Album Review – Honky Tonk Hustlas – South of Nashville
For years, the Honky Tonk Hustlas have been a hub right in the middle of the deep South, keeping the heart of real/underground country alive in an area infected with the sickness of country pop as much as any other. Their first album Hallways of the Always (2008) was a solid offering, and though they have never been a big touring band, they have shared many bills with big names rolling through their stomping ground of Montgomery, AL.
The band is fronted by T. Junior, who also writes a majority of the songs. The strength of the band is his naturally-unique, slightly higher-pitched voice with an endearing, nasally quality that can’t be faked. The lineup of the band is straightforward, with an acoustic guitar, upright bass, and mandolin/lead guitar. South of Nashville is also fleshed out by the legendary Andy Gibson, who beyond being Hank III’s steel guitar player, is our generation’s Tompall Glaser, recording over a dozen bands at this point in his home operation, opening up professional-quality recordings to artists that rarely can afford them, and doing it in a comfortable setting that nurtures creative freedom.
The instrumentation, arrangements, and performances on the album are very solid, and South of Nashville is slick, in regards that it does not sound like a home recording or a hurried project. Time was taken to do it right, and the same can be said for the cover art and presentation. Sonically, this is a fun album, constructed in the “hellbilly”, full-tilt, hard country mold.
I’ve heard some people say that this album “sounds” like Hank III. I disagree to some extent. T. Junior’s voice is nowhere near similar to Shelton’s, and the instrumentation is way more acoustic oriented compared to what Hank III is doing these days. Where the similarities between the Honky Tonk Hustlas and Hank III lie are in the lyrics.
The problem with South of Nashville is when you really sit down and listen to the lyrics and try to have them speak to you, there is nothing there. Nothing. At all. Or it is so buried under under cliche, it is barely worth searching for. The parody of Hank III and of the Honky Tonk Hustlas themselves in the lyrics can only be described as “relentless” and “awesome”. The parody almost seems purposeful, because it is so undeniable and blaring. The “whiskey, devil, I don’t give a fuck” parade goes on mercilessly for 15 tracks until you don’t want to hear another death reference for the rest of your life.
If I lined up all the comments from people on Saving Country Music saying they were tired of all the “whiskey, devil, cocaine” lyrics in the songs and albums I tout, I could reach the moon and back. In 2006 when Hank III released Straight to Hell, it felt fresh and relevant, but that style was played out over a year ago. And even in Straight to Hell and Hank III’s subsequent albums, there’s way more diversity than can be found here. His last album Rebel Within had songs like “Lookin’ For a Mountain” and “Karmageddon” and “#5” that offered a breather from the “drinking and druggin'” anthems.
In the Rebel Within album review written almost a year ago I said:
Some will complain that the drinking songs are too much. I agree that Hank should open up some new song themes in the future, though he starts down this path in this album. But Hank III reinvigorated the ‘hellraising” attitude in country. One of the reasons it seems overused is because Hank inspired an army of copycats who can’t craft an original idea, throwing out “whiskey,devil, cocaine” references with no direction or purpose.
This is what the Honky Tonk Hustlas do in South of Nashville, and it not only drags them down, it drags Hank III down, and all other bands who have these hard-edged songs but include some originality or diversity in their projects as well. Hell, it is dragging me down, because I have to answer to critics who say this “whiskey, devil” stuff is all I cover. The lyrics on the album are so stultifyingly bad, it oozes out to infect other projects, and the independent country scene in general, perpetuating negative stereotypes. Think of it like the spandex glam rocker in 2002 or something–way past its relevancy, but not long enough yet to be retro or even ironic. It’s just bad.
Maybe the best example is the title track “South of Nashville.” Good title and idea behind it, good music, fun song, but the lyrics are so cliche you can anticipate what is coming next, and at times, they don’t even make sense:
Well I was born way down in Dixie, round about a half past 9
Ever since then I’ve been raising hell, and man I’m feelin’ fine.
Then he launches into talking about how he needs to “get out on that road, no ain’t no lookin’ back”. Yet in the same phrase he says, “So I just keep on staying here, just South of Nashville”. OK, so which one is it? Are you on the road, or staying put? There’s a lot of references to being on the road in this album, which is a common theme in country music, but the Honky Tonk Hustlas have never done any substantial touring. May they be making the classic songwriting mistake of not writing what you know about? If HTH’s had toured, maybe they could write lyrics with more meaning and soul. These lyrics just don’t speak to me.
There are a few exceptions if you dig deep and listen hard. “After I’m Gone” is a decently-written, sweet waltz, but would be better if it wasn’t dragged down by all the other songs that reference death. “You Can’t Go Back” is probably the best written song on the album, addressing a very soulful subject. “Corporate Man” is not wholly original on it’s own, but by the time you get to the 14th track, you feel so thankful to get a breather from all the “I’m dying and I don’t give a fuck” references.
