The concept behind Meet Glen Campbell is so obvious it's a surprise that no one had thought of doing it before. Once Brian Wilson's touring replacement in the Beach Boys, then a megastar with his country inflected orchestral pop productions in the late sixties and early seventies, Glen Campbell has seen it all. Now in his seventies, his star has faded since his collaborations with young songwriter Jimmy Webb ruled the charts, but he remains a fine singer and a deft guitarist still. Taking ten recent songs by the likes of Tom Petty, Travis, Foo Fighters and even Green Day, and dressing them up in the expansive arrangements he's still remembered for effectively makes them his own property. Who knew that Travis's once torpid "Sing" needed only some Campbell magic to revive it? Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" is a perfect choice, its country roots always unconcealed, while the genesis of U2's "All I Want Is You" in the Stooges "No Fun" is made obvious even as Campbell's heartfelt version challenges Bono for sincerity. The closer, a stately version of John Lennon's posthumously released "Grow Old With Me", will be soundtracking wedding ceremonies for decades to come. Unlikely though it sounds, Meet Glen Campbell has to be count amongst the year's most successful comebacks. --Steve Jelbert

Biggest surprise of 2008, 14 Nov 2008
I am another who was fortunate enough to see one of his recent live concerts. Of course we were treated to all of his classics, plus a few tracks from this latest new album. These tracks were very pleasant and memorable. Infact, an exceptional set of songs that amount to an exceptional album.

This remakable return to form is acheived with songs written by other artists including John Lennon, U2, Tom Petty and Jackson Brown. Some of these tracks are quite addictive.

So, there it is. Not typical Glen Campbell perhaps, but certainly classical Glan Campbell. If this is your scene, then this album is a must.




I love this so much, I have to listen to it twice !, 02 Nov 2008
I bought two albums at the same time a week or so ago - and I must have been inspired. One was Sia's fantastic 'Some People Have Real Problems' (I must do a review on that!) and this beauty.

One of the other reviewers suggested that this is the best album of 2008 - it is right up there as a contender. The ten tracks are covers of some very fine songs, some I knew and some I didn't. The thing about Glen Campbell is that, at 72, his singing is still as good as ever. I've always liked him, but have nothing more than a compilation which features one or two of his songs.

One reviewer has criticised the production, but I think it just adds to the quality of the tracks on the album. It starts off with 'Sing', written by Fran Healey of Travis who, I must admit, I find extremely boring. However, this is a great song and a wonderful version, beautiful in it's full (as opposed to paired-down) production - a great opening track, which got me involved in the album. From there, the music just flows and the other nine tracks include a couple by Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Billy Joe Armstrong (of Green Day), Lou Reed and John Lennon. It leaves me wanting to play the album again and again.

Yes, Glen is singing as well as ever and there are some lovely backing singers here. Instrumentally, there is a superb set of musicians, including GC himself - a great guitarist - and the arrangements are perfect.

This is Glen Campbell and friends, putting together an album in the Glen Campbell mould, but brought up to date. The length of the album is only 33:46, which is short. I would have like a couple more tracks, but if you want to listen to it a couple of times, you've only spent just over an hour doing so.

So, a brilliant album, a fantastic return from Glen Campbell which, I for one, hope will be followed up in a similar vein - I would welcome a second album of covers, a la 'Meet Glen Campbell Again'.

This is the way to do a covers album, 31 Oct 2008
Cash, Diamond, and now Campbell. Old pros finding new audiences with a combination of new material or new approaches to the craft of singing. Meet Glen Campbell works like a dream from start to finish. You can't really go wrong with songs written by the likes of Tom Petty and Jackson Browne can you? Even the vastly over-rated John Lennon can sound good when one of his songs is done well, and middle-order songsmith Fran Healy from Travis gets one of his dusted down for this album as well.

So, strong material sets the scene, and Campbell does them all justice, without sounding like he's trying too hard to please or prove a point. Slightly spoiled by a tad over-bright production in places that smothers Campbell's voice, the album is however, a sure-fire winner.

Classic Campbell , 30 Oct 2008
Glen Campbell is, quite simply, a master interpreter of other people's songs. In Jimmy Webb he found a songwriter whose lyrics and melodies were perfect pickings for him. They were made for each other. No one should need reminding that Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Where's The Playground Suzie were evocative, melodic counterpoints to the emerging hard rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s.

Pitched somewhere in peoples' minds between Elton John and John Denver, Glen Campbell became largely irrelevant for the next three decades. Although he recorded during this period, with occasional success, the songs were generally bland, pointless and poorly produced. What he needed was a decent set of songs and a sympathetic producer who would recognise the strengths Glen possessed, someone who would recognise what made those earlier classics work.

Enter Julian Raymond and Howard Willing. Their arrangements and production are beautifully evocative of Campbell's greatest period. The Foo Fighter's Times Like These and Tom Petty's "Walls" echo Galveston with low tuned guitars and strings reminiscent of Al de Lory's original arrangements.

Using the Webb classics as a cornerstone the ten selections draw upon the literate work of John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, U2, The Foo's and Billie Joe. Raymond and Willing let Glen's voice take centre stage and with his sensitive interpretations and their evocative arrangements a hauntingly, beautiful album has emerged.

Simple really. Take a great singer, give him some great songs, mix in some sympathetic arrangements for strings and horns, throw in steel guitar, drums and keyboards and you have a classic record.

Highly recommended. Not a dud track to be heard.

Huge surprise, 29 Oct 2008
I saw Glen Campbell perform live on 'Jools' and was really impressed with the new song. I'd always loved Wichita Lineman but hadn't taken much notice of anything else. I went on to Amazon to order AC/DC's Black Ice and thought 'why not' and ordered 'Meet Glen Campbell' as well. I've always been a guitar group lover - Floyd, Rory Gallagher, AC/DC etc but Glens album has outplayed Black Ice easily so far (except for that 'Jesus' track, which I skip).
Well done Glen and what a good guitar player you are too. This album is up there with other country favouries I have and nearly as good as Jimmy Buffett to - no higher praise can I give than that.

Biggest surprise of 2008, 14 Nov 2008
I am another who was fortunate enough to see one of his recent live concerts. Of course we were treated to all of his classics, plus a few tracks from this latest new album. These tracks were very pleasant and memorable. Infact, an exceptional set of songs that amount to an exceptional album.

This remakable return to form is acheived with songs written by other artists including John Lennon, U2, Tom Petty and Jackson Brown. Some of these tracks are quite addictive.

So, there it is. Not typical Glen Campbell perhaps, but certainly classical Glan Campbell. If this is your scene, then this album is a must.




I love this so much, I have to listen to it twice !, 02 Nov 2008
I bought two albums at the same time a week or so ago - and I must have been inspired. One was Sia's fantastic 'Some People Have Real Problems' (I must do a review on that!) and this beauty.

One of the other reviewers suggested that this is the best album of 2008 - it is right up there as a contender. The ten tracks are covers of some very fine songs, some I knew and some I didn't. The thing about Glen Campbell is that, at 72, his singing is still as good as ever. I've always liked him, but have nothing more than a compilation which features one or two of his songs.

One reviewer has criticised the production, but I think it just adds to the quality of the tracks on the album. It starts off with 'Sing', written by Fran Healey of Travis who, I must admit, I find extremely boring. However, this is a great song and a wonderful version, beautiful in it's full (as opposed to paired-down) production - a great opening track, which got me involved in the album. From there, the music just flows and the other nine tracks include a couple by Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Billy Joe Armstrong (of Green Day), Lou Reed and John Lennon. It leaves me wanting to play the album again and again.

