No memo to self about most of the albums from his last decade or so, when he was still pretty prolific. I do recall hearing several take some unexpected turns. Here's a few comments---starting with my Pazz & Jop comments on 2003 releases: I picked Haggard Like Never Before and "That's The News," but only wrote:
Merle's"That's The News" is a sure shot, like "Philadelphia Lawyer," but I love how we go from getting the news I already knew but still feel the need to hear (and don't take the ability to do so for granted, not any more)(Woody G., writer of "P.L.": "I'm the man here to tell you what you already know"), to "Stick out yo' can, here comes the garbage man."(and "Yellow Ribbons" is one trippy little march, on down the same road apiece).
From Nash Scene ballot re 2011 releases, with paste from ILX's Rolling Country:
Working In Tennessee is a lot of fun, mostly barroom/boxcar/daydream sing-alongs, with a natcherly blooming windowbox of the fatalist, affirmative, and absurd, especially on "Laugh It Off." Flexes some mellow heart muscle too (some, not a ton, which wouldn't suit him, nor me).
To this, xhuxx a.d. responded:
Favorite song is the homelessness one about Saginaw that shares its name with a much worse Red Hot Chili Peppers hit; "Laugh It Off" second place probably. Solid record, but there's a lot I could quibble about, if I had time to quibble these days.
And I then 'llowed:
Xxhux's aforementioned quibbles with Working In Tennessee might well incl use of sureshot themes, re aforementioned barroom/boxcar/daydream sing-alongs, but his whiff-of-bs-bearing paper airplanes are bullseye or close enough, often enough for lazier me to be impressed--he really is Working it, somewhut. Top Ten? We'll see. Nope---seemed a bit too distanced---ended up as Hon. Mention---although I said on the ballot that "It would have made my Top Twelve, if there was one." (Should have done it anyway; no Hon. Mention on there either, but it's one of those categories I always stick in.)
But no hesitation for this 2015 Top Ten pick:
Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, Django and Jimmie: opening title song's no big deal, except for the way it turns out to be an example of the variety of the influences and results, rounded up from here and there, in Willie and Merle's own histories, still in the making, or at least here again for the taking. Here, ladies and gents, we are afforded a range and perspective, with the necessary degree of distance, for (for instance), a moonlight cruise by "Where Dreams Come To Die," and calmly outrageous tour bus tales of "Missing Ol' Johnny Cash," with deadpan contributions by guest minimalist Bobby Bare. There's also the covert regret and overt brush-off (urge behind both still felt) in "Don't Think Twice (It's Alright)." Philosophical sharing for sure, but not too long-winded or sweet: "The Only Man Wilder Than Me" is saluted for having "a mind indifferent and free," among other blunt & blunted, no-bogart attributes suitable for pictures of dawgs playin' poker.
Then a 2016 release:
Merle Haggard's Live In San Francisco 1965 opens with a series of endings, which work pretty well: the last 48 seconds of "Devil Woman" is about all I can take, especially since he clones the hair-oil sanctimony of Marty Robbins' original delivery---then make way for the exciting climaxes of "Movin' On," "Orange Blossom Special," and "Love Is Gonna Live Here Again"! First full-length (2:58) is a very fine "Blue Yodel," \with Johnny Gimble's blue fiddle swinging out and back into a tensile combo of early Strangers (later, Bonnie Owens is the effective singing actress on "Lead me On," and caps the uptempo "Cowboy's Sweetheart" with her own, Swiss-tending yodels, while the rhythm guitarist enjoys working at "Harold's Super Service," except for the big guy who always wants like the sign says for a little bitty amount of gas, even at the Pearly Gates). Mostly we get Reader's Digest toilet-read condensations of mostly original early highlights, some already classic, all quite fresh, as is the Hag's voice, yodeling and all---the more striking after last year's collab with Willie, Django and Jimmie, where his always right, but economizing, sometimes ragged delivery made it not terribly surprising that he checked out with respiratory problems. (Still nasty news, of course). Yet the deft terseness of his final round is accentuated here too, making the candid pictures, cards from life's "other" side. cut just right: ain't that it, often as not. Cartoons "Okie From Musgokee" and "Fightin' Side of Me" have yet to show up, but/and "A Soldier's Letter" certainly works as a sign-off. 16 tracks, 30 minutes.
