Empire Builders

Jason Ringenberg | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 7, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B0002T7YVC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,137 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Woody Guthrie is alive and well. . ., September 23, 2004

By 

Bob Sloan, Rowan County KY (Rowan County, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empire Builders (Audio CD)

. . .in the person of a youngster named Jason Ringenberg.

The local college radio station's nightly "Americana" music program featured him last week, and I ordered his new album "Empire Builder."

Best cut, so far as I'm concerned, is "Rebel Flag in Germany," reflecting on the fact the Confederate battle flag has been taken up by skinheads and neoNazis who aren't allowed to flaunt swastikas. The song ends with the line "Hell, I don't even want to see that flag in Tennessee."

Ringenberg, like Guthrie, has a tendency to turn pieces of American history most of us don't think about enough into songs, as with ""Tuskegee Pride" (about the Tuskegee airmen of WW II) and "Eddie Rode the Orphan Train." (If you don't know what an "orphan train" was, Google it and learn about a very dark and sad story.) Then there's "Chief Joseph's Last Dream."

There's an old Merle Haggard tune ("Rainbow Stew") included on the CD, but most of them are written by Ringenberg. Even an old-fashioned love song called "She Hung the Moon Until It Died."

And I'm convinced this sort of stuff is where Woody Guthrie'd be, if he were young and alive today.

Electric guitars and a few weird noises and all.

Great CD. Highly recommended. Only eleven cuts, but every one of `em's a ringer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, solid but sketchy solo effort just for Jason fans...Original solo from '92 on Liberty and Pocketful of Soul better!, June 6, 2006

By 

Ricahrd A. Salzer (Chesapeake, Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empire Builders (Audio CD)

Jason Ringenberg is my favorite ex-
Scorcher, though Perry Baggs (or is
it Baggz?) and Warner E Hodges have
some rare solo stuff, or stuff with
other bands that is pretty good as
well. Rebel Flag song is too political
and doesn't quite fit here. Would have
been a better song on Clear Inpetuous
Morning, not one of the SCorchers best.
Better luck next time, Jason. I still
love ya!

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ringenberg- Great American Songwriter, September 7, 2004

By 

John Carroll (Alpharetta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empire Builders (Audio CD)

Jason Ringenberg once again delivers his unique style of rock, country, and folk music on Empire Builders. There are some pointed political statements on songs such as American Question/American Reprieve and Rebel Flag in Germany. The latter expressing what so many southerners, such as myself, really feel about that damn flag. He makes sure the rock gets back in the equation on Link Wray. Eddie Rode the Orphan Train is a hauntingly beautiful song written by the talented Jim Roll. Hell, there aint a weak song on this one. If you like Jason's previous records, you won't be disappointed. Personal favorite is Tuskegee Pride about a black fighter pilot in WWII. Half the Man, written for his father, is honest expression about what matters most in this life. In this day and age of focus group driven radio and here today/gone tomorrow one hit wonders, there are still gems out there like Jason Ringenberg. Go to his website-www.jasonringenberg.com and pick up a copy.