Yes, Glen is singing as well as ever and there are some lovely backing singers here. Instrumentally, there is a superb set of musicians, including GC himself - a great guitarist - and the arrangements are perfect.

This is Glen Campbell and friends, putting together an album in the Glen Campbell mould, but brought up to date. The length of the album is only 33:46, which is short. I would have like a couple more tracks, but if you want to listen to it a couple of times, you've only spent just over an hour doing so.

So, a brilliant album, a fantastic return from Glen Campbell which, I for one, hope will be followed up in a similar vein - I would welcome a second album of covers, a la 'Meet Glen Campbell Again'.

This is the way to do a covers album, 31 Oct 2008
Cash, Diamond, and now Campbell. Old pros finding new audiences with a combination of new material or new approaches to the craft of singing. Meet Glen Campbell works like a dream from start to finish. You can't really go wrong with songs written by the likes of Tom Petty and Jackson Browne can you? Even the vastly over-rated John Lennon can sound good when one of his songs is done well, and middle-order songsmith Fran Healy from Travis gets one of his dusted down for this album as well.

So, strong material sets the scene, and Campbell does them all justice, without sounding like he's trying too hard to please or prove a point. Slightly spoiled by a tad over-bright production in places that smothers Campbell's voice, the album is however, a sure-fire winner.

Classic Campbell , 30 Oct 2008
Glen Campbell is, quite simply, a master interpreter of other people's songs. In Jimmy Webb he found a songwriter whose lyrics and melodies were perfect pickings for him. They were made for each other. No one should need reminding that Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Where's The Playground Suzie were evocative, melodic counterpoints to the emerging hard rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s.

Pitched somewhere in peoples' minds between Elton John and John Denver, Glen Campbell became largely irrelevant for the next three decades. Although he recorded during this period, with occasional success, the songs were generally bland, pointless and poorly produced. What he needed was a decent set of songs and a sympathetic producer who would recognise the strengths Glen possessed, someone who would recognise what made those earlier classics work.

Enter Julian Raymond and Howard Willing. Their arrangements and production are beautifully evocative of Campbell's greatest period. The Foo Fighter's Times Like These and Tom Petty's "Walls" echo Galveston with low tuned guitars and strings reminiscent of Al de Lory's original arrangements.

Using the Webb classics as a cornerstone the ten selections draw upon the literate work of John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, U2, The Foo's and Billie Joe. Raymond and Willing let Glen's voice take centre stage and with his sensitive interpretations and their evocative arrangements a hauntingly, beautiful album has emerged.

Simple really. Take a great singer, give him some great songs, mix in some sympathetic arrangements for strings and horns, throw in steel guitar, drums and keyboards and you have a classic record.

Highly recommended. Not a dud track to be heard.

Huge surprise, 29 Oct 2008
I saw Glen Campbell perform live on 'Jools' and was really impressed with the new song. I'd always loved Wichita Lineman but hadn't taken much notice of anything else. I went on to Amazon to order AC/DC's Black Ice and thought 'why not' and ordered 'Meet Glen Campbell' as well. I've always been a guitar group lover - Floyd, Rory Gallagher, AC/DC etc but Glens album has outplayed Black Ice easily so far (except for that 'Jesus' track, which I skip).
Well done Glen and what a good guitar player you are too. This album is up there with other country favouries I have and nearly as good as Jimmy Buffett to - no higher praise can I give than that.

all that you need, 07 Dec 2007
Yet another greatest hits album, but what the hell, this contains every decent track he has ever recorded. Many collections are padded out with gastly stocking filler tracks, not this one. I must admit that I really liked at least 20 of the tracks on this. Enough said.

Joel and Ethan Coen have long established themselves as film stylists without peer: from Blood Simple to Fargo, their movies have never been less than fascinating, and there has never been any question that their films could not have been made by anyone else. In T-Bone Burnett, the producer of the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, they have finally met their match: Burnett's work in assembling a collection of pieces for the Depression-set film is as skilled and entrancing as the film itself.

Despite the presence of Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss and bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, the stars here are the songs themselves, a host of traditional songs augmented by archival recordings. The collection is also a showcase for a host of lesser known and forgotten bluegrass masters: The Cox Family, collaborators with Krauss; Norman Blake, a sideman for Bob Dylan and June Carter Cash; country gospel group The Whites, who once counted Ricky Skaggs as a member (and who, here, cover the Carter Family); and young bluesman Chris Thomas King among them. All bring life to their songs, and the results are sublime--and, at times (Krauss and a choir's take on "Down To The River to Pray", Blake's instrumental version of the oft-repeated "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow"), downright entrancing.

Some of these songs can be found on Alan Lomax collections. If you enjoy this album, we also highly recommend the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music and Woody Guthrie's Asch Recordings series. --Randy Silver

Biggest surprise of 2008, 14 Nov 2008
I am another who was fortunate enough to see one of his recent live concerts. Of course we were treated to all of his classics, plus a few tracks from this latest new album. These tracks were very pleasant and memorable. Infact, an exceptional set of songs that amount to an exceptional album.

This remakable return to form is acheived with songs written by other artists including John Lennon, U2, Tom Petty and Jackson Brown. Some of these tracks are quite addictive.

So, there it is. Not typical Glen Campbell perhaps, but certainly classical Glan Campbell. If this is your scene, then this album is a must.




I love this so much, I have to listen to it twice !, 02 Nov 2008
I bought two albums at the same time a week or so ago - and I must have been inspired. One was Sia's fantastic 'Some People Have Real Problems' (I must do a review on that!) and this beauty.

One of the other reviewers suggested that this is the best album of 2008 - it is right up there as a contender. The ten tracks are covers of some very fine songs, some I knew and some I didn't. The thing about Glen Campbell is that, at 72, his singing is still as good as ever. I've always liked him, but have nothing more than a compilation which features one or two of his songs.

One reviewer has criticised the production, but I think it just adds to the quality of the tracks on the album. It starts off with 'Sing', written by Fran Healey of Travis who, I must admit, I find extremely boring. However, this is a great song and a wonderful version, beautiful in it's full (as opposed to paired-down) production - a great opening track, which got me involved in the album. From there, the music just flows and the other nine tracks include a couple by Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Billy Joe Armstrong (of Green Day), Lou Reed and John Lennon. It leaves me wanting to play the album again and again.

Yes, Glen is singing as well as ever and there are some lovely backing singers here. Instrumentally, there is a superb set of musicians, including GC himself - a great guitarist - and the arrangements are perfect.

This is Glen Campbell and friends, putting together an album in the Glen Campbell mould, but brought up to date. The length of the album is only 33:46, which is short. I would have like a couple more tracks, but if you want to listen to it a couple of times, you've only spent just over an hour doing so.

So, a brilliant album, a fantastic return from Glen Campbell which, I for one, hope will be followed up in a similar vein - I would welcome a second album of covers, a la 'Meet Glen Campbell Again'.

This is the way to do a covers album, 31 Oct 2008
Cash, Diamond, and now Campbell. Old pros finding new audiences with a combination of new material or new approaches to the craft of singing. Meet Glen Campbell works like a dream from start to finish. You can't really go wrong with songs written by the likes of Tom Petty and Jackson Browne can you? Even the vastly over-rated John Lennon can sound good when one of his songs is done well, and middle-order songsmith Fran Healy from Travis gets one of his dusted down for this album as well.

So, strong material sets the scene, and Campbell does them all justice, without sounding like he's trying too hard to please or prove a point. Slightly spoiled by a tad over-bright production in places that smothers Campbell's voice, the album is however, a sure-fire winner.

