Customer Reviews

Dwightyoakamacoustic.Net

5 star:		(102)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm a long-time Dwight Yoakam fan, and I have enjoyed all of his albums to date. I wasn't sure what an acoustic album would be like (it was hard to imagine something like "Fast As You" without electric guitar), but I certainly wasn't disappointed; I was, in fact, pleasantly surprised. The album is good in more than one respect. The tracks are well-chosen and span Dwight's career, providing a pleasant retrospective that distinguishes itself from your typical repackaged greatest hits-type album (but do check out Just Lookin' for a Hit and Last Chance for a Thousand Years if you want to hear some great music). The engineering seems clear, and Dwight and his guitar turn out to be all you need to enjoy these excellent songs. The first track, "Bury Me," sounds perfect as it appears here, and "Guitars, Cadillacs" sums up the work neatly. Also, the album is over 70 minutes long, meaning you get a lot of (once again, very good; it's repetitive, but it's true) music for your money. For longtime fans of Dwight Yoakam, for people who enjoy a stripped-down sound, or for people wanting to experience a talented artist from a new angle, this album is for you.

Never mind the unusual, barebones packaging, just focus on the great music on this CD. Yoakam has never sounded better, and his solo voice, accompanied by his acoutic guitar, is by turns heartbreaking, haunting, and sexy. The 25 songs are taken from his entire career, and range from a magnificent, hymn-like, a capella version of Guitars, Cadillacs to an Elvis-like remake of Fast As You. With the new arrangements, he has managed to make all his classics sound new, and the acoustic format makes it sound as if he's performing in your living room. This CD will make you realize how under-rated this great singer/songwriter is. In an era where far too many country singers sound alike and write alike, Yoakam's originality and pure talent shine through. It doesn't matter whether you call his style of music honky-tonk, Bakersfield sound, Americana, or alt-country, it's great music. Buy this CD, you won't regret it. Now, if only country radio would play some of these tracks . . .

Unlike the previous reviewer, I HAVE heard this album and I think it is wonderful. The previous reviewer did not take the time to understand what the album is all about. It is not a greatest hits album! Dwight reinvents some of his old songs with only his voice and guitar. All of the emphasis on these songs are on Dwight's lyrics and voice. No other guitars; No drums; no back-up singers! It's just wonderful. True fans of Dwight will love this CD.

Wow! This is a music. First let me say that I am not a comtemporary country music fan. Furthermore, I had never heard about twenty of the songs on this album before I bought it. I like acoustic guitar and a friend had said that this album was a must if you enjoy grass-roots guitar music. Many of the reviews on this board compare this album to Dwight's previous releases. I think this album would ruin the other albums becuse this one is so good. I cannot even imagine listening to these songs with electic instruments. Obviously, Dwight fans are going to check out this album. My challenge is to non-Country fans--buy this album. You will not be dissappointed. It is Americana as music gets. The man is an amazing talent. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have the guitar playing ability, the voice, and the writing ability that this man has. Don't stop to think about it anymore, BUY IT.

This is what you would think every fan would want to see from their favorite singer(s)...an album of just the singer & his guitar. A record where you can actually hear what he's trying to say to you. An album like this can only be made by a handful of people in this day and age...because most cookie-cutter country singers don't have the material to sing in this fashion, they are not capable of writing the intricate lyrics that Yoakum writes and they don't have the heartfelt emotion to pull off the songs successfully. Can you really imagine such a gutty album coming from Tim McGraw or Shania Twain? It would never happen, it can't happen - because they lack the skill to write, play, and sing these types of songs are much better suited to looking pretty for a video.

This album is a bit of a reminder of Willie Nelson...reworking his old tunes in a new way, and looking at them from a different angle. Funny how immense talents like Nelson and Yoakum are driven to do creative things like this with their music...and then on the other hand, later this year we'll get yet another record from George Strait that sounds like the last 8 records he's made. This type of record Dwight has made here is the difference between being an artist and being a singer.

This is NOT a greatest hits album.... I got my copy today and it is terrific. Especially with headphones. It's just Dwight and his acoustic guitar... similar to the "American Recordings" that Johnny Cash recorded in Rick Rubin's living room. While it might have been fun to have fiddle and banjo accompanying him, it's great to hear Dwight all by himself. For my money, it doesn't get any better than this. (and I'm NOT so much of a fan that I'd love it if it wasn't first-rate.)

