part of an almost-as-good vocal harmony with a certain Elvis Costello, and should give you some idea of what kinda song this is in case you didn't already know.
Basically, there are five reasons you should get this album if you don't already have it. Those are 1) Sin City, 2) One Of These Days, 3) 'til I Gain Control Again, 4) Here, There and Everywhere and 5) Wheels. Saying that, this probably isn't an album someone with no experience of country music should get, as it's maybe a bit much for the uninitiated. It's probably best you work your way towarRAB it by getting Elvis Costello's Almost Blue, Ringo Starr's Beaucoups Of Blues, the Flying Burrito Brothers the Gilded Palace Of Sin and/or the ByrRAB' Sweetheart Of the Rodeo first. Just know that this album is one of my favourites of all time, and I eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, bangers and mash for dinner and fish 'n' chips for supper everyday, so it can't be that bad eh
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Elite Hotel
1975
Amarillo [Harris/Crowell]
Together Again [Owens]
Feelin' Single, Seein' Double [Kemp]
Sin City [Parsons/Hillman]
One Of These Days [Montgomery]
'til I Gain Control Again [Crowell]
Here, There and Everywhere [Lennon/McCartney]
Ooh Las Vegas [Parsons/Grech]
Sweet Dreams [Gibson]
Jambalaya [Williams]
Satan's Jewel Crown [Eden]
Wheels [Parsons/Hillman]
As a lot of artists did back in the days of yore, 1975 was a year of furious recording and touring activity in a year that saw her release a couple of albums. The first of those was the widely acclaimed (and almost equally-awesome) Pieces Of the Sky and, evidently, Miss Harris' second studio adventure that year saw her come up with this album - one of the true country classics. The songstress who'd had a real hand in the making of some of the finest and most influential country rock albums of all time (again, have a look at the link in my signature) with a certain Gram Parsons really started to come into her own as a performer here, as you may be able to tell from her eclectic choice of old-timers to cover (from the Flying Burrito Brothers and Don Gibson to the Beatles and Buck Owens). At this early stage in her professional career, Harris wasn't the renowned songwriter she is today, but one who'd made a name for herself if not through her association with the fantabulous Gram Parsons then as one of the best cover artists out there too.
Given who she'd been working with, it should come as no surprise that this is an album with the country rock stamp (rather than the more rural, traditional sound) stamped all over it, starting with a song that any lucky owners of the Old Grey Whistle Test DVD would recognise - Amarillo. This uplifting, lively knees-up of a country rocker keeps up the theme of Harris' early albums opening with a real punch and as such is another one of her finest songs. Coming right after that is the torch-lighting Buck Owens ballad Together Again. It's not exactly a masterpiece and as such isn't really what I'd call an album highlight but, having said that, it does its job as a slower, more tender and emotional moment on the album. Along with the more playful Feelin' Single, Seein' Double, it's not really something I'd give the uninitiated to listen to. Like a lot of songs on this album, it's a lot more in the acquired taste court than a few of the albums I've mentioned here already.
A mixed bag on an opening salvo by the standarRAB of the non-country-savvy but, coming right up after them are four reasons I reckon this album more than deserves the praise it gets. Beginning with the slower, beautiful reading of the Flying Burrito Brothers classic Sin City, the album ascenRAB to a higher level of quality altogether. Such a highlight is complimented nicely by its being followed by the mesmerising One Of These Days - a song that's definitely among the most gorgeous country tunes, and one that has most of everything I love about the unique vibe of country music hidden within it. The live version in the video below doesn't quite capture the full glory of its studio version, but it'll do eh. Overall though, the album's started to take us down a slower, more contemplative kinda avenue and, as per norm, Emmylou's voice sounRAB nothing short of beautiful in the following 'til I Gain Control Again, keeping up the soothingly gentle vibe of the two songs before it and serving as another high-point of the album. Standing as yet another one of those reasons I feel this album is as successful as it is in its own right, Harris does another brilliant job with her next choice of a tune to cover, this one being the Beatles' Here, There and Everywhere, with her voice doing so much to both compliment a classic and give it a new edge entirely (as the very best of cover versions do).
