Customer Reviews

Dawg Years

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

 

 

I've been a Blaze fan for 3 years or so and enjoyed what I've seen on youtube as well as his live CD from the Austin Outhouse.I think Clay Pigeons is a favorite,but I just listened to The Dawg Years CD a few times and am hooked.The variety of subjects is about as broad as you can get,serious,funny,witty and sad.The picking, besides being top notch,suits the song.This guy knew what note to emphasize at just the right time to compliment what came out of his mouth.This CD was a great surprise considering the original tape was dug out of a closet 25 years after being recorded in someone's living room,complete with background baby noises and adult laughter,which adds to the authenticity. It is a super excellent example of the talent of Depty Dawg aka Blaze Foley.If you don't enjoy it...well,you will! He is still with us.

How come no one outside of Texas has heard of Blaze Foley? Let me say that name again, Blaazzzzze Foley. The songs here are reminiscent of the demo recordings of Nick Drake (or even the Smithsonian's Walt Robertson's "American Northwest Recordings"--look it up), but with a voice tangled in the pines, and as honeyed as John Prine's. The collection opens with "You'll Get Yours Aplenty," and the relaxed delivery at first deflects from the earthy, grave lyrics that compare to Townes Van Zandt. "The Moonlight Song," "I Should Have Been Home," and "Let Me Ride in Your Big Cadillac" recall the timeless acoustic Hank Williams recordings. A few numbers have an infant's gurgles accompanying Foley and only add to the eternal quality. The effortlessness here indicates a naturalness so rare compared to today's technologically saturated production. I'd put it up there with the eternal Hank Williams' "Singles Collection" box set (especially the last 15 cuts from Disc 3) and Washington Phillips' "I am Born to Preach the Gospel," for its simple everlasting endurance.

I had heard Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard do covers of Blaze Foley songs, but had never actually heard him sing. I recently met Blaze's sister Marsha, who is working hard to keep her brother's music alive. From the first time I listened, I was amazed at the richness and maturity of his voice for such a young man. The accoustic sound, his haunting and comforting voice had me hooked right away. The music sounds familiar and comfortable, like you'd known these songs forever. What a treasure for this eclectic mix of songs to still be preserved after more than 30 years of being stored in the back of a friends closet. A story teller that is fresh, wholesome, witty. I highly recommend.

An unbelievable collection of songs about wine, women, treehouses, outlaws, cheeseburgers, punk rock and corruption! Blaze speaks his mind once again on this one from 1975-1978. You can even hear the little one on occasion crying a bit in the background. True music from the heart with intelligent lyrics to boot. Foley is still one of a kind even in today's world.

Many artists' early recordings are not all that good, but I've got a serious Blaze Foley jones going, so I skipped listening to samples. This is not a good one to buy if you're looking for something representing his best effort.

i like blaze foley, and thus i like this album. good quality and a bunch of songs i had never heard before.