Album Review – Hank3’s Ghost To A Ghost
As Hank Williams III has been telling us for some time now, once Curb Records was in the rear view mirror, he would finally have his creativity back. Among the unprecedented four releases Hank3 has assembled for his first salvo as an independent artist, there is undeniably a tremendous amount of originality and creativity, regardless of the appeal. But for the most part, you won’t find that creativity on Ghost To A Ghost, which as the most straightforward country album of the bunch, might be the most anticipated one.
Some, including myself, had opined that Hank3 was possibly squirreling back songs during the late Curb era, not wanting to give his arch nemesis his best material. Instead it feels like we got what was left on the cutting house floor, and a few songs that reek of self-parody. Folks hoping for a return to the golden era of Hank3’s country music creativity will have to keep waiting.
The album starts off with four songs, “Guttertown”, “Day By Day”, “Ridin’ The Wave”, and “Don’t Ya Anna”, with transparently-rehashed lyrical lines and themes. It’s like he didn’t even try to hide that he was stealing lines from himself. Some of the lines don’t even make sense. Hank3 comes across as uninspired, if not bored. “Guttertown” does have a few decent, original lines, but “Ridin’ The Wave” is a clear spinoff of his previous metal meets country songs like “Long Hauls & Close Calls and “Tore Up & Loud”. And folks, take my advice: never use the word “ultimate” in a song unless you’re trying to appeal to rebellious suburbanites who take their energy drinks in 16 oz portions.
The music itself is not bad, it’s just not good enough to cover for the lyrics. Johnny Hiland is an amazing chicken-picking guitar player, but having him noodle over everything for a whole song wore out its welcome two albums ago. Hank3 has one of the most soulful steel guitar players at his dispose in Andy Gibson, and I am not sure if he appears in any more than a cameo role on this album.
After the first four songs, there is some improvement, as we move from songs that are ill-conceived, to songs that are just OK, in the form of “Ray Lawrence Jr.”, “The Devils Movin’ In”, and “Trooper’s Holler”. Together they form another block of songs with a common theme: they’re all decent, but are songs that may populate and “odds and sods” type release, or might be used as a change of pace in an album, or as a ghost track. But using three of them to flesh out an album seems ill-advised. The track with Ray Lawrence Jr. is cool enough, but when you boil it down, is just a live track from the back of a bus. “The Devils Movin’ In” is simply a slightly different version of “Angel of Sin” from his album Straight to Hell. And “Trooper’s Holler”, though a fun track, is hard to take seriously as an honest song offering. At this point you feel like you’re listening to the Hank3 version of Coda.
With “Time to Die” Hank3 finally seems to bring some passion to fleshing a song out, putting forth interesting lyrics and instrumentation. The song also works to emphasize Hank3’s often overlooked impressive vocal range, when he reaches down low in the bellows to create a depressing mood. I just don’t know overall how appealing this song is, and it comes across as a little busy. “Outlaw Convention” falls into the same trap as the first 4 songs, taking the theme of “Not Everybody Likes Us” from Straight to Hell that worked so well on that album, and rehashing it yet again to where trying to get any life out of this song is like squeezing a turnip. The second half of “Ghost to a Ghost” featuring Tom Waits holds a slight appeal, if you can get past the first part that features interruptive screaming interludes that erode an otherwise good song idea.
The best song on the album is the completely crass and immature “Cunt of a Bitch”. Despite it’s obvious issues with accessibility and offensiveness, for the first time you feel like Hank is just having fun, trading lines with Alan King of Hellstomper, putting together a very addicting and deceptively smart song in regards to how it works. For once, Johnny Hiland’s chicken picking fits the structure and mood, and adds to the chaotic nature and tempo.
The lack of creativity on this album is puzzling, because with the other releases in this cycle, we know Hank3 is capable of it. One of my worries is that he is trying to feed a demographic of core fans that he thinks wants this “cockstrong” attitude. Folks might bellyache if he doesn’t fulfill that stereotypical requirement. What I don’t understand is why he couldn’t do both: the bridging of country and punk/metal that has become his signature, while still exploring the simplistic approach to songwriting that worked for him so well in his first few albums. I would say the reason is that he has no more passion for the simple country approach, but from what I hear on this album, he doesn’t have any passion for the the country/metal blending either. And though I appreciate that Hank3 refuses to use producers and such, creative input or criticism from friends is never a bad thing, and this album leaves me wondering if such friendly input is welcome in his world.
If Hank3 didn’t want to make a country album, then he shouldn’t have made one. As a country fan first I would rather have nothing than a sub-par release.
Some Hank3 fans have a rallying cry whenever there is criticism of him: “Not Everybody Like Us!”. If Hank3 continues to put out ill-advised albums, it will have to become “Nobody Likes Us”. But if you’re a true Hank3 fan, just like a sports fan, you must hang with an artist through the good times and bad. You can be fair in your assessment, but also hopeful with what the future holds. And fortunately with Hank3, to find the passion and creativity we were all hoping for post-Curb, you simply have to just move to the next album in the project.
1 1/2 of 2 guns down.
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Order Ghost to a Ghost Directly from Hank3
(vinyl available directly from Hank3)
September 6, 2011 @ 9:02 pm
CLAP CLAP CLAP! Thank you for your honesty Trig. I think that you hit the nail on the head. I hoped for so much more for this album. I was disappointed.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:12 pm
Great review Trig. I’ve not been impressed with the tracks I’ve heard, which doesn’t exactly inspire one to listen to the rest of them.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:22 pm
You must give “Guttertown” a listen. I think you will like it Aran.