Not to play down its quality at all, as it is a very fine number, but the Gram Parons number Ooh Las Vegas doesn't quite live up to the level of quality that'd been set up by the songs before it. Still a very fine, much more uptempo number by all accounts though. Again, a livelier moment in the tracklisting is followed by another ballad, this one being Sweet Dreams - a song written by Don Gibson and one that'd been made famous by a certain Patsy Cline, and would be even more so by the one and only Elvis Costello some six years later. True to its being a Hank Williams song alone, Jambalaya is another superb, more uplifting and catchy little number, this one featuring a wonderful piano solo at its mid-way point, not to mention the vocal harmonies with Rodney Crowell that do this album so much good. Yet another ballad follows that kinda song in the form of Satan's Jewel Crown which, yet again, shows off Harris' talent for really elevating the slower songwriting form with her beautiful voice. Putting the lid on the album is another absolute highlight, this being a frankly brilliant re-reading of one of my very favourite Flying Burrito Brothers songs, this one going by the name of Wheels. While I'll admit it doesn't quite stand up to one of the best vocal duos in music history (the Gram Parsons/Chris Hillman one), Emmylou Harris and Jon EdwarRAB still do this magnificent song justice in a faithful re-reading. The video I've found of it has Harris holding up part of an almost-as-good vocal harmony with a certain Elvis Costello, and should give you some idea of what kinda song this is in case you didn't already know.
Basically, there are five reasons you should get this album if you don't already have it. Those are 1) Sin City, 2) One Of These Days, 3) 'til I Gain Control Again, 4) Here, There and Everywhere and 5) Wheels. Saying that, this probably isn't an album someone with no experience of country music should get, as it's maybe a bit much for the uninitiated. It's probably best you work your way towarRAB it by getting Elvis Costello's Almost Blue, Ringo Starr's Beaucoups Of Blues, the Flying Burrito Brothers the Gilded Palace Of Sin and/or the ByrRAB' Sweetheart Of the Rodeo first. Just know that this album is one of my favourites of all time, and I eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, bangers and mash for dinner and fish 'n' chips for supper everyday, so it can't be that bad eh
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Willie and Family Live
Willie Nelson
1978
Willie Nelson
1978
I'm just going start this off by saying Willie and Family Live is by far my FAVORITE classic country album. I have always leaned toward Willie because of pure superior talent he has compared to all the other outlaws and classic country artists. Guys like Willie Nelson don't come around too often. He really has the whole package. Amazing guitar skills with a very distinct Willie sound. Unique vocals, almost to a fault because many people dislike his voice. Emotional, heartfelt, and imaginative songwriting that cannot be touched by any other in this genre. And finally, a perfect band to complete his sound. I would say that you could not make any opinions about Willie Nelson's music unless you have listened to this album from beginning to end.
Willie and Family Live was a live concert in '78 performed by Willie and his band in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. His band consisted of his sister Bobbie Nelson on piano, Paul English on drums with help from Rex Ludwig, Mickey Raphael on harmonica (who I think is one of the best harmonica players out there), Jody Payne on guitar, and Chris Ethridge on bass. Most of these band members are still in Willie's band to this day. Also there are guest appearances from Johnny Paycheck and Emmylou Harris.
This album makes very minimal pauses. Its very interesting because Willie likes to go from one song and transition it right into the next so there is very little slowing down. Willie goes from sweet lyrical love songs on this album to ripping up his guitar and singing his voice hoarse with songs about whiskey and drugs. Its quite an experience, this album is, and I think its Willie Nelson at his best.
I could probably write a novel about every one of these songs, but I'll keep it as short as I can because there are 29 tracks.....Yeah, I know.
Whiskey River One Willie's trademark songs and he always starts and enRAB with this song at his concerts no matter what. Those first few guitar chorRAB and and Mickey's harmonica gets the energy flowing and tell you right off that this is going to be a great album.
Stay A Little Longer Willie packs this concert with little one, two or three minute songs. This is one of those little songs. Some overwhelmingly good guitar playing in this one.
Funny How Time Slips Away Now this is what I'm talking about when I say he has some beautifully written songs. One of my favorites on the album.
Crazy This is a song that Willie wrote for Patsy Cline and it was one of the songs that made her famous. I still think Willie sings it better
Night Life Willie loves jazz and it has influenced his music in a huge way. This song is one that really incoorperates that jazz influence in there. This song goes from huge wild jams to a complete stop with Wilie throwing out a soft little lyric then continuing on with that massive jam of instruments.
If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time This is a fun carefree song that just cracks me up.
Mamma's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys Good, but just not the same without Waylon
I Can Get Off On You I think the lyrics say it all in this one. I don't know if its 100% true though haha.
If You Can Touch Her at All This is one of those sweet lyrical love songs I was talking about. My favorite song on the album. I want to post the lyrics but they just reading the lyrics does this song no justice because its the way Willie sings them that makes them so special. A jewel of a song that really heats up the album.
Good Hearted Woman Good, but not the same without Waylon
Red Headed Stranger ATTENTION!! A must listen song. Actually, this is not a song, but more a like a story and a journey Willie takes you on. I think this song deserves some sort of genius award because it is truely a 14 minute musical masterpiece. I cannot really descibe this song very well because it is like nothing I have ever heard before.