I just don’t understand dragging this album out to 15 tracks. Better to have 10 good ones, or even 9 if that’s all you can pony up. Take the three songs I mentioned, the title track, and a few others and you have a decent album. Adding dead weight just to feel like you’re giving the consumer more than they are paying for defeats the purpose by burying anything worth listening to under all the chaff. And it’s not the songwriting overall; the structures of the songs are good, and at times great. It’s the lyrics. I’m sure this album will still have lots of fans. Some albums I’ll argue till I’m blue in the face about how bad they are. This one scores high on many aspects, and so I can’t blame it for speaking to some. But I also can’t lie. It doesn’t speak to me. I need some soul and originality.
I also can’t blame anyone for saying they won’t touch the Hustlas music with a 10 foot pole, after T. Junior launched into many folks on an article meant to promote them.
We all make mistakes. Lord knows I have. If you strung all my bad articles together and paraded them in front of me, I’d probably be looking for a rope and a tree. And we all have bad days and demons and regrets; that’s why we are country music fans, and why the music speaks to us like it does. But the measure of a man is how he handles those mistakes once they are dealt. I will not judge T. Junior for losing his cool. Because God knows I have. What I’m interested in is what happens next. And then we all have ourselves to judge, if we can offer understanding and forgiveness if it is asked for, or not.
One gun up for a fun, well-produced, well-performed album.
One gun down for horrifically-cliched lyrics.
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Buy South of Nashville from the Honky Tonk Hustlas
Preview entire album below:
April 8, 2011 @ 1:22 pm
I would like to hear it without the vocal tracks cause i previewed the first song and music yes, nice, and i like it but that voice is SO high on that first track i dont want to hear anymore.
April 8, 2011 @ 1:30 pm
I liked their first album all right and might get the new one, English is my second language, I can ignore lyrics quite easily, hehe…I particularly liked the more acoustic-driven, sparse sound. And there’s Andy Gibson involved, that makes it almost a must have.
Man, I wished I hadn’t clicked on that link to that older blog. I wasn’t around much lately and had hoped this fighting over XXX had somehow stopped. Seems like it got worse instead. This scene – even from geographically so far away – used to be fun. Oh well. But I finally got Rachel Brooke’s new album in the mail today. There’s still hope.
And just because I don’t say it as often as I should: Cheers to you, Triggerman, and thanks for everything you do. It’s very much appreciated.
April 8, 2011 @ 2:16 pm
Im gonna check out South of Nashville. The drinking and drugging lyrics are played, But I did Like Hellbound Glory as soon as I heard them (drinking and drugging lyrics). So i cant disqualify anyone for that alone. T Junior seems to be very passionate about his music (maybe to the point of shooting himself in the foot), and that love of music makes me want to hear what they have to offer.
April 8, 2011 @ 4:23 pm
The drinkin’ and druggin’ lyrics are fine if they are done right. HTH come across as trying wayyy to hard. Leroy Virgil has a way of writing about booze and drugs….can’t put my finger on it but it, but you can tell he’s writing about his life.
April 8, 2011 @ 4:24 pm
Also, I can’t believe T. Junior called other bands “cookie cutter”
April 8, 2011 @ 5:22 pm
I agree. Leroy tells stories as well, it’s not just words thrown together to rhyme.
I am not dissing HTH at all, I actually listened to it a few times since receiving it, but after the comments on here, I had to put it down for a while. It’s hard to listen to someone that buried people close to me.
But, yeah, Leroy is on a different level than most of the songwriters out there.
April 8, 2011 @ 5:53 pm
Yeah, Hellbound Glory’s lyrics are in another league entirely. And for the record I own both the Hustlas albums.
April 8, 2011 @ 8:04 pm
I guess you’re psychic.
April 8, 2011 @ 8:08 pm
That was directed towards, “Spens”. I guess you know what everyone’s life is like just by…uh…I guess somehow.
April 8, 2011 @ 9:00 pm
Was commenting on song writing talent.
April 8, 2011 @ 2:29 pm
I saw them a few weeks ago for the first time live and I really enjoyed it. The guitar player was fantastic!
April 8, 2011 @ 2:50 pm
That’s an interesting review Trigger and I tried to read it with an open mind. Sorry, I just can’t force myself to click on the link to listen to it. Even if it was the best thing I have heard in my life, I won’t be buying it or supporting them. I guess who I feel most sorry for in this scenario is the band. I am making that decision based on T. Junior’s abusive rant you mentioned, and the rest of band (who are possibly mortified themselves by what he did – maybe not) suffer. I guess that makes me judgmental and small minded. So I’ll own that. However I was absolutely shocked and disgusted by what I read and T. Junior needs to own what he chose to write. The band may lose some fans as a direct result of that. He writes the songs? Live by the sword, die by the sword perhaps.
April 8, 2011 @ 8:03 pm
Carla, You can’t have an opinion if you aren’t going to listen to the album, Sorry. T.Jr put his heart and soul into the songs that are on this album except for track 6 and 7. Some of them are at least three years old. All of them have a personal meaning. I can’t believe that anyone would say that the rest of the songs are Cliche. Apparently, someone still has their feelings hurt. As for the rest of the band, and Most of the bands that Trigger thinks are his “friends”, are on the same page as “T’s rant”. Believe me he owns his words! He never says anything he doesn’t mean. As for losing fans…UH, No he had Lots of people buy the album just because he is man enough to tell things like they are. He’s not one to sugar coat Anything. Trigger, even though it “Scores high on many aspects but doesn’t speak to you” apparently you live under a rainbow and have a wonderful life cause if you had any hardships you might actually be able to relate to T’s lyrics. On the subject of T.Jr and getting out on the road, which by the way you only quoted part of the lyrics, he’s been dying to for the past three years to but hasn’t been in the position to. Give him a year and you’ll be sick of hearing his name! Ha. As for this comment being highlighted above in your review to refer to HTH, “an army of copycats who can”™t craft an original idea, throwing out “whiskey,devil, cocaine” references with no direction or purpose”, that was a cheap shot. But I’m not surprised. Cause “God knows”, and everyone else now, that you “loose your cool”! and apparently hold grudges.
