Merle Haggard - Haggard Like Never Before info.txt
Merle Haggard - Haggard Like Never Before
HAG Records
0005
2003
Tracklist :
01. Haggard Like Never Before
02. That's The News
03. Garbage Man
04. Reno Blues
05. The Downside
06. Because Of Your Eyes
07. Lonesome Day
08. I Dreamed You Didn't Love Me
09. Yellow Ribbons
10. I Hate To See It Go
11. Return To San Francisco
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Much was made of Merle Haggard's "That's the News," a scathing
indictment of media culture and the Bush administration's handling
of the war in Iraq. A simple country song, it's the kind of thing
Haggard had been writing throughout his entire career in his
celebration of core American values. And because he's critical of
the American government, listeners should not make the mistake that
Haggard suddenly became a pacifist or sympathetic to the American
left. "Are the Good Times Really Over for Good" trod some similar
ground and argued against--what he perceived to be--a welfare state
and has made repated public statements about closing our borders.
Also, given the rest of the album, another brick in the foundation
of Haggard's artistic and popular renaissance, it should not overshadow
the rest of these songs. They are all solid, even brilliant efforts
by Haggard and are rooted deeply in Bakersfield honky tonk ("Haggard
(Like I've Never Been Before)", Western swing ("Garbage Man" and
"Lonesome Day"), the bluesy roots of "Reno Blues," a duet with Willie
Nelson, the innovative, jazzy balladry of "Because of Your Eyes"
(with gorgeous guitar playing from Hag), and "I Hate to See It Go."
This is mostly a laid-back affair for Haggard, but it is meticulously
crafted and arranged, full of beautiful charts and striking vocal and
instrumental performances. The album's final track, "Return to San
Francisco," is a country song meeting the jazzier side of Bob Wills'
ghost with a mariachi horn section in the bridge for good measure.
Haggard hears many different kinds of music in his head; thankfully,
for everyone else, he effortlessly gets it down on tape time and time again
-- Thom Jurek
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Ripped with :
EAC 1.0b3
Secure Mode
Test & Copy
Flac 8
All artwork is also included
in 600 dpi scans in PNG
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