September 7, 2011 @ 8:18 am
Oh I’ll definitely be listening to the rest of the songs! I’m just saying if this was the first Hank 3 I was hearing I wouldn’t be investigating further.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:12 pm
Wow, this review was surprising. Not that I disagree with it, but, you being such a fan I figured you would be biased in to giving him a positive review. Two guns up for giving an honest opinion. By the way, have the wildfires here in Texas affected you at all? Just curious because there have been so many in east TX where I live.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:30 pm
I live right between Bastrop and Austin. Luckily my home has not been effected yet, but many folks out here have been. There’s the huge fire just east of Bastrop that is filling my sky with smoke and ash. Then there is another smaller one just a couple of miles from here that has evacuated a few neighborhoods. At one point yesterday they would have not let me access the property. I was in Nashville at the Muddy Roots Festival this weekend when all this went down. The re-opened the road today I guess, but have told us to be ready to evacuate at a moments notice. Thanks for the concern, and hope you’re OK out there!
September 6, 2011 @ 10:43 pm
I live in Tahitian Village just east of Bastrop. We most likely lost everything in the house. Didn’t know you lived out near Bastrop Triggerman.
September 6, 2011 @ 11:27 pm
I’m feel for you, Rajun Cajun. Alot of my family in Gladewater were on verge of losing there homes yesterday, until the wind changed direction. They lost all their land but their homes were spared, for the time being at least. Keep your fingers crossed, man. It’s all we can do.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:13 pm
I felt the lack of a producer through the whole album, but could only put it in words when i read this review. I loved “Cunt of a Bitch” and “Ghost to a Ghost”. The other songs are just OK.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:23 pm
Those are probably my two favorite. In my opinion it is not the greatest album, but that’s no reason to overlook good songs.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:31 pm
my favorites would be…
Ghost To A Ghost
Cunt Of A Bitch
I’ll Be Gone
I’ll Save My Tears
September 6, 2011 @ 9:56 pm
This is a review of the first disc only, not “Guttertown”
September 7, 2011 @ 8:23 am
I am fairly new to this site, and made some posts criticizing Hank III and even this site. I thought for sure this would be a bias review. I’ll have to say I respect you being honest. I plan on getting the albums soon to see for myself.
September 7, 2011 @ 6:51 am
Ghost to Ghost could of been a great song if he hadn’t put Tom Waits on the track
September 7, 2011 @ 8:34 am
I agree. I like this whole album, though. It’s always a great day when 3 releases something new.
September 7, 2011 @ 8:37 am
I think I’d enjoy it more myself. I believe the echoing in most of the song is not from Waits but from a doom band singer that I can’t recall… Still a great song to my ears, though.
September 7, 2011 @ 10:40 am
I believe it’s Dave Sherman from Earthride. Kick-ass local band if I must say so myself.
July 19, 2012 @ 10:46 am
I believe the song “Ghost To A Ghost” is a good song. The problem is that he just stuck Waits in at the very end. He should have had him in the entire song (with the chorus) or just leave him out entirely. I think the best part is the end in my opinion, but I am a Waits fan.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:15 pm
I enjoy the album at face value, but I very much agree with this review!
September 6, 2011 @ 9:35 pm
Agreed. Some tracks have grown on me, but overall not a fan. Even ‘Cunt of a Bitch’ just reminds me to go listen to my Hellstomper & Polecat Boogie Revival albums.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:45 pm
I as well, was very disappointed. With all the talk of “after Curb”, I had high hopes. I think he may have hyped it to us a bit too much, which may have been the down fall. I, for one, enjoy “Rebel Within” much more than this release, which Shelton basically sold as a “throw away” album. One disagreement I have is, I can not stand “Cunt of a Whore”. You said it right that it was immature. But, to hype a post-Curb release and put a song like that on the album is almost a slap in the face. I agree, he did have fun with it, but the lyrical content is too bad for me to look past. “Don’t you Wanna” is another track I can go the rest of my life without ever hearing again. This is the first 3 release ever that I will not even consider getting on vinyl. Those are my thoughts.
September 6, 2011 @ 9:49 pm
i think it’s a great album there proly 2 songs that i dont care for.. the ray lawerence jr track is great.. i was hoping maybe wayne the train or someone in that circle would appear on album but o well.. not sure what track les claypool is on ether… but one thing is for sure hank worked hard on this and has been very up front in interviews that there wasnt many counrty type songs in there so if you bought it looking for a country album then who’s the fool? and for people who like the stoner metal ADD album is great..
September 6, 2011 @ 10:49 pm
Out of the 4 new albums, ADD and Guttertown are easily the best of the bunch.
September 6, 2011 @ 11:10 pm
I am loving the songs “Guttertown”, “Ray Lawrence, Jr”, “Time To Die”, “Ghost to a Ghost”, and above all “The Devil’s Movin’ In”. I know the latter is (outside of the intro) a rehash of Angel of Sin but I am feelin’ that more than any tune I have heard in a very long time.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:19 am
“Ultimate” HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That is eXXXtreme to the maXXX!