April 8, 2011 @ 9:14 pm
“I can”™t believe that anyone would say that the rest of the songs are Cliche.”
Really? This is an opinion. Everyone has them, and they usually vary between individuals. So you really think 100% of humans are going to find these songs original?
“As for the rest of the band, and Most of the bands that Trigger thinks are his “friends”, are on the same page as “T”™s rant”.”
I don’t think any bands and artists are my friends. I hope they are not, because that might cloud my judgement. I purposely attempt to try and NOT be friends with them so that when I give my honest opinions about their music, they don’t get hurt. I am beholden to only one man, and I give my truly honest opinions without fear of what anybody things about them.
I know what you are trying to do here Tig. You feel like an artist you believe in is being wronged and you’re coming here to defend him, and I have a lot of respect for that. But at the same time, swerving into people and trying to make this all be about me is only opening up old wounds. I have moved on. Read the last paragraph. If you want to continue to fight this war, it is only going to leave T Junior’s words more fresh in everyone’s minds. What he said was indefensible. And it will be unforgivable as long as you continue to try to make us relive it.
I’ll give you that I am arrogant. I’ll give you that I’m “hurt”. Hell, even count me in as a card carrying member of the “let’s keep all Southern bands down for no reason” club. Make me the founding father and CEO. It still doesn’t erase what T Junior said.
April 8, 2011 @ 6:53 pm
I love the song Don’t Give A Damn, a girl told me the same thing, that I was wasting my life playing music, needless to say I left her and it was the right decision.
April 8, 2011 @ 8:10 pm
How clever can the lyrics be coming from a band named Honkey Tonk Hustlas? I always assumed they were a comedy act when I’d be searching WEW’s album Hallways of Always and their band would pop-up as well… After I read the article promoting their new release I searched them and liked it enough that I probably would’ve bought an MP3 or two and definitely would’ve seen them live if it ever worked out… But after that dudes baby-fit I can’t see myself giving them a chance.
I think that Hank 3 maybe deserves more credit than he gets from most people as-far-as his song topics are concerned. While the mainstream sings sappy love songs two-thirds of the time, Shelton sings drinkin’ songs… I don’t know about you all, but I’d rather hear drinkin’ songs! Not EVERY song can be introspective and deep. Singing about whiskey and metal is pretty fucking cool!
April 8, 2011 @ 8:27 pm
Yeah the name might not be that great but there music is. If you like whiskey drinking music you would appreciate it. as for a baby-fit I do believe that should be directed at the other party.
April 8, 2011 @ 9:17 pm
https://savingcountrymusic.com/new-albums-little-lisa-dixie-honky-tonk-hustlas
ShadeGrown (Edit) April 3, 2011 at 10:42 am
Good stuff on both of these. Honky Tonk Hustlas almost sound like a Hank 3 tribute band doing originals. That”™s just my take from the amazon previews”¦
T. Junior (Edit) April 3, 2011 at 11:01 am
Thanks buddy. Six Grand plus 3 years of work, all out of our own pockets, and that”™s what you”™ve got to say.
You want to keep going Tig? T Junior calls out his own fans.
April 8, 2011 @ 9:33 pm
Of course, cause he’s tired of being compared to Shelton. He can’t help he happens to sound a little like him it’s just the way he sounds. It’s not like he’s trying to like some people try to have southern accents. But I’m done with this. It’s not worth it. I’ve got one more comment and that’s it.
April 9, 2011 @ 12:03 am
Well if he’s tired of being compared to Shelton, then maybe there is some validity to that criticism, and maybe he should do something about it more than throwing daggers at everyone that asserts it. Vilify me all you want, make this all be about an agenda and my hurt ego, but in the end I may look like T. Junior’s best friend, because I was the only one with the balls to look him in the eye, man to man, and give him my honest opinion. I am not saying my opinion is right, but it is honest. And I will sleep like a baby tonight. T. Junior is worth criticizing because he is a good musician. But if is going to take any criticism as personal attacks, if he is going to craft conspiracy theories about how all Southern artists are being oppressed, instead of being honest about his own limitations so he can improve on them, then he will never grow, as a musician, or a person. There is no bigger oppression than the oppression we put on ourselves.
Believe it or not, I have tremendous respect for you and T. Junior. If i didn’t have any respect, I wouldn’t have written a review.
April 9, 2011 @ 6:26 am
So you’re completely excusing him for going after a music fan because he didn’t praise the album enough? Really?
