Hank Williams, Jr. Albums (56)
What The Critics Say
Released in June of 2009, the first single from Hank Williams, Jr.'s 127 Rose Avenue is called "Red, White & Pink Slip Blues," a paean to the economic uncertainty of 21st century recession America. It's like a lot of contemporary country singles these days, anthemic truth tales reflecting the concerns of the common (wo)man, who is struggling to find his/her place in a country that seems to have packed itself up and left them behind. The single was a hit and may carry the album to the higher rungs of the charts with it. That said, this has nothing to do with the actual quality of the music. In many ways, Williams has been remaking the same record since the early 1980s. It has his seamless blend of loud Southern rock-style guitars, rowdy, rebellious lyrics, hell-raising drums, and fist-pumping choruses, with a ballad or two thrown in for good measure. It's a formula, but one that has worked to keep Williams with Curb Records and on the charts for nearly 30 years. No matter what the trend in the music itself, from the Urban Cowboy days on, Williams has remained in style remarkably enough because his songwriting reflects the timeless concerns of country fans. He first took up the heady electric guitar sound in the late '70s and perfected it in the early '80s. 127 Rose Avenue changes the production style to reflect what's going on in contemporary country -- big compressed guitars, melds of fiddles and banjos, and rock & roll drum kits. The other notable tracks on this set are the loud and proud, self-penned, "Farm Song" with a guest appearance by pedal steel guitar icon Robert Randolph; "All the Roads," a duet with the Grascals, and, as is usual on a Hank Jr. record, an homage to his father called the "The Last Driftin' Cowboy," with a sample from "Honky Tonk Blues,." If you dig Bocephus' countless previous albums and/or are a fan of the new brand of Nashville rock that calls itself "contemporary country," you'll dig this. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Hank Williams, Jr. delivered one of his finest albums in 2002 with the loose-limbed, vigorous The Almeria Club Recordings, a record that found the veteran outlaw sounding more muscular than he had in years. A year later, he followed it with I'm One of You, a more conventional latter-day Hank Jr. record, one that was a little slicker, brighter, and broader. While the earthy vibe of Almeria is missed, I'm One of You retains some of sinewy, rebellious spirit of that record beneath the glossy exterior, giving it a good gut-level punch made all the stronger by the solid set of songs he's chosen for this effort. As to be expected, there's a fair share of jokes, such as "Liquor to Like Her" and "American Offline," but these are more nimble than their titles, as are anthemic ballads like the populist title track and the expert, moving Waylon Jennings tribute "Waylon's Guitar," which is right in the vein of "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way." It all adds up to a strong latter-day Hank Jr. record, another solid entry in the low-key artistic comeback he's had in the early 2000s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
At a certain point, Hank Williams, Jr.'s act became pure schtick. On record, it probably can be narrowed down to 1990, when he released America (The Way I See It). A decade and half prior to that, he had perfected his rowdy, rockin' rebel sound, but with America, his outlaw attitude blended with reactionary redneck politics, jingoistic slogans, football anthems, and sendups of contemporary U.S. life. From that point on, each album got progressively sillier, relying on near-parodies like "Fax Me a Beer" and "Don Juan D'Bubba" as his voice started to fade away. With 1999's Stormy, his first album in three years, he turns this all to his advantage. Plenty of stars have larger than life personas, but Hank Jr.'s is so large it can be perceived as both genuine and self-parody. Make no mistake, Stormy will play well to his legions of fans, simply because it delivers. It's been a while since he's created an album so lean and hard, filled with strong rockers, honky tonkers, and ballads. Hank Jr. also knows that his audience loves fights, football, and partying because he is his audience -- a good-old boy out for a good time. Stormy is the ideal soundtrack for that because he gives them exactly what they want. To an outsider, though, the album could be seen as a big joke, as titles like "I'd Love to Knock the Hell Out of You," "Where Would We Be Without Yankees," "Naked Women and Beer," "Hank Hill Is the King," and "Sometimes I Feel Like Joe Montana" (a ballad, nonetheless) suggest. Hank Jr.'s whole act may be schtick, but it's schtick that works because it's genuine and heartfelt. You may laugh with or at him, and Stormy is fun either way. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Williams had been making the same rowdy records over and over again for so long that the aptly-titled, ballad-oriented Out of Left Field amounts to a small revelation. Not only does Williams turn down the guitars here, he turns down the Southern rebel persona as well; the songs are reflective and fairly sensitive, mournful ballads invested with real emotion. Out of Left Field doesn't completely toss out the rockers, but its the quiet, melancholy hues which make this Williams' best effort in quite some time. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
'Those Tear Jerking Songs'
Release Date 3/31/1992
Tracks 12
Label Special Music
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Williams's first album for the revived Capricorn label rocks harder than usual, even while he's evangelizing for country music. A good chuck of Maverick sounds like a cross between a roaring drunk and a Penthouse letter. There's also a great ghost story ("Cut Bank, Montana") and a really dumb novelty song ("Fax Me a Beer"). There's probably not a soul on earth who could pull off "Come on Over to the Country" but Hank -- it's corny and obvious about everything country music wishes it was. But every time the slide guitar kicks in, he makes it all come true. ~ Brian Mansfield, All Music Guide