Good even-handed review Triggerman. I’m not so sure about these two albums now. The Metal inflected stuff has kinda worn a bit thin for me. I will probably get ’em just for the Cajun tracks on Guttertown.
Thanks for the reviews. Looking forward to your rundown of Muddy Roots!
September 7, 2011 @ 1:38 am
Wow, this makes me sad. I bought the album on iTunes and with 30 tracks and Afghanistan internet speed, I won’t get to listen to it until tomorrow. I’m gonna try and keep an open mind. Like alot of people, my expectations were really high for this release. If it is just “more of the same” then I might not be disapointed. LB&D and StH are my favorite Hank3 albums but the “rebel” albums are great too. Theres not as much flow to them but pretty much any one of the songs you pick is a winner. I’ll usually choose a track from those 2 to let a friend listen to, to introduce them to Hank3. I really hope 3 puts out another truly great country album again one day. Something between LB&D and StH. But until then I’ll give this new cajun sound a shot.
September 7, 2011 @ 6:54 am
“It’s much easier to like when you don’t have a preconceived notion of how it should be, how you want it to be, or how good it is compared to something else.” A friend of mine made this quote and i agree with it 100%.
September 7, 2011 @ 7:07 am
I agree that this album was a letdown compared to what my expectations were. But I think you are taking the same approache as reverse racism in this review. In your review of Taylor Swifts album, you had far more good to say about it, than you have expressed about G.T.A.G. In your various rants against Gretchen Wilson, Jason Aldean, Josh Thompson, and Eric Church,there were little to no ignorant generalizations about them used; you were much more respectful to them than you are being to Hank3.
###The song “Dont ya wanna” has a unique drum pattern, is highly catchy without being stupid, has the dark theme of being worn out and at wit’s end, and is plain spoken and profane while still sounding reasonably intelligent.
#### “Gutter Town” Has the them of being rejected by society but fighting to get through life anyways because being tougher than anyone else is his way of not being a loser. That is an eternal country theme!
##### “Riding The wave” Is about surfing– something tha is far removedfrom hillbilly life. But it manages to tap into the survival theme of ignoring your fears when it seems like it’s impossible to get through. He’s using an out of the way metaphor while also building a bridge between two different cultures. He used this same idea on “looking for a Mountain” ‘Yeah I know how to run, I know how to survive’ It appears that he’s grown as a songwriter on this record, but I didn’t hear you mention that.
##### “Fishy, Stinkin, Cunt of a Bitch” The fact that a song has adult content makes it neither good .nor bad. If you dissagree with that statement, then maybe “Deguelllo Motel” deserves a negative review simply because it could be offensive. This song breaks down and shifts rythym multiple times without sounding disjointed or losing it’s vibe between parts of the song.
Triggerman, more and more it seems like you are alinging yourself with the mainstream vernacular. You chose to hate this album and succeeded. You are starting to dissapoint me.
September 7, 2011 @ 8:02 am
this is the worst thing ive heard from hank 3.. i dont know how he could play these songs back and be proud of them.. it awful.. you may not agree with triggerman but he hit the nail on the head with this review and a lot of people feel the same way.. this was supposed to be his defining album.. my only hope is that 3 will read these reviews and realize that he has a huge fan base and he simply did not deliver with this/these albums….
September 7, 2011 @ 8:13 am
in your ever-so-humble opinion of course…
September 7, 2011 @ 8:24 am
It’s true, I heard a lot of people at Muddy Roots this past weekend expressing a similar opinion. Kudos to Hank 3 for doing what he wants with his creative freedom, but there are many of us who aren’t that into it.
September 9, 2011 @ 7:11 pm
“doing what he wants with his creative freedom, but there are many of us who aren”™t that into it.”
LOL.
September 7, 2011 @ 9:37 am
I agree with a large part of what you stated, Pillsbury. It’s hard to believe that so many have NOTHING good to say about an album that actually does have a fair amount of different sounds to it. I am sure Triggerman believes every word he wrote, knowing the origins of this site and all. And I do think 3 could’ve served himself better by changing up the lyrical themes a little more. But I also believe that all these songs are between good and great. I don’t have a problem with a track like “Troopers Hollar” not being the most serious of tunes because of how serious the two prior tracks are. And “Cunt of a Bitch” is just a fun song with some cool as fuck rythymic work – a good song to drink beer too. Hank3 isn’t Townes Van Zandt. He has written some really strong lyrics at times but his music, to me atleast is about the live show.
I have for a long time felt like he could do nothing but let people down after how remarkable his second and third albums were. Most artists burn bright early and then burn out or let folks down. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Metallica… It’s the nature of music. That said I like that he has some different sounding stuff on here. I’ll never be blown away by a Hank3 album like I was the first time I heard STH. But I still listen to the last couple that he’s done and I’ll be listening to this new shit for atleast the next month. My personal hope is for Shelton to do a country album of unwavering darkness.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:37 pm
Just re-read through the review. Can’t find where I said there is ‘NOTHING” (in all caps) good to say about it.
The first rule of art appreciation is that if you like it, that’s all that matters. My opinions are just that, opinions. If you like, my suggestion would be don’t let my or anyone else’s feelings effect that.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:54 pm
I refering to “so many people”, not you per se, that express nothing but disappointment and disdain for the album.