April 8, 2011 @ 9:10 pm
Wowwww! “Don’t ever cuss that fiddle son unless you know that fiddles outta tune”…or sumthin like that. Yeah, T.Junior did maybe shoot hisself in the foot by jumping to the conclusion that he was replying to a proposed review…that wasn’t, so instead of seeing a post of “review coming soon” he probably took what he saw as a slight. This response(or pissy review) just blows me away Triggerman…I mistakenly thought you more mature and open minded.
April 8, 2011 @ 9:34 pm
Thank You, Ojaioan!
April 9, 2011 @ 1:01 am
respects
April 9, 2011 @ 6:49 am
Let’s get real. As far as I’m concerned, he shot himself in the foot with his first lengthy post. This included taking a shot at the reviewer for not putting in a link that was indeed there (I didn’t realize that was the reviewer’s responsibility anyway), categorically deriding bands not from his part of the country as “cookie cutter”, and sarcastic references to the unspecific “new underground websites, publications and festivals.” The vicious personal attacks on the reviewer and then going after some of the readership was just icing on the cake.
April 8, 2011 @ 9:33 pm
This review is nothing but a personal attack due to hurt feelings. You, sir, have crossed the line. If you have a personal problem with someone, be a man, and take it up with them. I’m speechless at the amount of effort you put into trashing T.Junior. AND, who the hell are you to think you know how someone’s life is? You choose your own way, pal. I bet you dollars to donuts this will come back to haunt you.
April 8, 2011 @ 10:06 pm
Despite all the drama these days, I listened to the album and thought this was a pretty fair review.
April 8, 2011 @ 10:18 pm
First of all. This is sort of off topic but if you want to be taken seriously as a country artist… why name yourselves the “Honky Tonk Hustlas?” It sounds like someone who would be affiliated with Colt Ford.
Second, all the drinking and drugging references in the “underground” scene is very OLD. Do they think this is what makes them different from mainstream Nashville artists? Do they think this makes them edgy, and cool? To me, it makes them sound childish with no class. As far as I’m concerned…. songs like these are no different than songs like She Thinks My Tractors Sexy or Brown Chicken Brown Cow. They all give country music a bad name.
April 8, 2011 @ 11:35 pm
sounds to me like you need to stick to FM radio. MOST of the great bands promoted on this site relate to”The REAL WORLD”, ie: Hellbound Glory, Jake Orvis,Joe Buck, Lucky Tubb,Those Poor Bastards…it is a very mixed bunch of great artists…why are you even here if you don;’t want to hear about the real world in REAL music…or are you just blindly defending a bad call by a once respected “OPINION”?!
April 9, 2011 @ 10:27 am
WTF are you even talking about? The REAL WORLD? Really? So the fact that I don’t get strung out every night on coke means I don’t belong to the REAL WORLD. The REAL WORLD has nothing to do with being addicted to drugs and gloating about it in a song. To me it’s childish and you’re trying to make money off of immature children that think this type of music is cool. The REAL WORLD is getting up every morning and busting your ass to pay bills. The REAL WORLD is dealing with heartache and trials. The REAL WORLD is watching a loved one fade away or a friend go through a hard time. The REAL WORLD has nothing to do with people with drug addictions. Drugs are for people who are weak and CANNOT handle the hardships of the REAL WORLD.
You were right on one thing though. This site is a “mix of great artists” and the ones I follow are the ones that do not need to boast their drug using ways to sell an album. Does Leroy Virgil sing about using? Sure, but it doesn’t define who he is. The same can be said for most of the other artists you mentioned as well.
Lastly, I was not BLINDLY defending this review. I thought it was spot on, although a little harsher (and longer) than it needed to be.
April 9, 2011 @ 12:52 am
Most parts of the review I agree with. It doesn’t come across as all the lyrically sharp or fresh, and the overall sound is remnicent of III’s. However, why bother adding in the bits about your personal feud with T. Junior.
You’ve said yourself (to paraphrase) that a musician should be judged solely on their musical output and not on the basis of their character or their personality. So, why make an exception here? Judge the goddamn album on its own merits and leave the links to your fight with them out of it.
April 9, 2011 @ 12:59 am
well said.
April 9, 2011 @ 7:39 am
Maybe because it would be ignoring the 800 pound gorilla in the room? Just sayin’.
April 9, 2011 @ 11:56 am
That’s an 800 pound gorilla that’s in Triggerman and T. Junior’s rooms, not mine, and I’d rather it not be brought in.
April 9, 2011 @ 4:35 am
After the dispute in the thread about this album and Little Lisa Dixie it really isn’t that bad of a review overall. He didn’t cut T.Junior any slack that’s for sure…but that’s how it goes.
Basically the band and music got the thumbs up and he said the album was fun. So that is essentially a good compliment. Really the only problem he had was with the lyrics. That’s fair. It might be some tender feelings who knows. All in all not a bad review for someone an artists who you just had a confrontation with.
Man I’m just ready to move past it!
Trigger you ever heard of Wailin’ Storms? He’s in the next issue of the magazine he is definitely doing something interesting.