Classic Campbell , 30 Oct 2008
Glen Campbell is, quite simply, a master interpreter of other people's songs. In Jimmy Webb he found a songwriter whose lyrics and melodies were perfect pickings for him. They were made for each other. No one should need reminding that Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Where's The Playground Suzie were evocative, melodic counterpoints to the emerging hard rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s.

Pitched somewhere in peoples' minds between Elton John and John Denver, Glen Campbell became largely irrelevant for the next three decades. Although he recorded during this period, with occasional success, the songs were generally bland, pointless and poorly produced. What he needed was a decent set of songs and a sympathetic producer who would recognise the strengths Glen possessed, someone who would recognise what made those earlier classics work.

Enter Julian Raymond and Howard Willing. Their arrangements and production are beautifully evocative of Campbell's greatest period. The Foo Fighter's Times Like These and Tom Petty's "Walls" echo Galveston with low tuned guitars and strings reminiscent of Al de Lory's original arrangements.

Using the Webb classics as a cornerstone the ten selections draw upon the literate work of John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, U2, The Foo's and Billie Joe. Raymond and Willing let Glen's voice take centre stage and with his sensitive interpretations and their evocative arrangements a hauntingly, beautiful album has emerged.

Simple really. Take a great singer, give him some great songs, mix in some sympathetic arrangements for strings and horns, throw in steel guitar, drums and keyboards and you have a classic record.

Highly recommended. Not a dud track to be heard.

Huge surprise, 29 Oct 2008
I saw Glen Campbell perform live on 'Jools' and was really impressed with the new song. I'd always loved Wichita Lineman but hadn't taken much notice of anything else. I went on to Amazon to order AC/DC's Black Ice and thought 'why not' and ordered 'Meet Glen Campbell' as well. I've always been a guitar group lover - Floyd, Rory Gallagher, AC/DC etc but Glens album has outplayed Black Ice easily so far (except for that 'Jesus' track, which I skip).
Well done Glen and what a good guitar player you are too. This album is up there with other country favouries I have and nearly as good as Jimmy Buffett to - no higher praise can I give than that.

all that you need, 07 Dec 2007
Yet another greatest hits album, but what the hell, this contains every decent track he has ever recorded. Many collections are padded out with gastly stocking filler tracks, not this one. I must admit that I really liked at least 20 of the tracks on this. Enough said.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

Biggest surprise of 2008, 14 Nov 2008
I am another who was fortunate enough to see one of his recent live concerts. Of course we were treated to all of his classics, plus a few tracks from this latest new album. These tracks were very pleasant and memorable. Infact, an exceptional set of songs that amount to an exceptional album.

This remakable return to form is acheived with songs written by other artists including John Lennon, U2, Tom Petty and Jackson Brown. Some of these tracks are quite addictive.

So, there it is. Not typical Glen Campbell perhaps, but certainly classical Glan Campbell. If this is your scene, then this album is a must.




I love this so much, I have to listen to it twice !, 02 Nov 2008
I bought two albums at the same time a week or so ago - and I must have been inspired. One was Sia's fantastic 'Some People Have Real Problems' (I must do a review on that!) and this beauty.

One of the other reviewers suggested that this is the best album of 2008 - it is right up there as a contender. The ten tracks are covers of some very fine songs, some I knew and some I didn't. The thing about Glen Campbell is that, at 72, his singing is still as good as ever. I've always liked him, but have nothing more than a compilation which features one or two of his songs.

One reviewer has criticised the production, but I think it just adds to the quality of the tracks on the album. It starts off with 'Sing', written by Fran Healey of Travis who, I must admit, I find extremely boring. However, this is a great song and a wonderful version, beautiful in it's full (as opposed to paired-down) production - a great opening track, which got me involved in the album. From there, the music just flows and the other nine tracks include a couple by Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Billy Joe Armstrong (of Green Day), Lou Reed and John Lennon. It leaves me wanting to play the album again and again.

Yes, Glen is singing as well as ever and there are some lovely backing singers here. Instrumentally, there is a superb set of musicians, including GC himself - a great guitarist - and the arrangements are perfect.

This is Glen Campbell and friends, putting together an album in the Glen Campbell mould, but brought up to date. The length of the album is only 33:46, which is short. I would have like a couple more tracks, but if you want to listen to it a couple of times, you've only spent just over an hour doing so.

So, a brilliant album, a fantastic return from Glen Campbell which, I for one, hope will be followed up in a similar vein - I would welcome a second album of covers, a la 'Meet Glen Campbell Again'.

This is the way to do a covers album, 31 Oct 2008
Cash, Diamond, and now Campbell. Old pros finding new audiences with a combination of new material or new approaches to the craft of singing. Meet Glen Campbell works like a dream from start to finish. You can't really go wrong with songs written by the likes of Tom Petty and Jackson Browne can you? Even the vastly over-rated John Lennon can sound good when one of his songs is done well, and middle-order songsmith Fran Healy from Travis gets one of his dusted down for this album as well.

So, strong material sets the scene, and Campbell does them all justice, without sounding like he's trying too hard to please or prove a point. Slightly spoiled by a tad over-bright production in places that smothers Campbell's voice, the album is however, a sure-fire winner.

Classic Campbell , 30 Oct 2008
Glen Campbell is, quite simply, a master interpreter of other people's songs. In Jimmy Webb he found a songwriter whose lyrics and melodies were perfect pickings for him. They were made for each other. No one should need reminding that Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Where's The Playground Suzie were evocative, melodic counterpoints to the emerging hard rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s.

Pitched somewhere in peoples' minds between Elton John and John Denver, Glen Campbell became largely irrelevant for the next three decades. Although he recorded during this period, with occasional success, the songs were generally bland, pointless and poorly produced. What he needed was a decent set of songs and a sympathetic producer who would recognise the strengths Glen possessed, someone who would recognise what made those earlier classics work.

Enter Julian Raymond and Howard Willing. Their arrangements and production are beautifully evocative of Campbell's greatest period. The Foo Fighter's Times Like These and Tom Petty's "Walls" echo Galveston with low tuned guitars and strings reminiscent of Al de Lory's original arrangements.

Using the Webb classics as a cornerstone the ten selections draw upon the literate work of John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, U2, The Foo's and Billie Joe. Raymond and Willing let Glen's voice take centre stage and with his sensitive interpretations and their evocative arrangements a hauntingly, beautiful album has emerged.

Simple really. Take a great singer, give him some great songs, mix in some sympathetic arrangements for strings and horns, throw in steel guitar, drums and keyboards and you have a classic record.

Highly recommended. Not a dud track to be heard.

Huge surprise, 29 Oct 2008
I saw Glen Campbell perform live on 'Jools' and was really impressed with the new song. I'd always loved Wichita Lineman but hadn't taken much notice of anything else. I went on to Amazon to order AC/DC's Black Ice and thought 'why not' and ordered 'Meet Glen Campbell' as well. I've always been a guitar group lover - Floyd, Rory Gallagher, AC/DC etc but Glens album has outplayed Black Ice easily so far (except for that 'Jesus' track, which I skip).
Well done Glen and what a good guitar player you are too. This album is up there with other country favouries I have and nearly as good as Jimmy Buffett to - no higher praise can I give than that.

all that you need, 07 Dec 2007
Yet another greatest hits album, but what the hell, this contains every decent track he has ever recorded. Many collections are padded out with gastly stocking filler tracks, not this one. I must admit that I really liked at least 20 of the tracks on this. Enough said.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

disappointed, 03 Nov 2008
I'm a huge fan of Lucinda and after seeing her in tremendous form at the glasgow barrowlands I went out and got my hands on as much stuff of hers as I could.
I must admit I'm a bit disappointed with this cd - maybe it will grow on me but there seem to be few powerful songs here.
It's almost as though it has been thrown together to meet contractual obligations.