As a true DY-hard fan, I bought this cd the day it was released. As it turns out, it happens to be the best investment I've made this year.

Dwight, somewhere, said he released this album because of the "gracious response" he received performing acoustic sets during his tour. Well, he's done well by his fans. Dwight has allowed us to develop different perspectives and an even deeper appreciation for his talent as a singer, a songwriter, and a musician.

No matter how creative and successful Dwight becomes as he pushes his talent to the limit, he seems to have never forgotten the roots of country music. The familiar favorites such as "Bury Me", "Readin', Rightin', Rt. 23", and much more, are all included on this cd. Through his music, Dwight continues to graciously impart homage to his family, to his Kentucky roots, and to the MUSIC!

I encourage everyone to indulge in this cd.

Despite his immense talent as a singer-songwriter, Dwight Yoakam truly lacks the respect he deserves in the music industry. Nashville has all but completely ignored him for over ten years, some alt.country fans try to discredit him because he's got a traditional side and because he's achieved mainstream success in the past, and some country purists would argue that he's too alternative to be considered traditional country. But his eclectic, unpredictable style is what makes him most admirable and accessible to many fans. His music has always been exciting and even his most dedicated admirers can never guess what his next move will be. Dwightyoakamacoustic.net is full of Dwight's own spontaneity, as well as many other wonderful surprises.

If you haven't yet noticed, this album is an all-acoustic journey through 12 years of Dwight's music. Songs from his red-hot 1986 debut Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. to 1998's wonderful A Long Way Home and virtually everything in between have been selected and reworked acoustically. However, it's unfortunate that none of the songs from the great album Gone made their way onto this CD. It's the only studio album up to the release of dwightyoakamacoustic.net that isn't represented here. You'd think that with 25 tracks, they'd be able to include at least one song from that album. Still, it's a minor flaw that's easily forgivable considering all this album has to offer.

Dwightyoakamacoustic.net relies completely on the power of Dwight's unique voice, great guitar skills, and unparalleled songwriting abilities. Every song here was written by Dwight except for "Little Sister" (an Elvis classic written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman). "Nothing's Changed Here" and "Two Doors Down" were both co-written by Dwight & Kostas, while "It Only Hurts When I Cry" was co-written by Dwight & the late Roger Miller. Other than that, all the lyrics are provided by the man himself. And what's great about this CD is that without his hard rocking band backing him up, you can really understand this power of his lyrics to a greater extent. One thing I've noticed about Dwight is that many of his songs are depressing, but you'd never know it by the upbeat arrangements they're set to. But here, there are no contradictions between the songs' messages and the music accompanying them.

Dwight's twangy, nasal-y (for lack of a better word) voice alone is also worth mentioning. Hearing these songs with just an acoustic guitar provides the listener with a bare-bones setting to really hear and enjoy his wonderful voice. There's much more to his voice than just his range. Dwight's vocal strength lies mostly in his ability to express deep emotions and a natural purity rarely found in today's country music. He has one of the most expressive and uniquely beautiful voices I've ever had the opportunity to listen to.

I'm also thankful that the song choices are varied, and he doesn't just limit himself to the hits he's famous for. There are some great surprises here as far a song choice goes. I'm amazed at how songs like "Fast as You" could be interpreted acoustically without losing a single notch of energy or sex appeal. Some songs are easily recognizable on the first listen, whereas most of the songs here are a whole new trip. Here are a few of my favorites:

"Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)" somehow manages to present itself in more of a painful and beautifully dark manner than the original. The song has always been a step up from your standard country murder ballad, but the acoustic version just takes the song to a whole new level. I'm almost ashamed to say this, but I never really realized the power of the song's lyrics until after I heard the acoustic version. I especially love how he compares the way his lover wounded him emotionally ("she wore red dresses and left the wounded behind") to feeling justified to wounding her physically, hence killing her ("she wore red dresses, but now she lay dead"). Dwight really makes the listener feel his pain to an extent where you honestly believe that he had every right to kill her, even if your moral instincts would normally say otherwise. Just brilliant.

"A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" is given a completely new meaning with just Dwight and his guitar. He puts a lot of passion behind this song, both vocally and instrumentally. Here, he really shines as the amazingly talented guitarist he is, but is rarely given credit for being. He strums recklessly with uninhibited passion and breathes a whole new life into the song, even without Pete Anderson's electric guitar playing that gave the original its unique character. I truly believe there is almost a spirituality behind Dwight's vocals on this song, especially when he sings "oh I..." Although it isn't completely clear what he means when he sings that particular part, you can tell whatever it is, he means it with his whole heart. The song's ever-present stark beauty is elevated to unbelievable new heights on this version; one cannot help but be taken aback.