April 9, 2011 @ 5:46 am
For some that are concerned that this review is just a pissy rant from me as payback to someone I have a beef with, I just want to reiterate that I stand behind my review 100%, the majority of which was written before any comments left on this site by T. Junior. Even if you think I am an egotistical bastard that must get my shots in, at least give me the credit with over 1000 blogs under my belt, that I would anticipate a backlash, if not compromise my integrity if I let my personal beef with someone effect my professional criticism. I am proud that I am on record with my feelings about this album, because I feel they will be very necessary to reference in the future, many times. They are my 100% honest opinions, the positive and negative, regardless of their public reception.
April 9, 2011 @ 12:02 pm
I thought the review, for the most part was pretty good. I just thought that the last bit, referencing the bickering between you two was unnecessary.
Maybe i’s because I’m insulated from a lot of this scene and I don’t really have any vested interest in one side or the other, but I’d prefer to be left out of it and it seems that nobody’s quite willing to let that happen.
April 9, 2011 @ 6:50 am
After the previous fiasco invloving T-Junior I thought to myself that when Triggerman posts the review he is going to lose whether its a good or bad review. If its a bad one then people are going to say he is just getting back at T-Junior. If it would have been good then people would have said he was kissing butt or simply gave a good review to spite T-Junior after his outburst..
April 9, 2011 @ 7:49 am
Well-said Misfit. I own both HTH albums, and I enjoy listening to them both. But let’s be honest, the lyrics are NOT the strong point. When I have put these guys on mix CDs for friends, they assume it’s Hank III. I’m not ripping on the band here, these are the facts as I’ve seen them.
April 9, 2011 @ 8:12 am
I can’t honestly give my opinion of the lyrics as I do not have a copy of either album. That being said I may be talking out of both sides of my mouth here but… I certainly appreciate good lyrics and think they are obviously important but first and foremost the music has to sound good to me. However I will say that if virtually every single song is about drinkin’ , druggin’, devil, devil, devil, then I could care less how well the words are put together and it probably won’t get much spin time from me no matter how good it sounds.. Whatever happened to a good old fashioned cheatin’ song?
April 9, 2011 @ 8:13 am
Excellent point. Easiest thing to do would have been to not post it.
April 9, 2011 @ 8:19 am
I thought about that too.. But that too could have been perceived as spite towards T-Junior..
It was a lose, lose situation..
April 9, 2011 @ 8:53 am
Yep
April 9, 2011 @ 3:49 pm
my honest opinion on the album is, it has catchy hooks. It has some sing along songs, and it has solid instrumentation. I have been dealing with HTH and T for a few years now, and he has always been a good guy to me, I was shocked by his comments, and, unfortunately, it does effect the band and the album. I am still jamming it in my car, but I am not sure if I can bring myself to play him on Outlaw Radio after he ripped Trig, Jason and Muddy Roots, and others. It was a shame.
T, I am offering you this. Come on Outlaw Radio this Wednesday and explain what the rants and raves were about. I want to know as much as the rest of these fine folks. I dig your music and have always supported you. I know what it is like to be pisse and frustrated with your band and shit, especially after recording and releasing a new disc. Email me and let me know.
Outlawradio@hotmail.com
The offer is on the table bro. I am civil and not one sided. Believe me. I would love to support the Hustlas again.
April 9, 2011 @ 5:07 pm
I think you’re right. It’s time to move away from the hell raising, drinkin’ & drugin’ songs. Maybe the next big movement in country can be a return to vocal groups (Oak Ridge Boys, Statler Brothers style music).
April 9, 2011 @ 5:34 pm
The Oak Ridge Boys were my favorite as a kid..
April 9, 2011 @ 6:19 pm
There last album “The Boys Are Back was awesome & had a bit of a dark side to it.
April 9, 2011 @ 6:30 pm
Im going to check that out.. Thx for the heads up!
April 11, 2011 @ 6:19 am
I played Laser Tag with the Oak Ridge boys back when i was like 13 or so. They use to own a Laser Tag place called Qzar down in Gatlinburg and they were playing a show at Dollywood and stopped at Qzar and played a game of Laser Tag. It is a memory that i will never forget.
April 9, 2011 @ 10:58 pm
Been out in Austin seeing good music and having fun all week without a computer, and I’m kind of shocked (read: disappointed) to what I came back to. The comments in the last section were closed (thank god) but just picked this out after reading everything…
“And while you do it, take the negative XXX energy with you….
I”™m done with XXX. It”™s over.”
…and couldn’t agree more. Been following it on here since it started, and it just seems to be creating an insane amount of ‘scene’ drama and fucking up some things that Trig has worked for. More drama here now than the Cussin’ Board, and that says a lot…
Just my 2 cents for the time being.
April 10, 2011 @ 8:02 am
I’d just like to point out how much attention everybody is paying to this record because T.Junior went up in arms about his review and some other comments. I havent heard the record and all these posts sure as hell don’t make me want too.
April 10, 2011 @ 9:02 am
as the saying goes man, any press is good press. I guarantee you they will sell some copies from this blog.
April 10, 2011 @ 11:03 am
Well the buying will not be from me. I refuse to spend the money I earn on an artist who insults his fans and goes on a rant because he feels slighted by a good review of him. The impression I got from T Jr’s original rant was that his feelings were hurt by not being invited to perform at festivals. If I’m way off-base, so be it. That is still the impression that I got. I do not reward my children or grandchildren for whining and throwing a fit and I will not reward a grown man but buying his music.