Sweet, 29 Oct 2008
Where previously we've had to wait two or three years between Lucinda records, it's only about 18 months since her last one this time. West was somewhat melancholy, reflecting Williams's mood over a broken relationship and the death of her mother. Little Honey is less so, starting off with the upbeat Real Love, and other songs such as Tears Of Joy, a blues which features a nice BB King-like guitar lick, mean that overall this is not West 2.

Nevertheless, there are some downbeat moments, and they start on track 2, Circles And X's, and Heaven Blues brings us right back to her mother. And whilst the mom-references on West stood well both in and out of context, this one ends up seeming a little self-absorbed.

Overall, however, though I've still not warmed to this collection as I did to West, this is another great album from Williams, combining her normal sharp songwriting, the familiar country-blues fusions, some incredible musicianship, such as Walt Fowler's flugelhorn on Knowing or Doug Pettibone's guitar anywhere, some eye-popping instrumentation (like washing machine, big ass drum and plastic sheet on Heaven Blues!) and excellent arrangements.

The one cover, AC/DC's It's A Long Way, is great, could be written just for her, and has some nice backing vocals, reminiscent of those on Stones' Gimme Shelter, with a gospel feel.

There's also an interesting point of comparison between the two versions of Jailhouse Tears, where I agree with the other reviewers who say they prefer the original: I love Elvis Costello but he tends towards overacting on this occasion, and the original has a fresher, less overproduced feel, which gives it a little more emotional authenticity.

Non-musical high points are the very detailed credits on the sleeve notes, which only fall down on the "bonus" version of Jailhouse Tears, all the lyrics available, and a nice Super Jewel Box to wrap it all in instead of one of those nasty cardboard things.


Lucinda - an inspiration, 26 Oct 2008
Reading the other reviews makes me realise what female rockers are up against.
How many great female guitar players can you name? How many women can get themselves taken seriously in the alpha male music world?
Lucinda is an inspiration, clearly her own person for better or worse. It has taken her decades to get this far and she has resolutely stuck with it. That is the reason I grab her records whenever they come out.
They may not be perfect, but what is? Yes, "Car Wheels" was a high water mark (and where most of us came in), but every record since has had at least a few gems; the great "Out of Touch" on "Essence" is a personal favourite. Lucinda has the ability to decribe universal emotions in plain, simple language; a rare gift. Plus her voice is truly special - raw, emotional, weary, vulnerable.
She makes most male rockers of her age pale into insignificance.

(Almost) a return to form, 22 Oct 2008
Little Honey is not another Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - in my view the last really good record Lucinda Williams made and, in my view again, a really seriously good collection of alt country rock tracks. But this does have some real high points (unlike the last one, West) as well as some real lows. The high points are probably Honey Bee (a typical piece of Lucinda raunch-rock), If Wishes Were Horses, which gets close to her best work of the past, and the early version of Jailhouse Tears - the one without Elvis Costello. The lows - particularly Little Rock Star and It's A Long Way to The Top - are very low indeed and maybe say a good deal about what I think is wrong with her recent work as a whole. The best of her work is based on imaginative observation and empathy with a whole range of characters - even if they draw on her own experience - while everything since Car Wheels on a Gravel Road has tended to sound to me as if it is drifting into the "poor little rock and roll star me" school of song-writing. It's A Long Way to The Top is a perfect example of that tedious and tired genre. This is not a bad record, but by the standard of her best work, neither is it really a very good one.

Tears of Joy.., 19 Oct 2008
'Car wheels on a gravel road' is one of my all time favourite albums that I think is an almost perfect collection of songs. On the first couple of listens I don't think "Little Honey" is quite as good - BUT it's not that far behind and I think it can only grow on you.

Many of the tracks have that same raw, lazy feel as 'Car wheels on a gravel road' but there is much more variety on this record. There are some real Stones-style heavy rockers like "Real Love", "Honey Bee" and even an AC/DC cover - "It's a Long Way to the Top" (backing band Buick 6 are fantastic throughout). Then we have beautiful laid-back ballads like "Knowing" and "If Wishes Were Horses" and also a straight country duet with old mate Elvis Costello on "Jailhouse Tears". Harking back to the start of Lucinda's career there are some nice, updated country blues "Circles and Xs" and "Heaven blues". If I had to pick a favourite I'd go for the slow, electric blues "Tears Of Joy", with Chet Lyster and Doug Pettibone's guitars sounding fantastic.

If you liked 'Car wheels on a gravel road' then I'm sure you'll like 'Little Honey', which has kept the same feel but added a rockier edge. I wouldn't say Lucinda had a great voice but it somehow seems to fit her blues/folk/country songs perfectly in a way that nobody else could match and on this record that distinctive voice is perfectly complemented by some great backing from Buick 6.

Biggest surprise of 2008, 14 Nov 2008
I am another who was fortunate enough to see one of his recent live concerts. Of course we were treated to all of his classics, plus a few tracks from this latest new album. These tracks were very pleasant and memorable. Infact, an exceptional set of songs that amount to an exceptional album.

This remakable return to form is acheived with songs written by other artists including John Lennon, U2, Tom Petty and Jackson Brown. Some of these tracks are quite addictive.

So, there it is. Not typical Glen Campbell perhaps, but certainly classical Glan Campbell. If this is your scene, then this album is a must.




I love this so much, I have to listen to it twice !, 02 Nov 2008
I bought two albums at the same time a week or so ago - and I must have been inspired. One was Sia's fantastic 'Some People Have Real Problems' (I must do a review on that!) and this beauty.

One of the other reviewers suggested that this is the best album of 2008 - it is right up there as a contender. The ten tracks are covers of some very fine songs, some I knew and some I didn't. The thing about Glen Campbell is that, at 72, his singing is still as good as ever. I've always liked him, but have nothing more than a compilation which features one or two of his songs.

One reviewer has criticised the production, but I think it just adds to the quality of the tracks on the album. It starts off with 'Sing', written by Fran Healey of Travis who, I must admit, I find extremely boring. However, this is a great song and a wonderful version, beautiful in it's full (as opposed to paired-down) production - a great opening track, which got me involved in the album. From there, the music just flows and the other nine tracks include a couple by Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Billy Joe Armstrong (of Green Day), Lou Reed and John Lennon. It leaves me wanting to play the album again and again.

Yes, Glen is singing as well as ever and there are some lovely backing singers here. Instrumentally, there is a superb set of musicians, including GC himself - a great guitarist - and the arrangements are perfect.

This is Glen Campbell and friends, putting together an album in the Glen Campbell mould, but brought up to date. The length of the album is only 33:46, which is short. I would have like a couple more tracks, but if you want to listen to it a couple of times, you've only spent just over an hour doing so.

So, a brilliant album, a fantastic return from Glen Campbell which, I for one, hope will be followed up in a similar vein - I would welcome a second album of covers, a la 'Meet Glen Campbell Again'.

This is the way to do a covers album, 31 Oct 2008
Cash, Diamond, and now Campbell. Old pros finding new audiences with a combination of new material or new approaches to the craft of singing. Meet Glen Campbell works like a dream from start to finish. You can't really go wrong with songs written by the likes of Tom Petty and Jackson Browne can you? Even the vastly over-rated John Lennon can sound good when one of his songs is done well, and middle-order songsmith Fran Healy from Travis gets one of his dusted down for this album as well.

So, strong material sets the scene, and Campbell does them all justice, without sounding like he's trying too hard to please or prove a point. Slightly spoiled by a tad over-bright production in places that smothers Campbell's voice, the album is however, a sure-fire winner.

