Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Seems contractual, but good country is good country., May 29, 2009
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
The so-called "Country Music" we hear on CMT and on the radio isn't really Country Music. When it started, country was a form of expressing the feelings of the downtrodden, it was tales of sorrow and how the human spirit can still endure no matter how down on your luck you might be. In short, it was the blues for white people.
In modern times, most music fans shun country because, honestly, its terrible. Most of the time, instead of living up to its heartfelt and honest roots, modern country sounds like a bunch of watered down, twangy arena rock, and people are forced to endure idiotic songs about beer goggles, honky tonk badonkadonks, and how when events transpire in Mexico oftentimes said events remain in Mexico.
And while these self-celebratory, T-shirt slogan inspired tales of redneckery get airplay and sell records to people who don't really know any better, there remain a few artists on the fringe who know the real spirit of country and still create country songs that, when you hear them, don't inspire thoughts of suicide.
Shooter Jennings is one of those artists. This guy gets what country is. And he should, Waylon Jennings is his daddy. While Shooters music doesn't exactly break new ground, his mash up of Southern Rock and Outlaw Country certainly does a good job of reminding people that country music isn't a big joke.
This "best of" does a good job of capturing why he's worth your time. He puts a lot of heart into his music, avoids the smarmy cliche's of modern radio country, and his music just feels... real.
That said, I wonder if this release wasn't to fulfill some contractual obligation with his record label. The guy only has three albums (four if you count the live album), and I doubt he's done with his musical career, making this "best of" a bit premature and unnecessary.
Regardless of the reasons behind it, this compilation is a good one. Anyone who likes country or southern rock would do well to pick up some Shooter Jennings, whether it be this best of or just a couple of his studio albums.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Taste of Shooter, May 29, 2009
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Over the past few years I have heard a couple of Shooter Jennings songs on the radio. The one that most comes to mind is "4th of July" which was a hit back in 2005, and I have heard some other songs on his radio show on Sirius XM; other then that I never really followed his career or purposely listened to his music. Listening to this album, however, has given me a better idea of his talent, style and voice.
The man does have a talent for music, I can't deny that, and he has a pedigree that should allow that. His style would probably be described as a mating of southern rock and country western. And his voice is like Kid Rock's, only he can actually sing and hold a tune.
In my opinion I would describe Shooter's music as Kid Rock, if Kid Rock just did country and never did rock/rap music, with the exception that Shooter has a better voice and understands country music better.
Highlights of the track lineup include his biggest hit "4th of July", title track of his latest album "The Wolf", a fun little southern ditty "Manifesto No. 1", a decent cover of "The Walk of Life", and one of the previously unreleased songs Shooter's version of the Hank Williams Jr. song "Living Proof".
The album has its highs, but they are few and nothing really stands out to me. Jennings seems to write and sing for himself more than the listeners and I think that holds back the music a little bit. It just isn't my cup of tea, but I do see how this music can still be appreciated and enjoyed by a fan of this brand of country, all I can say is give the songs a listen before you buy.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Greatest Hits...?, August 31, 2009
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This was my first exposure to Jennings and his band, and after listening to their "greatest," I think it'll be my last. Cash, Willie, Waylon, etc. regularly frequent my playlists, so I appreciate good country, but Shooter's stuff didn't quite do it for me. I enjoyed the first couple cuts on the CD, but it quickly went downhill from there in my opinion.
Is the CD horrific...no. But, would I listen to it if it was up against the legends noted above...no way.
Shooter seems like he's trying to fit the "renegade country" genre, but his stuff seems so similar to Hank Jr. While I'm not a huge fan of Hank Jr., I do appreciate his music more than Jennings'. Perhaps it's off topic, but I bet if Thursday Night Football had an opening theme song, ol' Shooter would be first in line for it!
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