April 10, 2011 @ 5:18 pm
Jahshie, if only there was a scientific way to test that theory. You very well could be right. I’m with Nikki, I will not be throwing any of my hard earned cash their way. I also suspect many of the folks who will be supporting them on account of what went down here, will be letting them know in a very vocal way. Whereas folks like myself, who shall not be for the same reasons, would not waste our time letting the band know this. I don’t care what they think, as clearly they don’t care what I do. Actions always speak louder than words and for me to actively boycott the band and direct my funds elsewhere is more powerful than anything I can say. I also have to say if any of the artists I love like Hank 3, Scott H Biram or Wayne Hancock said those same things to Triggerman, I would be boycotting them too.
Verbal abuse is unacceptable and has no place in civilised society. There was also a threat of physical violence, said in ‘jest’ and directed towards Triggerman. Also, completely unacceptable. If T Junior does infact stand by everything he said and is unapolgetic for this online behaviour, I’d be quite concerned for the real world community he is a part of as he sounded like an angry and unstable individual. Maybe he’s not and was just having a bad day however I am quite glad he’s not my neighbour!
I know a few people got their knickers in a knot from Triggerman’s responses to T Junior however not once did he lower himself to this neanderthal level. Not that this surprised me. I don’t know much but I do know that Triggerman is intelligent & articulate. He also showed some integrity by posting a review. Damn, if I were him I think I may have just ‘buried’ that CD for a few weeks/months. Or maybe accidently on purpose ‘lost’ it.
By the way Jahshie, did T Junior respond to your suggestion of appearing on your show? I would listen to that, and I would do so with an open mind.
April 10, 2011 @ 6:03 pm
No he did not. Good comment though Carla. Trig has done so much for me and Outlaw. He is a great man with a love for music.
April 11, 2011 @ 2:06 pm
Amen!
April 10, 2011 @ 12:30 pm
t junior did just as trig said and stirred up a hornets nest never have i seen an over reaction like that and i even had been an HTH fan but his feelings kinda of made me feel like he just doesn’t care about hs fans, from his rantings and ravings on southern bands getting no exposure, because being from san diego california and havein very few bands period out here pushin rope and the screamin yeehaws basicall pised me off to high hell so i am fuly in support of trig until t apoligizes i wilo not be listenin to the hth album i have
April 10, 2011 @ 3:56 pm
To be honest, I think the review was even a bit generous. The music is efficient at best, the vocals are mixed too high, and the guy sounds like he is reading the lyrics off a teleprompter.
Is it really hard to fathom that a band doesn’t get great exposure simply because there is nothing about them that stands out?
April 10, 2011 @ 6:11 pm
Definitely not a “Holy shit, this album is awesome” record, but it is a good album. Been a HTH fan for a while now and I like the album. We need more bands like them in the deep south. Being from Georgia, i feel like all anyone down here knows is the soulless crap coming out of Nashville.
April 11, 2011 @ 9:39 am
i think this is a fuckin strong album. i been listenin to it pretty steady since i got it and i cant say nothin bad about it. the instrumentation is fuckin dead on for me and my musical taste, the fiddle especially, and i think the lyrics match the music and T. Junior’s singin style well. some albums are “deguello motel” and some are “lone wolf omb”, both fuckin move me. some make your mind spin and some are more sensory experiences, if that makes any sense or fuckin not. anyways, i find it a step up in every way from “Hallways of the Always” which i also liked and which got a good review here, makin me wonder what has changed,the honky tonk hustlas or the expectations or what.
April 11, 2011 @ 12:10 pm
Is it possible to make real country music without having to sing about the devil? Sure drinking and the occasional drugs have been the topics of many a country song since the beginning, but I mean Hank Sr, Ernest Tubb, George Jones, got by just fine without praising the devil and talking about how much they don’t care about anyone else. Everyone has their own opinions and beliefs, however I’m just seeing a trend going towards the more hard-edged, pissed off attitudes that aren’t so much traditional as the music sounds. I’m with Misfit radio in saying “Whatever happened to a good old fashioned cheatin”™ song?”
April 12, 2011 @ 1:45 am
Fawk HTH then. If you you dont like what T.Junior has to say, then dont buy his shit. the only repercussion is less pussies like you will refuse an opportunity to enjoy some quality music brought on by a band who actually gives a fuck. I dont want to be associated with some yuppie fuck who thinks that T.Juniors stance on what he feels is right and, is, should depict what you do or dont agree with. If you dont support your county, your brother or your country, and are constantly fighting one another based on the word of reason, then get back on 98.1 and suck down that keith urban assembly line bull shit.