Classic Campbell , 30 Oct 2008
Glen Campbell is, quite simply, a master interpreter of other people's songs. In Jimmy Webb he found a songwriter whose lyrics and melodies were perfect pickings for him. They were made for each other. No one should need reminding that Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Where's The Playground Suzie were evocative, melodic counterpoints to the emerging hard rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s.

Pitched somewhere in peoples' minds between Elton John and John Denver, Glen Campbell became largely irrelevant for the next three decades. Although he recorded during this period, with occasional success, the songs were generally bland, pointless and poorly produced. What he needed was a decent set of songs and a sympathetic producer who would recognise the strengths Glen possessed, someone who would recognise what made those earlier classics work.

Enter Julian Raymond and Howard Willing. Their arrangements and production are beautifully evocative of Campbell's greatest period. The Foo Fighter's Times Like These and Tom Petty's "Walls" echo Galveston with low tuned guitars and strings reminiscent of Al de Lory's original arrangements.

Using the Webb classics as a cornerstone the ten selections draw upon the literate work of John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, U2, The Foo's and Billie Joe. Raymond and Willing let Glen's voice take centre stage and with his sensitive interpretations and their evocative arrangements a hauntingly, beautiful album has emerged.

Simple really. Take a great singer, give him some great songs, mix in some sympathetic arrangements for strings and horns, throw in steel guitar, drums and keyboards and you have a classic record.

Highly recommended. Not a dud track to be heard.

Huge surprise, 29 Oct 2008
I saw Glen Campbell perform live on 'Jools' and was really impressed with the new song. I'd always loved Wichita Lineman but hadn't taken much notice of anything else. I went on to Amazon to order AC/DC's Black Ice and thought 'why not' and ordered 'Meet Glen Campbell' as well. I've always been a guitar group lover - Floyd, Rory Gallagher, AC/DC etc but Glens album has outplayed Black Ice easily so far (except for that 'Jesus' track, which I skip).
Well done Glen and what a good guitar player you are too. This album is up there with other country favouries I have and nearly as good as Jimmy Buffett to - no higher praise can I give than that.

all that you need, 07 Dec 2007
Yet another greatest hits album, but what the hell, this contains every decent track he has ever recorded. Many collections are padded out with gastly stocking filler tracks, not this one. I must admit that I really liked at least 20 of the tracks on this. Enough said.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

disappointed, 03 Nov 2008
I'm a huge fan of Lucinda and after seeing her in tremendous form at the glasgow barrowlands I went out and got my hands on as much stuff of hers as I could.
I must admit I'm a bit disappointed with this cd - maybe it will grow on me but there seem to be few powerful songs here.
It's almost as though it has been thrown together to meet contractual obligations.

Sweet, 29 Oct 2008
Where previously we've had to wait two or three years between Lucinda records, it's only about 18 months since her last one this time. West was somewhat melancholy, reflecting Williams's mood over a broken relationship and the death of her mother. Little Honey is less so, starting off with the upbeat Real Love, and other songs such as Tears Of Joy, a blues which features a nice BB King-like guitar lick, mean that overall this is not West 2.

Nevertheless, there are some downbeat moments, and they start on track 2, Circles And X's, and Heaven Blues brings us right back to her mother. And whilst the mom-references on West stood well both in and out of context, this one ends up seeming a little self-absorbed.

Overall, however, though I've still not warmed to this collection as I did to West, this is another great album from Williams, combining her normal sharp songwriting, the familiar country-blues fusions, some incredible musicianship, such as Walt Fowler's flugelhorn on Knowing or Doug Pettibone's guitar anywhere, some eye-popping instrumentation (like washing machine, big ass drum and plastic sheet on Heaven Blues!) and excellent arrangements.

The one cover, AC/DC's It's A Long Way, is great, could be written just for her, and has some nice backing vocals, reminiscent of those on Stones' Gimme Shelter, with a gospel feel.

There's also an interesting point of comparison between the two versions of Jailhouse Tears, where I agree with the other reviewers who say they prefer the original: I love Elvis Costello but he tends towards overacting on this occasion, and the original has a fresher, less overproduced feel, which gives it a little more emotional authenticity.

Non-musical high points are the very detailed credits on the sleeve notes, which only fall down on the "bonus" version of Jailhouse Tears, all the lyrics available, and a nice Super Jewel Box to wrap it all in instead of one of those nasty cardboard things.


Lucinda - an inspiration, 26 Oct 2008
Reading the other reviews makes me realise what female rockers are up against.
How many great female guitar players can you name? How many women can get themselves taken seriously in the alpha male music world?
Lucinda is an inspiration, clearly her own person for better or worse. It has taken her decades to get this far and she has resolutely stuck with it. That is the reason I grab her records whenever they come out.
They may not be perfect, but what is? Yes, "Car Wheels" was a high water mark (and where most of us came in), but every record since has had at least a few gems; the great "Out of Touch" on "Essence" is a personal favourite. Lucinda has the ability to decribe universal emotions in plain, simple language; a rare gift. Plus her voice is truly special - raw, emotional, weary, vulnerable.
She makes most male rockers of her age pale into insignificance.

(Almost) a return to form, 22 Oct 2008
Little Honey is not another Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - in my view the last really good record Lucinda Williams made and, in my view again, a really seriously good collection of alt country rock tracks. But this does have some real high points (unlike the last one, West) as well as some real lows. The high points are probably Honey Bee (a typical piece of Lucinda raunch-rock), If Wishes Were Horses, which gets close to her best work of the past, and the early version of Jailhouse Tears - the one without Elvis Costello. The lows - particularly Little Rock Star and It's A Long Way to The Top - are very low indeed and maybe say a good deal about what I think is wrong with her recent work as a whole. The best of her work is based on imaginative observation and empathy with a whole range of characters - even if they draw on her own experience - while everything since Car Wheels on a Gravel Road has tended to sound to me as if it is drifting into the "poor little rock and roll star me" school of song-writing. It's A Long Way to The Top is a perfect example of that tedious and tired genre. This is not a bad record, but by the standard of her best work, neither is it really a very good one.

Tears of Joy.., 19 Oct 2008
'Car wheels on a gravel road' is one of my all time favourite albums that I think is an almost perfect collection of songs. On the first couple of listens I don't think "Little Honey" is quite as good - BUT it's not that far behind and I think it can only grow on you.

Many of the tracks have that same raw, lazy feel as 'Car wheels on a gravel road' but there is much more variety on this record. There are some real Stones-style heavy rockers like "Real Love", "Honey Bee" and even an AC/DC cover - "It's a Long Way to the Top" (backing band Buick 6 are fantastic throughout). Then we have beautiful laid-back ballads like "Knowing" and "If Wishes Were Horses" and also a straight country duet with old mate Elvis Costello on "Jailhouse Tears". Harking back to the start of Lucinda's career there are some nice, updated country blues "Circles and Xs" and "Heaven blues". If I had to pick a favourite I'd go for the slow, electric blues "Tears Of Joy", with Chet Lyster and Doug Pettibone's guitars sounding fantastic.

If you liked 'Car wheels on a gravel road' then I'm sure you'll like 'Little Honey', which has kept the same feel but added a rockier edge. I wouldn't say Lucinda had a great voice but it somehow seems to fit her blues/folk/country songs perfectly in a way that nobody else could match and on this record that distinctive voice is perfectly complemented by some great backing from Buick 6.