September 7, 2011 @ 10:46 am
“Ridin’ the Wave” is about surfing? And from what I’m reading, I said I liked “Cunt of a Bitch”.
Always have to chuckle at folks’ theories of why I review things the way I do. Why must I have an agenda? Maybe I am just giving my honest opinions, because that is what people expect from me, regardless how they will be perceived by certain demographics of folks. If you like this album, by all means don’t let my opinions stand in your way. I respect that your opinion of this album is different from mine.
September 7, 2011 @ 11:14 am
Are you unwavering in your stance that this is the review you would have given regardless of the artist? Can you honestly say you would have given it 1.5 guns down if this was put out by a music row artist? We have all come to expect a lot from Hank, and when you put out 2 of the defining country albums of the last 20 years, expectations are always gonna be beyond what they should. I’m not a fan a fan of adjusting the numerator based on the denominator. Shooter gets praised because his shitty song gets to CMT, but Hank gets railed because his songs follow the pattern of too many of his old songs. I can understand not being blown away by this album, but 1.5 guns down?…….some perspective might be needed. Hank isn’t country music’s savior, and he’s never claimed to be it. He has shown himself to be so talented and creative in different ways, that now you’re pissed if he doesn’t come with something a little different each time, which he did on Guttertown and that’s why you like it. But by no means is Ghost to a Ghost filled with bad songs. This would be like giving Viper of Melody 1.5 guns down because it sounds like Wayne’s other stuff…….. just my opinion.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:46 pm
The gun up/gun down system is admittedly imperfect, and I have every intention of keeping it that way, because rigid grading systems hold even more pitfalls. I did not give Shooter’s song an advantage in grading because it was on CMT. Nor did I give this album a disadvantage because of my hope that Hank3 will be country music’s savior. I did not grade it negatively only because it was not different enough. That was one of many factors.
September 7, 2011 @ 1:06 pm
You absolutely looked favorably on Shooter’s song because it got play on CMT. That was the crux of your arguement, in fact. You admitted you didn’t like the music, but found it more important that it held a message that was actually getting to CMT.
September 7, 2011 @ 3:05 pm
It was the crux of my argument? Just read my review again. I mentioned it was released on CMT, but did not use it as the “crux” of anything. I did cite it later in my comments, but it had no bearing on how I scored it in the original review. You can’t measure taste and preference, and that is why any grading system in my opinion is going to be flawed. So instead of trying to act like a grading system is perfect, I’d rather leave the “requirements” abstract. Seems a little strange we are making so much of a grading system measured in guns!
September 8, 2011 @ 4:55 am
I think you made it clear you liked Shooter’s song because of who and where it came from,…..from Shooter and from the gut of music row. You admittedly weren’t a fan of the music. I don’t think identical lyrics from another underground artist would have gotten as much attention. I’m not trying to get in a pissing match here, just seeing if you can admit a bias towards towards artists you expect more from. And I’m not even saying that’s unreasonable to do,….it’s human nature for us to raise expectations based on the past. Just a little acknowledgement from a reviewers standpoint, that all things considered, on a level playing field, GtaG ain’t a bad album.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:47 pm
I totally respect your opinion of the album but not the grade. A 2.5 is a little harsh.
September 7, 2011 @ 10:57 am
From what I get of “Ridin’ The Wave” it’s a shout out to Rob at Sector 9 “We’re riding the streets with our Nines every single day.” Every one knows Shelton is a skater… Makes sense to me!
September 7, 2011 @ 7:53 am
i love this album, song after song. i’d say there may be three or four albums out so far this year that i like better(guttertown bein one), but i wont attack this review or provide a track for track defense cuz there’s no point. different people enjoy different things.
September 7, 2011 @ 10:59 am
I think the album is descent it isn’t a masterpiece…but I like it enough to enjoy most of the songs to some extent. I think like many I was expecting a grand masterpiece due to the hype.
I kind of feel like Hank III is too uneven at times. The focus just isn’t there like it was on Straight To Hell. It’s going to be hard to beat Straight To Hell…I have my doubts he ever will.
September 7, 2011 @ 5:04 pm
Pretty sure that Hank himself said just last year that it’d probably be 4 or 5 years before he’d top it. I don’t think he ever will, as far as the impact that album made.
September 7, 2011 @ 11:44 am
So, Triggerman. Judging from your reviews on the respective albums, you would rather spend a night listening to Eric flipping Church, than a mediocre Hank III release? I think it may be time for a more standard reviewing system (x/10, x/5 stars). That’s just my humble opinion, although you would be hard pressed to argue that it doesn’t make more sense.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:54 pm
My grading system is admittedly imperfect, and I have no intention of changing it. But yes, I do think that Eric Church’s “Chief” has more originality, creativity, and heart than “Ghost to a Ghost”, though from a taste standpoint, “Chief” really isn’t my style. Would I rather listen to one album over the other? Honestly, I’d rather listen to “Guttertown” and let the other two collect dust.
September 7, 2011 @ 2:15 pm
Perhaps you can make an article or section of the site that explains your reviewing system and what you take into account when reviewing an album? As well as what each respective score represents.
While I can’t speak for others I can say that I would really appreciate it. Hope I’m not coming across as hostile as I truly would like an explanation so I can better understand scores in the future.
September 7, 2011 @ 3:00 pm
I’d rather just not score anything than do that, which is what I did for years. Just let the words do the talking.