"Johnson's Love" is one of the lesser-known cuts on this album, but it's just as amazing as any of Dwight's biggest hits. The song tells a story of a man who finds himself with no reason to live after his lover leaves him. Even after death, his love for the woman is still present. Dwight achingly sings, "I heard the preacher at the service say from love he's finally free, but I say love it knows no season, it haunts the soul eternally." But in my opinion, the greatest aspect of this song is Dwight's guitar playing. It takes you on a real emotional rollercoaster; accelerating and decelerating in all the right places. The original version might be sad, but its acoustic counterpart is downright devastating.

"Home for Sale" is probably the saddest song on the entire album. I've always loved the idea behind the song... it's kind of a narrated, depressing real estate ad. Instead of the delicate dobro and organ that usually fill the song, Dwight's guitar work is very sparse. His voice soars, trembles, and moans. If you thought the original was sad, just listen to this. The first time I listened to it, I was pretty much reduced to tears. This song is just proof that Dwight knows how to touch the heart and dig into a deep well of emotions.

"Guitars, Cadillacs" is a perfect way to close the album. The twist on this particular song is that it's sung a capella. Some might find this hard to fathom, as the well-known original version is fast-paced and fun. One might even overlook the sadness of the lyrics by listening to the original ("there ain't no glamor in this tinseled land of lost and wasted lives, and painful scars are all that's left of me"). However, with just Dwight's voice, the heartbreak is unavoidable. The song has an almost haunting quality to it, and the true beauty of Dwight's voice is made quite apparent. I still get goosebumps everytime I listen to it.

Any Dwight Yoakam collection just would not be complete without the purchase of this CD. Dwightyoakamacoustic.net is also a great buy for anyone who likes acoustic-based music, roots music, or country in general. Buy this album and you'll automatically see why many people from different backgrounds who like different types of music respect Dwight. It really is an amazing little-known gem that definitely deserves a listen!

I'm the 95th person to submit an opinion. I've been a Dwight fan for over 20 years (started out because Mom hated him...likening him to Buck, of course...and after a couple of songs I forgot my initial reasons for buying his first CD and became a full-out fan of his music). I bought this particular 'unplugged' CD after hearing one song played on XM radio, and then reading four or five of the first 94 reviews posted here. I made the purchase, was intrigued after my first play...and completely sucked in by my third or fourth play.

Out of curiosity, I decided to see what lay beyond the first few reviews that swayed me...well folks, bottom line is just buy the darned CD. Oh sure, if you read far enough you'll find a tiny percentage who expressed disappointment...and thank goodness for them! I had begun to think something was fishy, meaning how could absolutely everyone have five-starred it? That said, most reviewers were anywhere from 'mighty impressed' to 'completely blown away' by this bare-bones Dwight presentation. So unless (like me) you're just curious, save your eyes and go treat your ears. Best musical purchase I've made in quite a long time...this CD is NOT going to get old for me.

I cannot tell you all sorts of technical stuff about his voice and guitar talent, nor get all flowery about his lyrical genius. What I will say is, based on 95 submitted opinions spanning five years, you have huge odds of liking, if not loving, this CD. Nuff said. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a Yoakam fix.

This CD is a "best of" compilation, of sorts.

The twist is that every track on this long CD is recording with just Dwight's voice and a guitar (I think he's playing the guitar, too, though there are no liner notes and the back of the record isn't clear on that point). Moreover, the guitar is pretty primitive, just strummed cords with some passing notes and the occasional guitar run.

So what you really have here is just Dwight Yoakam's voice. And his voice is great, a high tenor hillbilly near-yodel that can put you to sleep or straighten your hair, depending on the song.

And wierdly, when you hear his voice in isolation like this, you realize how much he sounds like Elvis. Not Old Elvis, of "Viva Las Vegas" and the glitzy jumpsuits, but Young Elvis, Love Me Tender Elvis, Rockabilly Elvis.

I don't think Dwight has quite the range that Elvis did -- I don't think his voice goes as low -- but it's that same crooning, twangy sound that made the King a star. And it's great. Viva Dwight Yoakam!