More to come...., 11 Nov 2008
I agree with Kevan - this is just the first of three box sets, apparently and very fine it is too. It's a bit frustrating knowing that there are 15 CDs worth of programmes out there and only 9 will get an official release.The sound quality is great and has obviously been cleaned up from the original acetates - unfortunately, most of the chat from the shows has been taken out and that's the big loss, for me with this set, because it provides a fascinating insight into the band dynamic of the Driftin' Cowboys.

I'd give it more than 5 out of 5 too, but for the missing bits there'll still be people trawling the dark recesses of the internet...!

A Truly Wonderful Release!, 30 Oct 2008
I feel bad giving this box set 5 stars - it honestly deserves more!!

These recordings really are the holy grail for country music fans (though they might be called 'unreleased' but if you know where to look they've been available via the internet for years!). It's hard to fault it (well, I can actually but I'll come to that later) - a marvellous selection of songs, some well known in other versions but the majority not previously available; very nice packaging, far better than the earlier "Complete Hank Williams", with a great booklet; and with a sound quality, on the whole, that is quite astonishing considering these tracks were records in a radio studio over 50 years ago.

If I have one complaint it's the fact that each discs only runs for slightly under an hour - knowing that there is a lot more material from these sessions, it's a shame each disc wasn't filled to bursting! But it's a minor thing - 56 recordings from a time when Hank was at the height of his career is still a real treat!

So it's SEVEN stars for Hank!!

Biggest surprise of 2008, 14 Nov 2008
I am another who was fortunate enough to see one of his recent live concerts. Of course we were treated to all of his classics, plus a few tracks from this latest new album. These tracks were very pleasant and memorable. Infact, an exceptional set of songs that amount to an exceptional album.

This remakable return to form is acheived with songs written by other artists including John Lennon, U2, Tom Petty and Jackson Brown. Some of these tracks are quite addictive.

So, there it is. Not typical Glen Campbell perhaps, but certainly classical Glan Campbell. If this is your scene, then this album is a must.




I love this so much, I have to listen to it twice !, 02 Nov 2008
I bought two albums at the same time a week or so ago - and I must have been inspired. One was Sia's fantastic 'Some People Have Real Problems' (I must do a review on that!) and this beauty.

One of the other reviewers suggested that this is the best album of 2008 - it is right up there as a contender. The ten tracks are covers of some very fine songs, some I knew and some I didn't. The thing about Glen Campbell is that, at 72, his singing is still as good as ever. I've always liked him, but have nothing more than a compilation which features one or two of his songs.

One reviewer has criticised the production, but I think it just adds to the quality of the tracks on the album. It starts off with 'Sing', written by Fran Healey of Travis who, I must admit, I find extremely boring. However, this is a great song and a wonderful version, beautiful in it's full (as opposed to paired-down) production - a great opening track, which got me involved in the album. From there, the music just flows and the other nine tracks include a couple by Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Billy Joe Armstrong (of Green Day), Lou Reed and John Lennon. It leaves me wanting to play the album again and again.

Yes, Glen is singing as well as ever and there are some lovely backing singers here. Instrumentally, there is a superb set of musicians, including GC himself - a great guitarist - and the arrangements are perfect.

This is Glen Campbell and friends, putting together an album in the Glen Campbell mould, but brought up to date. The length of the album is only 33:46, which is short. I would have like a couple more tracks, but if you want to listen to it a couple of times, you've only spent just over an hour doing so.

So, a brilliant album, a fantastic return from Glen Campbell which, I for one, hope will be followed up in a similar vein - I would welcome a second album of covers, a la 'Meet Glen Campbell Again'.

This is the way to do a covers album, 31 Oct 2008
Cash, Diamond, and now Campbell. Old pros finding new audiences with a combination of new material or new approaches to the craft of singing. Meet Glen Campbell works like a dream from start to finish. You can't really go wrong with songs written by the likes of Tom Petty and Jackson Browne can you? Even the vastly over-rated John Lennon can sound good when one of his songs is done well, and middle-order songsmith Fran Healy from Travis gets one of his dusted down for this album as well.

So, strong material sets the scene, and Campbell does them all justice, without sounding like he's trying too hard to please or prove a point. Slightly spoiled by a tad over-bright production in places that smothers Campbell's voice, the album is however, a sure-fire winner.

Classic Campbell , 30 Oct 2008
Glen Campbell is, quite simply, a master interpreter of other people's songs. In Jimmy Webb he found a songwriter whose lyrics and melodies were perfect pickings for him. They were made for each other. No one should need reminding that Wichita Lineman, Galveston, By The Time I Get To Phoenix and Where's The Playground Suzie were evocative, melodic counterpoints to the emerging hard rock sounds of the late 60s and early 70s.

Pitched somewhere in peoples' minds between Elton John and John Denver, Glen Campbell became largely irrelevant for the next three decades. Although he recorded during this period, with occasional success, the songs were generally bland, pointless and poorly produced. What he needed was a decent set of songs and a sympathetic producer who would recognise the strengths Glen possessed, someone who would recognise what made those earlier classics work.

Enter Julian Raymond and Howard Willing. Their arrangements and production are beautifully evocative of Campbell's greatest period. The Foo Fighter's Times Like These and Tom Petty's "Walls" echo Galveston with low tuned guitars and strings reminiscent of Al de Lory's original arrangements.

Using the Webb classics as a cornerstone the ten selections draw upon the literate work of John Lennon, Jackson Browne, Lou Reed, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, U2, The Foo's and Billie Joe. Raymond and Willing let Glen's voice take centre stage and with his sensitive interpretations and their evocative arrangements a hauntingly, beautiful album has emerged.

Simple really. Take a great singer, give him some great songs, mix in some sympathetic arrangements for strings and horns, throw in steel guitar, drums and keyboards and you have a classic record.

Highly recommended. Not a dud track to be heard.

Huge surprise, 29 Oct 2008
I saw Glen Campbell perform live on 'Jools' and was really impressed with the new song. I'd always loved Wichita Lineman but hadn't taken much notice of anything else. I went on to Amazon to order AC/DC's Black Ice and thought 'why not' and ordered 'Meet Glen Campbell' as well. I've always been a guitar group lover - Floyd, Rory Gallagher, AC/DC etc but Glens album has outplayed Black Ice easily so far (except for that 'Jesus' track, which I skip).
Well done Glen and what a good guitar player you are too. This album is up there with other country favouries I have and nearly as good as Jimmy Buffett to - no higher praise can I give than that.

all that you need, 07 Dec 2007
Yet another greatest hits album, but what the hell, this contains every decent track he has ever recorded. Many collections are padded out with gastly stocking filler tracks, not this one. I must admit that I really liked at least 20 of the tracks on this. Enough said.

Stunning, evocative music., 14 Apr 2008
I'm not from the US, my family hail from Kashmir and I was born in the UK, grew up listening to punk rock but WOW! The soundtrack literally drips with the era and place it hails from; every time I hear a snippet I swear I can feel the heat and smell the wheat - so amazing!

Diverse selection of old-time music, 01 Jul 2005
The music here, like the film it provides the soundtrack for, is presumably intended to take us back to the thirties. Several songs from that era are featured along with traditional material that would have been popular then. Recorded mainly with state-of-the-art technology (except for some old recordings that are included and re-mastered), the sound quality is far superior to anything available in the thirties. Several different types of music can be found here - blues, gospel, country and folk - mainly performed by contemporary artists with a deep respect for tradition. I'll just pick out some of them although there are many excellent songs here.

Even Alison Krauss sticks firmly with tradition here - she often brings contemporary influences into her music these days but not here. Alison can be heard here on Down to the river to pray (as a solo singer), I'll fly away (providing harmony vocals for lead singer Gillian Welch) and Didn't leave nobody but the baby (joining Gillian and Emmylou in three-part harmony).