September 7, 2011 @ 6:24 pm
I like the GTAG disc (though not as much as Guttertown) AND I also like Triggerman’s arbitrary rating system, and I agree with his 1 and a half guns down rating, because it really is just his opinion, and not some set in stone quotient. Who cares if he liked this record or not, really?
September 9, 2011 @ 7:44 pm
That is probably the best choice. I understand where you are coming from with the grading system, but you have criticized shooter in the past for doing things that only he understand or something like that. Seems to me thats what you are doing yourself.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:22 pm
I’ve only heard bits and pieces,but I like it alright so far. I per-ordered Ghost/Guttertown on CD and vinyl from Shelton thinking I would get them the day of release. A couple weeks after I ordered I notice they had posted “this item will not ship before Sept.6.on 3bay Well shit! Kinda defeats the purpose of per-ordering,huh?
Anyway…
September 7, 2011 @ 4:25 pm
My vinyl came today. Unfortunately the Fed Ex man left it on my front porch out here in the middle of nowhere. Billy the Mountain Feist squirrel dog found the album on the porch and ripped it to shreds.Fed Ex was cool,and another is on the way. I can’t catch a break with this album.
This has been a hell of a week.
September 7, 2011 @ 12:29 pm
All the talk about 3 going back to the pure country stuff seems to be over. I assumed we would not be getting a country album anyway and we really didn’t. It has elements of country, but that has been done before. He continues to show all the things he can with all kinds of sounds.
September 7, 2011 @ 1:30 pm
They were all up on itunes by 11:30 monday night here on the east coast. Affordable enough, too..
September 7, 2011 @ 2:19 pm
I have not heard the album in its entirety yet but the songs I have heard definitely felt rehashed with the same old themes, esp when I heard “Devil’s Movin’ In” which as you pointed out is “Angel of Sin” from Straight to Hell. That really had me scratching my head…
Sounds like 2nd disk Guttertown is the real gem here and I am looking forward to hearing that one. I love the 2nd disk on STH so if it’s similar to that I’m sure I will like it. Looking forward to hearing some of ADD as well.
September 7, 2011 @ 2:40 pm
I love that song “Don’t Ya’ Wanna’?”
That is Cunnnnntraaaay!!!! Want proof?
Don’t ya’ wanna drive my truck?
Don’t ya’ wanna play in the mud?
Man,that song just makes me wanna’ drive down a back road. No,wait. A DIRT road! Sippin’ on a Bud Light or maybe a Michelob Ultra,squirtin’ a little mustard on my fries,draggin’ on a Marlboro red,crankin’ some Waylon or some Skynyrd.
Hell yeah!
September 7, 2011 @ 4:57 pm
haha yeah i was really scratching my head after those first 4 songs
September 7, 2011 @ 5:32 pm
Im thinking that maybe 3 over did himself with doing 4 albums. I also read an interview saying he’d try to knock out as many songs as he could in one go, so maybe that is why we see a lack of creativity?
September 7, 2011 @ 5:33 pm
Well I’m fit to be tied. No, I don’t think every song is great. I’m not saying that. But Ghost to a Ghost done live is fantastic. Trooper’s Hollar. Fadin Moon. Musha’s. I’ll Be Gone. HA HA! Hear them live and you’ll see what I mean . . .
Is that an accordian on I’ll Save my Tears?! Like I said previously, very ecclectic and very HANK 3. There are some unique things goin’ on with these releases and if you want Lovesick Broke and Driftin’ then break it out. Ya know what I mean?!
September 12, 2011 @ 8:39 pm
I DO know what you mean! I felt the same way about STH when it first came out. We’d been hearing those songs live over and over and the energy that came out of those shows could not be bottled. I now have a separate appreciation for the album and am in awe of disc 2; I think it’s a work of art. So far I’m not sold on the new releases but its still Hank 3 so I’ll keep listening.
September 7, 2011 @ 6:38 pm
I got the 2 disc set at Hastings for ten bucks, and I thought that was a great deal. The Guttertown CD is definately the better of the two, but for the price of a fancy cheeseburger, this was definately a terrific entertainment value. I wonder if he didn’t package these two discs together because he figured that if some fans didn’t like one disc, they’d definately like the other.
I’m curious what his live set is going to include? He has awesome songs on every single album he’s put out, in my opinion. If he played live for 5 hours solid, there would still be great songs that he wouldn’t be able to include.
They didn’t have the ADD cd or the Cattle Calling cd at the Hastings I went to, so I’ll have to hunt for those or buy them from 3bay.
September 8, 2011 @ 6:02 am
Has anyone that pre-ordered got their CDs yet? I’m still waiting and its driving me nuts.
September 8, 2011 @ 9:11 am
The last two albums I pre-ordered I wound up buying before they arrived because I became impatient. It’s b.s..
September 8, 2011 @ 8:17 am
I have to admit to being a bit disappointed with this album. I’m a Hank3 fan but not liking this stuff. Seems mediocre compared to his old stuff.
September 8, 2011 @ 9:22 am
Overall I’d have taken my favorite handful of songs from GTAG and added them to Guttertown. I think the best tracks on GTAG would’ve worked well with the theme/vibe of Guttertown. Shorten up the atmospheric track a touch to make room and we’d have one album that’d be a ten, in my book. As it is I’d say GTAG is no more than a 7.5 and, while it is still growing on me, Guttertown would probably be an 8.