Under The Double Eagle An great fast paced instrumental that has each musician take their turn and do a solo and show off what they can do.
Till I Gain Control Again Beautifully performed by the band and this song features Emmylou Harris doing the female vocals.
Bloody Mary Morning A very fast paced song and the beginning is great. Alot of Willie Nelson's songs have to do with this subject it seems haha.
I'm A Memory Only a 1:52 long, but packs a punch with its lyrics. And the band plays in great harmony, in this one especially.
Mr. Record Man Another real short one but this one is so sad. I have to go back and listen to this one a few times when I play this album, just because this song is so good, but its so short.
Hello Walls Mr. Record Man blenRAB right into this one and you hardy notice the change of song. And I just can't get over the clever songwriting by Willie. Just look at these lyrics and tell me that they don't break your heart.
Hello walls,
How'd things go for you today?
Don't you miss her.
Since she up and walked away?
And I'll bet you dread to spend another lonely night with me,
But lonely walls, I'll keep you company.
Hello window,
Well, I see that you're still here.
Aren't you lonely,
Since our darlin disappeared?
Well look here, is that a teardrop in the corner of your pane?
Now don't you try to tell me that's it's rain.
She went away and left us all alone the way she planned.
Guess we'll have to learn to get along without her if we can.
Hello ceiling,
I'm gonna stare at you a while.
You know I can't sleep,
So won't you bear with me a while?
We gotta all stick together or else I'll lose my mind.
I gotta feelin' she'll be gone a long, long time.
I Live One Day At a Time Well, this is just another great one what can I say. So simple but so thought provoking, just like his others.
Will The Circle Be Unbroken These both kinda suck though. Not because of the band or anything, just because they are boring.
Amazing Grace
Take This Job and Shove It Heres where Johnny Paycheck makes his appearance. This song just cracks me up, especially since this is the live version and Johnny doesn't hold back on any cussing, he just singing the way he wants too. He even changes the lyrics halfway through and bellows "Take this job and stick it!!!!" And the crowd just roars.
Uncloudy Day Back to the real talent, Willie just shreRAB his guitar with the beginning of this song and is one of my favorite jams that is on this album.
The Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line Mickey Raphael, the harmonica player, absolutely shines in this one. I don't know where the band would be without this guy, he is really skilled with that harmonica and he adRAB little effects in there that make such a impact with the atmosphere of the song. He also helps give the band that recognizable Willie Nelson sound.
A Song For You Willie's guitar pretty much speaks in this one. When he sings "listen to the melody for my love is in their hiding" and then plays that amazing little guitar solo, it gives me goosebumps. And he sings the lyrics spot on, never overcooking them.
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms This song is a complete switch in mood and it makes for a good change, though the song itself is nothing special
Georgia On My Mind A very nice rendition of this beautiful song. Soft, simple and just what it is supposed to sound like. But as you can hear in the audience, it is all they can do to sit through this sweet mushy stuff.
Gotta Get Drunk On the other hand, this song is just what the crowd was waiting to hear. A rowdy song about Willie's poor ol habits that about everyone could relate to. The song is actually pretty hilarious.
Well I gotta get drunk and I sure do dread it cause I know just what I'm gonna do
I'll start to spend my money call everybody honey and wind up singing the blues
I'll spend my whole paycheck on some old wreck
brother I can name you a few
But I gotta get drunk and I sure do dread it cause I know just what I'm gonna do
I gotta get drunk I just can't stay sober there's a lot of good people in town
Who'd like to hear me holler see me spend my dollars
And I wouldn't think of lettin' 'em down
There's a lot of doctors that tell me
that I'd better start slowin' it down
But there's more old drunkers than there are old doctors
So I guess we'd better have another round
Whiskey River Gotta Get Drunk warmed the band up pretty good so this version of Whiskey River is a little wilder and all over the place than at the beginning. The crowd is yelling and screaming and going crazy during this one I might add.
The Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line They blend Whiskey River right into this one and it makes for a great ending to a great album.
stephanie n
New member
Maybe so, but I'm sure I'll manage somehow
It's good you think it's an ok album for this thread too - I was thinking it was a bit too much of a gamble to stick it in a thread about classic country music! I agree that it's great when any artist, especially an English-as-apple-pie one like Costello shows such an open mind to country music when, as you say, they give their own slant on the style.
It's good you think it's an ok album for this thread too - I was thinking it was a bit too much of a gamble to stick it in a thread about classic country music! I agree that it's great when any artist, especially an English-as-apple-pie one like Costello shows such an open mind to country music when, as you say, they give their own slant on the style.