The inclusion of two Carter Stanley songs on a soundtrack such as this is predictable but welcome, with the Whites performing a superb version of the oft-recorded Keep on the sunny side, while the Peasall children (Hannah singing lead with Sarah and Leah providing harmony vocals) are in great form on In the highways. Children's recordings rarely impress me but this track does.

One song here that surprised me (though perhaps it shouldn't have) is Big rock candy mountain. It can be found on plenty of albums of children's songs, when it is invariably presented as an up-tempo song that children can (if they wish) sing along to. Here we get the original 1928 recording by Harry McLintock, who sings it at a more measured, reflective pace, showing that there is more to this song than I originally thought. I still prefer it as an up-tempo song generally but I'm glad I heard this version. I wonder what the Peasall sisters would have done with this song.

The Coen brothers clearly hoped that this soundtrack would provide a resurgence of interest in traditional music. While this soundtrack was a big commercial success, it seems that the majority of people who bought it (and continue to buy it) regard it as something of a novelty. Nashville record labels signed some traditional singers (Elizabeth Cook, though not featured here, is one that comes to mind) but they didn't get enough airplay on American country radio, so such artists were dropped and Nashville returned to its contemporary format. I'm sure that this soundtrack helped to win some new fans for traditional music, but not as many as the Coen brothers would like.

a lovely mix of traditional music, 04 Nov 2003
Performed by some of today's best singers, this multi-Grammy Award winner is a marvelous addition to any country/folk music collection. Some of these artists are at the top of their field, but some will be "discoveries" for most of us, like the beautiful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King, a versatile young man who is versed in many styles, and here sings in the old blues tradition and does it brilliantly.

The highlights for me are: The legendary Ralph Stanley, with his plaintive acappella chant of "O Death", which carries with it all the pain and soul of Appalachia, and the purity of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys, who consist of Union Station member Dan Tyminsky on lead vocals and guitar, backed by Harley Allen and Pat Enright. For anyone who likes traditional music, you can't get any better than this.
Another acappella gem is "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", with Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Gillian Welch harmonizing like an angels from another era. Everything on this disc recalls days gone by; there is a refreshing simplicity, and a lot of the songs are filled with faith.

There is exquisite musicianship on this CD, and it is a nice long one at 60'34 minutes. The booklet insert is something I appreciate too; it is a collage of yellowed stained paper on peeling walls, with a terrific layout, and as it says on one of its pages, "Old-Time Music Is Very Much Alive".

oh brother where art thou, 13 Jul 2002
first class traditional country and a bit of bluegrass. represents excelent value for money. so many good tracks its hard to pick one that shines above the rest.listen to YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE by norman blake if you are not tapping your toes then someone has nailed your feet to the floor.then there's I'm a man of constant sorrow-Soggy bottom boys Wow!then for a real treat try The Stanley Bros. Angel Band Traditional country at its best. many other great tracks from Alison Krauss the queen of country and the Whites with keep on the sunny side,backings are fantastic. This is one CD you won't be dissapointed with

GREAT ALBUM . . . BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, 06 Jun 2002
Let me make one thing clear. "O Brother..." is one of my favourite films of all time. Not only that, but the musical soundtrack is one of its strongest features and stands as a valuable cultural document in its own right. In short, this is an album that anyone who loves country, bluegrass or folk music is likely to want in their collection.

So why, as I write, am I tossing up whether to only give it four stars? The answer is that I'm attempting to review it, not as a collector's item or a socio-historical document but as an album of music for repeated listening in the comfort of your own home. For that reason I'm not going to review the film rather than the album, as some reviewers here have done, because I don't assume that every listener is going to have the movie playing back in their heads as they listen to the music.

Rather, my comments are based on how this album will sound to someone who has picked up on the hearsay, or watched the Grammy ceremony, and is tempted to go out and buy this as a musical compilation. And in that setting, many listeners are going to be disappointed. The fact that a song has integrity, emotion, historical importance or great musicianship doesn't automatically make it great entertainment.

There are some standout contributions: The title song is long-term loveable (although why four different renditions of the tune are needed on the album is a mystery - a couple of the "period" instrumental versions which work well on the movoe soundtrack are somewhat less successful as pure listening music. Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch are as usual faultless. Ralph and the other Stanleys are devastating. But how many times will you want to listen to the 4+ minutes of prison chant that opens the album? Or the squeaky kiddy song (the Peasalls)? Or the ancient ditties like "Big Rock Candy Mountain"? After a couple of spins, you may find yourself reaching for the skip button more than is comfortable.

I'm not really knocking this record - in a sense it's a masterpiece. And it's rightly selling by the millions. But if you haven't seen the film I'd give it a whirl in the listening booth before you part with your cash.

disappointed, 03 Nov 2008
I'm a huge fan of Lucinda and after seeing her in tremendous form at the glasgow barrowlands I went out and got my hands on as much stuff of hers as I could.
I must admit I'm a bit disappointed with this cd - maybe it will grow on me but there seem to be few powerful songs here.
It's almost as though it has been thrown together to meet contractual obligations.

Sweet, 29 Oct 2008
Where previously we've had to wait two or three years between Lucinda records, it's only about 18 months since her last one this time. West was somewhat melancholy, reflecting Williams's mood over a broken relationship and the death of her mother. Little Honey is less so, starting off with the upbeat Real Love, and other songs such as Tears Of Joy, a blues which features a nice BB King-like guitar lick, mean that overall this is not West 2.

Nevertheless, there are some downbeat moments, and they start on track 2, Circles And X's, and Heaven Blues brings us right back to her mother. And whilst the mom-references on West stood well both in and out of context, this one ends up seeming a little self-absorbed.

Overall, however, though I've still not warmed to this collection as I did to West, this is another great album from Williams, combining her normal sharp songwriting, the familiar country-blues fusions, some incredible musicianship, such as Walt Fowler's flugelhorn on Knowing or Doug Pettibone's guitar anywhere, some eye-popping instrumentation (like washing machine, big ass drum and plastic sheet on Heaven Blues!) and excellent arrangements.

The one cover, AC/DC's It's A Long Way, is great, could be written just for her, and has some nice backing vocals, reminiscent of those on Stones' Gimme Shelter, with a gospel feel.

There's also an interesting point of comparison between the two versions of Jailhouse Tears, where I agree with the other reviewers who say they prefer the original: I love Elvis Costello but he tends towards overacting on this occasion, and the original has a fresher, less overproduced feel, which gives it a little more emotional authenticity.

Non-musical high points are the very detailed credits on the sleeve notes, which only fall down on the "bonus" version of Jailhouse Tears, all the lyrics available, and a nice Super Jewel Box to wrap it all in instead of one of those nasty cardboard things.


Lucinda - an inspiration, 26 Oct 2008
Reading the other reviews makes me realise what female rockers are up against.
How many great female guitar players can you name? How many women can get themselves taken seriously in the alpha male music world?
Lucinda is an inspiration, clearly her own person for better or worse. It has taken her decades to get this far and she has resolutely stuck with it. That is the reason I grab her records whenever they come out.
They may not be perfect, but what is? Yes, "Car Wheels" was a high water mark (and where most of us came in), but every record since has had at least a few gems; the great "Out of Touch" on "Essence" is a personal favourite. Lucinda has the ability to decribe universal emotions in plain, simple language; a rare gift. Plus her voice is truly special - raw, emotional, weary, vulnerable.
She makes most male rockers of her age pale into insignificance.