HTH is here to stay, past present and future, FUCK the pussies who dont deserve a listen, you fellas are true American musicians. If they dont like they can kiss our ass
April 12, 2011 @ 11:45 am
I am little confused as to why this website is called http://www.savingcountrymusic.com. What are you saving country music from exactly? Country music doesn’t need to be saved from anything, it needs to be resurrected and in my opinion that is what bands like Honky Tonk Hustlas, Hank III & the Damn Band, Bob Wayne, .357, and countless other bands have been thriving to do for years on end. They work for barely nothing and spend money out of their pockets to ensure that country music, real country, lives on. I read your review and I have read countless other reviews that you have written as well. I do not agree with your approach and I think that it is people like you and your acerbic criticisms that are holding this genre back. I realize that this is a review and that you are entitled to your opinion as a critic however, nothing I have read from you or on this site holds the merit of being able to claim that they are “saving country music”. Perhaps you genuinely dislike the album or perhaps you are not as qualified as you think to voice opinion on this music. These guys don’t just write music, they write about their lives. These bands might talk about satan, cocaine, or drinking a lot but, that is a reflection of the lifestyle they chose lead. B.B. King didn’t sing the blues because he thought it sounded cool or liked the lyrics he wrote. He sang the blues because that was his life, his experiences, and his soul. All of his songs were about how his woman left him, he is sad, he is poor, and surprise, he is going to have another drink to forget all about it. Same thing over and over again. Why? Because that was his everyday. That is what he knew and that is what he wrote about. Life, pain, drinking, drugs, woman, death, and dealing with it all. That is what country music was founded on. When you blatantly insult lyrics that are based on a reflection of a lifestyle such as the ones depicted in just about every country song I have ever heard, you blatantly insult country music and the shear essence it was built on. So, again I ask, what are you doing to save country music?
April 12, 2011 @ 2:36 pm
Are we really going to lump the Honky Tonk Hustlas with Hank III, Bob Wayne & .357, who’ve logged thousands of live shows? I think the Hustlas played a few dates in Florida once.
The whole reason I saw it as imperative to come out against the lyrics of this album is BECAUSE I’m trying to Save Country Music. Hank III, Bob Wayne etc. are being diminished by this weekend warrior band who is helping perpetuate negative stereotypes about these very songs. That is why I referenced the Hank III Rebel Within review in this review. It was a problem a year ago, and it is a problem now. Mercilessly running the same three tired themes into the ground over and over make people not want to hear the good, fresh, relevant songs these bigger artists put out.
Here’s an example from the review I did for Bob Wayne’s Outlaw Carnie:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-bob-waynes-outlaw-carnie
“Ga. Outlaw (Edit) January 30, 2011 at 8:15 pm
I”™m about to loose a lot of friends on here, but I can”™t keep my mouth shut anymore. First I want to apolagize to The Triggerman because after reading the first line of his review I quit reading & went to the link to preview the tracks & unfortunatly I found this album to be just what I thought it would be so let me ask some questions that have been troubling me about this music we love so much (not just this album but almost every album by almost every artist talked about on this site).
1) Why does every album have to have a song about meth?
2) Why does every album have to have a song about weed?
3) If this is about bringing country back to it”™s roots then why does every album have to have a song about the devil but very few have songs about God?
Here was my response:
“The Triggerman (Edit) January 30, 2011 at 9:28 pm
Ga. Outlaw,
I think you raise some good concerns.
1 & 2 & 3) I think this is a valid point, and more of a sign of the times with this music than a current trend. Hank III created an underground movement of country when he released Straight to Hell and for better or worse, it created a bunch of copy cats who have run the drug references into the ground.
If you like this album, that’s all that matters. This is my opinion, which included many positive things about the album. I even said ” This one scores high on many aspects, and so I can”™t blame it for speaking to some. What I don’t understand is the horrifically narrow reality tunnel some people are approaching my opinions with. If you like it, hell yeah, but I think it is the utmost of insanity to read through many of the comments on this very article, comments that have been being made on this site for years, and not understand why someone MIGHT have a beef with the lyrics on this album. It’s fine if T. Junior lives out these songs. That doesn’t mean that they are going to speak to people.
You can’t argue taste.
April 12, 2011 @ 5:42 pm
/thread
April 13, 2011 @ 8:40 am
So basically from what I gather from Triggerman’s statement is that a band can only have validity if they perform on a full time basis? It doesn’t matter that the music is good and damn the sacrifices than an independent band makes to bring an album to see the light of day. Band A hasn’t played as many shows as Band B so therefore they are not valid nor are they relevant, afterall they’re just “Weekend Warriors”. I guess if we follow Triggerman’s logic then the National Guard isn’t valid or relevant either since they are “Weekend Warriors” also. I’ve listened to the album South of Nashville several times now and I think the whole “Whiskey, Devil, Cocaine” claim that Triggerman made in his review is greatly exaggerated. I didn’t hear a single cocaine reference, didn’t hear a single meth reference, matter of fact I can only recall one drug reference on the entire album. The devil references are pretty sparse as well and they seem to reference a struggle within the singer more that a reference to “hey I worship satan”. To claim that the substance contained within the songs on South of Nashville is nothing but “Whiskey, Devil, Cocaine” makes you come off as vindictive and untruthful and frankly it’s an unfair assessment of the album. You may be trying to “save country music” but it appears that you let your personal feelings lead you in a direction that helps kill country music instead.
