The Rock: Stone Cold Country
The Rock: Stone Cold Country
The Rock: Stone Cold Country is the sound of a country legend at top form. At 70, after passing through half a century of shows, recordings and overindulgence, George Jones’s voice, always a miraculous instrument, is at the peak of its prowess in exploring the human condition. By and large the material here rises to that occasion. “Wood and Wire”, a homage to amateur guitar pickers; the confessional, soul-baring “Half Over You”; and “I Am” are all vivid and telling. The boogie-bop of “I Got Everything” revives Jones’s old “Thumper Jones” rockabilly persona, while his interpretation of “50,000 Names”, Jamie O’Hara’s wrenching tribute to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is no less than spellbinding. “Beer Run”, the much-hyped duet with Garth Brooks (and a variation on the Jones classic “White Lightning”), finds Brooks way out of his element. But nothing can prepare a listener for the cathartic version of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Tramp on Your Street”, starting with a full-blown arrangement that sheds instruments until only steel and acoustic guitars surround Jones’s voice at the end. Dramatic without artifice, it’s an ingenious ending to a remarkable document. –Rich Kienzle
Customer Review: Variety is the spice of . . .
Having been a George Jones fan for nearly forty year and owning nearly one hundred ablums of him I am always wary of any new albums. I think I’ve heard it all but time after time George just amazingly gets better. The songs on this album range from country rock to probably one of the most heart-moving songs I have ever heard him sing - ‘50,000 NAMES’. The feeling George puts into every song is uncanny but he out-shone himself here. The opening song, ‘THE ROCK’ is another song with true meanings that will bring back memories to may people. The thing with George is that most all of his songs have a meaning to us all in one way or another. ‘BEER RUN’ with Garth Brooks will get yur feet tapping, they duet very wel together and you can tell they are enjoying the song. ‘WOOD AND WIRE’ isa cleverly written song, I wondered at first what it was all about but it became evident halfway through. He sings about his dad in ‘THE MAN HE WAS’ and his comparison to himself which is quite a touching song along with ‘HALF OVER YOU’. ‘I GOT EVERYTHING’ on the other hand is a bubbly song of a ‘happy’ George and he sings like it too (obviously thinking of Nancy at the time). I especially like ‘HONEY HUSH’, you can almost visualise George talking to his partner, the feeling in his voice is so sincere, not a sad song but a delightful ‘love song’. ‘WHAT I DIDN’T DO’ is a song with very true meaning and I advise all to take a note of what he is saying (it may save your marriage). The songs I haven’t mentioned are all just as good - GEORGE JONES at his best again!
To summerise - at the age of 70 George is still going strong as is evident by this album. I would advise anybody to buy this CD, the range of songs and beats would suit most all. Can’t wait for his next album. A true fan
Brian Healy.
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100 Country Greats
100 Country Greats
Customer Review: Great range of real country music
I disagree with the review which says these are mainly re-recordings or live versions. I grew up with a lot of these tunes and they sound as good as ever. The focus is on classic country, with hardly any of the country pap…er, pop which has ruined the Nashville sound. Hit after solid hit!
Customer Review: Search out the originals
What this compilation lacks for in quality it makes up in quantity. All of the tracks are subsequent recordings of the originals or of live performances at periods which can only be descibed as the twilight of the artist’s career. I was very disappointed and my cash could have been better spent.
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Country Music Vacation Packages including Fan Fair
Country Music Hall of Fame? and Museum | Nashville, Tennessee
The Big Country (Moross, the Philharmonia Orchestra)
The Big Country (Moross, the Philharmonia Orchestra)
Customer Review: A superlative recording
I bought this on its first release about four years ago. Brilliant. There are more tracks than on previous vinyl releases, and accompanying notes about the composer, Jerome Moross. Some of the performances are faithful renditions of Moross’ original score for the movie, subtly different in places to those that appeared in the released movie, yet not enough to detract from the familiarity of one of the most famous works of film music ever produced. It’s a great piece of work and thoroughly enjoyable. And a ridiculously low price too!
