| CD REVIEW (This review has also been published at www.701.com) |
| THE ROCK - GEORGE JONES |
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| George Jones The Rock BMG Reviewed by Diane Wells This is genuine country music, with a definite Southern blues feel to it that is highly enjoyable in its delivery! Even though the title song, composed by Russell Smith and Jim Varsos, doesn't really stray far from the original version recorded by Etta James as a blues number, it still sounds just as good on a collection of country songs. Even though George Jones is not the composer of any of these tracks, with his pleasantly versatile vocal abilities, he's an excellent choice of performer to interpret them. Along with the many different songwriters, there are also three producers on this CD - Emory Gordy, Jr. (who also plays bass on a few tunes), Keith Stegall (with mastering by Hank Williams, Jr.) and Allen Reynolds, with their respective groups of backing musicians, including popular country guitarist Steve Gibson, John Wesley Ryles and Patty Loveless on backing vocals, John Hobbs on piano ('50,000 Names') and B-3 organ, and Stuart Duncan on fiddle and mandolin. There's a wide variety of rhythmic patterns as well - the fast-paced hillbilly fiddlefest ('Beer Run' - wittily subtitled 'B Double E Double Are You In?') with Garth Brooks joining in on a vocal duet; upbeat country twangers 'I Got Everything' (my girl, my guitar), 'The Man He Was', and hard-core emotional waltzes like 'Half Over You', 'Around Here', 'What I Didn't Do', and 'Tramp on your Street' (Bill Joe Shaver), a nod to Hank Williams Sr. I especially liked Stewart Harris and Curtis Wright's 'I Am' for its soul-stirring steel guitar and string arrangements. As a rejoinder to this CD, George takes care to mention that 'Beer Run' is not in any way an endorsement for drinking and driving but has been included because of alcohol's historic, integral parallel with country music. He also stresses maintaining personal responsibility for one's behaviour while drinking. Bravo to everyone who participated here! |
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