July 16, 2011 @ 10:42 am
I would like to point out that Triggerman erroneously stated that HTH has only toured through Florida once with no other touring experience. Whether his incorrect statement was intentionally meant to discredit the Hustlas, or whether it was an honest mistake is irrelevant. The fact is that HTH has toured through a significant portion of the U.S., which I think is especially impressive for guys who work fulltime jobs and have families. HTH has through all throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, and more. I was able to find this info through a simple, 5-minute google search. I recommend all journalists and critics follow my example and research the facts before publishing false information (and I’m not even a journalist!).
HTH’s South of Nashville is an incredible album, and the lyrics are about real life and straight to the point. There are no drug references, and the only reference to the Devil (which I think there is only 1 on the whole album) is obviously metaphorical and not meant to represent the Satan character from religious mythology.
All I’m saying is that I think more research should have been done by Triggerman before he started making false statements about the Honky Tonk Hustlas. He is obviously a bigoted, pathetic individual with an alternate agenda, and that agenda is most definitely NOT to save country music.
April 12, 2011 @ 7:32 pm
I bought “South of Nashville” off of iTunes. I love it.
I can hear a resemblance in T Juniors voice to Hank Sr.
How many people do you think come from Montgomery, AL, and didnt grow up listening to Hank Sr.
Anyway, I would suggest no one knock it till they hear it. Make up youre own mind. It is good.
April 14, 2011 @ 11:05 am
Sorry people, but if country music needs to be saved it’s from awful music like this. Punk rock with twang is not country music. Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams sang about hard living but acted like gentlemen. I truly don’t recal an Ernest Tubb or Carter Family song with four letter words and I’d wager they didn’t talk that way off stage either. Folks have confused “outlaw” with “moronic redneck”. Big difference….or there should be.
If anyone expects the general public to suddenly stop liking junk like Lady Antebelum only to roll over to foul mouthed rehashes of other foul mouthed rehashes you will be sorely dissaponted.
April 14, 2011 @ 7:04 pm
Not saying that cursing alot is the most clever way to get a point across, but it is done a good deal by alot of people that I work/hang-out with. I do it myself… country music is about relating to people and their problems and to say that one can’t ever cuss would be limiting artists ability to connect/sound like their audience.
Funny thing is that there is actually alot more cursing in mainstream rock/metal than there is in underground rock/metal… I guess people want to rail against what is taboo. In country, cursing is taboo so outside the mainstream you will hear it some. In the metal mainstream cursing is accepted and that’s why alot of underground acts steer away from it.
But my own opinion is that I could say “I want to fuck my wife”, or “I want to have sex with my wife” and because they both mean the same thing, I cannot therefore see why one would be wrong to say. I understand that fuck is considered vulgar but when used as a synonym for other words that are deemed acceptable I just can’t see why people get all worked up about it. And if an artist were to sing a song and refer to say his broken down pick-up as a “gosh-darned truck”, I would be thinking to myself that that fella were a douche.
April 15, 2011 @ 11:56 am
Comments and responses were removed from this article for violating rule #3
http://www.forum.savingcountrymusic.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1303
#3 – Comment Hijacking – Using Comment Sections To Grandstand or Assert a Platform That Has Nothing To Do With The Original Topic.
April 20, 2011 @ 2:42 am
oh,cool…more censorship…LM*AO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 5, 2011 @ 5:18 am
Who is anyone to judge someone’s musical talent. It’s much easier for someone to say someone is a copy cat, or drags someone else down, or discourage an artist for performing and singing what is true to them? It is not anyone’s place, thats for sure. The HONKY TONK HUSTLAS are freaking awesome. Its not very often you can find good down home true country instead of that crap on the radio now adays on the radio. You sure can’t turn on a station and hear any of the greats, I think the new album is awesome and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys true country music!!!
May 17, 2011 @ 1:00 pm
I decided to come back and read your opinion again, for some reason, and it still makes me laugh. Apparently, you really don’t listen to the music or “get it”. Even when you speak of Hank III’s Rebel Within album and song “#5” not being about “drinking and druggin” when that’s exactly what it’s about. You can definitely tell what parts you wrote before you got all upset.
April 18, 2013 @ 12:49 pm
Fuck all of the drama. I saw T Junior and Bob Wayne last night in Monroe, Louisiana (definitely south of Nashville) and both of the them played a hell of a show. Both of them took the time to chat with me at the bar and I had a hell of a time. There was certainly no ill will towards Muddy Roots. Actually Bob said see you at Muddy Roots before I left to travel back to Natchez. We are definitely infected with pop country like no place in the country as we are full of the target demographic, but we still have venues and artists down here willing to keep country music alive. Even if it’s about whiskey, the devil, and cocaine, I don’t care. Those subjects are badass anyway. What’s wrong with being badass? It’s not like these guys are writing a fucking thesis for honors college. There’s always other shit to listen to if you get sick of those subjects. That’s why I saw Austin Lucas in Baton Rouge last month, Bob Wayne and T Junior in Monroe this month, and I’m seeing Dick Dale in Memphis next month.
April 18, 2013 @ 1:35 pm
Note this article is over two years old. I think we’ve all moved on from whatever transpired here.
April 18, 2013 @ 2:13 pm
Good to hear. I actually came across this in a search for T Jr. on the site. I thought his performance was incredible. Glad to hear, in monogenre vernacular, that “the beef has been squashed”