Customer Reviews

I Am What I Am (Amazon Exclusive Version)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After "The Bluegrass Sessions" in 2007, I had high expectations...and this CD delivers on them in new, exciting, and unexpected ways. Merle is, as always, great. I've been a fan of his music since my father listened to it when I was a kid, and he's only gotten better with age. After the strange, akward funk of the 90's, Haggard seems to have realized the limitations age has imposed on his voice and learned to fully utilize what still works. The results have been a musician growing older with grace and dignity.

"I Am What I Am" is a disc that seems to lean a bit closer to jazz than usual, giving the music a new feel with many unexpected flourishes. It is fantastic. Give it a listen, but put aside any assumptions that you'll be listening to a rehash of his popular tunes of years gone by.

I hope that Merle continues to record many more wonderful CDs for Vanguard Records, as they seem to have given him the freedom to be what he is...

Bakersfield's own Merle Haggard releases "I Am What I Am", his first album in three years on Vanguard Records. It's a bit of a comeback record of sorts. Unlike most comeback records, this album was written and produced entirely by the man himself with production assistance from Lou Bradley. The album starts off with "I've Seen It Go Away" in which Merle laments over the state of the world. "Stranger In The City" is a ballad about a traveling musician that refuses to stray from his marriage. Further down the album is the rather amusing mariachi influenced "Mexican Bands" in which Merle rattles off the hilarious line "Agave makes me dance on my hands". His wife Theresa who provides background vocals on half of the songs duets with him on the upbeat "Live And Love Always". Merle also makes a couple of jazz influenced songs such as "Pretty When It's New" and "The Road To My Heart". The album ends with the spectacular title track "I Am What I Am". It's a great, but considerably mellow, album from Haggard...as most of the songs are about being madly in love. It's a rather short album- clocking in at under forty minutes, but it's worth repeated listening.

Neither age nor a run-in with lung cancer has seemed to make a dent in Merle Haggard. I Am What I Am gives fans what they would hope for, and in spades. The opening track, "I've Seen It Go Away" is another song in the long (and damn good) line of Merle Haggard populist tunes, and "I Am What I Am" is another one of Merle's winning odes to honest individualism, warts and all. Listening to this cd, I was stunned by the consistent quality of the work. Thirty years ago, at least three or four of the songs would have been released as singles and hit the Top Twenty.

Much of this cd is in a quiet mode, but Merle sounds invigorated on every track. I'm glad that Merle Haggard is what he is -- one of the finest performers and songwriters in American music history. Highly recommended.

Unbelievable. Merle and The Strangers hit one out of the park... again. I don't know how, but this country legend just seems to improve with age. The timbre of that beautiful baritone voice, and the musicians that he chooses to surround himself with... WOW! You won't regret this one.

I just saw this weeks' "Americana" chart, and the Hag is #1! 73 years old, starting his 6th decade recording. I feel that this is Merle's best album (yes, album. I have it on vinyl!) since "If I could only fly", and it is somewhat similar to that record in the overall vibe. 11 songs written (or co-written) by Hag, one cover ("Live and love always" a duet with his wife Theresa - I've heard versions by the Maddox Bros. and Rose and also Hank and Audrey Williams). There's not a bad cut on the album (I don't particularly care for "Bad actor", although it is well written and performed, it just doesn't sound like a Merle song to me. However, it's my daughter's favorite, so go figure!). My favorites are "How did you find me here", "I am what I am", "Live and love always", "Oil tanker train", and "Pretty when it's new". "We're falling in love again" would be a great song for a cover version (George Strait, Johnny Bush?) and I'm willing to bet that "Pretty when it's new" will be covered also. "Mexican bands" is a blast, and "I've seen it go away" sums up Hag's current worldview perfectly. "Down at the end of the road" is a sad song about preparing for your kids to grow up and leave. Leave it to Hag to do an anti-cheating honky tonk song ("Stranger in the city"). The playing is tasteful and live-sounding (as has been the case with many of Merle's recent recordings) and the "guest musicians" are a great compliment to the Strangers. I think when it's all said and done, this will be rated as one of Merle's great records, a late career classic. I also believe that eventually Merle will get the widespread recognition he deserves as the greatest Country Music artist ever. Or, as Kris Kristofferson recently stated "The greatest artist in the history of American music". Thanks again, Hag (and thanks to Vanguard for the great job they've done also).

Too bad this wasn't released 40 years ago. It would have been a smash hit. As it is it was released in 2010, when country radio has no clue what country music is. All they know is the cookie cutter crap that spews out of Nashvegas.
Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesny, etc. none of them are worthy of holding Merle Haggard's hat, but their soulless crap will outsell Merle's honest and heartfelt music.

That ol' time country music....many wonder where did it all go. I have appreciated Merle Haggard since the late 60s.....a man who stood firm, in his immersion in eternal country music and blues....wrote some of the greatest melodies of all time ( today I started loving you again, /silver wings.. etc..) This is one of his finest recordings...incredibley tasteful guitar...good song writing ( he wrote all but one song).....A testament to what is truly great here in America...No wonder Dylan digs him.....Wonder if it will even get played on today's so called country music stations?....My vote for best country album of the year....
"One day when our dream world finds us..." ( that one by Roger Miller--Train of Life) Where did it all go? Well pick this one up and you will find it again...

I've always like the "pure" sound of Merle Haggard. Like the old timers, his music is truly his voice and music, with little added in the background. If you like Merle and his type of singing, this will be a great addition to your collection. There aren't many of the "oldies" left in the true country world.

What can you say about an American music icon like Merle!! I absolutly love this CD. I recommemd this to anyone who listens to any kind of music. His voice is so smooth, and gentle. This is going to be one of my favorites for a long, long time.

Merle Haggard is what he is. That's pretty much the best way to sum up this album; after all, reviewing a Haggard album is kind of extraneous--you know what you're getting going into it. I AM WHAT I AM is pretty much a reminder of the music that's come before it; it's full of stellar tunes and performances, but each song is really a reminder of something that came years before it (hence only the 4 stars).

Yet, what's here is golden. The first half of the album is more or less swing-influenced, with a few engaging little diddies. It's the second half of the album, though, that really shines: the roots-inspired title track (which is unapologetic, for better or worse); the haunting "Bad Actor"; the bluesy "How Did You Find Me Here." Other highlights include the traditional story-song "Old Oil Train" and "I've Seen It Go Away," basically an updated "Are the Good Times Really Over for Good."

Really, there's not a song on here that isn't worth listening to. And that in itself, considering how many albums Haggard has under his belt, is something worth celebrating. Perhaps only a couple of these songs even come close to ranking with his best (though none ever quite make it), but we won't hold that against him too much. The fact is, if you like Merle Haggard, or if you like traditional country music, then I AM WHAT I AM is the album for you.