September 8, 2011 @ 9:41 am
Does anybody know if the LPs come with free CDs or download codes?
September 8, 2011 @ 11:25 am
Unfortunately no.
September 8, 2011 @ 12:37 pm
Thanks!
First I haven’t gotten them yet even though I pre-ordered months ago and then this. I consider at least a download code a given these days. Even fucking Curb threw in a CD. I will not pay twice and I know there’re ways and means to get hold of mp3s, but it still sucks. To be fair though, the prices are pretty cheap. Just like the artwork…
September 8, 2011 @ 1:45 pm
After listening to this album I have to say that this review is way too harsh. I still say that both albums should have been reviewed together since it is a package and you can’t buy one without the other. I bought mine on iTunes and the tracks are numbered 1-30. If I wouldn’t have read up on it already, I would have no indication that I just purchased 2 seperate albums. But even judging it by itself, I would say that GtaG is a good album that falls just short of greatness. Just my opinion. I do have to bitch about one thing: Who is this jerk off with the cookie monster voice who has somehow been allowed to butcher the last 2 title tracks from Hank3? I was just starting to really get into GtaG(the song) and then this douche comes in and destroys the melody. Ghost to a ghost and rebel within both would have been incredible songs and I would gladly pay good money if I could get a copy of them with the horrid guest vocals edited out.
September 8, 2011 @ 4:11 pm
The albums were both sent to me separately, and they both have different titles. I thought it was paying respect to the artist by preserving the autonomy of the two albums by reviewing them separately. But the main reason is because my thoughts were just to long to put into one article. If I felt I could have fit it all into one big review, I would have done so.
September 8, 2011 @ 6:24 pm
I had gotten used to listening to GTAG on youtube, with just 3 singing, and it took me awhile to get used to the “Lemmy” style vox… I’d still prefer it with just Hank singing but it is still a great song in my book.
September 8, 2011 @ 6:14 pm
I love it and think it kicks Ass plain and simple, but I also thought Rebel Within was killer so I must be a dumb ass
September 8, 2011 @ 6:24 pm
i think we can all agree that both of these albums cross over to his live show perfectly
September 9, 2011 @ 8:08 pm
I certainly agree with that. There have been – including by myself – some comparison’s to Metallica… Unlike St. Anger, several songs from both of these discs will live on @ his shows. And for good reason.
September 9, 2011 @ 5:58 am
Im laughed my ass off at ‘don’t ya wanna’
September 9, 2011 @ 4:36 pm
I like both Ghost to a Ghost and Guttertown however since I mainly listen to CD’s in the car GtaG is the one that gets played most. Once a week I am in the car for anwhere from 5 hours to 8 hours and I need actual music to drive to. I have found myself skipping some songs in Guttertown if the intro is too long or it is all ambient noise. I enjoy it in the house, not in the car. I guess my expectations wren’t as high as yours Trig though I am older than you and discovered a long time ago that life works better if you just enjoy what you like without expecting unwavering greatness from everyone. Hank 3 is my favorite artist, period. If he felt the need to record something, I’ll listen. If I don’t like a certain track, I’ll hit the little skip button on my CD player. I certainly respect your opinion on this release even if I don’t agree with it.
September 10, 2011 @ 9:42 pm
Totally agree with you !!!
September 9, 2011 @ 8:01 pm
I think yall are looking at this the wrong way. Hank 3 is great, but he’s just a man. I don’t think that its even possible to write, record, and produce by yourself four different albums in a matter of months, and have every song on every album be completely new and creative. I doesn’t matter how much curb was holding him back creatively, he bit off more than he could chew, but he still did a hell of a job, three out of four aint bad. And there’s a reason this isn’t the next STH. He had four years to do STH and more help. He did twice the material in a quarter of the time solo. These albums aren’t the capstone, theyre the corner stones.
September 9, 2011 @ 8:45 pm
Very true. I feel like he was pretty creative with a few tracks on this disc but he isn’t, atleast by some, getting respect for those moments. Alot of folks are choosing to instead critisize the times where he was recycling ideas and lyrics. Personally I feel that the order of the songs really hurt the first half of the album, but I’m not running for the skip button on those songs either (Guttertown, the song is fucking awesome!). They’re still quality tunes in comparison to most anything out there. I mean that with inclusion of the underground. 3 is getting shit for continually writing songs with the same theme but where’s the criticism for those who write a ton of love songs? Unlike alot of artists out there he is pushing the boundaries of the sound, while generally, in my eyes, keeping the vibe and soul of country music. This is all very much debateable, i know, but just look @ some of the revered artists in this genre, and tell me that with every song on every album they are progressing… It just isn’t so! Granted I don’t get to hear near as much music as most critics do, but tell me .”Ghost to a Ghost” and “Time To Die” aren’t on another level than anything that’s come out this year. Tell me what is better? I mean that for anyone who reads this and knows of something that is, because I love music and I would like to be hip to anything as powerful as those songs. I also hope this doesn’t sound like b.s., cause I know that in type it’s easy to be misunderstood. I AM isterested to hear something better than this.
September 9, 2011 @ 9:33 pm
Slackeye Slim’s El Santo Grial
September 12, 2011 @ 8:47 am
Listen to Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real. It blows this out of the water.