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Ultimate Country Collection
Ultimate Country Collection
Customer Review: All your favourites plus some great lesser known songs
This Columbia 2 disc CD contains most of the all time great Country numbers, plus some that you may not have heard too often, but which you might just learn to love.
The all time greats include “Stand by your man” by Tammy Wynette, “I recall a gypsy woman” by Don Williams, “Ring of fire” by Johnny Cash, “El Paso” by Marty Robbins, and “Talking in your sleep” by Crystal Gayle, plus Charlie Pride, Charlie Rich and Billy Jo Spears, etc., etc.
New to me were “Before the next teardrop falls” by Freddy Fender, song partly in Spanish, and “Poor boy blues” by Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler.
There are so many good songs (40!)on this album that it is hard to pick a favourite, but I’ll go for “He stopped loving her today” by George Jones. Not a happy song, like many country songs, but beautifully sung by a great artist.
John Richards, jhrichards’bigfoot.com
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Are You Ready for the Country
Are You Ready for the Country
Customer Review: Two great seventies albums
The pairing of these two albums appears a little odd but many of Waylon’s seventies albums had already been released on CD. Still, both albums are well worth hearing and Waylon’s fans everywhere will welcome this twofer.
The first album here (Are you ready for the country) was recorded when Waylon was at the peak of the outlaw phase of his career. Apart from the brilliant title track, it features many other outstanding songs including Can’t you see (written by Toy Caldwell of the Marshall Tucker Band), MacArthur Park (an incredible version of this classic song), Couple more years (also recorded by Dr Hook at around the same time), Old friend (about Buddy Holly) and Precious memories (the gospel classic).
The second album (What goes around) was recorded just three years later but by that time Waylon’s sound had changed somewhat. The style may be different but the music is still brilliant. On this album, the first five tracks are generally up-tempo while the second five are generally slower, more reflective. The album opens with I ain’t living long like this (a Rodney Crowell song also recorded by Emmylou) but my favorites here are It’s the world’s gone crazy (the lyrics may seem crazy at first but the song makes sense if you listen to it a few times), Ivory tower and Come with me.
Most of Waylon’s seventies albums are now available on CD. If you are a Waylon fan, make sure that you buy them before they go out of print. This twofer may not be the highest priority among those available but it is certainly deserving of a place in any collection of Waylon’s music.
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Your Country
Your Country
Customer Review: GP Goes Country
Graham Parker has been one of rock’s great secrets and has produced avolume of work with his band the Rumour and as a solo artist that equalsmany a household rock legend. Graham sings from the heart and this is notexcept with a melting pot of Country with London Pub Rock and Dylansequegrowl. His advert in the Melody Maker, an English music newspaper askedfor a band to sound like The Rolling Stones backing Bob Dylan and he foundthe Rumour - here he seems to get more of his original wish. He opens with’Anything for a Laugh’ - a strong strum along song that is one of thestrongest of the CD and produces Van the Man type imagiry with ‘Greyhoundsacross the State’ - an Britsh facination with American songs and folklore.The next ‘The Rest is History’ is a great love song without every becomingtoo sweet.