(Almost) a return to form, 22 Oct 2008
Little Honey is not another Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - in my view the last really good record Lucinda Williams made and, in my view again, a really seriously good collection of alt country rock tracks. But this does have some real high points (unlike the last one, West) as well as some real lows. The high points are probably Honey Bee (a typical piece of Lucinda raunch-rock), If Wishes Were Horses, which gets close to her best work of the past, and the early version of Jailhouse Tears - the one without Elvis Costello. The lows - particularly Little Rock Star and It's A Long Way to The Top - are very low indeed and maybe say a good deal about what I think is wrong with her recent work as a whole. The best of her work is based on imaginative observation and empathy with a whole range of characters - even if they draw on her own experience - while everything since Car Wheels on a Gravel Road has tended to sound to me as if it is drifting into the "poor little rock and roll star me" school of song-writing. It's A Long Way to The Top is a perfect example of that tedious and tired genre. This is not a bad record, but by the standard of her best work, neither is it really a very good one.

Tears of Joy.., 19 Oct 2008
'Car wheels on a gravel road' is one of my all time favourite albums that I think is an almost perfect collection of songs. On the first couple of listens I don't think "Little Honey" is quite as good - BUT it's not that far behind and I think it can only grow on you.

Many of the tracks have that same raw, lazy feel as 'Car wheels on a gravel road' but there is much more variety on this record. There are some real Stones-style heavy rockers like "Real Love", "Honey Bee" and even an AC/DC cover - "It's a Long Way to the Top" (backing band Buick 6 are fantastic throughout). Then we have beautiful laid-back ballads like "Knowing" and "If Wishes Were Horses" and also a straight country duet with old mate Elvis Costello on "Jailhouse Tears". Harking back to the start of Lucinda's career there are some nice, updated country blues "Circles and Xs" and "Heaven blues". If I had to pick a favourite I'd go for the slow, electric blues "Tears Of Joy", with Chet Lyster and Doug Pettibone's guitars sounding fantastic.

If you liked 'Car wheels on a gravel road' then I'm sure you'll like 'Little Honey', which has kept the same feel but added a rockier edge. I wouldn't say Lucinda had a great voice but it somehow seems to fit her blues/folk/country songs perfectly in a way that nobody else could match and on this record that distinctive voice is perfectly complemented by some great backing from Buick 6.

More to come...., 11 Nov 2008
I agree with Kevan - this is just the first of three box sets, apparently and very fine it is too. It's a bit frustrating knowing that there are 15 CDs worth of programmes out there and only 9 will get an official release.The sound quality is great and has obviously been cleaned up from the original acetates - unfortunately, most of the chat from the shows has been taken out and that's the big loss, for me with this set, because it provides a fascinating insight into the band dynamic of the Driftin' Cowboys.

I'd give it more than 5 out of 5 too, but for the missing bits there'll still be people trawling the dark recesses of the internet...!

A Truly Wonderful Release!, 30 Oct 2008
I feel bad giving this box set 5 stars - it honestly deserves more!!

These recordings really are the holy grail for country music fans (though they might be called 'unreleased' but if you know where to look they've been available via the internet for years!). It's hard to fault it (well, I can actually but I'll come to that later) - a marvellous selection of songs, some well known in other versions but the majority not previously available; very nice packaging, far better than the earlier "Complete Hank Williams", with a great booklet; and with a sound quality, on the whole, that is quite astonishing considering these tracks were records in a radio studio over 50 years ago.

If I have one complaint it's the fact that each discs only runs for slightly under an hour - knowing that there is a lot more material from these sessions, it's a shame each disc wasn't filled to bursting! But it's a minor thing - 56 recordings from a time when Hank was at the height of his career is still a real treat!

So it's SEVEN stars for Hank!!

The best of Johnny Cash captured on one CD, 22 Sep 2008
At first I was skeptical of the whole Johnny Cash is a great musician/songwriter, and thought it was oldie country music for the oldies to reminisce about, and say how they never make music like they used to; that was until I was given this CD to try after seeing the film based upon his life.

Johnny Cash is without doubt a very clever songwriter/commentator with catchy 2-3min songs that reveal a story with very poignant and/or witty poetry set to music you'll hum along to after very few listens. Clear examples of this can be found in songs such as 'A boy named Sue' and 'San Quentin.'

This album captures the highlights of his music career from the early songs right to the covers of modern artists - which he covers in his 'Cash sound' that I feel are better than the originals.

If you are undecided, like I was, give it a try as you can always sell it on, but I am sure, you will not be disappointed.

True Legend, 28 Aug 2008
This is a great intro to new fans of Johnny Cash, a true icon whose music covered several generations.

When I first played it and the trumpets of Ring of Fire came on I wandered if I'd done the right thing ! The early tracks are pure 50s country, a complete contrast to the later U2/Depeche Mode covers/corroborations. There's something for everyone here but don't just buy it for the later stuff.

Cash has an amazing deep and warm voice, full of charisma and soul. It would have almost been worth being banged up in the notorious San Quentin to have seen him play live there. One of rock and roll's original bad boys, he lived his life and sang as he saw it.

For me and probably other non die-hard country fans, the later tracks probably have more appeal but I tend not to skip the early songs nowadays as they are mostly excellent. Personal Jesus is delivered deadpan but with so much meaning, a great interpretation of a classic. Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) could have been written about him, it has more emotion than any song I've ever heard and always sends a shiver down my spine. You can feel the "Hurt" in his voice as he mourns his late wife June Carter and no doubt voices the regrets of how he behaved to her and others during his pill popping years. It all comes out in spades and if it fails to move you, go and see the doctor to see if your heart is still beating....

Never owned a Cash record? This is where to start.


fantastic!, 15 Dec 2007
I'd never heard of Johnny Cash until this cd appeared in the cd player at work. Needless to say, it came home with me about a week later, and has been in my car ever since. There's something about johnny Cash that is totally mesmerising, & i'm even more hooked since watching walk the line, which is one of my favourite films. This deserves a place in every CD collection.

Top rate, 30 Oct 2007
If you can only afford one CD from the Man in Black, get this one. All the classics from the great man. Superb.

fine stuff , 29 Oct 2007

By sean paul mccann "mccanns23" (ireland) - See all my reviews


Johnny cash is a music icon,not just a country music icon but a fully fledged music icon,his fame is hard to measure but he wouldnt be that far behind elvis ,after all they are from the same era,and while elvis passed away early,cash racked up nearly 50 years of success before he gave way to death in 2003,and this is a testament of his work,21 tracks spanning his career and all i may ever need of the mans work,that isnt meant to be a sign of disrespect,i just accept that this is the best of his work, and as i am not a c ountry fan ,i will leave it at this more than likely but what a collection.
Cash was a songwriter that loved telling a story,along with his barritone voice,it is all very simple,yet effective,he had a nact of drawing you in with the simplicity of it all,the backing band kept it simple yet distinctive,shuffling along with the sound of a train is what springs to mind.
All the classics are here,'ring of fire' opens proceedings,probably his most famous of songs,hard to beat indeed.The classics keep coming,its hard to skip a track,the songs are short and sweet,'thing called love' is simply magical,maybe one of my fave tracks.
Cash gained new fans with his american recordings releases which were produced by rick rubin,of slayer and now metallica fame,these included cover versions of bands that cash had little in common with such as soundgarden and nine inch nails and to a lesser extent u2,and this makes up the final quarter of the album and what a bunch of songs these are,lease of all being the haunting 'hurt',possibly the most real sounding song i have ever heard,you can feel the pain and the realisation that his time on earth was up,chilling and no wonder that trent who wrote the song for his band nine inch nails reported on hearing this that the song was no longer his,a great album to own and cherish.