Check out Jamey Johnson’s “Maple Guitar” not Guitar Song, but “Maple Guitar”(a song 10yrs. old but one of the best country songs you’ll hear). It is out there if you search, and he should re-release it.
They both bend sound rules or get back to basic sounds.
September 12, 2011 @ 7:45 pm
Thank you. I’ll check it out.
September 13, 2011 @ 7:04 pm
Love Lukas Nelson. Saw him open up for BB King. Great band.
September 9, 2011 @ 10:06 pm
I assumed were refering to the song(?), so I previewed it and liked it, so I downloaded it off amazon. Good tune. Not in the class of GTAG, or Time to Die but I enjoyed it and will probably check out more of Slackeye’s stuff. That song wasn’t near as musically dense as 3’s songs but definitely had a cool vibe. Thanks for gettin’ me to listen.
September 9, 2011 @ 10:11 pm
meant as a reply to doombuggy above.
September 12, 2011 @ 9:32 am
I am way late to the game with this, as usual, but I have to say that I am disappointed in both albums. I respect what he did with Guttertown, but I couldn’t help thinking that he could have whittled it down to one very solid album that was still very creative. One of my main criticisms is the quality of the vocals. I don’t get why the guy that sang “Cecil Brown” and “One Horse Town” has to muddy up the vocals on the vast majority of the songs. OK, he’s lost the yodel and all that, but I can’t help but feel that the overdone distortion is just as bad as autotune. It zaps the emotion from the sound.
I appreciate the Cajun/Zydeco influence but a few of those songs sound very similar. I wish he would’ve given a full go at making a Cajun album or featured those sounds and instruments less prominently.
Maybe I’m just on the outside looking in from this point on, and I’m OK with that, but I wish we could get another Lovesick before all is said and done. As down as I am about this new release, I am excited as hell about this possible HW/WH album.
September 12, 2011 @ 9:44 pm
The more I listen the more I think your review is terrible the first four songs suck ?What the fuck Gutter town is a kick ass song,Riding the wave anouther killer original song ,the firkin accordion totally new and awesome edition .”Don’t you wanna “a few dumb lyrics but otherwise a alright song compared to most out there today!
“‘The track with Ray Lawrence Jr. is cool enough, but when you boil it down, is just a live track from the back of a bus”.Yes and whats wrong with that its a good couple of songs that I can listen to over and over again they sound great !!!There great songs plain and simble Not every song can be epic.Trooper Holler great from the first listen country no but a good song in my ears -Holly shit new Lucky Tubb Awesome news !!!Last two tracks awesome[GTAG epic!!!} !My local paper The Milwakee Journal gave it a great review.What did you expect him to put out ?“Ridin”™ The Wave” is a clear spinoff of his previous metal meets country songs like “Long Hauls & Close Calls and “Tore Up & Loud”.So what it they basicaly fall into the Hellbilly sound or set he does after the country set,he could easily put out a whole album of that (crap)and it whoud be killer.
September 17, 2011 @ 9:46 am
The Ray Lawrence Jr track is comprised of two songs. The first is called “When you lose all you had” written by Ray while living in a homeless shelter here in Phoenix. The second (Back In The Day) materialized while Ray was playin guitar for me a year before he became homeless. Ray left my outfit to drive truck over the road and the bottom fell out on him, landing him in the shelter. He’s out now and gettin back into playing. He’s a hell of a songwriter so keep on the lookout for him…
September 17, 2011 @ 4:07 pm
I’m starting to come around a little on this one, now that I’m over the fact that it isn’t a classic. Musically, I find it very enjoyable. And anything rehashed from DRRP and RW is new to me, as I don’t have those albums. I guess I could even enjoy Cunt of a Bitch now and then, if I turn off sensitivity mode. Would have loved it guilt free thirty years ago. “Time to Die” reminds me some of Ol’ Hank’s “Ramblin Man.”
I wonder if the “Stay off the cocaine, son, and stick with the speed” at the end of COAB is a Lemmy reference. In the Lemmy documentary, his son told a funny story about how his Dad was very concerned that he stay away from cocaine. “Do speed, son. It’s much better for you.”
I agree that Guttertown is the stronger album. Like Gillian above, I think it’s a work of art.
September 17, 2011 @ 5:34 pm
I think Gillian was talking about disc 2 of Straight to Hell.
September 17, 2011 @ 6:15 pm
Oh. You’re right. Well, regardless, I do think Guttertown is work of art. And I do appreciate that it’s easier to get to the songs since everything’s tracked out. Sometimes I just want to hear the songs and skip the ambient tracks.
September 17, 2011 @ 10:09 pm
I have come around a bit on the song “Guttertown” after seeing him performing it live and giving it a few more listens. I still think this album could have been better and was uninspired, but the music on that song is very strong, and grows on you.
September 20, 2011 @ 7:52 pm
You’re dismissal of the song “Guttertown” in your review was probably the biggest gripe I had/have with it. I love that song. I don’t hear it as being as much of a formulaic song as “Day By Day” was and I have felt since my first listen that it’s strength made the following songs weaker than they might otherwise have been. “Day By Day” certainly has a shadow cast over it by “Guttertown”, to my ears. After that I didn’t feel that the album regained it’s momentum until the opening lines of “Devil’s Movin’ In”… “Ray Lawrence Jr.” is excellent but serves as more of an intermission to me. The rest of the album is pretty good with “Outlaw Convention” being in the class Of “Day By Day”, not a bad song but i’ve heard it… Anyway I am atleast glad to hear “Guttertown” get some noteriety from you because I was completely shocked that you didn’t dig it all that much to start with. I think this song should be on mainstream radio, but I guess for all I know it is.