To this, xhuxx a.d. responded:
Favorite song is the homelessness one about Saginaw that shares its name with a much worse Red Hot Chili Peppers hit; "Laugh It Off" second place probably. Solid record, but there's a lot I could quibble about, if I had time to quibble these days.
And I then 'llowed:
Xxhux's aforementioned quibbles with Working In Tennessee might well incl use of sureshot themes, re aforementioned barroom/boxcar/daydream sing-alongs, but his whiff-of-bs-bearing paper airplanes are bullseye or close enough, often enough for lazier me to be impressed--he really is Working it, somewhut. Top Ten? We'll see. Nope---seemed a bit too distanced---ended up as Hon. Mention---although I said on the ballot that "It would have made my Top Twelve, if there was one." (Should have done it anyway; no Hon. Mention on there either, but it's one of those categories I always stick in.)
But no hesitation for this 2015 Top Ten pick:
Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, Django and Jimmie: opening title song's no big deal, except for the way it turns out to be an example of the variety of the influences and results, rounded up from here and there, in Willie and Merle's own histories, still in the making, or at least here again for the taking. Here, ladies and gents, we are afforded a range and perspective, with the necessary degree of distance, for (for instance), a moonlight cruise by "Where Dreams Come To Die," and calmly outrageous tour bus tales of "Missing Ol' Johnny Cash," with deadpan contributions by guest minimalist Bobby Bare. There's also the covert regret and overt brush-off (urge behind both still felt) in "Don't Think Twice (It's Alright)." Philosophical sharing for sure, but not too long-winded or sweet: "The Only Man Wilder Than Me" is saluted for having "a mind indifferent and free," among other blunt & blunted, no-bogart attributes suitable for pictures of dawgs playin' poker.
Then a 2016 release:
Merle Haggard's Live In San Francisco 1965 opens with a series of endings, which work pretty well: the last 48 seconds of "Devil Woman" is about all I can take, especially since he clones the hair-oil sanctimony of Marty Robbins' original delivery---then make way for the exciting climaxes of "Movin' On," "Orange Blossom Special," and "Love Is Gonna Live Here Again"! First full-length (2:58) is a very fine "Blue Yodel," \with Johnny Gimble's blue fiddle swinging out and back into a tensile combo of early Strangers (later, Bonnie Owens is the effective singing actress on "Lead me On," and caps the uptempo "Cowboy's Sweetheart" with her own, Swiss-tending yodels, while the rhythm guitarist enjoys working at "Harold's Super Service," except for the big guy who always wants like the sign says for a little bitty amount of gas, even at the Pearly Gates). Mostly we get Reader's Digest toilet-read condensations of mostly original early highlights, some already classic, all quite fresh, as is the Hag's voice, yodeling and all---the more striking after last year's collab with Willie, Django and Jimmie, where his always right, but economizing, sometimes ragged delivery made it not terribly surprising that he checked out with respiratory problems. (Still nasty news, of course). Yet the deft terseness of his final round is accentuated here too, making the candid pictures, cards from life's "other" side. cut just right: ain't that it, often as not. Cartoons "Okie From Musgokee" and "Fightin' Side of Me" have yet to show up, but/and "A Soldier's Letter" certainly works as a sign-off. 16 tracks, 30 minutes.
A couple of related items, from 2013:
Bryan and the Haggards ft Dr. Eugene Chadbourne----Merles Just Want To Have Fun:
Some tracks are too long and/or cluttered w generic duck calls in the rain gutters, but even the skronkiest moments tend to tap something in Merle's songs that's itching to come out, as Barney Fife splutterlumination or rolling, sometimes comfortably unbuttoned hobo-working man grooves; often both (it's a fam'ly affair). The horns find the tunes soon enough, Dr. Chad's ready, the singer knows all the words, and a few more, maybe (but not quite sure; did the guy who takes a lot of pride in what he is originally say, "occupy the square"? Today's Merle might say it, and always would have agreed that everybody should be occupied, with work, for instance.) By the end of this set, I wouldn't have been surprised if he showed up, and maybe he does when they play live (though what he might do then is anybody's guess, characteristically enough).
I miss Buck on The Buckaroos Play Buck and Merle, but most of the Merle is just right, incl. tail-wagging inclinations which brush aside any objections to just how sassy some previously sad songs can go (see prev. "unbuttoned").
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