‘Cruel Lips’ Is a Country ballard as bitter as any brokenheart and another highlight of the CD. ‘Almost Thanksgiving Day’reminds meof Van the Man when he embraced the USA and sung of Tupelo Honey and thisis GP’s America trip with embracing a holiday feast that could’nt befurther from his Deepcut, Surrey where he came from - but an excellentsong none the less. The steel guitars are ever present and thankfully arenot over powering into C & W zone. ‘Nation of Shopkeepers’ Is GP lookingback to Napoelon’s quote that that English were a nation of Shopkeepersand comes up with other things the English are noted for - perhaps he ishomesick for beekeepers, Innkeepers, lockkeepers - you get the idea! stilla good song with song backing. ‘Queen of Compromise’ Is a echoy Rock aBilly stomper, ‘Things I never said’ will touch any of us that regret allthe things we should have said after an affair and never said. TorandoAlley is followed by Fairground another rocker to do more with Americanvision of carnies and blue jeans - has GP left the UK for ever behind? Toprove he has not forgotten us - he ends with ‘Crawling from the Wreckage’a Dave Edmunds Pub Rocker - with a rockin’ back beat — The overall soundis of Country and hints of Dylan at his best. Well Dylan and ElvisCostello did Country albums Why not GP. IF you have any doubts aboutbuying this CD - don’t hesitate is probably his best!
Customer Review: GP comes out as a winner again
It is quite interesting that people who are not into Graham Parker tend to think that he always sounds the same. On the contrary we who are into GP knows that he is very diverse, he can deliver a slow and touching ballad with the same grace as he can deliver a hard rocking R’n’B number. Through all his music you still can find some trademark criterias. Well-crafted and melodic melodies - very often with a memorable hook, sharp and clever lyrics and that rich and emotional rasp vocal (which the fans adore and many others really dislike).
This time it is time for GP to conquer the country genre. It is absolutely no new area for him, but never before has he done it so consequently in one and the same album. And once again he comes out as a winner. Your Country is a rootsy album filled with traditional American music with a GP twist to them. The band is very groovy and tight and there is a clear album feel to the record, not only a batch of songs put together. Add to this that the whole album overall is very good recorded HiFi-wise and you realize that you have to get this one.
Let’s go through the album song by song:
1. Anything for a laugh (8/10) – The album starter sets the country mode right away. Stripped down arrangement and a good lyric. It first reminded me of “Christmas is for mugs” from GPs “Christmas Cracker” but this one is better. One of many songs on the album that need several listens to shine.
2. The rest is history(10/10) – A fantastic song which makes me think of Bob Dylan. It is country flavoured but more GP than country to my ears. I love the energy and melody in the latter part of the verses and I love the laidback chorus. Nice backing vocal too.
3. Cruel lips (8/10) – a genuine country ballad with Lucinda Williams on backing vocals. Nice and bittersweet.
4. Almost Thanksgiving Day (9/10) – The least country-flavoured song with typical “old” GP vocal. A suggestive song that grows on you. But the worst HiFi quality on the album
5. Nation of shopkeepers (10/10) – A future GP classic. Not much country in this one either, but a terrific vocal and the best HiFi on the record – deep base and airy but distinct treble.
6. Queen of compromise (7/10) – A typical “Dave Edmunds”-number. Solid and good fun, both in music and lyric, but not any of my favourites on the album
7. Things I’ve never said (7/10) – A slow traditional country ballad. Nice melody but maybe a bit too slow…
8. Sugaree (10/10) – I’m not into the Greatful Dead so I have not heard the original, but GPs rendition is very good with a very catchy and swinging chorus. A killer vocal and good HiFi in addition makes this a favourite of mine.
9. Tornado Alley (10/10) – Also a typical “Dave Edmunds”-number, but with a better better driving force, melody and vocal. The way he sings the title word in the chorus is just gorgeous, not to mention the backing vocals.
10. Fairground (10/10) - Absolutely one of the best songs on the album. An atmospheric song that tells a long story in many words. It is the longest song on the album but do not let this frighten you. It is a really good story/lyric and the song has a very natural flow to it. Hard to describe, you have to hear it.
11. Crawling from the wreckage (revisited) (9/10) – Funny is how GP really tries to not sound like Dave Edmunds on this one. He succeeds though and the result is, once when you have gotten used to it, a nice kind of countrygroovy version of the song. The song in itself is a very strong one and I think if GP should go for a hard rocking “Dave Edmunds”-version, that would be the definitive 11/10 version of the song.
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