September 20, 2011 @ 11:57 am
I’ve been listening that album for more than a week…and I really like it…Hank 3 didn’t think to much outside of the box for that album….it’s pretty much the same thing than his last 3 albums…..but knowing all that…..it really has grown on me…..Honestly I like it more than rebel within…..Guttertown, The devils movin’ in and Ray Lawrence JR can’t get out of my head……so it’s not an outstanding album….but it’s a pretty decent/average Hank 3 album. I listen to that one in my car and listen to Guttertown at my home !
September 20, 2011 @ 2:18 pm
I wondered if I was going to be disappointed. Got my Hank3-package only last week, and I had read the review and a lot of the critical reactions. Now I’ve listened to Ghost to a ghost/Guttertown a couple of times now, and I agree, Gtag could have been better, but I start to like it a lot. Not like STH, but better than what he had done since. Okay, he is pushing the “not everybody likes us”- thing to the edge, but that’s not a first, and for me, on any new Hank3-release, the lyrics are not what I anticipate most, it’s the overall feeling. I felt the screaming in the title-track at the end fell right in its place, and there’s a lot of vaiety in sound throughout the cd. If this was a single cd, it would make my top10 for the year so far.
Next came Guttertown, reviewed as maybe the best Hank3 ever. Not sure about that yet, but I absolutely love his cajun-sound. I’m sure that put a big smile on Sr’s face up there. That’s what makes Guttertown stand out, for me. But for all I know, he could be singing “not everrbody likes us” in cajun-french, and I couldn’t care less. If this was a single cd, it would have to be a sensationally good cd to knock it from the number1-spot.As a double-cd it’s one of the main contenders.
Finally, after I’d listened to ADD and Cattlecallin’, I came to the conclusion that maybe he’d spent a little too much time at his Haunted Ranch, and that these 2 cds might get some more attention because of this 4 cds at once-project. I mean the idea for Cattlecallin’ is hilarious and brilliant, but the next time I put it in my cd-player, I’ll start at track 5, because I couldn’t take more than 4 at once. Had a good laugh, by the way. And, like Assjack, ADD is not my cup of tea, but I certainly don’t dislike it, and the fact that he did it all by himself underlines the creative genius of Hank3. Maybe his future outbursts of this creativity should be a bit more focused. And maybe, you had a good point there, Triggerman, some sort of producer could be the key. Got to be one hell of a producer, though.
November 12, 2011 @ 1:41 am
great review Triggerman. what the fuck is wrong with you? you can’t find anything ya like about this album, but you keep harp’n about Taylor Swift and trying to make us all rationalize that she is a real country artist. thats fuckin wrong.
November 12, 2011 @ 1:00 pm
Actually I did find some things I liked about this album, and said so above. I also wrote a glowing review for the other album in this double album set. Why did you not write a comment on that one? I’ve written one positive blog about Taylor Swift, after a dozen negative ones, and one blog that had a tepidly positive comment about her. Why did you go back two months to leave a comment on this blog, and pass up dozens of others that promote the real country music and artists your asking for?
January 18, 2012 @ 12:22 pm
i read both of your reviews of this double LP. leaving my comment here as it was the second one i read. to begin with, i’ve been a big fan of hank 3 since a friend turned me onto ‘straight to hell’ several years ago. great LP. though one of my all time favorite country LP’s is hank 3’s, ‘risin’ outlaw’. what can i say about this one? didn’t like it much. though the cajun stuff was very enjoyable. i have to liken the whole project to the stones, ‘their satanic majesties request’, another LP that was pretty dismal by a great band. ill conceived or whatever else you want to call them both. i was looking forward to this LP by hank 3. looking forward to putting it in the car CD player and leaving it there for a couple of months. sad to say that ain’t gonna happen. i managed to get thru it twice and that’s probably it. no mas. i’m still a fan but let me just say this, i hope their next LP is more listenable. 24 cajun tunes would be an improvement. 24 speed/mariachi/polkas would be as well.
May 14, 2017 @ 12:04 am
So I admit I’m very late to this thread, but I feel this might be the best place to lay out my thoughts.
I’ve listened to ghost to a ghost and I think I’ve fixed it.
Let me explain…
There’s a lot of good material on this record, but as a cohesive album it falls flat. It’s as if 3 recorded 2 different records and shuffled the tracks into one. Now this is all my personal opinion but if you chop up the tracks and rearrange them they seem to flow better. ‘Guttertown’, ‘day by day’, ‘do you wanna’, and ‘outlaw convention’ feel like they belong on the same album. ‘Riding the wave’, ‘time to die’, ‘troopers’, ‘devil moving’, ‘cunt of a bitch’ on a separate record. ‘Ghost to a ghost’ sounds more like it should be the lead track off disc 2, and ‘ray Lawrence’ feels like it should be part of something totally independent of the rest.
Personally I felt the guttertown/daybyday tracks are the weakest and feel like rehashed versions of older hank3 material, but the rest I really like.
I may just be off my rocker, but it’s interesting if you give it a listen.