Customer Reviews

Best of Joe Ely

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This is the first domestically released Joe Ely anthology, and the only one to cover everything from his 1977 self-titled debut through 1998's Twistin' In the Wind. If you're unfamiliar with this Texas country-rocker, this is an excellent place to start.

In 1972 Joe Ely, Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore recorded their only album together as the Flatlanders and the album went nowhere. But over the next three decades each artist has garnered critical praise as a solo performer, though none has achieved more than cult status with the record buying public. Between the three of them, they wrote all but "Long Snake Moan" taken from Live Shots recorded while Ely was the opening act for the Clash. Though they don't perform with Ely on record, Hancock wrote eight of these songs, including "She Never Spoke Spanish To Me," "Suckin' a Big Bottle of Gin" and the wonderful "West Texas Waltz," and Gilmore wrote "Dallas" and co-wrote "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown."

Ely is also an excellent songwriter as well, penning "Fingernails" (the greatest song Jerry Lee Lewis never wrote!), "Me and Billy the Kid" and "All Just To Get to You." Ely's first two albums (represented by the first seven tracks) are an exciting blend of country, rock, honky-tonk and Tex-Mex. Steel guitar player Lloyd Maines provides much of the band's muscle along with Ponty Bone on accordian on the second album. By the release of his 1981 album, Ely was more rock than country and Live Shots which came out the same year is an amazing live album. Ely didn't release another album until 1984's Hi-Res, where he virtually abandoned any connection to country music. "Cool Rockin' Loretta" is the only thing worth having from that album.

After another recording hiatus, Ely returned in the late Eighties with two albums on the Hightone label. This period is represented by "Settle for Love" and "Me and Billy the Kid." Ely's two most recent albums--Letter To Loredo and Twistin' In the Wind--find him adding flamenco to the mix (and the return of Lloyd Maines to the band). The only surprise is that there is nothing included from 1992's Love and Danger.--"The Road Goes on Forever" would have been an obvious choice.

Being limited to a single disc anthology, this collection draws from nine of his ten studio albums, and two of his three live albums and provides the listener with an excellenet overview of an underrated artist. When you decide you need more, BGO has recently released his first two classic albums as a two-fer. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This is Joe Ely's first compilation in the US. It covers all his MCA albums as well as one song from a 1987 HighTone release. Ely's unique style of Country, Rock, Blues and Tex-Mex lends his songs a unique flavor. A great songwriter he also is smart enough to use the talents of equally fine songwriters like Butch Hancock "Tennessee's Not The State", and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, "Dallas", on his albums. Hancock, Gilmore and Ely were members of the legendary Flatlanders, who made one classic album in 1972 (in print called "More A Legend Than A Band" on Rounder Records). At 20 songs and 78 minutes this is a great introduction to anyone who has a passing interest in Ely's music. But it also will serve the Ely fan. No, there are no new songs or unreleased tracks here, but it does a fine job of wrapping up Ely's 23 years of solo work. One could always quibble: I miss "Jericho" from 1978's Honky Tonk Masquerade and either one of his 2 Robert Earl Keen covers from 1992's Love and Danger: "Road Goes on Forever" or "Whenever Kindness Fails", but those are minor omissions. And besides those songs are on Ely's 3 best studio albums, which are all in print: Joe Ely (77), Honky Tonk Masquerade (78) and Love and Danger (92). Those 3 albums plus this compilation filling in the gaps are essential in starting your Ely solo collection. With fine up-to-the-minute liner notes by John Morthland and good, clear sound, this turns out to be one of 2000's best reissues.

Joe Ely has truly become a full blown music legend - and not just in West Texas, but all over. His unique sound, with Texas influence, will only leave you wanting to hear more and more, again and again.

No matter if he is singing with the Flatlanders, Butch Hancock, or by himself, Ely will never fail to create a music masterpiece - and this album is proof of that. I own enough "Greatest Hits" albums to know that the not all the songs are truly "Great."

However, that is simply not the case here with Joe Ely. While some will have their favorites, all will listen to every song on the CD and never had the desire to skip any song. If you are new to Joe Ely or a long time fan, this is a must own CD for you.

Texas' Joe Ely has pumped out 14 albums of material since he made his debut in 1977. But as this latent collection of his greatest illustrates, his best stuff was recorded early on with chief songsmith Butch Hancock on board. Songs plucked from the first four albums dazzle with crackerjack playing, muscular vocals and a goldmine of material (Suckin' a Big Bottle of Gin, Tennessee's Not the State I'm In, West Texas Waltz, Standing at the Big Hotel) straight from Hancock's pen. Even Ely, unpressured, was able to dash off the sporadic gem (Honky Tonk Masquerade, Fingernails). But only the deaf will miss the stylistic decline which set in after Hancock bolted in 1981. Forced to rely on his own material, Ely's focused changed and the spark in the studio all but disappeared. Only a rousing live version of Hancock's If You Were a Bluebird, recorded in 1990, makes the case for any late-career relevancy and only then because Ely's true value is the work he does on stage.

Joe Ely is the best at Texas country/rock. This is a terrific album showcasing his talent and work over the last 20 years or so.

Seen him live a few times and I've been a fan for many years, so I didn't really need this one. That said, "best of" compilations are great for the road. If you get a chance to catch the man live, do it!

An excellent CD. It really is some of the best of Joe Ely.